Important
Questions You Should Ask About Strategic Planning Group, Inc.
In order to provide
you with background information regarding Strategic Planning Group,
Inc. (SPG) and The Relaxing Transition to Retirement Program™,
here are the answers to some questions you might have. This information
is in lieu of Form ADV Part II required by the Securities and Exchange
Commission to be given to all potential clients by investment advisors
prior to any contractual agreement.
1. Who is Strategic Planning Group, Inc.?
Strategic Planning Group, Inc. is a retirement planning and investment
counseling firm registered with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Securities
Division as a Registered Investment Advisor. [back to
top]
2. What is a Registered Investment Advisor?
Any person or entity who holds itself out as a financial advisor must
be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Investment
Advisor. A Registered Investment Advisor is a representative of the
client, and is a fiduciary who has a duty of undivided loyalty to his/her
investment advisory clients, and must deal fairly and honestly with
them. Certain examinations, licensing requirements and review are required
in Massachusetts to be registered. [back to top]
3. Who can benefit from The Relaxing Transition to
Retirement Program™?
The Relaxing Transition To Retirement Program™ is for individuals,
typically between the age of 55 and 70, who are at The Employment Dependency
Crossroad™. The Employment Dependency Crossroad™ is that point
in your life when you want to determine if you've accumulated enough
money to be able to afford to stop working and continue your standard
of living. And, if you can afford to stop working, determine how to
make the transition without worrying about money. [back
to top]
4. How much money do you need to join the program?
There is no minimum or maximum dollar requirement. We recognize that
persons with modest assets have financial concerns and needs as well.
A free introductory meeting is offered to determine suitability for
the program. If appropriate, a Retirement Design Meeting™ is then
scheduled. [back to top]
5. What is a Retirement Design Meeting™?
The Retirement Design Meeting™ takes place with all potential clients
to gather and clarify all information needed to create a custom designed
Retirement Roadmap™. To assist the client during The Retirement
Design Meeting™, The Lifestyle Cost Calculator™, The Income
Forecaster™, and The Investment Quantifier™ are utilized.
[back to top]
6. What is a Retirement Roadmap™?
A Retirement Roadmap™ is a custom designed plan which consists
of:
The Retirement Funds Forecaster™ - A forecast of your financial
life without having to depend on work related income.
The Investment Volatility Reducer™ - A customized investment
model designed to produce the rate of return and liquidity needed to
reach your goals with the least amount of volatility and taxes.
The Investment Diversity Realignment™ - A suitability evaluation
of all of your existing investments to insure that they are in line
with your model.
The Retirement Income Coordinator™ - A system outlining where
to draw income from each year of retirement in an effort to minimize
taxes and maximize income.
The Income Tax Reducer™ - An evaluation of the positioning
of your assets, and the way you're receiving income, in an effort to
minimize taxes.
The Asset Accumulation Protector™ - A system of protecting
your family's lifestyle from all of life's potential catastrophes; (long
term illness, death, lawsuits, etc…)
The Probate and Estate Tax Eliminator™ - A system to pass
on your assets at death to whom you want, when you want, how you want,
with the least amount of cost from probate and estate taxes.
[back to top]
7. What is the fee to create a Retirement Roadmap™?
SPG charges a fixed annual fee to join The Retirement Roadmap Development
Program™. The first twelve month's fee is based on your income
and investment net worth as follows:
If income and investment net worth is:
Less than $500,000
$ 900
Between $500,001
and $1,000,000
$1,500
Between $1,000,001
and $2,000,000
$2,500
Over $2,000,000
$3,500
The effective date for this fee schedule is August 1, 2002. The fee
is payable 50% upon signing of the agreement and 50% directly after
presentation of The Retirement Roadmap™. SPG will review and redesign
The Retirement Roadmap for the next twelve months at no additional fee.
[back to top]
8. What happens at the end of 12 months?
Subsequent to the completion of the first twelve-month period, the client,
at the client's sole discretion, may choose to participate in The Retirement
Roadmap Reassessment Program™ for additional twelve-month periods.
The fee for The Retirement Roadmap Reassessment Program™ will be
½ of the fee for The Retirement Roadmap Development Program™, payable
on the anniversary date of the original agreement. The agreement between
SPG and the client for The Retirement Roadmap Reassessment Program™
will be set forth in separate written agreements between the parties,
and the signing of the initial agreement does not obligate the client
in any way to engage SPG for any succeeding years. [back
to top]
9. What if the client is not satisfied with The Program?
SPG guarantees your satisfaction with The Relaxing Transition to Retirement
Program™. If you are not 100% satisfied, SPG will issue a full
refund upon SPG's receipt of your custom designed Retirement Roadmap™.
