What Makes Us Different?
Holistic Planning
We devote several hours to learn about you, your family and your goals before we begin discussing your investments.
Low Client to Advisor Ratio
We maintain a low client to advisor ratio that allows us to address your emails and calls usually on the same day.
Our Network
From accountants to attorneys to insurance agents to mortgage brokers, we have vetted excellence-oriented professionals so you don’t have to.
SRI/ESG Investing
Many of our clients are resolved to invest in companies that mirror their personal values, and we work with them to implement socially responsible/environmental, social and governance strategies.
Why Waymark?
We believe traditional analysis only gets you so far. That’s why we use innovative behavioral practices to gain a better understanding of your entire financial picture. Behavioral finance is about everything that affects your wealth—not just your monetary decisions, but your challenges and concerns, hopes and dreams, values and ambitions. By taking the time to go beyond the numbers, we create a plan that is designed to work towards your vision for the long term.
A waymark points travelers in the right direction along their journey. We look forward to guiding you towards the life you want.
FAQs
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How is Waymark different?We are holistic financial planners first and foremost and investment managers second. In other words, we want to know you and your family comprehensively before we even begin discussing investments. Many “financial planners” simply sell investment products and seek to invest your money knowing only minimal information about you. We have over 30 years of combined experience and advanced degrees from some of the top schools in the country. We maintain a relatively low client to advisor ratio to provide a high level of service to all of our clients. This also allows us to address your emails and calls usually on the same day. We have a highly qualified group of financial professionals in our network. From accountants to attorneys to insurance agents to mortgage brokers, we have vetted our excellence-oriented professionals to help you pursue your financial goals - so you don’t have to. Some clients are very interested in investing in companies and industries that support and advance their personal beliefs. We welcome those clients and have helped them over the years implement Socially Responsible/ESG investment strategies. We appreciate that money is an emotional topic and use behavioral finance in addition to traditional, black and white financial planning to help you make the most thoughtful decisions with your money. Third-party financial professional and legal services are neither provided nor endorsed by Waymark Wealth Management or LPL Financial. Socially Responsible Investing (SRI)/Environmental Social Governance (ESG) investing has certain risks based on the fact that the criteria excludes securities of certain issuers for non-financial reasons and, therefore, investors may forgo some market opportunities and the universe of investments available will be smaller.
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How do you charge (i.e. are you commission-based, fee-based and/or fee only)?"All of the above. The vast majority of our clients are charged an annual, 12 month, fixed retainer fee based on the complexity of their situation and the amount of time we estimate we will spend on each engagement over that 365-day period. This fee is agreed upon after we meet and better understand your needs and goals. Most annual retainer fees fall between $2,000 and $3,500 per year, with some as low as $1,500 and some as high as $7,500. Each year, you have the option to hire us for another 1-year engagement. If you choose to invest with us, there is an additional investment management fee that typically is a percentage of the assets you ask us to manage. Some investment and insurance products, however, are commission-based only, so we can only offer them as such. Regardless of the investment or insurance product, we are happy to explicitly disclose the respective fees or commissions so you can make informed decisions about your investments.
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Do you have a minimum investment or net worth requirement for new clients?Technically no – we neither have investment nor net worth requirements. In fact, a handful of do-it-yourself clients hire us on a fee-only basis, manage their own investments, and do not pay any investment fees. With that said, most of our clients have investable assets between $500k - $4 million and a net worth (total assets including the value of your house minus liabilities) between $1MM and $7MM.
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What type of clients do you specialize in?We work best with clients between the ages of 40 and 65. They typically have managed their own finances to this point, but are busy people who have come to the realization they are now earning significant incomes and are not giving their personal finances the attention needed. They now are willing to outsource some of this responsibility to someone they can trust. They are easygoing and open to sharing details about their personal life and family. They tend to be analytic, have good follow-through, and are comfortable with technology. From an investment standpoint, they are willing to commit to an investment strategy and stick with it during good times and bad. They are not gamblers, and although they are not risk-averse, they will not commit large parts of their portfolio to the next big investment idea or hot stock tip. Oftentimes, they are attracted to socially responsible investing strategies and ultimately would like to increase their charitable giving over time. Personally, they tend to be fitness/goal-oriented and appreciate the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.
