Introduction
We’re a Fee-Only Financial Planning and Investment Management (no products sold, no commissions) firm in Berkeley Heights, NJ. We opened our doors in 2004. We work with clients throughout New Jersey and nationwide. Our typical clients are individuals and families with at least $1.5 million of investments. We specialize in working with women. We’re honored to be awarded a “Real Financial Professional Consumer Commitment” Certificate (2018) by www.Advisors4Advisors.com and to be a “Five Star Professional Wealth Manager,” 2016-19.
We adhere to a Fiduciary Oath that puts our clients’ needs before our own at all times. We take a 360 degree view of planning and investments. By working closely with our clients, we replace uncertainty and chaos with prudent investment management and financial planning principles. This gives our clients peace of mind. We have over 30 years of professional investment experience.
Services
Investment Management
We design low cost, high quality portfolios that are integrated with client needs for both growth and income. We rebalance regularly and adjust client portfolios as their needs change. Click on “Learn More” for detailed information.
Financial Planning
We leave no stone unturned. We help transform chaos into order for our financial planning and investment clients by assembling a step-by-step plan of action. Each client has his or her own financial road map which outlines the best approach toward estate planning, insurance, investment design, tax minimization, executive compensation or other relevant areas.
Why Fee Only?
Our Fee-Only approach to planning and portfolio management is not clouded by product sales or split commissions.We charge a percentage on the investment assets we manage to cover detailed financial planning and investment management. Our fee structure is transparent. The Fee-Only model is a perfect fit with our Fiduciary Oath to put our clients’ needs before our own at all times.
More Services
Tax Planning
We work with CPAs (our own “team” or existing client CPAs) on tax projection work to minimize annual taxes. Example: Jill is retired and wants to tap her taxable account for funds. We determine that she can tap e.g. $30,000 from her IRA in one year and avoid virtually all ordinary income taxes, while drawing the balance of funds she needs from a taxable account.
We utilize tax-managed mutual funds for taxable accounts, whenever possible, the minimize capital gains taxes.
Executive Compensation Assessment
Some of our clients have an array of stock options and Restricted Stock Units that contribute significantly to their net worth. We utilize The Black-Scholes model and other strategies to determine the optimal timing for exercising and/or selling executive compensation; we work together with a CPA in this area to optimize value and minimize taxes.
Estate Planning
What are the best ways to gift to family and charity while our clients are alive, and after they have passed away? State and federal guidelines constantly are changing. We work with “best in class” estate attorneys to make sure our clients’ needs are addressed.
Insurance and Annuities
We work together with insurance specialists in the area of life, disability and long-term care insurance. As a Fee-Only firm, we don’t sell insurance or other products. We make sure our clients secure the best insurance for the best price to address gaps in financial planning. We don’t sell annuities but we do work with a specialist to assess existing annuities to see if they truly are needed or if they can be terminated or rolled over to save our clients money.
Founder
From the Blog
Annuities Can Be Good, Bad or Ugly. Which Is Which? Part I
Annuities can be good, bad or downright ugly. How can you tell if your annuity is good, or if you should consider purchasing one? And what’s an annuity, anyway?. In this two-part series, I’ll begin with a review of the “bad and ugly” annuities (most variable annuities). Next month I’ll review “good” annuities (primarily immediate […]
Smart Charitable Giving That’s Easy and Cuts More of Your Taxes Than The “Write a Check” Route
By Eve Kaplan, CFP® Here’s a smart way to make charitable donations that’s easy and cuts more of your taxes than the regular “write a check, take a tax deduction” route. The tool I recommend is called a Charitable Trust (sometimes also called a Donor Advised Fund). The time needed to set it up? As […]
Womens’ Special Financial Planning Needs That Advisors Overlook
by Eve Kaplan, CFP(R) Professional Womens’ special financial planning needs that advisors may overlook in two ways: 1) advisors don’t always acknowledge the different planning needs women have and 2) advisors don’t always communicate well with female clients – especially if the client comes to a meeting with her husband. It’s very common for a […]
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