Helping Oregon physician families
lead healthy financial lives.™

Call: 888-465-0899
Contact Us

Home

Who We Serve

How We Work

Services

About Ben Utley

Resources

Contact Us

Are you overwhelmed by the thought of managing your family's investment portfolio?

Finally, physicians can free themselves from the chore of investment management and re-focus their energy on the people and pastimes that make life worth living.

Are you a surgeon, medical practitioner or physician family member who is concerned about your family's savings? You need to make sure your accounts are growing steadily but...

  • You don't really enjoy watching the stock market but you know things change rapidly. You haven't had time to follow the news, and if there's a move you should be making, you don't know what it might be.
  • Your paperwork is a bit disorganized. With money in various retirement accounts and financial institutions, paperwork piles up quickly and it's difficult to keep track of everything. You're afraid you might be missing something important.
  • You're not certain you have the right investments because you're not exactly sure what you own. You'd like to get a handle on things but you're not sure where to begin.
  • The thought of managing large sums of money makes you nervous. As your savings grow larger, so does the size of any mistake you might make. You know the wrong move could cost you dearly or even jeopardize your family's future.

If you're looking for a way to be certain your investments are well-managed without having to be the one who does the work, congratulations! You've found it.

Introducing ProActive Portfolio: Investing intentionally

At Physician Family Financial Advisors, we've developed an investment management program specifically for active physician families. With ProActive Portfolio Services:

  • You will feel good knowing you're using a time-tested strategy that carefully considers the changing economic environment while capturing current market opportunities.
  • You'll become the confident owner of quality investments. Rest easy knowing your portfolio is balanced, diversified and managed in a way that matches your unique financial situation.
  • Your accounts will be clean and consolidated. With a streamlined and simplified account structure, you can easily keep track of your investments and see your progress.

You'll do more than save time and avoid guesswork. By delegating the chore of portfolio management to a skilled professional, you will free yourself to focus on the people who need you most: your patients, your partners and your family.

What would YOU do with a little more freedom?

Back in 2000, we met a surgeon who was day-trading the dot-coms, spending late nights studying stock charts, and calling in market orders between procedures in the O.R.

He got decent results on his own, but other things began to slip through the cracks. He woke up tired in the morning, his wife complained that he wasn't spending enough time with her, and the kids thought he was way too grumpy.

He asked for our help. When we reviewed his accounts, it became clear he could increase his diversification, reduce the risk in his portfolio, and capture new opportunities while still earning a rate of return that would allow him to achieve his goals of early retirement. We rolled these findings into a long-term investment strategy that met with his satisfaction.

He felt comfortable with our approach and decided to turn over the details of portfolio management to our firm. We opened accounts and put the new strategy to work. Now we keep him in touch and on track with his investments through annual checkups and as-needed updates.

This surgeon won some of his life back. He's been able to devote more attention to his practice and he has regained the energy he needs to begin to make a gradual transition toward early retirement. He often takes long bike rides with his family in the evenings, and his wife tells us he's easier to live with. He says we should "count him as one of our greater success stories." So we did.

What makes ProActive Portfolio Services perfect for physicians on the go?

The scope of the service.

No matter where your investments are located, nor how large or small your accounts may be, we can manage them for you. That means:

  • We can pick the funds in your 401k, 403b, deferred comp, TSA, 457 or other employer-sponsored plan
  • We can direct your IRA, Roth, SIMPLE, SEP or other self-directed retirement account
  • We can place trades for you in your brokerage account, mutual fund, or other taxable account
  • We can make wise choices in your 529 plan, UTMA, Health Savings Account, and even your variable annuity

If it's your money - and you have the power to make a decision about it - we can handle it. This range of reach means you get the help you need to gain the freedom you deserve. Few other firms are willing - or able - to do that for you.

You want to be certain you get advice that's right for your family...

...and so do we.

That's why we do not sell products of any kind. We're a fee-only investment advisor, which frees us from the conflicts of interest that go with commission-driven sales. Our focus is to help you make better decisions about the investment accounts you already own. This independence means we're able to recommend investment moves that are right for you and your family.

How ProActive Portfolio works

  1. We develop a strategy together: In person or in teleconference, we discuss your financial situation, learn about your investment goals, understand your risk tolerance and determine your time horizon.

    Together, we develop an asset allocation and an investment strategy that fits your comfort level. We summarize this strategy in a letter known as your Investment Guidelines, which forms the foundation for investment decisions we make for you.

    We will not take custody of your assets, meaning we will not accept a general power to move your money or make withdrawals from your accounts. However, w
    e will ask you to complete paperwork that grants us the power to access your accounts for the purpose of receiving information, billing for fees and placing trades on your behalf.
     
  2. We manage your accounts for you: We select investments that are appropriate for you, place trades to buy or sell those securities, and work with the financial institutions that hold your accounts to make sure our investment decisions are carried out according to plan.

    Once your portfolio is established, we regularly monitor the performance of your investments and make adjustments as necessary. Through specialized research, economic analysis, and detailed performance data, we continuously seek opportunities to improve your risk-adjusted returns. When the time is right, we will update our recommendations and take action to put these recommendations to work in your accounts.
     
  3. We consult with you at least annually. In person or in teleconference, we discuss your investment strategy, review your accounts, and follow your progress. At this time, we also check in with you to see if your personal or financial situation has changed in a way that calls for a change in plans.
     
  4. We make ourselves available to help you. Between annual checkups, we may contact you directly - particularly during times of market volatility - to discuss concerns you may have and keep you informed about your investments. We reply to email and return phone calls promptly.

NOTE: Financial planning is available through our Advisor On Call service and is not included in the ProActive Portfolio service.

No long term obligation required

When you choose ProActive Portfolio, you may begin to see us as your advisor for life, but you are not bound by any long term commitment. ProActive Portfolio is a quarter-by-quarter engagement and you can cancel any time you choose.

We’re constantly striving to improve the service we render to physician families like yours. When we find something about our business that does not seem to work for physicians, we make it right. Maybe that's why most of our clients have come by way of referral from satisfied colleagues, attorneys and accountants.

Since the very first physician engaged our practice, we have never—not once—had a physician who terminated their engagement with us because they were unhappy.

A smarter way to pay

Utley Financial Planning is an independent, fee-only advisory firm. That means we're free to recommend any strategy, product or service we believe is right for you without the conflicts of interest that come from commission-driven sales.

Fees for ProActive Portfolio are 1% of the first $1 million in assets under management with breakpoints and lower rates for each additional million under management.

Since we earn more when your accounts grow (and less if they don't!), we have an incentive to keep your investments working for you, aligning our interests with yours.

We have what it takes to get the job done

Ben Utley, the founder and president of Utley Financial Planning, is a leader in the field of financial services for physicians. A Certified Financial Planner™ and NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor, Ben has been helping families build financial security since 1994. His expertise has been recognized by The Wall Street Journal, The [London] Financial Times and other national publications. Medical Economics lists him among the "150 Best Financial Advisors for Physicians" while Bloomberg Wealth Manager has branded him "The New Breed of Financial Advisor".

Are you ready to check "Investments" off your To Do List?

Getting started is easy. You can either:

 

 

© Utley Financial Planning Inc.
399 East 10th Avenue, Suite 103; Eugene, Oregon 97401
541-463-0899 (Eugene/Springfield); 888-465-0899 (greater Oregon)
Privacy/Legal

Contact Us