"In the twenty years I've been helping people with their money, I get the same question over and over again: AM I GOING TO BE OK? That's what we all want to know right? A wholistic approach to a financial plan is the best way I've found to answer this question."
Jo-Ann Holst, CFP®
Jo-Ann is an independent, Certified Financial Planner™ and Best Selling Author with a vast background in financial planning. As a fiduciary, she is required to put her clients' best interests first. She has nineteen years of experience in the securities, insurance, and commodities industries.
She specializes in comprehensive financial planning that covers the many needs that arise in retirement. She brings the competing worlds of money together by offering both low-risk insurance products and market investments.
What is comprehensive financial planning?
Does your financial planning pie look like
THIS... or like THIS?
There's more to planning
than investments.
Discover how having a partner who wins when you win, forever changes how you see financial planning.
See what a comprehensive financial plan can do for you.
Comprehensive financial planning
Most of us spend time focusing on the ups and downs of our retirement accounts. However, it's important to remember that investments are only one piece of a rounded, healthy financial plan. What’s the point in having all that money if you neglect to protect it from excess taxes, inflation and health related catastrophes? Your nest egg could dwindle quickly without comprehensive WRITTEN retirement plan. That's what our Seed to Harvest Wealth Plan.
For example, Social Security taxation and Medicare premiums are now linked to your income. That means, you could have lower Medicare premiums and less Social Security taxation if you and your adviser plan ahead. Which type of accounts do you withdraw retirement income from first; taxable, tax-deferred, or tax-free? Considerations like these can have large impacts how much money you keep, and whether or not you run out of money in retirement.
If your financial adviser isn't talking to you about maximizing your Social Security retirement benefit, building life-long income, estate planning, preparing for future medical costs, beating inflation, minimizing taxes AND investments, it's time to consider a second opinion. As a CFP - Certified Financial Planner™, JH Advisers is professionally trained in each of these critical retirement planning categories. You worked hard to earn your retirement assets, so take the time to plan smart.
What's different about investing today
Historically low interest rates:
How does that affect you in retirement? Investments dependent on interest rates will earn less money than in the past, i.e. CDs, bond interest, and fixed annuities. Retirees historically have used these tools to safeguard and grow their money. However these products, in a low interest rate environment, may not provide retirees with the returns needed to sustain their lifestyle in retirement. If you’re concerned about low interest rate returns, it might be time to consider some alternatives. Work with financial advisers who know how to navigate our current low interest rate environment and utilize strategies that make sense in today’s market.
Fewer employer pensions means more pressure on the saver:
The good old days are over. With fewer and fewer pensions being offered by employers, the burden of planning is now on the saver. Without the foundation of a pension to lean on, the decisions we make regarding our IRAs and 401ks become more critical. One big mistake could lead to everlasting regrets. With stakes this high, it’s critical to get good advice from a trusted adviser before you bake big decisions. JH Advisers will help you feel good about the future of your retirement plans by talking through your individual goals, objectives, time horizon, and risk tolerance before big decisions are made.
Volatile markets:
The stock market has experienced two major crashes in the last ten years. Big losses are hard on everyone, but they are especially devastating to people near or in retirement. That’s why it’s important for these individuals to lessen the volatility in their portfolios and possibly consider protective measures. JH Advisers uses techniques such as investing in defensive industries, utilizing stop losses and hedging techniques, investing in non-market correlating alternatives and using fixed, guaranteed annuities to potentially decrease volatility. Of course, all investments have some degree of risk, but we can limit this risk with the right tools.
We want protection, but also growth! Today, investors need active management, advisers who seek out sectors that are trending today. JH Advisers compiles unique portfolios for today's investor. Thousands of funds are analyzed for performance, expense ratios, management tenure, risk / reward, and other ratios necessary to evaluate potential. Diversification is a key to our strategy, however, other factors like cyclical opportunities and sector momentum are considered to potentially perform better.
We believe in a “big picture” fundamental approach. By focusing on the fundamentals; earnings, interest rates, liquidity, etc., we try to take the emotion out of investing. We take a longer term view of the market and believe that short term predictions are not practical. We do not actively trade or try to time the market as we deem these techniques as methods that will not add value over time. However, we do take a proactive approach and may increase or reduce portfolio risk during periods of market promise or stress.
The family behind the business:
Left to right: Colette Snyder, Jo-Ann Holst and Bob Donoho
The right risk "dosage" for you
There are many different types of financial professionals who want to invest your money. Their investment selection and advice are often limited by a bias. A bias that is based on which license they currently hold. An insurance-only professional (life insurance license) is limited to annuities and cash-value life insurance products.
Many of these fixed products are considered “safe” as they are not invested in the stock market, and have guaranteed returns. However, they don’t have the earning potential of stock market investments. Securities licensed-only professionals i.e., (stock broker, investment adviser) are limited to stock market products such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, REITs, etc. These products have higher earning potential but they also have market risk associated with each product. Always check the credentials of a financial adviser before committing to a relationship.
At JH Advisers, we realize that clients have unique financial needs and believe that there is an appropriate “dosage” between safe money products and stock market investments.
Therefore, along with our cutting edge risk analysis software, we also bring the competing worlds of money (safe and risk) together. Because it's about what's right for you! We think a client should carefully consider the percentage of investable assets that are exposed to market risk. The right dosage will help to decrease emotionally based decisions that we often regret in hindsight.
