Our Process: How Working With an Independent Fiduciary Is Different
By John Benedict
There’s nothing one-size-fits-all about one’s financial life, so why follow a one-size-fits-all approach to financial planning? As an independent, fee-only financial services firm, J2 Capital Management understands that every person’s situation is unique and that there is no cookie-cutter approach to retirement and income planning. That’s why we’ve created a process that is designed to help pre-retirees and retirees plan for and enjoy their much-anticipated retirement years.
1. Discovery
The first step in our process is introduction and evaluations. We start with an initial phone call; then, if you’re ready for the next step, we meet in person or through Zoom to deepen the conversation. This is where we take the time to get to know you. What does your current financial picture look like? What are your career goals? Retirement goals? How comfortable are you with investment risk?
In order to be successful, an investment strategy needs to fit the individual person for whom it is designed. In order to serve you well, we need to know you first. We can only really help you with your finances after taking the time to know who you are and where you want to go in life.
Working with a financial advisor is a relationship, not a business transaction. You need to really trust someone and be comfortable with them in order to share the details of your financial life. Because the financial advisory relationship is very personal, we like to take the time to not only get to know you, but let you get to know us so we can make sure we are compatible and will work well together.
You are not just a number or an investment account to be managed, you are a person. Our first priority is to get to know the person behind the money to see if we are really the best firm to help you.
2. Build a Foundation
Once we’ve decided we’re a good match, we move on to assessment and observations. Here we do a deep dive into your financial condition and your current investment stage. We look at where you are, where you want to be, and the appropriate strategies needed to get you there. Because we offer in-house financial, tax, and investment planning, we intimately understand all your financial needs at a holistic level.
During this stage of the process, we will get into the numbers. You will need to gather the information for all your accounts, investments, and insurance policies. We will then take that information and analyze it, comparing it to what we learned about you during the first phase of our process.
3. Implement Strategies
Finally, we implement the strategies we’ve discussed and help set your finances on the right track toward your goals. After all the heavy lifting of analyzing your information, we will meet together to discuss our recommended, comprehensive financial plan that includes things well beyond just your investments and current goals. We also cover advanced planning elements such as taxes, charitable giving, and building a legacy.
4. Track Progress
Once your plan is set in motion, we continue to monitor and track your progress. While you have access to all your accounts in one efficient client portal, you can rest assured that we are the ones doing the hard work of keeping an eye on your money and all the factors that affect your future. We are available to you for any and all questions and look forward to meeting with you every six months to review your accounts, assess your progress, and make adjustments if necessary.
Interested in Learning More?
If you want to know more about our process, services, and how we can add value to your life, schedule a meeting online or reach out to us at info@j2cmonline.com or 248-641-4444.
About John Benedict
John Benedict is CEO, investment advisor representative, and portfolio manager at J2 Capital Management, a boutique financial advisory firm specializing in in-house custom financial planning, tax, estate, and investment management. With over 20 years of experience, John is passionate about helping clients navigate uncertain markets, reduce risk, and plan for a sound future. John combined his talents and passion in statistics and technical analysis to create J2’s tactical strategies, managing them since the beginning of the organization. He is known for being a visionary and continually looking for ways to improve J2’s services and strategies to better serve his clients. John graduated from Central Michigan University with a degree in business administration and finance, and his thoughts on markets and technical analysis have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Investment News, and on Moneyshow.com. He was also a contributor to the book The StockTwits Edge: 40 Actionable Trade Set-Ups from Real Market Pros.
When he’s not working, you can find John boating or participating in water sports and spending time with his wife, Janine, and his three children, Jack, Alexis, and Saraphina. To learn more about John, connect with him on LinkedIn. You can also register for his latest webinar on What Makes J2 Capital Management Different From Other Financial Advisors.