Financial Planning

Ivory Johnson provides comprehensive financial planning, a process that determines how individuals can meet their life goals through proper management of their financial resources. Most would agree that the five disciplines of financial planning - estate, retirement, investment, insurance and tax planning - are all interdependent.


Retirement

The purpose of retirement planning is to ensure a predetermined standard of living once you leave the workforce. Of course, your decisions must be funded, which requires a professional analysis of your current resources and a viable strategy to make withdrawals from retirement accounts, one that accommodates various market conditions and your tax exposure at the time of distribution.


Estate Planning

Estate planning has been mischaracterized as an exercise reserved for the wealthy, when it is essentially a blueprint to give what you have to who you want when you want with the least amount of administrative and tax exposure possible. A proper plan would also protect households against unfortunate instances during life, such as incapacity or when individuals lack the wherewithal to make decisions on their own behalf.


Managing Risk

Insurance is nothing more than protection against an unforeseen event that could potentially affect another goal. The consequence of being underinsured can devastate a well executed plan, just as purchasing too much or the wrong type of coverage can affect ancillary objectives.


Portfolio Management

The current economic environment requires sound knowledge of the Federal Reserve, sovereign debt projections, the impact of sophisticated financial products, fundamental analysis, currency risk and international affairs.

Portfolio management incorporates all of these moving parts into a succinct and flexible plan, using non-correlated asset classes that attempt to avoid the peaks and the valleys.


Fee Structures


  • 1. Fee Based Management
  • 2. Hourly or Flat Fee
  • 3. Commissions


3. Some products charge a commission. In this instance a commission is paid when a transaction occurs and it is based on the product sold and amount invested. To the extent that investments and ancillary products can be purchased in a fee based account it is preferred, although some products do not offer an alternative compensation structure.

2. In some instances, clients are either charged a flat fee to encompass all services rendered or per hour at a rate agreed upon by both parties. Younger households who feel they don’t need ongoing advice may find this arrangement more attractive.

1. A percentage of assets under management would be debited from the account to pay for services on a quarterly basis. Please note that recommendations to buy or sell have no impact on my compensation. In this manner, a fiduciary relationship is established, such that I have a legal responsibility to act in the best interest of the client.