What are the Meeting Steps for Becoming a Client

One of the most common questions asked is, “How do I talk to Krista McBeath to see if she can help me? And if it's a fit to work together, what sort of meetings will there be in the process to becoming a client?” So there won’t be any mystery in our easy path towards getting to know each other, we would like to explain our process.

Often, before people reach out to us, they are somewhat familiar with our practice and how we help families with retirement planning, investments and insurance. Perhaps they have even researched us to learn how we might help them with a specific need. Ultimately, they’ve decided to explore the possibility of a relationship with us to help them meet their financial needs and goals.

Starting the Process

Every new relationship starts the same way, with a scheduled personal introductory phone call with Krista. It’s easy to choose a convenient time online with our scheduler. Simply click below to go to our scheduling page.

Of course, we also have staff available during regular business hours to assist with scheduling your appointment. If our online calendar does not show available options that meet your needs, give us a call to find a convenient time. You can reach us at 309-808-2224.

If you request an introductory call with Krista by using the link above, you will receive a follow-up call from our office to discuss your needs. Once your call is scheduled, you’ll receive an email confirmation for the meeting, along with other helpful information. It’s important to check your email for receipt!

Introductory Call

The first step of our process is a 15-20 minute phone call to share a little about your needs, and find out a little more about each other. Krista will listen and ask a few questions about your current circumstances and what you wish to achieve. She will also share our planning process with you, and whether she feels that the planning process will benefit you at this time. Together, you’ll decide if you might be a good fit to move forward with our Discovery Meeting. If you need more time to decide, or you'd like to better understand the benefits of planning, you can also explore our website and FAQ section. When you feel comfortable, we will schedule your Discovery meeting.

Discovery Meeting

Continuing the relationship started with the phone call, we welcome you to our office, where you can expect to be greeted by a warm and cheery atmosphere. We will provide you with a detailed list of items to bring to this meeting, along with a template to begin preparing your budget. We’ll have you join us for a one-hour meeting as we dive much deeper into your goals and what’s really important to you regarding your money, and more importantly, your life. We also explain in more detail how we apply our process to achieve your goals. We typically reserve this meeting for those who are confident in moving forward with the financial planning process. At the end of this meeting, we will collect a check deposit to secure our planning services. Learn more about the discovery meeting here.

Strategy Session

Once engaged for services, our team begins the process of reviewing and analyzing the documents provided during the Discovery Meeting. We will then meet for a Strategy Session where we share our initial findings with you; we think you will enjoy this meeting. During this time we typically focus on items like pension options, social security filing ages, tax strategy, and investment allocation. We also provide a list of items we are missing and tasks we recommend you complete. We will begin building the financial analysis, investment allocation, and a planning charter document, specific to you. This outline is where you will start to see the pieces of your plan come together. Sometimes, this meeting may raise questions you had not thought of yet. If that is the case, don't worry, we now have an opportunity to collaborate before we work on finalizing your completed financial or investment plan.

Plan Presentation

Our process entails an in-depth analysis, uncovering threats to financial stability as well as opportunities for helping you achieve your objectives. The Plan Presentation is when we share your financial analysis; we get to look at your future! With detailed reports in hand, we'll simplify your plan and answer questions. You will have a better understanding of how all the pieces work together, and you'll walk away knowing how to move forward. Often that means our plans will include recommendations that may help you better achieve your goals.

Launch Meeting

In this phase, if we have recommendations, we set the financial plan in motion by implementing those recommendations. For some of our clients, the recommendation may be to stay the course and follow-up after retirement to discuss a financial plan update, along with income and tax planning. This is necessary because the tax landscape changes periodically. In either scenario, step by step, we'll navigate the paperwork with you, as well as explain all details in full transparency.

Advisory Meetings

With the expectation that McBeath Financial Group is your Investment Advisor, you'll benefit from regular meetings as we help manage your assets and keep you on target for your goals. As life changes, we'll be there for questions, answers, and plan updates as needed. We look forward to a long relationship!