FAQs - ARK Financial Wellness

“Some people are so poor, all they have is money.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Review our Engagement Standards below.

What questions should I ask when interviewing a financial advisor to aid in developing and achieving my goals?
What are your company’s values?

Are you a fiduciary?

How do you get paid?

Are there any other fees that I have to pay?

What are your qualifications?

How often do we meet?

Have you ever had any complaints filed against you by past clients?

In managing my investments, what is your plan for my money in the event of high market volatility and/or a prolonged bear market?

Do you have a formal succession plan in the event something happens to you and/or your team?

What cybersecurity measures do you have in place to protect my personal information?
What does Lisa's CFP® professional designation represent?

The CFP® marks represent a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional designation. This means that an individual has completed the stringent education, examination, experience, and ethics standards established by the Certified Financial Planners Board of Standards Inc. (CFP Board). A CFP® professional maintains the qualifications to help individuals manage their overall financial picture. This includes strategies for retirement planning, investment management, education funding, insurance needs and tax planning, to name a few. Be aware that anyone can call themselves a “Financial Planner”, so a person who has earned the CFP® marks should be considered separately from someone who hasn’t.
How does the ARK Financial Wellness team get paid?

As fiduciaries and fee-only financial advisors, we appreciate transparency and the ability to stand behind the value we provide to our clients. Depending on where you are in your financial journey, we offer various ways to establish a working relationship to help you enjoy life today, and save for your future.

Financial Wellness Planning/Coaching Program

Our financial wellness planning/coaching fee is $400-$600/month, depending on complexity. This program requires a 6-month minimum commitment and includes a plan to organize your finances, create actionable steps to accomplish your goals, and implement strategies to build your wealth.

Investment/Wealth Management

Our investment/wealth management fee ranges from 0.50% to 1.45% per year, depending on Assets Under Care at ARK. This annual fee is based on the value of any accounts you choose for ARK to manage on your behalf. This can include Traditional or Roth IRAs, previous employer retirement plans, Inherited accounts, etc.

Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan Management (401k, 403b, 457, Simple IRA, SEP IRA, etc.)

This $75/month fee covers ongoing guidance and investment management of your employer-sponsored plan (401k, 403b, 457, Simple IRA, SEP IRA, etc.). Guidance includes what to buy/sell, when to buy/sell, and where to place ongoing payroll contributions (Roth, pre-tax and/or after-tax) within your plan.

CLICK HERE for a copy of our fee sheet with more detail on the above explanations.

Wondering what fee option would apply to you? Schedule a FREE 30-minute planning session to learn more!

Where will my money be held? Will I have online access?
Where can I go to check out your background?
What is your plan in the event something happens to your key personnel? Will my money remain invested, accessible and secure?

As all accounts managed by ARK Financial Management will be held at major, independent third-party custodians, you can rest assured that your money is being safe-guarded in a clear, concise and transparent manner. In addition, by transacting business through these large, nationally-recognized financial institutions, in the event something happened to the ARK team, your accounts would remain secure and accessible through these custodians. Finally, through ARK’s affiliation with it’s corporate Registered Investment Advisor, Blackridge Asset Management, a succession plan has been put in place to ensure continuity of service to your accounts in the event of death or disability of Lisa Avenevoli, CFP®.

Is my money & personal information safe with ARK Financial Wellness?

At ARK, we take the security and privacy of your personal and confidential information very seriously, and so have a host of procedures and protocols in place to protect it. In addition to the use of nationally-recognized third-party custodial firms to house your assets, we are partnered with Blackridge Asset Management, LLC to provide an additional layer of oversight and compliance to ensure best practices and a high level of cyber-security measures are in place.
How often will I interact with ARK Financial Wellness as a client?

We will interact with you often – through mailings, email updates, check-in calls, and annual planning meetings to track progress toward your goals; and continue to tweak and organize your finances to maximize your money! We also present educational webchats and BLOG writings to boost your financial, personal and professional well-being.
How do I book my FREE planning and coaching session?

Ready to work with ARK?

We offer a 30-minute no cost, no obligation phone or ZOOM to talk about where you are and were you want to be – and the steps to get you there faster!

LET'S GET STARTED!

Navigating Market Ups and Downs

Empowering Women Through Financial Literacy

Mid-Year Financial Wellness Check-Up

Summer Savings Tips: Making the Most of Your Budget

College Savings: A Guide to Financial Planning and Preparedness

As a client, what services should I expect from ARK?
Open, honest, ethical financial advice and guidance

Annual planning meetings to ensure you maintain financial health and well-being

Ongoing correspondence via phone, email, mail and educational classes

Implementation and ongoing maintenance of personalized financial wellness plan

Objective, rules-based money management of your hard-earned assets

A response to your emails and voice messages within 12 hours during stated business days/hours

A team member ready and able to answer questions, emails and schedule meetings during stated normal business hours
What will ARK require of me in order to maintain a mutually-beneficial relationship?
Open, honest, transparent communication.

Supply all requested information and documentation regarding your financial house in order for ARK to best help you attain your financial goals.

Contact your ARK team before making major life/financial decisions.

Understand that there is risk in investing and you are willing to take this on.

Promptly relay to ARK a change to contact information, as well as identity theft threats or issues.
Is ARK the right fit for my needs?
Here at ARK Financial Wellness, we know that choosing to work with a financial advisor can be a daunting task. We want to make the process as stress-free as possible, providing you the necessary tools to make informed decisions that reflect your personal values and goals. That said, we find that our clients generally share these characteristics…

They are passionate about their life and values, and want a plan to achieve their defined financial independence to aid in the ability to live life to the fullest.

They have the fortitude to know what they want, what they know, and what they do not know in order to do what it takes to accomplish their goals.

They know what they value most in life, and want to build their goals (financial and otherwise) around their purpose and passions.

They understand the importance of working with a qualified professional partner/coach for guidance in creating, implementing and maintaining their financial and personal well-being.

They are excited to work with women financial planners in the St. Louis area.

They are compassionate and believe in making a difference in their lives, and the lives of others.

They are willing to have open, honest communications, and share personal information with those who can use this information to help better their lives.

They do not compare their life to others as they are content with who they are and want to build their goals around their definition of financial security and purpose.

CLICK HERE for real-life examples of the type of clients that ARK works with!

What else does ARK offer?

FREE GUIDE: 10 Steps to Get Your Finances in Order!