Start your road to financial independence here

Let's get your finances in order. We'll do the heavy lifting.
Financial Planning
Sort out your finances and figure out how you can get from here to there (financial independence). 
Investing
Cut through the gibberish and build an investment portfolio based on academic research and discipline.
Insurance
If you die or become too sick to work, well, it's bad news. Let's explore ways to protect yourself from financial ruin. 
Workplace Benefits
We'll help you with affordable 401(k), health insurance, and other benefits so your company stands out from the crowd. 
Is offering workplace benefits to your employees worth it? Find out. 
On the fence about insurance? Find out why neglecting to manage your risk can potentially be catastrophic to your financial future.  
Think you can outsmart the market? Find out.  
How much is enough to retire on? Find out. 
Is retirement planning harder for a business owner than for a typical corporate employee? Find out. 
Recent research finds 401(k) matches have double the effect on a recruiting success compared to cash.  Find out. 
Is there such a thing as living too long? Financially speaking, yes, there is. You can live too long that you run out of money in your old age. Annuities can provide lifetime guaranteed income to hedge against longevity risk. 
Unlike your friends who retire from a corporate job, you can't just walk away from your business when you are ready to retire. You need to set your retirement date and work toward that goal. But it takes years to prepare your company to sell for the amount you need. ​

Our team

Wesley Kang

Partner | Financial Advisor

I'm passionate about consistently delivering exceptional and intensely personal client experience that is unmatched by our peers. 

We accomplish this the old-fashioned way by genuinely caring about the needs and wants of our clients. We also try to reduce friction through smart and wise use of technology.

Before co-founding Cultivant, I was a top salesman at a software company, where I learned to listen intently to customers' needs and wants, deliver the best possible outcomes, and provide the highest level of customer experience.

Hoon Kang, CFP®, ​​CPA

Partner | Financial Advisor

I get energized when I help business owners design and implement comprehensive financial strategies that address all of their financial objectives.

I began my careers in financial services at a Big Four accounting firm and have since been providing solutions to complex financial and estate planning issues.

I have extensive background in advanced financial and estate planning, including retirement and longevity planning, tax-optimized wealth transfer, business exit planning, and other advanced strategies. I also write and speak frequently on advanced wealth planning topics.

Christian Kang

Partner | Financial Advisor

I get great satisfaction from simplifying complex financial concepts so clients can understand how these strategies can help accomplish their goals.

We do this by cutting through extraneous details down to the very essence of these concepts. We also try hard to minimize industry jargon to clearly communicate these sometimes-confusing ideas.

Before co-founding Cultivant, I was AVP of product management at a software company, where I learned to anticipate customer needs and market shifts, and develop products that customers didn't know they needed.
How long will my money last? Will I outlive my money? What if my portfolio takes a dive? We get these questions a lot. Consider annuities to hedge against longevity risk (living "too long") and a series of negative returns while you take ongoing withdrawals.

What properly designed insurance can do for you

For Businesses
Protect the value of your business so you can sell it at a premium later

"Buy time" if you or your employee dies or becomes too sick to work

Receive cash income tax-free to buy out your partner if they retire, die, or become too sick to work

Attract and motivate your key employees with a superior compensation package 

Carve out a retirement plan designed just for your executive team
​
Provide life and disability insurance benefits just for your key employees
For Individuals & Families
​Protect your family from financial ruin if you die unexpectedly

Continue your income if you get injured or become too sick to work

Add a low-volatility, tax-efficient asset class without market risk to your investment portfolio

Save money without being taxed on growth and earnings

Withdraw money without being taxed 

Save money without contribution limits, early withdrawal penalties or required minimum distributions
For Estates
Leave cash to your heirs so they can pay estate taxes without disruption
​
Equalize inheritance among your heirs

Maximize generational wealth

Provide financial security for your child with special needs

Keep costs of long-term care from needlessly depleting your assets 

Get guaranteed lifetime income to hedge against potential longevity

Pass your "unneeded" IRA to your heirs in a tax-optimized way

Holistic vs. Disjointed

​It seems obvious, but when you hire a financial advisor, you want far more than advice on just investments. You're seeking guidance on all of the important aspects of your personal finance – how/how much to save for comfortable retirement, finding ways to make your money last so you don't outlive your money, strategies to transfer your assets to your heirs in a tax-optimized way, minimizing taxes, and so on. 

But truth is, most financial advisors are primarily investment advisors. This is not just a matter of semantics, but a substantive distinction that will ultimately matter for your financial wellness. Their titles – like 'financial advisor', 'wealth advisor', etc. – may imply that they provide comprehensive financial advice. But most are focused primarily on managing your investments, sometimes at the expense of your financial wellness.

There is more to your financial wellness than just investment performance. You can rely on us to oversee all of the important details of your personal finance.

Boutique vs. "Corporate"

Do you like chain restaurants? Neither do we. Wouldn't you much rather enjoy food made from scratch by locally-owned restaurants whose owners and chefs know their community and their customers, using unique and fresh ingredients from local and regional sources?

Likewise, we built a boutique firm by design so we can remain intensely personal, nimble, and responsive. It means that we are not beholden to self-serving corporate interests that do not align with yours. Instead, we take time to listen and get to know you, your goals, values, dreams, and fears. And we design a comprehensive strategy to help achieve all of your financial objectives. You will always feel heard and understood. We are readily available to you, and we speak to you plainly in everyday language. 

But just because we are a boutique firm, it doesn't mean that you have to settle for less. We have access to the same financial products, technology, and market research these "corporate" firms offer.

Human vs. "Robo"

Technology is extremely proficient at processing an enormous amount of data quickly and accurately. It's great for automating processes.

So, naturally, 'robo advisors' can use algorithms to build and manage your investment portfolios efficiently. And once set, you're on autopilot.

So far so good. But when it comes to engaging with human clients with real human issues, robo advisors fall far short. They don't understand or care about your most important goals or your deeply held values. They don't know you or your family, and they can't really understand what keeps you up at night.

Perhaps the day will come when robo advisors can grasp the mystery and complexities of life. But until then, you can turn to us to oversee all of the important details of your personal finance. Let us design and implement a comprehensive financial strategy that will address all of your human goals and dreams.
Our pricing structure is straightforward and transparent. It's clearly spelled out, so there are no surprises. Reach out to us if you want additional information on our services and how we are paid. 
Personal financial management involves ongoing financial planning and guidance, including managing your investments. We oversee all of the important details of your personal finance on an ongoing basis. We also create a detailed financial plan and help you implement your plan.
You want ongoing financial planning and guidance on all of the important details of your personal finance, including ongoing investment management.
Percentage on the value of your assets we manage.
Insurance advisory and sales involve analyzing your risk/needs, carrier due diligence, product selection, policy design, tax and legal analysis, underwriting, and policy issue. It's provided separately and independently by our advisors who are also insurance-licensed. 
You want unbiased guidance from a seasoned, independent insurance professional, and to buy life, disability, long-term care insurance and/or annuities.
Commission from an insurance carrier when a policy is placed. ​

Financial Planning Process

We design and implement a comprehensive financial strategy that will address all of your financial objectives. This involves overseeing all of the important details of your personal finance. It also entails identifying opportunities to improve your financial situation as well as recognizing issues and problems before they become acute. 
Our financial planning process involves integrating the following elements:
  • Retirement planning
  • Estate planning
  • Investment planning
  • Tax planning
  • Education planning
  • Insurance planning
Examples of how we can help get your finances in order include:
  • Planning for comfortable retirement
  • Evaluating and getting the right amounts and types of insurance
  • Saving for your child(ren)'s college
  • Making your money last through retirement
  • Optimizing stock compensation, 401(k), and other benefits from your work
  • Getting started on your estate plan or updating an existing plan​
  • Passing your assets on to your heir in a tax-efficient way
  • Minimizing your income and estate taxes

Financial Planning Process

We design and implement a comprehensive financial strategy that will address all of your financial objectives. This involves overseeing all of the important details of your personal finance by integrating the following elements:
  • Retirement planning
  • Estate planning
  • Investment planning
  • Tax planning
  • Education planning
  • Insurance planning

In addition to the above, we consider variables such as family status, net worth, income level, life stage, career stage, as well as other circumstances like health issues, aging parents, special needs children, and so on.
As Chair of the Investment Policy Committee, I am responsible for management of the firm’s portfolios, which include a broad suite of asset allocation strategies.

