Our Process

STRENGTHENING OUR CLIENTS' FINANCIAL LIVES

We believe that a disciplined approach to investing is essential to creating sustainable and replicable investment results for the long-term and over a market cycle. We've created a 10-Step Investment Process that we utilize with our clients where we will work with you and your tax/legal or other advisors to determine the overall investment profile and create a customized investment strategy. 

  • We emphasize client participation in the investment management process. 
  • We believe that clients benefit from a direct relationship with an experienced investment professional, not an intermediary. Our clients talk to the investment manager. 
  • We form a partnership with you based on mutual trust and it is through the strength of this partnership that we are able to understand your needs and offer guidance in structuring an investment portfolio to meet those needs. 
  • Your portfolio will be constructed utilizing investments based on our disciplined process. 


Our investment process is a continuous one of evaluation, implementation, monitoring and adjustment as needed.
 
Once you decide to engage our firm as your advisor, our 10-Step Investment Process is as follows:

1)    Determine investible assets and fee arrangement. Prepare and sign an Investment Advisory 
       Agreement.

2)    We will work with you to identify your individual (or group) needs, goals and risk   
       tolerance. We will ask you to fill out our Risk Tolerance and Planning Questionnaires to 
       help us evaluate your financial situation.

3)    We develop a unique Investment Policy Statement (IPS) and an appropriate 
       investment strategy for you which includes short- and long-term goals, the rate of return 
       necessary to achieve these goals and asset allocation guidelines.

4)    Open an account at our custodian (Scottrade) and transfer assets or make appropriate 
       arrangements for us to manage the portfolio at your current custodian. We do not take 
       custody of your assets, we only need trading authority.5)    Evaluate your existing portfolio and determine most efficient way of re-allocating assets 
       as necessary.

6)    Implement the investment strategy including a customized portfolio based on your specific 
       circumstances and IPS. 

7)    Maintain a dialogue and communicate with you (or your group) on an ongoing basis. 

8)    Provide timely reports on the performance of your portfolio along with our 
       overall market review. 

9)    Monitor results and periodically review your specific strategy and performance with you and 
       adjust as needed to changing circumstances.

10)  Act on your behalf as fiduciary with integrity and respect for your concerns and privacy.

Our Investment Philosophy is based on the belief of investing for the long-term.  We believe that a disciplined investment process coupled with solid research and prudent decision-making can produce quality portfolios and consistent returns for our clients. Our goal is to manage risks, while achieving consistent and competitive returns and lower investment costs for all our clients.

Our investment philosophy is to provide customized high-quality portfolios of diversified securities to meet our client's needs while achieving strong investment performance over our client's time horizon.  We will work with clients to define their wealth management objectives and then design a customized portfolio strategy to help achieve them. Our basic portfolio goal is to provide long-term growth of capital in up markets and preservation of capital in unstable markets.  For clients seeking income we supplement portfolios by income producing securities for cash flow.  All portfolios are customized to the client.


​Our planning and investment process is easy and confidential.  The basic steps we follow with our clients involves the following: 
​

  • Review your overall financial situation, past and present to identify your financial objectives.
  • Work with you to set your financial priorities for the future.
  • Determine the tolerance for risk you are willing to undertake to capture the potential return.
  • Identify the resources you will need to meet your goals and outline a systematic plan to meet your objectives.
  • Offer solutions for reaching your goals by recommending a customized investment portfolio and asset allocation based on your unique situation. 
  • Monitor and update the plan on an ongoing basis by incorporating the latest information in our decision making.   

Investment Philosophy

Our Investment Philosophy is based on the following building blocks:

1.   The future can't be predicted therefore we all face risks.  These risks include economic risk, political risk, interest rate risk, inflation risk, market risk, business risk, credit risk, currency risk, and reinvestment risk among others.  These risks are managed through investment diversification.

2.   Diversification is achieved by asset allocation.  Asset allocation is the most important factor in the investment process and is a long-range planning decision that has little to do with market timing -- it should not be tinkered with solely because of short-term market fluctuations.

3.   Asset allocation requires diversification among different asset classes as well as within an asset class. 
        
4.   A disciplined investment process for choosing securities is the only way to provide replicable results over the long run.  We believe in investing for the long-term and as such our 
turnover is low which reduces transaction costs and tends to provide tax-efficient results.

5.   The investment process should focus on long-term results of the entirety of client assets over a market cycle.  


The Building Blocks