Taxes

Four Questions to Ask your advisor at your review meeting

What you need to know about your Financial Plan

Your financial advisor should not take a “set-it-and-forget-it” approach. Isn’t that why you’re paying someone else to manage your finances? If you’re working with a qualified fiduciary advisor, they are legally required to act in your best interest.  It is important to have a face-to-face meeting at least once a year to have a financial check-up. Following are four important questions to ask your advisor during your review meeting.

Question 1 – What Progress have I made toward my goals?

Your advisor should be able to clearly explain the progress you’ve made over the last year and past several years. This conversation should be focused primarily on your goals. While investment performance is an important contributor, it should be discussed in relation to your objectives, not only in comparison to benchmarks and market indexes.

At Virtue Wealth Counsel, LLC, our advisors have access to sophisticated software that can show you exactly where you stand on the path toward achieving your goals. Your advisor can help you visualize where you began, where you are now and how far you still need to go. Work with your advisor to adjust any inputs and assumptions, and modify your plan accordingly.

Question 2 – What needs to be adjusted?

You should inform your advisor of any changes in your life, goals or financial situation. Consider the following questions as you prepare for your meeting.

  • What changes have occurred in your life over the last year? Did you experience any major life events such as a marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, a job change, etc.?
  • What new goals have you set? Are you hoping to purchase a second home, remodel your kitchen, buy a car, pay for college for a child or grandchild?
  • Have there been any changes to your retirement goals?
  • Have there been any changes to your health or the health of a loved one?
  • What financial concerns keep you up at night?
  • Have there been any changes to your income or assets? Have you changed jobs, received an inheritance, made a major purchase, etc.?

Your financial life is dynamic and ever changing, and your financial plan should be, too. Your advisor will use the answers to the questions above to recommend any changes that should be made to your overall financial plan and investment portfolio.

Question 3- Am I effectively minimizing my tax liability?

It’s important to ask about optimizing your overall tax efficiency. This conversation should cover the following:

Portfolio taxes – Your advisor should be using several strategies to help minimize taxes within your portfolio:

  • Asset location – Placing tax-efficient investments in taxable accounts and tax-inefficient investments in tax-advantaged accounts can help minimize your tax liability.
  • Harvest losses – Using investment losses to offset gains.
  • Incorporate tax-efficient portfolios – By incorporating portfolios with built-in tax efficiencies, you can minimize the percentage of returns lost to taxes.

Charitable giving strategies – You’re likely aware that charitable donations can help reduce your overall taxes, but are you contributing in the most effective manner? Your advisor can help identify strategies for maximizing your charitable impact while minimizing your taxes.

  • Charitable Trusts – Discuss the benefits of creating a charitable trust during your lifetime.   Work with your advisor to develop a tax-efficient giving strategy.
  • Income tax planning – Your advisor can also help you identify and implement tax-efficient income and estate planning strategies to help plan around tax liabilities.

Question 4 – What fees am I paying?

If you’re working with a fee-only fiduciary advisor, your fees should be transparent and easy to quantify. Your advisor should know exactly what you’re paying for advice, as well as any fees associated with your investments. When you work with a fee-only advisor, you can usually expect to pay a percentage fee based on the asset(s) they manage on your behalf.

Our advisors communicate with clients on a regular basis to update them on their progress toward achieving their financial planning goals. Additionally, they’re often supported by a team of tax, law, insurance and other professionals to provide comprehensive advice tailored to each client.

To learn more about how we help clients, schedule a complimentary, no-obligation consultation.

Visit www.IRS.gov for more information about taxes.

This commentary is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice, and does not constitute an attorney/client relationship. Past performance of any market results is no assurance of future performance. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

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Fee-based financial planning and investment advisory services are offered by Virtue Wealth Counsel, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor in the States of Nebraska and Texas. The ADV Part 2 of Virtue Wealth Counsel, LLC is available upon request.  All written content on this site is for information purposes only. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of Virtue Wealth Counsel, LLC. Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources; however, we make no representations as to its accuracy or completeness. All information and ideas should be discussed in detail with your individual adviser, tax professional or attorney prior to implementation. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The presence of this web site shall in no way be construed or interpreted as a solicitation to sell or offer to sell investment advisory services, securities product, service or investment strategy to any residents of any State other than the State of Nebraska or where otherwise legally permitted. Legal services offered through Peatrowsky Law, LLC and Dennis G. Peatrowsky are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any government agency. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be used to make any financial decisions. Exclusive rights to this material belongs to Virtue Wealth Counsel, LLC. Unauthorized use of the material is prohibited.

TD Ameritrade, Inc. is one of the firms that we use to custody our client assets. TD Ameritrade, Virtue Wealth Counsel, LLC, and the other entities named are separate and unaffiliated firms, and are not responsible for each other’s services or policies. TD Ameritrade does not endorse or recommend any advisor and the use of the TD Ameritrade logo does not represent the endorsement or recommendation of any advisor. Brokerage services provided by TD Ameritrade Institutional, Division of TD Ameritrade, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. TD Ameritrade is a trademark jointly owned by TD Ameritrade IP Company, Inc. and The Toronto-Dominion Bank. Used with permission.

© Virtue Wealth Counsel, LLC. All rights reserved.

Check the background of our Firm and Professionals on https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/

Fee-based financial planning and investment advisory services are offered by Virtue Wealth Counsel, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor in the States of Nebraska and Texas. The ADV Part 2 of Virtue Wealth Counsel, LLC is available upon request.  All written content on this site is for information purposes only. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of Virtue Wealth Counsel, LLC. Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources; however, we make no representations as to its accuracy or completeness. All information and ideas should be discussed in detail with your individual adviser, tax professional or attorney prior to implementation. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The presence of this web site shall in no way be construed or interpreted as a solicitation to sell or offer to sell investment advisory services, securities product, service or investment strategy to any residents of any State other than the State of Nebraska or where otherwise legally permitted. Legal services offered through Peatrowsky Law, LLC and Dennis G. Peatrowsky are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any government agency. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be used to make any financial decisions. Exclusive rights to this material belongs to Virtue Wealth Counsel, LLC. Unauthorized use of the material is prohibited.

TD Ameritrade, Inc. is one of the firms that we use to custody our client assets. TD Ameritrade, Virtue Wealth Counsel, LLC, and the other entities named are separate and unaffiliated firms, and are not responsible for each other’s services or policies. TD Ameritrade does not endorse or recommend any advisor and the use of the TD Ameritrade logo does not represent the endorsement or recommendation of any advisor. Brokerage services provided by TD Ameritrade Institutional, Division of TD Ameritrade, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. TD Ameritrade is a trademark jointly owned by TD Ameritrade IP Company, Inc. and The Toronto-Dominion Bank. Used with permission.

© Virtue Wealth Counsel, LLC. All rights reserved.

Check the background of our Firm and Professionals on https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/