Planners’ Perspective: The story of the “accidental professional”

 Part 2 of a series that will shed some light on who we are and why we love financial planning. Partner Dan Boyce wasn’t always conducting business at the Center. In fact, he conducted in an entirely different realm before he found financial planning.

The year was 1979 and, as a musician, I had just finished leading and conducting a successful performance of the Troy Community Chorus in Handel’s Messiah.  I was an independent contractor in the Troy Community Education department and was required to attend a continuing education workshop on a Saturday.  At my table, I was seated with a woman who offered “financial planning” as a Community Ed course selection—I was floored, at the time, that one could actually make a living doing this type of work.  This subject had always been an interest of mine, but I stumbled into financial planning almost accidentally when the profession was still in its infancy.

Within two years of that chance meeting, I had started my CFP designation, gotten licensed in securities and insurance, and hung out my shingle.  I took an educational approach to developing a clientele—teaching hundreds of folks in the basic tenets of financial planning—and my clientele grew rapidly.  Many of those early clients are still with the Center.  I helped start two firms, the second of which became the Center for Financial Planning in 1985, and I’ve never looked back.

I tell my clients that, as proud as I am of the work I have done with them over the years, I am most proud of the sustainable organization that I helped create and build.  We, at the Center, hire carefully chosen and extraordinary people who are fully dedicated to helping our clients meet their goals and achieve their dreams. 

Top 3 Elder Care Planning Mistakes -- #2

 

In my previous post, I referenced the top Elder Care Planning Mistake – Failure to Plan.   Once you have remedied this mistake and have actually completed your planning, what might be your next mistake?

Mistake #2 – Failure to Implement

Failure to implement is not just an Elder Care Planning mistake – it is a mistake that comes with many types of planning.  You have put in the work to address your planning strategies and you have worked with your financial planner, attorney, care professional and others to lay out a detailed plan.  Then what?  Many find a nice place to store the written plan and documents, and set it aside, assuming that everything is set for the future.  WRONG!!

Just because the plan is in writing doesn’t necessarily mean you’re covered.  If you have drafted legal documents, there is very likely action needed to implement the legal plan. This action may involve making titling changes on property and investment accounts, updating beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and insurances, or even shifting assets from one account to another. If you have a financial plan to address future Elder Care issues, this often means acting on the plan and meeting with your financial planner at least annually to make sure that you remain on track.    Acting on the plan and implementing the plan is as important as making the plan in the first place.

Click here for Elder Care Planning Mistake #3.

Sandra Adams, CFP® is a Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Sandy specializes in Elder Care Financial Planning and is a frequent speaker on related topics. In 2012 and 2013, Sandy was named to the Five Star Wealth Managers list in Detroit Hour magazine. In addition to her frequent contributions to Money Centered, she is regularly quoted in national media publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Research Magazine and Journal of Financial Planning.


Five Star Award is based on advisor being credentialed as an investment advisory representative (IAR), a FINRA registered representative, a CPA or a licensed attorney, including education and professional designations, actively employed in the industry for five years, favorable regulatory and complaint history review, fulfillment of firm review based on internal firm standards, accepting new clients, one- and five-year client retention rates, non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered, number of client households served.

Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc., and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James.

Kick-starting the School Year

 If you are a parent, you no doubt remember that first day sending your child to kindergarten.  If you were like me, you were as nervous as they were (or maybe more). Would they like it?  Would they fit in?  Would the school call and say come get your child?  Well, on August 7th my wife Jen and I sent one of the kids off to school. This time it was our oldest Matt.   Matt will be a sophomore at the University of Kansas.  Matt, a soccer player in high school, made the KU football team as a place kicker.  So while his studies will not start for a few weeks - he is off to football camp.  The initial depth chart has him as one of three competing for the starting place kicker job and we couldn’t be more proud.  And, much like Matt's first day of kindergarten, we're a bit nervous to boot!  While he may or may not ever get a chance to kick in front of 60,000 screaming fans - he has several fans at home wishing him and the Jayhawks well and good luck.  

Happy Centerversary

 

Melissa, Sandy and Jaclyn hit new milestones . . . . .

