How well do you really know your financial planner? They’re handling your finances and plans for one of the most important phases of your life—retirement. But choosing a financial advisor is often overwhelming and intimidating. With so many options and different types of advisors, the language of financial planning can quickly get confusing.
For this reason, many of us end up choosing a big name, whether to just get things over with or because “they’re supposed to know what they’re doing, right?” Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.
If you’re retired or approaching retirement and looking for an advisor to manage your personal retirement portfolio, let us introduce you to Wealth Legacy Institute. Our Denver-based financial advisory firm was designed to be a little different—keep reading to find out what exactly that means and how it benefits your retirement plans.
A Different Kind of Financial Firm - The Origins of Wealth Legacy Institute
Wealth Legacy Institute began as a response to the (we’re just going to come out and say it) shady practices of many financial brokerage firms. We’re talking about the really bad stuff you read in headlines, like front-running, late-day trading and market timing. And also the slightly less insidious, but still harmful practices, like hiding fees and commissions within long and intentionally complicated fine print.
After some time in the financial industry, we “saw the light” as they say. We came to the harsh realization that employees in big brokerage firms were simply salespeople working towards the interests of the company—not the hard-working families and individuals we were advising. And that’s when the idea for Wealth Legacy Institute was born.
We’re an independent, Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firm filled with humanity that puts clients first, not last. Our core values of Integrity, Follow-through, Independent thinking, Candor, Discipline, and Growth guide us in every decision we make, right down to our name:
Wealth - Wealth means an abundance of riches or resources. However, the etymology of the word is happiness and well-being.
Legacy - Legacy refers to what we leave behind. That includes not only financial assets, but also family culture, values, traditions, stories and history.
Institute - An institute is an organization founded to promote a particular cause or subject. We are passionate about improving and enhancing the financial literacy of our clients. Financial literacy is as important as traditional literacy and paramount to long-term success.
What that means for you is, we provide honest and objective advice in a language you can understand. There’s no sneaky fine print, complicated investment-speak, or hidden fees.
We use our experience and knowledge to help you define an ideal future, and then help you bring that plan into action. This client-centric approach is part of the reason 98% of our clients are on track to meet or exceed their financial goals and create a lasting legacy.
Building the Retirement of Your Dreams with Financial Advice You Can Trust
Have you ever actually read the disclosures attached to your investment agreement? You know the ones—they’re usually six to ten pages long and printed in a tiny 8-point font. If you read them carefully (which most of us don’t) you might not like what you see—broker incentives and commissions, revenue sharing, sales loads, and fees simply to maintain accounts. These are just a few of the methods some financial firms use to funnel more of their clients’ retirement investment portfolios into their own pockets.
You won’t find any of that here at Wealth Legacy Institute. Our approach is founded on evidence-based investing, financial discipline, and meaningful relationships with our clients. Here are a few things that set our independent financial advisory firm apart.
No Conflicts of Interest
Wealth Legacy Institute is a fee-only firm. We don’t make money by placing trades on your behalf or “churning assets” to get a commission. Since our revenue comes strictly from a percentage of assets under management or an annual fixed fee, we do not stand to gain by recommending particular investments.
We gain by earning your trust and loyalty in designing a meaningful long-term financial plan that considers your lifestyle, passions, and personal goals—not just your bank accounts.
As fiduciaries, we uphold the highest ethical standard in the financial industry. Our fiduciary duty means we are legally obligated to act in your best interest at all times.
Intelligent Investing™
Economic research by Nobel Laureates and academics has shown that active portfolio management is inconsistent and unpredictable. So, instead of trying to “beat the market” our investment approach is methodical and evidence-based. Our Intelligent Investing™ approach is built upon four major principles:
- Take the long-term view
- Balance risk
- Utilize the six factors of return
- Practice global diversification
Through this repeatable and time-tested framework, we construct and manage personal investment portfolios that deliver reliable returns, build lasting wealth, and avoid forecasting or speculation.
Planning for LIFE Experience™
Retirement is not just about money—it’s also about building a lifestyle you love! That’s why our financial advisors work to understand your vision, values, and goals—both financial and personal. The Planning for LIFE Experience™ considers your unique circumstances and concerns to create a highly customized approach to managing your wealth.
This holistic approach helps you take control of your finances and build the perfect retirement for you. The Planning for LIFE Experience™ is foundational to the long-term success of our clients.
We are Certified Financial Planners
One of the biggest problems with choosing a professional to handle your retirement plans is, virtually anyone can call themselves a “financial planner” regardless of their experience or education level. That’s why it’s important to scrutinize the professional credentials before working with any advisor on financial and retirement planning.
The team at Wealth Legacy Institute is exceptionally qualified to serve you. We hold advanced degrees and professional designations, including Certified Financial Planner® (CFP), the gold standard for the financial planning industry.
6 Key Elements to Successful Financial Planning
A successful retirement starts with knowing where you want to go, and then building a plan to help you get there. The financial advisors at Wealth Legacy Institute will take time to get to know you (including your lifestyle, financial, and retirement goals) and then create a tailored plan with staying power—so you don’t have to react every time there’s a bump in the road or a market turn. Our job is to help you:
- Know your financial starting line
- Determine your retirement goals
- Enhance your wealth
- Maximize tax savings
- Plan for retirement
- Preserve wealth & create a family legacy
Get more details about these elements and more with our FREE 2022 Essential Retirement Guide.