FAQs
If you manage my portfolio, how are the assets invested?
For investment assets greater than $500,000, we actively manage the assets in one of our Resilient Portfolio allocation models. We designed the Resilient Portfolio strategy six years ago in response to a changing world economy and have been managing all of our portfolios using its precepts. It is our version of “socially-responsible investing.” Resilient Portfolio assets are selected based on their ability to adapt to shock and provide either capital preservation, dividends and/or growth, and income from interest. Ask us for more information on the Resilient Portfolio.
I have less than $500,000. Could you manage my portfolio?
Yes, clients with fewer than $500,000 in investable and manageable assets can take advantage of our passive portfolio management whose assets are comprised of ETFs and mutual funds. This diversified portfolio controls risk through asset allocation and annual rebalancing.
How do I know if I will like Thrive Financial+Life Planning?
Thrive works best with those who: want to be thoughtful with their money, not worried or fearful; want a support team dedicated to helping you make your success*; feel grateful for what they have and aren’t ashamed to keep seeking what they want; and, are willing to listen to their heart. If you can say a hearty, “that’s me!” we think you’ll love Thrive.
*success, to us, means achievement of happiness and a feeling of freedom regardless of the bank balance
How long will the Thrive Financial+Life process take?
That depends largely on you! There are homework items in between meetings in addition to the meetings (face-to-face or virtual) themselves. We find that Thrive works best when the momentum is kept by meeting every two to three weeks. If you travel or take longer to do your homework, we can work around your schedule. We aim to complete the first five phases, and get to the final Thrive Life Plan, in 4-5 months.
Can I hire you to manage my portfolio without doing Thrive Financial+Life Planning?
No. We do not hire on to manage assets without the full knowledge of what the money is for. We find that using the Thrive process cracks open a whole new way of relating to money. By using the Thrive results, we are much better equipped to build an appropriate investment portfolio that manages risk according to your goals.
Can I just do Thrive Financial+Life Planning without having any investable assets?
Yes! We offer Thrive Financial+Life Planning whether you have a robust balance sheet or not.
What if, after several meetings, I decide Thrive Financial+Life Planning isn’t for me?
The first meeting, Evaluate, is free. If you decide that you would like to proceed with Thrive, we will ask you to sign a one-year contract before proceeding to the Create phase. If after working with us for a few meetings, you decide you don’t want to continue, you may cancel the contract in writing and your final quarterly payment will be prorated.
Your competition offers “robo-advice” and trading for a fraction of what you charge. How can they do that?
Simple: they don’t employ real human beings to work with you, face-to-face. There are several excellent robo-advisors that provide algorithm-driven investing. That’s not what we do. Thrive Financial+ Life Planning and our actively-managed Resilient Portfolio management services are human-driven: intelligent with 30 years of experience, high touch, and deep listening.
What is a “goals-based” dashboard?
We use software that enables us to evaluate the effects of different decisions—such as savings rate, growth rate of assets, debt repayment—on your financial goals. By looking holistically at your current state, we can model effects of different options in order to make better decisions.
My grandmother gave me shares of [company X] a long time ago and I don't want to get rid of them. Would you sell these shares if you managed my portfolio?
It depends. If [company X] passes our Resilient Portfolio screen, then we may not sell the shares. Or, if there would be a tax reason not to sell the shares we may not sell them all at once without offsetting the gains.
What if I don't like some of the companies you may buy for my portfolio?
Let's have that conversation—we'd like to know more about why you feel that way.