Our Six-Step Financial Advisory Process

Step 1. Initial Consultation--We talk about your goals and what we do, without gathering and analyzing detailed information. That comes later, if we determine that our advisory process is right for you.



Step 2. Information Gathering and Goal Setting.--We try to learn as much as possible about you , both personally and financially, and we may ask you to complete a questionnaire. It's important for us to know your goals, such as education funding, the purchase of a new or second home, or how much retirement income you'll need.



Step 3. Evaluating Your Financial Status--Once we've defined your goals and outlined your financial situation, we have to be sure that your financial resources are adequate, given your goals. This usually involves a detailed, long-term analysis that compares your income sources with your spending needs and objectives.



Step 4. Customizing Your Investment Plan. Based upon your profile, we suggest a comprehensive investment plan and recommend other strategies that may help you achieve your objectives. We describe our philosophy on long-term investing, and what you can reasonably expect from different classes of investments and how they work together. We will help you identify asset categories that can help you meet your objectives within your risk tolerance. Together we will determine an asset allocation that seems most appropriate for you. We then present you with a written plan describing our investment recommendations, including the characteristics, history and cost of each investment. We also discuss what you can expect from us over the years.



Step 5. Implementing Your Plan--Executing your plan may require consultation with other specialists. While Wells Fargo Advisors is not a tax or legal advisor, we can work with your tax, legal or other advisors to implement appropriate investment strategies in support of your plan. This can take weeks or even months, depending upon market conditions and other factors. Once it's fully implemented, the foundation for your future will be in place.

Step 6. Review Progess--We review your portfolio to make sure it remains consistent with your investment objectives and risk tolerance. Market conditions may alter your asset allocation, and periodically we may rebalance your portfolio to maintain the allocation that suits your risk tolerance. We also review your investments to make sure they are performing as expected, given market conditions. Because tax laws, the economy and your personal situation will change over the years, we review your plan, which often involves updating the cash flow analysis we did in Step 3. Together, we will determine if it is necessary to reevaluate your goals and explore new alternatives to pursue your changing needs or conditions.