As the ebbs and flows of everyday life run their course, it is often easy to stress and fixate solely on our financial ambitions. During these times, it is important to remember that money is not the only answer, but it can help make a difference. Not just in the obvious sense of benefitting you and your family, but in a broader sense as well. If you think of your money as a tool to help achieve equanimity, you’ll find that its possibilities are endless. Just as ripples spread when a small pebble is dropped into water, your financial plans and goals can positively influence other aspects of your life and help create your own ripple effect. Weatherly challenges you not only to think about your financial goals, but your life ambitions as well. We encourage you to complete the survey below so we can best utilize our services to help you do well, live well, and give well.
- What are your core values?
- Do you feel like you are able to make an impact?
- What kind of legacy would you like to leave behind?
- How can you leverage your financial situation to achieve your life goals?
After you have considered and answered the above questions, we encourage you to discuss your responses with us so we can help put your ripple effect into motion.
Putting the Ripple Effect into Motion
There are a few ways you can create your ripple effect with your financial success. Consider the following:
- Beneficiaries: It is important to have your life savings and assets passed on to those aligned with your will and wishes. Maybe you want to pass on your wealth to the next generation or follow in Warren Buffet’s tracks by donating 100% of your wealth to charity, or maybe it is a combination of the two. Regardless of what boat you are in, we recommend reviewing your beneficiaries, trust document, and overall estate plan on an annual basis or when certain life events- such as birth or death in the family, divorce, or remarriage- occur. It is also good practice to review your beneficiaries and your intended ripple effect side by side. If your beneficiaries need to be updated or changed as a result of your review, we are happy to discuss and help implement these changes for you. We also encourage you to discuss your wishes in a general sense, not necessarily including specific dollar amounts, with your elected beneficiaries as a way to start the family conversation about wealth, instill family values, and emphasize the importance of planning for the future.
- Socially Responsible Investing (SRI): Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) allows you to invest in causes, corporate practices, and communities you support and avoid those you do not. This investment strategy enables you to create positive social change, while potentially receiving a financial return on such investments. To effectively implement a socially responsible investment strategy, we recommend the following steps:
- Step 1: Determine what causes, corporate practices, and/ or communities are important to you. Some common SRI areas include, but are not limited to: environmental stewardship, customer protection, human rights, animal rights, and alternative energy.
- Step 2: Make a list of products, companies, or causes you want to avoid. A few examples may include: alcohol, tobacco, fast food, gambling, and weapons.
- Step 3: Discuss your SRI goals with Weatherly. We value and encourage your efforts to create positive social change as reflected in some of our current holdings, including one of our top holdings, Guggenheim Global Water ETF (CGW). We can also work to add or remove positions in those stocks, mutual funds, and/or ETFs to accomplish your SRI goals and needs.
- Charitable and Education Initiatives: Maybe you always wanted to see the world, but did not have the opportunity to do so until now. We encourage you to incorporate your charitable endeavors while traveling. A few ways to accomplish this include missionary trips, teaching abroad, or donating school supplies or clothes to local schools while on your trip. You can also impact your own community by volunteering your time or donating your assets from afar. One way you can donate your assets is through a Donor Advised Fund (DAF). The DAF allows you to donate cash, publicly traded and privately traded appreciated stock, real estate, and other acceptable assets. Once donated, you receive an immediate tax write off for donations to qualified public charities. To help facilitate your charitable giving, Weatherly can assist you in setting up and managing your DAF. For more information regarding DAF, please refer to our charitable giving blog at the following link: http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/blog/39tis-the-season-of-charitable-giving-and-tax-planning. We encourage you to involve the next generation in your charitable initiatives to emphasize the importance of giving back to the community, thus continuing the ripple effect.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to Weatherly with any questions or suggestions on how to start your Ripple Effect.
** The information provided should not be interpreted as a recommendation, no aspects of your individual financial situation were considered. Always consult a financial professional before implementing any strategies derived from the information above.
