What’s Your Vision?

Wealth Advisor (part 1 of 4)

Andy Meyer, Partner and Senior Wealth Advisor 

Wealth Advisor is what you will find at the end of my email signature block or on my LinkedIn page. What does it mean? What is it supposed to tell you about me and what I do?

Depending on who you are and how much attention you pay to titles it might tell you everything you need to know while answering all your questions. Or it might be too vague and only confuse you wanting to ask a follow-up question.

For this reason, I dislike having to add one specific designation to my signature and business card. I feel like I am making assumptions for someone as to how they might perceive or understand a certain job’s role. On the same day I receive an email from a recent college grad who inherited money from an uncle, I may hand a business card to 65-year-old couple that is worried about outliving their nest egg. What title will speak to all in need of our advice?

Our firm went through a process of determining the professional title that best describes what our advisors do for people and why we do what we do.

We landed on Wealth Advisor.

First, what does Google say about combining these two words?
Wealth: An abundance of valuable possessions or money.
Advisor: A person who gives advice in a particular field.

Not a fan of Google’s meaning for wealth, and based on this meaning alone, I would hate our title. Although this definition might relate to someone that has every possession imaginable and a fat bank account, it does not tell you anything about what we do, what we believe, and who we are trying to help.

What is the true meaning of wealth? The answer is different for everyone. I like fellow Wealth Advisor Judith McGee’s take:  “What most enlightened people consider as wealth has nothing to do with money. Seeking true wealth may mean seeking deeper relationships, more personal growth, or ways to create more meaning in life. Achieving true wealth means possessing the ability to enjoy the small, ordinary pleasures of life.”

Advising on Judith’s version of wealth is much easier for us at Vantage to relate to, so let’s expand on this.

How do we bring value to someone’s life and financial situation? For us, the answer is easy . . . we are your partner on your unique wealth journey. We help you navigate real-life questions and execute solutions at each stage of life through an ongoing tailored advising relationship that has your best interests in mind. These partnerships are not transactional and go well below the surface-level in order to provide meaningful advice.

You do not need to be incapable of making sound financial decisions in order to be a good fit for us. For many clients, the decision to work with a wealth advisor centers around time, consistency, and execution. You might be a busy millennial couple that needs help understanding your benefits through work. Or maybe you have the benefits covered, but you have a chunk of cash flow to invest and you want to make sure you are putting it in the right spot. Perhaps you’re an empty nester with retirement goals and concerns, but at the same time you wish to help your youngest with a down payment on their first home. You may have questions regarding your tax plan, refinancing your mortgage or on how to pay for college. At each phase of life, we partner with you to increase the probability of your success. It’s not a sprint, but a marathon where each mile counts.

Money rarely comes without strings attached, but with stress and questions that need answering. Partnering with an experienced team that uses a comprehensive toolbox will give you the foundation to make sound money moves while being prepared for the inevitable “what-if” scenarios. In this process, we are here to free-up time for you to enjoy the things that matter most to you and your family. Time is the most valuable currency that we all crave.

WE help find more of that time.

In the next few posts, we will get into the details of our process, our comprehensive toolbox as well as real-life examples of our service model in action.

You may notice 3 distinct characteristics of a Wealth Advisor that are non-negotiables for us:
1. Unbiased Advice
2. Comprehensive Process and Approach
3. Ongoing Consistency

These characteristics are the foundational pieces in our toolbox that together help create the opportunity to find you time and peace of mind as you go through your wealth journey.