FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about wealth management and CAISSA
CAISSA, the Goddess of Chess, is pronounced “ky-suh.”
We are in the business of strategic wealth planning. We carefully think multiple steps ahead, not unlike how one would analyze and plan a move in chess.
Like chess, our clients have many financial pieces on their board of life. Some more valuable than others, but important none-the-less. We analyze and manage ALL of the financial pieces to strategize how to integrate and implement a plan that works for you and your unique situation. We act as personal chief financial officer, or CFO, so you don’t have to.
We provide advice and oversight of your wealth that is based on the best interests of you and your unique situation. Our committed goals for our clients is that we will be as dedicated, if not more, to your financial plan than you are, our services will pay for themselves and we will torpedo proof your retirement plan.
Personal CFO: knowing, understanding, managing, and implementing all the financial pieces on your board of life. Bringing them together in one consistent strategy.
Retirement torpedoes are toxic events that impact your strategy and can devastate your retirement vision. Once that happens, you may have no choice but to work longer, take greater risk, or even adjust your lifestyle. The sooner torpedoes are acknowledged, the less adjusting you’ll have to do.
No, we have NO PRODUCTS to sell.
As an RIA, CAISSA advises with fiduciary responsibility, meaning the best interest of our client MUST always come first and therefore all client strategies look a little different to fit their unique needs. We are fee-only so our value is in our process, not in a product!
Tranche
/tran(t)SH/
a portion of something, especially money
For our clients, our tranches of income process is what connects the dots between the financial plan and the investment allocation. A tranche is a section of retirement cash flow that we strategize to match investments to so our clients will ALWAYS have the cash flow to live and don’t need to worry when markets tumble.
We work with people going through the stressful time of divorce to map out a path to a greater outcome. As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), Kelly works with attorneys, mediators, and directly with clients. We will analyze tax situations, project cash flows, strategize asset settlements, and review documents to provide financial planning for divorced women and men.
CAISSA can work with one spouse or with both spouses together to come to a resolution that’s for the greater good of both parties. Learn more about our divorce planning services.
Yes, we have several service levels available. We can run flat-fee financial plans that will also address asset allocation but will not detail out investment recommendations.
This is a service we do not provide. Our investment recommendations need to be diligently implemented and we rely on our team only to do so.
We firmly believe in building relationships and that it must be a win-win for each party to work together. This is why our initial meetings are free with no obligations. Only then can trust be established.
Regular contact helps ensure that everyone is clear about your financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment strategy. Depending on your preferred level of service, we may meet with you quarterly, bi-annually, or annually. Conversations via phone and email between meetings are encouraged.
There is no charge for the initial meeting. Our relationships are always on an at-will basis. We will work together as long as there is value perceived by all.
There is no obligation – our relationships are always at-will.
We conduct intense due diligence to assemble the best portfolio managers who yield the most efficient returns. This is why our investment committee travels to vet each of our investment managers in-person before we start working with them.
While most clients will own very similar investments, they will own them in a different proportion. We analyze the investments to use and then buy them in an amount that fits your needs personally. No two client portfolios look alike.
No. We will assess your needs and goals through our personal financial planning and CAISSA’s tranches of income processes which drives us the right mix of investments specific to you.
Data protection and safety are of the utmost concern at CAISSA. We use advanced encryption software to safely send and receive sensitive information. This allows our clients and colleagues to have bank-level secure access to their files and documents anywhere, anytime.
We will work with you and help facilitate the transfer of your accounts to CAISSA, following up to make sure it gets done correctly. We monitor every share and every dollar throughout the process.
A registered investment advisor (RIA) is a professional advisory firm that offers personalized financial advice to its clients, many of whom are affluent.
- Many independent RIAs work with complex portfolios and address unique needs that require a highly customized level of investment management strategy and consultation.
- Many independent RIAs are owned by the individual advisors who run them.
- Many independent RIAs provide advice and services for a fee based on a percentage of the client’s assets.
- RIA firms are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or state securities regulators, are subject to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of their clients.
CAISSA uses Charles Schwab to hold and safeguard clients’ assets. For many investors, this provides a reassuring system of checks and balances because your money is not held by the same person who advises you about how to invest it. The custodian holds your investments and acts as the gatekeeper to your assets. Charles Schwab has provided custodial services to independent financial advisors for more than 25 years.
We work on a fee only type platform. This means that you pay a fee based on your investment value and we do not accept commissions. Our goals are aligned with the clients’ to invest in the BEST investments and the most efficient fee level. We grow together.
Much like requiring a CPA to do your taxes, we believe only a CFP® should provide your financial plan. At CAISSA, ONLY CFP® professionals serve as our wealth advisors.
No, not all advisors have earned their CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation.
Today more than ever, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals are an essential resource. From budgeting, to planning for retirement, to saving for education, to managing your taxes and your insurance coverage, “finance” doesn’t mean just one thing for most Americans – and “financial planning” means much more than just investing. Bringing all the pieces of your financial life together is a challenging task.
Although many professionals may call themselves “financial planners,” CFP® professionals have completed extensive training and experience requirements and are held to rigorous ethical standards. They understand all the complexities of the changing financial climate and will make recommendations in your best interest” (CFP.net).
CFP® professionals expand their knowledge and stay up-to-date on the latest information through mandatory continuing education courses. If the planner holds a financial planning designation or certification, you can check his background with the relevant professional organizations. To search for CFP® professionals, visit CFP.net or call 866-626-5115.
Our stand-alone financial plans cost approximately $3,000 – $10,000. Our investment management minimum is $1,000,000 in assets under management and includes investment and financial planning. CAISSA has the ability to waive minimum fees for unique circumstances.
This is very common. Many people feel this way. However, by finding out the gaps sooner than later, you will be able to bridge them that much easier and faster.
We have worked with clients in many different situations, such as during job transitions, selling or buying a business, succession planning, nearing retirement, divorce or litigation settlements, current manager not advising holistically, and many others.
We have the experience and expertise to help you develop a financial and investment plan that can help you maintain your desired lifestyle not only until retirement, but through retirement. If we see an issue or a torpedo lurking that might cause your plan to go off course, we will work with you to either change the strategy or implement a tool to fix it.
We do provide tax strategies and estate planning guidance and strategies to educate clients on their options and implement them with the help of the tax accountant and attorney.
We partner with your accountant and your attorney to draft tax strategies and estate plans and to make sure that your financial plan and investment mix are aligned with these strategies.
While we manage investments, we know they’re not the only area of your retirement plan that needs attention. That’s why we start with the financial plan.
Every financial planning client receives a personal plan integrating cash flows, taxes, net worth statements, and, in some cases, insurance analysis and estate plan reviews. Utilizing your financial plan as the driver, we back into a scenario of cash flows and investment allocations that provide for a very detailed investment strategy.
NO. We run a tight compliance ship at CAISSA.
Yes, please ask and we will be more than happy to provide them.
“A CDFA professional is a financial professional skilled at analyzing data and providing expertise on the financial issues of divorce. The role of the CDFA professional is to assist the client and his or her attorney to understand how the decisions he or she makes today will impact the client’s financial future.” (The Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts (IDFA™))
Yes, in this age of technology, we are able to serve clients wherever they are.
Not all investments should be sold. We transfer “as-is” and assess from there how to massage your portfolio to maximize its potential.
The CFP® board has put together a great list of things to ask:
Yes, we carry Errors and Omissions insurance at all times.
