Total Alignment Wealth Advisors Launches Fee-Only Multi-Family Office

NEW YORK, June 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Total Alignment Wealth Advisors launches today a new and distinctive prohibitions-based, fee-only multi-family office model providing independent financial advice and implementation services to individuals and families with complex financial lives.

At its helm are Total Alignment's Co-Managers, Michael Ross, CFP® and Robert Hayden, JD, CFP® , who created the structure in response to their founding clients' need for a truly independent advisor.  These founding clients envisioned an independent family advisor who would be prohibited from selling financial products and, instead, would simply provide wealth advisory and organizational services that were complementary to – but not competitive with – the services already provided by their traditional advisors.  On these bases, Total Alignment Wealth Advisors was formed.

"Our founding clients already had strong relationships with their accountants, estate planning attorneys, insurance advisors and investment managers, and they weren't looking for another advisor who might threaten those relationships," said Hayden.  "But at the same time, these founding clients also recognized the need for certain services not provided by these traditional advisors – such as proactive document management, cash flow and account monitoring, and perhaps most importantly, a truly independent perspective on their entire financial picture.  Ever since 2008, as their skepticism and institutional diversification grew, so did their demand for this type of advisor."

The firm's flagship offering – The Total Alignment™ Family CFO – addresses the core demand of the firm's client-founders by offering total financial organization, implementation assistance and unbiased advice on every aspect of their financial lives – including estate planning, taxes, insurance, cash flow, investments and, where appropriate, recommendations on the replacement of advisors.  By offering these services on a combined fixed fee and small variable fee arrangement paid quarterly, clients are able to consolidate and delegate on an ongoing basis all aspects of their financial lives to a single-source expert. 

In addition to the Total Alignment™ Family CFO, the firm has leveraged its independent structure by offering reviews of trust-owned life insurance for trustees and one-time "milestone" financial plans for planning around various life events – such as retirement, death, divorce and other events.

Founders Ross and Hayden are excited about what their new firm represents for the financial industry.  "We believe that this foundation of independent, impartial advisory services is one that is truly unique to the industry and one upon which we are excited to build," said Michael Ross.  "It is rare that a wealth advisory firm will be formed from its outset with restrictions on how it can earn revenues, and we think that such a structure is not only in the best interests of our clients but also represents a competitive advantage for our firm."

Together, Ross and Hayden bring to the firm more than 25 years of experience in the wealth advisory industry.  Both are Certified Financial Planner™ practitioners, with Hayden serving on the board of directors for CFP Board, which certifies such practitioners and ensures that the designation remains a standard of excellence for financial planning.   While the backgrounds of Hayden and Ross as financial planners have provided both them with a working knowledge on all financial areas, the two have been able to leverage each other's specialized expertise – specifically, investments and executive benefits for Ross and taxes, estate planning and law for Robert. 

"In addition to our freedom from conflicts of interest, our clients also want to know that we are competent and keeping abreast of tax, market and general industry changes that will impact their financial situation," says Hayden, who holds a law degree, is finishing an MBA and teaches The Financial Planning Capstone course at NYU.  "Because of the importance of our competency, we require that all of our associates take monthly competency exams that involve all areas of financial planning.  It is important for everyone on our team to be fully competent to respond to the needs of our clients."

About Total Alignment Wealth Advisors:
Total Alignment Wealth Advisors (TAWA) is a uniquely independent, fee-only, multi-family office providing financial organizational and advisory services that is based in New York, NY, with offices in Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.totalalignmentwealth.com.  

Media Contact:
Loren Pomerantz
212-583-1939
[email protected]

SOURCE Total Alignment Wealth Advisors