Questions Worth Asking Before You Engage

Choosing a financial advisor is an important decision. Before making a commitment, you should understand who you are working with, how the relationship works, how your advisor is compensated and what you can reasonably expect.

We would rather you ask these questions now than wonder about them later.

Who does CarriageGate Wealth Management typically work with?

We primarily work with successful families, retirees, executives and business owners who want professional help coordinating the important financial decisions in their lives.

Our Wealth Management relationships are generally designed for households with at least $1 million in investable assets.

For selected families with substantial wealth and greater complexity, we also offer the CarriageGate Steward Retirement Program℠, an invitation-only relationship generally intended for families with approximately $5 million or more in investable assets whose circumstances warrant a deeper level of planning and coordination.

Asset level matters, but complexity, needs and mutual fit matter too.

What is the difference between Wealth Management and the Steward Retirement Program℠?

Our Wealth Management relationship combines financial planning, retirement planning and investment management with ongoing advice appropriate to your circumstances.

The CarriageGate Steward Retirement Program℠ is designed for selected families whose financial lives involve greater complexity. That may include multiple investment accounts, trusts, significant real estate or business interests, advanced tax considerations, estate-planning issues or several professionals providing advice.

For those families, our role expands to a more proactive level of planning, coordination and ongoing oversight.

What happens when we first contact you?

We begin with a brief 15-minute introductory conversation.

The purpose is simple: understand why you reached out, get a high-level sense of your circumstances and determine whether there appears to be a potential fit.

You do not need to provide account statements, tax returns or other sensitive financial documents simply to have that first conversation.

If there appears to be a good fit, we will explain the appropriate next steps before either of us makes a commitment.

Are you a fiduciary?

When providing investment advisory services, we act as a fiduciary and are required to put our clients' interests first.

CarriageGate also operates through LPL Financial, and some services or products may be provided in a brokerage or insurance capacity rather than an advisory capacity.

We believe you should understand which capacity applies, how we are compensated and any material conflicts that may exist before proceeding.

How are you compensated?

Depending upon the relationship and services involved, compensation may include:

• Financial-planning fees
• Asset-based investment advisory fees
• Commissions associated with certain insurance or annuity products

Applicable fees, expenses and compensation arrangements are disclosed before you engage us or implement a recommendation.

We believe clients should understand what they are paying, what they are receiving and why a recommendation is being made.

Will you try to sell me an annuity or insurance product?

Not as a default solution.

Insurance and annuities can be useful when they address a specific planning need—for example, creating dependable retirement income, transferring a risk that should not remain with the family or protecting against a particular financial vulnerability.

When we recommend such a strategy, we explain its intended role, costs, benefits, limitations, liquidity considerations and how we are compensated. Insurance and annuity recommendations may involve commissions.

Will you replace my CPA, attorney or other professionals?

No.

We believe complex financial decisions are usually better when the relevant professionals are working from the same playbook.

CarriageGate Wealth Management does not provide tax or legal advice. When appropriate, we help identify issues that deserve attention, organize relevant financial information and coordinate with your CPA, attorney and other professionals so important decisions are not being made in isolation.

That is part of what we mean when we talk about seeing the whole board.

Who will actually be involved in my relationship?

Jeff Clark, CFP®, CIMA® serves as the lead wealth management advisor and is responsible for the overall advisory relationship and financial strategy.

Kathleen Clark, Director of Client Services, helps coordinate meetings, client-service needs, follow-through and the ongoing client experience.

When specialized expertise is appropriate, we may also draw upon an Extended Planning Team that can include tax, estate, trust, business-planning and other subject-matter resources.

This structure is designed to preserve a direct advisory relationship while bringing additional expertise to the table when your circumstances require it.

How often will we communicate after we begin working together?

The relationship is ongoing, not built around a once-a-year planning event.

We typically conduct comprehensive client reviews during the year and communicate between reviews as circumstances require.

Changes involving markets, retirement income, taxes, family circumstances, business interests or other significant financial decisions may warrant additional conversations.

Our objective is to keep your plan current without creating meetings simply for the sake of having meetings.

How can I independently verify your background?

You should not have to take our word for it.

Independent resources are available to review professional registrations, credentials and regulatory history, including:

• FINRA BrokerCheck
• SEC / Investment Adviser Public Disclosure
• CFP Board — Verify a CFP® Professional
• Investments & Wealth Institute
• Form CRS and Form ADV

We would rather earn your trust with information you can independently verify than ask you simply to accept what we tell you.

Still Have Questions?

A good advisory relationship begins with a conversation.