Journey Financial helps you with retirement planning, college savings, estate planning, tax planning, investments

Business Philosophy

 

Credentials

 

Investment Philosophy

 

Investment Facts

 

Process

 

Press

 

Journey's objective finanncial planning for Independent thinkers, certified financial planner, CFP, financial advisors, investment advice

 

Serving Boston, Concord, Carlisle,
Acton, Bedford, Burlington, Lexington, Lincoln, Maynard, Waltham, Westford
in MetroWest Massachusetts

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

Why Journey

Our clients chose us because they want complete confidence in their financial plan and in their company's retirement plan. We explain how to objectively evaluate financial advisors, investments and other financial services, including insurance. Learning how financial advisors get paid and what their philosophy and methods are is difficult. Our clients are informed. By increasing understanding, our clients make better decisions and are more in control.

We operate our firm in four ways that are significantly different from other advisory and planning firms:

A proven philosophy and the independence to serve you

Responsibility is the common denominator. We take fiduciary responsibility very seriously. As a Registered Investment Advisor, as a board candidate for Certified Financial Planner and as a member of the Financial Planning Association, personally and as firm we are held to a fiduciary standard. Our clients are responsible too. We only work with people who value expertise, facts, and learning. Our clients can handle complexity but know keeping things simple reveals true wisdom. Our goal is to reduce unnecessary risk and work for clients so they can live fully, knowing their financial lives are optimally managed. Our investment philosophy is tested and backed up by industry and academic research and experience. It is not active, it is not passive—it is rational and efficient.

Comprehensive strategies for plan sponsors and individuals

Results come from a disciplined, thorough process. Scenario-based planning and benchmarking can reveal clear choices for reaching your goals. Just how does one save for retirement and college? Plan sponsors are often the owners of the business or firm, and balancing owner and employee needs is never easy. We are sensitive and skilled at working through the challenging aspects of changing what is familiar and getting everyone on the same page. You can benefit even if you wish to remain a “do-it yourselfer” investor or simply wish to confirm that you are satisfied with your company's current retirement plan.

For Plan Sponsors

Being independent, we are very selective about who we bring to the table on your behalf. Through our relationships with CEFEX© certified Third Party Administrators, we can provide plan design; record keeping, plan evaluation, benchmarking and QDIA (Qualified Default Investment Alternatives) approved portfolio and investment options. Company retirement plans are complex, but you can get it right with a careful and thorough process and the right partners. Employee enrollment and education and ongoing investment advice is an essential aspect of getting a company retirement plan to meet the company's benefit goal of employee retention and reduced turnover.

For Individuals

The elements of a comprehensive financial plan may include:

Sound experience to guide you through the complexity

The degree of complexity is staggering. Relentless research for the “best in class” solutions and putting it all together in a custom plan that works is an approach that sets us apart. Applying fiduciary standards in selecting market leading business partners, providers and strategies is our progressive strategy. Journey Financial Planners is successfully winning clients over venerable “old school” Wall St. Firms and “wealth management” firms that eschew “not invented here” solutions. We work with devout conscientious “do-it yourselfers.”

Transparent and Competitive Fee Structure

Relax in knowing that the entire investment landscape is open to you, yet the selection offered will be vetted for quality, competitive costs and commission bias. Benefit from objective strategies and access to investments that only an independent firm has the autonomy to provide. Choose your own transparent fee structure. This is a big departure from the lack of transparency and flexibility offered at traditional financial services companies.

For individuals and families, unlike other independent firms we require no asset minimums. A Comprehensive Financial Plan costs between $2,500 and $7,000. Upon implementation, ongoing planning is either included in a competitive annual advisory fee between 65 basis points (.65 of 1%) and less than one percent of assets under management, or a fixed implementation project fee. It depends on the complexity of your plan.

Depending on the services contracted for by individuals or businesses, such as financial planning or investment management, other charges may apply such as reporting, consulting, sub-advisory, trading charges and internal fund fees for example. Journey is committed to fee transparency, education and fair and competitive pricing for its own services and any partner's services employed in the service of a Journey Financial Planner's client. All pricing is always included in proposals, contracts and of course in our ADV-Part II which is available upon request.

For Plan Sponsors, we charge 50 basis points (.5 of 1%) for investment management and project fees as negotiated for other services such as plan benchmarking, education and health plan consulting.

Do you know what you are paying now? Do you know what your un-optimized portfolio is costing you in uncompensated risk? For your company plan, is the advisor who selected the original investments still earning their fee? Are there revenue rebates in your company retirement plan? You are paying, because there is no such thing as a free lunch. These aren't easy questions to answer if you don't know the right questions to ask.

Independent Advice is in demand and for good reasons

“Even with the market declines of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009, 61 percent of consumers feel that independent financial advisors believe that their company is doing what is in the customer's best interest, down from 67 percent from the previous service. Compare to Vanguard at 36 percent from 49 percent, Charles Schwab at 39 percent, and Edward Jones at 40 percent versus 47 percent. Smith Barney is at 34 percent versus 42 percent; only credit unions are higher at 68 percent.”

Forrester Research's 6th annual survey of Customer Advocacy

“RIA assets skyrocket 47 percent”
“The industry is experiencing the entrance of new firms, growth of the capital markets and retail clients that demand unbiased financial advice,” said Bing Walder, associate director at Cerulli Associates, a Boston-based research firm.

InvestmentNews, October 29th, 2007

“RIAs Gaining in Market for Small 401(K)s”
“RIAs are winning more plan sponsor accounts because they are seen as non-biased advisers who can offer best-of-breed solutions,' Ms. Varas of Financial Research Corp of Boston said, noting that 'advisers are particularly successful in the small-business market because larger fund companies can't profitably serve many small businesses.' Per Tom Modestino of Cerulli and Associates. 'An RIA has nothing at stake. Their business is all about finding the best solutions, regardless of fund or any commission. Pricing is a bit of a shell game, but RIAs make it simple and transparent. It's a better non-conflicted situation.' ”

InvestmentNews, July 16th, 2007

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