My time is fully dedicated to investment research and analysis, as well as providing guidance in unique investment-related situations.

I'm also responsible for and offer extensive communication on economic and investment topics through regular, timely releases and ad hoc commentary.
Our pricing structure is straightforward and transparent with no surprises. We do not require a minimum asset size. We simply ask our clients to be:

  • Willing to receive advice
  • Willing to pay for advice
  • Willing to follow advice
As a seasoned financial advisor, I help clients achieve their goals in alignment with people and values that matter most to them.
 
​I began my career in financial services over 35 years ago at a Big Four accounting firm, and have since held senior positions, offering solutions to complex financial, estate and business planning issues. 

I also write and speak frequently on advanced wealth planning topics, and have written numerous articles on financial, estate and business planning, some of which have been published in peer-reviewed journals.
The insurance products we work with are life insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance and annuities. Annuities are insurance products and are designed for long-term retirement income.  Surrender charges may apply if money is withdrawn before the end of the surrender period. All withdrawals of tax-deferred earnings are subject to current income tax, and, if made prior to age 59½, may also be subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty. Annuities generally contain fees and charges which include, but are not limited to, sales and surrender charges. Additionally, if purchased within a qualified plan, an annuity will provide no further tax deferral features. The contract, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than the amount used to purchase the annuity.
WE ARE...

Independent.
Unbiased.
Competent.
Caring.
​Responsive.
​
YOU ENJOY...

Clarity.
​A plan for your future.
Financial wellness.
A good night's sleep. 
​More time for what you love.
​
What's not to smile about?
WE ARE...

Independent.
Unbiased.
Competent.
Caring.
​Responsive.
​
YOU ENJOY...

Clarity.
​A plan for your future.
Financial wellness.
A good night's sleep. 
​More time for what you love.
​
What's not to like?

How we are different from other financial advisors

How we are different from your other advisors

You can rely on us to oversee all of the important details of your personal finance. To that end, we help you:
  • Design and implement a comprehensive financial strategy that will address all of your financial objectives
  • Identify opportunities to continue to improve your financial situation
  • Identify issues and problems before they become acute
  • Coordinate the activities of your other advisors

We often collaborate with your other advisors like your CPAs, attorneys, bankers, etc., and coordinate their activities. When we do, we complement, not replace, them. There are some key differences between us and those professionals.
  • We focus on your objectives and on developing comprehensive financial strategies, rather than on a particular problem or transaction.
  • We are trained to deal with the complex interactions among financial planning issues, not just a single issue. For example, a decision to revise your business buy-sell agreement may affect your tax situation, estate plan, retirement cash flow, investment portfolio, and life and disability insurance requirements. We are trained to deal with these complex interactions.
Personal financial management involves comprehensive, ongoing financial planning and guidance, including investment management. It's on a tiered schedule as a percentage on the value of the assets we manage. It starts at 1.25% per year for the first $500,000 and goes down to 0.50% for value above $10 million. If the initial value of your investment is below $250,000, we bill an initial planning fee of $3,000.
You want ongoing financial planning and guidance on all of the important details of your personal finance including investment management.
Tiered rates from 1.25% to 0.50% per year based on the value of the assets managed.
If you simply want financial planning and guidance without our managing your investments, we provide a one-time stand-alone financial planning service. It involves creating a detailed financial plan and helping you implement the plan, but without ongoing monitoring of your plan. It's generally on a fixed fee based on the scope and complexity of each project. A typical project is priced between $3,000 and $5,000. 
You want one-time stand-alone financial planning and guidance on all of the important details of your personal finance without investment management.
Generally fixed fee based on the scope and complexity of each project.
Insurance services are offered separately and independently by our advisors who are also licensed to sell insurance products. It involves needs analysis, product selection, policy design, carrier due diligence, underwriting, tax and legal analysis, and policy issue. Our advisors are independent and have access to virtually all insurance companies. We receive commissions from insurance carriers when policies are placed. 
You want unbiased guidance from an independent insurance professional, and to buy life, disability, long-term care insurance or annuities.
Commissions from insurance companies when policies are sold.
Our clients rely on us to oversee all of the important details of their personal finance. To that end, we help you:
  • Design and implement comprehensive financial strategies that will address all of your financial objectives.   
  • Help you to strive for continuous improvement of your financial situation.  
  • Provide you with timely identification of opportunities, and to identify issues and problems before they become acute
  • Coordinate the activities of all of your other advisors.


Our financial planning process involves holistically integrating the following elements:
  • Retirement planning
  • Estate planning
  • Investment planning
  • Tax planning
  • Education planning
  • Insurance planning

Additionally, we consider variables such as family status, net worth, income level, life or professional stage, as well as other circumstances like health issues, aging parents, special needs children, etc. 

How we are different from other experts like CPAs and attorneys

As we often discuss various tax and legal aspects of your decisions and transactions and/or collaborate with your tax and legal advisors, we complement, not replace, your other advisers like CPAs and attorneys.

There are two key differences between us and your other advisers:
  • We focus on your objectives and on developing comprehensive financial strategies, rather than on a particular problem or transaction.
  • We are trained to deal with the complex interactions among financial planning issues. For example, a seemingly simple decision to revise your business buy-sell agreement might affect your tax situation, estate plan, cash flow, investment portfolio, and life and disability insurance requirements. Your other advisors are not trained to deal with these complex interactions.

Investment Philosophy and Process

When we build your portfolio, we put to use a variety of asset classes like U.S. stocks and bonds, foreign stocks and bonds, real estate, and commodities. Then based on your risk tolerance, financial goals, return expectations, and other factors, we build your portfolio to be "conservative" or "aggressive" or somewhere in between. 

Financial Planning

We provide comprehensive financial planning by holistically integrating retirement, estate, tax, and other elements. Additionally, we consider variables such as family status, net worth, income level, life or professional stage, as well as other circumstances like health issues, aging parents, special needs children, etc. We also work with other professionals as needed to address various planning issues. For example, we may collaborate with your attorney on your estate planning. 

Investment Advisory

We build your portfolio, we put to use a variety of asset classes like U.S. stocks and bonds, foreign stocks and bonds, real estate, and commodities. Then based on your risk tolerance, financial goals, return expectations, and other factors, we build your portfolio to be "conservative" or "aggressive" or somewhere in between. 

Insurance Solutions

It involves needs analysis, product selection, policy design, carrier due diligence, underwriting, tax and legal analysis, and policy issue. Our advisors are independent and can represent virtually all insurance companies. 

Business Exit Planning

We analyze macroeconomic and financial data to evaluate if an asset class is too expensive, just right, or cheap in our view. Then, we might adjust weights between asset classes offering best and worst perceived value and potential for return.

Work On Your Business, Not Just In It

In our view, many small businesses, even the good-sized ones, are way too owner-centric. Our observation is that while many businesses are profitable and successful, they are far too dependent on the owners who are functionally the CEO, CFO, COO, relationship manager, rainmaker, HR manager, marketing director, bookkeeper, and the person who takes out the trash. If the owners were to suddenly disappear – voluntarily or involuntarily – many of these companies would likely decline rapidly and may even close their doors because no one is trained or equipped to step up and into the owners' shoes and keep the businesses going, much less going strong.
 
In short, while these businesses are profitable and have the appearances of success, there are no enterprise values to speak of because they are too dependent on their owners. Let that sink in for a moment. These owners own fabulously successful and profitable – yet worthless! – companies. If this describes you, perhaps it's time to start working on your business, not just in it, so you can reap the rewards of your hard work and receive top dollar for your business.

Life Insurance: Unique... and Complicated

Life insurance is a unique financial instrument with features that are available only in life insurance. For example, Uncle Sam has given his full blessing to grieving family members (or a devastated business) to receive life insurance proceeds free of income tax. These unique features open up opportunities for potentially cost-effective and tax-efficient solutions for complex financial issues. 

​But beyond its uniqueness, life insurance is also complicated. There is a science to sound insurance planning, involving risk/needs analysis, carrier due diligence, product selection, policy design, underwriting, knowledge of the tax code, actuarial and legal aspects of life insurance, and so on. And the "science" part of life insurance requires considerable expertise and experience. 