San Diego Business Journal included Weatherly Asset Management in the 2017 listing of Wealth Management Firms, published on July 17, 2017. Placed among the best in San Diego County, WAM lands the 16th spot of 38 firms in total. View the list here.
Eligibility requirements to participate included being a registered investment adviser with either the Securities Exchange Commission or the California Department of Corporations. The criteria by which Firms were ranked was based on assets managed in San Diego County for fiscal year 2016.
After receiving an email invitation from the Journal to participate in the list, Weatherly completed a brief online survey, including the submission of the Firm’s ADV. The ranking information was verified by the Journal through ADV forms filed for FY 2015 and FY 2016 and www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
It is not the intent of the list to endorse the participants nor to imply a firm’s size or numerical rank indicates its quality. There was no fee to participate in the list ranking, and Weatherly was not required to advertise in, or subscribe to, the San Diego Business Journal. After being included in the list, Weatherly paid the San Diego Business Journal for paper and electronic use reprints.
No organizational memberships were required of the Firm or individuals. Ranking on this list is not representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of Weatherly’s future performance. Weatherly is not aware of any facts that would call into question the validity of the ranking or the appropriateness of advertising inclusion in this list.
About Weatherly Asset Management, L.P.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is a Registered Investment Advisor, located in Del Mar, California, dedicated to providing high quality, holistic and innovative wealth management services to high net worth individuals, small businesses and institutional clients since inception of the Firm in 1994.
Our comprehensive approach to all aspects of a client’s financial life, the extensive experience of our principals, and the accessibility of experts, set us apart from other firms.
Our primary business focus is money management, with each account individually managed to maximize wealth preservation and growth over time. We also provide advice related to retirement planning, tax planning, philanthropic planning, financial planning and college planning, as well as estate planning and wealth transfer guidance. Our goal is to provide clients with as much information as necessary to effectively manage portfolios and help achieve their financial goals.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is the investment advisory division of Weatherly Asset Management, Inc. As an independent partnership, the Firm is wholly owned and operated by the partnership.
For information on our wealth management team, and for a full list of services we provide, please visit: http://weatherlystage.wpengine.com/our-team/
For information on our ADV filings and Compliance, please visit: http://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/IAPDFirmSummary.aspx?ORG_PK=106935
http://weatherlyassetmgt.com/adv/
If you would like to learn more, please contact:
Carolyn P. Taylor
858-259-4507
Carolyn@weatherlyassetmgt.com
Carolyn Taylor represented Weatherly in an article focusing on the importance and presence of women in the Financial Advisor space, published by Fidelity Investments. “Attracting Women Advisors to Your Firm” was published in July of 2017. View the article here!
Carolyn Taylor participated in the Fidelity Executive Panel, Women’s Power Breakfast on May 1st 2017. Carolyn was invited to participate in this panel by the Firm’s Fidelity Relationship Manager. Invitees included female RIA and Broker-Dealer leaders, with the goal being to discuss what it takes for women to win in today’s career environment and share stories from their own professional paths, lessons learned, and how they are enabling the next generation of female leaders. Four panelists and Fidelity’s SVP of marketing contributed to the discussion and article content.
Based on the panel discussion, Fidelity published the article “Attracting Women Advisors to Your Firm”, which includes featured quotes from the panelists and topics discussed at the event. Carolyn and panelists focused on women in the financial industry, strategies to retain and mentor female advisors, and the strengths of a balanced team. The article was composed after the panel has taken place, using a transcript from the video recording at the event. Panelists all received a draft of the article for review, and were required to give consent to publish. There were four panelists total.
The article was shared with Fidelity clients in an email newsletter, posted on Fidelity’s websites (for both clients and prospective clients), and/or used via Fidelity’s social media platforms.
It is not the intent of the story to endorse the participating businesses or to indicate quality. There was no fee to be included in this article. After the article was published, Weatherly received the PDF at no charge, with approved distribution and full use.
