One City Built to Last

low turnover ratio proves a strong
commitment to our client base,” said
Higgins.
That commitment also means doing
extra work to learn what employee
benefits a client has or might need
to access. In one case, Higgins spent a
significant amount of time learning in
depth about the benefit plans of two
companies: AT&T and Chevron.
When an executive or manager from
either of those companies came in for
an initial appointment, “They didn’t
have to explain to me their pension
plan, their 401(k), stock options and
deferred compensation. I knew it. So it
took a lot of the stress off them,” Higgins
remarked. “I had the knowledge
– and in exchange, what happened was
that I received countless referrals over
the last few decades. That was a huge
success for my investment of time into
the AT&T and Chevron markets, and
I am forever thankful for the referrals
that continue to come from these employees.”
Whether a new client is from AT&T
or from a smaller company not familiar
to the firm, Higgins stresses
the importance of safety nets that can
help support clients through difficult
stock market corrections such as the
one experienced in 2008. Higgins believes
in what she calls a “defensive
barrier,” which is the fixed income
portion (bonds and cash) of a portfolio
taking on no stock market risk. This
defensive barrier helps to reduce the
panic or selling spree that may occur
during steep corrections. “My clients
know they have this cushion in place
to weather the storm. Some clients
prefer 7 years in their defensive barriers,
while others want 20 years. That
defensive barrier is a very important
component of how I put clients’ plans
together,” she said.
Another way Higgins works with
clients to help them be prepared is to
pull all relevant information into one
place. This is why she created “The
Everything Binder.” It is an organizer
Books By Michelle
to help her clients gather all of their
information in one safe place for their
loved ones.
“You could have an estate plan done
– but where’s your jewelry and cash
hidden in the home? How much are
your collectibles worth? What’s the
safe code? What’s this stuff in the cloud
– you don’t have the password,” she
offered by way of example. Although
that ounce of planning and putting
together important information about
belongings goes well beyond financial
planning, it helps clients get more value
from their financial plans. It also ensures
that surviving spouses and family
members are not lost when it comes
to locating and recovering assets.
“So that – hands down – continues
to be one of my greatest concerns in
planning for the future,” Higgins said
emphatically, “It’s making sure that in
addition to estate planning, that people
are documenting and organizing
everything in one location for the people
they love.”
Stocks, Bonds & Soccer Moms: 7 Steps to a Balanced Life
Women these days have been raised to believe they can have it all. And they can – if they
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Michelle Perry Higgins had a fabulous marriage, a healthy child, a mega-powered career,
and enough stress and imbalance to almost ruin everything.
In this Amazon best-seller, Michelle reveals the seven steps she took to bring herself and
her life back into balance.
Each chapter in the book reveals one of the steps to balance in detail, along with practical
tips and suggestions, and clear, heartfelt advice. The results:
A happier, healthier, more confident you!
The Everything Binder: Financial, Estate, and Personal Affairs Organizer
The Everything Binder is the essential all-in-one storage system
for all your most important information, including:
*Pre & Post-Death Checklists
*Medical History
*Important Contacts
*Insurance
*Document Originals & Copies
*Funeral Arrangements
www.michelleperryhiggins.com
*Personal Property
*Retirement & Investments
*Debt
*And much more!
*Income & Cash Equivalents
*Pet Information
THE SUIT MAGAZINE p.53