Let Properly Designed Insurance Protect Your Lifestyle

​Properly designed insurance can help protect your lifestyle in tax-efficient and cost-effective ways. But sensible insurance planning involves knowledge of the "science" behind insurance – like risk analysis, carrier due diligence, product selection, policy design, underwriting, knowledge of the tax code, and so on. We can help you navigate through the process and select carriers and products that best fit your specific needs.

Protect Your Family

Whether or not you'll achieve your goals and dreams is predicated largely on one thing: your ability to earn income. If you die too soon or you become too sick to work, your plan will likely go out the window. It's not that hard to understand: no income, no plan. Fortunately, you can shift a lot of these risks to insurance companies. They are in the business to assume such risks and absorb losses for you. 

Protect Your Income

How much income will you earn in your lifetime? Probably quite substantial if you add it all up. But what if you become too sick to work? Let's say Job A pays $100,000 a year with no benefits if you become too sick to work. Job B pays $98,000 a year, and pays $60,000 a year in tax-free benefits if you can't work. Wouldn't you choose Job B? That's pretty much how disability insurance works. It pays to protect your income. 

Protect Your Estate

Life insurance is a highly tax-efficient and cost-effective tool to provide cash to your heirs to pay estate tax. This is especially true if most of your assets can't be readily converted to cash. ​If your estate owes tax, and there isn't enough cash to pay the tax, how will your heirs come up with cash? Well, they might end up being forced to sell your (hard-earned) assets at a deep discount. So, if you are rich but cash-poor, you've got some planning to do. ​

Financial Planning Process

When we build your portfolio, we put to use a variety of asset classes like U.S. stocks and bonds, foreign stocks and bonds, real estate, and commodities. Then based on your your risk tolerance, financial goals, return expectations, and other factors, we build your portfolio to be "conservative" or "aggressive" or somewhere in between. 

Summary of Deliverables
// Planning for comfortable retirement

// Building and managing your investment portfolio(s)

// Evaluating and getting the right amounts and types of insurance

// Saving for your child(ren)'s college

// Optimizing RSUs, 401(k) and other benefits from your work

​// Making your money last during retirement

// Getting started on your estate plan or updating an existing plan*

// Minimizing your income and estate taxes*

// Setting up and managing a retirement plan for your business**

// Protecting the value of your business from the unexpected***

// Planning for an eventual transition out of your business

// Personal, unhurried, caring and responsive service
* Since we are not legal or tax advisors, we collaborate with your attorney, accountant and/or other professionals on issues related to your tax and estate planning. 
** Includes 401(k) / profit sharing plan, cash balance plan, defined benefit pension, SIMPLE IRA, SEP IRA, and nonqualified deferred compensation.  
*** Includes funding your buy/sell agreement, insurance on owners and key employees, and executive benefits for key employees. 
Fee for our services is on a tiered schedule as a percentage on the value of the investment assets we manage per the schedule below. However, if your investment account is less than $250,000, there is an initial, one-time financial planning fee of $3,000.

     1.25% on assets to $500,000
     1.00% on assets between $500,001 and $5,000,000
     0.75% on assets between $5,000,001 and $10,000,000
     0.50% on assets in excess of $10,000,000

In addition to the above, our advisors are independently licensed to sell insurance products through various carriers. We receive commissions from carriers when we sell insurance products.  

​For more information on pricing, you can refer to Form ADV Part 2A.
Personal financial management involves comprehensive, ongoing financial planning and guidance, which includes managing your investment portfolios. It's on a tiered schedule as a percentage on the value of the assets we manage. It starts at 1.25% per year for the first $500,000 and goes down to 0.50% for value above $10 million. If the initial value of your investment account is below $250,000, we generally bill an initial planning fee of $3,000.
You want ongoing financial planning and guidance on substantially all aspects of your personal finance.

You want us to manage your investment portfolios on an ongoing basis.
1.25% on assets to $500,000
1.00% on assets between $500,001 and $5,000,000
0.75% on assets between $5,000,001 and $10,000,000
0.50% on assets in excess of $10,000,000
If you're a new client and your investment account balance is less than $250,000, we bill a one-time financial planning fee of $3,000.
Insurance services generally involve needs and risk analysis, product selection, policy design, carrier due diligence, underwriting, tax and legal analysis, and policy issue. Products we work with are life, disability, long-term care insurance and annuities. We are independent and not affiliated with any carriers. We receive commissions from insurance carriers when policies are placed. Receiving commissions creates a conflict of interest.
You want professional and unbiased guidance on the types and amounts of insurance.

You want an independent professional who is unaffiliated with any insurance company. 
Commissions from insurance companies when policies are placed.
For additional information on pricing, you can refer to Form ADV Part 2A.
We provide comprehensive, ongoing financial planning and guidance, which includes managing your investment portfolios. Fee for our service is on a tiered schedule as a percentage on the value of the assets we manage. It starts at 1.25% per year for the first $500,000 and goes down to 0.50% a year for value above $10 million.

1.25% on assets to $500,000
1.00% on assets between $500,001 and $5,000,000
0.75% on assets between $5,000,001 and $10,000,000
0.50% on assets in excess of $10,000,000

​If your investment account balance is less than $250,000, we bill a one-time financial planning fee of $3,000 at the beginning of engagement.

​For additional information on pricing, you can refer to Form ADV Part 2A.
You want ongoing financial planning and guidance on substantially all aspects of your personal finance.

You want us to manage your investment portfolios on an ongoing basis.
1.25% on assets to $500,000
1.00% on assets between $500,001 and $5,000,000
0.75% on assets between $5,000,001 and $10,000,000
0.50% on assets in excess of $10,000,000
If you're a new client and your investment account balance is less than $250,000, we bill a one-time financial planning fee of $3,000.
For additional information on pricing, you can refer to Form ADV Part 2A.

We deliver personalized financial advisory services to busy professionals and business owners.

As a busy professional or business owner, you're juggling many competing priorities. For starters, you have family obligations and a demanding career. You also want to continue to develop and improve professionally and personally. All told, these activities and commitments occupy much of your available time and energy. 

Whatever your story is, you want to manage your finances responsibly to make sure your family is cared for. We invite you to work with us. Let us help you achieve your most important goals in alignment with your deeply held values.

Let us help you take care of (boring) stuff like...

  • Saving for retirement
  • Saving for your children's education
  • Investing in alignment with your goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon
  • Managing your debt
  • Optimizing your 401(k), RSU, etc. 
  • Owning the right amounts and types of insurance
  • ​Protecting the value of your business
  • Planning for a business transition
  • Maximizing tax deduction through your business' retirement plan
Reach out to us. Let's make a plan.

Attention: Washington state residents

Look out. There’s a new payroll tax in town. The new mandatory state payroll tax in Washington state under the WA Cares Fund is designed to fund long-term care benefits for its eligible residents. If you are employed in Washington (or will be), learn more about it. This new tax will affect you.
As Chair of the Investment Policy Committee, I am responsible for management of the firm’s portfolios, which include a broad suite of asset allocation strategies.

My time is fully dedicated to investment research and analysis, as well as providing guidance in unique investment-related situations.

I'm also responsible for and offer extensive communication on economic and investment topics through regular, timely releases and ad hoc commentary.
Personal financial management entails ongoing guidance on substantially all aspects of your financial life. It's priced on a tiered schedule as a percentage on the value of your investment account that we manage. It starts at 1.25% per year for the first $500,000 and goes down incrementally to 0.50% for value above $10 million. If the initial value of your investment account is below $250,000, we generally bill an initial planning fee of $3,000.
Life insurance is a unique financial instrument with tax attributes that are unavailable in any other financial products. 

For starters, unlike investment earnings, the life insurance cash value grows without being taxed as it accumulates. You can also access the cash value without triggering income tax because withdrawals up to the cost basis or borrowing against a policy cash value is not subject to income tax. 

​Additionally, the death benefit is generally paid out free of income tax. By contrast, when beneficiaries withdraw money from a pre-tax retirement plan, they generally pay taxes on the distributions.
You have accumulated substantial assets. Now what?

Perhaps you wish to preserve and pass as much of your assets as you can to your heirs (and/or charities). But federal (and state!) estate taxes may significantly erode your assets. And if your assets aren't liquid (like real estate or business), your heirs would be burdened with selling your assets to pay estate taxes.

