[Financial Advising Levels | Gifford Financial

CHOOSING HOW TO WORK WITH YOUR ADVISOR

Every client prefers to work with his or her financial advisor differently. Use the chart below to evaluate your options, and determine what type of relationship will allow your financial advisor to best serve you.

	Financial Planning	Wealth Management	Transaction Based
Services	We provide detailed, integrated analysis of your personal financial goals and present recommendations designed to help you achieve them.	We provide proactive investment advice utilizing one of several investment advisory accounts and investment approaches.	We provide investment and insurance recommendations on accounts and assets.
Financial Topics	Advice on key financial planning areas: Cash and liabilities Protection Investments Education Accumulation Distribution Tax strategies Retirement Estate planning Business planning	Ongoing investment advice and recommendations for assets held within the selected accounts based on your time frame, risk tolerance, and investment objective	Guidance on specific brokerage investments and insurance products based on your time frame, risk tolerance and investment objective
Meetings/ Contacts	Generally 1-2 meetings per year	Generally 1-2 meetings per year	Generally one meeting per year
Written Financial Plan?	Yes – written recommendations on agreed upon areas of focus, along with goal tracking over time¹	No; however, you receive written investment advice on assets held within selected accounts	No
Fees/Costs	Fixed or flat hourly fee based on case complexity and your circumstances	Asset-based fee; amount varies based on services selected, account size and your needs (no commissions)	Commission is paid to the agent directly from each company, when certain investments or insurance products are purchased.

	Financial Planning
Services	We provide detailed, integrated analysis of your personal financial goals and present recommendations designed to help you achieve them.
Financial Topics	Advice on key financial planning areas: Cash and liabilities Protection Investments Education Accumulation Distribution Tax strategies Retirement Estate planning Business planning
Meetings/ Contacts	Generally 1-2 meetings per year
Written Financial Plan?	Yes – written recommendations on agreed upon areas of focus, along with goal tracking over time¹
Fees/Costs	Fixed or flat hourly fee based on case complexity and your circumstances

	Wealth Management
Services	We provide proactive investment advice utilizing one of several investment advisory accounts and investment approaches.
Financial Topics	Ongoing investment advice and recommendations for assets held within the selected accounts based on your time frame, risk tolerance, and investment objective
Meetings/ Contacts	Generally 1-2 meetings per year
Written Financial Plan?	No; however, you receive written investment advice on assets held within selected accounts
Fees/Costs	Asset-based fee; amount varies based on services selected, account size and your needs (no commissions)

	Transaction Based
Services	We provide investment and insurance recommendations on accounts and assets.
Financial Topics	Guidance on specific brokerage investments and insurance products based on your time frame, risk tolerance and investment objective
Meetings/ Contacts	Generally one meeting per year
Written Financial Plan?	No
Fees/Costs	Commission is paid to the agent directly from each company, when certain investments or insurance products are purchased.

¹Goal tracking overtime only available if ongoing financial planning is chosen.