Firm Description
White & Company Financial Planning, Inc., (“WCFP”) was founded in 2005.
WCFP provides personalized confidential financial planning and investment
management to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates,
charitable organizations, and small businesses. Advice is provided through
consultation with the client and may include: determination of financial objectives,
identification of financial problems, cash flow management, tax planning, insurance
review, investment management, education funding, retirement planning, and estate
planning.
WCFP is strictly a fee-only financial planning and investment management firm. The
firm does not sell annuities, insurance, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, limited
partnerships, or other commissioned products. The firm is not affiliated with entities
that sell financial products or securities. No commissions in any form are accepted.
No finder’s fees are accepted.
WCFP also serves as trustee for trusts or serves as personal representative of an estate
for a client. This gives WCFP custody over accounts that are set up for the trust or
estate.
Other professionals (e.g., lawyers, accountants, insurance agents, etc.) are engaged
directly by the client on an as-needed basis. Conflicts of interest will be disclosed to
the client in the unlikely event they should occur.
The initial meeting, which may be by telephone, is free of charge and is considered an
exploratory interview to determine the extent to which financial planning and
investment management may be beneficial to the client.
Principal Owners
James Eric Parker is a 50% stockholder. Thomas White is a 50% stockholder.
Types of Advisory Services
Financial Planning
WCFP provides financial planning to its clients. Clients utilizing this service will
receive a written financial plan providing the client with a detailed financial plan
designed to achieve their stated financial goals and objectives. The financial plan
may include any or all of the following areas of concern: Personal budgeting, debt
management, income tax planning, investment planning, insurance planning for death
and disability, retirement planning and estate planning. WCFP spends approximately
5% of its time on financial planning services.
The financial planning process generally includes gathering information through in-
depth personal interviews. Information gathered includes a client's current financial
status, future goals, and attitudes toward risk. Related documents supplied by the
client are carefully reviewed, including a questionnaire completed by the client, and a
written report is prepared. Should a client choose to implement the recommendations
contained in the plan, WCFP suggests the client work closely with his/her attorney,
accountant, insurance agent, and/or stockbroker. Implementation of financial plan
recommendations is entirely at the client's discretion and the use of WCFP, or any
affiliated person or entity is not required.
Some clients are provided with a written plan that may include a personal balance
sheet and certain projections. All reports, financial statement projections and analyses
are intended exclusively for the clients’ use in developing and implementing their
financial plan. In view of this limited purpose, the statements should not be
considered complete financial statements. We will not audit (examine), review or
compile such statements and, accordingly we will not express an opinion or other
form of assurance on them, including the reasonableness of assumptions and other
data on which any prospective financial statements are based.
It is likely that there will be differences between projected and actual results because
events vary, and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected and such
differences may be material.
Our analysis will be highly dependent on certain economic assumptions about the
future. Therefore, the client should establish familiarity with historical data regarding
key assumptions such as inflation and investment rates of return, as well as an
understanding of how significantly these assumptions affect the results of our
analyses. We may counsel the client as to the consistency of the assumptions with
relevant historical data, but we will not express any assurance as to the accuracy or
reasonableness of your specific data and assumptions. The client is ultimately
responsible for the assumptions and personal data upon which our procedures and
projections are based. The financial plan assumptions and reports are primarily a tool
to alert clients to certain possibilities. The reports are not intended to, nor do they
provide any guaranty about future events including an individual’s investment
returns. The implementation of the plan is solely the client’s responsibility.
Investment Management
WCFP also provides investment management services. WCFP provides this service
to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and corporations.
WCFP manages client accounts on a discretionary basis. The asset allocation for a
client’s investments is guided by the stated objectives and
needs of the client (i.e.,
maximum capital appreciation, growth, income, or growth and income). Once the
appropriate asset allocation has been determined, WCFP will review the portfolio and
its underlying assets quarterly or annually, and if necessary, reallocate or rebalance
the portfolio, based on each client's individual needs.
As of December 31, 2023, WCFP manages approximately $115,460,687 in assets for
301 clients. All of the assets are managed on a discretionary basis. WCFP spends
approx 90% of its time on Investment Management services.
Other Services
On more than an occasional basis, WCFP furnishes advice to clients on financial
matters, taxation, trust services and estate planning on an hourly basis. WCFP spends
approx 5% of its time on these services.
Tailored Relationships
The goals and objectives for each client is documented in our client files. For
financial planning clients, these goals and objectives are the basis for the
recommendations that are made. For investment management clients, investment
policy statements are created that reflect the stated goals and objectives. Clients may
impose restrictions on investing in certain securities or types of securities.
Types of Agreements
The following agreements define the typical client relationships.
Financial Planning Agreement
A financial plan is designed to help the client with all aspects of financial planning
without ongoing investment management after the financial plan is completed.
The financial plan may include, but is not limited to: a net worth statement; a cash
flow statement; a review of investment accounts, including reviewing asset allocation
and providing repositioning recommendations; strategic tax planning; a review of
retirement accounts and plans including recommendations; a review of insurance
policies and recommendations for changes, if necessary; one or more retirement
scenarios; estate planning review and recommendations; and education planning with
funding recommendations.
Detailed investment advice and specific recommendations are provided as part of a
financial plan. Implementation of the recommendations is at the discretion of the
client.
Financial planning engagements terminate upon delivery of the financial plan to the
client. A financial planning engagement is not an ongoing one. WCFP does not
monitor assets, recommendations, or the implementation of a financial plan. Ongoing
investment advisory services are discussed immediately below as asset allocation
services.
If a financial planning engagement is terminated before the presentation of the plan,
WCFP does not bill the client for the preparation of the plan.
Investment Management Agreement
An Investment Management Agreement is executed related to asset allocation
services when financial planning is not provided as part of the relationship. The asset
allocation is guided by the client’s goals and objectives. The fee for providing the
asset allocation services covered by the Investment Management Agreement is based
on a percentage of assets under management. In some cases, fees may be negotiable.
Fees for certain immediate family members, employees and employee's immediate
family members are waived.
Hourly Engagements
WCFP provides hourly planning and investment management services for clients who
need advice or investment management on a limited scope. The hourly rate is $305
per hour. The hourly fee (based on actual hours) is due upon presentation of the
advice or completion of the service.
Types of Investments
Assets are invested primarily in no-load or low-load mutual funds and exchange-
traded funds or notes, usually through discount brokers or fund companies. Fund
companies charge each fund shareholder an investment management fee that is
disclosed in the fund prospectus. Discount brokerages may charge a transaction fee
for the purchase of some funds.
Stocks and bonds may be purchased or sold through a brokerage account when
appropriate. The brokerage firm charges a fee for stock and bond trades. WCFP does
not receive any compensation, in any form, from fund companies.
Investments may also include: equities (stocks), corporate debt securities, commercial
paper, certificates of deposit, municipal securities, investment company securities
(variable life insurance, variable annuities, and mutual funds shares), U. S.
government securities, options contracts and futures contracts.
Investment advice may be offered on any investments held by a client at the start of
the advisory relationship. Recommendations for new investments will typically be
limited to those listed above.
Initial public offerings (IPOs) are not available through WCFP.
Termination of Agreement
A client agreement may be canceled at any time, by either party, for any reason upon
receipt of 30 days written notice. Upon termination of any account, any prepaid,
unearned fees will be promptly refunded, and any earned, unpaid fees will be due and
payable. The client has the right to terminate any agreement without penalty within
five business days after entering into the agreement.