Comprehensive financial planning is the backbone of DFP. We know that everyone has goals in life, however, these goals do not plan themselves. We will work with you to determine where you and your family would like to be in the future, and will then assist you in creating a plan to get there. For all financial plans we utilize intensive cash flow based planning software. This is because we believe that when calculating the likelihood of clients reaching their goals, accuracy is not something to be taken lightly. Your financial plan is personal, and will vary based on your individual dreams. However, below you can read more about different areas which may be a piece of your comprehensive financial plan.

Chances are that retirement is a goal for you. Whether it be reaching retirement, or ensuring your assets support you through it. When building funds for retirement you not only need to decide how much to save, but how to allocate those savings among various retirement account options, non qualified accounts, or insurance products. Then in retirement, you must not only ensure your assets support you, but must also determine how to access those assets in an efficient manner. We can help you address these issues and ensure your money is working as hard for you as it should be, through our financial planning process.

You will not find DFP recommending you the next big stock pick out there. Why? Because it is our job to help you reach your goals, and to do that we must address and manage risk in your portfolio. We believe in diversified investing, and do not focus solely on the return of an investment. Instead, we focus on how investment return is correlated to the risk being taken in that investment. When determining how likely you are to reach your financial goals we look at both the risk and return statistics within your personalized financial plan, so that you can determine a level of risk in your portfolio that you are comfortable with and that best suits your individual needs.

Estate planning is an area that many clients do not like talking about. However, it is an important conversation that must be had in order to properly plan. We will work closely with your estate attorney, using your financial projections to assist in determining potential areas of concern with your estate. Then, once your estate plan is in place, we will work to ensure that your accounts with us are titled and set up in accordance with your estate plan - whether the strategy be to avoid probate, plan for a potential estate tax, or ensure that your estate is divided according to your wishes at your passing.

The proper use of tax minimization strategies can significantly increase the likelihood of your long term financial success. Working with your qualified tax professional, we can utilize your financial planning projections to view your anticipated tax liability over your entire life, instead of focusing solely on the current year. This can assist you in making decisions on what type of retirement plans to utilize while saving, how to best distribute from your various accounts once retired, or how to handle options you have on your investment property or employer stock options.

As part of your financial plan, we will look at various areas of risk in order to ensure that you and your loved ones are protected in the event of something unexpected. Depending on your individual needs, this may include looking at the risks of unexpected death, being unable to work, or needing long term care later in your life. In all instances, these risks are calculated within your financial plan to determine an appropriate amount of coverage - based on your personal situation and future goals. These risks are also reevaluated regularly to determine whether any additional coverage may be warranted, or whether risk has decreased and coverage can be scaled back. Based on your needs, you may be offered an insurance product by an insurance licensed employee of DFP. These products are offered because we believe it is a benefit for our clients, however, it is important to note that DFP will continue to evaluate your areas of risk within your financial plan regardless of where you decide to purchase your insurance coverage.

Rising college costs, and the increasing demand for college degress, has made education planning an important piece of many financial plans. You must not only be cognizant to save sustantial funds for the education need, but you must also plan carefully to save these funds in the correct manner. Utilization of tax qualified accounts and proper account titling can have an effect not only on the growth of the education funds over time, but also on how potential student aid could be effected in the future. And of course the education planning does not always end after a degree is earned, as many people are forced to take out loans to cover the increasing cost of education. DFP can also assist those with these student loans, to determine a plan to pay them off - while balancing your cash flow to also save towards your other financial goals.