Gather financial information

• Cash savings (and approximate year-over-year changes, if any)
• Estimation of current spending habits
• Bank, brokerage, 401k/retirement plan, insurance policy statements
• Real estate holdings
• Social security benefit estimates
• Income: investment, pension, trust, rent, social security, etc.
• Inheritance considerations
• Debt payments, current balances and interest rates
• Trust benefits

For maximum time efficiency, this information can be provided before the first client meeting

Assess risk tolerance

• Risk tolerance questionnaire
• Discussion of investment experiences through varying market conditions

Establish goals and time horizons

• What do you want to accomplish with your money?
• Time until realization of each goal or financial commitment
• Prioritization of retirement goals
• Desired retirement age
• Desired future income
• Legacy—what to you want to leave behind, and to whom (people, charity, trusts)

Determine whether goals are within range of feasibility

• If so, move on to the next step
• If not, goals and risk need to be reconsidered

Next Step: Design and Implement a Strategy

DESIGN

Determine appropriate asset allocation*

• We will recommend for your approval a mix of stocks, fixed income, cash, and – in some  cases – alternative investments that matches your risk tolerance and that we believe affords you the best chance of meeting your goals
• Choose high quality investments within each asset class
• Ladder and diversify fixed income holdings; diversify stock investments; choose between individual holdings or funds

*Asset allocation and diversification do not ensure a profit or protect against a loss

Commit to plan for systematic investment (pre-retirement) or distribution (retirement), if needed

• Pre-retirement: If goals require periodic investments, set up logistics for adding money to the portfolio
• Retirement: Agree on income plan: frequency, amount, and placement

Clearly communicate cost of plan implementation

there is no cost for the consultation process up to this point

IMPLEMENT

• Sign your Investment Policy Statement
• Fund the portfolio by transferring in assets and/or depositing cash

Alternative Investments involve substantial risks that may be greater than those associated with traditional investments and may be offered only to clients who meet specific suitability requirements, including minimum net worth tests. These risks include but are not limited to: limited or no liquidity, tax considerations, incentive fee structures, potentially speculative investment strategies, and different regulatory and reporting requirements. There is no assurance that any investment will meet its investment objectives or that substantial losses will be avoided.

Next Step: Manage

Our responsibility

• Review progress of individual portfolios
• Stay current with financial news and events, and financial analysis by Raymond James, Barclay’s, Credit Suisse,  and Standard and Poor’s
• Be available during stock and bond market trading hours for questions, concerns and trading
• Contact clients as news fundamentally affects holdings
• Suggest changes or complementary investments when appropriate

Client participation

• Agree on minimum number of systematic voice contacts
• Participate in reviews scheduled at your desired frequency to track the progress of your plan and adjust as needed
• Rebalance asset allocation when needed
• Adjust plan according to life changes

Client responsibility

• Inform us of fundamental changes in your financial situation
• Uphold your commitment to our financial plan

After significant changes in your financial situation, it is important to understand that we may need to begin the process anew.

Matt Kettering graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1994.  He was an Investment Representative with Edward Jones from 2000-2013, where he was a Limited Partner, a Mentor and Field Trainer to new Financial Advisors, was selected to serve as the West Virginia State Chair for the Edward Jones Grass Roots Task Force and managed over $180 million in assets.  Matt served as a board member for the United Way, served as the Fairmont Rotary Club’s Treasurer, and regularly supports local non-profit organizations.

He has been married to his wife, Adrian, since 2001, and they have two young sons, Paxon and Foster.

What makes us different?

Focus

We are a smaller firm that focuses on a select group of clients, so we can commit to the highest level of customer service.

Value

The problem of an increasingly unmanageable number of clients has led the industry to move toward deepening client relationships.  While this is a positive development, it comes with additional considerations such as typically higher fees (including ever-growing asset-based fees) which lead to more overall cost to the client.  At Kettering Investment Strategies, our goal is to keep fees to a minimum.  We believe we can serve our clients for less.  As an independent firm, we have pricing power, which means we can pass along more value to our clients. If a client prefers an asset-based fee, we can do it for less than you may find elsewhere.

