Experiencing a life change, such as a divorce or losing a spouse, is an emotional and sensitive time, not to mention a potentially confusing one while navigating financial concerns. As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, (CDFA®), Leo Robinson brings a wealth of experience to helping infividuals who are undergoing these life changes. We partner with you to help understand your financial landscape and ensure there are no unwanted surprises by reviewing your financial documents and designations.
We specialize in helping you navigate the financial and personal challenges that accompany a marital separation, divorce, or loss of a spouse, including:
- Managing the process and financial risks
- Execution and separation/transfer of assets
- Income security and financial planning
- Investment and risk management
The process of separation, divorce, and loss of a spouse can be emotionally and personally unsettling to say the least. We strive to provide Single Heads of Household with objective, professional advice.
When you work with us, we’ll help you:
While navigating the often-overwhelming level of paperwork that accompanies these processes, The Robinson Financial Group takes an active role in helping you understand what it all means. We provide specialized guidance during the transfer process to help you understand the risks to your assets as a beneficiary and recommend hedging strategies to help reduce risk.
We help you figure out the location of assets and the type of accounts and investments you hold. This includes a forensic review of account statements, cash flow, liquidity, income security, and potential risks.
- Manage essential decisions and financial risks
- Know what types of questions to ask
- Understand your asset picture and debt obligations
- Secure current income / minimize loss of income
- Mitigate tax obligations and implications tied to transfers
While navigating the often-overwhelming level of paperwork that accompanies these processes, The Robinson Financial Group takes an active role in helping you understand what it all means. We provide specialized guidance during the transfer process to help you understand the risks to your assets as a beneficiary and recommend hedging strategies to help reduce risk.
We help you figure out the location of assets and the type of accounts and investments you hold. This includes a forensic review of account statements, cash flow, liquidity, income security, and potential risks.
We work with our Single Head of Household clients to help secure a plan to replace your spouse’s income. In cases of alimony or pension plans, we build a plan to replace that income when the alimony or pension ends.
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- Retirement income planning
- Post-separation life planning
- Updated estate planning – to meet your new objectives and goals, new account beneficiaries, and charitable planning
- Personal risk and insurance planning
- Career planning
Because of our expertise in working with business owners and executives, we can help provide guidance on business and cash management plans, retirement, ESOP, profit sharing, and navigating policies which have benefits connected to them (for both individual and company-owned key man or second to die insurance policies), then help you understand how those assets may be transferred.
Our specialized experience with these plans allows us to help our clients plan for and potentially help avoid tax implications and pitfalls. We understand complex compensation programs, including deferred compensation, stock and option grants, 10b5-1 trading plans, restricted stock, corporate insurance, and pension plans. We can discuss with you how those plans are valued, their tax implications, and how they may be transferred.
After an event like a divorce or loss of a loved one, many spouses find themselves with multiple accounts. We help you understand your investment strategies, cash flow, risk, and ways to consolidate accounts for simplicity while aligning with your individual goals.
At The Robinson Financial Group, we work with you and your attorneys to provide valuations for your securities and investment accounts. Because we have expertise working with high-level executives and business owners and their complex compensation plans, we help you and your attorneys understand the potential true long-term value, growth opportunity, risk, and tax implications of these plans, including:
These assets are complex and may have underlying benefits beyond today’s asset value. We model for those benefits and work with you to help determine what holdings may help meet your objectives.
If you are the beneficiary of a pension plan, concentrated stock, low-cost basis stock, restricted stock, incentive stock and option grants, or 10b5-1 insider trading plans, we have experience managing the execution of those programs – balancing for and hedging risk and preparing for the tax implication and liquidity needs of that transaction.
We also provide specialized lending solutions to help manage business and real estate dissolution and can advise on providing liquidity for new (home) purchases and other cash flow and liabilities funding. Wells Fargo’s depth of resources also allows us access to management insight for private businesses, personal property, and commercial real estate.
