Case Study: Finding Confidence through Relationship-Based Financial Advising
Introduction
Mark and his wife moved to Atlanta, GA 11 years ago. At the time, the two felt they had a well thought out financial strategy that allowed them to stay generally on track, though there remained a high level of uncertainty in their planning as they did not have support from an advisor. As the two launched into a new phase of life in Atlanta, they decided to begin searching for an advisor who could validate they were on the right path and help fine-tune their financial strategy for the future.
Challenges and Goals
Before engaging with Truly Aligned, Mark and his wife faced significant challenges in their financial planning process. They knew they wanted to learn about various optimization strategies but didn’t even know where to begin, what questions to ask, or to whom. A collaborative relationship when choosing an advisor was of critical importance to both Mark and his wife, so they set out to find someone whose personality and approach were most clearly aligned with theirs.
Decision-Making Process
Shortly after the move to Atlanta, Mark was introduced to Max Clifford, Co-Founder of Truly Aligned who at the time was working at a different financial services organization. Mark interviewed a number of potential advisors, was courted by many, and ultimately chose Max due to his personable nature and straightforward advice. Mark valued the relationship-driven nature of Max’s approach, finding him very insightful and easy to work with.
After almost a decade of working together, Max left his company in 2023 to build Truly Aligned, a financial services organization that he co-founded with his wife. Mark committed to staying with Max during the transition and moving to Truly Aligned, particularly given that the new company was built upon the same pillars that mattered most to Mark and his wife — a relationship-based approach to financial services, rooted in transparency and trust.
Implementation and Onboarding
The onboarding process with Truly Aligned was very straightforward and recommendations were clear, with defined objectives and outcomes. The couple most appreciated the company’s streamlined process, which made it easy to get up and running during implementation and onboarding. They also liked the ability to see their entire financial strategy consolidated on one webpage and delivered in a clear, concise and easy-to-digest manner.
Furthermore, Truly Aligned’s dynamic customer-centric Financial Alignment Experience and Lifetime Financial Strategy process confirmed the couple’s financial strategy was on track while also identifying additional actions to better optimize for the future.
Service Experience
The team at Truly Aligned provided continuous support and education to Mark and his wife, answering questions promptly and thoroughly. Mark and his wife felt a great sense of peace knowing they had an advocate evaluating the best financial approaches for their family, which allowed them to focus on other priorities in day-to-day life.
In addition, Max helped Mark and his wife uncover previously unaddressed holes in their financial strategy. For example, he taught them the importance of emergency funds, which proved invaluable when the couple needed to provide unplanned financial support to an extended family member.
Results and Achievements
With over a decade working together, Max and the team at Truly Aligned have had a significant positive impact on the financial planning process for Mark and his wife. Mark and his wife expanded and diversified their general savings and retirement planning strategies to achieve more flexibility and confidence as they looked towards their future.
“I highly recommend the team at Truly Aligned for their responsiveness, comprehensive planning, and tailored approach to financial services,” said Mark. “Many people focus solely on the hard numbers in their financial planning process, but they don’t recognize the immense value and confidence that comes from having an experienced advocate like Truly Aligned managing strategies so that the client can focus on other priorities in life.”
Conclusion
Under Max Clifford’s leadership, Truly Aligned has been instrumental in helping Mark and his wife pursue financial confidence through their tailored, comprehensive financial strategies and unwavering support. The couple’s journey highlights the importance of personalized advice and a strong client-advisor relationship in achieving success during the financial planning process.
Disclosures:
This is a hypothetical example and is not representative of any specific investment. Your results may vary. (88-LPL)
This is a hypothetical situation based on real life examples. Names and circumstances have been changed. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which investments or strategies may be appropriate for you, consult your advisor prior to investing. (150-LPL)
There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk. (26-LPL)
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