Weatherly’s status as a Fidelity client allowed for inclusion in the panel and Article, however no fee was paid to be featured. Inclusion in the article is not representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of Weatherly’s future performance. Weatherly is not aware of any facts that would call into question the validity of the reporting or appropriateness of advertising inclusion in this article.
About Weatherly Asset Management, L.P.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is a Registered Investment Advisor, located in Del Mar, California, dedicated to providing high quality, holistic and innovative wealth management services to high net worth individuals, small businesses and institutional clients since inception of the Firm in 1994.
Our comprehensive approach to all aspects of a client’s financial life, the extensive experience of our principals, and the accessibility of experts, set us apart from other firms.
Our primary business focus is money management, with each account individually managed to maximize wealth preservation and growth over time. We also provide advice related to retirement planning, tax planning, philanthropic planning, financial planning and college planning, as well as estate planning and wealth transfer guidance. Our goal is to provide clients with as much information as necessary to effectively manage portfolios and help achieve their financial goals.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is the investment advisory division of Weatherly Asset Management, Inc. As an independent partnership, the Firm is wholly owned and operated by the partnership.
For information on our wealth management team, and for a full list of services we provide, please visit: http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/our-team/
For information on our ADV filings and Compliance, please visit: http://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/IAPDFirmSummary.aspx?ORG_PK=106935
http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/adv/
If you would like to learn more, please contact:
Carolyn P. Taylor
858-259-4507
Carolyn@weatherlyassetmgt.com
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. was included in the Financial Advisor’s Magazine of 2017 RIA Survey and Ranking List. This list was published in the July 2017 issue. To view the article and list, click here.
The criteria on which each award (or ranking) was based included 1) 2016 year end discretionary and non-discretionary AUM reported on ADV; 2) % growth in assets 2015-2016; 3) average assets per client; 4) percent growth in assets per client; 5) percent change in number of client relationships. To be eligible for the ranking, firms must be independent registered investment advisors and file their own ADV statement with the SEC, and provide financial planning and related services to individual clients. Firms must have at least $50 million in assets under management as of December 31, 2016. Corporate RIA firms and investment advisor representatives (IARs) were not eligible for this survey.
The list was segmented by asset categories: 1) $1 billion and over; 2) $500 million to <$1billion; 3) $300 million to <$500 million; 4) $100 million to <$300 million; 5) <$100 million; and 6) <$50 million*. Within each of the asset category segments, firms were ranked by criteria #1 (2016 year end discretionary and non-discretionary AUM). The list of segments 1-5 consisted of 605* firms. Weatherly was ranked 281 overall. Of the 96 firms in the $500 million to <$1 billion category, Weatherly was ranked 65. *The print version of this list notes that firms with under $50 million that participated in the survey are visible on the www.fa-mag.com/research/ria-survey.
Weatherly received an email invitation to participate in FA’s annual nation-wide RIA ranking survey. Weatherly completed the survey, which in addition to AUM, focused on services offered by the firm; service fee structure; anticipated changes to the business in the next 5 years; staffing and recruiting; operations and strategy. The survey review included information provided by Weatherly, as well as public data available through the firm’s ADV filing.
No payment was required for participating in the survey. After receiving notice of inclusion in the list and list publication, Weatherly elected not to pay for electronic use or hard copy reprints.
No organizational memberships were required of the Firm or individuals. Ranking on this list is not representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of Weatherly’s future performance. Weatherly is not aware of any facts that would call into question the validity of the ranking or the appropriateness of advertising inclusion in this list.
About Weatherly Asset Management, L.P.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is a Registered Investment Advisor, located in Del Mar, California, dedicated to providing high quality, holistic and innovative wealth management services to high net worth individuals, small businesses and institutional clients since inception of the Firm in 1994.