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I’m retired. Will you also work with me?Yes! Our retired clients are between the ages of 60 and 80. They typically have managed their own finances all their lives but are focused on balancing the following priorities in their later years: Making sure their nest egg does not outlive them even with rising medical and potential long-term care costs, Ensuring their spouse is protected if they pass away prematurely, Transferring as tax-efficiently as possible whatever assets remain to their children and/or to the charities of their choice. To ensure they can successfully achieve these sometimes-conflicting priorities and to have someone their surviving spouse can rely on when they are gone, they now are willing to outsource some of these responsibilities to someone they can trust. Like the clients described above, they also are easygoing and open to sharing details about their personal life and family. They have good follow-through and are not afraid of technology. From an investment standpoint, they are willing to commit to an investment strategy and stick with it during good times and bad. They are not gamblers, and although they are not risk-averse, they will not commit large parts of their portfolio to the next big investment idea or hot stock tip. Oftentimes, they are attracted to socially responsible investing strategies and charitable giving as they want to leave the world a better place when they are gone. Personally, they love to travel, are family-oriented, and appreciate the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.
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How many clients do you serve?We serve about 100 ongoing comprehensive financial planning clients at the moment. We are accepting new clients, but only accept one to two new clients per month to ensure we have a personal relationship with all of our clients and can provide them with the value for which they pay us.
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What are some of the topics you review with your clients?Retirement planning: Calculating your required rate of return and savings rate and illustrating “what if” scenarios Cash flow: Addressing spending habits and your budget and building an emergency fund Education planning: Analyzing cost, savings needs, and funding strategies Tax planning: Partnering with a tax advisor/CPA to build tax savings strategies, reviewing your annual tax returns, and harvesting tax losses within your investment portfolio Insurance: Reviewing current policies to identify any gaps in coverage and/or over-coverage, and, if necessary, helping you apply for additional/alternative coverage Legacy/Estate planning: Partnering with an estate planning attorney to construct strategies to efficiently pass your estate to your loved ones and/or charities Investments including Socially Responsible/ESG investing: Ensuring your investments are properly positioned to help pursue your goals Third-party financial professional and legal services are neither provided nor endorsed by Waymark Wealth Management or LPL Financial. Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) / Environmental Social Governance (ESG) investing has certain risks based on the fact that the criteria excludes securities of certain issuers for non-financial reasons and, therefore, investors may forgo some market opportunities and the universe of investments available will be smaller.
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Do you offer clients access to a network of other financial professionals? If so, is it purely on a recommendation basis without a referral fee from those professionals?We connect you with other tax, legal, insurance, and banking professionals in our network, and they charge you separately for their services. As CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNING™ professionals, our advisors are investment fiduciaries and are required to act in the best interests of our clients. As such, we do not receive any commission or compensation for these referrals. Third-party financial professional and legal services are neither provided nor endorsed by Waymark Wealth Management or LPL Financial.
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How often do you typically interact with clients?During our first year, we will talk often. Then we meet every three to four months unless there’s a major life change. We offer unlimited email and phone support as well, and we encourage our clients to reach out as their situations change. We usually do a year-end check-in and touch base around tax time and open enrollment time, so clients hear from us often throughout the year.
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Who works for Waymark Wealth Management?Financial planning clients work directly with Brendan and Brandon. Our Client Services Associate handles most administrative tasks. We also have an awesome virtual marketing team – Crystal Marketing Solutions. Last but not least, a handful of contractors also work part-time with us, including a Chief Financial Officer, accountant, and bookkeeper. Waymark Wealth Management and LPL Financial are not affiliated with Crystal Marketing Solutions or third-party contractors referenced.
