A husband and wife, both retired, are clients of ARK Wealth Advisory Group. The husband handled all things related to their finances, and the wife took care of everything else in their lives. In 2010, the husband tragically passed away. Without knowing anything about their finances and the complexity of the husband’s tracking system, the wife was left with a pile of more than 15 different statements, from taxable accounts, stock dividend reinvestment programs, old 401(k)s, IRAs, annuities, and life insurance policies – all with different financial institutions. The wife tried to figure out how to handle all these different accounts but became overwhelmed and extremely frustrated. She then called ARK Wealth Advisory Group for assistance.

We analyzed all the statements and immediately began working with her on her situation. First, we helped re-register the titles of all her husband’s accounts so that she had full access to them. Next, we helped her transfer these assets to Stifel to consolidate similar-type investment accounts and reduce the number of overall accounts. Then, we helped her reallocate her assets to a more suitable investment allocation based on her financial needs, risk tolerance, time horizon, and the stock market outlook. Lastly, we continue to hold periodic review discussions with her to go over all her financial assets and provide guidance on how to financially navigate through the rest of her life.

With our help, the wife has:

• Re-titled and settled all her husband’s accounts
• Reduced the number of overall accounts and statements
• Reorganized and simplified her financial situation
• Reallocated her investments to suit her personal needs
• Realized a greater understanding of her overall situation going forward
   

Whether you’re in this individual’s situation, seeking help to prepare for retirement, or just want a different perspective from a team of financial advisors, we encourage you to give us the opportunity to show you the differences of working with ARK Wealth Advisory Group at Stifel.

The case study presented is for illustrative purposes only. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. These strategies do not guarantee a profit or protect against loss and may not be suitable for all investors. Each client’s specific situation, goals, and results may differ. Asset allocation does not ensure a profit or protect against loss.