Financial Planning Technology

We have award winning financial planning tools.*  The software we use is client friendly, interactive, and takes into account 10,000 different historical scenarios each time we do a plan, so clients have an idea of how they would fare in all sorts of different markets.  Because economic times can change so significantly, it is rare that a plan is 100 percent sound, and clients need to know the probability of accomplishing their objectives. It is not simply a “yes or no” scenario.

*In March 2013, Raymond James received the Bank Insurance and Securities Association (BISA) Technology Innovation Award for the firm’s Goal Planning & Monitoring software.

Choices

Our clients have access to many choices.  We have a wide range of conservative, high quality investments, like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.  But our clients can also add diversification to their portfolios with alternative investments, or manage large stock positions with conservative strategies that have a bit of complexity to them.  While all of our clients won’t need to take advantage of these choices, we believe it is empowering to our clients to have a complete set of tools in their financial toolbox.

 

Investments mentioned may not be suitable for every investor.  Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected.  There are special risks associated with alternative investments including limited or no liquidity, tax considerations, incentive fee structures, speculative investment strategies, and different regulatory and reporting requirements.  Consult your financial advisor prior to making any investment decisions to determine which investments are suitable for you.  Diversification does not ensure a profit or guarantee against a loss.

Kettering Investment Strategies is an independent firm comprised of professionals who are affiliated with Raymond James Financial Services

What makes us different?

Focus

The traditional business model necessitates bringing in an increasing number of new assets. The problem with that model is that an office can grow to a size that is impossible to adequately maintain all of the client relationships. Being a smaller firm that focuses on a select group of clients, we can commit to the highest level of customer service.

Value

The problem of an increasingly unmanageable number of clients has led the industry to move toward deepening client relationships.  While this is a positive development, it comes with additional considerations such as typically higher fees (including ever-growing asset-based fees) which lead to more overall cost to the client.  At Kettering Investment Strategies, our goal is to keep fees to a minimum.  We believe we can serve our clients for less.  As an independent firm, we have pricing power, which means we can pass along more value to our clients. If a client prefers an asset-based fee, we can do it for less than you may find elsewhere.

Financial Planning Technology

We have award winning financial planning tools.*  The software we use is client friendly, interactive, and takes into account 10,000 different historical scenarios each time we do a plan, so clients have an idea of how they would fare in all sorts of different markets.  Because economic times can change so significantly, it is rare that a plan is 100 percent sound, and clients need to know the probability of accomplishing their objectives. It is not simply a “yes or no” scenario.

*In March 2013, Raymond James received the Bank Insurance and Securities Association (BISA) Technology Innovation Award for the firm’s Goal Planning & Monitoring software.

Choices

Our clients have access to many choices.  We have a wide range of conservative, high quality investments, like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.  But our clients can also add diversification to their portfolios with alternative investments, or manage large stock positions with conservative strategies that have a bit of complexity to them.  While all of our clients won’t need to take advantage of these choices, we believe it is empowering to our clients to have a complete set of tools in their financial toolbox.

 

Investments mentioned may not be suitable for every investor.  Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected.  There are special risks associated with alternative investments including limited or no liquidity, tax considerations, incentive fee structures, speculative investment strategies, and different regulatory and reporting requirements.  Consult your financial advisor prior to making any investment decisions to determine which investments are suitable for you.  Diversification does not ensure a profit or guarantee against a loss.

Your success is not simply about portfolio holdings and account balances; it’s about your complete life. You have committed significant amounts of time and talent to build your wealth. You need a financial advisor that recognizes and cares about your personal goals for your family, your business and your future.

At Kettering Investment Strategies, our team provides planning through our three step process. We understand the layers of complexity that accompany success. We also recognize that life changes over the years; therefore, timely adjustments and consistent oversight are essential for a financial plan to succeed.

• Estate planning
• Legacy planning
• Alternative investments
• Charitable and philanthropic planning
• Insurance review
• Coordination with CPA and attorney
• Trust services