Have you ever thought about reaching out to a financial professional, but don’t know what to expect? Or have you worked with one at a big company, but were disappointed with your experience? What is it like to work with us at AZTEC?
I know that I personally get nervous trying things out without knowing what to expect. What's the parking situation like? Am I going to be locked into a commitment I don't want? What's the atmosphere going to be?
Let me put your mind at ease by explaining what to expect at our small but mighty company.
Welcome in
The fact that you’re reading this blog means that you heard of us somehow, perhaps on Facebook or from a friend. Let's say you decided to poke around aztecfg.com with the goal of trying to get a sense of who we are. Our blog covers everything from local guides to retirement tips to biographies on famous figures in the finance field, like Warren Buffett and George Soros.
On the "Team" page, you learn that Eric Wasson is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with thirty years of experience. Good, he knows what he’s talking about. Next, you see his two assistants, Joie and Hannah (me). Joie has been working here for five years, and I've been here a year now. We do a lot of the background work so that Eric can focus on you, the person he helps.
Everything looks good. Eric knows what he’s doing, he offers assistance with topics you’re interested in (such as how much to save for retirement or help finding the best life insurance policy for your needs), and you figure there’s no harm in just reaching out. There are even a few options: social media, email, or phone.
You decide on giving us a call, since it seems like the quickest of the options. The phone rings once, twice, and then a voice: “Thanks for calling AZTEC Financial Group. This is Hannah, how can I help you?”
You state who you are and that you’re interested in meeting with Eric. I (or Joie as a back up if I’m on the phone already) take down your name, number, and email, and book you for an appointment right there. Unless there are unusual circumstances, your appointment will be within three weeks of the day you called. You’re welcome to come in person, or Eric offers over-the-phone or Zoom appointments. Up to you! Although Eric mostly helps clients in Dover and its surrounding areas, he also has clients throughout the United States.
We’re on the phone for less than five minutes, and then you can move on with your day. Easy peasy.
Preparing for your appointment
Two or so days before your appointment, we'll give you a call to confirm that you're still able to come in.
If you're anything like me, you like to know where you're going and what it'll look like. Our office is located at 660 Central Ave. in Dover, NH, before you get to the more congested downtown area. The building is large and bluish gray, with maroon trim, and there’s a parking lot behind the building with plenty of space. No paid or street parking necessary!
Since the building has multiple offices inside of it, it can be confusing to know where to go. When you’re looking at the building from the parking lot, our door is on the left, on the first floor. It has our logo on it of an Aztec pyramid, if that helps! Watch your step when you come in; there is a lip to step over, and then two steps down.
I’ll likely be at the front desk when you come in, along with my plants and complimentary gifts for you, like hand sanitizer, chocolate, pens, and more. Feel free to take whatever you’d like (except my plants, sorry!). Then you can sit in one of the chairs in our little waiting area. Eric will be out shortly, but Joie and I will be happy to chat with you for a few minutes until then.
We don’t want our office to feel like going to the doctor’s, all cold and clinical. We’d love for our clients to be our friends, and coming in for an appointment like catching up over coffee. "How's your dog doing?" "Is your daughter settling into her new home?" "How did your procedure go?" This is the level we aim to reach with everyone that comes in.
After tidying up his office for you, Eric will come out and invite you in. His placards and awards from good service over the years will catch your eye as you follow him, reminding you that he has a lot of experience under his belt. You'll choose between two maroon leather seats to sit in, and he’ll take his place behind the desk. Time for your appointment!
The appointment
The goal of the next hour or so is for you and Eric to figure out if you’re a good fit for each other. You can ask him questions, and he’ll ask you some as well. What are you hoping to get out of this? Do you have any investing experience? What do you do for work? How much of a risk-taker are you? These questions are not only to discern your financial background, but also who you are as a person. What matters most to you? Do you have a family to provide for? He’ll fill out a questionnaire as you talk, writing down important details.
It’s up to you how long your appointment goes for. Some people like to be really involved and ask a lot of questions, while others prefer keeping things simple. Either way, by the end of it, you and Eric will have an idea of if you want to move forward or not. If it’s a good fit and you’ve decided to work with us, he’ll pass that information on to me or Joie.
Opening an account
The next steps depend on what services Eric will be helping you with, but one of the most common is an IRA rollover. To do that, I’ll first fill out a form to enter you into our system, inputting the details Eric gathered from you. Then, we’ll open an account, such as a Roth IRA. We’ll also fill out forms to hook your bank account up, so that you can transfer to and from it as needed in the future. If you're transferring a retirement account from a different firm, we’ll also fill out forms for an account transfer.
If you’ll be coming in again for a follow-up appointment, we’ll print these forms out and have you sign them in person. Otherwise, we’ll send them securely to your email for an e-signature. If neither of these options work for you, we can also physically mail them to you with a pre-stamped return envelope, so you won't need to pay for postage.
Once the paperwork is signed and everything has been set up, you'll be good to go – we'll touch base again in a year or less. Eric determines how frequently clients would like to be contacted.
You'll also be kept in the loop by our monthly newsletter and relevant emails, and you can follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, and X (formerly Twitter) if you'd like to stay updated on our activities! We try to keep our social media accounts a mix of educational snippets, glimpses into our personal lives, community topics, and miscellaneous fun, like corny finance jokes. Oh, and pictures of our pets, because no social media account is complete without that!
So there you have it: a snapshot of what you can expect while working with us. I hope this has answered some of your questions! If there's anything not covered here, you're more than welcome to reach out to us by email or by calling the office.