Getting Started

One of our key operational guidelines is "Make it easy for clients to do business with us!" Once you have had an opportunity to view our section and the rest of The H Group, Inc. site, and you feel comfortable proceeding, it’s very simple. Just call Lani at (503) 371-3333 or (800) 285-6240 to schedule an appointment. 

When you call, she will arrange for you to visit briefly and confidentially with either Ron or Mary on the phone. If they are not already on the phone or meeting with clients, she will put you straight through. If they determine that we can add value to your situation (see Who We Serve), Lani will book an appointment with at least one of us, or both of us if our schedules permit.  She will also send you an introductory packet, which includes our Confident Progress Index™ and other helpful information. 

The First Meeting
The purpose of this first face-to-face meeting is for you to determine if you would like to work with us, and for us to learn in more detail how we can improve upon your existing planning and portfolio management. (See Our Process). Unless this is a one-time hourly engagement to address a specific topic, there is no charge for this get-acquainted meeting. 

What to Bring
A smile, a handshake, and what’s on your mind are a great start. A net worth statement and some thoughts about your goals will make the meeting more productive for all of us. The more we have at the first meeting, the more accurate of a fee quote we can give you (see Compensation Disclosure).  When you decide to engage our services, we will eventually need lots of information. For your convenience, we have posted a document list, at the bottom of this page, of items that we usually need sooner or later. 

Ground Rules 

• Everything is strictly confidential.
• We are too busy taking care of our existing clients to engage in email “conversations" with prospective clients. The only email we will respond to is one requesting that Lani call to schedule an appointment. We cannot send you any additional information until we have a chance to visit with you on the phone or in person.
• If you are married, engaged, or in a long-term relationship with a significant other, both of you need to be present for the initial meeting.

Optional Document Checklist
When you book an appointment, we will send you a Confident Progress Index TM worksheet (see Our Process) to help you organize your thoughts. Bring any of the items or any other paperwork you feel will be helpful for this initial meeting.  Here are some suggestions for general integrated financial planning engagements.  Of course, items for only investment management engagements or one-time hourly engagements on specific topics would be more focused.

• Birth dates for you and your children
• Social Security estimate of benefits, if available
• Most recent State and Federal Income Tax returns
• Most recent pay stubs
• Any other income sources: for example, rental income
• If college funding is a concern, what level of support would you like to provide for each child or grandchild?
• Your current Will or trusts
• Insurance policy statements
  • Homeowners insurance benefits statement
  • Life insurance policy death benefit amount, premiums paid, cash value. Please include policies owned by you or a trust, or any of which you are the beneficiary.
  • Disability policy benefits statement 
• Most recent statements of all assets, including:
  • Bank statement
  • Brokerage statement
  • IRA statement
  • Annuity statements
  • Retirement plan statements from work
  • Estimate of value of your home – property tax statement
  • Value of any other real property you own
  • Statement showing details of mortgages: remaining balance, interest rate, terms, payment amount
  • Please indicate legal ownership of all assets, especially real estate

Compensation Disclosure

We are a fee-only practice. This means that our compensation comes solely from our clients, and not from commissions, products, parent companies, or any related business entities.  There are three ways to work with us.

1) One-Time Hourly Engagement
If you are seeking only a one-time consultation to address a specific question that can be addressed  without further research and analysis, the fee is $500 for the first hour and $250 per hour for any  preparation work prior to the meeting and/or follow-up work afterwards.  The fee is payable at the conclusion of the first consultation. This schedule also applies to second opinions on the recommendations of other advisors.

2) Financial Planning Engagement
If you have a variety of questions, goals in mind, and seek an integrated approach to your planning, then our Planning Vision Process® is the best option.  There is no charge for the first meeting if your purpose is to determine if we are the right advisors for you and whether or not we can add value to your existing planning.  (See Who We Serve and Processes). 

At the conclusion of the first meeting, we quote you a flat fee for the planning work. We do not charge by the hour for financial plans, because it is hard to build a relationship with the meter running.  The more information you share with us in the initial meeting (see Getting Started), the more realistic our fee quote will be. We will stick to the fee quoted, similar to the way a contractor sticks to a bid.  Each plan is customized and we incorporate our trademarked Unique Processes to create them. 

Our planning fees usually range from $2,000 to $6,000, but can sometimes be $12,000 in very complex situations. We are fee-only and independent, which means that insurance companies, brokerage firms, commissions, or the hopes of future business do not subsidize our planning fees. Therefore, if you are looking for a boilerplate plan from the lowest bidder, you would probably be happier (in the short-run) with a different planner and firm. Please see Who We Serve for more insights. 

Both parties sign a written advisory agreement. This spells out the fee, what we will do, as well as your rights and responsibilities. We begin work after we have received a retainer fee, which ranges from 25% to 50% of the total fee quoted. Since we bill in advance before starting each step of the process, you are free to terminate the engagement at any time if you do not feel you are receiving good value.   (No one has ever done this yet.)

Many of our recommendations do not involve the purchase or sale of any specific investment or insurance products. The recommendations we prepare are generic in nature, similar to a doctor’s prescription. You are free to get “the prescription” filled at the “pharmacy” of your choice. At the conclusion of the planning engagement, you may choose to have us manage your portfolios on a fee-only basis (see #3 below).

3) Wealth Management-Plus™
Maybe you are a “moving target” with constantly changing situations and goals.  If so, planning-as-you-go is more effective.  And maybe you don’t want or need a financial plan up front; you just need us to manage your serious money.   

In these situations, our Wealth Management-Plus™ arrangement works the best.  The fee is based on the size of your accounts, ranging from 0.5% to 1.75%.  Unlike other firms where the fee is strictly for portfolio management, the fees you pay also put us on retainer to address any other wealth management questions that arise through the years. Thus, you get portfolio management plus the expertise of two Certified Financial Planners who are knowledgeable about your big picture. (See The Team Advantage.)