Our Process & Client Experience
Ongoing Financial Planning - Onboarding Process
Each client engagement is tailored to individual circumstances. The onboarding process typically takes 3–6 months, depending on complexity, client availability, and the number of planning areas involved.
- Introductory Call (15-30 minutes): We use this time to assess mutual fit and answer questions about our process, firm, scope, and pricing.
- Discovery Meeting (30-45 minutes): A detailed discussion of your financial situation, priorities, and long-term objectives. Following this meeting, you may choose to proceed by signing an engagement letter and paying the onboarding fee.
- Planning Phase: Over a series of structured meetings, we:
Review and organize financial documentation
Clarify outstanding items and planning assumptions
- Model financial, tax, cash flow, and retirement scenarios
- Identify planning opportunities, risks, and trade-offs
- Present recommendations and prioritized implementation steps
At the end of onboarding, clients receive a clear planning roadmap designed to guide near-term action and long-term decision-making as part of our ongoing financial planning process.
Ongoing Financial Planning - Ongoing Annual Planning
Following onboarding, clients continue under an annual financial planning engagement that includes at least two structured review meetings per year and ongoing advisory support as needed.
Our ongoing advisory work may include:
Between scheduled reviews, clients may contact us with financial questions or decisions that arise. Each year, we review your planning priorities, household complexity, and scope of work to ensure the engagement remains aligned with your needs.
Investment strategy review and coordination with external regulated providers, where applicable
- Cash flow and savings planning
- Tax coordination and retirement contribution planning
- Insurance review; we do not sell insurance products
- Estate and beneficiary review
- Education and student loan planning
- Charitable giving strategies
- Employee benefits analysis
- Planning for life transitions, including relocation, career changes, and retirement
- Coordination with external legal, tax, investment, or other professional advisers as appropriate
Planning Service Fees
Our Fees
As fee-only advisors, our compensation solely comes from our clients. In simpler terms, we neither receive nor accept commissions or kickbacks from brokers, banks, or any third parties. This commitment ensures that our client's best interests consistently take precedence. Should any potential conflict arise, we are dedicated to transparently disclosing it, empowering you to make informed decisions. Your financial objectives remain our foremost priority throughout our partnership. Remember, if it’s free or cheap, YOU are the product.
We generally operate on a rolling waitlist to ensure the highest client experience. A signed engagement letter and initial fee secure your onboarding date. If you have a quick question or need immediate support, you can book a paid consultation with us here.
Ongoing Financial Planning
Our comprehensive, ongoing planning relationships are designed for U.S. citizens and cross-border families whose financial lives require coordinated, long-term strategies across tax, cash flow, retirement, and international planning.
This service is generally best suited for:
- High-income U.S. expat individuals and families: Typically earning $250,000 USD/EUR/CHF or more annually, with growing net worth and the capacity to save consistently and aggressively toward long-term goals.
- Established professionals and families: Typically with a net worth of approximately $1.5 million or more, managing multiple financial priorities such as retirement, education funding, property decisions, business interests, or multi-country tax planning.
- Pre-retirees and retirees: Individuals or couples in retirement, or within five years of retirement, with a net worth of approximately $2 million or more seeking coordinated tax, cash flow, and cross-border retirement planning.
If you don’t currently meet these criteria, we still welcome you to book a paid consultation here. Our one-time Expat Expert Calls are available to anyone seeking guidance on cross-border tax and financial planning topics.
Typical Annual Relationship Investment
Most ongoing client relationships involve a total annual planning and advisory cost of approximately 15,000-35,000 USD/EUR/CHF per year, depending on household complexity, scope of planning, number of jurisdictions involved, and the level of coordination required. This often includes comprehensive financial planning, ongoing advisory support, cross-border tax-aware strategy, retirement and cash flow planning, and coordination with outside professionals where appropriate.
Because every client’s situation is different, your specific fee will be clearly outlined before you decide to move forward. Fees are billed quarterly. *Clients resident in Switzerland are subject to 8.1% VAT
Considerations For Complex Situations For All Engagements
In any of our above pricing options, we generally define your situation as complex if any of the following applies to you:
- You are a corporate expat on a limited expat contract
- You are planning an international move within the next 12 months
- You own a business, or are you in the process of organizing one
- You are involved or have ownership with foreign entities
- You are considering purchasing foreign real estate within the next 12 months
- You have complex equity compensation considerations
- You are a senior executive with a complex compensation structure
- You have immediate estate planning needs and considerations
- You are planning on retiring within the next five years
Custom Projects
If you have an immediate or quick question, we invite you to book a paid consultation here.
For individuals considering working with us on a custom project, the first step is to book a paid consultation. Should we move forward together, the consultation fee will be applied toward your project fee. If you do not currently meet the criteria for our ongoing financial planning services, we still encourage you to book a paid consultation. This allows us to support U.S. expats and cross-border families with focused financial planning guidance regardless of net worth, income level, or planning complexity.
Paid consultations are best suited for immediate questions, second opinions, or targeted support when you are not yet ready for a comprehensive ongoing planning relationship.
We are passionate about serving clients with a diverse range of planning needs. We are happy to take on custom projects as we have capacity. Our starting project fee is 5,300 USD/CHF/EUR, with most projects priced between 12,500 and 25,000 USD/CHF/EUR.
*Clients resident in Switzerland are subject to 8.1% VAT