- Retitling processes
- Transferring assets for retirement plans
- Executing qualified domestic relation orders (QDROs)
- Stock option plans
- Deferred compensation
- Annuities
- Insurance policies
- Pension valuations
These assets are complex and may have underlying benefits beyond today’s asset value. We model for those benefits and work with you to help determine what holdings may help meet your objectives.
If you are the beneficiary of a pension plan, concentrated stock, low-cost basis stock, restricted stock, incentive stock and option grants, or 10b5-1 insider trading plans, we have experience managing the execution of those programs – balancing for and hedging risk and preparing for the tax implication and liquidity needs of that transaction.
We also provide specialized lending solutions to help manage business and real estate dissolution and can advise on providing liquidity for new (home) purchases and other cash flow and liabilities funding. Wells Fargo’s depth of resources also allows us access to management insight for private businesses, personal property, and commercial real estate.
At the Robinson Financial Group, we specialize in providing you with a comprehensive overview of your investment and liquidity needs and risks. We customize and individually manage your investment portfolio to balance the risks associated with your specific situation and goals.
Most advisors use a model portfolio they outsource or hand off to outside managers and don’t specifically control themselves, creating little ability to make individual adjustments tailored for you and your specific tax needs. With over 22 years’ portfolio management experience, we maintain full control of your investments – designing, managing, and trading portfolios – using tax-free and tax-efficient investments designed to generate greater after-tax yields.
While working with you and your specific investment and risk management portfolio, we can advise on the following items:
While working with you and your specific investment and risk management portfolio, we can advise on the following items:
- Liquidity management
- Safety of principal
- Allocation to balance risk and growth
- Investment management based on income, where needed
- Asset management for new goals of the beneficiary
- Asset management specifically to replace future income
Read the example scenarios below to better understand how our services can help single head of household individuals like you.
We received a referral for a new client, Steven, who was in his late 50’s and going through a divorce. His wife had worked in the financial industry and had handled the finances in the family, so Steven had limited experience dealing with decisions related to wealth management. He needed a strategy that was suited to his objectives, not the goals of his former spouse.
An unexpected life event such as a divorce can affect everything from tax status to monthly and yearly income. We worked with Steven to review his divorce decree, how assets were legally viewed, and the details of his former spouse’s financial responsibility related to alimony, marital debt, healthcare coverage, and milestones related to various other financial responsibilities. This included identifying the need to update beneficiary designations on life insurance and retirement plans.
It was also vital to help update Steven’s estate plan. We worked with him and his network – including his attorney and estate planning professional – to coordinate the valuation and execution of his estate plan and investment assets. Within the context of the big picture, we developed a comprehensive investment plan designed to enable him to live comfortably in the years ahead. We helped him with the investment plan and his allocation risks and conducted an additional risk assessment. Using this information, we developed a detail income plan for now and for the future when his alimony income ended.
Deborah, who was recently widowed, was referred to us by her attorney who was concerned that Deborah was overwhelmed by the multiple accounts and financial documents that were previously managed by her spouse. Beyond having to cope with the emotional challenges during this time, Deborah required assistance in re-examining her assets, organizing her financial documents, and establishing a plan to move forward.
First, we met with Deborah in-person and reviewed her paperwork together to understand her financial questions, and whether she needed to take urgent action on items like life insurance policies and pension plans. We built a relationship with her and provided her with a safe and compassionate environment as she was going through this difficult time.
Next, we worked with her attorney to refine her estate plan, including retitling assets and re-establishing a plan for her beneficiaries. Based on our findings, we created a revised, personalized roadmap for her which provided income and security for her while managing risk in a tax-efficient manner. Once we established an investment plan that was geared toward her objectives and income, we met regularly with Deborah to review her plan and to check for adjustments based on changing circumstances. We also began inviting Deborah to our many social events, so she could network and get to know our other clients.
These case studies are hypothetical and for discussion purposes only. They are not intended to represent any specific return, yield or investment. Individual experiences referenced above may not reflect the future experience of any one client. The planning process discussed may not be suitable for your personal situation, even if it is similar to the example presented. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal.
Wells Fargo Advisors is not a legal or tax advisor. You should consult with your attorney, accountant and/or estate planner before taking any action.
