"Our approach is planning-based, not product-driven. Our job is to objectively identify a client’s needs and goals and put a roadmap in place to help make it happen."

Wealth & Financial Planning - Methodology/Approach

Good Harvest believes that a sound financial understanding and plan is the foundation to a sensible investment approach and risk management. This is what makes Good Harvest different from most other investment practitioners, whether they’re brokers, insurance agents, financial advisers, or mutual fund salespeople. Our approach is planning-based, not product-driven. Our job is to objectively identify a client’s needs and goals and put a roadmap in place to help make it happen. Our goal is to build a long term relationship based on trust and expertise. We charge on an hourly basis, so the client need not be concerned that our underlying motive is the commission from the sale of a product.

Our planning approach is based on this simple procedure:

  • Identify the clients’ financial needs and goals through extensive data gathering and relationship-building
  • Identify areas of financial strength and weakness, from investments to insurances
  • Create an appropriate investment and risk management strategy
  • Review and revise the strategy over time

This understanding and planning goes far beyond a short questionnaire about a client’s risk and investment style. It means taking the time through an extensive data gathering process to pin down a clients’ financial goals, understand a clients’ life goals, estate issues, insurance and risk management. More often than not, our discussions reveal various aspects of our clients’ financial health that could benefit from our expertise.

 

What’s the Process Like? …

Step 1. Initial Meeting.
After initial contact is made with our firm, we typically sit with our prospective clients for an initial free consultation session. From this session we get a sense of what the client’s overall financial needs may be, and get to know one another. Frankly, we’re interviewing each other, seeing if there is a good fit.

Step 2. Follow-up Meeting and Data Gathering.
Should we decide to move forward, a more in-depth meeting takes place, where we delve deeply into different aspects of our clients’ finances and life, and identify specific concerns and issues.

Step 3. Basic Plan.
We produce a written plan to address the key financial priorities, review the premises and recommendations, and identify the specific action steps. This may include a change in the overall portfolio allocations, or identify shortfalls, excesses or inappropriate insurance coverages. Rather than producing a huge document, we'll usually focus on the priority areas. It may also indicate a need for estate planning.

Step 4. Implementation and Follow Up.
We’ll sit with you and review the plan. Working with your other professionals, brokers, agents, we’ll establish a specific set of actions to help you on the road to achieve your financial and wealth management goals. We’ll also help direct you to the appropriate professional should there be the need. Clients are free to use our services for portfolio management, or use existing or outside managers.

For our highest-net worth wealth management clients, we also incorporate select outside investment managers and the necessary sophisticated investment strategies to meet the unique needs of this client.