Join with as we celebrate three Centerversaries in the month of August.   Sandy Adams, lead planner is celebrating 17 years with The Center.  Sandy says,  "The anniversary reminds me of how lucky I am to have found The Center.  I feel like I have grown up and matured as a persona nd as a professional with the help of the Center team and clients."

Melissa Joy, Director of Investments at The Center has been a part of our team for 14 years. Melissa describes her tenure here by telling us, "The Center is so much more than a place of employment for me.  It's been a home for the last 14 years and I'm grateful for everyone I've been able to work with over those years. Here's to the next 14!"

And though she might seem like a relative newbie compared to Sandy and Melissa, our own Investment Research Associate Jaclyn Jackson hit the 5-year mark in August.  We like to honor Center employees when they reach a “Centerversary” because we value experience and commitment (and quite frankly, we just like having Melissa, Sandy and Jaclyn around)!

Top 3 Elder Care Planning Mistakes -- #1

 

In my previous post, I explained Elder Care planning – what it is and when you should consider this planning.  Those tips helped you prepare, but there are also some pitfalls in planning you need to avoid. Here is the first of a 3-part series on the top Elder Care Planning mistakes.

Mistake #1 – Failure to Plan

Most people like to envision leading a healthy, happy retirement and doing all of the things they enjoy until the day they pass away.  In reality, later years of retirement are often clouded with the need for changes in lifestyle as physical and cognitive abilities slow down.  The fact that we are living longer makes these future changes even more possible.

The biggest mistake you can make is failing to plan for Elder Care. To avoid this mistake, first tackle this questionnaire that will help you to identify areas of planning that need to be addressed. Elder Care planning is much more than planning for the actual care for future ailments.

Elder Care planning encompasses a full range of topics including:

  • Your future life – how you envision living it, with or without physical or cognitive challenges
  • Your money – how you plan to use it in the future
  • Your home – your current home or something different
  • Your property – your stuff and how you want it handled and disbursed
  • Your care – who will provide it, when and where
  • Your legacy – your financial legacy, as well as your values-oriented legacy

Click HERE for specific things to consider and questions to answer when planning for each facet of your life.

3 key areas to address as you consider how to plan for each of these topics:

  • Challenges you may face
  • Alternatives that you might consider if you can’t live your ideal life
  • Resources that you will have available to you, now and in the future

Planning for your future is the best way for you to remain in control and have the future life you desire, no matter what the circumstances might be.  Is now the right time for you or someone you love to start planning?  Contact your financial planner and start today!

Click here for Elder Care Planning Mistake #2.

Click here for Elder Care Planning Mistake #3.

 

Sandra Adams, CFP® is a Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Sandy specializes in Elder Care Financial Planning and is a frequent speaker on related topics. In 2012 and 2013, Sandy was named to the Five Star Wealth Managers list in Detroit Hour magazine. In addition to her frequent contributions to Money Centered, she is regularly quoted in national media publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Research Magazine and Journal of Financial Planning.


Five Star Award is based on advisor being credentialed as an investment advisory representative (IAR), a FINRA registered representative, a CPA or a licensed attorney, including education and professional designations, actively employed in the industry for five years, favorable regulatory and complaint history review, fulfillment of firm review based on internal firm standards, accepting new clients, one- and five-year client retention rates, non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered, number of client households served.

Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc., and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James.

Planners’ Perspective: Sometimes a Little Stubbornness Helps

 Part 1 of a series that will shed some light on who we are and why we love financial planning. Learn how partner Marilyn Gunther used what she calls stubbornness to pioneer her way into an unknown field.

Upon completing my master’s degree at Iowa State University in the late ‘60’s, and waiting for Ron Gunther to finish his Ph.D., I had the good fortune to be hired as adult education specialists in Consumer economics.  The University allowed faculty to audit any course on campus at no cost if there was room. I took full advantage of the opportunity and scouted out noted professors in subjects I had not ventured to study.

