Questions

I first became an elementary school teacher.  Education has always been important in my family.  When I was divorced, and became a single mother, I became very interested in Real Estate, and thought perhaps I could better support my family.  After getting my license, my main interest was in helping those who had never owned a home, get their first home. 

Over the years I developed a process to assist them in getting their finances in order to qualify, which then led me to financial planning, my true source of satisfaction.  Additionally, I wanted to figure out how myself and my children’s father, had lost over $180,000 through a financial advisor, leaving me devastatingly broke upon our divorce.  Back to education, I now understood what that financial advisor had done, and was determined it would not happen to other people, not on my watch!  I also watched my parents, who had a successful business, pass almost totally broke because of financial mistakes that could have been avoided.  I was determined to educate others, to help them avoid the mistakes and prepare for retirement success.  Thus began my career in retirement planning! 

I quickly learned that Estate Planning is critical also if we are to protect ourselves and our assets during incapacitation or death.  My parents had no planning, which caused challenges when they became very ill, and decisions had to be made.  We saw clients’ families struggle when their parents passed, going through probate, taking 1 to 2 years to settle everything.  Education again……we became Certified Estate Planners so we can educate our clients and assist them with Estate Planning BEFORE there are issues.  Now, 25 years into my career, I find it uniquely fulfilling to give families security and peace of mind.

We have been practicing in the area of Northern VA over 25 years.  The majority of our clients are Federal Employees, who have had an entire career with the government, but were not given the detailed information they need to maximize their benefits, and prepare for a comfortable and secure retirement.  Unfortunately, their access to knowledgeable HR personnel and retirement workshops is limited.  Combining our years of assisting over 300 Federal Employees retire successfully, plus our education as Chartered Federal Employee Benefit Consultants (ChFEBC^SM), with HR Training, we can educate and assist Federal Employees anywhere in the country to create a unique, successful, plan for their retirement.

Yes, we do!  Because there are so many large federal contractors, such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, Northrup Grumman, Leidos, BAE Systems and others who serve the Federal Government, we have become knowledgeable about their benefits and retirement packages also. 

Absolutely!  Our clients live in different parts of the country.  We hold virtual meetings utilizing the latest technology and have regular communications on the phone, through email and use of our encrypted portal.

While the majority of our clients work with us electronically, we are happy to meet with clients in person in our office in Stafford, VA.  

On the Retirement Planning side, each client starts with a complimentary overview of where their income and expenses are now (gross and net of taxes), and how they will change in the future in retirement, as age and event “trigger points” occur.  With a “Contingency Plan^SM” we can address age 59.5 eligibility for rollovers and withdrawals from your 401(k)/TSP, creating “Income Pipelines” to keep up with inflation, minimize taxes, and guarantee you’ll never run out of income, best dates for you/spouse to take your pension/retire, strategies for maximizing Social Security, Required Minimum Distributions at age 72, spousal survivorship and Long Term Care.  Included are ongoing meetings as needed to address the best way to handle financial and family emergencies, relocation, inheritance, refinance, etc.

Estate Planning is a separate service, which can be in concert with your retirement planning, or a stand alone service.

A Fee Based Advisor focuses on the client’s planning, rather than the sale of products for a commission.  For a flat or hourly fee (client choice), we provide Retirement & Estate Planning uniquely tailored to the client’s needs and goals.  Assets under management incur a fee, based on a straightforward percentage of assets under management. 

Yes, we are fiduciaries and take an oath each year to put our client’s needs above our own. Most people working in the financial industry are not fiduciaries. By definition, that means they are not required to do what’s in your best interest. GuidedQuest, LLC has chosen to operate as a true fiduciary, which means we are legally bound to make decisions in your best interest. Part of being a fiduciary means your investment accounts are held with an independent third-party custodian.  In addition we hold the Certified Financial Fiduciary (CFF®) designation.

Our entire client management process is built on each client’s individual plan. We’ve designed a detailed client service calendar that a dedicated associate is responsible for executing.   Our Client Relationship Manager (CRM) Software is used to its fullest for each individual client to keep their plan up to date with scheduled dates for reviews of their situation based on (as an example) their target retirement date, Social Security claiming strategy, Required Minimum Distributions, etc.  . 

Following this client service calendar allows us to follow a process that ensures we don’t let anything fall through the cracks and get neglected. Some of this is the behind-the-scenes work that won’t involve you. It’s simply us doing what you are paying us to do. But often, we will have to reach out for clarification or questions. 

Although I have dedicated associates who help me administer this calendar, I am directly involved on a daily basis in the direction and execution of these tasks. 

Our custodians have reports with transactions and other information available for download on a monthly or quarterly basis.  In addition, you can access your account in “real-time” during the day to observe values and transactions. We also provide comprehensive “Asset Profiles” of all your accounts, whether custodied with us or elsewhere at any time, subject to your request.

We don’t do quarterly meetings or check-ins. Instead, we communicate on an as-needed basis, except for a required Annual Review to ensure your plan meets your needs and we’re up to date on compliance with you.  These annual reviews will include (but are not limited to)

• In-depth review and analysis of your “Asset Profile” with a copy provided for your records
• Review of changes in your “Expense Worksheet” to determine your needs for the coming year
• Review progress and update your “Life Income – Living Asset Cycle” ^TM (LI-LAC) Income Plan
• Review cash positions
• Review tax consequences and possible tax savings for the coming year
• Risk Tolerance Review
• Trusted Contact Review
• Beneficiary review
• Estate Plan review/update
• Answer any financial questions about purchasing a new home, vehicle, rental property, long-term care needs, etc.
• Review personal information (phone numbers, addresses, etc.)

This method of communication typically means that we are in contact with our clients more frequently than those firms that employ a quarterly or semi-annual review schedule. 

We offer open communication in whatever format you desire. Whether it’s by phone, video chat/Zoom, or good old-fashioned email, your preference dictates how we communicate. With that said, most of my clients will send an email or call our Director of First Impressions, Holly, and we’ll respond with an email, set a meeting, or record a quick video and simply email the link.