Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What services does Wealth Financial Services & Tax Advisory offer?
We provide comprehensive financial services & retirement planning through our Safe & Secure Retirement Roadmap™, which includes five integrated areas: Investment Management, Income Planning, Tax Planning (at the center of everything), Healthcare & Medicare Planning, and Legacy & Estate Planning. We help pre-retirees and retirees create a coordinated strategy so all aspects of your financial life work together.
2. Who do you typically work with?
We primarily serve pre-retirees (ages 50-65) preparing for retirement and retirees (65+) who are already transitioning to or living in retirement. However, we can serve anyone looking to get ahead on retirement and financial planning. Our clients are individuals and families in Buffalo Grove and the surrounding northwest Chicago suburbs who want comprehensive planning and proactive guidance.
3. How do I get started working with you?
We start with a complimentary Possibility Meeting where we get to know your situation, goals, and concerns. There’s no pressure or obligation. It’s simply a conversation to see if we’re a good fit. If we decide to work together, we’ll schedule a Vision Meeting where we present your customized financial strategy.
4. What is the Safe & Secure Retirement Roadmap™?
The Safe & Secure Retirement Roadmap™ is our comprehensive planning approach that integrates five key areas of retirement planning: Investment Management, Income Planning, Tax Planning, Healthcare Planning, and Legacy Planning. Tax planning sits at the center because it affects every other decision. This integrated approach ensures nothing is overlooked and everything works together toward your retirement goals.
5. Are you a fiduciary? What's the difference between a fiduciary and a financial advisor?
Yes, we are a fiduciary. This is an important distinction many people don’t realize exists.
Fiduciary Standard: A fiduciary is legally and ethically required to act in your best interest at all times. We must put your interests ahead of our own, disclose any conflicts of interest, and recommend strategies based solely on what’s best for your situation—not what earns us the highest fees or commissions.
Why This Matters: Imagine two investment options: Fund A has lower fees and better performance, but Fund B pays the advisor a commission. A fiduciary must recommend Fund A because it’s in your best interest. A non-fiduciary advisor could recommend Fund B because it’s “suitable,” even though it’s not optimal for you.
At Wealth Financial Services & Tax Advisory, our recommendations are based entirely on what’s best for your financial future, not what’s most profitable for us. That’s the fiduciary difference.
6. How much do your services cost?
Our fees depend on the complexity of your situation and the services you need. We discuss fees transparently during our initial meetings before you make any commitment.
7. Do I need to live in Buffalo Grove to work with you?
No. While our office is located in Buffalo Grove at 600 N Buffalo Grove Rd, Suite 100, we serve clients throughout the northwest Chicago suburbs and beyond. We’ll happily help families in Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Palatine, Glenview, Northbrook, Des Plaines, and anywhere else in the North and Northwest Chicago Suburbs. We offer both in-person meetings at our office and virtual meetings for your convenience.
8. What makes you different from other financial advisors?
We take an integrated approach where tax planning is at the center of every decision. Many advisors focus only on investments, but we coordinate your investments, income sources, tax strategy, Medicare planning, and estate plan to work together. We also provide proactive, ongoing service, we reach out to you throughout the year, not just when you call us. Additionally, our partnerships with Perkins & Zayed Estate & Trust Law Group, Janas Law Offices, LoMonaco Law, & Chuhak & Tecson P.C, and our Medicare specialist Ethan Dickerson means you have comprehensive expertise under one roof.
9. How often will we meet or communicate?
We conduct comprehensive annual reviews with all clients, but we also reach out proactively throughout the year when opportunities arise, such as those with tax planning strategies, Medicare Open Enrollment reviews, market updates, or legislative changes that affect your plan. You can also contact us anytime questions come up. We believe in ongoing partnership, not just annual check-ins.
10. I already have a financial advisor. Why should I consider switching?
You shouldn’t switch just to switch, but you should ask yourself: Does your current advisor proactively contact you with tax-saving strategies? Do they coordinate your investments with your Medicare costs and RMDs? Do they help with estate planning and healthcare decisions, or just manage your portfolio? If you’re getting comprehensive, integrated planning with proactive service, that’s great. If you’re just getting investment management and an annual review, there may be significant opportunities being missed. We’d be happy to provide a second opinion with no obligation.
Register To Attend One of Our Financial Workshops
Grow with us, and let our fiduciaries give you the details and advice needed to live the retirement life you’re hoping for.