[back to top]
10. Will Client Information be kept confidential?
Yes. It is the law. [back to top]
11. Are the fees tax deductible?
Section 212 of the Internal Revenue Code permits an itemized deduction
for tax and/or investment advice, subject to certain restrictions. [back
to top]
12. Does SPG provide legal services?
No. Although a system to pass on your assets at death is outlined in
your Retirement Roadmap™, SPG is not an attorney, and thus, does
not prepare legal documents such as wills and/or trusts. [back
to top]
13. Does SPG provide Accounting or Tax Preparation
Services?
No. Although extensive recommendations on methods to minimize future
incomes taxes are made in your Retirement Roadmap™, SPG is not
a CPA, and thus, does not prepare tax returns. [back
to top]
14. What types of securities are analyzed?
Bank deposits, U.S. government securities, corporate bonds, municipal
securities, equities, mutual funds, variable annuities, variable life
insurance, limited partnerships, real estate investment trusts and options.
[back to top]
15. What method of investment analysis is used?
SPG uses a fundamental approach. We look at historical data, price-earnings
ratios, dividends, company management, and tax benefits. [back
to top]
16. What type of investment strategies are generally
recommended?
In The Investment Volatility Reducer section of The Retirement Roadmap™,
SPG customizes an investment mix for each client that is designed to
have the highest probability of providing the rate of return needed
by the client, with the least amount of volatility and taxes. We make
long-term recommendations with occasional short-term strategies as the
circumstances may indicate. [back to top]
17. What are the principal sources of information
used?
Sources of information include: corporate rating services, annual reports,
prospectuses, Kiplinger, Morningstar, Lipper, Commerce Clearing House,
Federal Tax Reporter, The Wall Street Journal, and various other financial
publications. [back to top] 18. Can financial products such as investments
or insurance be purchased through SPG?
In order to implement steps of the Action Plan outlined in the custom
designed Retirement Roadmap™, the client, at the client's sole
discretion, may engage SPG to purchase investments and participate in
The Investment Evaluation and Realignment Program™. After investment
product selection and implementation, The Investment Evaluation and
Realignment Program™ provides a series of systematic investment
review meetings where investment performance is evaluated and, if necessary,
realignment is recommended.
SPG's principal, David Rourke, is a registered representative of QA3
Financial Corporation, a broker-dealer, and may act on your behalf in
the purchase of investments and receive compensation for doing so. The
fees and commissions payable are substantially similar to fees and commissions
that are paid to any NASD member broker-dealer.
Additionally, at your discretion, you may also engage SPG to purchase
insurance products in order to implement the Action Plan in your Retirement
Roadmap™. SPG's principal, David Rourke, is a licensed insurance
broker in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and may act on your behalf
in the purchase of insurance, and receive compensation for doing so.
SPG fully discloses this, as well as any potential conflict of interest,
in The Relaxing Transition To Retirement Program™ agreement which
is reviewed prior to consummating the signing of the agreement. [back
to top]
19. If I join The Retirement Roadmap Development
Program™, am I obligated to purchase financial products from SPG
and participate in the Investment Evaluation and Realignment Program™?
No. [back to top]
20. Does SPG have authority to make investment changes
without my consent?
No. SPG never assumes authority to determine, without your consent,
the type and amount of investments to be bought or sold, the broker-dealer
to be used, or the fee or commission rate to be paid. [back
to top]
21. Does SPG guarantee investment performance?
No. [back to top]
22. Has any disciplinary action ever been taken
against SPG?
No. However, a disciplinary history of any investment advisor, and its
representatives, may be obtained from The Secretary of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, Securities Division. [back to top]
23. Does Strategic Planning Group have any oral
or written arrangements where it is paid cash or any other economic
benefit from a non-client in connection with giving advice to clients,
or directly or indirectly compensate any person for client referrals?
SPG does not have any arrangements where it is paid in cash or receives
any other economic benefit from a non-client in connection with giving
advice to clients. SPG does, however, compensate anyone who refers an
individual who later becomes a client of SPG with a $100 gift certificate
to a choice of restaurants. [back to top] 24. Who will be providing advice and what are
their backgrounds?
Only David Rourke, principal of SPG and director of The Relaxing Transition
To Retirement Program™, will provide advice to clients.
David Rourke (Date of Birth: 03-04-68)
Holy Cross College, Worcester, MA 1990, B.A. Economics
Principal of Strategic Planning Group, Inc., 1994 to present
Registered Representative for Prudential Financial Services, 1990 to
1994.
[back to top]
25. How do we get started?
To arrange for a free introductory meeting to discuss your issues and
concerns about retirement, and learn more about The Relaxing Transition
to Retirement Program™, you can contact us at (781) 444-9010. We
would be happy to talk to you, answer any questions you might have,
and help you any way we can. [back to top]
