Case Studies
Widow
Carol, age 66.
Primary goal: To work with a group of professionals who can provide an easy to follow action plan for her finances, while also empowering her as she takes on this responsibility during a difficult season of life.
The Challenge:
Carol got the call last week that husband, James, had passed away on a business trip. Now, Carol found herself thrust into the role of financial decision maker and was expected to make decisions about James’ pension, company stock options, life insurance, and more.
Without help, Carol felt that she would make serious missteps that could put her and her children’s financial future in jeopardy.
She knew she wanted an experienced professional to help her navigate the financial burden, but also regain that feeling of financial confidence as she grieved.
Lifetime Planning’s Solution:
When Carol hired Lifetime Planning, she not only wanted to understand her current situation, but wanted to find someone she could trust.
A comprehensive plan was put together to meet of her needs:
- An easy-to-understand review of her current financial situation
- A creation of multiple scenarios that would allow Carol to choose the best way to receive her husband’s work and insurance benefits.
- Maximization of her Social Security survivor benefits
- Reduction of tax liabilities
We connected Carol with a grief counselor to help her cope with her sudden loss. Plus, we made a plan to get Carol’s family involved in the family finances, so she felt that someone was by her side helping her make decisions and keeping the rest of the family informed.
Near Retirement
Paul & Susan, 58 & 54.
Primary goal: reduce taxes, create a reliable income stream in retirement, and assist with the succession plan of Paul’s dentistry practice.
The Challenge:
Paul and Susan are two years away from retiring together and accomplishing all of the dreams they have for their golden years!
They both were smart with their money and utilized Paul’s high income wisely, allowing them to build a sizable portfolio.
The challenge? They weren’t sure how to preserve it all during retirement and were nervous about how the succession of Paul’s dentistry practice would affect their finances. Plus, they wanted to make sure they had enough money to leave a lasting legacy to their children and donate to the local animal shelter Susan loved to volunteer at.
And on top of all that, Paul knew that working with a financial advisor was the smart thing to do, but was nervous after being constantly sold to in his last advisor relationship over 10 years ago.
Lifetime Planning’s Solution:
Paul was referred to Lifetime Planning through a friend and Paul and Susan vetted them online before setting up an initial call. Paul was pleased to find that lead planner Eric Smith was a Certified Financial Planner®.
A comprehensive plan was put together to meet all of their needs:
- An income distribution plan that would allow them to maintain their standard of living
- Utilization of tax-efficient charitable giving strategies that included both their family and local animal shelter
- Reduction of tax liabilities
Inheritor
Lauren, age 20.
Primary goal: put her finances on autopilot so she can feel good about her future, but also prioritize her busy social life in college.
The Challenge:
While away at college, Lauren’s parents gave her a call and let her know that Grandpa Elliot passed away and had left her a sizeable inheritance.
While saddened to hear the news, she was also excited to see such a large amount of money in her account…and think of all the fun things she could do with it.
Mom and dad had other plans. They wanted Lauren to talk to their financial advisor and create a plan for her money to grow over time – reluctantly she agreed, although she didn’t see the value in a financial advisor and thought she could get better advice from the internet.
Lifetime Planning’s Solution:
Lauren, her parents, and Lifetime Planning set up a video call to discuss her financial situation. Lauren instantly felt an authentic connection with the team as they:
- Validated her desires for the money
- Provided a new perspective about being smart with money and guided her through the basics of financial literacy.
- Offered an online solution that would allow her to be in charge, but have access to the team when needed.
Lauren decided to take advantage of the Guided Wealth Portfolio solution and created a plan that built confidence in her future, and put the parents at ease.
- Allocated a certain spending amount for her to use.
- Created an investment portfolio that will grow with her over time
- And set some money aside to help pay off her student loans.