Fair questions, answered plainly.

Because the moment we did, our advice would acquire an interest of its own. Advisors who are paid on assets have a reason to gather assets, and a reason to argue against the house, the gift, the business, anything that moves money out of the fee base. We would rather be paid for judgment and keep the judgment clean. Your investment managers do their work; we make sure it fits the plan.

By the carriers, not by you. The consultation, the Financial Needs Analysis, and the written plan are complimentary. When you choose to put coverage in force, the issuing carrier pays us a commission, which we disclose before you sign. We charge no planning fees and no fee on your assets, because we do not manage them.

No, and we would decline the engagement if you wanted us to. Good professionals are worth keeping. Our role is coordination: making sure the estate documents, the tax strategy, the insurance, and the investment mandate are all describing the same life. Most wealthy families have excellent specialists and no one reading the whole score. That is the seat we take.

No. We are not securities-registered, and we place no investment products of any kind. Our work is scoped to financial planning, consulting, and insurance. When a plan calls for investment decisions, those are carried out by your own investment managers. We simply make sure the mandate they receive reflects the plan.

People looking for stock tips, a product of the month, or someone to trade on their behalf. People who want promises rather than probabilities. And people who prefer not to share the full picture. Planning done on partial information is guessing with better stationery, and we don’t do it.

An hour, at no charge and with no obligation. You describe your situation; we tell you honestly whether we can be useful, and what we would recommend looking at first. If the answer is that you don’t need us, or that you need someone else, we will say so. A practice this size lives on its referrals, not its close rate.

Nothing. The consultation, the analysis, and the written plan are complimentary, whether or not you put anything in force. We are paid by carriers when you choose to implement coverage, and we say so plainly at the time. What we will not do is obscure how we are paid.

Annually on schedule, and immediately when life demands it: a new child, a new job, a new business, a new home. Ongoing counsel means the phone gets answered between the scheduled dates, not just on them.