Our comprehensive approach to all aspects of a client’s financial life, the extensive experience of our principals, and the accessibility of experts, set us apart from other firms.
Our primary business focus is money management, with each account individually managed to maximize wealth preservation and growth over time. We also provide advice related to retirement planning, tax planning, philanthropic planning, financial planning and college planning, as well as estate planning and wealth transfer guidance. Our goal is to provide clients with as much information as necessary to effectively manage portfolios and help achieve their financial goals.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is the investment advisory division of Weatherly Asset Management, Inc. As an independent partnership, the Firm is wholly owned and operated by the partnership.
For information on our wealth management team, and for a full list of services we provide, please visit: http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/team/
For information on our ADV filings and Compliance, please visit: http://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/IAPDFirmSummary.aspx?ORG_PK=106935
http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/adv/
If you would like to learn more, please contact:
Carolyn P. Taylor
858-259-4507
Carolyn@weatherlyassetmgt.com
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. was included in the 2017 Financial Times 300 Top Registered Investment Advisors list. This list was published online on June 22, 2017 on FT.com. View the article on FT.com here.
The selection process for the Financial Times 300 (“FT 300”) is based on the largest independent Registered Investment Advisors across the United States that meet the below criteria:
To qualify as a candidate for the FT 300, an RIA firm must:
Manage at least $300 million in assets under management (as of 12/31/16)
Have no more than 75% of its practice’s assets be institutional
Be independent (it cannot be the RIA arm of a broker-dealer, for example)
Financial Times invited more than 2000 SEC registered RIA companies across the US who reported $300mm or more in AUM to participate in the review process. About 725 RIAs applied, and 300 made the final list.
Qualified RIAs were required to fill out an online application, and were evaluated on several factors including AUM, AUM growth rate, years the firm has been in existence, industry certifications of staff, SEC compliance report, online accessibility and other factors such that the final list should include a diverse range of practice types. AUM comprised roughly 65 to 70 per cent of each adviser’s score, while asset growth accounted for an additional 10 to 15 percent.
Additionally, FT capped the number of companies from any one state. The cap was roughly based on the distribution of millionaires across the US. The research was conducted on behalf of the Financial Times by Ignites Research, a Financial Times sister publication.
The 300 firms were listed by state and alphabetically by business name. Weatherly paid Financial Times for custom hard copy reprints after the list was published. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list.
No organizational memberships were required of the Firm or individuals. Inclusion on this list is not representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of Weatherly’s future performance. Weatherly is not aware of any facts that would call into question the validity of the list or the appropriateness of advertising inclusion in this list.
About Weatherly Asset Management, L.P.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is a Registered Investment Advisor, located in Del Mar, California, dedicated to providing high quality, holistic and innovative wealth management services to high net worth individuals, small businesses and institutional clients since inception of the Firm in 1994.
Our comprehensive approach to all aspects of a client’s financial life, the extensive experience of our principals, and the accessibility of experts, set us apart from other firms.
Our primary business focus is money management, with each account individually managed to maximize wealth preservation and growth over time. We also provide advice related to retirement planning, tax planning, philanthropic planning, financial planning and college planning, as well as estate planning and wealth transfer guidance. Our goal is to provide clients with as much information as necessary to effectively manage portfolios and help achieve their financial goals.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is the investment advisory division of Weatherly Asset Management, Inc. As an independent partnership, the Firm is wholly owned and operated by the partnership.
For information on our wealth management team, and for a full list of services we provide, please visit: http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/team/
For information on our ADV filings and Compliance, please visit: http://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/IAPDFirmSummary.aspx?ORG_PK=106935
http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/adv/
If you would like to learn more, please contact:
Carolyn P. Taylor
858-259-4507
Carolyn@weatherlyassetmgt.com
Business owners live two often intertwined lives, their own and their business’s. We view the process of creating, growing, establishing and ultimately exiting a business similar to the different stages of a human’s life. Just as a person’s interests, motives and actions differ as they progress from infancy to the later stages of life, the considerations that businesses face vary from start-up to maturity. As in life, business owners need to nourish and develop their craft while utilizing internal and external experts, leveraging technology, focusing on innovation and leading their team into the future. The chart below summarizes some of our thoughts on the considerations faced as a business progresses through the stages of the life cycles.
