What to Expect
Running the Full Course Together
Ongoing Partnership
What to Prepare—and When
You don’t need a complete set of financial documents for an introductory conversation. Bring your questions and a general sense of what you would like to accomplish.
For the detailed planning stage, we’ll provide a list tailored to your situation. Requested information may include:
- Recent investment and retirement account statements.
- A summary of income, spending, and outstanding debt.
- Social Security estimates or pension information.
- Relevant tax returns and insurance details.
- Existing estate documents, where appropriate.
We’ll explain how to share sensitive documents through a secure document-sharing portal.
From Your First Conversation to Implementation
The introductory consultation gives you an opportunity to learn about the firm before beginning an advisory relationship.
If we agree to work together, we review the scope of services, fees, and advisory agreement with you.
The initial review and planning process typically takes 7-10 days after we receive the necessary information. Account transfers and more complex planning needs may require additional time. We’ll explain what to expect and keep you informed as the process moves forward.
Coordinating With Your Other Professionals
Financial decisions often overlap with tax and estate considerations. With your permission, we can coordinate with your accountant or attorney to help align investment and planning recommendations with their guidance.
Our role is to identify relevant financial questions and help connect the decisions. Tax preparation and legal advice remain with the professionals responsible for those services.
Support as Your Life Changes
Scheduled reviews are one part of the relationship. We also encourage you to contact us before a significant financial decision or when your circumstances change.
A new job, inheritance, business transition, home purchase, or approaching retirement date may create questions worth addressing before taking action. We help you evaluate how those changes fit into your broader plan.
Start With a Conversation
Your first meeting is a chance to discuss your priorities, ask questions, and get to know Finish Line. We’ll explain how we work, what services may fit your needs, and how our fees are structured.
The initial consultation is complimentary, with no obligation to become a client. No formal preparation is required, though you’re welcome to bring questions or information you would like to discuss.
Call (716)271-1112 to speak with our team.
1. Discuss Your Goals and Priorities
The Starting Gate Conversation
Our first conversation focuses on you—what you’re working toward, the decisions you face, and what you want from an advisory relationship. You may be preparing for retirement, evaluating your investments, or looking for a more coordinated approach to your finances.
We’ll start with what matters to you. We will listen to your priorities, answer your questions, and explain our services and fees so you can decide whether you’d like to take the next step.
What you can expect: A clear understanding of our services and the next steps, with time to ask questions before making any decisions.
2. Review Your Financial Picture
Handicapping Your Current Position
If we decide to move forward, we gather the information needed to understand your finances in greater detail. Depending on your needs, this may include investment accounts, retirement benefits, income, spending, debt, insurance, and relevant tax or estate documents.
We review how those pieces fit together and identify areas that deserve attention. This helps us establish priorities before making recommendations.
What you can expect: A review of your current situation, including potential gaps, opportunities, and decisions to address.
3. Develop Your Financial Plan and Investment Strategy
Building the Race Strategy
We develop recommendations based on your goals, time horizon, income needs, and comfort with risk. Your plan may address retirement readiness, savings priorities, investment allocation, withdrawal planning, and tax considerations.
We walk through the recommendations together, explain the assumptions behind them, and discuss the tradeoffs. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions and refine the approach before implementation.
What you can expect: A written financial plan, retirement projections, an investment proposal, and a prioritized action list.
4. Put Your Plan Into Action
Breaking from the Gate
Once you agree on the strategy, we help coordinate the next steps. These may include opening accounts, transferring assets, adjusting investments, or establishing contributions and distributions.
We review existing holdings before recommending changes, considering their role in your plan, potential tax consequences, and any account restrictions. We also clarify which steps we will handle and where your participation or another professional’s involvement is needed.
What you can expect: An implementation plan with clear responsibilities and guidance through the account and investment transition.
5. Review Progress and Adjust Together
Staying on Course
Your financial plan should evolve with your life. We review progress, revisit assumptions, and evaluate whether your investments and planning priorities continue to fit your circumstances.
Ongoing conversations give us an opportunity to discuss changes in your family, career, business, or retirement plans. We also consider developments in markets and tax rules where they affect your strategy.
What you can expect: Annual or Quarterly meetings, ongoing portfolio oversight, and always a phone call away as needed.