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What do you think are Waymark’s biggest strengths?We have a knack for taking complex financial concepts and topics and explaining them in a way that makes sense to our clients. In addition, one of our core values is “innovation,” so we are constantly trying to improve our systems and scour the investment universe for new investment ideas that can help clients pursue their financial goals with optimal risk/return ratios. Finally, money touches everything, and we are not afraid to engage in very deep, personal conversations with our clients. Sometimes having a psychology degree and using behavioral finance concepts is more effective than simply having a financial planning degree and using traditional financial planning concepts.
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What do you think is Waymark’s biggest weakness?Of course, we don’t see it as a weakness, but getting to thoroughly know a new client takes time. Some busy clients underestimate the time commitment involved. Because we never take lightly the fact that we are making decisions with our client’s life savings, we are not willing to shortcut our process.
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What are your core values?Integrity Helping others Innovation Excellence Family
Who We Work With
Age 40 - 50
You’ve carved out a successful career, building the life of your dreams, and now you’re ready to partner with someone you can trust.
Your income is solid and your career successful. You’ve managed your own finances to this point, but are too busy and have come to the realization you’re now earning significant income and are not giving your personal finances the attention needed. With a family to raise and goals to reach, you could use some skilled guidance for the next leg of your journey.
Age: 40-50
Annual Household Income: $150k+
Investable Assets: $500k
Net Worth: $750k
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Age 50 - 70
You’ve reached the prime of your career and are preparing to wind down. You’re in transition as you approach your retirement years and need skilled guidance.
Along the way, you’ve made some smart decisions, and you’re in a pretty good place. You’ve taken care of your family and your responsibilities, and now you’re looking forward to retiring well. As you transition, you want to have skilled guidance to help make big decisions that will shape the rest of your life, such as when to take your pension or Social Security, creating an income that will replace your paycheck, ensuring your insurance needs are met, and more.
Age: 50-70
Annual Household Income: $200k+
Investable Assets: $1MM+
Net Worth: $1.5MM+
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Age 70+
You’re ready to live the retirement you deserve. You’d like skilled guidance not only to avoid missteps but also to help you leave a legacy for the next generation.
The time has come to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Congratulations! You’ve done well for yourself and your family. Now your biggest goal is making sure nothing goes awry so you can remain financially independent for life. You’ve heard stories about health care costs and long-term care issues undermining retirees’ peace of mind. You would like to have skilled guidance not only to avoid missteps but also to help you leave a legacy for the next generation.
Age: 70+
Annual Household Income: $50k+
Investable Assets: $1MM+
Net Worth: $1.5MM+
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Our Process
At Waymark Wealth Management, we believe that simply constructing a financial plan will not, in and of itself, improve a client’s financial situation. Instead, it is when a client actually implements quality advice that true value can be created.
Because of this, we have developed a personalized financial planning process designed not only to create a roadmap for seeking, pursuing, or addressing financial success but also to compel a client to take action to follow the plan. Waymark utilizes behavioral finance exercises to better understand a client’s decision-making process.
These exercises enable Waymark to be aware of a client’s top values so they can understand why they may or may not support a recommendation later on in the financial planning process. They also help Waymark tailor their advice to a client’s values and communicate recommendations in a manner that is natural for a client.
Our Fees
At Waymark Wealth Management, we are transparent and up front about fees. Our fees are based on the time involved in meeting with you, learning about your financial goals, analyzing your situation, and implementing solutions customized just for you.
We understand different clients have different needs. Although the vast majority of our clients are best served when they elect to be a "Planner Client," we will work with you to determine which of our three models suits you best. Explore our plans and discover the right path for your needs.
Are You Ready to Put a Plan in Place?
It’s time to begin moving in the right direction along your journey. Waymark is here to guide the way to the life you want.
Let's schedule an introductory call!
Be Well. Do Good.®
Just like salt amplifies the flavor of foods, money amplifies the influence people can have on the world. But money is not the only catalyst for doing good. Individuals also must be proactive and make conscious choices. By being proactive, people are more likely to be effective and achieve better outcomes than those who are passive.
Our mission, therefore, is to work with good people who want to do great things in the world. We are here to help them make proactive choices with their money by maximizing their respective impacts. When they marry proactive behaviors with their money, they ultimately will Be Well & Do Good.
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