Virtue Asset Management assists clients in developing financial goals by guiding them through a structured financial-planning process. This process involves understanding a client’s financial situation, identifying objectives, and developing a strategy intended to support progress toward those goals.
By guiding clients through these steps, our CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals help clients clarify financial goals and make informed planning and investment decisions. Outcomes depend on individual circumstances and market conditions.
The process begins with an initial consultation, where the portfolio manager gets to know the client, their financial background, investment experience, risk tolerance, and long-term aspirations. This meeting provides a foundation for the financial-planning process.
The portfolio manager reviews the client’s current financial situation. This includes evaluating income, expenses, assets, liabilities, insurance coverage, tax situation, and any existing investment portfolios.
The portfolio manager works with the client to define their financial goals and objectives. These goals could include retirement planning, buying a house, funding children’s education, selling a business, or any other specific financial milestones.
Financial goals are often categorized based on their time horizon, which can be short-term (1-3 years), medium-term (3-5 years), or long-term (5 years or more). The time horizon helps inform the investment strategy and risk considerations associated with each goal.
Based on the client’s financial goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance, the portfolio manager develops an investment plan intended to align with the client’s objectives. The plan outlines recommended asset allocation and diversification approaches, along with investment options intended to support the client’s objectives. Investment strategies involve risk and may not achieve desired outcomes.
At Virtue Asset Management, the portfolio manager and client create an Investment Policy Statement (IPS), which formalizes the client’s financial objectives, risk tolerance, and guidelines for managing the portfolio. The IPS serves as a guideline for making investment decisions and as a reference point during periods of market fluctuation. It does not eliminate risk or ensure performance.
Because financial goals and circumstances may change, portfolio managers review plans with clients periodically to help keep the investment strategy aligned with their objectives. Portfolio adjustments may be made in response to changing market conditions or life events, though adjustments cannot eliminate market risk.
In more complex financial situations, portfolio managers may collaborate with other professionals—such as tax advisors, estate planners, or insurance specialists—to support a coordinated planning approach.