FAQs
Your first meeting is a conversation, not a commitment. We’ll talk about your goals, priorities, and concerns, and share how our planning process works. You’ll walk away with clarity — whether that’s next steps with us or questions to take back and consider.
If you’re asking these questions, you’re probably ready. You don’t need every account or document in perfect order — that’s what we help with. The right time is when you’re ready to make confident, informed decisions about your financial future.
Not at all — in fact, this is often the most important time to ensure you're making the right financial decisions. The choices you make in retirement (or just before it) have a lasting impact — not only on your own lifestyle and tax picture, but also on the wealth you’ll transfer to the next generation. Strategic planning at this stage allows us to make the biggest difference through coordinated tax, cash flow, and estate strategies. It’s about making your hard work last longer, keeping more of what you’ve earned, and ensuring your legacy is protected for the people and causes that matter most.
Our planning process typically includes four to five meetings in the first year as we design and implement your plan. After that, we stay proactive — reaching out throughout the year or anytime life changes and new decisions arise. Meeting frequency is tailored to your preferences. Most clients find that one or two meetings per year keep them on track once their plan is established, while more frequent check-ins are helpful during times of transition or major life events.
Not at all. It means you have key relationships in place with people who know your history and goals — and we can work collaboratively with them to ensure your tax, estate, and investment strategies are fully aligned.
If you don’t currently have an attorney or CPA, or are looking to make a change, we’re happy to connect you with professionals we know and trust who may be a good fit for your needs.
Not at all. While our home base is in Rochester, we work with clients all over the country (even some outside the U.S.) through secure virtual meetings, electronic document sharing, and digital signature tools. Many of our long-term client relationships began entirely online. We still value personal connection — and if you’re ever in the area, we’d love to meet in person — but geography will never limit the quality or depth of your planning experience.
We follow a fiduciary standard throughout the financial planning engagement. As such, we will place your interests ahead of our own. Depending on your needs, our fees may be hourly, project-based, or as a percentage of assets under management. Transparency is key — we provide a full explanation before any work begins.
If, during our initial consultation, it seems that our cost may not provide enough value for your specific situation, we’ll be upfront about that. In those cases, we’ll still leave you with a few key steps or recommendations you can implement on your own to move forward confidently.
We use secure, encrypted systems for all document sharing, and our communications follow strict compliance and confidentiality standards. Your information is protected as carefully as our own. In fact, our clients enjoy free identity theft protection coverage should they choose to enroll in it.
Every investor's situation is unique and you should consider your investment goals, risk tolerance and time horizon before making any investment. This information is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected, including diversification and asset allocation. Be sure to contact a qualified professional regarding your situation before making any investment or withdrawal decision. Raymond James and its advisors do not offer tax or legal advice. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional.
We primarily offer fee-based advisory services charging a flat fee based on a client's total assets under advisement. However, if deemed appropriate and in our client's best interest, we also provide commissioned brokerage services. Though our financial advisor provides clients with great care and recommendations, advisors only have a legal fiduciary obligation to advisory clients. In a fee-based account, clients pay a quarterly fee, based on the level of assets in the account, for the services of a financial advisor as part of an advisory relationship. In deciding to pay a fee rather than commissions, clients should understand that the fee may be higher than a commission alternative during periods of lower trading. Advisory fees are in addition to the internal expenses charged by mutual funds and other investment company securities. To the extent that clients intend to hold these securities, the internal expenses should be included when evaluating the costs of a fee-based account. Clients should periodically re-evaluate whether the use of an asset-based fee continues to be appropriate in servicing their needs. A list of additional considerations, as well as the fee schedule, is available in the firm's Form ADV Part 2 as well as the client agreement. Services rendered will be dependent on applicable agreements.
The Financial Planning or Consulting services listed are generally those offered under the Wealth Advisory Services Agreement. However, fees and services are customized with each client agreement. For a complete list of fees and available services, please consult the most current Form ADV Part 2A and the Wealth Advisory Services Agreement that you may obtain from your Investment Adviser Representative.