Our Financial Planning Process

THE PROCESS

At Sanders Smith, we take a holistic, 360° approach to financial planning. From this full-picture perspective, we help you make sense of every piece of your financial life—from retirement accounts and taxes to insurance, investments, and estate considerations—and how they all connect to your long-term goals.

With this clarity, we can co-design a plan that fits your life, not the other way around. Our role is to help you make thoughtful, well-informed decisions—whether we manage your assets directly or simply help coordinate everything behind the scenes.

We use industry-leading tools like RightCapital to model your plan and test scenarios, and Nitrogen Wealth (formerly Riskalyze) to evaluate risk alignment—so your strategy is grounded in both structure and insight.

STEP 1: Organize

We begin by gathering and reviewing everything you’ve put in place so far to get a clear view of your current financial landscape:

Investment Accounts
Insurance Policies
Real Estate holdings
Estate Planning Documents

STEP 2: Discover

Next, we focus on you—your goals, your values, and your vision for the future.

Whether it’s early retirement, business succession, or building a lasting legacy, we want to understand what success looks like in your eyes.

STEP 3: Analyze and Align

We take a deep look at your current financial structure with one clear goal: to coordinate all of your assets—whether we manage them directly or not—into a cohesive, personalized strategy.

We use planning tools like RightCapital and Nitrogen Wealth to model different scenarios, test assumptions, and identify gaps or opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed.

This step includes a detailed evaluation of:

Cash flow and liquidity
Insurance Coverage
Asset Allocation and Asset Location
Portfolio Construction
Education Planning
Retirement goals and timing
Estate structure and tax considerations

This analysis helps ensure that every part of your financial life is working in alignment with your overall goals.

STEP 4: Design and Collaborate

We present personalized recommendations—supported by visual projections and scenario analysis—to help you clearly understand the impact of each decision.

You’ll have access to a secure, real-time client portal that aggregates your accounts and organizes your planning documents in one place. And when needed, we’ll coordinate with your CPA, attorney, or other professionals to ensure every piece is working in sync.

STEP 5: Activate

Together, we put your plan into action—thoughtfully and efficiently.

This may include:

Investment management and portfolio implementation
Tax-efficient execution and account structure
Insurance and risk mitigation strategies
Estate & Legacy Structuring

Our goal is to ensure everything is executed with care and aligned with your broader financial vision.

STEP 6: Monitor and Adjust

Life changes, markets evolve, and new opportunities arise. That’s why we regularly revisit your plan—to make sure everything stays aligned with your goals.

We provide ongoing reviews and proactive guidance so your strategy continues to serve you well over time.

This includes:

Periodic evaluations and progress check-ins
Strategic adjustments based on life events or market shifts
Ongoing accountability and coordination across all areas of your plan

Your financial plan isn’t static—and neither are we. We're here to help you adapt, refine, and stay on track.

We take a full-picture view of your financial life—whether or not we manage every piece—and guide you with the structure, experience, and personal care you deserve.