Question 1

How are you different or unique?

Accepted Answer

#1 – We don’t sell products or represent a bank, insurance company, or investment brokerage. Blake is a fiduciary for all clients at all times. Clients simply pay a transparent fee to work with us.#2 – Blake has over 10 years of experience working one-on-one with clients and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. All clients at Wave work directly with him.#3 – We utilize a unique investment approach modeled after focused value investing (modeled after Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway). We call our disciplined, business-focused, long-term investment style WaveFocused Investing. This is different, and, we believe, more fruitful than the investment approaches used by the vast majority of financial advisory firms. Most firms simply place their client's portfolio in 20-50 funds. We believe this is unnecessary and creates excess fees and complexity.

Question 2

Do I have enough money to work with you?

Accepted Answer

We have no asset or income minimums. Our transparent fee for service is structured in a way that most individuals and families can easily afford to pay us. We also offer different service models to allow for maximum customization. Our goal is, and always will be, to provide more value than we charge.

Question 3

What services do you offer?

Accepted Answer

Ongoing financial planning for a flat monthly fee.

Ongoing investment management for a percent of assets-under-management.

Ongoing investment advice (without management) for a flat monthly fee.

Hourly financial planning & investment advice for a flat hourly fee.

Question 4

When and how will we meet?

Accepted Answer

We meet all prospective clients virtually via Zoom. Initially, we offer a complimentary intro call to see if we’re a good fit. Then, most clients hire us to serve them long-term. We then begin “The Starting Point” which is a comprehensive service that takes place over four meetings typically completed in our first month together. After this, we see all clients for a progress review every February and August. Clients have access to Blake throughout the year on an as-needed basis.

Question 5

What is financial life planning?

Accepted Answer

Financial life planning is a style of planning that seeks to understand the client’s deepest goals and values. This allows the client to use money as a tool to live their version of the good life. Blake has completed the Seven Stages of Money Maturity™ training program via the Kinder Institute of Life Planning.

Question 6

How soon will we make progress?

Accepted Answer

We don’t waste time. We will quickly make progress on your most important financial concerns and goals. We expect to make tremendous progress with you during our first month together. Then, we will seek to make continuous progress on your most important financial goals throughout the future via our proactive and ongoing planning experience.

Question 7

What is FI/RE?

Accepted Answer

This stands for financial independence/retire early. Most of our clients are on track to be financially independent well before the age of 60. This means they will be able to live comfortably off their assets (investment portfolio, business income, pension, etc.) for the rest of their life. FI/RE is a key focus and area of specialization for us.

Question 8

How can I pay less in taxes?

Accepted Answer

There are many ways to reduce your taxes both now and throughout the future. Many of these tax strategies are dependent on your individual situation. A few general ways to consider (not tax advice):  health savings account, individual retirement accounts, 401k/403b/457 plans, 529 plan, properly tracking and deducting business expenses, and staying in your primary home for at least two years prior to selling it. Two of my favorites are the health savings account and Roth IRA. I believe these are two of the most tax-friendly accounts that exist.

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