Case Studies

Background: 

Matt, an architect and solo firm owner, and his wife Lisa, with two young children, had recently experienced significant business growth over the past two years. With Matt’s business thriving, they were making more money than ever before, but they weren’t sure how to best manage their newfound wealth. Their goals were to minimize taxes, build personal wealth beyond the business, and make smart financial decisions. Additionally, they wanted to find a way to work less in the business without sacrificing income, allowing Matt to spend more time with his family.

Opportunities:

1. Tax Inefficiencies: With higher income, Matt and Lisa were concerned about paying more in taxes than necessary and needed a strategy to minimize their tax liabilities.

2. No Investment Strategy: Matt and Lisa hadn’t done much to build wealth outside of the business and were interested in exploring new investment opportunities.

3. Cash Flow Issues: They struggled with day-to-day cash flow management, which created stress and uncertainty in both their business and personal finances.

4. Over-reliance on Business Wealth: Most of their wealth was tied up in the business, making them vulnerable to market fluctuations and business risks.

5. Uncertainty in Decision-Making: They lacked a financial baseline, struggled with decision-making, and didn’t have the time or desire to figure everything out on their own.

Approach:

Using The Wealth Blueprint model, we worked closely with Matt and Lisa, applying the following strategies:

1. Peace:

• Financial Assessment: We conducted a comprehensive financial assessment, providing clarity on their current financial status. This allowed them to understand how their personal finances and business performance were interconnected.

• Goal Planning: Together, we established short- and long-term financial goals, including working less in the business without sacrificing income, spending more time with their children, and setting up a 529 plan for their kids’ college savings.

• Financial System: We implemented an automated financial system that simplified managing their finances, reducing the stress of cash flow fluctuations and allowing them to focus on growing their business while maintaining a stable personal life.

2. Confidence:

• Investment Strategy: We developed a diversified investment plan for Matt and Lisa, allowing them to invest in assets beyond the business, such as real estate and stocks, to build personal wealth and secure their financial future.

• Tax Strategy: Working closely with their CPA, we implemented tax-saving strategies, including setting up a solo 401k, which not only reduced their tax liabilities but also increased their retirement savings.

• Risk Management: We addressed the couple’s concerns about risk by creating different financial “pots,” which provided both security and the potential for higher returns, ensuring their personal and business goals were protected.

3. Abundance:

• Income and Asset Diversification: To reduce their dependence on the business, we worked on diversifying their income streams through personal investments and creating a 529 plan to fund their children’s education.

• Lifestyle Design and Flexibility: One of Matt and Lisa’s key goals was for Matt to work less in the business without sacrificing income, allowing him to spend more time with their kids and volunteer in the community. We designed a financial plan that aligned with this lifestyle goal, giving them more flexibility in how they spent their time.

• Impact Planning: Matt and Lisa also wanted to make a meaningful impact in their community. We helped them structure a plan to allow time for volunteer work and set up a charitable giving strategy, aligning their financial success with their desire to give back.

Outcomes:

By following the The Wealth Blueprint process, Matt and Lisa achieved:

1. Clarity and Peace of Mind: They now had a clear understanding of where they stood financially, both personally and in the business, allowing them to make confident decisions.

2. Tax Savings and Investment Growth: Implementing a solo 401k and creating an investment strategy helped them reduce taxes and build personal wealth outside the business.

3. Reduced Financial Stress: Their financial system automated day-to-day money management, freeing them from the stress of handling cash flow manually.

4. A Clear Path to Financial Abundance: Matt was able to work less in the business while still growing their wealth, and their financial strategy was now aligned with their long-term goals of spending more time with family, securing their kids' education, and giving back to the community.

Conclusion: 

Now that Matt and Lisa have achieved financial peace and confidence, they are working toward their abundance and impact goals, with a clear roadmap for the future. Their financial plan has given them the flexibility to enjoy more time with their children, save for college, and give back through volunteer work and charitable donations.