The school of social work had an outstanding professor who taught a trilogy of classes on counseling which I thought would be of interest.   Each week we were told to apply principles discussed in class to a case study.  I asked the professor if I could use personal financial situations. Keep in mind, personal financial planning as a profession was an unknown concept at the time.   He kindly told me the course had nothing to do with finance and politely told me, “No.”  Since that is a word I never liked, I finally persuaded him to let me try.  He agreed---I am sure a bit intrigued. And so, each week I dutifully turned in my paper, which focused on a family financial planning problem and how to counsel with families to give them assistance.   We had many discussions over the months.  The professor was very helpful and at the end of the classes he smiled and said, “You really do have something here”.  Well I did not just convince him, I convinced myself about the need for personal financial planning and counseling.

Today Iowa State University has a degree in personal financial management and counseling. I would like to tell you I influenced that development but it was more likely the times.  I did very much appreciate the opportunity to secure a direction that would be come an extremely satisfying life long vocation.

What is Elder Care Planning?

 What do you think of when you hear the term Elder Care?  For most, the term springs to mind thoughts of care for older adults who are in need of assistance…at home care or care in some type of assisted living or other care facility.  In reality, Elder Care encompasses a much broader spectrum of planning issues for older adults, including legal and financial planning in addition to traditional care and assistance.

Individuals work with their financial planners to plan for retirement.  To most, this means making sure that they have enough income and savings to maintain their lifestyles after their work lives are over.  This can mean traveling, pursuing hobbies and spending time with family that was not possible during working years.  What most people fail to plan for are later years of retirement that might involve health and or cognitive issues that can cause changes in lifestyle and expense. 

It is never too early to start planning for these later life issues.  It is never too early to think about the challenges you might have as you age and your preference for how to address those challenges, should they occur.  Many people, however, delay this type of planning not wishing to think about what might happen in later life.

How do you know if it is time for you to talk to your financial planner about Elder Care Planning?  Answering these few simple questions can help you decide if you need to start planning.  If you can answer YES to all of the questions on this checklist, congratulations…you’ve planned well.  If you answer NO or NOT SURE to any of the questions, it might be time to talk to your financial planner and start planning now.  

In my upcoming blogs I’ll walk you through some of the top Elder Care Planning mistakes.

Sandra Adams, CFP® is a Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Sandy specializes in Elder Care Financial Planning and is a frequent speaker on related topics. In 2012 and 2013, Sandy was named to the Five Star Wealth Managers list in Detroit Hour magazine. In addition to her frequent contributions to Money Centered, she is regularly quoted in national media publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Research Magazine and Journal of Financial Planning.


Five Star Award is based on advisor being credentialed as an investment advisory representative (IAR), a FINRA registered representative, a CPA or a licensed attorney, including education and professional designations, actively employed in the industry for five years, favorable regulatory and complaint history review, fulfillment of firm review based on internal firm standards, accepting new clients, one- and five-year client retention rates, non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered, number of client households served.

Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc., and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James.  You should discuss any legal matters with the appropriate professional.

Why Estate Planning isn’t just for Multimillionaires

 Putting an estate plan in place is so much more than saving taxes.  It provides a roadmap for folks who want to better preserve, protect and transfer wealth to the people they care most about. Last year, the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA), made permanent the gift and estate tax exemption amount. In 2013 that amount is $5,250,000 for individuals and $10,500,000 for married couples.  But you don’t have to leave behind millions to still need careful planning.  

Key takeaways to consider:

  • Having an estate plan, including a will, generally means a family can avoid much of the intestate probate process.  Proceedings vary state to state, but without a proper estate plan, many families could experience costs, including time, money, and loss of privacy.         
  • An appropriate solution designed to avoid any probate process is often the creation of a living trust, which helps maintain control over assets and seeks to avoid uncertainties for the family and designated beneficiaries.         

 Other important considerations:

  • Designating guardianship for minor children and grandchildren will reduce the court’s control over both the minor’s inheritance and caretaker.
  • Establishing a charitable plan as part of the estate plan ensures designated assets will be distributed to the charity of choice rather than by state law.

Finally, while an estate plan protects assets and family, it also provides the opportunity to pass on cherished values through gifts to family members or favorite charities.  A written reflection of hopes for the future and life lessons learned can be conveyed through legacy letters and ethical wills. Putting an estate plan in place addresses legal and tax issues and ultimately ensures assets will be used according to your wishes.

