Most people reach out with similar core questions: Am I on track? How do financial planning and investment management work together? What are the costs? Are you the right fit for my family? Here are clear answers to the questions we hear most often from clients trhoughout the Madison area and nationwide.
We are fee-only fiduciaries. You pay us a management fee; we do not earn commissions from product sales.
Portfolios start from models we build in-house, then get customized to your needs—not selected from a product shelf. Investment management is paired with planning. The full list is on our financial planning services page.
We charge a percentage of the assets we manage, on a tiered schedule. Planning is part of that ongoing relationship.
We do not offer hourly work or one-time project plans. For why, read Why We Don’t Do One-Off Projects.
The standard schedule is in Schedule B of the client agreement and is posted on this site.
Our general minimum is $1,000,000 in investable assets. Some teams have a higher minimum. That means liquid or readily managed accounts; it excludes your home and personal property.
People who want an ongoing relationship, will use the advice they ask for, care about growing and managing wealth rather than market timing or “hot” ideas, and treat the relationship as a professional resource. Meeting schedules are customized based on your specific situation and complexity.
No. The first conversation is a complimentary fit meeting, usually about 45 minutes. We both decide afterward whether to continue. If we do, onboarding typically takes one to three more meetings.
A high-level view of what you own, where income comes from, when you hope to retire or make a major change, and the two or three questions you most want answered. If you’re married, the meeting typically involves both individuals.
If it is a mutual fit, we gather your current picture, review the planning and investment issues that matter most, and outline implementation—including which accounts would come under management.
No. We manage investments and plan around the rest of the financial picture: retirement income and Social Security timing, tax-aware decisions, stock-based compensation, concentrated positions, education funding, insurance review, charitable giving, and estate-document review with your attorney. We also offer tax preparation services to our clients only from WC Tax Services as an add-on service. We do not draft legal documents.
Yes. We look at assets, income sources, taxes, healthcare costs, and spending, then model whether the lifestyle you want is supported.
Yes. We regularly plan around WRS/ETF pension choices, 457 and 403(b) accounts, and benefits such as sick-leave conversion.
Returns vary with markets. We do not promise to beat the S&P 500 or any other index. If that is how you measure success, we may not be the right fit. We focus on keeping costs low and staying broadly diversified so the portfolio serves your goals.
Client assets generally are held at Charles Schwab, though we do use other custodians where appropriate. We manage the accounts; we do not take custody of your money.
Not always. We will tell you what should come under management, what can stay where it is, and why, before anything is transferred.
Yes. We can incorporate ESG screening or faith-based guidelines, and tax-managed approaches such as direct indexing where they fit.
Ready to take control of your financial future? Schedule an appointment to learn how our financial planning services can help you achieve your goals.
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