Background: 

John, a senior engineer at a well-established firm, and his wife Sarah had been diligently saving in their 401k over the years, amassing over $600,000 in retirement accounts. While they had managed their own investments up to this point, they were starting to feel the weight of their growing portfolio and the complexities that came with it. With an interest in making work optional and pursuing passion projects like woodworking and travel, John and Sarah wanted to ensure their investments were on the right track. However, they were also concerned about market volatility and didn’t have a strong grasp of investment strategies.

Opportunities:

1. Struggling to Plan for Larger Expenses: They weren’t confident about planning ahead for big life events, like their child's education or significant home renovations, which created stress around financial planning.

2. FOMO and Missed Opportunities: They were worried about missing out on potential investment opportunities and felt uncertain about how to position their portfolio for long-term growth.

3. Uncertainty about Market Volatility: John and Sarah wanted to invest in the markets but had concerns about how market downturns could impact their hard-earned savings.

Approach:

Using The Wealth Blueprint model, we applied the following strategies to help John and Sarah grow their financial prosperity:

1. Peace:

• Financial Assessment: We conducted a thorough assessment of their current financial position, analyzing income, expenses, assets, and liabilities. This gave them clarity on where they stood, and we identified potential areas for improvement.

• Goal Planning: Together, we mapped out their financial goals, including determining what it would take for John to make work optional. They wanted to ensure they could pursue woodworking and travel without financial stress. We also factored in planning for their child’s education and other larger expenses.

• Financial System: We implemented an automated financial system that streamlined their money management. By automating savings, investments, and bill payments, John and Sarah could focus on their passions without worrying about day-to-day financial tasks.

2. Confidence:

• Investment Strategy: We developed a customized investment strategy that aligned with their long-term goals and minimized the risk of major drawdowns. Using a defense-first approach, we focused on protecting their wealth while ensuring they could capture upside potential in the markets.

• Tax Strategy: In collaboration with their CPA, we maximized tax-efficient opportunities such as contributing to tax-advantaged accounts like their 401k and IRAs, reducing their tax burden and boosting their after-tax income.

• Risk Management: To address their concerns about market volatility, we created different “buckets” of money, allocating funds for immediate needs, short-term goals, and long-term growth. This ensured they had financial security while maximizing return potential. We also recommended additional insurance coverage to protect Sarah and their child in case of John not being able to work.

3. Abundance:

• Income and Asset Diversification: To reduce over-reliance on their 401k and employer income, we explored additional investment opportunities, such as diversifying into real estate and alternative assets, creating more resilience and long-term wealth.

• Lifestyle Design and Flexibility: John and Sarah wanted the option to make work optional, allowing John to pursue his passion projects. We created a plan that allowed John to scale back at work while still growing their wealth, giving them more flexibility to enjoy life without financial strain.

• Impact Planning: Though still in the early stages of their abundance journey, John and Sarah were starting to think about how they could use their financial success to make an impact. We helped them explore ways to give back to their community and plan for future charitable contributions.

Outcomes:

By following the The Wealth Blueprint process, John and Sarah achieved:

1. Clarity and Peace of Mind: They gained a comprehensive understanding of their current financial situation, allowing them to make well-informed decisions about their future.

2. Investment Management and Tax Savings: With a clear investment strategy in place, they felt confident their portfolio would continue to grow while minimizing the impact of market volatility. Tax-efficient strategies also reduced their overall tax burden.

3. Reduced Financial Stress: Their financial system was now automated, easing the burden of daily financial tasks and giving them more time to focus on their passions.

4. A Clear Path to Making Work Optional: John now had a clear roadmap to transitioning out of full-time work and pursuing his woodworking projects while still ensuring their financial security.

