FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
Our first phone call is no-charge and no-pressure. I ask you questions to understand your situation and see if I can provide value. Our company is mostly fee-based to eliminate conflicts of interest. Our fees have a 100% satisfaction and money-back guarantee. The following are the most common examples of how clients work with us: 1. A La Carte Financial Analyses: Maybe you have just one question dealing with your 401k investments, college savings/loan payoff, stock options, or any other financial question. Prices are quoted up-front and range from $200 to $800 depending on complexity. 2. Full Financial Plan: Majority of our clients have a couple of questions or need a few answers that snowball into needing to see their whole financial picture. A full plan takes into account everything your money touches. Prices are quoted up front and vary from $1,200 for very simple cases, up to $5,000 for more complex ones. 3. We receive a small commission that we disclose up front if we sell a term life insurance policy that a client needs. 4. If clients decide to invest their money in our managed strategies that we as advisors use in our personal accounts (we truly believe in our accounts), then we charge a 1% per year fee on that managed money.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
First is our complimentary phone meeting. Next, we have an exploratory meeting to dive deeper into your finances/situation and understand deeply what end result you want. About 50% of our clients are local who come in to our Deer Park, IL office. The other 50% are all across the nation who correspond via video-chat, phone, and secure Drop Box file uploads. We then complete our analysis and schedule another meeting for presenting our items. Our plans are not a binder full of graphs and charts that you'll never read again. It is a 10-18 page plan that lists where you are, where you want to be, and actionable clear steps how to get there. We provide unlimited follow up meetings to answer any questions you may have on your plan.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
There are many "alphabet soup" designations advisors can have after their name. The most significant one is the Certified Financial Planner™ designation. Not only do we have education, experience, and continuing education requirements, but we also have a code of ethics that ensures we always keep our clients interests ahead of our own. This "Fiduciary" approach gives clients a peace of mind that we are providing the best advice possible. Everyone in our office is a CFP® Professional.