The technology planning toolbox
JH Advisers gives you access to state-of-the-art software tools to connect you with your money at no extra cost.
Retirement Analysis Software:
Today, we want simplification. We want an easily understood analysis of where we are now, and what we need to do to succeed. That's why JH Advisers utilizes cutting edge retirement planning software that brings together complicated information to present simple results. See a year-by-year snap-shot of your financial future. Our software compiles all of your financial data into one periodic, short and easy to understand analysis. Advanced algorithms allow you to forecast potential future scenarios, see how taxes and inflation could impact your money, and when your money could run out.
Social Security Maximization Software:
JH Advisers also uses a Social Security maximization software to help you and/or your spouse visualize different claiming scenarios to ensure your family receives the biggest possible benefit. There are many ways to claim Social Security benefits and one should consider the three possible benefits; our own, spousal and survivor. This programs helps to maximize your bottom line when making decisions on when to take benefits, while integrating Social Security with withdrawal of other retirement funds.
Account Aggregation Software:
One log-in gets you access to unlimited online accounts. Stay organized and keep better track of your investment performance with all of your household’s bank, investment, retirement, and college savings accounts organized on a single screen. This web-based, live reporting gives you access to account balances, performance, and allocation. Reach your goals faster by seeing how all of your accounts work together. Rest assured that your personal information is kept safe with secure data sharing & collaboration
technology.
Risk Analysis Software:
Do you ever wonder if you're in the right investments for your risk tolerance and life stage? We use a patented Risk Number® technology, that can help you objectively calculate your true risk tolerance by utilizing a scientific framework that won the Nobel Prize for Economics. In fact, you don't have to wait to become our client to find your risk number. Click below to take the quiz.
We do not get paid more to select one investment over another. We do not receive commissions (or loads) when selecting investments for our clients. We are fee-only which means we get paid more if, and only if, your account value increases, so we're on the same side of the table as our clients. Please note, we do receive commissions for insurance products (non-investment products).
On the contrary, an financial planner who is not a fiduciary, only needs to ensure that their recommendations are "suitable" for their clients. So for example, they could suggest an investment that gives them a higher commission or a product that doesn't perform as well. And they don't have to tell you about the better options. Ask yourself, would you rather have what's best for you, or what's good enough?
Many of these "suitable" products and investments have higher fees than their competition. The Department of Labor looked at the affects fees have on retirement savings accounts. This is how the DOL describes the current system exploited by non-fiduciary advisers:
“A system where firms can benefit from backdoor payments and hidden fees often buried in fine print if they talk responsible Americans into buying bad retirement investments—with high costs and low returns—instead of
recommending quality investments isn’t fair.”
Why is working with a "fiduciary" financial adviser so important?
Did you know, that not all financial advisers are legally bound to do what's best for their clients?
In fact, only "fiduciary" advisers are. So how do you know if your adviser is a fiduciary? Ask him or her if they are an Investment Adviser.
Investopedia explains: "Investment advisers work directly for clients and must place clients' interests ahead of their own, according to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Brokers, however, serve the broker-dealers they work for and must only believe that recommendations are suitable for clients." READ THE INVESTOPEDIA ARTICLE ON FIDUCIARY ADVISORS HERE.
At JH Advisers, we're Investment Advisors and/or Certified Financial Planners, both are fiduciaries. Therefore, we are LEGALLY BOUND, as fiduciaries, to act in the best interest of our clients.
Two tips for choosing an adviser 11/30/2016
So before you work with an adviser, ask them:
ARE YOU A FIDUCIARY?
Your Financial Goals
Before we do any financial planning, we get to know you and ask lots of questions. What are your short term and long term goals? Where are you starting from now, and where do you see yourself in the future? What would you like to accomplish? What's your risk tolerance? What’s your budget? JH Advisers digs deep to understand who you are, and what’s important to you. From there, we customize a financial plan that is unique to fit your needs.
What's your retire-mentality? What does retirement mean to you? Is it sitting on a beach, starting that dream career, traveling the world, volunteering, or just spending time with grand kids? Retirement has a whole new meaning these days with lots of healthy, active possibilities. As your partner in planning, JHA Advisers will help you set quantifiable goals to reach those future dreams.
Financial Planning For Women
JH Advisers also specializes in financial planning for women. Which would make sense coming from a women-owned company. We support our female clients with specialized knowledge on issues affecting women such as Social Security spousal benefits, divorce matters, longevity planning, college funding and long-term care planning. As women, the role of care-giver often falls to us. Let JH Advisers help you give the best care to your family with diligent planning and sound advice.
Proudly Serving Colorado
Medicare Enrollment Help
Meet Bob
Is it time to enroll in Medicare? Robert Donoho can help you enroll in a Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage or Drug plan. He's an independent licensed Medicare agent who works at the JH Head Quarters. He's also Jo-Ann's husband. We are really into family around here.
If you need help with Medicare enrollment, click the button below to request a complimentary meeting with Bob. It never costs anything to meet with anyone at JH Advisers.
Request a no-cost consultation
720-287-5880
Call today to schedule a complimentary
consultation with an Investment Advisor Representative.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
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When you complete this form, your information will be kept confidential, and will NOT be distributed to any other organizations or persons, or added to an email list.
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Once the form is submitted, a JH Advisers representative will contact you ASAP to schedule your meeting with Jo-Ann.
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Please know, we do have account minimum requirements to become a client, and may ask about your investible assets. Consultations are complimentary and without obligation.