Recognizing the "You" in "Unique"
As I went through my morning routine today, prepping my home office, feeding the cats, and taking care of the human children, it struck me how different my morning looks from what it did fifteen years ago. It also made me think how each of us has different morning routines.
So why is this important to you?
Because it reflects the heart of Christopher Street’s financial planning philosophy: We recognize the individuality of each of our clients. Every person has unique needs for their financial future, and those needs, just like mine, are continually changing.
When clients come to us for financial planning, they often don’t know what solutions they need, and sometimes aren’t even sure of the questions to ask beyond “Will I be okay?”.
It is our vocation to understand what “okay” means for each individual and/or family. The answer is rarely a simple number that represents a black and white, yes or no answer. And the answer today may not meet the changing needs of tomorrow.
A multitude of financial advice “gurus” exist out there, all of them sharing kernels of truth. But I have never heard a single one give advice that applies universally to all of our clients’ situations. Even the core advice of “save, save, save” does not always apply. For some of our clients, we encourage them to start spending more, to share their wealth with people or causes that are important to them. This may be a tax strategy as well as one of personal fulfillment. This example goes to the heart of the matter: understanding the individual needs of our clients beyond the numbers is priority at Christopher Street.
What are the shades of grey, and why is it important to recognize this in the financial planning process?
Christopher Street’s clients are a diverse bunch!
Christopher Street began with a focus on gay financial planning. As time has passed, we have seen clients with longtime partners that aren’t married, and don’t enjoy the benefits federal law provides legally married couples. They need someone to think outside of the traditional financial planning box to help protect their families in times of disability or death. We help many single people that must consider options for future senior care without family support. We’ve watched rainbow families created and dreams change as a family grows.
There are many pieces of a financial picture to put together, and each person comes to us with their own mix of hopes and fears. Dreams and wants.
Even beyond the planning for life’s uncertainties, we want to help align financial pictures with personal values. How can you provide charitable gifts that benefit the causes you support while ensuring your personal financial security? Do you want to work in retirement for financial need…or fulfillment? Are there investments that are in alignment with your personal belief systems about the greater good for society? What is important to you and your family? These questions are core to financial planning at Christopher Street.
From the moment we start talking with people, we are asking questions about who they are, what is important to them, and what are they trying to accomplish. I often joke with clients that I’m not being nosy, just trying to understand their personal story. (It’s mostly true, but I am a little nosy too, though I prefer “naturally curious.”) Hearing the individual stories of our clients is one of the greatest joys of our vocation.
Another joy is seeing the relief on the faces of our clients when they know they’ve been heard. Their personal fears, hopes, or goals can be mapped out. We can show them options, and solutions, and they are empowered to choose a plan that fits their values and comfort level. Embracing the individual is a core value of our financial planners, and part of what makes our work so much more than a “job.”
We believe that the individuality of our clients is what fuels the solutions we can provide, creating a road map for the financial journey ahead. And just like any road map, there are many routes available to any given destination. We listen to their stories and show the options ahead so that they can choose a path as unique as they are. And when life changes, we’re here with that roadmap to adjust to their individual needs with solutions that respect them and their beliefs.
