Core Services

At GPS we take both yours and our core principles seriously. It is our belief that anything in life without the backing of prudent principles is doomed to fail or not succeed. Without making this too complex, we value our services with three core principles:

1. As fiduciaries, we take that responsibility seriously. We strive to always put our clients' needs come first. A relationship based on solid principles is a set-up for success.
2. As a group of human beings collectively working for the success of our clients we strive to create a hardworking and fast-paced work environment that is also enjoyable and rewarding for each team member.
3. In order to achieve success we ask our current and prospective clients to interact with us in an honest and open forum so we can provide the advice and services you need and avoid what you do not need.

“There are three constants in life... change, choice and principles.”
--Stephen Covey

At GPS we collectively discuss your priorities and focus on what we collectively need to do to mold a plan to achieve success. Often this could entail meeting with more than one of our team members. Your priorities will be the cornerstone of the GPS Map we will help you create. This is a “road map” and time frame of what you need to do to accomplish the success of your priorities.

1. Be efficient, honest, and considerate when interacting with clients and prospective clients.
2. Be respectful to all.
3. Be considerate of our clients' time and needs.
4. When the phone rings or an e-mail comes in – we answer them whenever available. We have a strict response time whenever possible.
5. Assemble whatever internal or external team members necessary for each client to achieve growth – protection and success.

“Our life is the sum total of all the decisions we make every day, and those decisions are determined by our priorities.”
--Myles Munroe

At GPSWM we can coordinate a full financial plan which includes, projection analysis tools, tax-planning programs, estate planning technology and more. Not everyone needs a complete financial plan so we go back to the initial priorities discussion and form a strategy to focus on your areas of need and create plans to achieve success of those priorities.

There are many aspects to developing a financial (wealth management) plan; some of which may or may not be appropriate for a particular situation. Below is an outline of what GPSWM can provide in an, high-tech planning system.

• GPS MAP—If appropriate, we will develop a GPS Map. This map will outline the areas of need and a timeline for discussion and implementation. The plan will include ongoing topics of review such as portfolio management, tax planning, investment ideas for the current market situation and more.

• Portfolio Management—At GPSM we take a global, tactical, and opportunistic approach. What does this mean? We look at all asset classes and sectors and determine if the particular investment is overvalued or undervalued. If it is significantly undervalued, e.g. stocks after the crashes of 2001-02 and 2008-09, we may elect to overweight that particular area in a proactive approach. Conversely, if something is overvalued, e.g. stocks before the dot.com bubble, before the financial crisis in 2007 and what might be approaching (?), we may elect to underweight or even avoid a particular asset class or sector. We also can implement alternative investments when we don’t have a high conviction of traditional stocks or bonds or when they pose an opportunity.

• Retirement Planning—At GPSWM we know that no one wants to outlive their assets. GPS has a process that is not a simple calculator to determine prudent retirement income streams, tax consequences, market volatility and more. Our clients know what they can expect or what they need to do to achieve certain retirement goals in an easy-to-understand though detailed retirement plan. We incorporate Social Security, pension analysis and maximization, annuity income (if applicable), investment income, tax strategies and more into our retirement planning.

• Tax-planning—We have a professional network of CPA’s in our office building where we work in conjunction with to help form our clients' tax-planning. We systematically do tax harvesting, which is selling investments that are down to capture the tax-loss that can often be used to offset gains in a taxable account. GPSWM also can develop a separate tax plan that includes avoidance of tax when selling highly appreciated assets through the use of certain trusts, etc., planning for age 70.5 when people have to take out their required minimum distributions from IRA’s, finding certain tax-shelters and write-offs, helping small business owners reduce their tax bill and more.

• Estate Planning—We only go as needed when developing estate plans. Some situations are more complex and require more time to develop a proper estate plan while some situations are fairly simple. We have a professional network of estate planning attorneys located in our office building as well as a local attorneys we frequently work with. Our clients are always free to collaborate with GPSWM and their own attorney. We can also incorporate charitable planning and the use of tools such as charitable remainder trusts, CRUTs, GRAT, s, family limited partnerships, donor advised funds, cabin trusts, life estates’ etc. This type of advanced planning can be discussed on an individual basis.

• Insurance Planning—It is our belief to only insure what is necessary and to use the most cost advantage products available. We can include in the financial plan the necessary need for life, health, long-term care, disability and liability amounts and cost-effective product choices.

• Small Business Planning—Many of our clients own small businesses. We have helped them with succession planning, ongoing tax strategies, selling of the business, how to organize the business (S corp, C corp, LLC, sole proprietorship), buy/sell agreements, trusts and more.

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.”
--Paul J. Meyer