Comprehensive Financial Planning
A personalized financial plan is the foundation of every client relationship at Meridian. We take time to understand your complete financial picture before offering any recommendations.
What Is Comprehensive Financial Planning?
Comprehensive financial planning is an ongoing process — not a one-time transaction — that examines all aspects of your financial life in an integrated way. Rather than addressing individual issues in isolation, we analyze how decisions in one area (such as tax strategy) affect others (such as retirement projections or estate planning goals).
Our financial planning engagements are available on a flat-fee or asset-based fee basis, as described in our Form ADV Part 2A. Fee details are disclosed in writing before any engagement begins.
Our Planning Process
Step 1: Discovery
We begin by listening. In an initial meeting — which carries no obligation — we learn about your goals, concerns, family situation, income, existing assets and liabilities, employee benefits, and tax circumstances. We also discuss your attitudes toward investment risk and your experience with financial markets.
You will receive a document checklist to help gather relevant statements, tax returns, insurance policies, and estate planning documents prior to our follow-up meeting.
Step 2: Analysis
Our team reviews and organizes all collected information and builds a comprehensive picture of your current financial situation. This includes cash flow analysis, net worth statement, insurance coverage review, investment portfolio analysis, tax projection, and preliminary retirement projections.
We identify gaps, inefficiencies, and opportunities across all areas of your financial life before developing any recommendations.
Step 3: Strategy Development
Based on our analysis and your priorities, we develop a written financial plan with specific, actionable recommendations. The plan addresses the areas most relevant to your situation and is organized by priority so you have a clear roadmap.
We present recommendations in plain language, explaining both the rationale and the trade-offs. We do not proceed with implementation until you have reviewed, understood, and agreed to the recommended strategies.
Step 4: Implementation
We assist in implementing the agreed-upon recommendations, including investment account management, coordination with estate planning attorneys and CPAs, insurance reviews, and employee benefits optimization.
Where our recommendations involve professionals outside our firm (such as attorneys or accountants), we can provide referrals but do not receive any compensation for those referrals.
Step 5: Ongoing Monitoring & Review
Financial planning is not a static process. Your life, goals, tax laws, and market conditions change over time. We meet with ongoing clients at least annually — and more frequently when circumstances warrant — to review progress, update projections, and adjust strategies as needed.
Clients receive quarterly performance reports and have access to a secure online portal to view account balances and documents at any time.
Areas We Address
- Retirement Planning: Projecting income needs, optimizing Social Security claiming strategies, managing required minimum distributions, and building sustainable withdrawal strategies.
- Investment Management: Constructing and managing diversified portfolios aligned with your risk tolerance, time horizon, and tax situation. (Investment management is a separate, ongoing service with fees disclosed in our Form ADV.)
- Tax Planning: Coordinating with your CPA on strategies such as Roth conversions, tax-loss harvesting, charitable giving strategies, and deferred compensation elections.
- Estate Planning Coordination: Reviewing beneficiary designations, titling of accounts, and coordinating with estate planning attorneys on wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.
- Insurance Review: Evaluating life, disability, long-term care, and property/casualty coverage for adequacy and cost-efficiency. We do not sell insurance products.
- Education Funding: Analyzing 529 plans, UGMA/UTMA accounts, and other strategies for funding education expenses.
- Business Owner Planning: Addressing compensation structure, retirement plan options, buy-sell agreements, and business succession considerations.
- Cash Flow & Debt Management: Analyzing income, spending, and debt to identify opportunities to accelerate savings and reduce unnecessary costs.
Ready to Get Started?
We welcome the opportunity to learn about your situation and discuss how our planning process can help you work toward your goals.
Schedule a Complimentary Consultation