A few frequently asked questions.

Most of our clients are within 5–10 years of retirement or already retired. They've done an excellent job accumulating wealth, typically with investable assets between $1 million and $10 million.

As they begin thinking about retirement, they realize it's time to seek professional guidance. They value having an experienced partner who can help them make confident financial decisions so they can enjoy retirement without constantly worrying about the markets.

Some have very little experience investing and feel anxious about turning off their paycheck for the first time. Others are financially savvy and enjoy learning about investing but want a trusted advisor to help validate decisions and provide peace of mind. They also want to know if their spouse will be well taken care of if they pass away first.

We begin with an Introductory Meeting where we get to know you, your goals, your financial situation, and what you want retirement to look like.

If you decide to move forward with Bugle Valley, the onboarding process typically includes three to four meetings. During that time, we'll build your retirement plan, stress test different scenarios, develop your investment strategy, and begin implementing your recommendations.

Retirement isn't static, and your plan shouldn't be either. Every year, we'll review your financial plan, update any changes in your life, evaluate your progress, review your tax return, and complete a tax projection to identify planning opportunities for the year ahead.

The answer depends on your situation and how often you'd like to meet. At a minimum, we aim to meet two to three times each year, but we're always happy to meet more frequently if needed.

There are no limits on meetings, phone calls, or emails. We want to be included in the financial decisions you're making, so you have confidence you're making the best choice for your retirement.

Yes. Bugle Valley is a virtual firm, allowing us to work with clients throughout the United States. Meetings are conducted securely through Zoom, making it easy to receive personalized advice no matter where you live.

Yes. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional and a fee-only Registered Investment Adviser, we are legally and ethically obligated to act in your best interest at all times.

Yes. Fee-only means we do not receive commissions from selling investment or insurance products. The only compensation we receive is the agreed-upon fee you pay for our services.

We charge a flat annual fee based on the overall complexity of your financial situation, not the size of your investment portfolio. For example, a household with a few retirement accounts generally requires less ongoing planning than a household with taxable brokerage accounts, concentrated stock positions, stock options, multiple rental properties, or other planning complexities.

We don't believe someone should automatically pay more simply because they have a larger portfolio if the complexity of their situation is similar.

We believe financial planning fees should be transparent and easy to understand. Our fees are based on the complexity of your financial situation, not the size of your investment portfolio.

Our one-time retirement plan, the Bugle Valley Route, ranges from $4,500–$6,500. This engagement is designed for individuals and couples who want a comprehensive retirement plan and clear direction without ongoing planning support.

Our ongoing planning and investment management service, the Guided Route, is determined based on the complexity of your financial situation.

Many households we work with fall within our standard planning range of $12,000–$15,000 per year. More complex situations may require additional planning and range from $15,000–$25,000 per year. These situations may include taxable investment accounts, concentrated stock positions, stock options, rental properties, business interests, complex tax situations, or other factors requiring additional planning.

For less complex planning situations, such as households with primarily IRA and Roth IRA accounts and fewer ongoing planning considerations, fees are $8,000 per year for individuals and $10,000 per year for couples.

Ongoing fees are billed quarterly in advance and are typically deducted directly from managed investment accounts for clients who utilize our investment management service. 

A flat-fee financial advisor charges a fixed annual fee that doesn't change based on the size of your investment portfolio. An AUM (Assets Under Management) advisor charges a percentage of the assets they manage, often around 1% per year.

Because a flat fee doesn't increase as your portfolio grows, it generally creates fewer conflicts of interest and can make planning decisions more objective.

Yes. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about flat-fee financial planning, even among some financial advisors. Many people assume flat-fee firms only provide financial planning and don't manage investments. While we do offer a planning-only service, we also provide ongoing investment management as part of our fully guided retirement planning service.

Our goal is to determine whether your savings can support the retirement lifestyle you want with a high degree of confidence. Many advisors rely primarily on Monte Carlo analysis. While we believe Monte Carlo is an important tool, it doesn't tell the whole story. That's why we also calculate a funded ratio and analyze how your spending would’ve changed during historical bear markets.

Looking at your plan from multiple perspectives gives us greater confidence in the recommendations we make, and helps you feel more confident heading into retirement.

Yes. We believe proactive tax planning is one of the biggest values a financial advisor can provide. Each year, we review your tax return, complete a tax projection, and evaluate strategies such as Roth conversions, capital gain planning, charitable giving, and other opportunities to help minimize your lifetime tax liability.

Not at this time. It's something we'd like to offer in the future, but we want to find the right partner before adding that service. If you already work with a CPA or tax professional, we encourage you to introduce us. We believe your financial professionals should work together as a team, not in separate silos, to provide you with the best possible advice.