The Value of A Relationship

You hear a lot of noise today about how investors are better off chucking their money into an ETF and avoiding the additional costs associated with using a professional financial planner. However, we believe the work we do for our clients has a significant impact on their lives which they would not otherwise realize without their relationship with us. Here's the value we provide our clients:

EXPERTISE

It is difficult to navigate the complex and, often, confusing waters of personal finance. We can answer the questions most people don't even think to ask. Questions like:

How much money do I need to retire and how do I build a strategy to get me there?
Which pension option should I take?
How do I prepare a budget for retirement?
When should I begin to collect Social Security?
When I'm retired, how should I go about drawing from my nest egg?
How much guaranteed income in retirement can I rely on, if any?
What's our family emergency financial plan should I, my spouse, or both of us pass unexpectedly?
How much life insurance do I need to adequately protect my family?
What's the likelihood that I or my spouse will incur long-term care costs and how do I protect my assets and my family should either of us require care?
How do we build wealth in the most tax-efficient manner?
What affect would a bear market have on my ability to reach my goals?
Should my goals be adjusted in light of an unforeseen event occurring? If so, how?

INDEPENDENCE, ALIGNMENT, & CUSTOMIZATION

Many online providers reduce their "clients" to a simple algorithm. All you do is answer a few questions and a portfolio is "built" for you. Or, if you work with a national chain discount broker, you either never see the face of the person you speak to - who will change every time you call - or the people in the local office change as they, themselves, seek to climb the corporate ladder. When you work with an independent firm, like Artisan Square, our best interests are aligned with yours. When you succeed, we succeed. We are personally vested in the outcome of each and every single plan we craft for our clients. Additionally, as an independent firm, we are not obligated to offer one investment over another nor one particular investment company over another. We have no proprietary products to offer that would tilt our bias away from your best interests. We can literally choose from hundreds of companies and thousands of product solutions to find what is best for you, creating a truly unique and customized financial plan.

RELATIONSHIPS

Finally, never underestimate the power of having a relationship with the people who help you plan for and reach your financial goals. It isn't just "money" that we manage. Our clients aren't numbers. Every client has a name and a story to tell: we want to know it. Every account has a goal or dream tied to it: we want to see it reached. When goals are reached, we celebrate with our clients. When tragedy strikes, we grieve with our clients. We consider it no small thing that we know the names and stories of the people we serve and that they know us.