What Does Full Service Really Mean – Especially With Financial Services?
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor Raise your hand if you remember the 1985 movie, “Back to the Future.” If you don’t remember it, here’s a recap: Michael J. Fox (Marty McFly) and Christopher Lloyd (Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown) lived in a small town in California. They were thrown back i …
How to do Your Estate Plan, Your Way
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor This is going to be an unusual blog about estate planning because instead of discussing the dos and don’ts or going into a lot of legal documents and procedures, I want to discuss estate planning on how I’ve witnessed it with my clients over the la …
Using the Right Tools to Create Your Financial Plan
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor Have you ever attempted an improvement project with the wrong tools or less than optimal equipment? About 15 years ago I decided I was going to play Tim Taylor from Home Improvement – a popular show at the time. The sitcom was based on Tim …
Why Change is Good (even for Businesses)
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor A new grocery store chain comes to town with a new variety of products – bakeries, delis, pharmacies, liquor stores, restaurants – and offers online ordering, pick up services, and home delivery services.
What Does it Mean to Get Five-Star Service From a Financial Planner?
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor You book a vacation and spend money on a hotel. You’re super excited because the photos look nice and you’re taking some time off work. But, when you walk in, you realize it’s dirtier than you expected and the service is less than subpar.
What You Need to Know When Choosing the Right Trustee
One of the most important decisions you’ll make when designing your estate plan is who to name in the various fiduciary roles – trustee, personal representative, executor and agent.
Knowing Your Why in Finances (and the Rest of Life)
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor I’ve just finished the book Start with Why by Simon Sinek after it was recommended to me several times by friends and colleagues. It helps you think deeply about why you do the work you do.
Should You Rethink Your Retirement Income Strategy?
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor Most people work their entire lives saving money in their 401(k) plans or other employer retirement plans with the goal of having enough to retire comfortably. The goal is to replace their net take-home pay with Social Security, pensions and the in …
Why Estate Planning isn’t a One-and-Done Scenario
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor Death and taxes are life’s two great “unavoidables,” so why do we always avoid discussing them? I was looking at our estate planning infographic that indicated that 42% of all adults have a will or living trust in place.
Is Your Financial Advisor All About You?
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor There are a lot of investment firms out there and they all say the same thing in different ways. They all say they have great customer service, get to know you, your goals, and they put a plan together.
How to Choose Between Brokers or Registered Investment Advisors
By Mike Gertsema, CEO & Wealth Advisor Recently, we had a prospective client visit us to discuss retirement planning. They had no idea if they were ever going to be able to retire and were concerned they would have to work until the age of 70. We had a pre-meeting to gather all their fi …
