Investment Management Process
My main priority is to meet my clients’ long-term financial objectives in a cost effective and tax efficient manner. With this in mind, my investment strategies aim to harness the power of the capital markets within the context of each individual’s appropriate risk tolerance and time horizon.
Our relationship begins by looking at the client’s big picture and formulating a comprehensive wealth plan. The plan must come first as it provides the framework and context for developing an appropriate investment strategy. It is my experience that comprehensive planning is especially helpful to clients during times of market volatility when it is hard to remain disciplined and rational. Having a plan helps prevent clients from making rash decisions and a poor investment outcome which usually results.
Investment management is dynamic and fluid in nature. As circumstances and goals change, alterations to your investment portfolio are also made.
1. Clarify Goals & Objectives
Understanding who you are and what is important to you is the first step to my procecss. It helps lay the foundation for managing your investments.
2. Assess Risk Tolerance
- Assessing risk is critically important to the design and implementation of investment strategies that you can live with while keeping your objectives in focus. I ask every client to participate in a process where at the end I will have a firm understanding of your risk tolerance.
3. Develop Investment Strategy
- I take a “big picture” approach to developing your investment strategy. I examine your goals and objectives, risk tolerance, cash flow needs, asset values, type and liquidity of assets, income sources, etc. to ensure I devise the optimal plan for you.
4. Determine Account Structure
- Account structure can mean many things. It may be a simple question of whether an account is qualified (retirement) versus non-qualified. Or, it could refer to ownership structure (i.e. individual, joint, trust or entity owned, etc.). Importantly, it also implies that asset allocation is addressed both at the household and the account level in accordance with your objectives, risk tolerance and time horizon.
5. Select Investment Managers
- By working with the nation’s largest independent broker/dealer*, LPL Financial, I have access to a wide range of domestic and foreign mutual funds, separately managed accounts, variable and fixed annuities and alternative investments from which to build your portfolio. Investments are selected based on rigorous and objective analysis as explained more thoroughly on the Investment Research page.
6. Construct Portfolio
- Portfolio construction is the implementation of decisions made about investment strategy, account structure and investment manager selection. New accounts must first be opened. Then, outside investments are transferred in and trades are placed to align your assets with the comprehensive plan.
7. Monitor | Rebalance | Modify
- Performance is monitored daily, and portfolios are re-balanced periodically to remain aligned with our current recommendations and your overall investment strategy. Modifications can be made easily at any time should there be a change to your plan or financial situation.
* As reported by Financial Planning magazine, June 1996-2013, based on total revenue.