Our Specialties
Some people seem like they’re good at everything...
We’re good at two things.
We’ve all met people who are “good at everything.” It can even appear like they are experts at everything. Well, that’s not us. There are two things that we are really good at.
1. Above The Line™ Conversations
Our starting point is to understand what matters to you, what you want to accomplish, and why that matters.
This may sound obvious, but it’s not. Too often, people move directly into a “goals” conversation before taking a minute to slow down and really appreciate the big picture, the vision that’s behind the goals.
Having these kinds of conversations isn’t fluffy, and it requires some skill; skills that we’ve developed, trained on, and specialized in for the past couple of decades. Our ability to help our clients explain their vision for the future, name the values that need to be honored along the way, and then identify the goals that will move them toward that vision is not common. And we’re really good at it.
2. Below The Line™ Design & Implementation
The second specialty for us is designing and implementing plans and approaches that will help you move toward your goals. It’s a specialty for a couple of reasons. The first is that, by the time we get Below The Line™, we have a level of clarity about what you want and why you want it, that we can come up with solutions that really make sense. When we “get” what you want to achieve, as well as the big picture and the motivation behind it, we’re in a strong spot when it comes to building a plan that makes sense.
The other reason is that we’ve spent decades working with the specific solutions. Whether it’s developing an investment approach, figuring out the right risk management (insurance, disability, long-term care), estate planning, retirement planning, business succession strategies or funding education; it’s an area we’ve been handling for a long time, for clients that are probably just like you.
Once those plans are designed, and you’re clear that they’ll help you achieve your goals, then we work directly with you to implement them. We have solid expertise, through our on-site team, and our extended planning resource team to provide a whole line-up of solutions.
They include:
Retirement Planning
You want to be confident that your retirement is funded properly and that you can enjoy it, without worry. We’ll work with you to:
Life Insurance can be used to pay for funeral expenses, repay outstanding debts, make charitable donations and cover living expenses for family members. It can also be used to pay estate taxes and probate fees.
Disability Income Insurance helps to partially replace income when someone is unable to work because of sickness or an accident. The impact of disability can have a financial effect as severe as death.
Long Term Care can be extremely expensive in some cases, and protection in this area can help protect your family, your assets and preserve your freedom of choice.
Risk Management
You have things that matter to you, and you likely want to protect them. To do that, there are different approaches that can help.
Life Insurance can be used to pay for funeral expenses, repay outstanding debts, make charitable donations and cover living expenses for family members. It can also be used to pay estate taxes and probate fees.
Disability Income Insurance helps to partially replace income when someone is unable to work because of sickness or an accident. The impact of disability can have a financial effect as severe as death.
Long Term Care can be extremely expensive in some cases, and protection in this area can help protect your family, your assets and preserve your freedom of choice.
Portfolio Management
Every investor is unique and our portfolio management options range from sophisticated and advanced investing to mutual fund wrap portfolios. We can scale from very complex to very simple services based on your needs. That means we can help you:
Set investment objectives
Develop an asset allocation strategy
Evaluate and select investments
Review (and provide ongoing monitoring) of portfolios
Provide access to top-tier investment management professionals that back-up our team
Tailored portfolios to meet very specific investment needs
Ownership of individual securities
Ease of pre-designed mutual fund portfolios
Estate Planning & Wealth Preservation
What you value is often more important than what you own. And that often means making a plan that will protect what matters in future generations. To follow through on promises you make to others and yourself requires forethought and planning. A well-constructed estate plan can help you handle things like:
Minimizing income and estate taxes
Transferring wealth from one generation to the next
Developing charitable gifting strategies
Aligning existing retirement accounts and investment portfolios with your estate plan
Business Planning Strategies
The demands (an opportunities) of business ownership are significant and have their own set of planning considerations; this is especially true when it comes to monetizing your life’s work through sale, exit and succession. A business succession plan can help you address specific needs, including
Growing your business
Protecting your assets
Ensuring the continuation and succession of your business
Minimizing taxes
Promoting, recruiting, retaining and rewarding key employees
Maximizing your compensation benefits
Providing for estate equalization
Promoting family harmony
Education Funding
Education costs are high, and planning for your children’s education can be a major financial consideration. Planning early allows you to take advantage of the time-value of money and minimize the savings requirement, but having a plan is what matters most. Here are a few things that can help:
Prioritize your education objective with your insurance needs, retirement needs, major purchases and current income needs
Develop a savings strategy that considers asset allocation and takes advantage of education plans
Consider the various education funding accounts – Qualified State Tuition Plans (also known as 529 Plans#), Uniform Transfer to Minor Accounts (UTMA)/Uniform Gifts to Minor Accounts (UGMA), Coverdell Education savings accounts and prepaid tuition plans
Ensure college expenses are properly planned – include tuition, room and board, living expenses, inflation rate calculations, post-graduate studies, scholarships or financial aid, to name a few
330 W Illinois St. - PO Box 157 - Spearfish, SD 57783
PHONE: (605) 642-7747 | FAX: (605) 642-7459
tjburke@financial-benefits.com