Frequently Asked Questions
Check out some of our most commonly asked questions below (click for answers).
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We use our experience and expertise to support many different kinds of financial, life, family, and career goals with customized wealth management and financial planning strategies. We most often help high-earning professionals ($350,000+ annual household income) and those planning for, or already in, retirement with at least $750,000 in investable assets. We’re a fit for people who value trust, expertise, and transparency in their advisor relationship, who want unbiased, non-commissioned financial guidance, and who desire personalized “small shop” service without sacrificing access to top-tier capabilities. If you’re interested in working together and fall outside of the income or asset ranges above, we're happy to discuss and see if we’re a good mutual fit. The best way to find out is to schedule a free intro call - we’d love to hear from you!
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It’s easy! Book your 20 minute call so we can get to know each other and see if we’re a good mutual fit. There’s no cost and no obligation to learn more. If our areas of expertise seem like a fit for your needs, we’ll next perform a complimentary analysis of your finances as part of an easy “get to know each other” process (learn more here) to show how we can potentially improve your finances.
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Personalized financial planning offers comprehensive financial guidance and strategies tailored to your unique financial, family, career, retirement, and life goals. It covers key areas like investments, retirement, taxes, estate, risk management, and more.
What is the process? We assess where you are now (current situation, concerns, and wants), help you formalize your goals (what you’d like to accomplish in the future), form a custom plan to help you achieve your goals, then implement your personalized strategies and actions over time. On an ongoing basis, we review your progress and update your financial plan as life changes and your priorities evolve.
We take a relationship-based approach, because the better we can understand your needs, your wants, and you, we believe the better the outcomes for you.
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The foundational beliefs behind our asset management strategies are asset allocation, diversification, cost reduction, tax efficiency, and discipline. Portfolios are customized to your needs, objectives, constraints, risk tolerance, and risk capacity, and are evaluated over time to ensure continued alignment to your goals and objectives. On a broader scale, we consider things like inflation, interest rates, and the current economic cycle to understand how these factors might impact different investments. This helps us make informed decisions about the potential returns and risks of various asset classes in your portfolio. Our strategy balances a long-term view grounded in established principles with the flexibility to make informed adjustments to your portfolio, when necessary, to maximize your success.
Want to learn more? Our "Eight-Spoked Wheel of Smart Investing" article outlines our unique 8-step approach, designed to simplify and personalize your investment experience.
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Taxes are often one of the largest expenses in a person's lifetime. Furthermore, every financial decision has a tax consequence. For these reasons, we see tax planning as an essential part of any financial plan. Tax planning aims to reduce your lifetime tax bill, optimizing your tax savings and maximizing your long-term wealth. We also specialize in tax-efficient investment management strategies, with the goal of maximizing your after-tax returns.
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Katie Lindquist, MSPFP, CFP®, AWMA™, ABFP™ is the founder, owner, and lead financial planner of Lindenwood Financial. Katie has formed a team of financial experts alongside her, including analysts who hold the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) designation, to support areas like portfolio construction, investment research, fund selection, tax-efficient investing, and portfolio management. By leveraging a team structure, Katie is able to offer clients the combined expertise and knowledge of specialized professionals and decades of hands-on experience.
Read more about Katie and the firm.
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You might find it surprising that the title "financial planner" can be used by just about anyone. When it comes to entrusting someone with your finances, you want confidence in your advisor's qualifications, experience, and education. The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (or CFP®) designation that Katie holds is widely accepted as the standard of excellence in the financial planning field. Being a CFP® professional means Katie has met rigorous education, examination, experience, and ethical requirements, and is held to strict ongoing requirements in education and ethics. To expand on her CFP® education, Katie went on to complete her Master of Science degree in Personal Financial Planning. Katie also holds the AWMA™ designation, an advanced credential in the unique needs of high-net-worth clients, and is a proud Accredited Behavioral Finance Professional™ designee, an advanced certification in behavioral finance.
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To safeguard your accounts, all assets that we manage for you are held with a qualified third-party custodian. In other words, this means that we, as individuals and as a company, have no authority to obtain actual possession of your money. We consider many factors when selecting the custodian we believe best serves our clients and our firm, like security of client assets and accounts, quality of service, reputation, financial strength, trading capabilities, and more. Additionally, as an RIA firm, we’re under strict regulatory oversight and we uphold rigorous compliance requirements in the best interests of our clients.
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As a fee-only fiduciary firm, we are a 100% independently-owned company offering advice, guidance, and solutions based solely on what is best for your situation, needs, and wants. We are not paid by anyone but our clients. Unlike some firms and some advisors: we do not sell products, we have no umbrella company pushing a limited menu of investments, we have no sales quota of clients to “close”, and we receive no commissions or payments of any kind from any third parties. We work only for our clients and always put their best interests first - period.
To learn more, read our fiduciary oath.