|
Once a
model is designed, it can be used to ask a broad range of
possible “what if” questions. Even complex insurance,
trust, gifting, retirement, debt and/or asset restructuring
strategies can be studied and compared.
But in the real world, answers to very basic
questions are often the most elusive, and this is where my work
can be particularly valuable.
For example, given the amount of
income you earn and assumptions you make about how long you’ll
be earning it and other aspects of your estate, how much can you
afford to borrow and/or spend each year, to maintain a desired lifestyle, say,
for the next 15, 20, or 25 years?
In my
opinion, GOLDPLAN® handles this kind of analysis better than
anything I've ever seen. My experience has also taught me
that getting a legitimate and realistic answer to a straightforward
question like this, without using a
powerful computer model like GOLDPLAN®, is unlikely.
My GOLDPLAN®
software simplifies the process of illustrating results and makes it easy for clients to understand
and get useful insight from the output.
Once a client understands how a model works, and what its limitations are,
he or she can easily grasp what the
model is telling them and why that information, or additional
information, might be critical to the kinds of decisions that might
be, or should be, under consideration.
Clients are generally encouraged to have
their plan reviewed periodically, to bring it up to date and to
evaluate the relative success of previous decisions.
Clients decide how often reviews will be conducted to insure
that investment and estate strategies remain in alignment with
their needs and long term goals.
I am available to meet
with a client’s attorney, accountant, banker, or other advisor to discuss investment and estate
planning strategies and to coordinate work that needs to be
done. Providing investment advice or advice about the
acquisition, liquidation, or replacement of financial products
when building an estate model is optional.
Investment
Portfolios When
requested, I design tailor made plans to fit the needs of
clients and their families. These would include
suggestions for specific investment and/or planning strategies.
I generally do not evaluate or build portfolios of individual
stocks, but rather confine my recommendations to mutual funds,
exchange traded funds, fixed income securities, and certain
specialty investment vehicles issued by reliable institutions.
I do not sell investments or manage assets on a discretionary
basis and I do not control, take possession of, or become
involved in the safe keeping of financial assets. I can,
however, suggest where you might obtain these services.
I am
available to review the recommendations and performance of
outside advisors or advisory services, to follow and review
mutual fund or brokerage statements, and to participate in the
strategic investment planning process.
I will
conduct periodic investment reviews, summarize for clients what
their current holdings are, measure investment performance over
time, comment on the appropriateness of certain investments or
strategies, and discuss whether or not I think any adjustments
are indicated to meet long term goals. Commercially
produced computer software, the internet, journals and
periodicals might all be used as resources in producing
meaningful reports.
Clients
may, at their option and for their convenience, give me
authority to review on-line accounts or to make trades in their
on-line accounts for them on a non-discretionary basis. To
do this requires the execution of an ancillary agreement called
a limited power of attorney giving me authority to carry out
these specific activities only.
I offer
no personal guarantee that my investment advice will produce a
specific result. Every investment strategy involves some
risk. What I offer clients is my best advice in
trying to match their risk preferences to an appropriate
investment strategy. I offer my thoughts, ideas and
recommendations—my best effort. Of course, being human,
I'm not always right. In any event, all final investment
decisions must be made by the client before any buy or sell
transactions can occur.
Payment
for Services
I generally work on a fee
basis. The fee might take the form of an hourly rate, a
fixed fee, or it might be based on a percentage of assets under
review. I publish a fee schedule but fee arrangements are
flexible. I make every effort to insure that fees charged
are reasonable, appropriate, and fair. Recognizing that
clients have different needs, interests, and levels of
sophistication, I try to tailor the range and breadth of
services accordingly. Clients are required to pay part of the
fee before service begins. Subsequent payments are due and
payable as work is completed and statements are presented.
Fees for investment advisory services are generally paid in
advance on a quarterly basis or as services are provided.
A client
may discontinue the service at any time. If service is cancelled
within five business days of signing an agreement, all
payments will be refunded; otherwise any unearned fees will be
refunded on a pro-rata basis.
A
client’s portfolio or estate does not have to be any
particular size to engage my services. Almost everyone can
use help now and then in making decisions that are important to
them and their families. If a potential client can benefit
from my work, I will do my best to provide the service needed in
an affordable manner.
Insurance
Products Sometimes
a GOLDPLAN® study will reveal a need for life insurance, Long
Term Care, or other insurance product. If clients want to
purchase insurance with me, I will do my best to find the most
appropriate product to fit the need. I am an independent
agent, not beholden to any particular company, and the carriers
I use are among the best the industry has to offer.
I
am currently a Registered Investment Advisor in the state of Washington. Some services available to Washington
residents may not be available in other
states.
Education
and Experience of
Mark
A. Goldman
B.A. Economics
1966
Franklin and Marshall College
M.B.A. in Corporate Finance 1971
The Wharton
Graduate School
at the University
of Pennsylvania
Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU)
1977
The
American College
For
most of my career, I have been a stockbroker, life insurance
agent, Registered Investment Advisor, and/or a developer of financial and estate planning
software. I began developing financial models
because it eventually became clear to me that a good deal of
financial and estate planning is done by what I call the “seat
of the pants” method.
Legal
documents, no matter
how well or cleverly drafted, cannot distribute assets that no
longer exist or will never materialize...and while financial
products are certainly important in formulating financial or estate planning
strategies, some analytical techniques are designed more to sell
products than to provide real insight into how those products
are likely to perform over time in any given estate.
GOLDPLAN®
models can’t predict the future...but they can sometimes
illuminate the landscape. When the stakes are high and the
outcome is important, I no longer make recommendations based on
my intuition...I run the numbers.
GOLDPLAN®
is both efficient and economical. Almost anyone who can derive
value from using this technology can now afford to do so.
Ë
Home
|