Life insurance provides liquidity to help meet estate tax obligations in cost- and tax-efficient ways that no other assets or financial products can.

Life Insurance Has Unique Tax Attributes

Life insurance is a unique financial instrument with features that are unavailable in any other financial products, particularly its tax attributes. In addition to its risk management mechanism, properly designed and implemented life insurance can go a long way in helping you and your beneficiaries minimize tax burden.
NO INCOME TAX ON CASH VALUE GROWTH 
For starters, the life insurance cash value grows without being taxed as it accumulates. On the other hand, investment earnings from a bond portfolio is generally taxed along the way as ordinary income. You can also access the cash value without triggering income tax. Withdrawals up to the cost basis or borrowing against a policy cash value is not subject to taxes.*
NO INCOME TAX ON DEATH BENEFIT
The death benefit is generally paid out free of income tax. By contrast, when beneficiaries withdraw money from a retirement plan, they generally pay taxes on the distributions.
TAX MINIMIZATION STRATEGY EXAMPLE #1: TAX-FAVORED, LOW-VOLATILITY ASSET WITH NO STOCK MARKET RISK
well-designed life insurance can be an integral part of your investment portfolio, functioning as a low-volatility, non-correlated, tax-advantaged asset without stock market risk.
TAX MINIMIZATION STRATEGY EXAMPLE #2: TAX-FAVORED SAVINGS WITHOUT THE IRA RULES AND LIMITATIONS
Unlike IRAs and qualified retirement plans (like 401(k)), there are no contribution amount limits, early withdrawal penalties, or required minimum distributions.​
TAX MINIMIZATION STRATEGY EXAMPLE #2: TAX-FAVORED SAVINGS WITHOUT THE IRA RULES AND LIMITATIONS
Instead of (or in addition to) drawing income from investments that are fully or partially taxed during retirement, you can help keep your tax bracket down by integrating distributions from life insurance into the mix with tax-free loans and/or withdrawals.* 
* Tapping into the cash value of a life insurance policy reduces its value and death benefit and increases the chance of policy lapse. In the event of a policy lapse, an outstanding loan in excess of the cost basis is taxable. Loans and withdrawals from a modified endowment contract may be subject to tax and penalty. 

Are You Stretched Thin?

We are financial advisors who serve mid-career professionals. 

​You have a thriving career in a corporate setting.... Or perhaps you own a business or a professional practice. 

As a mid-career professional, you are juggling many competing priorities. You have family obligations and demanding careers. personal and professional development, etc. All of these are important to you, and they occupy most of your available time and energy. 

But you also have a strong desire to gain clarity around your financial life. 

To this end, we can help you gain clarity through ongoing guidance on substantially all aspects of your financial life.

Gain clarity

Are You Stretched Thin?

We are financial advisors who serve mid-career professionals. 

​Some of our clients are high income earners in corporate settings while others are owners of professional practices or businesses. Most are juggling many competing priorities—family obligations, demanding careers, personal and professional development, etc.—which occupy much of their available time and energy. 

All have a strong desire to gain clarity around their financial lives. 

To this end, we help our clients gain clarity through ongoing guidance on substantially all aspects of their financial lives.

Are You Stretched Thin?

We are financial advisors who serve mid-career professionals.









​
​​Some of our clients are high income earners in corporate settings while others are owners of professional practices or businesses. 
Most are juggling many competing priorities—family obligations, demanding careers, personal and professional development, etc.—which occupy much of their available time and energy. ​

All have a strong desire to gain clarity around their financial lives. ​








​
To this end, we help our clients gain clarity through ongoing guidance on substantially all aspects of their financial lives.







​
We are financial advisors who serve mid-career professionals. 

​Some of our clients are high income earners in corporate settings while others are owners of professional practices or businesses. Most are juggling many competing priorities—family obligations, demanding careers, personal and professional development, etc.—which occupy much of their available time and energy. 

All have a strong desire to gain clarity around their financial lives. 

To this end, we help our clients gain clarity through ongoing guidance on substantially all aspects of their financial lives.

What Properly Designed Insurance Can Do For You

// Protect family or business from financial ruin due to an untimely death

// Replace income if unable to work due to an illness or injury

// Minimize significant erosion of assets due to costs of long-term care

// Enhance retirement security with guaranteed lifetime income

// Provide liquidity to meet estate tax obligations in cost- and tax-efficient ways

// Provide financial security for a child with special needs

// Add a low-volatility, tax-efficient asset without stock market risk

// Provide an alternative to "stretch IRA" without being bound by IRA tax rules

// Enable a business to "buy time" if an owner or a key employee dies or is disabled

// Provide funds for surviving owners to buy deceased/disabled owner's business interest

// Provide insurance and retirement benefits to executives to help attract and retain them
Financial life management involves ongoing financial guidance on substantially all aspects of your financial life, sort of a "full service" offering. Fee for this service is priced as a percentage on the value of your investment accounts under our management on a tiered schedule, billed quarterly. The rate generally starts at 1.25% per year for the first $500,000 and incrementally goes down to 0.50% per year for value above $5 million.

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Long-Term Care Insurance

Annuities

from top carriers.
We are independent without affiliation with any insurance carriers.

Result: Peace of Mind

Result: Diversified, Efficient Portfolio

Result: Clarity, Focus and Action

Result: Financial Life Management

Summary of Deliverables

​Comprehensive financial planning*
Portfolio management and investment advisory
Insurance advisory and sales
Strategies to make money last in retirement
Strategies to minimize income and estate taxes
Business succession planning
Qualified retirement benefits — 401(k) plans, etc.
Executive benefits — nonqualified deferred compensation plans, etc.
* By COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL PLANNING, we mean RETIREMENT PLANNING, ESTATE PLANNING, INVESTMENT PLANNING, TAX PLANNING, EDUCATION PLANNING, and INSURANCE PLANNING. Additionally, we consider variables for each client situation such as family status, net worth, income level, life or professional stage, and other circumstances like health issues, aging parents, special needs children, etc.

Insurance is Unique... and Complicated

Insurance is a unique financial instrument with features that are unavailable in any other financial products. For example, only annuities can provide guaranteed income for as long as you live. As well, there are unique tax advantages that are available only in life insurance. Features like these open up opportunities for creative retirement, estate, and tax planning strategies. But insurance is also complicated. And sensible insurance planning requires considerable expertise and experience with deep knowledge of the "science" behind it—like carrier due diligence, product selection, policy design, underwriting, income and estate tax ramifications, legal aspects, etc.
Your ability to financially achieve your goals and dreams—saving for retirement, saving for children's education, retiring in style, etc.—is predicated largely on two things: 1) your ability to earn income during your working years, and 2) being able to make your money last through retirement years. If you can't work due to illness or injury, die too soon, or live too long, your (and your family's) ability to realize your goals would be profoundly impaired. Fortunately, you can often mitigate these risks efficiently by transferring them to insurance companies, whose business is to assume such risks and absorb losses that may result from these unforeseen events.
Unlike retirees from the previous generation, many of whom received guaranteed pension income for life, most of today's retirees are left on their own to make their nest-eggs last for potentially many decades of retirement without the safety net of guaranteed income. And, if a retiree's investment performs poorly, especially early on in retirement, the probability of money lasting through retirement may become irreversibly impaired. Thus, there is a real risk of running out of money during retirement. Fortunately, insurance can help manage such risk by providing guaranteed lifetime income and low-volatility assets without market risk.
Perhaps you have accumulated substantial assets, and you wish to preserve and pass as much of your assets as you can to your heirs and/or charities. But federal (and state!) estate taxes may significantly erode your assets. And, if your assets are mostly illiquid, your heirs may be burdened with selling the assets to pay estate taxes. Additionally, costs of long-term care can eat away at your assets that could otherwise be passed on to your heirs/charities. Well-designed life insurance and long-term care insurance, along with a thoughtfully crafted estate plan may help you to efficiently maximize what your heirs and/or charities ultimately receive.
If you are a business owner, your business is likely the most valuable asset you own. So it would be well worth your time and energy to protect its value as it's enormously consequential to meeting your retirement and legacy goals. Life and disability insurance can enable your business to "buy time" and continue with little disruption if you or your key employee dies or becomes disabled. Insurance can also fund a buy-sell plan, providing tax-free funds to the surviving owner(s) to buy out the deceased or disabled owner's interest and carry on. And to attract, motivate and retain key employees, you can provide executive benefits created and designed specially for them.
Your ability to financially achieve your goals and dreams—saving for retirement, saving for children's education, retiring in style, etc.—is predicated largely on two things: 1) your ability to earn income during your working years, and 2) being able to make your money last through retirement years. If you can't work due to illness or injury, die too soon, or live too long, your (and your family's) ability to realize your goals would be profoundly impaired. Fortunately, you can often mitigate these risks efficiently by transferring them to insurance companies, whose business is to assume such risks and absorb losses that may result from these unforeseen events.
Unlike retirees from the previous generation, many of whom received guaranteed pension income for life, most of today's retirees are on their own to make their nest-eggs last for potentially decades without the safety net of guaranteed income. And, if a retiree's investment performs poorly, especially early on in retirement, the probability of money lasting through retirement may be profoundly impaired—even permanently. Thus, the risk of running out of money during retirement is real. Fortunately, insurance can help manage such risk by providing guaranteed lifetime income and low-volatility assets without market risk.
Perhaps you have accumulated substantial assets, and you wish to preserve and pass as much of your assets as you can to your heirs and/or charities. But federal (and state!) estate taxes may significantly erode your assets. And, if most of your assets are not liquid, your heirs may be burdened with selling them to pay estate taxes. Additionally, costs of long-term care can eat away at your assets that could otherwise be passed on to your heirs/charities. Well-designed life insurance and long-term care insurance, along with a thoughtfully crafted estate plan may help you to efficiently maximize what your heirs/charities ultimately receive.

