What We Do

Pragmatic Wealth Management for Families and Individuals

We have had the privilege of guiding generations of clients, applying a consultative approach to managing the complexities that accompany wealth. Our offerings reflect the distinct needs of the families we serve, including coordination with other professional planners, such as CPAs and attorneys, to help ensure our service aligns harmoniously with all aspects of your life.

From private wealth management to customized estate planning and wealth transfer, you can turn to us for comprehensive financial planning and leading-edge resources. Our access to technology, research, and specialized knowledge allows us to nimbly adapt to your needs and objectives.

You’ve spent a lifetime building your legacy. Let our cautious approach help you make the most of it.

• Wealth and Investment Management
• Banking and Lending Solutions
• Legacy Planning
• Wealth Transfer

Nurturing Wealth So You Can Live a Longer, Better Life in Retirement

With retirees living longer, more active lives, it’s essential for your retirement plan to help you enjoy the life you’ve envisioned while also mitigating any risks that could make your financial future vulnerable. We help pre-retirees and retirees overcome the challenges of such a profound lifestyle change.

Working together, we talk about what you need and want your money to do for you and assess the likelihood that you’ll be able to achieve these goals. If you have to make tradeoffs, we help you there, too, showing you how small compromises might make a big impact over the long term. We also talk about the things that concern you and strategies that can help alleviate those concerns. As your lifestyle changes, we update your financial plan to keep you moving in the direction you want to go.

We also strive to ensure that your wealth passes in the most efficient way to your heirs and philanthropic endeavors through estate and legacy planning. With our help, you have a full range of resources at your disposal.

• Retirement Income Planning
• Social Security Optimization
• Estate and Legacy Planning
• Tax Planning
• Distribution Strategies

Thoughtfully Managing a Windfall

Our team provides a thoughtful approach to preparing for, or in some cases, recovering from, life’s unexpected events. We do this with experience, deep resources, and long-term planning tools.

If needed, we can also assist in coordinating a team of professional advisers who put your interests first. The result is a comprehensive financial plan that helps give you the confidence that your goals are within reach, no matter the circumstances.

• Wealth and Investment Management
• Banking and Lending Solutions
• Estate Planning
• Charitable Giving
• Risk Management
• Business Sales and Valuations
• Cash Management

Investing for Women with High Net Worth

Women comprise 50 percent of the American workforce, and in more than one-third of U.S. households, women are the primary breadwinners. As women continue to make gains in the workplace, with nearly 60 percent of young adults who hold advanced degrees being women, there is a need to provide tailored financial guidance to help them with their unique challenges.

Women’s portfolios can often have different paths. Consequently, investing for women means they must save more and invest intelligently to continue their ongoing financial independence.

That’s where we can help.

At GDS Wealth Management, we have developed financial strategies and investing services for high net worth to address women’s financial challenges. We welcome the opportunity to serve women investors and invite you to meet with us, have a conversation, and discover how we can help you enrich your financial future.

High net worth women using financial planners are typically more knowledgeable about investing because of the insight they’ve gained. The priority here is that they are confident they will have enough money for the future.

Any opinions are those of the author and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James.

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SOURCES:

• Women earned majority of doctoral degrees in 2016 for 8th straight year and outnumber men in grad school 135 to 100
• Women in the Labor Force in 2010

Expert Retirement Plan Guidance for Organizations

Whether you’re looking for financial advisory services to revise your current retirement plan or to create a new one, our team of financial professionals will guide you every step of the way. As a wealth management adviser, we know the endless investment options can be overwhelming. We will chart your course through current regulatory conditions while staying focused on your fiduciary responsibilities and educating participants about their options.

Your goal and ours is to maximize your plan benefits while staying tax efficient. We understand the importance because we partner with a host of industries and institutions. Establishing time-tested strategies for your secure growth is our priority.

With substantial management duties as a plan sponsor, your time can easily fade without realizing it. Our goal is to serve as a seamless extension of your office, providing the professional support necessary to allow your leaders to focus on advancing your business. At each phase, we work closely with you to ensure your retirement plan remains aligned with your organization’s needs, advancing the goals of your corporate mission.

When it comes to local wealth management, you want options on both qualified retirement plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans. We have experience in creating and managing both. What you’ll also gain from working with us is an advocate for your financial well-being.

