“The secret to getting ahead is getting started” — Mark Twain
Build a plan that adapts as life changes
Financial planning is more than mapping out your retirement — it’s a dynamic process that helps you align your money with your goals, values, and the realities of daily life. Whether you’re approaching a major transition or just want to get organized, we’ll help you create clarity around where you are, where you’re headed, and how to get there.
At Suttle Crossland, your plan is built around you — not around products, commissions, or cookie-cutter templates. We guide you through the complexities of your financial world and keep the focus on what matters most.
What we cover:
- Retirement income and timing strategies
- Tax planning and optimization
- Equity compensation and stock options
- Business and entity structure planning
- Estate coordination and generational planning
- Insurance and risk management
- 529 plans and education funding
- Charitable giving and legacy goals
You bring the questions — we’ll help with the answers, strategy, and follow-through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our comprehensive financial plan is available as a one-time engagement for $5,000. This includes a full discovery process, in-depth analysis across all areas of your financial life, custom scenario modeling, and a final strategy session where we walk through your plan together. You’ll walk away with clear, actionable recommendations — no fluff or generic reports.
If you don’t need a full plan, we also offer project-based planning. This might be right for clients who want help with something more specific, like choosing a retirement date, selling a business, managing a concentrated stock position, or optimizing a large tax year. Project fees vary depending on complexity and scope, but we’ll always outline the cost in advance so there are no surprises.
For clients who work with us on an ongoing basis — either through investment management or an advisory subscription — financial planning is typically included at no additional cost. That means you can reach out with questions, get regular plan updates, and receive proactive guidance without being billed every time we talk.
Whether you’re looking for a one-time roadmap or a long-term partner, we’ll help you find the right structure based on your goals and the complexity of your situation.
Every plan we build is customized to the individual or household — because no two financial lives are the same. That said, most comprehensive plans include a detailed analysis of the following areas:
- Retirement Planning – We model different retirement ages, spending levels, and income sources (like Social Security, pensions, and portfolio withdrawals) to help you feel confident about your timeline and lifestyle.
- Tax Strategy – We look for ways to reduce your lifetime tax burden through tools like Roth conversions, tax-loss harvesting, asset location, and charitable strategies. We’ll also help you plan for big tax years (e.g., business sales, RSU vesting, retirement).
- Investment Review – We assess your current portfolio and make recommendations based on your risk tolerance, goals, time horizon, and tax situation. For clients we manage investments for, this is part of an ongoing conversation.
- Cash Flow & Budgeting – Whether you’re trying to optimize savings, pay down debt, or manage fluctuating income, we help you get a clear picture of what’s coming in and going out — and how it aligns with your goals.
- Equity Compensation & Business Planning – If you’re a business owner or receive stock options, RSUs, or other forms of comp, we’ll model your options and help you create a plan around liquidity, taxes, and diversification.
- Education Funding – We provide guidance on 529 plans, UTMA/UGMA accounts, and other ways to save for children or grandchildren’s education — including how to coordinate this with gifting or estate plans.
- Risk Management & Insurance – We review your existing insurance (life, disability, long-term care, umbrella, etc.) and highlight potential gaps or areas where you’re overpaying.
- Estate Planning Coordination – While we don’t draft legal documents, we help you think through your estate goals, coordinate with your attorney, and ensure things like beneficiaries, account titling, and legacy intentions are aligned with your overall strategy.
- What-If Scenarios – Curious about moving, changing jobs, retiring early, or supporting family members? We run real-world scenarios so you can make informed decisions.
We package your plan in a way that’s easy to understand and act on — with visual summaries, scenario comparisons, and prioritized recommendations. No binders collecting dust. Just a strategy you’ll feel good about.
Yes — if we manage your investments, financial planning is typically included at no additional cost. That means you don’t have to worry about paying separately for plan updates, scenario modeling, or ongoing advice. It’s all built into the relationship.
When you become an investment management client, we don’t just allocate your portfolio and send quarterly statements — we integrate your investments with a full financial plan. That includes retirement planning, tax strategy, estate coordination, insurance reviews, and anything else that touches your financial life.
We also check in with you proactively. If there’s a change in tax law, an opportunity to optimize your cash flow, or something new we think you should be aware of, we bring it to your attention. And when your life changes — a new job, a relocation, a business opportunity, or a family transition — we update the plan accordingly, without you needing to request a new engagement or pay another fee.
This integrated model gives you ongoing access to personalized advice and helps ensure your investments are always aligned with your goals, not managed in a vacuum.
We also offer a similar structure for clients who prefer fee-only financial planning on a subscription basis without investment management. Either way, you’ll have a partner who’s invested in your long-term success — not just your assets. Also interview several candidates and ask them about their qualifications, experience, services, and fees. Ultimately, you should choose someone who you trust and who understands your financial goals and needs.
That depends on how we’re working together — but in most cases, your plan can be updated anytime your life or priorities change.
If you’re an ongoing planning client — either through our investment management services or a dedicated planning subscription — we treat your plan as a living, breathing tool. You don’t need to wait for a formal annual review. We’ll update your plan whenever there’s a meaningful change, such as:
- A job change, raise, or new income stream
- A major purchase (like a home or second property)
- A business sale or liquidity event
- Retirement timeline adjustments
- Birth of a child or grandchild
- New tax laws or planning opportunities
- Changes to your estate planning goals or documents
In these cases, we proactively revise projections, re-evaluate strategies, and adjust our recommendations so that your financial plan continues to reflect your actual life — not just a snapshot in time.
If you engage us for a one-time comprehensive plan, you’ll still receive a detailed and actionable set of recommendations based on current inputs and assumptions. We’ll model different “what-if” scenarios to help you see how your decisions play out over time. And if something significant changes later, you’re always welcome to re-engage for a plan refresh or specific project.
Whether we’re working together once or on an ongoing basis, we make it easy to revisit and adjust your strategy as life evolves.
It starts with a short, no-pressure introductory call. This gives us a chance to understand what you’re looking for and see if we’re the right fit. You can ask questions, share your goals, and learn more about how we work.
If it makes sense to move forward, we begin our discovery process — where we gather relevant documents, review your current financial picture, and get a deeper understanding of your priorities. From there, we develop a plan tailored to your needs and walk you through it in a clear, actionable way.
Whether you’re engaging us for a one-time plan, ongoing advice, or investment management, our process is built to be thorough, thoughtful, and tailored to your life.
You don’t need to come in with everything figured out — just a willingness to start the conversation.
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