You cannot completely eliminate life's uncertainties and risks, but you can manage some of them with insurance

What would happen if a primary breadwinner dies prematurely or cannot work due to an illness or injury? Or, if you are retired and your assets are significantly eroded by costs of long-term care, or running out of money due to longevity—can be potentially catastrophic. Fortunately, these risks can often be addressed sensibly and efficiently with well-designed insurance products.

Life Planning + Financial Planning = Financial Life Management

You are busy. You have family obligations, a demanding career or business, and many other commitments that occupy much of your available time and energy. But you don't want to neglect your finances.

We are here to help achieve your goals in alignment with relationships and values that matter most to you. To this end, we provide guidance on substantially all aspects of your financial life by holistically integrating disjointed parts of your personal finance and building a cohesive plan to help achieve your goals—even while By design, we built a boutique firm, nimble, personal, and responsive—not a massive bureaucracy like the DMV—so you can get directly in touch with us to discuss your most important issues in an everyday language you speak and can understand.

About ASSET ALLOCATION

// Each ASSET CLASS has its own historical RISK and RETURN characteristics.

// The higher the RETURN, the higher the RISK in the long run.

// Mix ASSET CLASSES to minimize RISK (volatility) and maximize RETURN.
 //  Comprehensive financial planning*

// Portfolio management and investment advisory

// Insurance advisory and sales

// Estate planning and liquidity strategies

// Retirement income and spending strategies

// Tax minimization strategies

// Business succession and exit planning

// Business retirement benefits

// Key employee compensation and benefits

Insurance is Unique... and Complicated

Insurance is a unique financial instrument with features that are unavailable in any other financial products. For example, only an annuity can provide guaranteed income for as long as you live. Similarly, insurance can assume the risk of losing your income from disability or paying for costs of long-term care in exchange for a relatively small price (premium). Additionally, there are unique tax attributes—income tax-free death benefit, for example—that are available only through life insurance which open up opportunities for creative tax minimization strategies.

Tax Attributes

Life insurance, in particular, comes with unique tax attributes. If you are a high income earner, properly designed and implemented life insurance can go a long way in helping you minimize tax burden.

For starters, the life insurance cash value grows without being taxed as it accumulates. On the other hand, earnings from an investment portfolio or savings account are generally taxed along the way.

You can also access the policy cash value without triggering income tax. Withdrawals up to the cost basis or borrowing against a policy cash value is not subject to taxes.*

Additionally, the death benefit is generally paid out free of income tax. By contrast, when beneficiaries withdraw money from a retirement plan, they generally pay taxes on the distributions.

Tax Minimization

Well-designed life insurance can be an integral part of your investment portfolio, functioning as a low-volatility, tax-advantaged asset without market risk. And unlike an IRA (or 401k plan), there are no contribution limits, early withdrawal penalties, or required minimum distributions.

Additionally, a business can provide tax-favored retirement benefits to key employees above qualified plan limits. As well, it can protect a business from an economic ruin and preserve its value from an untimely death or disability of an owner of a key employee.

Furthermore, instead of (or in addition to) drawing income from investments that are fully or partially taxed during retirement, you can help keep your tax bracket down by integrating distributions from life insurance into the mix with tax-free loans and/or withdrawals.*

Complexity

Insurance is also complicated—far more so than many people realize. It's misunderstood even by many financial advisors, much less financial writers, with an alarming amount of misinformation proliferating in the media.

​As such, we cannot overstate the importance of sensible insurance planning and the "science" behind it—carrier due diligence, product selection, policy design, underwriting, income and estate tax ramifications, legal aspects, and so on—that requires considerable expertise and experience.

Additionally, it should be remembered that insurance should be an integral part of a sound financial plan. Whether it's protecting your family's lifestyle, safeguarding your business from the unexpected, providing estate liquidity, or creating guaranteed lifetime income, insurance should make sense in the context of your overall financial plan.
* Tapping into the cash value of a life insurance policy reduces its value and death benefit and increases the chance of policy lapse. In the event of a policy lapse, an outstanding loan in excess of the cost basis is taxable. Loans and withdrawals from a modified endowment contract may be subject to tax and penalty.
Your business may be your most valuable asset and is consequential to your financial well-being. So it's worth your time and energy to protect its value by safeguarding it against the unexpected. To that end, insurance can allow your business to "buy time" if you or your key employees die or become disabled, and continue with minimal disruption. It can also fund a buy-sell plan, providing cash to the surviving owner(s) to buy out the deceased or disabled partner's interest from their heirs. Additionally, to motivate and retain your management team, you can provide exclusive retirement and insurance benefits just for them.
We are a "next-generation," location-independent firm.

Powered by cutting-edge technology, we are equipped to work seamlessly with clients anywhere in the United States.
We invite you to reach out to us.
(206) 486-8700 Ext. 702
info@cultivant.com.
We work with owners of businesses or professional practices with revenues between $2 million and $25 million who are considering slowing down or selling/transferring their businesses in the next several years.

It's critically important to plan your exit holistically, integrating business, personal, and financial goals, rather than simply viewing as a transaction.

  • We help set your exit goals—when, for how much, and to whom you want to transfer your business—and help implement your plan.
 
  • Make a detailed personal financial plan for achieving your retirement and estate goals, and help implement your plan.
 
  • Set up retirement and executive benefits to attract, motivate, and retain your key employees to help grow the value of your business.
 
  • Insure yourself and your key employees so your business continues without disruption or financial ruin in the event of death or disability.
We work with highly compensated professionals who are juggling many competing priorities—family obligations, a demanding career, personal development, etc.—that occupy much of their available time and energy.
 
We provide financial guidance by helping organize disjointed parts of their personal finance and building a roadmap to help achieve their goals.

  • Help set goals in alignment with people and values that are most important to you.
 
  • Gather relevant information and data. Analyze and evaluate your current financial status and available resources.
 
  • Develop recommendations based on our analysis of your goals and your resources. Help implement our recommendations.
 
  • Monitor your plan to help keep it on track. Make adjustments to your plan as things change in and around your life.
We work with owners of stable businesses (or professional practices), with revenues between $2 million and $50 million who are considering exiting their businesses in the next several years.

We collaborate with various professionals in their respective disciplines; our service deliverables are primarily four-fold:

  • Help set concrete exit goals—when, for how much, and to whom you want to sell your business—and make an exit plan, and help implement the plan.
 
  • Build (and continue to monitor) a detailed financial plan for achieving your retirement, estate, and philanthropic goals, and help implement the plan.
 
  • Set up retirement and executive benefits as a part of an overall executive compensation package to motivate and retain your key employees and protect the value of your business.
 
  • Safeguard your business by insuring you (owner) and your key employees so your business can continue without disruption or financial ruin in the event of death or disability.
We work with highly compensated professionals who are juggling many competing priorities—family obligations, a demanding career, personal development, etc.—that occupy much of their available time and energy.
 
