Read about how Marion G. Cuff, Founder of The Grace Financial Group, has helped specific clients. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Middle-Aged Couple Finds Peace of Mind

            Their son was approaching his teens when M & S contacted The Grace Financial Group. Fear of financial planning had caused procrastination, but their need to save for college tuition expenses, a new business venture, and eventual retirement had been nagging at them. We reviewed all aspects of their financial life. After refinancing their mortgage, rearranging life insurance policies, and creating a household spending plan, we discovered an extra $600 per month, which we invested regularly. The M & S nest egg began to grow. But then, both of their incomes were cut drastically during an economic recession. The saying “save for a rainy day” became a reality for this couple. With 80% of their total income gone, we had to circle the wagons and figure out how to get through this. The wife started a small business, which immediately produced some income, but it took the husband three years to find a job. Sometimes we spoke by phone daily, working together on strategies to manage bills. Their mortgage, credit card, health insurance, and tuition were all paid on time; their credit score remained strong. The recession didn't break them. Their financial plan saved them.

 

A Business Owner Gets Back on His Feet

             When companies weren't readily hiring during the most recent recession, client V decided to start a home-based business. After researching several avenues, we decided on a franchise opportunity. V had worked in the corporate world. A determining factor in his success was making the shift from "employee" to "owner." Our planning shifted from personal finance to creating a successful business, including a business plan, creating a cash flow, etc. I tapped into my network of advisors (attorneys, accountants, and other business experts), creating a team so that my client would have the tools to succeed. The fear of starting a business was real, but his anxiety was eased by rallying a squad of professionals to his side, helping him march toward success!

 

A Wealthy Couple Gains Clarity

             This couple had plenty of income, but they were living a financial mess. T had a lucrative corporate position, and C owned her own business, but they lacked direction and cohesiveness. They had three children, one in middle school and the other two in high school. T and C were worried about the future, feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of financial planning. They didn't know where to begin on their own, so they contacted The Grace Financial Group. T and C had previously worked with a financial planner and had started looking into estate planning, life insurance, etc., but both clients said that they did not feel heard and therefore did not feel confident in the relationship nor in the solutions proposed. TGFG's process of seeing the big picture first and then starting in a corner addressing one piece at a time appealed to them as logical and organic. Part of their disorganization, as with many families, was investments that are held at different mutual fund companies, 401ks at previous employers and banks. We designed portfolios that connected with their risk level and their goals. T and C had a hard time believing me, at first, when I told them, “We're going to get this to boring.” But we did! Now, this family is on a clear and stable financial path.

 

A Divorced Woman Feels Empowered

             A woman in her 50s contacted me when her 25-year marriage was nearing divorce. She had never lived on her own, but now she faced being single with two of her four children still at home. As a nurse, she did have income in addition to alimony and child support payments. She knew, however, the drastic change in lifestyle that she'd face after divorce. She was referred to TGFG and, fortunately, we started working together before the divorce was finalized. An accurate and realistic picture of her new lifestyle and the cash flow reflecting that lifestyle made the meeting with the court-appointed mediator and her husband very satisfactory. I advocated for her to share in the bonus structure at her husband's corporate job. TGFG handled the QDRO for her share of his 401k plan and invested it in her own name. Not the least, she moved from the marital home to a new home perfect for her new business venture.  We forged a clear path toward growing her successful financial future, empowering her in her new life.