Why do you specialize in helping owners of investment real estate?

Investment real estate is often one of a family's largest assets, yet it's surprisingly underrepresented in most financial plans. Retirement creates important decisions about whether to hold, sell, exchange, gift, or simplify these properties. Our focus is to help clients integrate their real estate into a comprehensive retirement strategy rather than treating it as an afterthought.​

What real estate issues do you help clients evaluate?

 We help clients evaluate issues like:

• Keeping versus selling rental properties

• Timing capital gains

• Should I complete a 1031 exchange?

• Opportunity Zones (when appropriate)

• Retirement income planning

• Roth conversion coordination

• Required minimum distributions

• Tax-efficient withdrawal strategies

• Estate and legacy planning

• Gifting appreciated assets

• Charitable giving strategies

• Cash flow analysis

• Coordinating with CPAs and attorneys​

Will you help me decide which properties to buy?

No, we do not provide direct assistance in selecting specific properties. That responsibility lies between you and your real estate broker or professional advisor. Due diligence in real estate investment involves analyzing numerous properties to find one that aligns with your expectations. Professionals in this field best handle the tactical aspects of buying or selling a rental property. We offer advice and guidance at the concept and strategic level of real estate planning. Through a proprietary process, we can help you assess the potential impact of different options you are considering.​

Do you own investment real estate? Why should I work with you?​

Not in the traditional sense. I own land that generates royalty income through oil and gas leases rather than rental income from residential or commercial properties. While the assets are different, they share many of the same planning considerations, including tax reporting, income planning, estate planning, and long-term stewardship.

More importantly, my role isn't to tell clients how I would manage their real estate assets. My role is to provide objective advice that helps them determine what best supports their retirement goals. 

Do you help with more than my investment portfolio?
Yes. We believe retirement planning should integrate every meaningful asset - not just brokerage and retirement accounts. That includes real estate, taxes, retirement income, Social Security, Medicare, charitable giving, estate planning, and legacy goals. ​

Where are my traditional investment assets held?
Your assets are held in your own accounts under your name with a reputable third-party custodian, Charles Schwab. This arrangement provides an added layer of security and transparency. As your advisor, I have the authority to manage these assets based on our agreed-upon strategy, but I never have direct access to your funds. You’ll receive regular statements directly from the custodian, allowing you to verify your holdings and any transactions independently.
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Will you prepare my tax return?
​We do not prepare tax returns, but we regularly partner with a distinguished firm that specializes in individual and trust tax preparation. We are also happy to coordinate with your own tax preparer. For clients taking advantage of our ongoing services, we can seamlessly integrate tax preparation and offer timely tax projections to adapt to changes throughout the year.

Are you a fiduciary?
Absolutely! While the financial industry tries to water-down the true meaning of a fiduciary, we will always act in the best interest of our clients.
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Are you able to invest in funds that don't contradict my religious values?
Yes. We recognize the importance for many to want to invest in a way that doesn't contradict their faith but still allows them to capture everything the markets have to offer. Our fund managers are able to provide cost-effective portfolios that follow the investment guidelines of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for socially responsible investment.
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What is your investment philosophy?
Our investing approach is focused on understanding the best practices and knowledge defined by the last 50-plus years of academic and practitioner research. This research is ongoing and will continue to inform the recommendations we make to our clients. When designing portfolios, our strategy is not defined by what any person or group "thinks" markets, the economy, or interest rates will do.  Instead, we believe there are six key tenants:

• Outperforming the market is difficult.

• Global stock market diversification is the starting point. 

• Increasing exposure to groups of assets based on their size, value, and momentum can increase expected return.

• The primary role of fixed income (i.e. bonds) is to reduce portfolio volatility.

• Academic evidence supports modest use of alternative strategies.

• This approach is not static as it evolves slowly over time as academic and practitioner evidence evolves.

Portfolios are typically composed of U.S., international and emerging markets stock funds and ETFs (exchange traded funds); high-quality bonds held individually or through bond funds; and in some cases, alternative investment strategies. For those clients who participate in employer plans such as TIAA, we are able to implement with the investment options available but still use the above tenants as a guide. Implementation through proper asset location to maximize tax efficiency among different accounts (IRA, Roth, 401(k), 403(b), etc.) and ongoing maintenance to periodically rebalance the portfolio are also important components of the process.