Family Counseling
Looking back to when we first met, through a referral from an inner circle relationship, there was a bull’s eye you were aiming for – a known opportunity or problem in search of an arrow of expertise or sage wisdom. At this point, together, we have solved the prevailing issue, perhaps more effectively than anticipated.
We likewise know that successful families and business owners lead lives of constant change, and systems left unattended do not self-adjust. Should you choose to proactively sustain the integrity of what we’ve collectively achieved, while keeping an eye around the next hairpin curve of change, we offer a two-tiered system of ongoing engagement options.
At the heart of our Family Counselor Programs, there are three key systems: the family system, the system of a family with its key advisors, and the technical aspects of wealth. Joy can drive the bus in all three systems, as long as we know the destination.
At both engagement levels, we sit at your planning table with a profound commitment: to always show up with collaboration, humility, and a wider than expected lens. Curiosity serves us all well, knowing that whatever’s happening to the right or the left of the conscious topic likely has profound influence on long-term success.
Level I: Family Counselor Engagement
Most families aren’t aware that planning strategies are dynamic in their own right. In fact, most estate and business planning messes arise from a lack of methodology and accountability for continuous management.
Obvious changes, such as family events and dynamics, will impact your planning. Also, changes in the financial markets, legal landscape and tax code will cause your planning to shift. With a careful eye, these shifts can be tended to without devastating your planning.
The below meetings are optional, at the request and/or need of the Client. Some years will have heavier on work and meetings, and some years may be lighter on work and meetings. Some meetings may be combined or skipped. This is a true retainer for the reservation of Firm resources for the benefit of the Client.
Introductory Visit
- We meet for about an hour to listen, ask questions, and gain a current understanding of your concerns and desired outcomes. Where appropriate, we explain our process and set a time for you to meet with us and your trusted advisors to chart the preliminary course of the FamilyCounselor™ Program for this year.
Gathering and Evaluation
- We gather, review, and synthesize your existing Wealth Strategies Plan including new and/or changed data and then meet with your Collaborative Advisor Team to review our initial impressions and refine the Tactical Planning Session agenda. This information is provided by you or your other advisors, such as financial planners, CPAs, etc.
Tactical Planning Session
- We facilitate your family or team members through up to a half-day tactical planning session sometimes utilizing our “Nine Key Business or Family Questions” or similar format exploring your legal, financial, tax, and family developments. Together we identify areas of misalignment and alignment.
- Where concerns exist, we seek clarity of the problem and practical solutions that may not have been obvious before and allow you to recalibrate as things may change. We then develop this year’s potential Enhancement Initiatives to be assigned to the appropriate advisors and team members with timelines and responsibilities.
Enhancement Initiative Implementation, Phase One
- Through phone calls, email, mail, and physical (or remote) meetings, your advisory team assists, coordinates, and assigns the implementation of each of the Enhancement Initiatives to your appropriate firm while keeping you and each other informed.
Advisor Update and Planning Session
- As Wealth Strategies plans are not plug and play, we need to benchmark and monitor your plan and goals, keeping in mind end-of-year tax planning and current asset and estate values. In up to a half-day session, we coordinate update meetings with each of your advisors to understand the status and progress regarding your legal, financial, and tax situation, organized by advisor and associated enhancement initiatives. Where you have engaged other law, accounting, and/or similar financial firms for prior or current implementation(s), client acknowledges the firm is not, and does not claim to be an expert in those areas and is not responsible for past, current or future advisor implementation.
Enhancement Initiative Implementation, Phase Two
- Your advisory team continues communication amongst each other and you while finalizing the Enhancement Initiatives and refinements developed at the Advisor Update and Planning Session. We help you and the advisory team stay on track, complete implementation, and prepare for the end-of-year Confirmation Meeting.
Confirmation
- Following implementation, we meet with you and your other advisors for an hour or two Confirmation Meeting to review and address the Implementation Details, Exception Reports, and Remaining Questions. Where appropriate we discuss the following year.
Level II: Family Counselor & Synergy Engagement
All the great work we’ve done so far, on your family’s cherished relationships and cherished assets, in collaboration with your longstanding advisors, offers a robust foundation on which to build the family’s thriving future.
Working directly with Joe or Steve and their teams, your Level II engagement includes all aspects of the Level I engagement. Unique to Level II, we proactively steward all three systems, nourishing and building upon your foundation.
At times, a family finds the need for additional Co-Passion Retreat work, to clear any clouds that have crept in. Families can choose the length and frequency of these a la carte needs under separate engagement.