In 1985, Ken Grace and Turner Thompson decided to join forces.  At that time, Ken specialized in planning for business owners and Turner worked primarily with medical professionals.  Ken had been in the financial services industry since 1976.  Turner began his planning career in 1964.

Financial Architects, Inc. was formed in 1985.  Soon other planning professionals wanted to join the firm.  This allowed FAI the opportunity to develop diversified talent for specific areas of personal or corporate financial planning.  While the company and its planners enjoyed above average success, Ken knew that something was missing: a single planning process to introduce to every client.  In 1989, Ken began using a macro-economic planning process that allowed us to actually measure the efficiency of every single financial decision a client was living under.  In essence, we would look at every financial tactic the client was using and put it on trial.  The standard was simple:  does this tactic (compounding interest, maximizing tax deferrals, low deductibles on auto and homeowners insurance, accelerating mortgage payments as a few examples) help or hinder accomplishment of our objective, which follows:

  1. Long-term increase in net worth, including actual money supply, income potential and benefits.
  2. Actual reduction in overall risk exposure, including the risk of higher taxes in the future, the risk of lawsuits, market and interest risk, inflation, living too long or dying too young.
  3. Accomplish items 1 and 2 without being forced to lower your lifestyle today.  On a net basis, we want to keep cash flows neutral.

 

Today, Financial Architects continues to exist for the same 3 reasons.  These are our guiding principles and they will not change.  We exist to serve our planning clients in a manner that will allow them:

  • to spend and enjoy their wealth without fear of running out
  • to leave their wealth behind for those they love
  • to experience financial success under multiple circumstances such as changes in the economy, stock market, health, inflation to name a few.