Our Pillars and Process

These are the things we’re committed to — and the way we serve our clients day in and day out.

The Values that Hold us up

Pillar 01

Relationship Building

At the core of financial planning are the people who have worked hard, dreamed big, and desire a comfortable present and future. We enjoy getting to know our clients and sharing life’s milestones with them, working through finances as we go. 

Pillar 02

Exploring Questions

How much do I need to retire? Which investments are best for my goals? Should I use Roth or pre-tax? Are there tax strategies I’m missing in retirement? When should I claim Social Security? These are all questions our clients ask and the things we are well versed in navigating. 

Pillar 03

Tax Strategizing

We believe tax planning is a pivotal part of a strong financial strategy. We’re committed to having thoughtful strategies with our clients, including exploring how tax planning could work alongside investments with the goal of reducing clients’ lifetime tax bill. 

Pillar 04

Tailored Investing

We think a truly effective investment strategy requires an extensive, customized process rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Because we are independent, we have the freedom to collaborate with a variety of specialized investment managers to build a portfolio tailored to your goals and risk preference. 

Pillar 05

continual Learning

We value consistent growth in knowledge, both for our advisors and clients alike. That’s why we’ve taken the time to create podcasts and videos to continue exploring popular topics. Find us at “Common Curiosities: Retirement” on YouTube or wherever you enjoy podcasts. Visit our educational page for more.

Our Process

These are the general steps we take as we work together toward your financial goals.

  • If you are interested in learning more about Custer Financial Advisors and whether you’d be a good fit, click the “See If You’re A Fit” button above and fill out the connect form to get the conversation started.

  • One of our financial advisors will give you a call to discuss where you may fit best at Custer Financial Advisors, and if we fit well with you.

  • If you and our advising team decide to move forward following the initial phone call, we will get your first meeting on the books!

    You can expect your initial meeting to last roughly 50 minutes to an hour. This is time for you to ask questions, and share your top financial goals, priorities, and fears. If we both continue to feel that we are a good match, the Custer Financial Advisors team will then begin our behind the scenes work, building potential strategies tailored to your goals and overall financial situation.

    You don’t need to bring anything to our first meeting, however, the following items are helpful for our team to begin designing your plan and investment portfolio:

    • Your top financial goals and priorities

    • General sense of monthly income and expenses

    • Current debts and interest rates

    • Amount of money in savings

    • Information about work benefit plans

    • Approximate value of retirement and investment portfolios

    • Most recent tax return

    • Questions you have

  • Once you become a client, we continue to update and refine your financial plan. Logistically, this is done by revisiting your goals, income, investments, taxes, and social security.

    Your goals matter and are the primary driver of your individualized financial plan. Staying in touch regarding what’s important to you is crucial as we carry out your plan.

    We prioritize investing as an individualized way to support your goals and retirement. With LPL as our broker-dealer, we are able to independently create an investment portfolio that is focused on you and the plan we’ve created. We want our clients to be informed partners in their financial planning process. This includes continued evaluation of your investments and any changes that may be helpful.

    We understand how large of an impact taxes can have on our clients’ financial well being. With this in mind, Michael obtained his Enrolled Agent certification to further enhance his tax strategy ideas. Part of our comprehensive planning includes trying to lower our clients’ lifetime tax bill. Keeping in touch regarding life changes could help ensure your plan and strategies continues to be right for you.

    Similarly, our designation as a Certified Social Security and Medicare Specialist™ allows integration of Social Security income and strategy into our custom financial plans.

  • Everyone’s meeting frequency is different based on their individual needs. We like to reevaluate your plan on a yearly basis at minimum. Open communication is always encouraged whenever, we know that life happens and look forward to walking through big events with you.