Frequently Asked Questions

You should work with someone you feel comfortable with and trust. They should understand you and your specific situation and be experienced in the field of financial planning. We believe they should be CFP® * professionals as all advisors at Keel are.

*The CFP® certification is a financial planning credential awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. (the “CFP Board”) to individuals who meet its education, examination, experience and ethics requirements.  Such certifications generally do not replace a financial professional’s licensing and qualification requirements in their jurisdiction.  You can check the background of an individual or firm on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

Successful financial planning is a lifelong process. It’s never too early to start incorporating strategies to set you on the right path. We believe financial planning can make a meaningful and positive financial impact on your life, no matter how early or late you are.

It’s helpful to pull together and organize your financial data, at Keel, we go a step further and help you obtain it. We’ll provide you with a list of required and suggested documents to compile at the outset if you enter into a financial planning agreement with us.

You can retire at any age. It’s just a matter of the lifestyle you want to live. Planning with Keel can help you identify the perfect age.

A financial advisor can help you find the exact dollar amount you’ll need to retire at your ideal age and live the comfortable lifestyle that you desire.

There are tools and strategies to help maintain purchasing power. The answer depends on your specific situation, risk level, and time frame. We can help you plan for a retirement where inflation is taken into account.

While some accountants are proactive and provide strategic advice in anticipation of potential tax pitfalls or how to help potentially maximize tax deductions, etc. Keel will collaborate with your CPA to make sure we’re all on the same page and working in your best interests. The tax planning strategies we provide are not intended to be a substitute for individualized tax advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific tax situation with a CPA or qualified tax advisor.

This is a great question and hard to answer as nobody knows exactly what changes will occur in the tax code during our lifetimes. One thing is for certain – changes will occur. We stay on top of the changing tax environment and constantly evaluate how taxes will affect your plan.

In general, the higher the tax bracket you’re in, the less you get to keep from investments and income sources. As such, we utilize tax-efficient investment and other planning strategies to help mitigate the adverse impact taxes will have on your returns. Please remember that no strategy assures success and all investing involves risk.

Cash flow planning is the process of managing and predicting inflows and outflows of cash to your household. Having control over cash flow helps ensure there’s always enough money to cover expenses and obligations, helping to reduce the risk of financial stress.

Working with a professional planning firm (like Keel) can help you stay ahead of the potential challenges of cash flow planning. By properly anticipating cash flow, you can pursue your life’s goals.

A good plan can help even out the peaks and valleys of your income and consistently keep you one step ahead of possible pitfalls or unexpected expenses.

Absolutely not! Estate planning strategies are a lot more than just paying taxes at death. A few of the highlights of proper estate planning strategies include making sure the things that are important to you happen the way you want them to, that loved ones are properly looked after, and that your affairs are in order.

This depends on several factors, including financial situation, current age, what you want to happen to your money, etc. Naming beneficiaries can be a lot more complex than just choosing one person to receive your assets. There are plenty of things that can go wrong.

There are several parts of estate planning strategies. While some may only be for particular situations, others should be utilized by everyone. Common components of an estate plan include will, trust, power of attorney, health care directive, and guardianship designation.

It’s NEVER too early or too late to start education planning.

That depends on your unique situation and personal objectives, but we can help you identify both.

A great website to start learning is Saving for College. 

Sometimes, yes, but often your employer plan won’t provide as much as you think, or you may not qualify as employer plans can be highly restrictive.

This truly depends upon your specific risks. There are many things to consider and ways to plan for potential long-term care needs. Your financial plan may reveal what the right answer is based upon your unique situation and the rest of your financial circumstances.

Due to the pace of medical advances, the long-term care landscape is rapidly changing. Not everyone benefits from having a long-term care insurance policy. Together, we will help craft a confident strategy.

There’s no right or wrong answer. It depends on the specific situation and your personal needs. Typically, to obtain life insurance, you need to have “an insurable interest” — something to protect (like income). If you have dependents that need your income to survive, having life insurance may be worthwhile.

There are many different types of insurance, and while some are very important in certain situations, we believe insurance is not the best solution in every situation. We help clients identify their needs and risks, and some types of insurance (i.e., life insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance) may be an appropriate strategy, but certainly, this is not always the case.

While they are both investment strategies that we can utilize together, asset allocation is the process of dividing among different asset classes, such as stocks, bonds, cash, etc. with the aim of balancing risk and reward based upon a person’s time horizon, financial objectives and risk tolerance. Please remember that asset allocation does not ensure a profit or protect against loss.

Diversification, on the other hand, describes using a variety of investments within a portfolio. A diversified portfolio contains various asset classes and investment vehicles in an attempt at limiting single security or single sector risk. Diversification does not protect against market risk and there is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will outperform a non-diversified portfolio.

This is a great but difficult question, and the answer depends on you and your specific situation. At Keel Financial Partners, we determine the asset allocation strategy based on your specific goals, objectives, risk level, time frame, and how the rest of your assets are invested. 

The three most common asset classes are stocks, bonds, and cash, but several others exist. Just because there are other asset classes in the investment universe doesn’t mean they should be in your portfolio. We can help you determine this and educate you to make informed decisions.

Financial planning is the process of creating a comprehensive strategy for pursuing short-term and long-term financial goals. Proper financial planning dives deeply into several areas (such as retirement planning, tax planning strategies, insurance planning, etc.). Investment management is the professional oversight and ongoing management of a client’s investment portfolio. 

There are several benefits to having a qualified professional manage your investment portfolio. Where do we start? Experience, diversification, time savings, balancing risk and reward, tax mitigation, ongoing monitoring and rebalancing, and more. Please remember that no strategy assures success or protects against loss. There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk.

Potentially, yes. We can assist you not just in selecting tax-sensitive or tax-aware investment strategies, but can also take advantage of tax loss harvesting strategies and other tax-saving strategies. Please remember that all investing involves risk and no strategy assures success. This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax advisor.

Keel Financial Partners offer both virtual and in-person meetings. 

Because our financial planning process is deeper by design, our financial advisors hold Certified Financial Planner™ designations as well as additional high-level certifications. Please visit our team page to learn more about our qualifications.  

Yes! Our financial advisors work with clients throughout the country. Contact us to discuss further.