About You
To help you identify if RWA is the partner you are looking for, please watch the video below which will help you learn more about how we emphasize both your financial and relational aspects in our 8-step process.
You’ll see that we consider a variety of your financial needs, like retirement planning, investments, estate planning, insurance, college funding and more. Our 8-step process will address all these areas and the profound impact they will have on your family for generations to come.
For instance, many affluent couples highly prioritize leaving a legacy for their children and future generations. However, there are many pitfalls that could derail this goal, like estate taxes and the generation-skipping tax (GST). Incorrectly addressing these complex issues can reduce your hard-earned nest egg, making it wise to work with knowledgeable experts like Renaissance.
Finding a great advisor can be a daunting task and these three areas are critical to know when you're looking for the right one.
- Fiduciary
- Be sure to work with a fiduciary. A “Fiduciary” is an Advisor who is legally required to put your best interests first, ahead of their own. Too often, families are sold expensive and underperforming products by brokers and insurance representatives. Ask your financial advisor if they are required to act in your best interests! Be sure to use caution when working with an advisor who makes most of their revenue from product commissions. As fee-only advisors, we are fiduciaries. We cannot and will not sell you any products. Instead, we choose to operate with full transparency as we guide you through every step of your financial plan.
- Be sure to work with a fiduciary. A “Fiduciary” is an Advisor who is legally required to put your best interests first, ahead of their own. Too often, families are sold expensive and underperforming products by brokers and insurance representatives. Ask your financial advisor if they are required to act in your best interests! Be sure to use caution when working with an advisor who makes most of their revenue from product commissions. As fee-only advisors, we are fiduciaries. We cannot and will not sell you any products. Instead, we choose to operate with full transparency as we guide you through every step of your financial plan.
- Processes
- Creating and executing on well-thought out processes are what separates excellent planning from what most people get. Ask your advisor about what processes they use and how they benefit you! It can be helpful to work with an advisor with experience in multiple planning niches, including the financial and the relational, as this will allow them to better understand your entire financial profile.
- Creating and executing on well-thought out processes are what separates excellent planning from what most people get. Ask your advisor about what processes they use and how they benefit you! It can be helpful to work with an advisor with experience in multiple planning niches, including the financial and the relational, as this will allow them to better understand your entire financial profile.
- Fee structure
- Wall Street and the financial industry get a bad reputation for convoluted fee structures and products. Ask your financial advisor how they get paid! We do our best to ensure that you know exactly what you’re paying. Please see our Fee Schedule and FAQ as this explains in clear language our approach to fees.
What is a Fiduciary and why is that important to you?
As mentioned above and in the video below, a Fiduciary is a professional who is legally required to put your interests ahead of their own. Most professionals, like doctors and lawyers, are bound to a code of ethics within their respective industries; as fiduciaries, we too at Renaissance are bound to our Code of Ethics.
Regrettably, not every financial advisor or broker is a Fiduciary. In this case, they are only held to the looser “suitability” standard. This means that they can sell products that are “suitable” for your needs, even ones that provide them with high commission checks.
Both of Renaissance’s Principals have earned important industry designations – the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®), which require us to act in a fiduciary manner.