Education

Our professionals have earned MBAs, CFP®s, CPAs, and CFA™s.

D3 in the News

Recent news and articles about D3 Financial Counselors

Contact Us

D3 Financial Counselors

5151 Mochel Drive Suite 301
Downers Grove, IL 60515
PH: (630) 271-0033
FX: (866) 385-8998
email us

Comprehensive Services (Professional management for people too busy or not interested in daily financial management)

• Jim sold his business, and was seeking the services of an advisor with a family office model, which offers financial planning, estate planning, tax preparation, and portfolio management services.  He wanted the firm to serve as a “quarterback” for all financial aspects of his life, so he could concentrate his time on new ventures and philanthropic activities.    Because we have the experience necessary to take a holistic view of Jim’s situation, he hired us to work with his lawyer, accountant, and insurance agent to ensure that his financial goals are being met.  

• Beth came to us with an extremely fragmented and complicated financial situation.  She had 15 different accounts, which made it virtually impossible for her to properly allocate her retirement assets.  We designed a financial plan, developed specific investment recommendations, and consolidated many of her accounts.  This allowed her to gain control of her financial life!  In addition to monitoring her investments on an ongoing basis, we perform many financial tasks throughout the year to ensure that her financial life remains organized, prioritized, and optimized.
  
• Please click on link to see what we do for our comprehensive clients throughout the year.

 

Investment Management Services (Active Risk Controlled Management)

• Vern retired, and wanted to make sure his portfolio generated enough income to fund his retirement goals.  He realized that he needed help managing his portfolio, since he wanted to devote his time during retirement to other things he had always wanted to do.  He hired us to manage a customized, income generating portfolio.  He liked our model of having his investments custodied at a third-party institution, which offered on-line access to his portfolio, allowing him to view all the transactions in his portfolio on a daily basis.
• Rich and Kathy, both employed on a full-time basis, realized that they did not have the time, nor the expertise, to manage the wealth they have accumulated over the years.  They decided to utilize our wealth of experience in institutional investing, and hired D3 for the Advanced Portfolio Management service.  We worked with them to implement an investment strategy consistent with Rich and Kathy's goals and risk tolerance.

 

Examples of Personalized Financial Planning For People Who Want To Take Control Of Their Financial Future

• Financial Planning To Help You Achieve Your Goals
  Jim and Susan were wondering if they had accrued enough assets and pension payments to retire.  They had a significant amount of credit card debt, and student loans from their children's tuition.  They were unsure how to pay off the debt because most of their assets were held in IRA and 401(K) accounts, which would create a tax liability if they were liquidated. We helped them organize, and prioritize their debt payments to pay off their debt in tax efficient, timely manner. We also conducted a retirement cash flow analysis to determine that they had accumulated enough assets to enjoy a secure retirement. 
  
• College Savings Analysis & Planning
  Bob and Wendy had just started a family and were wondering which college savings plan would be appropriate for their children.  They also wanted to know how much money they should be contributing, on an annual basis, to their children's accounts. We designed an investment plan, and developed specific investment recommendations that save them hundreds of dollars in state taxes.
• Tax Planning For Individuals & Businesses
  Jane, the owner of a small business, was looking to implement a retirement plan for her business with the goal of maximizing her contributions, while controlling the cost of employer-matching contributions.  We explored many simple and complex options to help her achieve her goal.  After discussing the pro's and con's of each option with her, we suggested a retirement plan that would save enough money in taxes to cover all employer matching contributions. We then recommended to Jane a firm that specializes in the design, management and administration of company retirement plans to help her implement the plan that would achieve her goal.
• Estate Planning For Legacy Intentions
  Mark and Amanda were wondering how they could reduce or eliminate the cost and headache of estate taxes and probate for their future beneficiaries.  We assisted them in updating their wills and other estate documents.  We also recommended that they establish trusts that would help Mark and Amanda avoid probate and reduce the potential estate taxes when their assets will be transferred to their beneficiaries.

Hourly-based Or Project-based Financial Planning For People Who Need Objective, Unbiased, Value Added Advice

• Clarifying Tax Issues
  Sue was seeking advice on how to invest a substantial inheritance, which included ownership in the stock of a small company.  We recognized a step up in the basis price of the stock from her inheritance that saved her over $150,000 in capital gains taxes.
• New Business Formation & Analysis
  Rick came in seeking a second opinion on the legal formation of his business. We educated him on the tax consequences of pass through entity, and compared them to LLC structure, to help him make an educated decision on how to set up his business. 
• Cash Management & Budgeting Consultations
  Gary and Tina wanted to know if they could achieve their short term goals of buying a new house, putting their children into a private elementary school, and hiring a nanny without interrupting their long term goals of funding their children's college tuition, and saving enough money for retirement.  We assisted them in budgeting their expenses, and structured a plan to set aside an appropriate amount of money now, and on an an ongoing basis, for an emergency fund, education, retirement, and the down payment on a house.
• Retirement Cash Flow Projections
  Kathy wanted to know if she could afford a vacation home, and retire comfortably.  We ran several retirement cash flow projections, and determined that she would have to maintain a part time job during retirement, earning a portion of her current wage to afford a vacation home.
• Mortgage Refinancing and Lump Sum Payment Analysis
  Jim was wondering whether he should take his pension in the form of an annuity, or a lump sum payment.  We conducted a cash flow projection analysis, comparing the two choices, to assist Jim in his decision.
• Investment Portfolio Reviews for 401(k), 403(b), and IRA Accounts
  Laura wanted to know if her 401k was properly invested.  We reviewed the funds available to her in the plan, and proposed a restructured portfolio that was that was better aligned to meet her goals.
• Providing Second Opinions On Investment Recommendations
  David was unsure if his financial advisor had been recommending investments that were consistent with his long term goals. We reviewed the portfolio, and concluded that his assets were being invested properly.