Tag: Registered Investment Advisor

Answering the important retirement questions.

With over 100 million people in America closing in on retirement, big questions arise.  Most investment advisors are oriented toward providing advice on how to build assets, but lack the tools and experience to advise their clients about how to live well during decades of retirement.

The most common advice that retirees get involves invoking the “4% Rule.”  That number is based on a 60-year-old-study that may well be out of date.  Individuals and families should be getting better guidance because now retirement often spans decades.  Many people are retiring earlier and living longer.

There are many critical decisions that must be made before people leave their jobs and live on their savings and a fixed income.

  • When should I claim Social Security benefits?
  • What happens if I live too long? Will I run out of money?
  • What would happen to my income if my spouse died early?
  • Will I need life insurance once I retire? If so, how much?
  • What are the effects of Long-Term-Care on my retirement plans?
  • Can I afford the items on my “wish list?”
  • Will I leave some money to my heirs?

Some Registered Investment Firms (RIAs) have the sophisticated financial planning tools to answer these questions.  They are often CFPs® and focus on retirement planning.  Once a plan is prepared, these same RIAs, acting as fiduciaries, are often asked to help their clients manage their assets to meet their retirement income goals.

If you are approaching retirement and have questions or concerns, contact us.  We’ll be glad to provide you with the answers.

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Registerd Investment Advisors: 7 Services that a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) Provides

Registered Investment Advisor Suffolk & Virginia Beach

Investing is serious business.  How well you manage your investments can make the difference between a comfortable retirement and working ‘till you drop.  Most people use a financial advisor of some kind.

Back in the day, people opened an account with a major investment firm and used a broker who would call and make recommendations to buy or sell.  They were essentially stock and bond salesmen whose loyalty was to their firms.

That has all changed.

The trend now is away from the major firms and toward Registered Investment Advisors – RIAs.  RIAs are fiduciaries whose duty is to put their clients’ interests ahead of their own.  They help people plan their future and take over the every-day investing decisions for them.

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Registered Investment Advisor

What can an individual expect from an RIA?

  • Asset management. This means creating a portfolio appropriate to the client, making changes in the best interest of the client, and reacting to market conditions.
  • Financial planning. Organizing a client’s financial affairs.  Determining the best way of achieving the client’s objective.  Reviewing the client’s insurance and estate planning needs.
  • Reporting and record keeping. Maintaining the organization of finances.  Performance reporting.  Maintaining cost and purchase data.
  • Life planning. Helping the client uncover what they really want to accomplish and creating a roadmap to getting there.
  • Retirement planning. Providing a path to living well once the paycheck stops and people are dependent on fixed income sources and their personal savings.  Retirement is a major life change.  RIAs typically offer comprehensive retirement plans that help people decide when to retire and what how well they can live.
  • Estate planning. Leaving money to heirs and charities must be carefully planned or large portions of an estate can go to taxes or the wrong individuals.
  • Concierge services. This can include attending meetings with attorney, accountants or bankers.  It can include services such as buying cars, arranging for travel or hiring someone to pay bills.  Relations between an RIA and a client are often so close that they are even consulted on issues such are marriage or divorce.

Call 757-638-5490 or use our contact page for more information!

registered investment advisor

A good Registered Investment Advisor is a “Life Coach.”

People who are not familiar with Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) too often view them as stock brokers.  They are not; they are held to a higher standard and are focused on the client, not the money.  RIAs are trusted advisors who put their clients ahead of themselves.    They are fiduciaries that are skilled in the art making good financial decisions.

The Financial Advisor as a “Life Coach”

Younger professionals who are building careers would do well to find an RIA as their financial guru, a “Life Coach.”  It takes time, experience, and a high level of expertise to manage money well.  The young lack that expertise but have the biggest advantage of all: time.  They are in a perfect position to build wealth with the least amount of effort if they can lean on experts who can show them how to navigate the risky ocean of investing.  Just as important, they need a wise guide who can advise them on managing their income.  Too many people, even those with six figure salaries, live paycheck to paycheck.  Knowing what to spend and how to save is the role of the advisor.

a life coach can be found in a financial advisor.

This is very important for the independent professional – the doctor or lawyer.  Focused on building a practice, they need someone to advise them on managing their money wisely.

For The Business Owner

For the business owner, the entrepreneur, it’s even more important.  There is no career track and the challenge of building a business often results in poor money management.  Excessive debt can lead to bankruptcy, a common result in many industries that depend on debt financing.  A good advisor can help the business owner create a personal portfolio that’s independent of his business.  At the same time he can advise the owner the best way of financing his growth.

Once the business is established the owner needs guidance setting up retirement and benefit plans for himself and his employees.  This all part of the RIA’s skill set. And finally, as the business matures and the owner starts thinking of retirement, the advisor provides the guidance to transition the individual and his family to life beyond work.

That’s the point at which the coach gets the pleasure of knowing he’s done a good job as part of a winning team.

Conclusion

For more information on how a financial advisor can act as a coach for you, reach out to us through our contact page today.

What to look for when getting financial help

What should you look for when you are searching to financial guidance? Finding the financial advisor that is right for you can be difficult. You want someone you can trust; a fiduciary, someone who will put your interests ahead of his own. In some respects, it’s like getting married because a good relationship is open and long-lasting.
To help you in your search, here are a few things to look for.

  • Compatibility: like a spouse, you want someone you can talk to and who shares your view of life. If you are not compatible, you will always be on the lookout for someone else.
  • Philosophy: what is your advisor’s investment philosophy? Is it capital preservation, beating the market, getting a fair return? Is that compatible with what you’re looking for?
  • Strategy: how does your advisor go about achieving your objectives? Do you understand it? If not, ask more questions.
  • Experience: how many years has he been in business? Try to avoid having a rookie learn on the job with your money.
  • Certifications: does your financial advisor have a certificate from the International Board of Standards and Practices for Certified Financial Planners? The CFP™ designation means that he has completed the coursework and passed the test to become a Certified Financial Planner™ certificant.
  • Affiliation: is your advisor an employee of a large financial firm or is he Independent RIA (Registered Investment Advisor). Employees of large financial firms work for their company, an RIA works for you.
  • Compensation: how is your advisor paid? Fees, commissions, a combination of fees and commissions? It’s important for you to know this ahead of time.
  • Reputation: does your advisor have a good reputation in the community? You can also check to see if he has any mark on his record by checking with FINRA.
  • People like you: does your advisor deal with other people like you? This can make a difference in his understanding of the issues you are dealing with.

Finding a good advisor can make the difference between your financial success and failure. He can keep you from making major investment errors and bring you peace of mind. Twice as many people who get professional advice feel very secure about their financial future as opposed to those who do it on their own.   Korving & Company is an RIA whose principals are Certified Financial Planners™ (CFP™).  We are fiduciaries who put our clients’ interests first.  Our objective is to get a fair return.  We have decades of experience. We are fee-only.  We are proud of our reputation in the community.  Are we right for you?  Find out.

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