Any estate plan should be reviewed by an attorney who specializes in estate planning and is licensed to practice law in your state.
Wells Fargo Advisors is not a legal or tax advisor. You should consult with your attorney, accountant and/or estate planner before taking any action.
Any estate plan should be reviewed by an attorney who specializes in estate planning and is licensed to practice law in your state.
Your relationship with our team is built on a full understanding of your financial needs and objectives. We deliver the vast resources of Wells Fargo including Wealth Planning, Private Banking, Trust and Fiduciary Services, and Insurance as well as various customized and more traditional lending products.
We are always available to provide advice and guidance for every aspect of your financial life. As we work with you to create a fully integrated and personalized investment plan, we draw on an extensive pool of knowledge and insight.
Leo Robinson, CDFA®
- Managing Director - Investments
Jason Schott
- First Vice President - Investments
Patrick Kelley
- Financial Advisor
Klay Meta
- Registered Client Associate
At Wells Fargo Advisors, we are fortunate to be surrounded by exceptional talent and resources. We wanted to highlight a few resources that we use often to help our clients through some complex situations.
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Specialists
Specialists
Sarah Munson, CFP®
Sarah Munson, CFP®, is a Wealth Strategist at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.1,2 in the Wealth & Investment Management division. With more than 20 years of financial services experience, Sarah helps clients develop customized estate3, wealth, and legacy plans based on their personal values, asset growth, and wealth transfer goals.
Tim Rahr, CEPA®
Tim Rahr is a Wealth Planning Strategist at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.1,2 who helps business owners consider various business succession alternatives and strategies. Tim advises business owners with ownership transition alternatives and strategies by offering education, industry and market insights, and panning guidance regarding business transition, succession, and governance.
Janice Schoos, CTFA, CAP
Janice Schoos, CTFA, CAP is a Senior Vice President and Senior Philanthropic Specialist at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.1,2. Janice helps individuals, families and nonprofits enhance their social impact through philanthropic giving as part of their overall wealth plan. She provides guidance in areas including gift and tax planning3, multi-generational wealth transfer, estate planning, endowment management, board governance, and the creation and management of donor advised funds, private foundations, charitable trusts, and other charitable strategies.
William Donahue
Bill Donahue is an Executive Director - Senior Trust Advisor at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.1,2 in the Wealth & Investment Management division. Bill is a wealth management leader and trust specialist with over 20 years of experience in helping individuals, families and non-profit organizations define and achieve their financial and wealth planning goals.
Marcy Morgan
Marcy Morgan is a Senior Custom Credit Banker with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.1,2 within the Wealth & Investment Management division. As a custom credit banker with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, Marcy specializes in providing deep custom credit knowledge and experience to deliver tailored lending solutions that support clients’ complex borrowing needs.
Wells Fargo Advisors4
Specialists
Specialists
Meredith Fiocchi, CEPA®
Meredith Fiocchi is an Associate Vice President – Investments at Fiocchi McCarthy ESOP Group of Wells Fargo Advisors. Meredith helps business succession clients understand the ESOP opportunity. As a Financial Advisor who holds the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) professional designation, Meredith provides support and guidance to business owners, ESOP trustees and employee owners. She serves on the National Advisory Committee for Ownership Culture and is a member of the National Center for Employee Ownership.
Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment Management (WIM) is a division within Wells Fargo & Company. WIM provides financial products and services through various bank and brokerage affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company.
1Bank products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC.
2Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (“the Bank”) offers various banking, advisory, fiduciary and custody products and services, including discretionary portfolio management. Wells Fargo affiliates, including Financial Advisors of Wells Fargo Advisors, may be paid an ongoing or one-time referral fee in relation to clients referred to the Bank. In these instances, the Bank is responsible for the day-to-day management of any referred accounts.
3Wells Fargo and Company and its Affiliates do not provide tax or legal advice. This communication cannot be relied upon to avoid tax penalties. Please consult your tax and legal advisors to determine how this information may apply to your own situation. Whether any planned tax result is realized by you depends on the specific facts of your own situation at the time your tax return is filed.
4Brokerage services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors. Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.