We are a full-service wealth management firm.  GWS provides comprehensive and actionable retirement planning, investment management, tax planning, and estate planning services.

Learn more about our solutions

We help clients retire confidently by guiding them through a rigorous process to define retirement goals, troubleshoot retirement obstacles, and most importantly, articulate what a meaningful retirement looks like.   Once we have established a solid understanding of a client’s vision and needs, we deliver an actionable financial roadmap to make their dream retirement a reality.

Learn more about our people-centered process

Our goal is to provide life-changing financial guidance so clients can retire with purpose and confidence.

We serve individuals and families who are nearing and/or in retirement.

We do our best work with clients that:

• Are high-earning pre-retirees or retirees seeking financial planning and investment help
• Understand how a successful retirement can benefit from expert guidance from a CFP®
• Value a deeply personal relationship with a CFP®
• Are responsive
• Are diligent savers
• Aren’t chasing the next investment
• Align with our investment philosophy

• Anyone who doesn’t value financial planning
• Anyone who thinks they can beat the market or wants to trade on stock tips
• Anyone not comfortable with using technology to manage their finances

Learn more about our investment philosophy

We believe the primary goal in investing should be to harness the power of financial markets – not try to outguess them. While most of the investment industry tries to sell stock-picking and market-timing (i.e. active management), over 70 years of peer-reviewed, empirical research shows that investors chasing individual stocks almost never achieve positive long-term portfolio performance.

Instead, we utilize an evidence-based approach to investing that focuses on diversification, discipline, minimizing costs, and reducing taxes. This approach minimizes risk and allows our clients to capture their share of the returns the market generates.  Most importantly, structuring a portfolio in this way gives clients the best chance at reaching their financial goals.

We believe in:

• The power of markets
• Smart diversification
• Full transparency
• Applying insights from financial science to make data-driven and time-tested decisions

We practice:

• Indexing
• Portfolio rebalancing

We DO NOT:

• Experiment or invest based on a gut feeling
• Attempt to time the markets
• Outguess the market
• Trade on stock tips

Read “How to Pursue a Better Investment Experience”

A custom retirement plan will include the following:

• Goal Identification and Prioritization
• Cash Flow Analysis
• Net Worth Statement
• Risk Profile Assessment
• Retirement Analysis
• Employer Benefits Analysis
• Executive Compensation Analysis
• Insurance Needs Analysis (you will not be sold products you do not need)
• Tax Optimization Strategies
• “What If” Scenarios
• Stress Testing

We are a 100% digital wealth management firm with hubs in Oregon and Austin, Texas.  We serve clients from all over the U.S. who do not mind meeting virtually via Zoom.

We are happy to make an effort to see clients in person in the Pacific Northwest and in Austin when travel brings us to cities where clients are located.

Only about 29% of financial advisors hold the CFP® credential.

Financial planners with their CFP® certification are held to a higher standard than any other advisor who is not certified.  There are four pillars (Education, Examination, Experience, and Ethics) that a planner must satisfy before he/she is allowed to become a CFP®.  CFP® professionals must accrue thousands of hours of experience prior to earning their certification and are rigorously trained in 72 areas of financial expertise.

EDUCATION

To satisfy the education requirement, a financial professional must first earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

Then, a financial professional must complete an education program approved by the CFP Board.

EXAM

To satisfy the exam requirement, a financial professional must pass the CFP® exam consisting of a six-hour multiple choice test.

EXPERIENCE

To satisfy the experience requirement, a financial professional must accumulate 6,000 hours of professional experience related to financial planning.

ETHICS

To satisfy the ethics requirement, a financial professional must adhere to standards of conduct when providing financial advice to clients.  These standards include acting honestly, serving a clients’ best interest, and protecting client information/privacy.  

Learn more about the CFP® certification

Gray Wealth Strategies is among a small group of financial advisors pioneering a new flat fee model in the wealth management industry.  While the majority of firms charge clients a percentage of assets resulting in high fees, or earn brokerage commissions, forward-thinking advisors like GWS operate on a simple flat fee basis to give clients the benefit of predictable pricing and full transparency.

Discover how a flat fee model can save you money

We can think of at least ten reasons why GWS stands out from other wealth management firms:

• 15 + years of experience. We are experts in navigating complex investment and tax situations.

• CFP®.  Approximately 29% of financial advisors hold the CFP^® credential.  The CFP® certification is the standard of excellence in financial planning.  CFP® professionals must accrue thousands of hours of experience prior to earning their certification and are rigorously trained in 72 areas of financial expertise.

• CRPC®.  As a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor, our expertise lies in developing a roadmap to retirement based on a thorough understanding of Social Security strategies, tax planning strategies, designing optimal retirement income streams, and navigating health care options in retirement.

• Fiduciary.  Our legal oath to place client interests first.  We will never recommend that you buy or take action on something you don’t need.

• Flat Fee Only.  Unlike traditional wealth management firms, or financial advisors that earn commissions, we charge a straightforward flat fee for our services.  We don’t charge a percentage of assets under management (AUM) and we do not sell products for commission.  We believe that a flat fee structure greatly reduces potential conflicts of interest and offers clients the best value for our services.

• Planning Emphasis.  Financial planning is the foundation of every client relationship at GWS.  We begin every relationship by generating a long-term financial plan around your individual goals.  This plan informs future discussions and will be updated as needed.  Clients can access their financial plan through a secure web portal.

• Investment Philosophy.  Our investment approach is data-driven and based on over 70 years of peer-reviewed research about the key drivers of positive investment performance.  We practice passive index investing with personalized asset allocation, tax-loss harvesting, global diversification, and portfolio rebalancing.  We leverage technology to offer tax-efficient, low cost portfolios.

See investment philosophy

• Reputation.  We’ve always invested in authentic, honest professional relationships and are proud to say that we’re highly regarded among clients and peers.
  

• Client Experience.  We are committed to promptly responding to client needs and/or concerns and providing a positive client experience.

• Convenience.  We are a 100% digital firm.  We leverage industry leading technology to help us minimize your costs.  Clients benefit from a web portal with easy access to their financial plan and investments.
  

By working with us, clients avoid these unfortunate yet common consequences:

• Running out of money in retirement
• Missing out on current tax saving opportunities
• Confusion about how your money is invested
• Anxiety when the market crashes
• Hidden fees
• Postponing retirement when you didn’t need to

Clients benefits include:

• An actionable financial plan that will provide retirement income you can’t outlive
• A simplified investment portfolio that you understand
• A Social Security withdrawal strategy
• Time savings by not having to manage portfolios yourself
• Security knowing you have a strategy for when the market drops
• Fully taking advantage of tax savings experienced advisors know about
• A plan in case there’s a long-term care event
• Confidence knowing you have taken care of yourselves and family

The first step is for us to have a quick, free introductory call to determine if our expertise matches your needs.

If you’re not yet ready to get started but have a question, please send us a message.