B2B OMAHA MAGAZINE’S
wealthmanagement
WINNERS
Ethen Bagley Group of Merrill Lynch
What is your philosophy on what it means to be a financial advisory practice? Our team’s focus is to help simplify our clients’ lives in an increasingly complex world. We offer wisdom, as well as information, so that our clients can make informed decisions regarding their financial affairs. We consider it a privilege to serve as trusted advisors and to provide quality, unbiased information, and assistance. What is the process you take each customer through? Each prospective client is taken through a series of meetings. The first is a discovery meeting where we gather information and gain an understanding of their goals, timeframes, and risk tolerance. This is followed up by an Investment Proposal/Financial Plan meeting. When the client indicates they are ready to proceed, we schedule a mutual commitment meeting where we complete all paperwork and agree to each party’s roles and responsibilities. Once accounts have transferred in, we follow-up with an on-boarding meeting where we explain how to read the statements, log in to the online account access, and help them organize all of their financial affairs. Finally, we schedule the periodic face-to-face account/plan review, which for most clients is semiannually. In between meetings, clients can expect monthly calls, monthly newsletters, and periodic client educational events throughout the year.
Michael J. Bagley, CFP®
Stephen C. Ethen, CFP®
1044 N. 115th Street Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-5111 www.fa.ml.com/ethen_bagley_group
B2B OMAHA MAGAZINE’S
wealthmanagement
WINNERS
ALIR Group of Merrill Lynch
What is your philosophy on what it means to be a financial advisory practice? Our mission is to help our clients (both institutions and families) articulate their financial goals/ dreams and customize solutions to help them achieve the same. We endeavor to keep our clients focused on their goals while providing independent advice and counsel on how to achieve them. What is the process you take each customer through? Our process begins with an interview to ensure that we have a complete understanding of the client’s balance sheet, income statement, distribution needs, tax considerations, and financial goals; and that the client understands our philosophy and the manner in which we work. Once engaged, we provide a sophisticated probability-based analysis to determine a range of outcomes and the likelihood of success. We then implement strategic solutions to help clients secure their retirement, fund college educations, implement tax reduction strategies, protect families and businesses, and fulfill philanthropic interests. Define the added value of your services in relationship to your fees: The cost for proper advice and long-term financial success is negligible compared to the exorbitant cost of not having a plan and running out of time or money. With more than 110 years of combined experience—with a variety of educational backgrounds that include finance, economics, and law—our team has the requisite knowledge and experience to create holistic solutions.
Front L-R James Ambrose, Hilda Kreulen, Kathleen Lighthart, Melina Petersen, Shelley Welton, Howard Irish Back: Michael Lighthart, Matt Rehberg, CFP®, James Ambrose, II, CFP®
1044 N. 115th Street Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-5145 www.totalmerrill.com Fall 2010 B2B Omaha 27