FAQs
Who do you typically work with?
While we work with individuals and families from many professions, our primary focus is helping physicians and other high-income professionals make smart financial decisions with confidence. Many of our clients have complex financial lives, limited time, and want a professional to help them think through the decisions that matter most.
As part of our planning process, we look at how all the pieces of your financial life fit together. That includes investments, tax planning, retirement, insurance, estate planning, and everything in between. My goal is to help you make informed decisions that support your long term goals.
What services do you provide?
We help physicians bring clarity and direction to their financial lives. Many of our clients have multiple financial priorities competing for their attention and are not sure where to start or whether they are making the right decisions.
Through our planning process, we will identify what matters most, prioritize your next steps, and build a strategy that addresses every aspect of your financial life, including investments, retirement planning, tax strategies, student loans, insurance, estate planning, employee benefits, and more. Our role is to do the heavy lifting so you can spend less time worrying about your finances and more time focusing on your family and career.
How can working with a financial advisor help me?
If you are like many of the physicians we work with, you do not necessarily need someone to make every financial decision for you. You need a professional to help you cut through the noise, do the heavy lifting, and give you confidence that you are making smart financial decisions.
That is exactly what our planning process is designed to do. Together, we will prioritize what deserves your attention, build a clear strategy around your goals, and adapt that strategy as your life, career, and priorities evolve.
Do you have experience working with physicians?
Yes. Physicians face financial decisions that most people never encounter. They often have demanding careers, complex employee benefits, high incomes, competing financial priorities, and very little time to figure it all out.
Having worked with physicians throughout our career, we understand those challenges and have built our planning process around helping them make sense of their financial lives. Our goal is to help you prioritize what matters most, make informed financial decisions, and give you confidence that you are moving in the right direction.
When should I start financial planning?
While it is never too early or too late to seek financial advice, we recommend physicians begin exploring financial planning during their PGY3 or chief resident year.
That is when your financial decisions start becoming more meaningful and the transition to attending life is on the horizon. Even if we are not ready to officially work together yet, opening the lines of communication early can help ensure you are making informed decisions as you transition into the next stage of your career.
What does a financial plan include?
Every financial plan is tailored to your unique situation, but the goal is always the same: to help you make smarter financial decisions with confidence.
Your plan may address areas such as retirement, investments, tax planning, insurance, estate planning, employee benefits, cash flow, and other financial priorities unique to your situation. Rather than leaving you with pages of analysis, we will summarize the recommendations into a clear roadmap that helps you focus on what matters most and what to do next. From there, our team will help you implement those recommendations, stay on track, and adjust your plan as your life and goals evolve.
How are you compensated?
We believe you should always understand how your financial advisor is compensated before deciding to work together.
Depending on the work we do together, our compensation may include planning fees, advisory fees, commissions, or a combination of those. Before moving forward, we will explain exactly how we are compensated, answer any questions you have, and make sure you understand the costs involved. Our goal is for you to have a clear understanding of the fees and the value you are receiving, so you can make an informed decision with confidence.
What is your investment philosophy?
We believe successful investing is built on discipline, not speculation. Rather than trying to predict what the market will do next, we recommend evidence-based investment strategies that are aligned with your goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon.
We believe investing should be intentional, cost conscious, and focused on the long term. Every investment recommendation is made within the context of your overall financial plan so your portfolio supports your financial goals and the life you want to live.
Can you help with student loan planning?
Absolutely. As one of the relatively few Certified Student Loan Professionals® (CSLP®) in the country, I have specialized training in helping physicians navigate complex student loan repayment strategies.
For many physicians, student loans are one piece of a much bigger financial picture. That is why we do not look at your loans in isolation. We will help you evaluate how your repayment strategy fits alongside your retirement savings, taxes, investments, and other financial priorities so you can make informed decisions with confidence.
How often will we meet?
Meeting frequency depends on the services we are providing and your individual needs. Financial Planning clients meet during our Spring and Fall Strategy Meetings, while Investment Management clients meet annually during one of those strategy timeframes.
Beyond our scheduled meetings, our team stays connected with you throughout the year as questions come up, life changes, or new financial decisions arise. We are here to help you make informed financial decisions whenever you need us.
What should I bring to our first meeting?
Our first conversation is a 15 to 30 minute Discovery Call. It is simply an opportunity for us to get to know each other, discuss your goals, and determine whether there is a good basis to move forward together. Don’t worry about gathering every statement or having everything perfectly organized before we meet.
It is helpful to have a general understanding of your income, savings and investments, and any outstanding debts, along with an idea of what you would like to accomplish. If we both decide to move forward, we will schedule a 60 minute Deep Dive, and our team will guide you through gathering everything we need to make the process as simple as possible.
Do you help with retirement planning?
Absolutely. Retirement planning is about much more than choosing investments or saving a certain amount each year. It is about understanding whether you are on track to achieve the lifestyle you want in retirement.
As part of our planning process, we will project your progress, identify potential gaps, and make adjustments along the way. The goal is to give you confidence that the financial decisions you are making today are supporting the life you want to live tomorrow.
Can you help with tax planning?
Absolutely. Tax planning is one of the most important parts of the financial planning process because every dollar unnecessarily paid in taxes is one less dollar working toward your financial goals.
While we do not prepare tax returns, we will work with you and your accountant to identify tax efficient strategies, coordinate planning throughout the year, and help ensure your financial decisions support your overall tax strategy.
What if my situation changes?
Your financial plan is only valuable if it evolves as your life changes. That is why financial planning is an ongoing process, not a one time event.
Through our Spring and Fall Strategy Meetings, we will build on the work we have done together by focusing on different areas of your financial plan, discussing what has changed, identifying new opportunities, and adjusting your strategy to keep you moving toward your goals. Between meetings, our team is here to serve as your sounding board whenever important financial decisions arise, helping you stay on track toward your long term goals.
How do I get started?
The first step is to schedule a 15 to 30 minute Discovery Call. We will get to know each other, discuss your goals, and determine whether it makes sense to continue the conversation.
If we both decide to continue, we will schedule a 60 minute Deep Dive to gain a more complete understanding of your financial life, priorities, and goals. That process helps us determine whether we are the right team to help you achieve your goals. It also gives you the information you need to make an educated and informed decision before choosing whether to move forward.