Our Process

We strongly believe a financial advisor should be focused on much more than simply where or how to invest. Having a coordinated strategy that puts the retirement puzzle pieces of Social Security timing, nest egg distributions, pension elections, and taxation all together, while also accounting for major risks such as longevity, long term care, and uncooperative markets, gives you the highest probability of efficiency and success. That's why we designed our Path to Purpose FORMula to pursue your needs as your life unfolds and provide a clear view of your retirement. 

One of our core principles here at Pathway is transparency in everything we do, and our Path to Purpose FORMula provides a step-by-step process that allows us to create clear expectations during the early stage of our relationships with new clients. If you're thinking about taking the next step, please take a moment to understand the steps of our process and reach out when you're ready to begin.

Step 1 - Discovery & Fit - We firmly believe in order to have a mutually beneficial relationship there must be philosophical alignment between all parties. At our complimentary first appointment, we will get to know you better by asking you questions about the areas that matter most: Family, Occupation, and Recreation. You'll also have the opportunity to get to know us as we share with you about our philosophy, processes, and the services we provide. By the end of this meeting we will make a mutual decision about whether a philosophical alignment exists, and if so we will move to the next step.

Step 2 - Engagement - Between Steps 1 and 2 we will complete 4-6 hours of professional analysis of your situation. At our second appointment, we will present a concise report outlining key areas of concern and opportunity we see for you. We then provide an informal Engagement of Services letter detailing the services we will provide along with the cost and value of engaging us and moving forward. At this point, you should have the information you need to decide on becoming a client, but we encourage taking 48 - 72 hours after this meeting to think everything over before committing.

Step 3 - Plan Presentation & Implementation - After we have formally chosen to work together, we will tailor a personalized financial plan to your unique situation. If there are aspects of the plan you are uncomfortable with, rest assured we will go back to the drawing board as many times as needed until we find a suitable alternative both parties can find confidence in. Once your plan is complete, we will be with you each step of the way to help you implement your plan fully using only the services and products best suited for your needs.

Step 4 - Ongoing Relationship & Planning - Something we've learned during our years of experience is no matter how perfect your financial plan may be, it can be rendered obsolete in the blink of an eye by something we call a Critical Financial Event (CFE). These CFE's can be positive (the sale of a business, the opportunity to purchase/build your dream home, an inheritance, etc.) or negative (the divorce or loss of a spouse, a long-term care event, a forced retirement, etc.). Either way Critical Financial Events totally change your financial picture. One or more will eventually happen to you. This is why our planning strategy remains fluid and dynamic just like your life, and we are in contact with our clients regularly to ensure we are up to date on any changes that have occurred in their situations.