Laurie Renchik, CFP®, MBA is a Senior Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. In addition to working with women who are in the midst of a transition (career change, receiving an inheritance, losing a life partner, divorce or remarriage), Laurie works with clients who are planning for retirement. Laurie was named to the 2013 Five Star Wealth Managers list in Detroit Hour magazine, is a member of the Leadership Oakland Alumni Association and in addition to her frequent contributions to Money Centered, she manages and is a frequent contributor to Center Connections at The Center.


Five Star Award is based on advisor being credentialed as an investment advisory representative (IAR), a FINRA registered representative, a CPA or a licensed attorney, including education and professional designations, actively employed in the industry for five years, favorable regulatory and complaint history review, fulfillment of firm review based on internal firm standards, accepting new clients, one- and five-year client retention rates, non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered, number of client households served.

The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete.  Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc., and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James.  You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional.

Our Favorite Cup

 When you’re reaching into your cabinet to grab a coffee cup, you’re likely looking for that one special mug. It fits just perfectly in your hand, maybe one of your kids made it for you, or maybe it holds special memories … but in any case, it holds your morning coffee. Well, here at the Center, we have a special kind of cup, too. Our clients will recognize them because the John Glick Plum Tree Pottery mugs are stashed in our coffee supply cabinet just for you. And just like there’s meaning behind your favorite mug, there’s also meaning behind the locally-made Plum Tree Pottery. Our social committee decided it was time to uncover the meaning with a field trip (we still get to do those … but now we don’t need a signed permission slip).

Just a few miles down the road from the Center office we found Plum Tree Pottery and artist John Glick. We have known John for years and he was happy to give us a tour of his studio, showroom, and lovely home. Speeding down 10 Mile Road in Farmington Hills, you would never guess that such a serene, peaceful home and studio were nearby. After we ogled John’s unique ceramic collections, trying hard not to break anything, we got to hear how passionate he is about his work (it’s not exactly financial planning, but not everyone can have as great a job as we do!). Our social committee had done it again, proving that though we love bulls, we don’t act like bulls in a china shop when you take us out of the office.  Check out www.johnglick.com to learn more about John and Plum Tree Pottery.


Links are being provided for information purposes only.  Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse, authorize or sponsor any of the lsited websites or their respective sponsors.  Raymond James is not responsible for the content of any website or the collection or use of information regarding any website's users and/or members.

Practicing What We Preach When it Comes to Investing

 When choosing a money manager one of the aspects we utilize to evaluate if they are worthy of our client’s money is whether or not they eat their own cooking. 

According to Morningstar research, money managers who had invested $1 Million or more in the portfolios they managed outperformed 58% of their peers over the 5-year period ended July 2009.

Having their own money on the line is a great incentive to perform putting the managers on the same side of the table as their investors. This is also a belief we carry over to our own practice. Many of us here at the Center invest in the same portfolios we build for our clients.

We also like to understand how our managers are compensated. We find it is very important to choose managers that are compensated heavily on longer term returns as opposed to the most recent year’s performance. This aligns the managers with the clients’ long-term goals such as retirement or education funding. The chart below shows how difficult it is to achieve consistently positive returns over short time periods. The longer the time frame you have, the more likely it is to have positive returns. Most investors get to “hang out” in the green section meaning we have a longer period of time to invest to achieve those positive returns and we like money managers who focus on these time periods as well.

It is important for your Financial Planner to practice what they preach. For example, I just recently met with my financial planner (yes financial planners also need financial planners from time to time!). We evaluated my overall financial plan including retirement and education funding to make sure that our family’s investment and savings goals are appropriately aligned with our overall plan. This is the exact same process we believe in following with our clients.  Our firm encourages this for all of our employees and many take advantage of this excellent benefit.  It is human nature to care more about the process and the investments when you have your own future and money on the line!

Angela Palacios, CFP®is the Portfolio Manager at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. Angela specializes in Investment and Macro economic research. She is a frequent contributor to Money Centered as well asinvestment updates at The Center.


The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Any opinions are those of Center for Financial Planning, Inc., and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James.