A conversation, a written plan, then two reviews a year.
Most people work with us after one to three meetings. Here is what each step involves, and exactly how we are paid.
A free call
30 to 45 minutes by video, and it's all about you. We want to understand your goals and assign every dollar a purpose. To give you a proper recommendation, we have to understand your specific situation, and that's exactly what this call is for.
A written plan
If it makes sense to go further, we gather your statements — tax return, benefit statements, account statements — and build the plan from them. Every figure traces back to something you gave us. Where what you want and what your money supports disagree, we say so plainly. Sometimes, based on the data you've given us, we find a serious problem, and we'll let you know. Other times the answer is that you are fine and should change nothing, and we write that down too.
Put it in place
We walk through what to do and in what order, and handle the paperwork with you. If we manage your investments, the accounts are opened in your name at Schwab or Fidelity.
Two reviews, on purpose
Retirement has two natural decision points each year. In summer we plan: project your taxes, test spending against the plan, and set the year-end list. In the fall we act on that list before the December 31 deadlines. Between them you get a quarterly report, the monthly call, and a note from us whenever markets move sharply. Your plan is a living, breathing document, something we review as things change and update accordingly.
We would rather you hear this from us than wonder about it.
The first call is free, and so is everything we publish — the briefings, the tools and the monthly call.
When we manage your investments, we charge a yearly advisory fee of 0.75% to 1.5% of the amount we manage. That fee is earned through Alston Financial Group, as investment advisor representatives of Sowell Management. It is billed monthly, after each month is over, taken from the account at the custodian, and shown on your statements. Planning, tax work and the two reviews are included.
When an insurance product is part of your plan, Alston Wealth earns a commission from the insurance company. It does not come out of your money. It is a real conflict of interest and we would rather say so than pretend otherwise — it is why we lay out the alternatives side by side, including the ones that pay us nothing.
