A collaborative approach
Our aim is to help our client families navigate the challenges and complexities of sustaining wealth across generations. We collaborate and design a plan that is unique to you – one that evolves and grows with your needs. Our financial, tax and legal specialists coordinate with our investment advisors to perform the following for your benefit:
- Proactively manage and coordinate your financial affairs
- Focus on the details so that you do not have to
- Analyze and simulate planning ideas to help you make more informed decisions
Given the type of relationship we have with client families, we are in the unique position to evaluate and provide advice on your financial situation. Additionally, as a multi-family office, we see many different techniques used by other advisors and client families. We leverage this knowledge to develop best practices and cross-pollinate ideas with other families. It is in this eco-system that we create a plan that incorporates financial planning, income tax and estate planning, risk management and philanthropic planning.
1 Discover and Analyze
We begin with a thoughtful discovery process to understand your family’s unique circumstances, needs and aspirations for your wealth. Financial and non-financial goals are explored as well as family governance and dynamics. We gather your family’s important paperwork such as legal documents, tax returns and investment statements. This information is strategically assembled and evaluated so we can identify possible modifications and planning opportunities to ensure that you achieve your goals and objectives.
2Research and Design
By applying our knowledge and experience to what we have learned about you, we design a practical and sustainable plan that meets your needs and objectives. Our ideas and recommendations are compared against the baseline, quantitatively and qualitatively, using financial modeling and an iterative question and answer exercise. Planning alternatives can often be illustrated with an economic value and shared with your attorney and/or accountant. Colony works collaboratively with your other professional advisors to refine the final recommendations.
3 Advise and Implement
We present our observations and recommendations to you in an understandable and comprehensive manner. If we determine together that changes are necessary, Colony will coordinate with your external advisors to review and execute documents and to ensure an efficient implementation of the changes.
4 Monitor and Adjust
Our service team conducts a comprehensive relationship review to ensure that you are being served appropriately. Progress toward goals is assessed and consideration is made for what, if any, changes could be made to enhance the plan. Life continues to move forward, and needs change over time. We are sensitive to these changes, and we can quickly adapt to different circumstances.
5Report and Educate
As our values indicate, we hold ourselves accountable and believe in open and frequent communication with our clients. In addition to our enhanced statement reporting, we meet face-to-face with you on a periodic basis to review custom presentation booklets. These meetings provide an important opportunity for us to demonstrate our value-add and discuss other matters that might be on your mind.
6Enhance and Support
Change seems to be the only constant in our world today. Whether it is a change in family circumstances, tax legislation or the capital markets, Colony is here to support you and, most importantly, to figure out the implications of change to your overall wealth plan. You can feel comfortable knowing that Colony is a partner that works independently and objectively on your behalf.