WHAT ARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND CREDENTIALS?

Ask your advisor about their qualifications and how they stay informed about changes and advancements in financial planning. CFP® professionals are required to pursue ongoing education, ensuring they continually enhance their expertise and stay current with the evolving financial landscape

At Total Financial Management, our team is comprised of highly qualified professionals, including CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) practitioners, CPAs, and other specialized experts. Each team member is dedicated to ongoing education and professional development to stay informed about the latest trends, regulations, and advancements in financial planning. This commitment ensures we provide our clients with informed, forward-thinking advice tailored to their unique financial goals.

What Services Do you Offer?

An advisor’s credentials, licenses, and background determine the services they can offer. Ask your advisor about the specific products, services, and guidance they provide to ensure they meet your needs.

At Total Financial Management, we offer a wide range of services designed to address all aspects of your financial life. These include financial planning, investment management, retirement planning, tax strategies, estate planning, and risk management. Our team’s diverse credentials and licenses enable us to provide customized solutions tailored to your specific goals and needs. We work closely with each client to ensure the products, services, and guidance we deliver align with their unique financial requirements.

Will You have a fiduciary duty to me?

A fiduciary is committed to putting your interests ahead of their own, especially when conflicts of interest arise. They are required to disclose any conflicts and prioritize your interests at all times. However, not all financial professionals are bound by a fiduciary obligation, so it’s important to confirm this with your advisor.

At Total Financial Management, we operate under a fiduciary standard, which requires us to always act in our clients’ best interests. We follow a FEE-ONLY compensation model, which helps minimize conflicts of interest and ensures that your financial planner is fully committed to acting as a fiduciary. This approach reinforces our dedication to transparency, trust, and providing advice that aligns with your financial goals.

WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO FINANCIAL PLANNING?

Ask if the advisor will create a comprehensive financial plan for you and take responsibility for implementing it. Also, inquire whether they work with other professionals to execute the plan. Some recommendations may involve specialists, or you might have the option to handle implementation yourself.

At Total Financial Management, we take a holistic approach to financial planning, supported by a dedicated team of highly qualified professionals.. Once you become a client, you will follow a specific checklist designed to address your unique financial needs. Based on this tailored information, we will develop a timeline to ensure we meet your goals. We create comprehensive financial plans, taking full responsibility for their implementation, and provide seamless, personalized wealth management that empowers you to achieve lasting financial success. To keep you informed, we send a weekly recap of financial market activity, offering insights, our thoughts, and any concerns to help you stay up to date.

WHAT TYPES OF CLIENTS DO YOU TYPICALLY WORK WITH?

Some financial advisors specialize in clients with specific asset levels, so it’s important to find one who fits your financial situation. Share any unique circumstances with the advisor to see if they’re the right match. CFP® professionals often highlight specialties, such as working with small business owners or advising women, which can help you gauge their expertise in areas relevant to you.

At Total Financial Management, we work with a diverse range of clients, including individuals, families, businesses, nonprofits, and retirement plans. Our clients typically have a combination of investable assets totaling $100,000 or more, and we tailor our services to meet their unique financial goals and circumstances. We welcome the opportunity to learn about your specific needs to determine how we can best support your financial success.

WILL YOU BE THE ONLY ADVISOR WORKING WITH ME?

Ask about the structure of the advisor’s practice—do they work with clients directly or as part of a team? Also, find out who will be involved in working with you. If the advisor collaborates with outside professionals, request a list of their names, roles, and qualifications for transparency.

At Total Financial Management, you’ll work with a team of professionals, each uniquely qualified to address different aspects of your financial situation. While you’ll have a primary advisor as your main point of contact, you’ll also build relationships with other team members to ensure a well-rounded approach to managing your financial needs.

HOW WILL I PAY FOR YOUR SERVICES?

Financial advice can be compensated in several ways. You might pay a percentage of assets managed, an hourly rate, or a fixed fee for specific services.

At Total Financial Management, we follow a FEE-ONLY compensation model, with fees based on a percentage of your investable assets. This means our success is tied to yours—we earn more when your investments grow. We do not receive any compensation from the products we recommend or sell, ensuring our advice is always in your best interest.

HOW MUCH DO YOU TYPICALLY CHARGE?

The cost will depend on your specific needs and circumstances. Your advisor should provide an estimated breakdown of potential charges based on the services you require and any products needed to implement your plan.

At Total Financial Management. our base fee structure is as follows: 1.25% annually (125 basis points) on the first $1 million of investable assets. 1.00% annually (100 basis points) on assets over $1 million and up to $3 million. 0.80% annually (80 basis points) on assets exceeding $3 million. We have a minimum annual fee of $2,500. Financial planning services without investment management are also available on a case by case basis.

DO OTHERS STAND TO GAIN FROM THE FINANCIAL ADVICE YOU GIVE ME?

Ask the advisor to disclose any potential conflicts of interest. For example, advisors who sell insurance, securities, or mutual funds may have business ties to the companies providing these products. Understanding these conflicts helps you decide whether to accept them or consider working with another advisor.

No. At Total Financial Management, we are fiduciaries, committed to acting exclusively in your best interest and upholding the highest standard of care and responsibility. We do not accept any direct or indirect compensation from the investments you are placed in. While no investment firm can be entirely free from conflicts, we believe this approach represents the closest path to achieving true independence for our clients.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN PUBLICLY DISCIPLINEDFOR ANY UNLAWFUL OR UNETHICAL ACTIONS IN YOUR CAREER?

Ask if your advisor has ever faced disciplinary action from any regulatory organization. You can check their records through tools like FINRA’s Broker Check or the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database.

At Total Financial Management, we are proud to maintain a clean disciplinary record. None of our advisors have faced public disciplinary action from any regulatory organization. We encourage clients to verify our commitment to integrity by reviewing our records on resources like FINRA’s BrokerCheck or the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database. Transparency and trust are cornerstones of our practice.