Click here to enlarge and interact with the Stages of Business chart.
Most business owners are focused on the day-to-day growth of their business. Often an owner may find it difficult to judge where their business falls in the life cycle and fail to create the bandwidth to prioritize next steps. Through thoughtful discussion and by leveraging Weatherly’s connections and experience, potential value can be added as your business enters the growth stage, becomes an established business or approaches the mature stage. A team of experts including retirement specialists, business attorneys, CPAs and wealth advisors can help to lead, design and implement the appropriate next steps. Considerations of retirement plans, key man insurance and developing a next-gen roadmap are all integral parts of our discussion on how to best convert your hard work into a saleable asset and plan for a more secure outcome.
As one of our favorite niche clients, Weatherly works with small business owners at all stages of the life cycle. Creativity and formation begins the development process but the opportunity to protect business structure, reduce taxes and develop a plan for the highly compensated also becomes central as a company matures. If you or a friend owns a business and wants to review our capabilities, Weatherly would be happy to schedule a consultation and we welcome the opportunity to lend a helping hand as your business progresses through its own life cycle.
** The information provided should not be interpreted as a recommendation, no aspects of your individual financial situation were considered. Always consult a financial professional before implementing any strategies derived from the information above.
The process of creating your estate plan can be a dynamic and challenging task involving detailed discussions with your estate planning attorney, financial advisor, and CPA. Every family is unique, with different assets, goals, and complexities that must be reflected in your planning instruments. We have described the documents that should be a part of your estate plan in our previous blog post and the driving forces behind these documents of tax and control.
Our clients often have to push themselves to consider a variety of outcomes and “what if” scenarios, starting with the now – what would occur if something happened to myself and/or my spouse tomorrow? Although emotionally challenging to think about, the process is necessary. Estate plans are living documents that can be adjusted as you, your family, and your assets grow and change over time.
Frame the Discussion
Your estate plan should include provisions for your assets both during your lifetime and after your passing. Strategic planning to address the tax, legal and financial aspects of your estate while living should ensure all pieces of the overall estate are working together most efficiently to minimize tax and risk, while maximizing growth and return. However, equally as important are the mechanisms put into place to ensure proper distribution of assets at your passing or incapacitation, considering your goals, values, and objectives.
The motivations vary significantly per family. The principles and ideals that are important to you should be a running thread throughout the estate plan, including:
- Ongoing family business – operations or ownership
- Charitable intent – specific organization/cause or core value of giving back to your community
- Financial security – of your spouse and family
- Support of education – kids and/or grandkids
The strategy and the individuals designated to carry out your legacy are fundamental ingredients to the success of your estate plan after your passing. We have created a checklist and timeline to illustrate the complex process of settling an estate and the imperative role of your executor or successor trustee. This checklist also illustrates the complexity and detail involved for your loved ones after your passing. Weatherly serves as a quarterback for our clients to collaborate with your estate planning attorney and CPA to delegate necessary tasks, and provide personalized support. Our goal is for your team to work as a well-oiled machine and guide you through the estate administration process with comfort and clarity.
Leverage Professionals
Your most vital tool is the team of advisors assembled to guide you and your heirs throughout this dynamic process. The selected professionals will provide competent, efficient, and creative strategies to develop the most appropriate solutions for you and your family. Weatherly provides personalized support and financial guidance to the executor/successor trustee and heirs every step of the estate administration process. Communication amongst your team is crucial to the creation and implementation of your plan, we believe collective expertise through collaboration provides the best result for you and your family.
** The information provided should not be interpreted as a recommendation, no aspects of your individual financial situation were considered. Always consult a financial professional before implementing any strategies derived from the information above.
