The gap between the comprehensive planning that clients need and what they often receive is huge, and the shortfall exists across a disturbingly large number of issues.
Why does this happen?
The essential financial advice business owners and wealthy households need almost always comes down to one of three activities: growing money, keeping money, and giving away money for reasons of family well-being and making the world a better place.
All are important, but keeping money in the face of taxes is often the most important challenge for those who have accumulated significant wealth. Paradoxically, it's the one goal that a business owner's or wealthy family’s advisors frequently overlook.
These challenges are present in every one of the issues that comprise the Client Underservice Gap.
So here's a critical point that these clients often already know instinctively: when wealth reaches a certain point, a huge issue becomes preventing its depletion by heavy taxation.
And here's the big secret about the critical point: this is where people lose control. That loss of control means loss of money, to taxes, year after year after year.
We focus on helping you regain that control. But as things stand, keeping money frequently doesn't get the attention it deserves.
Many business owners find this situation frustrating. And a systematic way to keep money can get less attention than it should because it's more challenging and complex work that lies outside the comfort zone of many financial advisors and CPAs.
So what's the answer?
The Gap Between Business Owners and Their CPAs
Many, if not most business owners would like, and perhaps even expect, their CPA to deliver great ideas on how to pay less in taxes. But the CPAs, who often lack time, may instead emphasize their role in keeping their clients out of trouble with the IRS.
Business Owners Want and Need More
Staying out of trouble is essential, but many of the business owners I know want a lot more.
A Business Owner's Needs Often Aren't Getting the Attention They Deserve
We believe that since financial advisors are often focused elsewhere, and CPAs often lack time to focus, the planning needed to keep or preserve wealth can remain underdeveloped. It’s something that business owners need and it gets less attention than it deserves.
Keeping Money Should Be at the Heart of the Planning Process
Palmerston developed a process, first for CPAs and then for our clients, that places “keeping money” at the heart of the planning process. Growing money and leaving money are important parts of that process too, but keeping money is crucial. It tends to make or break the quality of planning.
Is Collaboration Your Missing Ingredient?
You CAN get what you want out of financial planning services. If your situation is unique or complex, our Team of Experts Planning approach may be right for you.
The best way we can start to help you is with a complimentary assessment: Please click here.
We help business owners just like you and families just like yours harness the numerous and diverse kinds of expertise they need, by building and leading customized virtual teams of experts on their behalf.
Here is a great blog on When Retirement Planning and Tax Planning Come Together.