A couple with more than $5 million in investable assets came to us with a portfolio that included over 200 sizeable investments. These holdings, accumulated over long careers, were held in multiple accounts across many investment organizations. Now approaching retirement, they sought to better organize their portfolio, diversify into alternative and private investments, and establish a clear financial plan for their family.
Qualified Purchasers Approaching Retirement
The Situation
• Holdings included individual stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, and closed end funds
• Large number of investment accounts across multiple investment firms
• Significant un-invested cash balance with no short-term needs
• Uncoordinated approach with no good way to evaluate investment performance
• Little attention paid to tax-efficiency
• Large concentration of individual equities without any active monitoring
• Missing original cost basis on older investments
• Unable to get a clear picture of their collective net worth
• No one was providing investment or planning guidance that captured all the moving parts
• Married, with two adult children
• No estate plan
• Wanted to gain a more holistic picture of investment portfolio, broaden exposure to non-correlated assets, and develop a singular, cohesive financial plan
Our Approach
• Brought all the different investment accounts into a single portfolio
• Determined cash-flow requirements to support monthly lifestyle spending needs
• Developed an appropriate asset allocation model including exposure to alternatives and private equity, credit, and real estate
• Significantly reduced the number of holdings
• Researched all older investments to determine cost basis
• Eliminated concentrated equity positions
• Invested surplus cash into the new portfolio
• Improved tax-efficiency through asset selection and asset location
• Delivered a comprehensive online dashboard that provides visibility of portfolio holdings and performance
• Helped establish and fund Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts (SLAT) to take advantage of Federal estate tax exemptions
• Evaluated income tax, estate tax, and lifestyle implications of a potential move to another state in the future
• Added Home Cyber Protection to their homeowners policy to mitigate the increasing threat of online fraud
• Established generational transfer plan
• Created a comprehensive financial plan that addresses current portfolio investment strategy, considered additional capital contributions, retirement and inheritance and potential estate tax liabilities
• Organized a family meeting to share the family goals and values with children
COLLABORATING WITH SPECIALISTS
• Recommended an accountant to identify timing and sequencing of equity sales and provide for administration
• Made introduction to an estate attorney to establish and document inheritance plans and established trust and retirement investment vehicles for benefit of children
• Coordinated with insurance professional on Umbrella, Property & Casualty requirements
• Reviewed long term care and current health insurance options with provider
• Connected client with VIP auto dealer to support purchase
SIGNIFICANT RESULTS
• Portfolio is now operating with full transparency and improved diversification
• Implementation of plan is now enabling proactive management
• Children are integrated into the family’s finances and plan for the future
• Client’s desired succession plan is now enabled