As growth and inflation expectations have risen over the past several months, stocks and bonds have had very different reactions. Let’s look at some principles of bond investing to shed some light!
Bond Mechanics
Bonds can be offered by many different types of agencies, including federal governments, municipalities, and corporations. These securities have five inherent components:
- Maturity – how much time is left until the bond expires and the principal is returned to the lender. The longer the maturity of a bond, the more sensitive the bond market price is to changes in prevailing interest rates.
- Duration – the maturity of an investment based on weighted cash flows. If the majority of a bond’s cash flows are attributable to the final principal payment, then the duration will be closer to the bond’s maturity.
- Coupon/interest rate – the stated amount that the lender will be compensated on a regular basis for providing the loan to the borrower. The amount is typically paid on an semi-annual basis and is based on a percentage of the par value of the bond. For example, a bond with a coupon rate of 5%, paid on a semiannual basis, and $1,000 par value will receive coupon payments twice a year of $25.
- Yield – the annual return, in percentage terms, the investor will expect to receive by investing in the bond if held to maturity. Yield is inversely related to price; the higher the yield, the lower the price, and vice-versa. Yields can be stated as return within a certain time period such as yield to maturity or yield to call. If a bond’s price is greater than its par value, the bond is stated to be priced at premium and the yield to maturity will be lower than that of the par priced bond. The opposite of a premium is a discount, and occurs when the market price is lower than par price.
- Credit rating – is an assessment of the likelihood that the borrower will repay the borrowed principal and meet scheduled interest payments. The lower the credit rating, the less likely that the borrower will meet these payments. There are two tiers to credit ratings, investment grade and speculative (junk) grade.Weatherly limits its fixed income investing to bonds with investment grade ratings.
Fixed income valuations are derived from the characteristics listed above, but are responsive to universal market risks. Investors are compensated for taking on additional risk through a higher coupon payment or higher yields/lower prices. The following risks are common in bond investing:
- Interest Rate Risk – As interest rates rise, newer issues of bonds will have higher yields that compensate lenders at a higher amount. Now that these “new” bonds with a higher compensation rate and lower priced bonds are available in the market, bond buyers will have less of an appetite for the previously issued bonds with a similar risk profile, but lower interest/coupon rate. Therefore, these “old” bonds will experience a decline in market value and rise in yield until there is an equilibrium in the marketplace.
- Credit/Default Risk – The greater the likelihood that an interest payment or repayment will not be met by the borrower. As with most other risks, the investor will be compensated with a higher coupon rate or higher yield for taking on the higher risk.
- Maturity Risk – In a vacuum, a bond with longer maturity has a greater risk than a bond with a shorter maturity purely because the lender is required to wait a longer period of time to receive the principal repayment amount. This is featured on the upward sloping yield curve, as investors are compensated with a higher yield on their investments, the longer the maturity of the bond.
- Inflation Risk – Traditional bonds will repay principal at the maturity date and pay the stated coupon at the regularly scheduled date. The inherent risk to lenders is that these payments are not indexed for inflation and will therefore not rise in value with the inflation of a given currency, negating the real return of the investment.
If rates do rise, how will that affect fixed income investing for Weatherly clients?
Investments with longer maturities such as 30 year or even 50 year investments experience a more dramatic drop in price compared to similar shorter maturity investments as rates rise. Speculative grade investments with lower credit quality also respond with a larger depreciation in market value in a rising rate environment in juxtaposition to investment grade bonds. Weatherly strategically invests in high-quality (investment grade) and short to medium term (generally <7 years to maturity) investments with values that are marginally less affected by interest rate changes risk to avoid a steep drop in portfolio returns. Duration is generally much lower than average maturity in Weatherly portfolios.
How will the new administration’s policies affect bond values and availability?
