Our Process Together:

Unique to our process is a life-clarifying progression of self-reflective steps that will help you to design your optimal financial life.

​

The life-values process will allow you to make decisions about current priorities, dreams and desires on a daily basis that are concomitant with your long range financial vision.

​

This crucial and unique aspect of our work together is what distinguishes your unique wealth-building vision with your every day real life circumstances and changes.

​

Having a life-plan will bring clarity and objectivity to the changing circumstances and daily decisions that crop up in every day living while keeping you clearly focused on your larger vision at the same time.

​

Below is a summary of the key steps in this integrated program.

​

I)  SELF-DISCOVERY & VISIONING PROCESS: 

First - is a creative and in-depth Self-Discovery & Visioning Process we enter into together.  Some of the key questions we work with you to answer are these:

• What are your core values, dreams and aspirations?

• What are your conscious and unconscious money-biases, blocks, and beliefs?

• Explore how stress and fear manifest in the decisions you make.

• Identify and define a clear set of operational guidelines to support your current lifestyle spending within the larger framework of your long range vision.

• Map your desired retirement lifestyle -- and how can you find -- and stay -- on that path.

  • Are you concerned that your retirement investments are going in the wrong direction?

  • Are you positioned correctly now to not run out of money and to support your lifestyle at present as well as into your retirement?  Does your plan take into consideration inflation in it's formulations? Do you have a growth and an income strategy consciously detailed?

• What do you own today and what are the common risks with these products (see offer for free portfolio review on sidebar)

• Do you have or need to update your living trust,  estate plan, your insurances, your charitable bequests, legacy planning, or your investment strategies behind the current portfolio? If it's been more than 2 years since you've made a full review, the answer is YES! It's important to review (or get an independent second opinion review at the least)

• What most matters to you in life? What (before you die) to you most wish to accomplish, experience, give, or receive?

• What is your definition of success in life?

• If you could do or be anything in life, what would you do/be? ...And more

​

II)  SELF INVESTMENT PLANNING PROCESS:  

We recommend each of our clients have an independent Financial Plan created on the basis of our initial Self-Discovery & Visioning Process together. We encourage an out-of-house independent company analysis for this part of the planning.

​

This keeps our work together very clean, clear and based on best servicing the customized investment portfolio we create for you based on the independent Financial Plan.

​

A note on the importance of a Financial Plan:  How many people have developed a "financial plan" just to have it sit on a shelf, never to be opened again: dead on arrival!

​

A financial plan should be a "living breathing" dynamic tool used in each and every financial decision you make as well as in our ongoing informal conversations and formal reviews together.

​

A financial plan need not be overly complex, but it does need to be comprehensive, simple to read, and flexible to emerging situations and opportunities.

​

Proper planning is the security blanket that will let you sleep well at night, knowing that you are on a charted course, with a strong watch being kept.

​

III) CUSTOMIZED SELF-INVESTMENT STRATEGIES:

The world has changed dramatically over the last decades. And yet the way many people regard and preserve their wealth has not.

​

In today's ever increasing complexity, many people miss opportunities to manage against common risks, save on taxes, navigate volatile markets, and properly plan for retiring into life.

​

Investment strategies first of all mitigate risk.

​

Today there are more hazards then ever that can threaten your hard earned independence. Risks can come from an unexpected health issue; global recession; bear markets; inflation; over-allocating your portfolio in one sector, asset class, or country.

​

Financial planning, risk management and investment management would be pretty simple if we could see the future. However, unknowns will need to be factored into your wealth management planning.

​

There are six (6) major areas of risk to plan around -- many  people we meet and talk to have never considered the implications of most of these. Here are two:

​

• Longevity risk - This is becoming the foremost issue for those retiring now and in the next decade. 

With the continuing advancement in the medical field and the recognition that diet and exercise plays a crucial part in our health, people are living much longer.

​

The challenge from a planning perspective is that income will need to be generated for a much longer time span (along with the corresponding risk of running out of money).

​

• Inflation risk - This ties in closely with longevity risk. 

​

Often those approaching retirement forget that prices will go up each year. For example, with an estimated 3.5% inflation rate, in 20 years you will need twice as much income to maintain the same lifestyle as right now.

For example, if you can live today at age 55 on $10,000/month, by the age of 75 you will need $20,000 a month. If you live to 90 you will need $40,000 monthly.

​

*This same scenario relates to divorce situations in which a settlement that is sustaining at present, will buy less each year according to inflation.  This is why I try and meet with divorcing clients before the settlement agreement so that a settlement plan can be evaluated and maximized to support these risk considerations.

​

IV.  TRACK, REVIEW, ADJUST:  

Our company believes in long term relationship and ongoing counsel that is connected to evolving life circumstances; new ideas; changing vision.  

​

It is common when working with Clements Investment Management to have informal conversations along the course of everyday life as part of keeping your financial plan vibrant and clearly tied into these changing real life circumstances.

Everyone has an optimal financial life.

​

What would your life be like (today as well as tomorrow)  if you clearly identified your optimal financial vision; understood the unconscious biases and beliefs effecting your success; and had a well-defined living process on which to clearly make choices that support your vision?

​

Request a Portfolio Review or second opinion.