Conclusion: 

John and Sarah have successfully achieved financial peace and confidence, allowing them to reduce stress, plan for larger life expenses, and feel secure in their investments. With a solid plan in place, they’re now working towards financial abundance—where work can be optional, and their long-term goals of travel, personal fulfillment, and giving back to the community are within reach.

Background: 

Mike, a mid-level engineer at a firm, had been diligently contributing to his 401k and had worked to accumulate around $100,000 in assets spread across various accounts. With significant life changes on the horizon—buying a house and possibly getting married soon—he realized it was time to get his finances in order. Mike had ambitious savings goals for a house, wedding, and travel, but lacked a solid financial system. He also had some debt to pay off and needed general education on personal finance, investing, and managing money more effectively.

Opportunities:

1. No Financial System: Mike struggled to manage his finances, finding it difficult to save consistently and having money available when he needed it.

2. Lack of Financial Education: With no formal education in personal finance, Mike felt overwhelmed by topics like investing, taxes, and insurance.

3. Debt Repayment: He had racked up some debt and wanted a plan to pay it off while still saving for his future.

4. Saving for Big Goals: Mike had significant goals, including buying a house, getting married, and traveling, but didn’t have a clear plan on how to fund them.

Approach:

Using The Wealth Blueprint model, we worked closely with Mike to build a strong financial foundation and create a plan for his future:

1. Peace:

• Financial Assessment: We started with a detailed financial assessment, reviewing his income, expenses, and assets. This gave Mike a clear understanding of where he stood financially and identified areas where he could improve.

• Goal Planning: Together, we set short-term and long-term goals, including saving for a down payment on a house, paying for a wedding, and building an emergency fund. We also discussed how to manage debt while achieving these goals.

• Financial System: We created an automated financial system that helped Mike organize his finances. Automating his savings and debt repayment took the stress out of managing money and ensured he was consistently working toward his goals.

2. Confidence:

• Investment Strategy: Since Mike had only been investing in his 401k, we helped him optimize his retirement investments and diversify his portfolio. We also educated him on the basics of investing so he could feel confident about growing his wealth over time.

• Tax Strategy: By educating Mike on basic tax strategies, such as contributing to tax-advantaged accounts like his 401k and utilizing deductions, we helped him minimize his tax liabilities and increase his savings potential.

• Risk Management: Mike was worried about the uncertainty of life changes ahead, so we developed a simple insurance and risk management plan to protect his financial progress. This included basic health, disability, and life insurance recommendations to provide a safety net.

3. Abundance:

• Savings and Debt Repayment Plan: We helped Mike prioritize his financial goals by creating a clear savings plan for his house, wedding, and travel goals, while also building a debt repayment strategy that reduced his liabilities without sacrificing his savings progress.

• Lifestyle Design and Flexibility: While Mike wasn’t ready to make work optional, we discussed how his savings and investments would help him achieve long-term financial flexibility. We helped him think about how his current financial decisions could support the lifestyle he envisioned in the future.

• Impact Planning: Though still early in his financial journey, we began conversations about Mike’s longer-term impact goals, such as supporting his future family, building wealth through real estate, and eventually giving back to the community.

Outcomes:

By following the The Wealth Blueprint process, Mike achieved:

1. Clarity and Peace of Mind: He gained a clear understanding of his financial situation and felt empowered to make better financial decisions.

2. Automated Financial System: His finances were put on autopilot, reducing the stress and time spent managing day-to-day money matters.

3. Optimized Savings and Debt Repayment: With a savings plan for his major life goals and a strategy to pay down his debt, Mike felt more confident about his financial future.

4. Investment Growth: By diversifying his investment strategy, Mike began building wealth outside of his 401k, positioning himself for long-term growth.

Conclusion: 

Mike is now on a solid path to financial stability, with clear goals and a system in place to achieve them. His newfound clarity and confidence allow him to focus on saving for major milestones like buying a house and getting married, while continuing to build his long-term financial future. With a strong foundation in place, Mike is now working toward achieving financial abundance and flexibility.