By helping you focus on what you can control (ie spending, saving) versus focusing on what you can't control (ie inflation, the market, how long you live) you end up better off.
Helping you live your best life through a comprehensive approach to financial planning that seamlessly incorporates your values of what is most important to you with your goals.
We do this by starting with listening to you, which is critical as we start developing and implementing the plan. We continuously monitor and update your plan and investment portfolio as your life changes. The huge benefit to this is you can place your energy and focus into what you most enjoy doing - family, career, community, etc. knowing that the financial component is taken care of.
Would you want someone who only has access to certain products through their brokerage platform?
What about an advisor who doesn't look at all of your assets and thus isn't getting the full picture?
Or how about an advisor who only acts like a fiduciary some of the time?
I am sure those answers are a No and that is why we believe its important to work with an independent firm that is always putting their clients interests first and foremost all of the time (i.e. what a true fidicuary does).
You can expect us to meet with you at least once a year, and sometimes severall. Outside of meetings, you can expect us to work on technical aspects of your financial life behind the scenes (investment review, tax return review, insurance review, estate planning review, etc.), reaching out to update you, or when we think you need to do something.
You can also expect us to be here when you need us. This is the essence of our relationship: here when you need us.
Financial planning is not an emergency room, but nor does it always fit neatly into a set number of meetings each year.
What else you can expect:
Viewing our work together as a collaborative partnership
Everything that goes into good is what we want in our relationship with you: respect, open communication, and participation.
And please reach out to us when life happens. We want to help!
Interested in learning more on how we work together? Read our client engagement standards that we review and have all clients sign.Client Engagement Standards
Sending your kids or loved ones to college is a big decision. Thankfully, there are many strategies that can be utilized depending on your unique situation. At Benchmark Financial, we aid in establishing and implementing a suitable plan of action for you and your teenager.
If you hold investments, they will be taxed in various ways. We help optimize investment and withdrawal strategies to minimize the taxes you will pay throughout your pre-retirement and retirement years. You will be kept up-to-date on new tax polices and how they may, or may not, impact your tax situation.
If you have money in any of the following account types listed here, please reach out as we may be able to help you pay less in taxes.
Everyone has their own unique goals when it comes to investing. We are here to help you achieve those goals in the most stress-free environment possible. Here is a brief overview of our proven investment strategy:
There is a single factor that has been shown to be correlated with higher returns—low fees. A study conducted by Morningstar® concluded that the expense ratio, or annual cost, of a fund is the only dependable predictor of future performance.1
By dividing your investments across different asset classes (e.g. bonds, U.S. stocks, international stocks) rather than putting all your eggs in one basket, you can reduce risk by letting one part of your portfolio cushion the blow if another part goes down.
Markets consistently fluctuate as speculation and basic human psychology influence investor behavior. Despite this volatility, the overall market has produced a 10.2% gross average return in the last 89 years.
The primary goal of insurance is to mitigate risk and put some of your worries at ease. At Benchmark Financial, we help determine which insurance policy best suites your unique situation. Moreover, we help determine if you are carrying a policy that you actually don’t need — this is where a lot money can be saved.
If you have an existing policy or policies, we take a look at all the relevant details. We make sure that the amount of coverage you have is appropriate, that you are maintaining the correct deductible, and more.
But many times you may be overinsured and not know it. For example, if you have a healthy emergency fund, you probably don’t need a $500 deductible on your auto policy. This means you are wasting valuable money on a product which could be better utilized elsewhere; such as investment products that earn interest.
Preparing your estate to transfer to your heirs can be cumbersome. That’s why we help you to determine how your assets will transfer in the most tax efficient way possible. That means we look at your entire portfolio, including investments, real estate, business interests, and more.