The new administration has advocated for widespread tax reform, most notably the decrease of marginal tax rates for individuals and increased infrastructure spending. Municipal bond income is untaxed for individual bondholders and boost after tax yields for high-net worth individuals. Marginal tax rates would be required to drop significantly to equalize the current after-tax yields of municipal bonds with comparable U.S Treasuries and corporate bonds. The current administration has also proposed infrastructure spending in many districts that would boost municipal bond issuances and a potential offering of a Build America Bond replica. Build America Bonds, created under the America Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2007, are taxable municipal bonds that carry federal subsidies for the bond issuer, who can then pass on the subsidy to bond buyers. Build America Bonds are often attractive for individuals with minimal difference between their pre-tax and after-tax yields, but a desire for high quality credit ratings, low duration, and high yields. Government spending could also be advantageous for TIPS and convertible debt holdings, as the stimulus could drive inflation in the economy, benefiting holders of investments that keep pace with inflation.
As the domestic fixed income investing environment dynamically changes, Weatherly continues to be a stalwart investor for our clients to find securities that boost yields, while maintaining risk/return profiles.
** The information provided should not be interpreted as a recommendation, no aspects of your individual financial situation were considered. Always consult a financial professional before implementing any strategies derived from the information above.
San Diego Business Journal (Journal), popularly known for their annual Book of Lists, included Weatherly Asset Management in the 2016 listing of Wealth Management Firms, published on January 9, 2017*. Placed among the best in San Diego County, WAM lands the 19th spot of 40 firms in total.
Criteria to participate included being a registered investment adviser with either the Securities Exchange Commission or the California Department of Corporations. Firms were ranked by assets managed in San Diego County for fiscal year 2015.
After being invited by the Journal to participate in the list, Weatherly completed a brief online survey, including the submission of the Firm’s ADV. The ranking information was verified by the Journal through ADV forms filed for fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2015 and www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
It is not the intent of the list to endorse the participants nor to imply a firm’s size or numerical rank indicates its quality. There was no fee to participate in the list ranking, and Weatherly was not required to advertise in, or subscribe to, the San Diego Business Journal. After being included in the list, Weatherly paid the San Diego Business Journal for paper and electronic use reprints. *Prior to this issue, the Journal published the list of top wealth management firms for FY 2015 in the July 4, 2016 issue and again in the December, 2016 book of lists issue. Weatherly was ranked 17th out of 37, and 18th out of 39 respectively.
No organizational memberships were required of the Firm or individuals. Ranking on this list is not representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of Weatherly’s future performance. Weatherly is not aware of any facts that would call into question the validity of the ranking or the appropriateness of advertising inclusion in this list.
About Weatherly Asset Management, L.P.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is a Registered Investment Advisor, located in Del Mar, California, dedicated to providing high quality, holistic and innovative wealth management services to high net worth individuals, small businesses and institutional clients since inception of the Firm in 1994.
Our comprehensive approach to all aspects of a client’s financial life, the extensive experience of our principals, and the accessibility of experts, set us apart from other firms.
Our primary business focus is money management, with each account individually managed to maximize wealth preservation and growth over time. We also provide advice related to retirement planning, tax planning, philanthropic planning, financial planning and college planning, as well as estate planning and wealth transfer guidance. Our goal is to provide clients with as much information as necessary to effectively manage portfolios and help achieve their financial goals.
Weatherly Asset Management, L.P. is the investment advisory division of Weatherly Asset Management, Inc. As an independent partnership, the Firm is wholly owned and operated by the partnership.
