12 important questions

12 important questions

Am I on track to reach my goals?

How much should I be saving?

If the market tanks, how will it affect my retirement income? Will I have enough money?

Am I invested appropriately?

Am I taking too much risk, not enough?

How can I reduce my taxes?

I want to buy a house; how much can I really afford?

How can I fund my child’s education?

Am I maximizing my employer benefits?

If I live past 90, will I be ok?

What lifestyle can I afford, while not sacrificing my retirement?

I hate budgets, how can I get my finances in order?
 

The knowledge, and time commitment to managing a personal portfolio can be overwhelming.  Choosing a financial advisor is a personal choice.  With BFM, we partner with you to make the most of your assets to better plan for your future.

We believe that ethical financial planners should place clients' interests ahead of their own interests, at all times, without exception.  The investment approach should be highly disciplined, and based on academic research.  Compensation should be transparent without any commissions from any third-party.


Are you satisfied with your after-tax investment performance? U.S. stocks have more than quadrupled since March 2009.

Do you have the time, desire, or expertise to grow your wealth?

Have you thought about your life goals and how to achieve them?

Our objectives, therefore, are to:
 

Help you make better, more informed financial decisions by giving conflict-free diversified investment strategies to maximize investment growth and reduce your downside risk.

Holistically analyze your entire financial life to bring peace of mind and order to your financial life thanks to effective investment advice.  

Make sure you have enough money for your entire life so that you can enjoy a comfortable retirement with a secured inflation-protected income while keeping your money safe.  

Give you personalized advice and guidance to keep your portfolios on track with your goals. We do not sell any products and are not incentivized by specific sales, nor do we have access to your accounts.  

Work with you to monitor and adjust your customized financial plan as your needs and circumstances change.  BFM offers you a positive investing experience.    

Help you follow through on financial commitments, by working with you to prioritize your goals, show you the steps you need to take, and regularly review your progress towards achieving them.  

Bring insights from the outside to avoid emotionally driven decisions in important money matters and be available to consult with you at key moments of decision-making.
 

The BFM Process

We are thrilled about the opportunity to assist you with your financial planning needs and to become your personal CFO.  We are confident that we can build a customized comprehensive strategy.  
 
BFM helps you diversify your wealth into selected mutual funds and ETFs after developing an effective asset allocation based on your risk profile.  Your wealth will be well-diversified among domestic and foreign, growth and income funds, large, mid and small companies, investment styles, stable value investments, and real estate.

BFM also monitors your portfolio, your needs, the financial markets and mutual funds activity throughout the year.  BFM makes recommendations to rebalance portfolios to maximize opportunities and reduce risk.
 

The BFM promise

To act in a professional and ethical manner at all times and for your benefit only.
To act with independence, objectivity, skill, competence, and diligence.
To communicate with you in a timely and accurate manner.
To help you build a solid financial foundation, and a framework for making better financial decisions.

Things we don’t do

We never try to sell you any investments.
We never work on commissions.
We don’t earn more if clients invest aggressively in volatile financial products.
We don’t trade against you since we have no proprietary trading desks.  We have no conflict.
We don’t have multiple lines of business like many wealth managers who may be broker dealers or who may have investment banking divisions.
We don’t have clients assume unnecessary risks.  We encourage our clients to take the risk necessary for reaching their personalized goals.  We don’t make big bets.

We encourage you to read an article about the distinction between brokers and advisors.  We believe that the most important factors in selecting a good financial planner should be excellence, expertise, and ethics. 

If you already work with a financial advisor, we offer a second opinion with objective recommendations.  Our goal is to help you attain YOUR financial goals.  We know everyone can benefit from a second set of eyes.  We welcome the opportunity to provide guidance and validation of your current portfolio and provide an unbiased assessment.

 
Find out more details on how we can help you, Why BFM is UNIQUE, our fee-only and transparent RETAINER conflict-free pricing model*,  our fiduciary duties, the BFM process, and the founder’s credentials. 

* "A man is incapable of comprehending any argument that interferes with his revenue."
René Descartes, 1650

We would welcome the opportunity to know you better, introduce ourselves, share with you the work we do for our clients, and position ourselves as a useful resource for you.  It would be a wise first step towards achieving your vision.

Getting to know you, your needs and motivations, is almost as important as you evaluating our capabilities to help you meet your financial goals.  We do not charge a fee for our initial consultation during which we review your portfolio, and listen to your goals and objectives.

Who are our clients?

Our clients are located across the globe including North America, Europe and Asia.  Our client base is broad encompassing expatriates, executives, entrepreneurs, working professionals, and business individuals.  We welcome all clients from individuals with multi-million dollar portfolios to individuals with negative net worth. 

We have discovered that one of the most valuable things we do for our clients is guiding them on selecting better performing investments and making sure they have enough assets as long as they live. 
 

This newsletter was first published in February of 2018

https://mailchi.mp/bourbonfm/doyouknowtheanswers?e=e3cd5d6c14