The Synergos Planning Process
From Financial Complexity to Clear Decisions
Financial planning is not a single event or a document produced once and placed on a shelf. It is a structured decision-making process that turns your financial information, priorities and preferences into coordinated recommendations and practical next steps.
Your First Year
We begin by establishing a reliable financial baseline, then work through your priorities, preferences and important planning decisions.
Build the Initial Financial Picture
Planning begins by establishing a reliable baseline of your current financial situation and identifying the information needed for analysis.
- Set up your RightCapital planning profile
- Complete your initial financial profile
- Meet to review the information provided
- Identify missing information and open questions
- Upload requested supporting documents securely
Understand What Matters
Once the initial financial picture is established, we explore your values, preferences and the way you approach important financial decisions.
- Explore values, preferences and aspirations
- Complete your investment risk tolerance assessment
- Complete your decision-making profile
- Identify communication preferences
- Discuss questionnaire results and planning priorities
Evaluate the Trade-Offs
We model alternatives, stress-test assumptions and examine how different choices affect your broader financial picture.
- Develop financial projections
- Evaluate planning scenarios
- Review risk tolerance and financial capacity
- Analyze relevant tax, investment and planning trade-offs
Choose the Direction
Analysis provides evidence. Your preferences help determine which trade-offs are acceptable and which direction makes sense for you.
- Review scenarios and alternatives
- Clarify preferences where choices involve trade-offs
- Select the planning direction
- Resolve major decisions before detailed implementation
Turn Decisions Into Action
Once the direction is clear, recommendations are organized into practical action items and priorities.
- Prepare coordinated recommendations
- Prioritize action items
- Assign next steps and responsibilities
- Track recommendations as accepted, deferred, declined or completed
Keep the Plan Current
Financial planning continues after recommendations are delivered. We review progress and adjust when your circumstances change.
- Review implementation progress
- Address open planning items
- Update recommendations as circumstances change
- Transition into the ongoing planning cycle
Year Two and Beyond
After the initial planning work is complete, the focus shifts from building the plan to keeping it current. Planning topics are revisited throughout the year as circumstances, markets, tax rules and priorities change.
Update the Big Picture
- Review goals and priorities
- Update financial information
- Refresh financial projections
- Review material changes since the prior planning cycle
Reassess Risk and Strategy
- Review risk preferences and financial capacity
- Review portfolio strategy
- Revisit major assumptions and planning scenarios
- Evaluate new decisions as they arise
Advance the Plan
- Review outstanding action items
- Evaluate implementation progress
- Address newly emerging planning needs
- Adjust priorities where appropriate
Coordinate Annual Decisions
- Review employee benefits and open enrollment decisions
- Complete year-end tax planning
- Review portfolios and potential tax-loss harvesting opportunities
- Identify priorities for the coming year
Planning is a continuous decision process.
The objective is not to predict every future event. It is to maintain a clear framework for making good financial decisions as life evolves.