Bravias Financial
About
Bravias Financial is an independent financial planning firm focused on holistic retirement planning, insurance planning, and investment management. We are not owned by a bank, brokerage firm, or insurance company, and we feel this independence is critical when it comes to offering financial advice to your clients. Over the years, we have helped our clients succeed by providing them with comprehensive, unbiased advice relating to all aspects of their personal financial situations.
Saving for retirement is only half the challenge – developing a plan to help make your retirement money last a lifetime is the other half. Whether your goals include planning for retirement, growing your wealth, developing income strategies, or managing risk better, designing the right approach is one of the most important steps you can take toward successfully reaching your goals.
At Bravias Financial, we’ll help you get from here to there.
The main goal of financial planning is to help take the guesswork out of managing money and planning for the unexpected, so clients can truly understand the big picture and make more informed decisions. Since starting in financial services in 1994, I have always been passionate about finding ways for clients to experience financial peace of mind by working with them to help take control of their financial future and enjoy the retirement they've always dreamed of. The goal of our firm is to provide clients with the comfort in knowing they’ve not only taken the necessary steps to evaluate their finances but have also employed strategies that enhance their retirement over the long haul while focusing on taking the major risks off the table.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Our company was founded on the principle that a comprehensive understanding of one’s financial situation is essential to making informed decisions. We educate our clients on the key issues they will face today, and in retirement; creating guaranteed lifetime income, protecting wealth in any economy, and managing risk. Once they understand their situation better, we guide them towards the solutions they need to achieve financial peace of mind.
We really take the time to get to know our client. We have a nurturing process to realize growth and expand financial security each step of the way.
Our 1st step is an initial meeting where we get to know you and take inventory. We use this opportunity to gather, analyze, and evaluate your current investment and strategy. What are your goals and objectives? Where do you want to be in 5, 10, and 15 years? What are your cash flow needs? What is your risk tolerance?
In our 2nd meeting, we present our findings based on your long-term and short-term strategies and propose possible ways towards a more optimal retirement.
If you decide that you can benefit from working with us, meeting 3 gives all of us the opportunity to formalize and implement any or all of the solutions we have proposed. The choice is yours.
The last step, but never-ending, is the constant ongoing monitoring, supervising, and rebalancing of your plan and asset allocation to ensure you are always on track.
What types of customers have you worked with?
Our firm works with all types of clients from all over the United States. Several of our advisors also specialize in Federal and State employee benefits and retirement planning, business owners, and professionals.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
After many years in the business, I finally got carved out some time to write and publish my first book, "Plan Smart, Retire Right - A Common Sense Approach to a Stress-Free Retirement", in 2018. It was an Amazon best-seller for its first 2 weeks after launch.
What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a pro in your area of expertise?
I feel that it’s prudent to work with an advisor that really digs through "the weeds" and gets to know you, your particular financial situation, where you want to be down the road, what's important to you, etc. In my opinion, your first appointment with an advisor should be at least an hour, if not more, so that there is enough time for you to provide the advisor with a complete picture of your financial situation.
In my opinion, the purpose of this first meeting is to take a comprehensive inventory to get a detailed lay of the land. This includes gathering information such as the following:
• Relevant details about you and your family
• Employment info
• Cash flow needs
• Risk tolerance
• Goals/objectives
• Insurance coverage
• Assets
• Time horizon
• Monthly expenses
• Any other relevant data
In other words, if an advisor takes the time to truly understand "you," then it’s a positive sign and you should feel a little more comfortable that they aren't just looking for a quick sale. They should want to understand the whole picture so they can provide better overall advice.
What questions should customers think through before talking to pros about their needs?
Choosing the right financial advisor to help you plan your family’s future is a big decision. Most people consider a variety of different factors when interviewing potential financial advisors. There are several important questions to ask any advisor before making a decision to work with him/her. Here are some of the questions I would want to be answered before I entrusted my financial future to anyone.
Are you held to the suitability standard or fiduciary standard?
How do you get compensated?
Does your firm offer proprietary products or have selling/affiliate/partnership/joint
venture agreements with other companies?
When I become a client, where are my investment assets held?
What is your investment philosophy or approach?
Can you describe your client service model?
As you can see, finding a financial advisor who is right for you is an important process, and shouldn’t be taken lightly. The right financial advisor is there to prevent you from making decisions that could have a negative, unintended impact on you or your financial situation. Who wouldn’t love having a financial coach to keep you on track towards achieving your financial goals? That should be his/her primary mission in serving his/her clients.
As with any working relationship, it’s a good idea to interview advisors until you find the one who is the best fit for you and your financial goals – do you feel the advisor understands you and "speaks your language"? Since you are entrusting your financial well-being to someone, and you are about to enter into a relationship that will hopefully last a long time, you should get to know them and their financial planning and investing philosophy upfront. If you have any reservations, move on. There are plenty of qualified advisors out there and you shouldn’t settle for one where you are less than 100% confident in your decision.