• 401(k) Plans
• 401(k) Profit-Sharing Plans
• Simplified Employee Pensions (SEPs)
• SIMPLE IRAs
• Safe-Harbor 401(k) Plans
• Owner Only/One-Person 401(k) Plans
• Profit-Sharing Plans
• Age-Weighted/Comparability Profit-Sharing Plans
• Defined Benefit Pensions
• Third-Party Administration (TPA) Partnership

Build a Strong Financial Foundation With the Experienced Financial Planner

As a business owner, you know what it takes. Through hard work, resilience, persistence, and commitment, you’ve achieved business objectives, overcome challenges, and reached milestones. So, it goes without saying that when you want steadfast financial advice, you want the best investing services to help grow your business financially.

That’s where we come in to help build on your hard-earned momentum. As independent, personal financial planners and entrepreneurs, we understand the challenges business owners face. We’ve had the privilege to help new and growing businesses, as well as mature ones, as they strive to significantly enhance their business financial wealth.

We realize your business is unique. What works for one business is not necessarily the best strategy for another one. By working with you as a partner, we will have conversations and take the time to understand your short- and long-term goals. Your business needs may be varied, and probably include asset protection, cash management, employee retention, insurance, financing, succession planning, and, of course, your own retirement.

Each of these important areas of your business will receive the personalized focus needed to maximize efficiency and operating costs. Finding personalized solutions for your unique business requirements is our top priority.

In addition to our highly credentialed staff, GDS Wealth Management has access to the abundant resources provided by Raymond James, one of the country’s leading financial services firms, providing comprehensive guidance to informed investors.

Working with us, you will have the confidence of one trusted source for comprehensive financial advice – all under one roof, freeing you up to devote more time and energy to running and growing your business.

Any opinions are those of the author and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James. Investing involves risk, and investors may incur a profit or a loss.

Helping You Address Your Retirement Planning Priorities

We understand that there should be no compromise when it comes to your financial future. That’s why we work diligently to serve as the ultimate steward for your wealth, simplifying life’s complexities with a full spectrum of strategies for a tailored plan that we believe is the only one you’ll ever need.

No matter what stage of life you’re in, we can help you pursue independence, freedom, and the things that matter most to you. Your journey begins now. Let us help get you on your way.

Planning for Retirement

When it comes to your financial future, the most important factor in your favor is your age. We take advantage of the time you have, regularly contributing to tax-advantaged retirement accounts and potentially boosting savings with matching funds offered by your employer.

Your goal should be to begin building up enough assets to provide adequate income to meet your needs throughout retirement—accounting for factors like increased longevity, healthcare costs, and inflation. To accomplish this goal, you need a plan. That’s where we can help.

Wherever your work or life leads you, we assist in managing your cash flow and allocating your resources, striving to help you reach both your short- and intermediate-term goals without endangering your long-term plans.

Almost to Retirement

Life has a way of throwing curveballs. As you approach the end of your career, you may have questions about what comes next or if you’re ready emotionally. Together, we uncover the answers, identify and address any concerns you may have, and update your estate plan to reflect your current wishes.

We start by identifying your short- and long-term goals. When do you want to retire? Where do you want to live? How will you spend your days? Then, we estimate income and expenses for the life you’re envisioning, taking into account the unexpected and other obligations so they won’t catch you unprepared.

If you need to play catch up, we examine the best way to do so by making larger contributions to your retirement accounts or possibly cutting back in other areas. We also discuss your Social Security and Medicare options with you, so you’ll be ready as soon as you’re eligible.

In Retirement

With the right plan, we bring your vision into sharper focus, so you can enjoy the lifestyle you want and deserve. Keep in mind that the planning doesn’t stop when your paychecks do. It’s a continuous process that goes on all the way through retirement.

We analyze your current situation to help you remain on track to pursue all you’ve envisioned from retirement, identifying sources of income and expenses to create and adhere to a tax-efficient withdrawal strategy. We make the most of your assets and income streams by creating a steady and sustainable income strategy, consolidating accounts, if necessary, to effectively recreate the predictable cash flow of a steady paycheck, and ensuring contributions to your philanthropic interests.

Your needs and wants will change during this time. We reevaluate your plan so you can maintain a clear picture of the kind of lifestyle you desire, reassessing your short- and long-term goals, plus your risk tolerance in retirement. We also make sure you have the proper, up-to-date documentation to help ensure your legacy is preserved and your wishes are respected.

As your life changes, so will your plan. We will regularly review your plan and make adjustments, as needed, along the way.

Investing involves risk, and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of the strategy selected.

Providing Exceptional Financial Care to Healthcare Professionals

As a caregiver and healthcare professional, you know the value of professional financial guidance as you grow your practice. Because you understand the importance of caring for others, you appreciate knowing there are financial professionals ready to assist with your private wealth management.

Healthcare professionals need protection against liabilities and other risks. Physician wealth management requires the know-how to preserve your assets from excessive taxes, mitigate the effects of healthcare cutbacks, manage education debt, and, ultimately, pursue financial independence.

