DO YOU NEED US?
Maybe...
Maybe not.
It depends.
​
Ask yourself the following questions.
Do you want to start building an investment portfolio beyond a checking and savings account?
How knowledgeable do you consider yourself to be about investing in the stock market? Do you feel comfortable doing so on your own?
Do you realize that if the current inflation percentage is larger than the interest percentage you are earning on your current investments (savings account, etc.), then you are actually losing money? Do you even know what this means (don’t be ashamed, most people actually do not)?
Did you know that some of the credit card ads you see on TV for getting cash back are actually very worthwhile – if you pay the balance off each month?
If you already know this stuff and are knowledgeable about managing your investments, you may not need our guidance. Otherwise, read on…
Check whether you fall into any of the categories below to determine whether, or how much, you may need us.
I consider myself savvy and feel I can easily learn this investment stuff
Much of the guidance we provide our clients can be learned by studying financial management documents and investment tutorials (Google can be your friend here). If you have the financial talent and desire, you can definitely do this on your own. In that case, we suggest perusing the guidance on our site as a starting point and proceed from there. You may not need us. If you choose to proceed on this path and later decide that you may need a little bit of advice or a second opinion, you can still work with us – we can provide as little or as much help as you need (you only pay for the help we provide, with a minimum charge of only one hour).
I have a vague idea about investing, but I’m new to it and am afraid of messing up and losing everything
We are here to help! But you will also need to do your part to learn. Since we are not a full service brokerage, we do NOT do the work for you. We will (figuratively) hold your hand and guide you thru the process. Once your initial investments are set up, there’s not much you need to do. In some ways, they are like a checking account that you simply monitor. It’s up to you (and your risk tolerance) how often you change your investments (especially if you set up automatic monthly investments). You can contact us as little or as much as you feel the need to over the years (and you are only charged for the time you employ us). You may build up an investing comfort level where you no longer need us – also great. If you feel you need more assistance than the guidance we provide, or are still uncomfortable placing fund trades on your own, you may need a full-service broker. Although this will cost you more, remember that you are not married to your broker. You can transfer your account to Vanguard once you develop an adequate level of comfort and start enjoying your cost savings at that point.
I consider myself savvy and knowledgeable, but I’m new to this and don’t want to mess up
This category is one of the easiest for us to help you in. Even if you consider yourself knowledgeable, but are unsure of how to proceed, we can help ensure you understand the investing basics (that we outline on this website), and guide you on setting up an investment portfolio. This would be a good low cost learning option for you. Once you are up and running, you could decide that you can take it from there and no longer need our assistance. Great! If you have questions, in the future, you can always contact us for enhanced guidance.
I am clueless about investing and am not even sure it is for me
Don’t worry, Social Security is unlikely to go away, so just make sure you work for at least 10 years (40 quarters) to qualify for it. Additionally, we can still help you, but first, review the information available on our site to determine for yourself whether it is something that can benefit you. You can also take a pass on investing for now and consider it at some point in the future (advisers tend to counsel against waiting to start investing). We can guide you in setting up a minimalist portfolio based on your ability to fund it. Eventually, you may find yourself in the category above and continue from there.