Savant - University Wealth Management

What You Can Expect

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What You Can Expect

When You’re Ready To Take Advantage of Our Wise Counsel

The Savant University Wealth Management Experience

We are committed to providing the value and experience you deserve. Collectively, we offer our deep knowledge, credentials, work ethic, character, reputation, and experience from decades of planning relationships with university professionals. We look forward to meeting you!

Here is a breakdown of our process.

Introduction

During your introductory conversation, a member of our team will welcome you. We’ll gather some preliminary details –basic contact information, what brought you to Savant University Wealth Management, some general information on your financial planning to date, and a general overview of your most pressing concerns. We will then schedule a one-hour complimentary review meeting with one of our advisors.

Review Meeting

You’ll learn more about who we are, what we do, and how we can help. An advisor will gain a better understanding of your values, goals, priorities, and the state of your financial situation. We will review your retirement planning, investments, tax planning, and estate planning to get a clear understanding of the state of your financial plan. We use this information to help provide clear strategies you can consider using and identify any gaps you should address. Based on your goals and priorities, we analyze your situation and explore the possibility of partnering with you.

Proposal

A Savant University Wealth Management proposal presents an overview of your situation and a summary of how we can help. Our overview will also include more specific recommendations for next steps. A plan is only as strong as its execution, and after you become a client, our team will partner with you to complete the steps that will help you get you closer to meeting your goals. Then, we’ll continually review your plan to ensure you're on track.

FAQs Becoming a Client FAQs

Q: How can the University Wealth Management team help me? What is the first step?

Complete this form to request an introductory call. During this meeting, we will discuss your financial planning to date as well as your financial situation now. The advisor will outline what to expect during your complimentary one-hour review meeting and schedule that meeting for a time convenient for you and your spouse or partner (if applicable).

Q: I’ve met with a financial advisor before. How is a review meeting with your team any different?

Often, we find that clients’ previous interactions with advisors revolved mostly around investments. Our review meeting will include analysis of the core areas of planning, including investment accounts inside and outside your university plans, tax planning, estate planning, and a review of key items around retirement planning. Our goal is for people we meet with to leave the meeting with several planning strategies they can use, whether they choose to engage with Savant University Wealth Management or not.

Q: Can your team manage assets within my university retirement accounts?

Yes. When you work with us, we complete an authorization process that enables our team to manage assets within your university retirement plan as well as outside of it. We also can manage accounts your spouse or partner may have (if applicable) and manage all the household retirement accounts as one unified portfolio.

Q: How are you different than my university retirement plan vendor?

All defined contribution university retirement plans must have a vendor or custodian to take “custody,” or hold, the assets that retirement plan participants like you accumulate while working for the university. Custodians typically can advise on different investment options within the plans and around retirement income projections associated with these retirement plans.

Savant is a fee-only, fiduciary advisor. We don’t sell products, so we can help provide comprehensive planning services and potentially minimize conflicts of interest. We can advise on any vendor accounts or brokerage accounts. Our comprehensive plans not only include wealth management, but also tax planning, estate planning, and retirement planning.

Q: I like working with TIAA/ Fidelity/ Vanguard for my retirement assets. If I work with your firm, do I have to stop using them?

No. If you will be keeping your assets within your university retirement plan, we will use your preferred vendor(s).

Q: Does Savant University Wealth Management have any knowledge of my university benefits?

Yes! With more than 30 years of providing comprehensive financial planning specifically to university employees, we have in-depth knowledge of both general trends in university benefit packages as well as knowledge of specific university plans. We can help you maximize the benefits available to you through your university.

Q: What is a fiduciary?

A fiduciary is a professional who stands in a special relationship of trust, confidence, and/or legal responsibility with a client.We area Registered Investment Adviser, which means we are required by law to act in our clients’ best interest. We take this responsibility very seriously.

Q: What does fee-only mean?

“Fee-only” means that we only receive compensation from our clients. We don’t receive commissions or other payments from financial product providers. Our costs are transparent and easy to understand.

Q: What is your fee structure?

Our fees are based on a percentage of assets managed. Your financial advisor can provide more specifics.

Q: Do you have a minimum amount that I need to have in my investment accounts?

To begin a relationship with us, you typically need to have an investment portfolio of at least $300,000.