Broker Check

Chicago Office

350 N Orleans St

Suite #9000n
Chicago, IL 60654

Financial Planning Subscription

How We Work

Traditional financial services firms focus on selling insurance and managing investments.  They do not offer a way to get objective advice on the thousands of other financial questions that have an impact on you life.  It is common for those firms to have minimums that disqualify most consumers, and a culture built around constantly selling you a product(s). 

At Sterling Edge Financial we offer ongoing financial planning services and advice for a monthly fee.  Our process is designed to support ongoing custom advice to serve your financial plan, objectives and goals.  Our clients pay us a financial planning fee to get written ongoing advice, recommendations, updates and ideas to serve their financial plan that do not involve the sale of a product or money management.


Advice, Coaching, Education & Engagement

Advice, Coaching, Education & Engagement

We believe in an advice first model.  To work in your best interests as a fiduciary we build a financial plan for all of our clients.  What is Financial Planning? It is a process to help us understand our priorities and make more informed financial decisions.  It goes far beyond just investing and insurance.  

 

Why are we so excited about financial planning?  Why do we go through a planning process with all of our clients?  

 

1. Financial Plans are all about you and your desired outcomes and financial sustainability.  What is emotionally relevant, important and possible to you and your family is unique.  We want to understand you and be of service to your journey and your story. 


2. The largest financial decisions of your life have little or nothing to do with investment strategies and insurance strategies.  Financial Plans give us a space to talk about these decision points.  Ensuring we account for their potential outcomes in the plan.

 


3. Our first job is to listen to you and ask great questions.  Doing so empowers our clients with prospective, ideas, concepts, processes, realistic expectations, identification of risk, identification of purpose and priorities.  These are of great value in helping you make more informed financial decisions. 

What do you get from an Ongoing Financial Plan Subscription ?

What do you get from an Ongoing Financial Plan Subscription ?

Access to ongoing advice and educational events to serve your financial mindset and plans. Accountability, timely reminders and help implementing your plan.  

 

Standard Financial Planning Deliverable Examples Include


  1. Personal Online Financial Management Platform
  2. Cash Strategy and Five Year Cash Flow Plan 
  3. Insurance and Benefits Strategy 
  4. Investment Strategy 
  5. Tax Strategies and Coordination with Tax Professionals
  6. Estate Planning and Account Titling Strategy 
  7. Behavioral Coaching, Accountability, Education and Reminders
  8. Support by Email, Phone and Text 
  9. Regular meeting time 2 - 6 times per year as needed


Specialized Planning Examples can be found below. 

What has your attention financially?

What has your attention financially?

A few examples of financial decisions we help our clients make: 


Moving
Evaluating job offers
Getting married, combining finances, buying a house
Starting a family, picking family health insurance 
Starting a business, switching careers, preparing for a year of
Financial planning for kids, daycare/nanny
Saving for higher education, life experiences
 

Financial organization to transition financial decisions and control from one spouse to another due to failing health 
Planning for financial independence retire early (FIRE)
Retirement Planning, retirement income planning 
 

Understanding basic tax strategies and questions to review with your accountant.  
Understanding stock options, non-qualified deferred compensation 
Understanding estate planning documents to support your financial plan. 
Understanding how working with a tax-professional can support your financial plan

Bigger goals?  Unique challenges?

Bigger goals?  Unique challenges?

Advanced Financial Planning 


Financial planning for a major purchase (home purchase, vacation, business etc.) 
Legacy Planning 
Longevity Planning 
Special Needs Planning 
Financial Planning for Business Owners
Financial Exit Strategies for Business Owners 
Retirement Plan selection (401k, SIMPLE IRA, Deferred Compensation, SEP IRA etc.) 
Funding Buy-Sell Agreements
 

Progress reports & regularly updated net worth statements 
Retirement Income Strategy  
Alternative Investment Strategy 
Tax Managed Investment Strategy 
College Savings Strategy 
Student Loan Repayment 


Depending your goals and objectives some of the above deliverables could be part of your plan

Ongoing Services

Ongoing Services

What happens after the first year?  

Renewal financial planning fees are typically 50% of the first year fee or less depending on the amount of ongoing advice required. With most clients paying $75.00 - $500 per month at renewal. 

 

Speaking Engagements 

We provide speaking engagements in person and virtual for groups and organizations looking for financial education, prospective and ideas to help them make more informed financial decisions. 

 

Discounts and Pro Bono

Clients with over $500,000 of investable assets may qualify to have their financial planning fee reduced.  

 

We offer a 50% discount on financial planning services to military veterans and military spouses.  Including business owners affiliated with Bunker Labs or graduates of Bunker Labs programs.

   

We will provide Pro Bono work on a case by case basis by referral only from active clients. 

Account Minimums and Fees

Account Minimums and Fees

Financial Planning Subscriptions 

Planning for individuals and families start at $300.00 per month for the first year. 

 

Business owners and high networth financial planning starts at $1,000.00 per month.  

 

If you have a very complex situation your fee could be higher.  All will be disclosed and communicated before we start or sign an agreement.  

 

Investment Management Fee

We do not have investment account minimums at Sterling Edge Financial.  We provide investment advisory services starting at 1.25% of assets under management per year billed quarterly. 

 

How much we charge for investment management?

Investment management fees are billed quarterly in the arrears. 

1.25% - $0 - $1,000,000

1.00% - $1,000,001 + 

 

 

Do we earn commissions? 

In general we avoid commissionable business and only provide products and services that charge a commission if it is in the best interest of our clients or unavoidable.  We will disclose earning commissions should we recommend implementing a solution that we are paid a commission.