For information on our wealth management team, and for a full list of services we provide, please visit: http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/team/
For information on our ADV filings and Compliance, please visit: http://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/IAPDFirmSummary.aspx?ORG_PK=106935
http://www.weatherlyassetmgt.com/adv/
If you would like to learn more, please contact:
Carolyn P. Taylor
858-259-4507
Carolyn@weatherlyassetmgt.com
January often stirs a jump start on New Year resolutions as people wipe the slate clean from the year before. Ranging from nutrition and exercise to reading and traveling, goals for the New Year can enhance our overall well-being. We want to help our clients, colleagues and friends with goals and resolutions relating to our area of expertise. Here are some ideas to get you on the track for an organized and well-balanced 2017:
Clean up Clutter- I’m sure by now many of you are familiar with The KonMari Method popularized by Marie Condo’s book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. The premise is simple – if an item in your home doesn’t bring you joy, get rid of it! This is a great time of year to donate gently used books, clothing and household goods to local charities. The KonMari Method also states that a decluttered space helps with clarity and focus; so you may also be inclined to take on the often daunting task of organizing your office, which lead us to our next idea.
Purge and Catalog- This site is a great tool outlining how long you should keep certain documents, like bank statements and tax returns. You can divide your documents into a “purge” and “catalog” stack, and either scan or file the items to be cataloged in a manner that works for you. Please be sure to shred any documents that are in your purge pile or those that you’ve scanned and archived. You can take documents to Staples to be shred for a low fee or check what local services may be offered to you – for example, in San Diego, SDCCU hosts an annual “Super Shred” event.
Streamline and Automate- Now that you’ve gone through your physical documents to purge and catalog, sign up for electronic statements for your various accounts. You won’t have to worry about the paper pile-up and you can either download or keep your statements on the service provider’s site. Weatherly also offers a client portal where you can view your current and historical quarterly statements; we can sign you up if you haven’t already. Our portal is also home to our client vault where you can post documents, like your estate plans and tax returns, and we will download and save them to our secure server indefinitely. We also recommend aggregator sites like Mint to track your monthly spending and budgeting. You can link multiple accounts for easy viewing of what you’re spending each week, month or year.
Create a Roadmap for Yourself- Tracking your monthly budget may lead you to question how much you should be putting away for retirement, or if you’re spending or gifting too much or too little. We work with our clients on detailed financial plans to answer these questions and more. We touched on this topic briefly in a previous blog on Managing Longevity and financial planning is one of the keys to managing your assets in a manner during your working years that would allow for comfortable and seamless retirement later in life. We analyze income and spending, assets and liabilities and the various buckets you’re putting funds into each year to come up with a plan for the future. Just like going to your doctor for your annual physical, we want to review your plan at least annually for accuracy and a good financial health “check-up.”
Create a Roadmap for your Heirs- Reviewing your estate and legal documents are just as important as reviewing your financial plans. Each year brings updates to our tax codes and even changes to laws pertaining to estates, which could translate into a change for your current estate plan. There are a multitude of reasons to re-evaluate your plans, in addition to changes in tax codes, like changes to your family or wealth. A basic will may not suffice if your financial plan shows that you’ll amass substantial assets throughout your lifetime. You can review our blog on Estate Planning to see if an update is appropriate for you – or you can give us a call to discuss (and possibly share your estate documents electronically via our portal if you have completed your electronic cataloging!)
Upgrade- As much at it sometimes pains us, it may be time to upgrade some of your technology. If you’ve been writing your passwords down on sticky notes, you could benefit from an app like Keeper that manages your passwords in one secure place. Make sure you also use complex passwords and change them with some frequency to prevent hacking. Log out of any secure website after use and don’t send sensitive information via email. If you need a refresher on our cyber security tips, you can check out the post we wrote here. If you want to re-evaluate or change the RIA you’re working with, you can use sites like Investment Advisor Public Disclosure to view regulatory information and ADV filings for advisors. Also make sure you’re reviewing the type of advisor and fees, if your advisor adheres to fiduciary standards and performance, as these all make an impact in the long-term success of your financial plan.
We wish you all health and wealth in 2017 and success with all of your goals and resolutions! Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can be of assistance.
** The information provided should not be interpreted as a recommendation, no aspects of your individual financial situation were considered. Always consult a financial professional before implementing any strategies derived from the information above.