We provide financial guidance by helping organize disjointed parts of their personal finance. We do not impose a minimum investment asset amount.

  • Help set goals in alignment with people and values that are most important to you.
 
  • Gather relevant information and data. Analyze and evaluate your current financial status and available resources.
 
  • Develop recommendations based on our analysis of your goals and your resources. Help implement our recommendations.
 
  • Monitor your plan to help keep it on track. Make adjustments to your plan as things change in and around your life.
We work with owners of stable businesses (or professional practices), with revenues between $2 million and $100 million. They are often considering selling or transferring their businesses in the next several years.
 
Collaborating with various professionals in their respective disciplines, our service deliverables are primarily four-fold:

  • Manage the exit/succession planning process in close coordination with your advisors like attorneys, CPAs, bankers, M&A advisors, etc.
 
  • Organize your personal finance and make a detailed financial plan (retirement, estate, philanthropic, etc.), and help implement the plan.
 
  • Set up executive benefits to help motivate your management team to stay beyond the sale or transfer of your business.
 
  • Insure owners and key employees so your business can continue with minimal disruption in the event of death or disability.
We work with highly compensated professionals who are juggling many competing priorities – family obligations, a demanding career, personal development, etc. – that occupy much of their available time and energy.
 
We provide financial guidance organizing disjointed elements of their personal finance. We do not impose a minimum investment asset amount.

  • Help set goals in alignment with people and values that are most important to you.
 
  • Gather relevant information and data. Analyze and evaluate your current financial status and available resources.
 
  • Develop recommendations based on our analysis of your goals and your resources. Help implement our recommendations.
 
  • Monitor your plan to help keep it on track. Make adjustments to your plan as things change in and around your life.
We work with owners of stable businesses (or professional practices), with revenues between $5 million and $50 million, who are contemplating selling or transferring their businesses in the next several years.
 
Collaborating with various professionals in their respective disciplines, our service deliverables are primarily four-fold:

  • Begin, organize, coordinate, and/or manage an exit/succession planning process with you and your advisors like attorneys and CPAs, and involve other professionals as necessary and appropriate.
  • Help clearly articulate your/your family's lifestyle, legacy, and philanthropic goals post-business sale/transfer, develop a detailed plan to achieve your goals, and help implement the plan.
  • Design and implement executive benefit and compensation plans to ensure your executive team is motivated and appropriately rewarded to stay through and beyond the sale/transfer.
  • Help preserve and protect business value by safeguarding the business from the unexpected – for example, an untimely death of a key executive or a business partner.
We work with highly compensated professionals who are juggling many competing priorities – family obligations, a demanding career, personal development, etc. – that occupy much of their available time and energy.
 
We provide financial guidance to busy professionals to help achieve their goals. We do not impose a minimum investment balance.

  • Work with you to organize disjointed parts or your personal finance and bring about cohesiveness and clarity.
  • Help clearly articulate your goals – the timing of your retirement and the lifestyle you want, education goals (and costs) for your children, etc. – in alignment with people and values that matter most to you.
  • Quantify and evaluate your goals and current resources, and develop a detailed financial plan to help achieve your goals in alignment with people and values that matter most to you.
  • Help implement your financial plan.
  • Monitor your financial plan to keep it on track to give you a favorable chance to achieve your goals and, as needed, make adjustments to your plan as things change in and around your life.
We work with owners of stable businesses (or professional practices), with revenues between $2 million and $50 million, who are contemplating selling or transferring their businesses in the next several years.
 
Collaborating with various professionals in their respective disciplines, our service deliverables are primarily four-fold:

  • Exit/succession planning in close collaboration with your advisors like attorneys and CPAs.
  • Organize your personal finance and build a detailed retirement and estate plan, and help implement your plan.
  • Executive benefits to retain your management team beyond sale or transfer.
  • Insurance for you and your key employees to safeguard your business from the unexpected.
We work with highly compensated professionals who are juggling many competing priorities – family obligations, a demanding career, personal development, etc. – that occupy much of their available time and energy.
 
We provide financial guidance to busy professionals by integrating disjointed parts of your personal finance.

  • Help set goals in alignment with people and values that are most important to you.
  • Gather relevant information and data; analyze and evaluate your current financial status.
  • Develop recommendations based on our analysis, and help implement our recommendations.
  • Monitor your plan to help keep it on track, and make adjustments to your plan as things change in and around your life.
Personal financial management involves ongoing financial guidance for substantially all aspects of your personal finance, sort of a "full service" offering. (However, business exit planning service is provided separately from and independently of Cultivant.)

Fee for this service is priced as a percentage on the value of your investment accounts that we manage. The fee is on a tiered fee schedule. The rate generally starts at 1.25% per year for the first $500,000 and incrementally goes down to 0.50% for value above $5 million.
You want ongoing financial guidance on substantially all aspects of your personal finance, and

You have investment assets and want Cultivant to manage them.
Generally between 0.50% and 1.25% per year on the value of investment assets that we manage.
We provide standalone financial planning service without investment management. Fee for this service is usually on a fixed fee and is based on the scope and complexity of each project. A typical financial planning engagement is priced between $3,000 and $7,000.

We also provide business exit planning services to help business owners prepare their businesses for sale or transfer. (This service is provided separately from and independently of Cultivant.) Fee for this service is is based on the scope and complexity of each project.
You want ongoing financial guidance on substantially all aspects of your personal finance (but without investment management).

Instead of ongoing financial guidance, you want a financial plan created as a one-time service.
Fixed fee based on the scope and complexity of each project.
Insurance services are provided separately by our advisors who are also insurance-licensed. It involves analyzing your risks and evaluating the types and amounts of insurance you need.

Our insurance-licensed advisors receive commissions from the insurance company when a policy is placed. Receiving commissions creates a conflict of interest.

The insurance products that our advisors represent are life insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance and annuities.
You want to analyze the types of amounts of life insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance and/or annuity you need.

You want to compare products, prices, and features among many top insurance companies.
Commissions from insurance companies when we place policies.

Business Owners

We work with owners of stable businesses (or professional practices), with generally $5 million to $50 million in revenue, who are contemplating selling or transferring their business in the next several years.
 
Collaborating with various professionals in their respective disciplines, our service deliverables are primarily four-fold:

  • Begin, organize, coordinate, and manage an exit/succession planning process with you and your advisors like attorneys and CPAs, and involve other professionals as necessary and appropriate.
  • Help clearly articulate your/your family's retirement, estate, and philanthropic goals post-business sale/transfer, develop a detailed plan to achieve your goals, and help implement the plan.
  • Develop and help implement executive benefit and compensation plans to ensure the executive team is motivated and appropriately rewarded to stay through and beyond the sale/transfer.
  • Help preserve and protect business value by safeguarding the business from the unexpected – for example, an untimely death of a key executive or a business partner.

High Income Earners

We work with highly compensated professionals, often in their 30s and 40s (sometimes 20s), who are busy and juggling many moving parts at once – a new child, a new house and a mortgage, a demanding job, minding their children's school and other activities, helping aging parents, and so on.

We offer financial guidance, but without imposing any minimum investment balance for us to manage.

  • Guide and help organize disjointed parts or your personal finance and bring about cohesiveness and clarity.
  • Help clearly articulate your goals – the type of lifestyle you want in retirement, education you desire for your children, dream vacations, legacies you want to leave, and so on.
  • Quantify and evaluate the gap between your goals and your existing resources and develop a detailed plan to close the gap.
  • Help implement your plan.
  • Continue to monitor your plan to make sure it's on track to give you a favorable chance to achieve your goals, and, as needed, make adjustments to your plan as things change in and around your life.

We want to hear about your financial concerns.

Powered by cutting-edge technology, we work seamlessly with clients anywhere in the United States.

We invite you to reach out to us.

We have pricing structures based on your needs and the types of service we provide.

Our team is dedicated to helping our clients achieve their most important goals in alignment with people and values that matter most to them.

We are uniquely qualified and equipped to help business owners plan for their life beyond business ownership.

Several years ago, I took a slight detour from being a financial advisor to running and growing financial advisory firms. It started quite unexpectedly when a friend and a founder-owner of a successful advisory practice asked me to help run his firm like a "real business." My success in that role led me to a project with another firm, and then another, and so on.

