Risk Management

LIFE HAPPENS

On the road of life, people experience many unexpected twists and turns. Our approach to risk management and asset protection is to identify the major hazards our clients may experience along the way and proactively implement strategies to either manage, mitigate or eliminate the financial impact of these events.

Below is a list of some of the common risks that an individual or family could face, and a list of the common tools and methods used to mitigate those risks.

Risks

  • Premature death
  • Temporary or permanent disability
  • Property loss or damage
  • Creditor actions
  • Divorce
  • Being sued personally or professionally
  • Developing a severe chronic medical condition

Risk Management Tools / Methods

  • Insurance – life, disability, medical, long-term care, homeowners, umbrella, auto, professional liability, cyber, identity theft
  • Trusts
  • Titling of assets
  • Beneficiary designations
  • Use of corporate structures (LLCs, FLPs etc.)
  • Legal agreements and documents

THE RECIPE MATTERS

The specific tools and methods used to address the risks for a specific client will vary greatly based on the client’s circumstances.

We like to use the analogy of a cooking when explaining our risk management and asset protection strategies. The right blend of the right ingredients with the proper preparation will result in the perfect dish. However, too much of one and not enough of the other can ruin a spectacular dish.

In risk management, more is not necessarily better. In fact, it can be counterproductive, generate unnecessary costs, and be cumbersome to manage. On the other hand, if a key component is missing, the result could be devastating. The ideal in risk management is to optimize rather than maximize protection.

 

WHAT WE DO

We work with our clients to help them determine their goals and develop a comprehensive financial plan to achieve those goals. Based on their circumstances, we identify specific risks the client could experience and determine their financial impact. We then develop a risk management plan that manages, mitigates, or eliminates these financial impacts and protects the overall goals of the financial plan.

The only constant is change, therefore risk management plans should be reviewed and updated as circumstances change. In working with our clients, we monitor for and discuss changes. We then work with insurance professionals and attorneys to implement the appropriate updates.

We can work with a client’s existing insurance professionals and law firm or utilize our industry relationships to provide the insurance and legal support if required.

 

FIDUCIARY STANDARD

As an independent, fee-only, Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), we operate in a fiduciary capacity with our clients at all times which means we act in our client’s best interests. We do not sell any financial/insurance products or receive commissions or any other third-party compensation from the plans we develop and implement. Also, we are not affiliated with any full-service brokerage or insurance company. Therefore, we can develop and recommend plans that are solely in our client’s best interests.