Are you interested in working with a wealth management firm to help you reach your financial goals? Find out how to identify the right wealth manager match for you. 

When it comes down to it, the services offered by one financial advisor aren’t the same as the services offered by another. Financial advisors and wealth managers come with different certifications, college degrees, qualifications, and even credentials. And the firms they work for are just as diverse.

In order to get the most value for your hard-earned buck, it might make sense for you to locate a wealth manager that offers a number of advisory services and investment management services. Here are some things you may like to consider. 

Will they put you first? 

In other words, will they take a personal and comprehensive approach to creating your financial plan? Let’s face it: If you’re in the camp of people shopping around for a wealth manager, there are probably some financial professionals who are primarily interested in selling you an investment product. We believe that the right wealth manager should seek to understand all your life circumstances and goals (including, but not limited to, your current financial situation) before offering financial advice or recommending specific investments. 

Look for a wealth manager who is interested in developing a client-advisor relationship with you, a necessary part of the comprehensive financial planning process. This approach falls in line with the fiduciary duty financial advisors commit to: the responsibility to care about your money, your financial life, and your financial interests as much as you do, and to provide you with guidance accordingly. 

Do they do tax planning? 

Taxes are complicated, and that complexity increases exponentially if you’ve got a number of investment accounts and investment types. A wealth management firm that offers tax planning services can help you minimize the overall impact of taxes on your investments and just makes sense, since the tax piece of the picture has a major bearing on the entire wealth management approach.  

Rather than having to be the go-between for your financial advisor and your CPA or tax attorney, you can have confidence in having all of these services under one roof, and a knowledge that these professionals have a comprehensive and complete understanding of your financial strategy. 

Can they help you with legacy and estate planning?

Wealth management is not just about growing your assets; it’s also very much about what happens after the accumulation phase of your financial life. When you want to leave assets to family or to charity, that takes yet another level of planning. Having that relationship with a wealth manager you can trust to help you ensure your wishes are carried out is no small thing. 

The right wealth manager can help you think through and plan for every long-term contingency of your current investments, and that includes the preparation of your legacy plan. 

Are they equipped to assist with small business planning and tax services? 

This won’t apply to everyone, of course, but if you are a small business owner (or planning to become one), then that business is a key piece of your financial picture. It can be incredibly beneficial (not to mention efficient) to engage the same wealth management firm who deeply understands your personal financial plan to help you with business setup, tax planning, succession planning, and other key services. 

Ready to get started with a wealth management firm who offers all the necessary services and can create a comprehensive plan for your financial life? Reach out and learn more about Ironwood Wealth Management today.