Passionate About Helping You Achieve Financial Freedom
In today’s world, even people with good incomes and savings often find themselves mired down in perpetual financial stress. Maybe the cause is high taxes, too much debt, or simply all the expenses that go along with an active family life. Or maybe you were doing great, and then the 2008 financial crisis came along and hit your stocks or real estate.
At Sapiat, we understand that balancing your finances and living life is hard to do. More importantly, we believe anyone can achieve financial freedom if they really want it. Is it easy? No. Does it require some hard work? Yes. But then again, shouldering financial uncertainty month in and month out is hard work too.
Instead of feeling financial stress, imagine feeling organized and confident about your money.
Why Work With Sapiat?
With a busy life, it’s not always easy to find time to make the right financial moves. It’s even harder to plan the next decades of your life when you’re dealing with today’s priorities. But you have to, or you risk an uncertain future. That’s why most people do best with a financial advisor.
With one caveat….it needs to be the right kind of advisor.
The financial industry has tens of thousands of “advisors”, but not all of them are working in your best interests. Sadly, a 2016 government report found that “conflicted advice” costs Americans $17 billion per year. Conflicted advice happens when an advisor steers you to an investment that is “suitable” for you but may cost you more than other options that pay him or her less commission.
The Fee-Only Advantage
How can you avoid contributing to that $17 billion every year? By hiring a fee-only advisor.
At Sapiat, we’re the first fee-only advisor in Greene County. That means we don’t get paid on commission at all, so we don’t have any motivation to sell you a specific product. We only get paid by fees, like your accountant or lawyer. So there’s no incentive to do anything but give you good advice.
We’re also a fiduciary, meaning we agree, legally, to put your interests first.
Believe it or not, fee-only fiduciary advisors are not that common. Most of the big brands out there are not fee-only fiduciaries, and instead, have a decidedly non-consumer-friendly business model. This makes it hard to know if you’re getting real advice…or just a sales pitch.
The Right Process
Ethics are critical, but so is knowing how to get results. At Sapiat, our experienced team follows a disciplined, evidence-based approach. We don’t guess. We don’t take chances with your money. Instead, we focus on controlling what we can control…so that you can make consistent progress toward your goals.
We also extensively stress-test your financial plan, so that it can protect you from many of the events that commonly set people back. This is critical as you need your financial plan to actually protect you when you need it. Learn more about what we do.
The Right Experience
When your money is at stake, you don’t want to be a part of anyone’s learning curve. At many of the big brand name firms, you’ll often find an emphasis on sales skills, not on financial experience. At Sapiat, we’re different. You’re served by our small, expert team with more than two decades of experience helping people achieve their goals and overcome obstacles.
Our team has the knowledge and credentials needed to help serve you well:
- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) professional
- Chartered Financial Consultant™ (ChFC®)
- Accredited Wealth Management Advisor™ (AWMA®)
- Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist™ (CRPS®)
- DACFP – Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals
- Diplomas in commercial lending, consumer lending, and mortgage lending
Real Estate Expertise, Too
For most people, real estate is a big part of the financial equation, but most advisors don’t add much value there. But when it’s a big part of your net worth, mistakes in this area can be monumental. That’s why we’re different. We can help with lending questions, buy/sell decisions, or simply serve as a sounding board to help you make the best decisions possible for your future.
Independent To The Core
Remember that $17 billion per year? What’s good for Wall Street isn’t usually best for you. These big brand names spend significant money advertising to convince you they are trustworthy, but their business models are usually built to serve their shareholders, not you. At Sapiat, we’re fully independent. We don’t have a corporate office to report to…instead, we only report to you! That’s why you’ll get objective, unbiased advice that you can trust.
Working Exclusively With Individuals
Additionally, at Sapiat, we work exclusively with individuals and families (and their businesses and trusts.) We do not serve large corporations, pension funds, or institutions. That way you know that you are our most important client. That helps ensure you get the consistent attention you need to reach your goals.
Transparent, Easy-To-Understand Fees
We believe in long-term client relationships, so those relationships need to be built on trust. That’s why we’re committed to transparency. You’ll know from the start what we’ll do for you and how much you’ll be charged. There are no surprise fees or hourly bills. You’ll know exactly what you’ll be paying for and what to expect in return for it. Plus, everything we do includes unlimited support, so you can call or email us anytime you need help.