Having been a financial advisor my entire decades-long career, I was confident of my financial consulting chops. But I didn’t know the first thing about running or growing a business. My inexperience notwithstanding, I decided to approach my new role from the perspective of an imaginary buyer of these firms.

So I asked myself, “What would make these firms attractive to me if I were a potential buyer?”

After much study, I concluded that a firm that is set up to generate a healthy, sustainable cash flow year in and year out long after its owner has moved on is the one that I would invest in. A business endeavor is inherently risky, but I reasoned that a firm with the ability to generate a sustainable cash flow with or without its owner present would give me the best probability of recouping my investment and being further rewarded for the risk I was willing to take.

While each firm I worked with was unique, profitable, and successful, a pattern began to emerge. Every single firm was far too dependent on its founder-owner who also acted as the firm's client advisor, rainmaker, CEO, CFO, COO, HR manager, marketing director, client event coordinator, bookkeeper, and the person who took out the trash. If the owner were to suddenly disappear—voluntarily or involuntarily—the firm would likely decline rapidly and may even collapse in time because no one was trained or equipped to step up and into the founder-owner's shoes and keep it afloat, much less grow it. In appearance, these firms were profitable and successful, but in reality, the quality of cash flow was lacking. To put it bluntly, these firms weren't worth the prices the owners would ask for. Not even close.

So I focused on implementing a system that would generate a healthy cash flow—one that was sustainable, predictable, and transferable—that is not overly dependent on its founder-owner.

Of course, this entailed implementing a strategic plan instead of operating at the whim of the owner, developing a firm-wide growth strategy rather than depending on the owner’s rainmaking skills, documenting business and operational processes, managing business risks and tightening up legal documents, formalizing financial controls, and on and on. Sounds simple enough, but it was hard work.

To make a long story short, to my surprise, I was quite successful at this newfound role as an accidental executive/consultant. In a particularly challenging and time-sensitive project, the owner of the firm was facing health complications. With revenue rapidly declining and clients leaving by the week, we had to act fast and reverse course. When the dust finally settled, I somehow managed to help increase the value of the firm four-fold (400%), and sell it at a price that would have seemed outrageously optimistic when I started the project just one year prior. The most memorable compliment I received from the owner was, “Where were you five years ago?”

Needless to say, I learned many things from working with these business owners. That being said, two things in particular really stuck out to me.

First, for a business owner, their business is often the most valuable asset they own. So the value of their business, and monetization of such value is enormously consequential to meeting their retirement and estate planning goals. The net amount they receive from the sale of their business can directly impact what they can and can't afford in retirement and how much they are able to leave to their children, grandchildren, charities, and so on. Clearly, it's worth their time and effort to exit their business by design rather than by default.

Second, given such consequential nature of business value to a business owner's future financial well-being, they absolutely must know the minimum amount they need to receive from a sale—net of fees, net of taxes, net of outstanding bills and loans, net of everything—to achieve their personal financial goals. To make this happen, they must—absolutely must—work with a qualified financial planner in collaboration with their CPA, attorneys, and other advisors to run some numbers and come up with a concrete and detailed financial plan to achieve their personal financial goals. They cannot afford to leave it to chance. 

Thus, we set out to help business owners entrepreneurs plan for their life beyond business ownership.

To this end, our unique blend of deep financial planning know-how and battle-tested executive management experience equips us to do just that. Given the inseparable and intertwined relationship between personal and business goals, we can integrate personal financial planning and business exit planning by taking a deep dive into their business to help prepare for an eventual sale or transfer in the context of their overall financial plan.

We invite you to work with us.
 
Respectfully,
Several years ago, I took a slight detour from being a financial advisor to running and growing financial advisory firms. It started quite unexpectedly when a friend and a founder-owner of a successful advisory practice asked me to help run his firm like a "real business." My success in that role led me to a project with another firm, and then another, and so on.

Having been a financial advisor my entire decades-long career, I was confident of my financial consulting chops. But I didn’t know the first thing about running or growing a business. My inexperience notwithstanding, I decided to approach my new role from the perspective of an imaginary buyer of these firms.

So I asked myself, “What would make these firms attractive to me if I were a potential buyer?”

After much study, I concluded that a firm that is set up to generate a healthy, sustainable cash flow year in and year out long after its owner has moved on is the one that I would invest in. A business endeavor is inherently risky, but I reasoned that a firm with the ability to generate a sustainable cash flow with or without its owner present would give me the best probability of recouping my investment and being further rewarded for the risk I was willing to take.

While each firm I worked with was unique, profitable, and successful, a pattern began to emerge. Every single firm was far too dependent on its founder-owner who also acted as the firm's client advisor, rainmaker, CEO, CFO, COO, HR manager, marketing director, client event coordinator, bookkeeper, and the person who took out the trash. If the owner were to suddenly disappear—voluntarily or involuntarily—the firm would likely decline rapidly and may even collapse in time because no one was trained or equipped to step up and into the founder-owner's shoes and keep it afloat, much less grow it. In appearance, these firms were profitable and successful, but in reality, the quality of cash flow was lacking. To put it bluntly, these firms weren't worth the prices the owners would ask for. Not even close.

So I focused on implementing a system that would generate a healthy cash flow—one that was sustainable, predictable, and transferable—that is not overly dependent on its founder-owner.

Of course, this entailed implementing a strategic plan instead of operating at the whim of the owner, developing a firm-wide growth strategy rather than depending on the owner’s rainmaking skills, documenting business and operational processes, managing business risks and tightening up legal documents, formalizing financial controls, and on and on. Sounds simple enough, but it was hard work.

To make a long story short, to my surprise, I was quite successful at this newfound role as an accidental executive/consultant. In a particularly challenging and time-sensitive project, the owner of the firm was facing health complications. With revenue rapidly declining and clients leaving by the week, we had to act fast and reverse course. When the dust finally settled, I somehow managed to help increase the value of the firm four-fold (400%), and sell it at a price that would have seemed outrageously optimistic when I started the project just one year prior. The most memorable compliment I received from the owner was, “Where were you five years ago?”

Needless to say, I learned many things from working with these business owners. That being said, two things in particular really stuck out to me.
First, for a business owner, their business is often the most valuable asset they own. So the value of their business, and monetization of such value is enormously consequential to meeting their retirement and estate planning goals. The net amount they receive from the sale of their business can directly impact what they can and can't afford in retirement and how much they are able to leave to their children, grandchildren, charities, and so on. Clearly, it's worth their time and effort to exit their business by design rather than by default.

Second, given such consequential nature of business value to a business owner's future financial well-being, they absolutely must know the minimum amount they need to receive from a sale—net of fees, net of taxes, net of outstanding bills and loans, net of everything—to achieve their personal financial goals. To make this happen, they must—absolutely must—work with a qualified financial planner in collaboration with their CPA, attorneys, and other advisors to run some numbers and come up with a concrete and detailed financial plan to achieve their personal financial goals. They cannot afford to leave it to chance. 
Thus, we set out to help business owners entrepreneurs plan for their life beyond business ownership.

To this end, our unique blend of deep financial planning know-how and battle-tested executive management experience equips us to do just that. Given the inseparable and intertwined relationship between personal and business goals, we can integrate personal financial planning and business exit planning by taking a deep dive into their business to help prepare for an eventual sale or transfer in the context of their overall financial plan.

We invite you to work with us.
 
Respectfully,

Tax Minimization... More Than Just Managing Risk

Picture
Life insurance is a unique financial instrument with features that are unavailable in any other financial products—particularly its tax attributes. Thus, in addition to the risk management aspects, properly designed and implemented life insurance can go a long way in helping you and your beneficiaries minimize tax burden.

For starters, the life insurance cash value grows without being taxed as it accumulates. On the other hand, investment earnings from a bond portfolio is generally taxed along the way as ordinary income.

You can also access the cash value without triggering income tax. Withdrawals up to the cost basis or borrowing against a policy cash value is not subject to taxes.*

Additionally, the death benefit is generally paid out free of income tax. By contrast, when beneficiaries withdraw money from a retirement plan, they generally pay taxes on the distributions.

These favorable tax attributes unique to life insurance open up opportunities for creative tax minimization strategies for small business owners.

