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WHAT TO EXPECT
October’s View Financial Planning fees are based on the actual time involved in meeting with a client in person or via the phone, researching and analyzing that client’s current situation, and providing specific recommendations. At October’s View Financial Planning we usually provide prospective clients with firm quotes of their estimated fees at the end of an initial no-cost, no-obligation "Get Acquainted" session.
A summary of a typical financial advisory process is outlined below.
Initial Inquiry
When you contact us, we'll provide a description of our services, philosophies, and fee structure. If you feel that our services will meet your needs, you'll be asked to complete a Confidential Financial Questionnaire. This document summarizes your current financial status and must be in our office for review at least one week prior to progressing to the next step. Once we receive your questionnaire, we'll schedule a no-obligation "Get Acquainted" meeting.
Get Acquainted Meeting
We'll discuss your key financial issues and provide a written service agreement that outlines the tasks we can perform for you and the estimated cost. You can either sign the service agreement at this time or take it with you to review.
Up to this point, there is no obligation between us – we are just trying to determine how (or if) we can help you. If you decide to hire us, we'll need the following items before we will begin any work:
- The original service agreement with your signature
- An initial deposit of $500 or one-half of the estimated fee, whichever is less.
Plan Development
Once we've received the required documents, we'll start developing your financial recommendations in the area(s) we've agreed upon. There's a good chance we'll ask you to provide additional information regarding specific items, and – depending on the scope of the project – we may hold a preliminary "goal and fact checking" meeting to refine assumptions, etc.
When we finish developing your plan/recommendations, we'll schedule a presentation meeting.
Presentation Meeting
We present and fully discuss your personalized plan, which includes a written summary of our observations and specific recommendations. Full payment of the remaining fee amount is due at this time.
Implementation and Follow Up
You follow our step-by-step guidelines to implement your financial plan.
If you have questions or need clarification about a specific recommendation, you can call us for three months following the Presentation Meeting to receive follow-up implementation guidance at no charge.
Conclusion
Once we finish your project, there are no further obligations from either party. We recommend getting together for financial reviews on a regular basis and when major life events occur (e.g., marriage, new child, etc.), but there are no requirements that you do so.
October’s View Financial Planning offers recommendations to meet your needs and objectives, but you are under no obligation to purchase anything. We also recognize the importance of shopping around for the best available product or service. If you need life or disability insurance, for example, I can provide a suggested type of policy, various riders or additions, and the amounts that may be appropriate for your situation, then advise the client where to obtain those products or services. The final choice of who to purchase these products from is entirely at the client’s discretion, my involvement is only in providing advice, not in selling products.
