Investment Philosophy
We invest your money with a steady, rules‑based process – diversified stocks and bonds, matched to your plan, managed for taxes, and kept on track through all kinds of markets. We don’t try to outsmart markets. We align your portfolio to the life you want and stick to a plan we can explain in plain English. We invest your money with the same care and clarity we’d want for our own family.
What We Believe
Investing is a means to an end
Your portfolio exists to fund your goals and the life you want, not to win a market contest.
Markets Work
Prices absorb new information quickly. Chasing headlines or hot hands adds noise, not reliability.
Risk Drives Return
Over time, investors are paid for taking sensible risks.
Diversification Matters
Spread your risk across thousands of companies in the U.S. and abroad, plus investment grade bonds.
Costs and Taxes Matter
What you keep after fees and taxes is what funds your life.
Discipline Beats Prediction
A clear plan – followed consistently – is a bigger driver of success than any forecast.
How We Invest
We use your goals and timeline to set the mix of stocks and bonds, then manage it with clear rules so your risk stays on target and taxes stay in mind.
01
Start with your goals
We build your portfolio around what you want to accomplish and what you can comfortably live with.
02
Pick the right asset mix
Stocks fuel long‑term growth. High‑quality bonds provide ballast and spending cash.
03
Use broad, low cost funds
We diversify widely and, where appropriate, tilt toward well‑researched drivers of long‑term returns.
04
Rebalance with rules
We focus on keeping your portfolio in line with the level of risk that you are comfortable with so that you can stay disciplined for the long term.
05
Be tax-aware from the start
Place investments in the right accounts, realize losses prudently, and manage distributions.
Keep more of what is yours
Tax-Smart By Design
Your results are about what you keep. Two levers we use every day:
- Asset location – We place tax‑efficient investments in taxable accounts and tax‑inefficient holdings in tax‑advantaged accounts when possible, to improve after‑tax outcomes over time.
- Tax‑loss harvesting – When markets dip, we look to capture losses to offset gains and income, then maintain your market exposure by swapping into similar – not identical – funds to avoid wash sales.
We also use cash flows and specific‑lot trading to minimize taxes when rebalancing.
merging your business and personal planning
For Business Owners
Concentration risk, uneven cash flows, and taxes can dominate results. We coordinate with your CPA to:
- Stage liquidity ahead of buy‑ins, distributions, or a sale
- Manage concentrated positions with a practical, tax‑aware glidepath
- Right‑size portfolio risk around the risk your business already takes
- Optimize retirement plan design and funding alongside your personal plan
Focus on what matters
What We Don't Do
- No market timing – We don’t guess when to get in or out.
- No stock picking or opaque products – We prefer transparent, diversified funds over single‑name risk or trendy structures.
- No performance promises – We focus on process and probability, not predictions.
Investing around you
What You Can Expect
- A portfolio you can stick with – Your mix of stocks and bonds matches your comfort with ups and downs and your spending timeline.
- Proactive tax management – Asset location and year‑round tax‑loss harvesting aim to improve after‑tax returns.
- Disciplined Portfolio Management – Rebalancing rules and spending reserves reduce decision stress and keep risk on target.
- Normal periods of lag – In a diversified portfolio, some parts will trail others at times – expected and planned for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this Active or Passive?
Rules‑based and research‑guided. We don’t pick stocks or time markets, but we actively seek to improve your portfolio efficiency and after-tax returns.
Do you ever change the strategy?
When your life changes, the plan changes, or the evidence materially changes – not because of headlines.
Why own international stocks?
Diversification and opportunity. Other economies and currencies add different return drivers and sometimes better valuations.
Do you use alternatives or private credit?
Only if, after thorough due diligence, they appear to enhance the portfolio after fees, taxes, and liquidity – and if they fit your plan.
Can you manage legacy or concentrated stock?
Yes – with a gradual, tax‑aware path that respects constraints and is designed to ensure that your portfolio stays within the bounds that you are comfortable with.
