Frequently Asked Questions
We specifically serve those who are nearing or in retirement and place a high value on tax planning.
Our clients:
- Understand that the success of their retirement is too important to be doing it themselves
- Understand the value of having expert guidance
- Are responsive
- Aren’t chasing the next investment & agree with our investment philosophy
We help people retire confidently and reduce their lifetime tax liability by providing:
- Comprehensive financial planning
- Tax planning
- Investment management
We understand how it feels to have questions and anxiety about retirement. Therefore, we guide clients through our “Birchwood Blueprint” process to help them find the solutions to the questions they have and the opportunities they might not be aware of.
By working with us, clients avoid these unfortunate circumstances:
- Running out of money in retirement
- Missing out on the current tax saving opportunities
- Confusion about how your money is being invested
- Hidden fees
Fortunately, the benefits of working with Birchwood include:
- A plan that will provide retirement income you can’t outlive
- A simplified investment portfolio that you understand
- Time savings by not having to manage portfolios yourself
- Security - knowing you have a formula for when the market drops
- Fully taking advantage of all the tax savings the professionals know about
- A strategy for taking Social Security that maximizes the benefit
- A plan in case there’s a long-term care event
We do tax planning.
- We identify tax opportunities now and in the future to keep your lifetime tax liability as low as possible. This is different from tax preparation, which focuses on filing a return. Taxes will be your biggest expense in retirement, so we try to help you minimize Uncle Sam's take.
We “grow small” by design.
- We are only going to work with 50 clients. Birchwood’s goal is to build deep relationships and to know exactly what's going on in our clients' financial lives.
$9,950 per year, per client household. Our compensation only comes from the clients we serve. We do not receive commissions or kickbacks by selling products.
The CFP® certification is the standard of excellence in financial planning. CFP® professionals are rigorously trained in 72 areas of financial expertise and must accrue thousands of hours of experience prior to earning their certification. Furthermore, they must commit to ethical standards that require them to put their clients’ interests first (See CFB Board).
The Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) credential is the most respected and recognized investment designation in the world. The curriculum covers academic theory, current industry practice, and ethical and professional standards to provide a strong foundation of advanced investment analysis and real-world portfolio management skills. A work experience requirement and an annual attestation to ethics ensure career long professional excellence by those who have earned the charter (See CFA Institute).
Yes, our services and systems have been designed so that clients can easily work with us from any location.
No. This meeting serves as time to get to know one another and help you make an educated and informed decision about working with our firm. This is not a high pressure sales pitch. Check out our Birchwood Blueprint Process.