Learn More About Financial Planning
It might involve putting appropriate wills in place to protect your family, thinking about how your family will manage without your income should you fall ill or die prematurely, spending money differently but it involves thinking about all of these things together i.e. your "plan".
At KSH Advisors, my priority is not to sell you financial products - but rather, to focus on your life and goals and implement a strategy to achieve them. Here's how we'll work together to create your tailored plan for achieving financial security:
Each new partnership between a client and KSH Advisors begins with a conversation. I want to hear about and understand what is important to you—including the people, goals, passions and values that give your life meaning. What are your dreams for yourself, your family and future generations? What previous investment experiences do you have? How do you define success? What sorts of market events undermine your confidence?
During this first step of working together you'll learn about our client processes, the services we provide and how we are compensated. I'll also discuss the expectations we each have for this new partnership.
I ask lots of questions, listen well and encourage you to do the same. Entrusting your family’s financial security to an advisory firm is one of the most important decisions you can make. Choose wisely.
I learn about your goals and objectives, your risk tolerance, past experiences with money, career stability, life expectations and financial management and budget issues. Additionally I gather information on your income and cash flow, bank, investment and retirement accounts, real estate holdings, mortgages, tax returns, insurance information and estate planning data.
It is through this process that I help you clarify and prioritize your goals, your desired time frame for achieving them and learn how much you have saved towards those respective goals. Keep in mind that the more information you provide the more robust your financial plan will be.
At this point, I am able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current strategies and plans to determine if your goals are achievable in the desired time frame.
Goals with a short time frame of two years or less can likely afford less market volatility and risk than goals ten or more years into the future. Should a market pullback occur in the near future, it might jeopardize your ability to meet your two year goal. Are you okay with that? If not, I make adjustments including a more conservative allocation.
I engage in honest conversations about realistic rates of return for the risk you can tolerate in your accounts. How you react to market volatility determines acceptable alternative choices. If you can be flexible with the time frame and dialing up the risk is not an option for you, then I discuss other strategies including saving more towards your goal or working longer, if necessary. If you are set on reaching your goal in the time frame outlined, then it may require a combination of riskier assets and saving more. Can you afford to do that? Are you comfortable with more risk?
The work we have done up to this point provides the information and insights necessary to now create a draft of your financial plan. You and I will work together, making the appropriate adjustments, until we arrive at a plan that accurately reflects your life, desires and goals as of today. This will serve as your road map clarifying and incorporating not only your goals, needs and wants but also your budget, cash flow, risk management, estate plan and charitable interests. However, the caveat remains that the process is dynamic, just like your life. Your plan may need to flex and adapt to a variety of life and market circumstances when necessary. This is why it is called “financial planning”—the process is ongoing.
Your financial plan allows me to prioritize how we will move forward with appropriate portfolio allocation and the timing of that allocation in order to give us a good chance of achieving your goals. At KSH Advisors, I take a disciplined, objective, global and multi-strategy approach to portfolio construction. I often incorporate institutional money managers for their breadth of experience, insights and expertise. Our core positions are strategic in nature and typically participate in bullish markets. I integrate tactical positions, which are often nimble and opportunistic to short-term events and include alternative strategies. These strategies can do well and provide additional stability when stock and bond markets struggle. This allows critical diversification and usually a less volatile investment experience.
One of the biggest benefits I bring to our partnership is providing a rational, thoughtful and objective voice when markets are volatile and/or life throws you a curveball. Because we are thorough in the work we do with clients, I am confident that our strategies are appropriate for your needs and goals. This allows us to encourage perseverance and patience when it may be uncomfortable to do so or caution when things seem too good to be true. I make adjustments for the right reasons rather than out of fear or irrational exuberance. Portfolio rebalancing is done to address long-term fundamental shifts in markets and economies, changes to tax laws and client-specific life events.
Let's talk. If we think we are a good fit for each other, then let's discuss taking the first step in creating a comprehensive, integrated and dynamic financial plan geared to your unique circumstances and the goals and dreams you hold most dear.