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The Process

❤️ Our Planning Approach: Rooted in Care, Guided by Process

At Pendleton Financial, we believe every great financial plan begins with something deeper than numbers — it begins with understanding.

We start by listening with care and curiosity, taking the time to truly understand your life, your values, and what matters most to you. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or navigating financial planning for the first time, we meet you with empathy, clarity, and steady guidance. Our work is led by strength and love, grounded in trust, and shaped by your unique story.

From there, we apply the structure of the CFP® (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™) process, a proven model that allows us to build thoughtful, comprehensive plans for long-term success.

Gather the Facts

Analyze the Information

Make Recommendations

📊 The CFP® Process

  1. Understanding Your Personal and Financial Circumstances

  2. Identifying and Selecting Goals

  3. Analyzing Your Current and Potential Course(s) of Action

  4. Developing Personalized Financial Recommendations

  5. Presenting the Plan

  6. Implementing the Plan Together

  7. Monitoring Progress and Updating Over Time

See If We’re a Good Fit

🌸The Discovery Process: Financial Action Checklist (FACT)

Our process begins with connection, not commitment. The Financial Action Checklist offers a gentle, structured way for us to explore whether we’re the right fit — without pressure.

FACT 1: Introduction

  • 📞 Introductory Phone Call

  • 🏡 In-Office or Virtual Meeting

  • 📂 Review any financial info shared

  • 🤝 Decide whether to proceed to FACT 2

FACT 2: Presentation

  • 💡  Receive your customized Financial Action Checklist

  • 🌙 Sleep on it — take time before deciding to move forward

 FACT 3: Implementation

  • 🌱 Begin putting the plan into action

  • 💛 Enter into the Gold Medal Services (GMS) experience — a supportive, proactive partnership designed around your life

FACT 1: Introduction

Step 1: Introductory Phone Call 

Step 2: In Office (or virtual) Visit 

Review financial information and documents provided before the meeting

Meet with each other in-person or virtually to see if we are a good fit

Decide whether or not to set the FACT 2 meeting

FACT 2: Presentation

During our Meeting: Present the Financial Action Checklist with actionable steps for you to enhance your financial life

After our Meeting: Sleep on it. We ask you wait at least a day after our meeting to decide whether or not to move forward to FACT 3 to implement the action steps in the Financial Action Checklist

FACT 3: Implementation

After you Sleep on it: Work with Pendleton to help you implement the action steps from the Financial Action Checklist

Begin the Gold Medal Services (GMS) Client Experience

See If We’re a Good Fit

💛 Gold Medal Services (GMS): Caring, Ongoing Partnership

At Pendleton Financial, our relationship with you doesn’t end after the plan is made — it deepens over time. We offer thoughtful, structured touchpoints throughout the year, as well as open space for life’s surprises and sacred moments. Together, we walk forward in strength, clarity, and love.

🌿 GMS 1: Annual Planning Meeting

A full-circle conversation to reflect, plan, and align:

  • Reflect on your investments and how they’re supporting your long-term goals

  • Explore post-year tax strategies (personal or corporate)

  • Look ahead to the coming year with clarity

  • Run & review tax projections

  • Coordinate with your CPA on tax return drafts

  • Open space for anything else on your heart or mind

🌼 GMS 2: Mid-Year Review (Optional but Available)

A thoughtful mid-year review to ensure you're on track:

  • Revisit investments and make any needed updates

  • Confirm beneficiaries

  • Review estate and legal documents

  • Reassess insurance and risk management

  • Make time for what matters most to you

🍂 GMS 3: Year-End Strategy Session

A meaningful review to close the year:

  • Optimize for year-end tax opportunities

  • Plan for IRA RMDs (if applicable)

  • Harvest tax losses thoughtfully if needed

  • Review projected tax documents

  • Align your strategy with your season of life

  • Review anything else you would like for us to 

💬 GMS ASAP: Life Happens, and We’re Here

Sometimes life brings joy. Sometimes it brings loss or change. No matter what it is —
if it’s important to you, it’s important to us.

