Firm Information
Diesslin Group (“DG”), Inc. is a registered investment advisor with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. DG is a Texas corporation that was founded in 1980 by David H. Diesslin,
founder. Our firm is located at 425 Houston Street, Suite 500, Fort Worth, TX 76102 and
currently has 12 employees. As of 12/31/2023, our assets under management were $622,966,444
of which $545,264,951 we managed on a discretionary basis and $77,701,493 of non-
discretionary assets.
DG provides personal, individually-tailored, comprehensive, fee-only financial planning and
asset-management services to individuals, closely–held businesses, corporations, charitable
organizations, pension and profit sharing plans and others. The term “comprehensive”
incorporates, but is not limited to, the following elements: cash flow and net worth statements,
cash flow management, tax planning, education planning and funding, non-business risk
management, and retirement, charitable and estate planning. However, the planning needs of a
particular client may be either more comprehensive or more limited in scope.
After in-depth data collection and analysis of the client’s asset and debt position, cash flow, tax
position, etc., as determined by the scope of the agreement, DG will assist the client in
developing short and/or long term goals and objectives, and a set of options and action plan
consistent with the client’s attitudes, philosophy and risk tolerance. If the client so chooses, DG
may manage part or all of the client’s investable assets. The management of a client’s portfolio is
based upon the client’s objectives, preferences, investment philosophy, risk tolerance and the
investment influence of the capital markets and economy. DG will typically create a portfolio of
no-load and low load stock and bond mutual funds. DG primarily recommends portfolios
consisting of actively managed mutual funds offered through the Schwab or Fidelity platform.
DG’s advice is typically limited to these types of investments; further information is provided
under Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss.
Our Process
Introductory Meeting: A client’s relationship with DG typically begins with an Introductory
Meeting which is usually a 90-minute meeting in which the firm assists the client in discovering
long-term goals (financial and otherwise) and the obstacles that currently stand in the way of
achieving them. These insights serve as a guiderail and are implemented throughout our services.
• Initial Financial Planning: Following the Introductory Meeting the client may engage
DG for a Financial Planning review.The client will sign an individualized agreement
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describing the scope of the services to be provided and the fee that will be paid for these
services.
• Implementaion/ Ongoing Financial Planning & Asset Management: If a client elects to
receive ongoing investment management and financial advisory services after the Initial
Financial Planning is complete, they will move to the Implementation/ Ongoing
Assistance phase.This stage typically includes ongoing investment management and
monitoring services including asset allocation and portfolio construction,
recommendations concerning a client’s existing individual securities, and planning
concerning interest and dividend payments and capital gains, as they relate to retirement,
charitable planning, education funding, tax and real estate issues. The firm provides
subsequent comprehensive annual financial planning reviews for clients who pay an
ongoing financial planning retainer fee and provide the information requested by the firm
for the review, and may provide a financial review, the scope of which will be at the
firm’s discretion, for any other clients who request it.
Our Services
Asset Management: At DG our goal is to identify the specific financial requirements of each
client and construct a portfolio of appropriate investments designed to meet our client’s unique
needs.DG develops an investment policy statement, determines asset allocation and selects
investments. DG considers the
client’s individual needs and long-term investment goals, with
“long-term” defined as an investment time horizon of 5 years or more. We believe that
diversification is essential to reducing portfolio risk. DG also considers the tax implications of
investment decisions in an effort to maximize after-tax return. DG periodically reviews the
portfolio and reviews performance. Clients are able to impose restrictions on investing in certain
securities or types of securities.
Retirement Planning: DG’s goal in retirement planning is to help our clients achieve their long-
term financial goals with the peace of mind that comes from having third-party guidance. Many
variables are considered in the analyses, such as years until retirement, levels of savings until
retirement, other sources of income (such as Social Security and pension benefits), expected
portfolio return and inflation rate, existing debts and cash needs, and the current value of the
client’s portfolio. With this information DG is able to “stress test” the portfolio and vary inputs
to get a probability of success at different spending levels.
In addition, we analyze sources of income such as Social Security and Pension benefits and
develop strategies to maximize the benefits over the clients’ lifetime.
Insurance Planning: DG reviews an individual’s risks of loss and determines the appropriate
types and amounts of insurance to provide adequate protection against those potential losses,
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including personal risks (life insurance, disability insurance, health insurance, and long-term care
insurance), property risks (homeowners insurance, automobile insurance, flood insurance, and
insurance on rental properties), and liability risks (including personal umbrella liability
insurance, professional liability, and directors’ errors and omissions coverage). In evaluating the
sufficiency of life insurance, DG employs both the “income replacement” and the “expense
coverage” analysis methods.
Estate Planning: Estate planning is the process of coordinating wills, trusts and ancillary
documents to most effectively accomplish a person’s tax and non-tax objectives for
accumulating, transferring, and disposing of assets, both during the individual’s lifetime and
after death. The primary objectives of an estate plan are to provide for the support and comfort of
a surviving spouse and/or dependents, and to maximize the transfer of wealth to subsequent
generations or to other beneficiaries.
Tax Management: The objective of tax planning is to pay the lowest amount of tax that is legally
permissible, consistent with overall financial planning objectives. Taxes impact almost every
area of personal financial planning, and DG tailors tax planning strategies according to the
client’s age, family status, and sources of income, as well as the constantly-changing tax law and
regulations.
Business Planning: Planning for a small-business owner encompasses a variety of issues,
including income tax planning, succession planning and buy/sell agreements, valuations of
business interests, and evaluating professional liability and worker’s compensation insurance
needs.
Education Planning: Planning for financing the formidable costs of attending institutions of
higher education is a concern for every parent, and should be undertaken well in advance of the
child’s attaining college age. DG provides a detailed evaluation of education funding needs
(tuition, fees, books, and room and board for public and private institutions) for each child, and
customized recommendations concerning projected amounts remaining to be funded and
education savings options.
Situation-Specific Needs: While some aspects of financial planning are universal, certain
objectives or circumstances may have a dramatic impact on the process. A few examples include
the following: specific asset protection needs, family limited partnerships, charitable giving
arrangements, special needs trusts and planning for, or following, a divorce, death of a spouse,
retirement packages, stock options and severance packages.
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