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Case Studies
Real-Life Stories
Our case studies are real-life success stories that showcase how we navigate various landscapes to establish financial peace of mind for our clients.
For prospective clients who don't know where to start, these case studies serve as helpful examples, offering insights into our clients and their circumstances.
Whether you're an individual, family or an institution, we have real-life stories just like you.
Financial Peace of Mind
High Net-Worth Individuals
High Earners, Not Rich Yet
Institutions
High Net Worth Individuals
Richard and Jane | 20 Years of Loyalty
Richard is a successful executive at a well-known, publicly traded company in the U.S. His wife is a stay-at-home mom. They have two sons who are very active in sports. When we first met them, Richard was just beginning to make significant income, and their sons were just beginning their youth sports endeavors.
Richard and Jane initially came to us because he was getting anxious that he was not managing all of his benefits appropriately. Not only was he paid a salary and annual bonus, but he also received stock options and other stock-based compensation.
We helped them get all their financial resources organized in a manner that helped them make appropriate decisions with them. For example, we helped map out a plan for how to maximize the potential value of his stock options instead of just exercising them as soon as they vested.
Over several years, we continued to update their plan, manage their assets, and make recommendations as Richard kept getting promoted.
And then his career took a turn for the worse. After getting years of superior job performance reports, he began reporting to a new executive who seemed to have decided that Richard needed to be pushed out of the company.
At that time, we created a “what if” plan that walked through the situation Richard and Jane would be in if he was terminated. While Richard worked through the emotional trauma of being rejected by the company to which he had given nearly 20 years of his professional life, we showed him that financially, he was in great shape.
Richard and Jane initially came to us because he was getting anxious that he was not managing all of his benefits appropriately. Not only was he paid a salary and annual bonus, but he also received stock options and other stock-based compensation.
We helped them get all their financial resources organized in a manner that helped them make appropriate decisions with them. For example, we helped map out a plan for how to maximize the potential value of his stock options instead of just exercising them as soon as they vested.
Over several years, we continued to update their plan, manage their assets, and make recommendations as Richard kept getting promoted.
And then his career took a turn for the worse. After getting years of superior job performance reports, he began reporting to a new executive who seemed to have decided that Richard needed to be pushed out of the company.
At that time, we created a “what if” plan that walked through the situation Richard and Jane would be in if he was terminated. While Richard worked through the emotional trauma of being rejected by the company to which he had given nearly 20 years of his professional life, we showed him that financially, he was in great shape.
Emily | Retire Anytime
Emily was a 70-year old, working psychologist when she reached out to us. She was referred by a colleague who had worked with us for a few years. Emily was divorced. She was very nervous about her future. She loved working, and wanted to continue to do so as long as she was able. Yet she was worried about what would happen if she had to stop.
Her assets consisted of a savings account with the proceeds from the divorce settlement, and a retirement account from when she was employed by a local college for many years, along with her home that had no mortgage.
We showed her what level of spending her portfolio would support for the rest of her life if she stopped working immediately, and it was less than her current spending, but doable. Then we showed her how much more spending her portfolio would support for every year she worked and saved additional money. Since she did not want to retire soon, this comforted her greatly knowing that she could retire anytime, but the more she worked, the better it would get. We also made sure she fully understood her options for facing a long-term care situation.
Emily has grown more comfortable with her financial future as we continue to show her how well her plan is working.
Her assets consisted of a savings account with the proceeds from the divorce settlement, and a retirement account from when she was employed by a local college for many years, along with her home that had no mortgage.
We showed her what level of spending her portfolio would support for the rest of her life if she stopped working immediately, and it was less than her current spending, but doable. Then we showed her how much more spending her portfolio would support for every year she worked and saved additional money. Since she did not want to retire soon, this comforted her greatly knowing that she could retire anytime, but the more she worked, the better it would get. We also made sure she fully understood her options for facing a long-term care situation.
Emily has grown more comfortable with her financial future as we continue to show her how well her plan is working.
Jonathan & Diana | It's Not My Money, It's God's Money
Jonathan and Diana were in their 50s when Jonathan first approached us to ask if we could do some financial planning for them. He worked for a large financial institution, and he told me his career was likely winding down in the near future. He and his wife had been very generous throughout their working lives, giving upwards of 50% of their income to charitable causes. And yet, they had amassed an eight-figure net worth despite giving so much away.
When we first began working with Jonathan, we used the phrase, “your money,” and he quickly corrected us. “It’s not my money. It’s God’s money.” He truly believed he and his wife were stewards for God of the wealth they had. We put a financial plan in place to help him fulfill his vision for putting this money to use both to bless him, his wife, and his four children, but also the charitable causes he felt compelled to support.