For example, well-designed life insurance can function as a low-volatility, tax-favored asset without stock market risk in your investment portfolio. And unlike qualified retirement plans and IRAs, there is no limit on the amount you can contribute, early withdrawal penalties, or required minimum distributions.

Similarly, a business or a nonprofit can provide supplemental retirement plans to its key employee(s) above qualified plan limits with potentially substantial tax saving to the employee, while protecting both the employee's family and the organization from an untimely death of the employee.

Furthermore, instead of (or in addition to) drawing income from investments that are fully or partially taxed during retirement, you can help keep your tax bracket down by integrating distributions from life insurance into the mix with tax-free loans and/or withdrawals.*

* Tapping into the cash value of a life insurance policy reduces its value and death benefit and increases the chance of policy lapse. In the event of a policy lapse, an outstanding loan in excess of the cost basis is taxable. Loans and withdrawals from a modified endowment contract may be subject to tax and penalty.

Certified Financial Planner

Issuing Organization:
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.

Prerequisites/Experience:
Must have a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university, and three years of full-time personal financial planning experience.

Educational Requirements:
Must complete a CFP®-Board registered program or hold another designation authorized by the CFP® Board.

Continuing Education:
30 hours every two years.

Chartered Financial Consultant

Issuing Organization:
The American College of Financial Services.

Prerequisites/Experience:
Three years of full-time business experience within the five years preceding the awarding of the designation.

Educational Requirements:
7 core and 2 elective courses.

Continuing Education:
30 hours every two years.

Chartered
Life 
Underwriter

Issuing Organization:
The American College of Financial Services.

Prerequisites/Experience:
Three years of full-time business experience within the five years preceding the awarding of the designation.

Educational Requirements:
5 core and 3 elective courses.

Continuing Education:
30 hours every two years.

Certified
​Public Accountant

Issuing Organization:
Washington State Board of Accountancy. 

Prerequisites/Experience:
At least one year of accounting experience meeting certain specifications and under the supervision/verification of a licensed and experienced CPA; demonstration of required competencies; pass licensing examination. 

Educational Requirements:
Must have a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university and an accounting major or concentration meeting certain specifications.
 
Continuing Education:
120 hours every three years. 

Chartered Financial Analyst

Issuing Organization:
CFA Institute.


Prerequisites/Experience:
Undergraduate degree and four years of professional experience involving investment decision-making or four years qualified work experience (full time, but not necessarily investment related).

Educational Requirements:
Self-study program (250 hours of study for each of three levels).
 
Continuing Education:
None.

Hoon Kang

Partner

As a seasoned financial professional, I help clients meet their goals in alignment with people and values that matter most to them. 
 
​I began my career in financial services over 30 years ago with a Big 4 accounting firm, and have since offered solutions to complex financial, estate and business planning issues. 

I have written numerous articles on finance and business management topics, some of which have appeared in prestigious peer-reviewed journals. I've also taught MBA classes and spoken at various seminars and conferences.

Wesley Kang

Partner

I'm passionate about consistently delivering exceptional and highly personal client experience that is unmatched by our peers. 

We accomplish this primarily through genuinely caring about the needs and wants of our clients and by reducing friction through smart and wise use of technology.

Prior to founding Cultivant, I was a top salesman for a high-tech company, where I learned to listen intently to customers' needs and deliver the best possible solutions and provide the highest level of customer service.

Ryan Long

Investment Research

As Chair of the Investment Policy Committee, I am responsible for management of the firm’s portfolios, which include a broad suite of asset allocation strategies.

My time is fully dedicated to investment research and analysis, as well as providing guidance in unique investment-related situations.

I'm also responsible for and offer extensive communication on economic and investment topics through regular releases and ad hoc commentary.
We work primarily with:

     // Business owners and owners of professional practices;
     // Highly compensated professionals and executives; and
     // Recently retired, or soon-to-be retired individuals.

As an an owner of a business or a professional practice, you toiled for many years and now your business seems to be running like a "real" business. You are established and are enjoying substantial income. You look around now and realize that you invested almost all your time and energy on running and growing your business until now that you haven't taken the time to plan for the next phase of your life. You find yourself asking yourself questions like:

     // How much is my business worth? How can I increase its value?
     // Should I sell the business? Is it in shape to be sold?
     // How should I prepare for an eventual sale? How can I maximize its value?
     // Should I sell the business to employees, family members or an outside third party?
     // Is it time to groom a successor?
     // What after-tax amount will I end up if I sell my business? Will it be enough to support the lifestyle I want?
     // What happens if I or my key employees die unexpectedly or are unable to work because of health issues?
     // What can I do to keep my key employees from leaving for a competitor?

You may not be a business owner, but still equally keen on planning for your future as a professional earning substantial income and starting to accumulate (or have accumulated) meaningful wealth. You recognize the need to find ways to lower income tax, start saving for retirement and your children's education. You may be in an earlier-stage of your career with a substantial student loan balance and about to take on even more debt with a plan to buy your first house and thinking about starting a family. Or, you may be established in your career, and you want to start preparing for life after work. At the same time, trying to maintain a healthy family relationship, paying for your child(ren)'s college education and caring for your aging parents are equally important to you. With so much to juggle, you feel too busy to get things organized and planned. Or you just don't know where to start.

Or, perhaps you are planning to retire soon. Both you and your spouse have a family history of longevity, so you are concerned about outliving your nest egg and rising healthcare costs during retirement.

Cultivant (cul-ti-van) :  cultivating, growing
Cultivating RELATIONSHIPS
Cultivating CONTENTMENT
Cultivating HAPPINESS
Cultivating FINANCIAL FREEDOM...

How Do We Invest Your Money?

Clearly defined philosophy + disciplined and consistent process

We believe it's critically important for investment decisions to be made within the framework of a clearly defined investment philosophy, using a process that is highly disciplined and consistently applied. Our approach to asset allocation is based on principles of Modern Portfolio Theory, developed several decades ago with incremental refinements over time. We build our portfolios based on risk tolerances and expected return objectives, and select an appropriate asset allocation for each client.
Our asset allocation models put to use a variety of asset classes, and comprise risk profiles from conservative to aggressive.

Disciplined

Our asset allocation models are designed to optimize the trade-off between risk and reward. Our Investment Team methodically oversees a routine, rigorous and structured evaluation process of all asset allocation models. These findings and any recommendations are then reviewed and considered by the Investment Policy Committee for implementation.

Diversified

A key focus is providing diversification by taking advantage of asset classes with low levels of return correlation to each other. This helps mitigate portfolio volatility, adding potential for better long-term risk reduction. Asset classes we use are: U.S. large-, mid- and small-cap stocks, U.S. government and corporate bonds, foreign stocks and bonds, real estate and commodities.

Valuation-Driven

Asset class and style undervaluation, fair valuation or overvaluation are determined though analysis of current macroeconomic and financial data. Then, we attempt to tactically capitalize on discrepancies by adjusting weights between those offering best and worst perceived value and potential for return.

About ASSET ALLOCATION

1. Each ASSET CLASS has its own historical RISK and RETURN characteristics.

2. The higher the investment RETURN, the higher the RISK in the long run.

3. Mix ASSET CLASSES to minimize RISK (volatility) and maximize RETURN.

Asset allocation design

Asset allocation has been identified as a primary factor in explaining return variation in investment portfolios. Academic studies have found that a large percentage of portfolio return variance can be attributed to asset allocation decisions. Market timing and actual security selection were shown to have contributed to it to a much lesser degree. We consider several primary elements in designing portfolios.

Asset Class Returns

Long-term historical risk and return statistics help us evaluate and understand return patterns over extended cycles. This allows greater predictability on how each asset should contribute to overall portfolio return.

Asset Class Volatility

Understanding volatility characteristics of each asset class is critical, as performance and risk are closely linked. Over the long term, it generally holds true that the higher the return, the higher the risk.

Asset Class Correlations

Measuring relationships between asset classes is a crucial element in portfolio building. Combining different assets with low correlations to each another should reduce overall risk over time—a key tenet of diversification.

Result:  Diversified, Efficient Portfolio

Advisory services offered through CS Planning Corp, an SEC registered investment advisor.
Insurance products offered through Elliott Bay Insurance LLC.
Form CRS, Privacy Policy, and Additional Disclosures.
hello@cultivant.com
206.486.8700 ext. 703
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