Challenges such as healthcare reform, rising malpractice insurance premiums, and reduced insurance payments encompass the ongoing need for professional physician wealth management.

From a personal perspective, you also have goals for home and family, as well as plans for retirement. Now is the time to make smart financial decisions to prepare for the future. We fully understand that and will work closely with you to create a wealth management plan unique to your needs.

This includes every aspect of your practice and personal life, from funding your child’s college education to establishing an estate plan. By collaborating with your tax and legal advisers, we can create family limited partnerships or asset-protection trusts, secure umbrella insurance coverage, and help you find solutions for dealing with managed care reimbursement cutbacks and rising practice expenses.

There’s no need to attempt to manage such important issues all on your own when you can feel confident knowing you have professional guidance to manage and protect your well-earned assets.

Knowledgeable Insight With a Disciplined Approach for Corporations

As a fiduciary, the assets and responsibilities you manage are significant. Our team understands the intricate needs and complexities of institutions and has the breadth of capabilities and tenured experience required to implement effective financial strategies and portfolios.

Our advisers are committed to creating a custom investment plan aligned with your goals and take a disciplined approach that allows you to focus on meeting your mission. Our thorough process begins by identifying institutional-class managers and investment opportunities that are designed to align with your corporate profile and extends through managing, monitoring, and rebalancing portfolios to support your ongoing success. We offer pragmatic guidance in establishing corporate retirement plans and assist with overall plan oversight and documentation. We are diligent in staying up to date with regulatory standards, helping sponsors manage fiduciary risk, while striving to optimize participants’ benefits at a reasonable cost.

We’re here to be your trusted partner, and to alleviate and streamline your managerial responsibilities so you can focus on the things that matter most to you and your business.

• Objective Portfolio Development and Management
• Knowledgeable, On-Going Regulatory Guidance
• Development of Defined Contribution and Defined Benefit Plans
• Comprehensive Insight for Managing Your Fiduciary Duties

Retirement Plan Guidance for Institutions

Whether you’re looking for assistance in overseeing your current plan or implementing a new one, our team offers the attention and resources to guide you through every step, helping you distinguish among seemingly endless investment options, stay current with regulations and fiduciary responsibilities, and educate plan participants on their options.

Having partnered with institutions of varying sizes and industries, we understand how important it is to maximize plan benefits while staying tax efficient. We utilize strategies designed to ensure your plan serves both your needs as an institution and those of your constituents.

Your responsibilities are substantial, and—without additional support—your duties as a plan sponsor can easily absorb precious time. We aim to serve as a seamless extension of your office, providing the support necessary to allow your leaders to focus on growing and advancing your business. Through every phase, we work closely with you to help ensure your retirement plan remains aligned with your preferences as an institution, always propelling you toward your corporate mission.

We have experience establishing and overseeing a variety of qualified retirement plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans.

• 401(k) Plans
• 401(k) Profit-Sharing Plans
• Simplified Employee Pensions (SEPs)
• SIMPLE IRAs
• Safe-Harbor 401(k) Plans
• Owner Only/One-Person 401(k) Plans
• Profit-Sharing Plans
• Age-Weighted/Comparability Profit-Sharing Plans
• Defined Benefit Pensions
• Third-Party Administration (TPA) Partnership

Practical Wealth Management Solutions for Professional Athletes

Professional athletes have dedicated years of their lives to perfecting their craft to perform at the highest level. It is vital, therefore, that their financial planner has done the same. Because you understand the benefits of decades of hard work, you want your financial planner to have the same drive toward growing your portfolio.

 That’s where GDS Wealth Management comes in to tackle the complexities of high-net worth professionals. As independent financial planners and as fiduciaries, we have a duty and desire to see your wealth serve you and your family long after retirement from sports and well into your family’s future.

 We are prepared to work with athletes at all stages of their career. As a National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) Registered Player Financial Advisor and advisor to athletes in other sports and leagues, Glen Smith and his associates have the tools to turn retirement from a headache to a home run.

 As financial planners, we realize your financial situation and goals are unique. Here at GDS Wealth Management, we don’t offer cookie-cutter portfolios that aren’t designed for you. Each of the important areas of your career, family life, and financial goals is taken into consideration. After putting your body on the line to secure your future, you need a trusted financial planner to help ensure that your wealth can sustain you and your family for decades to come.

 Working with us, you will have the confidence of one trusted source for comprehensive financial advice, giving you the freedom to spend your time and energy performing on and off the field. GDS Wealth Management makes financial planning for professional athletes a slam dunk.