Preserving Wealth

In our opinion preserving client’s wealth is where we truly add value. Avoiding potentially devastating years like 2008 is paramount to our philosophy. In fact, clients desire to hold on to the wealth they have spent their lives creating is often their number one priority. As much as they would like to see their portfolio values grow, the need to maintain what they have comes first.

A hallmark of the service we provide is an attempt to avoid major market craters such as that experienced from the market high of October 2007 to the recent low of March 2009, when the tide turns and markets begin to recover we can participate in the advance without having to simply play "catch-up".  In other words, if you performed in line with the market during the time period mentioned above you still have not returned to even and 2009’s 26.5%* return in the S&P 500 Total Return Index** was simply an opportunity to make up some lost ground. By first constructing portfolios that work toward preserving their value we can potentially participate in a percentage of the upside without having to make up for steep losses.

With the understanding of client’s basic need for wealth preservation we customize portfolios to first maintain and help protect their value. We use highly sophisticated tools, models, and research to measure risk and thereby have a better understanding of what we might expect in terms of portfolio volatility and how it compares to related market indices and the clients risk tolerance.

Once in place we apply our active service model and monitor for performance, balance, and risk. As these items become out of balance, which they will even in very good markets, we will make recommendations to bring the portfolio back into the desired allocation and risk level.

* According to Edgar-online.com

** The Standard & Poor's 500 Index is a capitalization weighted index of 500 stocks designed to measure performance of the broad domestic economy through changes in the aggregate market value of 500 stocks representing all major industries.