How do you charge and what are your fees?
An initial call is always free and from that point on we charge either hourly, flat fee, or assets under management (AUM) fees for our financial planning services. Fees can be found on the pricing section of our website.
Do you only work with clients in the Lexington or Columbia South Carolina?
Brightworks has clients across the country in addition to locally.
Do I have to have a minimum amount of assets to work with you?
Minimum assets are not required for engagement and some clients pay for ongoing planning through a combination of our models. A consultation to discuss your situation can often determine which payment model best suits your needs.
Why should I choose you as my financial advisor?
First and foremost, the advisory relationship is about trust and a close second to this is competence. I have chosen to operate as a fiduciary advisor meaning that I have an obligation to put your interest first in the advisory relationship and disclose to you conflicts of interest. I believe this is a great way to build trust with clients. Secondarily, I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional with a master of science degree in financial planning. I chose this path to demonstrate my commitment to excellence in my field and to voluntarily practice under the highest ethical standards in our industry. Learn more about the CFP® professional here.
Where are the assets held that you manage?
We primarily use Altruist Financial LLC as the custodian for our assets but we also have a custodial relationship with Fidelity Investments. You will receive account statements directly from your custodian which tracks your holdings and transactions.
How often will we meet?
Our financial planning process begins with a series of 4 meetings in order to deliver your initial plan. Hourly engagements will follow a tailored meeting schedule according to your needs. For ongoing financial planning clients, we meet a minimum of yearly with some clients meeting as often as quarterly.
Can you coordinate with my CPA and/or Attorney?
Absolutely and this is encouraged as a best practice to ensure that the members of your team have a collaborative relationship in order for you to meet your goals
Can you help me with estate planning?
Estate planning is part of our comprehensive financial planning process. We help with education and implementation of estate planning ideas. We partner with Encore Estate Plans for implementation of estate planning coupled with general education. Implementation through Encore Estate Plans is an optional and additional service offering beyond our standard estate planning process. We do not provide legal advice or prepare estate planning documents directly.
Can you help me with taxes?
Although we do not prepare tax returns, we do offer pro-active and ongoing tax planning as part of comprehensive financial planning. We also coordinate with any existing relationships you may have with a tax preparer to improve communication and ensure smooth implementation of tax planning strategies.