Q+A With Jeffrey

A Conversation About Vahanian & Associates

Vahanian and Associates Financial Planning

Q+A With Jeffrey

A Conversation About Vahanian & Associates

Topic: Getting Started + Working Together

Jeffrey: We work primarily with high net worth individuals and families at various stages in their lives. I believe that most of our clients seek out our services when they are approaching a milestone life event; career changes, college planning for their children, retirement, estate planning, etc. Sometimes they to come to us because they just don’t feel they are receiving the help they need. This is what we do. We are structured and ready to welcome new clients and eager to be of support to your friends and family.

Jeffrey: We would love to chat with you. We encourage you to give our office a call, or email us to set up a time for you to come in. If you are out of the area or simply prefer to start with a phone call, we can do that too. We are happy to speak with you directly and answer questions you may have.

In a first meeting or initial conversation, it’s really just about talking and getting to know each other. We do not charge for this first meeting, because we understand that you are exploring your options and gathering information.

Jeffrey: This is a great question. The short answer is, yes. We are happy to speak with a family member or friend of yours and see if working together would be a good fit.

Jeffrey: We speak as often as need be. Some of our clients have very complex situations and there are many moving parts involved. We certainly try to make sure we are on the same page every step of the way. On the other hand, some of our clients prefer a more hands-off approach to working with us. For those clients, we typically conduct annual reviews and connect by phone or email throughout the year, as needed. We try to tailor our services to your needs and part of what this means is setting the expectations and guidelines for how we communicate.

Jeffrey: We get this question a lot and it’s an important one for a couple of reasons. One being, transparency. We believe you should always know exactly how you are doing. This is why we invest heavily in having performance reporting software to provide you with regular accounting of how your individual accounts have performed. In addition to monthly brokerage reports, advisory clients receive quarterly performance reports detailing how the portfolio has performed.

The second reason why performance reporting is so important is for educational purposes. Understanding how and why you are invested in a certain way is something you have every right to understand and review. Our customized reports indicate how you did over a given period as well. Of course, if you ever have questions about your statements or performance, we are happy to review where you are at and how we got there. We provide supplemental asset allocation data to help our clients see how they are invested based on specific goals and risk tolerance.

Topic: Differentiators + Philosophy

JEFFREY: We believe we differentiate ourselves in these 3 areas:

  1. INDEPENDENCE | What we do is based upon a very simple concept. And that is to always ask what would be best for each client that is counting on us for advice. As importantly, we are free to evaluate investment options and utilize only what we consider to be best for our clients. As well, our size and belief in high touch services has also allowed us to create and support our culture which is above all, focused on creating an environment of caring, personalized attention and an ongoing pursuit of professional excellence.
  2. TEAM ORIENTED CULTURE | We have built this firm based on character first, and a shared belief in making a difference. We take great pride in our people and our way of doing business. I love that when a client calls, more often than not, they ask for someone other than me. It’s because everyone here plays an integral role in supporting and serving our clients. Each person in our office has a unique set of skills, and that combination of ability and personality helps support an environment where quality work gets done. And most importantly, everyone enjoys and shares responsibility. It is a collaboration from start to finish.
  3. OUR APPROACH | We take a multi-disciplined approach to financial planning. We understand that your personal finances, goals and objectives are not created in a vacuum, but are a shaped by a series of events, circumstances, and unique needs. We strive to coordinate our efforts on your behalf through interaction with various professionals such as your accountant and attorney. Decisions are made through careful consideration and communication. We appreciate the uniqueness of each client’s situation, and work hard to be of support through various life chapters, such as a career change, home purchase, weddings, retirement, and yes, even challenging times where our caring and attention could be most needed. To us, these chapters and transitions are the bedrock of overall financial planning.

JEFFREY: Yes – and it’s important to adhere to a philosophy because investing can evoke a roller coaster of emotions; especially during market turmoil. Our office strongly believes in a disciplined, well-diversified and clearly defined, long-term approach to investing that is based on a personalized mix of your goals, financial position and risk tolerance. While we cannot predict the next market correction, newspaper headline, or global event, we believe if we establish an approach suitable to your goals, risk tolerance and time frame, we can effectively support you in your journey. As investment managers, we don’t need to be right all the time. But we do need to be responsible. Our poise, perspective and professional experience helps support an approach intended to weather whatever market conditions present. While all investments involve risk, we potentially utilize a combination of quality active managers and passive investments, as well as individual securities that we believe offer proper diversification, and a suitable risk/reward balance for your unique situation.

Topic: Office + Culture

JEFFREY: Highly professional, motivated, experienced, honest, accountable, dedicated. Pretty darn cool. These words are not enough. We are like a family.

JEFFREY: Easy. It’s the people. I love the clients we work with and I love the people that make up our team. I am wired to be of service. I have always had a need to help and believe I’m pretty good at it. Being able to connect with, care for, and guide people has been something I’ve always enjoyed. I am grateful to have turned this into a lifelong career that gives me great joy and pride. Both of my parents were psychotherapists. They were helpers too. I know how proud they always were and would be knowing our brand of financial planning is so personal.

JEFFREY: We have a team approach to everything we do. This approach means that multiple people can perform various tasks and decision-making responsibilities. While I am the lead financial advisor, we are a team.

Not all services will be appropriate or necessary for all clients, and the potential value and benefit of the adviser’s services will vary based upon a variety of factors, such as the client’s investment and financial circumstances and overall objectives. Neither customized services nor the scope or nature of financial planning should be construed as guarantees of a particular outcome. Comprehensive or holistic financial planning indicates that financial planning will be informed by the material financial and investment circumstances of the client, as communicated by the client to the adviser, but may not consider literally all aspects of a client’s financial affairs. The effectiveness and potential success of adviser’s services can depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the manner and timing of implementation, coordination with the client and the client’s other engaged professionals, and market conditions. Vahanian & Associates is neither a law firm nor an accounting firm and does not provide legal or tax advice. Website visitors and clients should consult an attorney or tax professional regarding their specific legal or tax situation. Past performance does not guarantee future results. All investing comes with risk, including risk of loss.