Answers to your wealth management questions.
The Basics
We work with a wide array of clients, from elderly retirees to young professionals and from burgeoning families to large family estates. We work with small companies with just a few employees and larger companies with 100 or more. We welcome clients of all backgrounds with a need for direction and/or purpose in the management of their wealth, estate, or employee benefits.
A large number of clients seek our services because they are dissatisfied with their current advisors or they desire to align their investments with their values & beliefs. Many others come to us during any number of circumstances:
- Like an inheritance, settlement, divorce, retirement, or loss of a family member
- Sale of a home, company, or other large asset
- Looking to simplify and streamline their money management process
- Are not achieving acceptable investment returns
- Experiencing ineffective diversification and interested in a primary financial leader
- Would like to recapture time through delegation of this process
We recognize that our clients lead active and complex lives. Our clients appreciate that managing their investments is more complicated and time-consuming than ever before. They acknowledge that working with specialized investment professionals provides them with a level of confidence and security.
Our clients benefit from our approach to Wealth Accumulation and Estate Preservation which includes coordinating our planning with tax, legal, and insurance professionals. We follow a disciplined approach to balance risk and return, and believe that educating clients enables them to make informed decisions.
Financial planning helps you understand where you are financially today and what your goals are for the future. With this information, we can create a roadmap to help you reach your objectives.
More and more investors have become interested in using their assets to create positive change in the world. And there are more opportunities than ever to do so.
At Fingerlakes Wealth Management we have experience in Impact Investing, Microfinance, Crowdfunding and Socially Responsible Investments.
Our investment strategies include:
- Sustainable
- Fossil Free
- Socially Conscious
- Green
- Ethical or Impact Investments
- Community Investing
- Renewable Energy
- Environmental Responsible Investing
A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) is a professional who is qualified to advise you on your personal finances. CFP® professionals must:
- Pass the CFP® Certification Examination
- Pass CFP Board’s Fitness Standards for Candidates and Professionals Eligible for Reinstatement
- Agree to abide by CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility and Rules of Conduct
- Comply with the Financial Planning Practice Standards
A CFP® will be in the best position to answer complex questions, outline scenarios based on your family, needs, and lifestyle, and help make your finances meet your goals. CFP®’s have a fiduciary obligation to remain objective and to ensure recommendations align with their clients’ objectives.
We only share data with third parties when it's required for us to do our job. We will never sell your information to advertisers. And we'll always operate in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Fee Structure
Yes. Our initial consultations are always free.
For your convenience we offer two types of Advisory Services: Investment Management Services (fee-based) and Consulting Services (hourly rate). A Client with the Investment Management Services (fee-based) DOES NOT incur hourly charges.
Being a fiduciary requires us to make decisions in the clients’ best interest. For most client relationships we don't make sales commissions and will always be transparent about the fees charged and expenses incurred. As a fiduciary we only make investments that make the most sense for the client and their financial goals.
Our Investment Advisor fees are generally charged as a percentage of assets under management. We have a sliding scale for accounts of various sizes and complexities. Fees are generally dictated by the following factors:
- Volume of Assets Under Management
- Number of Account Registrations
- Complexity of the Situation
- Securities Used to Implement our Investment Solutions
- Frequency of Client Review Meetings
- Consulting Services
Feel free to contact us to discuss offerings that can work for you.
Financial Coaching
Almost anyone who sees the value of financial coaching will benefit from it.
If you’re not feeling great about managing your financial situation on your own – and you aren’t afraid to ask for a little support – financial coaching could be the right solution for you.
Talking to a Certified Financial Therapist is a lot like talking to a personal mentor. (For your money.)
We often get really deep about the “stories” you’ve told yourself and the experiences that have shaped your money mindset. So as long as you come to your financial coaching sessions with an open mind, you’ll likely walk away knowing much more about yourself and how to navigate your financial situation.
There is no judgment from your financial coach, and you’ll even work with your coach to let go of any fear, shame, or self-judgment you’re holding onto.
Single 60-minute individual or couple sessions are priced at $200. Coaching multi-packs (of 4 or more sessions) will receive a 10% discount.
For clients with Assets Under Management at Fingerlakes Wealth Management:
- Clients with $1M AUM receive 4 complimentary sessions
- Clients with $500k AUM receive 2 complimentary sessions
- Clients with $250k AUM receive 1 complimentary session
Financial coaching sessions also make a great gift! Contact us to purchase a session or coaching multi-pack for your family or friends.
We’re so excited for you to find out how incredible financial coaching can be for your money mindset and financial wellbeing.
Contact us to set up your complimentary 30-minute discovery call so you can chat with Melissa and make sure you feel good about moving forward with your financial coaching session(s).
B Corp Certification
Certified B Corporations are a new type of corporation which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. B Corp certification is to sustainable business what Fair Trade certification is to coffee or USDA Organic certification is to milk.
These corporations are leading a global movement to redefine success in business. By voluntarily meeting higher standards of transparency, accountability, and performance, Certified B Corps are distinguishing themselves in a cluttered marketplace by offering a positive vision of a better way to do business.
B Corps are certified by the nonprofit B Lab. To become certified, a company must:
- Meet the Performance Requirement: Complete the B Impact Assessment and earn a reviewed minimum score of 80 out of 200 points.
- Meet the Legal Requirement: Adopt the B Corporation Legal Framework to bake the mission of the company into its legal DNA. This allows the company’s values to thrive under new management, new investors, and new ownership.
- Make it Official: Sign a Term sheet and Declaration of Interdependence to make the certification official.
B Corps want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, but for many, becoming a B Corp also has to make business sense. B Corp certification helps companies differentiate from pretenders, generate press, benchmark performance, save money and access services, attract investors, partner with peers, and attract and engage talent.
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