We’ll meet you quickly and kindly, whenever you need us, for:

  • Retirement

  • Marriage or divorce

  • New children or grandchildren

  • A health event or diagnosis

  • Loss of a loved one

  • College transitions

  • Natural disasters or unexpected crises

❤️You’re never alone in this journey. We are your partners, your guides, your steady support.❤️

GMS 1

Full Year Planning Meeting

Reflect on your investments and how they’re supporting your long-term goals

Explore post-year tax strategies (personal or corporate)

Look ahead to the coming year with clarity

Run & review tax projections

Coordinate with your CPA on tax return drafts

Open space for anything else on your heart or mind

GMS 2

Mid-Year Planning Meeting

Revisit investments and make any needed updates

Confirm beneficiaries

Review estate and legal documents

Reassess insurance and risk management

Make time for what matters most to you

GMS 3

Year-End Planning Meeting

Optimize for year-end tax opportunities

Plan for IRA RMDs (if applicable)

Harvest tax losses thoughtfully if needed

Review projected tax documents

Align your strategy with your season of life

Review anything else you would like for us to 

GMS ASAP

Whenever you want to meet, we will be here for you ASAP

If it is important to you it is important to us

We will schedule a time to meet ASAP, or at least schedule a quick call to discuss

Major life events (for example Retirement, Death, Marriage, Divorce, Children, Grandchildren, College, Disaster, etc)

See If We’re a Good Fit

Gold Medal Services

Investment Management Services

  • Reviewing your investments and designing a personalized portfolio appropriate to your needs
  • Year-long, continual management and monitoring of your investments
  • Quarterly, semi-annual or annual meetings to review and evaluate your investment performance,
    update your overall financial objectives and if necessary, reallocate your portfolio as agreed upon by you
  • Independent Advice
  • Recommendations regarding positioning of investments within your employer provided retirement plans
    such as 401(k)s
  • Quarterly economic report detailing updated analysis and a current view of the investment markets

Tax Reduction Planning

  • Comprehensive review of your tax return to highlight opportunities for maximizing tax reduction strategies
  • Annual short and long term tax projections to ensure your taxes are minimized over your lifetime, and potentially those of your children and grandchildren as well 
  • Annual review of your tax situation and planning to incorporate any new tax law changes
  • Complimentary consultation with your tax preparer
  • Recommendations of tax solutions including tax advantaged investments
  • Staying current on and presenting new tax laws that can affect your situation

Retirement Income & Distribution Planning

  • Analysis of your current and future income needs
  • Design a portfolio for your needed retirement income
  • Direct conversations about how much you can or cannot spend, helping to ensure you won't be able to outlive your assets 
  • Continual development and implementation of recommendations to fund your income needs to optimize your lifestyle
  • Recommendations regarding the most appropriate distribution strategy for your employer retirement plans and IRAs
  • Analysis of the beneficiaries of your IRAs

Family Wealth, Estate & Legacy Planning

  • Analysis of your current estate plan
  • Review of strategies to efficiently transfer wealth to your loved ones
  • Discussion of important financial and non-financial goals you may have for your legacy 
  • Frank advice about how these values may change over time and the level of control you want to have over your family's use of your money
  • Helping to gift now versus gift later, if desired
  • Complimentary consultation with your attorney
  • Assist with a family meeting where we help you discuss your estate intentions with your family and/ or heirs to ensure no one is surprised and reduce post-death family issues
  • Helping to avoid post-death intra-family litigation which is very common 
  • Assistance in transferring assets to your Living Trust or other trusts
  • Providing guidance with the appropriate and necessary steps in the event of the death of a loved one

Client Services & Communications

  • Quarterly Newsletter to keep you apprised of the most current planning strategies
  • Quarterly, semi-annual or annual reviews
  • Meetings as needed for major life events or just if you want to talk and catch up
  • We prefer to have regular conversations so everyone is kept in the loop
  • Special reports on how to help reduce your taxes and other important topics
  • Special Gold Medal Service Events, including client appreciation events (where you may bring up to 2 guests)
See If We’re a Good Fit

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