Our Process
Process Step 1
Request an Introduction
By requesting an introduction, our team will call you and spend fifteen minutes discussing what you're looking to accomplish and whether our firm is a good solution for you.
- You'll leave this call knowing our process and have any of your initial questions answered.
- If it makes sense for us to continue the conversation, we’ll move to Step 2.
Process Step 2
In-Person (or Virtual) Meeting
During this meeting, we discuss tangible opportunities to help you optimize your investments, lower your future taxes, and hone in on your legacy goals.
- We'll request certain documents (tax return, statements, budgets) beforehand to aid in our conversation.
- We encourage both spouses to attend to be a part of the process.
After the meeting, you can decide if Birchwood is a good fit for your situation. There's never a "hard sell" or any pressure to move forward with us.
Process Step 3
Welcome to Birchwood!
You've decided to come on board, so we'll begin our 3-phase 'Blueprint' process with you. It is a process-driven approach to help you manage your family wealth.
Roots | Cash Flow & Wealth Alignment
Your wealth exists to support the life you want to live - not the other way around.
- In this first strategy session, we’ll develop a comprehensive understanding of your financial life, including earned income, portfolio income, spending needs, charitable goals, and future capital decisions.
- Together, we’ll evaluate how your assets support your desired lifestyle today while preserving flexibility for the future.
This becomes the foundation for every planning decision that follows.
Sequoia | Investment Strategy & Tax Optimization
Once we understand your cash flow needs and long-term objectives, we can determine what your portfolio needs to accomplish, and just as importantly, what it does not need to do.
- We’ll build a thoughtful, evidence-based investment strategy designed around your life, not market speculation.
- We’ll also analyze opportunities to improve after-tax outcomes through portfolio structure, withdrawal sequencing, asset location, Roth conversion analysis, and other advanced tax planning strategies.
Our goal is to simplify decision-making while improving long-term outcomes.
Canopy | Risk Management & Estate Coordination
Significant wealth introduces complexity - and complexity creates risk.
- In our final strategy session, we’ll review your insurance coverage, liability exposure, and broader risk management framework to ensure your wealth is properly protected.
- We’ll also evaluate your estate planning documents and coordinate how your trusts, beneficiaries, tax considerations, and legacy goals work together.
The objective is clarity: ensuring every piece of your financial life is aligned, intentional, and coordinated.
Ready To Not Get Billed More As Your Assets Grow?
Make Sure You Are A Good Fit
If this process makes sense to you, and you want to make sure you are a great fit, read about our Investment Philosophy for more details.