When Jonathan’s company was purchased in a large transaction, Jonathan received a lot of assets all at once, 50% of which he used to create a charitable foundation. We are now managing that foundation’s large portfolio which makes grants each year, and Jonathan and Diana's significant personal wealth. For them, we don’t show them projections that determine whether they will run out of money. Their goal is to leave a significant amount of wealth to their private foundation at their deaths so that the work they have started can continue.
When we first began working with Jonathan, we used the phrase, “your money,” and he quickly corrected us. “It’s not my money. It’s God’s money.” He truly believed he and his wife were stewards for God of the wealth they had. We put a financial plan in place to help him fulfill his vision for putting this money to use both to bless him, his wife, and his four children, but also the charitable causes he felt compelled to support.
When Jonathan’s company was purchased in a large transaction, Jonathan received a lot of assets all at once, 50% of which he used to create a charitable foundation. We are now managing that foundation’s large portfolio which makes grants each year, and Jonathan and Diana's significant personal wealth. For them, we don’t show them projections that determine whether they will run out of money. Their goal is to leave a significant amount of wealth to their private foundation at their deaths so that the work they have started can continue.
These are real-life case studies — To protect the privacy of our clients, we've changed their names and omitted specific details.
High Net Worth Individuals
Sleepless Nights
Sarah, a dedicated company executive, found herself plagued by sleepless nights due to financial worries. Seeking solace, she turned to Stonecrop Wealth Advisors for comprehensive financial planning. Our advisors assessed her situation, addressing concerns related to retirement and estate planning. By implementing tailored strategies, Sarah experienced a newfound sense of financial peace of mind. Today, she sleeps soundly, secure in the knowledge that her financial future is expertly managed.
The Family Business
John, a second-generation business owner, sought financial planning assistance from Stonecrop Wealth Advisors to secure the future of his family business and establish generational wealth. Through meticulous analysis, our advisors devised a comprehensive strategy that optimized the business's financial structure, diversified investments, and implemented effective tax planning. Over the years, John witnessed significant growth in both personal and business assets, ensuring a seamless transition for the next generation. This success story highlights how Stonecrop's tailored financial solutions can empower business owners to achieve lasting prosperity and, in turn, attain the peace of mind they seek for their family's financial future.
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These are real-life case studies — To protect the privacy of our clients, we've changed their names and omitted specific details.
High Earners, Not Rich Yet
James & Mabel | Faith-Inspired Joy
When we first met James and Mabel, he was an aspiring medical student, and she was a recent marketing graduate who had her first job. James had a lot of earning potential and lots of school loans. Mabel was doing well in her early career. They needed help prioritizing their limited income, and setting themselves up for success when he began to earn more income. They had a negative net worth, and a lot of promise.
We did a financial plan for them, and helped them prioritize their savings and debt repayment priorities. We knew that they would be a small client for a few years, but if we retained their loyalty, they would begin to amass more financial resources.
Then disaster hit. Mabel got a severe and aggressive form of cancer. Ultimately, after a lot of treatment and surgeries, it finally appears that the cancer is behind them. They were an inspiration to everyone at Stonecrop because of their faith-inspired joy through the entire ordeal.
James is about to earn significant income, and we have already laid out a plan for saving while also properly prioritizing the school loans. We are excited to follow James and Mabel as their lives and careers progress.
We did a financial plan for them, and helped them prioritize their savings and debt repayment priorities. We knew that they would be a small client for a few years, but if we retained their loyalty, they would begin to amass more financial resources.
Then disaster hit. Mabel got a severe and aggressive form of cancer. Ultimately, after a lot of treatment and surgeries, it finally appears that the cancer is behind them. They were an inspiration to everyone at Stonecrop because of their faith-inspired joy through the entire ordeal.
James is about to earn significant income, and we have already laid out a plan for saving while also properly prioritizing the school loans. We are excited to follow James and Mabel as their lives and careers progress.
Adam, Maya & the boys | A Life Without Me
Adam was a fast-rising executive at a U.S. subsidiary of a well-known, foreign, multinational corporation.
Adam was from the Midwest, and Maya from Texas. They were living in Texas when they got transferred north near our offices. That is when we started working with them. They had two elementary school aged sons who were going through Texas to Northeast culture shock.
