What Is a Financial Plan?

A "Financial Plan" might sound like a mysterious document buried under charts and jargon. In reality, a Financial Plan is a personalized roadmap for your money. It takes your goals (like buying a house, retiring someday, or finally replacing that 12-year-old car) and shows you how to get there. In plain terms: it’s a game plan for using your resources wisely so your future feels less abstract and more intentional.

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The Building Blocks of Your Plan

Cash Strategy

Your money, your foundation.

We start with a deep dive into how money flows in and out of your life because every financial decision builds from there. 

Example of Core Deliverables:

5-Year Cash Flow Statement, Balance Sheet, Budgeting Tools, Student Loans Review, Optimal Cash Positioning Summary, etc.

Benefits

Make the most of what your employer offers.

We review your workplace benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, and stock options to ensure you're taking full advantage of them. 

Examples of Core Deliverables:

Medical Benefits Comparison Summary, Review of Elective Employee Benefits, 401k Allocation Recommendation, etc. 

Insurance

Protect what matters most.

We make sure you've got the right coverage in place to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your income. Life is unpredictable.

 Examples of Core Deliverables:

Needs-Based Analysis, Review of Existing Coverage, Implementation of Insurance Strategy, etc. 

Investments

Growing your wealth with purpose.

We align your investments with your goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon, keeping things diversified and tax-efficient.

Examples of Core Deliverables:

Investment Policy Statement, Investment Methodology Summary & Implementation, Risk Assessment Questionnaire, etc.

Taxes

Keep more of what you earn.

We look for smart ways to reduce your tax burden through planning strategies that fit your broader financial picture. 

Examples of Core Deliverables:

Holistiplan Tax Report, Collaboration with Your CPA, Alternative Placements, etc.

Estate Planning

Plan for the people and causes you care about.

We help you get the right documents in place so your wishes are honored, your loved ones are protected, and your legacy is secure. 

Examples of Core Deliverables:

Access to Wealth.com (DIY Estate Documents), Estate Planning Attorney Collaboration & Introduction, Account Retitling, etc.

Our Partners

As an independent firm, we’re free to work with a wide variety of partners to help build a plan that’s truly tailored to you. We can go pretty much anywhere to find the right solutions for your needs.

 

 

Here’s a quick look at a couple of the partners we team up with. Next, meet the team who will help bring your plan to life. 

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SEI Private Trust Company serves as our primary custodian, providing investment processing and trust services to help ensure the secure and reliable management of client assets.
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eMoney is our comprehensive financial planning software that helps us create interactive plans, track progress, and give clients a clear, real-time view of their financial lives.
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Cambridge Investment Research is our independent broker-dealer, providing regulatory oversight, compliance support, and access to a broad range of investment solutions to help us serve our clients' best interests.
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Nitrogen Wealth helps us deliver personalized, goal-aligned portfolios by quantifying and aligning each client’s true risk tolerance.
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Wealth.com gives you the power to build and maintain your own estate plan online, and when you work with us, you get full access for free.
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iCapital gives our clients access to alternative and private market investments typically reserved for institutional investors.
AdvicePay
AdvicePay is our compliant payment platform we use to streamline billing and payments for our financial planning engagements. 
 

Securities offered through Registered Representatives of Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC to residents of AK, AZ, CA, CT, CO, FL, ID,IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, TN, TX, WA and WI. Advisory services offered through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registeredi nvestment Advisor. Fixed insurance offered through James K. Lancaster. Cambridge and Sterling Edge Financial are not affiliated. Cambridge does not offer tax advice. The information being provided is strictly as a courtesy. When you link to any of these websites provided herein, Sterling Edge Financial makes no representation as to the completeness or accuracy of information provided at these sites. Nor is the company liable for any direct or indirect technical or system issues or any consequences arising out of your access to or your use of third-party technologies, sites, information, and programs made available through this site. 

Cambridge’s Form CRS (Customer Relationship Summary)

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