We put together a comprehensive financial plan that was somewhat complex because his employer had a confusing array of benefits, including generous, incentive-based ones. Adam continued to rise and be successful, and he was a wonderful husband and father to his two boys. As his career progressed, we continued to make recommendations to enhance his ability to become financially independent, be generous, and pay for their sons’ educations. Included in our advice and their financial plan was a significant amount of life insurance which they placed with outside, independent brokers. We continually updated their improving financial projections.
One day, I got a call from Adam, and he told me he had a rare, degenerative disease called Multiple System Atrophy. It has symptoms that seem to mimic ALS, and there is no cure. Adam and Maya took the news hard, as did their boys. Adam would continually lose his ability to function, and in a few years die of the disease.
While Adam was still able, we often meet with him and Maya. Adam wanted Maya to get up to speed on everything. Maya resisted learning about it due to her need to focus on caring for Adam and her boys. After a few years, Adam, who ended up in a wheel chair with very little motor function, passed away.
Fortunately, with all the planning, Maya remains a client who has plenty of assets to get her through her life. Her boys, who were just beginning college age when Adam died, had a very difficult time for a few years, but are doing quite well now. She does a significant amount of volunteer work in her community. Since Adam's passing, she has become an educated client as she has willingly learned about all the key aspects of the financial life that used to be managed by Adam.
Adam was from the Midwest, and Maya from Texas. They were living in Texas when they got transferred north near our offices. That is when we started working with them. They had two elementary school aged sons who were going through Texas to Northeast culture shock.
We put together a comprehensive financial plan that was somewhat complex because his employer had a confusing array of benefits, including generous, incentive-based ones. Adam continued to rise and be successful, and he was a wonderful husband and father to his two boys. As his career progressed, we continued to make recommendations to enhance his ability to become financially independent, be generous, and pay for their sons’ educations. Included in our advice and their financial plan was a significant amount of life insurance which they placed with outside, independent brokers. We continually updated their improving financial projections.
One day, I got a call from Adam, and he told me he had a rare, degenerative disease called Multiple System Atrophy. It has symptoms that seem to mimic ALS, and there is no cure. Adam and Maya took the news hard, as did their boys. Adam would continually lose his ability to function, and in a few years die of the disease.
While Adam was still able, we often meet with him and Maya. Adam wanted Maya to get up to speed on everything. Maya resisted learning about it due to her need to focus on caring for Adam and her boys. After a few years, Adam, who ended up in a wheel chair with very little motor function, passed away.
Fortunately, with all the planning, Maya remains a client who has plenty of assets to get her through her life. Her boys, who were just beginning college age when Adam died, had a very difficult time for a few years, but are doing quite well now. She does a significant amount of volunteer work in her community. Since Adam's passing, she has become an educated client as she has willingly learned about all the key aspects of the financial life that used to be managed by Adam.
These are real-life case studies — To protect the privacy of our clients, we've changed their names and omitted specific details.
Historic Church
An old, historic church in New Jersey reached out to us. It had a history of generous donors who left many restricted gifts, and as a result it had a dozen investment accounts set up. The existing staff, and newly appointed investment committee of the trustees had no idea who had hired the current investment advisor, a large, well-known advisor in the nonprofit community. No one could remember ever hearing from any from that company, and so, due to a referral, one of the Investment Committee members contacted us. There was significant disagreement on the board as to whether to hire a new advisor or just throw the money at a cheap, diversified index fund.
We patiently collected all data from all of the various accounts, and tried to determine the goals and genesis of each fund. Ultimately we determined that they could they consolidate the funds into about five (from a dozen). We recommended that the trustees, with our help, draft an Investment Policy Statement, and decide on a long-term, cohesive asset allocation strategy that we could execute for them. They hired us to help them organize their accounts, create investment policy statements, and re-invest the funds based on the specific objectives of each fund. We now regularly work with the Treasurer of the Board of Trustees for the administrative details and report on the activities and performance of the church’s various portfolios on a regular basis, hopefully helping this ministry to be around for another century.
We patiently collected all data from all of the various accounts, and tried to determine the goals and genesis of each fund. Ultimately we determined that they could they consolidate the funds into about five (from a dozen). We recommended that the trustees, with our help, draft an Investment Policy Statement, and decide on a long-term, cohesive asset allocation strategy that we could execute for them. They hired us to help them organize their accounts, create investment policy statements, and re-invest the funds based on the specific objectives of each fund. We now regularly work with the Treasurer of the Board of Trustees for the administrative details and report on the activities and performance of the church’s various portfolios on a regular basis, hopefully helping this ministry to be around for another century.
These are real-life case studies — To protect the privacy of our clients, we've changed their names and omitted specific details.
Non-Profit, Religious, and Education
Financial Peace of Mind
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