By Clay Elliott, CFP®, AWMA®

Navigating your finances can feel overwhelming. Between managing daily expenses, setting aside money for future needs like college or retirement, and making wise investments, there are so many financial planning options to consider. 

As a financial advisor at Oak Capital Private Wealth, I have the honor of helping my clients gain clarity and confidence about their financial future. But there’s another way I can help: by assisting you in connecting the people you love with the tools they need to pursue their financial goals.

In this brief article, I discuss how a professional financial planning advisor like me can help, how I set up my referral process to make referrals as easy as possible, and specific instructions for making a referral.

Why Refer Someone to a Financial Advisor?

Many people are reluctant to get professional financial advice. Maybe they’re worried about the expense, feel overpowered by the procedure, or are suspicious of the value an advisor can provide. This is where recommendations from family members and close friends can really help.

These are the financial planning services our firm offers and how they can help the people you refer:

• Investment management: Our team members have the knowledge and experience to navigate the constantly shifting investment landscape. They can help your referral choose suitable investments, build a diversified portfolio, and adjust their strategy as needed.
• Financial planning: We take the time to learn about each client’s unique situation, objectives, and risk tolerance. Instead of providing generic guidance, we work with each individual to create a unique WealthPath Plan that helps them progress toward their goals.
• Retirement planning: We help our clients develop a retirement savings strategy that accounts for variables like intended lifestyle, healthcare expenses, and Social Security benefits.
• Risk management/insurance planning: We take proactive steps to potentially safeguard our clients’ wealth by identifying potential risks to their financial plans. We evaluate needs in relation to existing life insurance policies to prevent coverage gaps. Essentially, we want our clients to have what they need in any situation, so we also conduct long-term care insurance analyses and offer disability insurance advice.  
• Estate and family planning: Many people dedicate their entire lives to building wealth. We help our clients determine smart ways to transfer their money to the upcoming generation. We do this by assisting them in creating a will or power of attorney, build a trust, and use charitable giving techniques.   
• Education planning: If you want to give the gift of a private school or college education to your kids or grandkids, we evaluate the entire expense and help you select a tax-efficient way to save money on education. 
• Medicare planning: Instead of stressing about how to pay for healthcare, we do the legwork for you to give you time to focus on your own health. Oak Capital specializes in personalized guidance to keep the health of your mind, body, and finances on the right track. 
• Confidence building: There’s more to making a referral than just putting someone in touch with financial services. It’s about giving them the gift of financial confidence along the way. It can be tremendously empowering to know that your referral has access to a professional who can offer the advice and support they need.

How I Make Referrals Easy

I’m aware that referring someone requires trust and confidence in our services. To make your referrals as comfortable as possible, I set up our process to include these features:  

• Complimentary introductory call: Your referrals can schedule a no-obligation complimentary discovery call to talk about their current financial picture, their long-term retirement goals, ask initial questions, and most importantly, see if we’re a good fit for their needs moving forward.
• Clear communication: I believe in clear and open communication. With permission, of course, I’ll keep you informed of the consultation outcome and next steps.
• Emphasis on education: Even if someone doesn’t become a client, I think it’s useful to offer financial education and resources. I’d be glad to answer questions and share insights to empower your loved ones on their financial journey.

How to Make a Referral

Oak Capital Private Wealth’s reliable, responsive team provides comprehensive financial planning in a family-friendly environment. 

We believe in educating ourselves and our clients to develop robust wealth management strategies to help position our clients—who are our friends, neighbors, and community members—to realize their hopes for their financial future.

I sincerely appreciate your trust in our work. If you feel comfortable referring someone you care about, the process is simple. They can contact me directly by calling 225-416-7373, emailing [email protected], or scheduling a free consultation online. 

About Clay

Clay Elliott is Owner, Principal, and Financial Advisor at Oak Capital Private Wealth, a financial services firm based in Port Allen, LA, dedicated to providing local financial advice held to the highest standards. Since becoming a financial advisor in 2016, Clay prides himself on working toward his clients’ best interests. He provides comprehensive financial planning and educates his clients to develop robust wealth management strategies to help them pursue their financial goals. He loves helping people pursue financial independence and strives to help them live out their financial plan successfully.

Clay holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Louisiana State University as well as the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. He is also an Accredited Asset Management Specialist and a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor.

Outside of work, Clay enjoys spending time with his wife, Claire, and daughter, Camille, playing tennis, fishing, and attending LSU sporting events. An active participant in his community, Clay is involved with The Emerge Foundation Center for Autism, the West Baton Rouge Chamber as an ambassador and member of the Governmental Affairs Committee, is a board member for the Louisiana Chapter of the Financial Planning Association and West Baton Rouge Small Business Council, and a member of Port Allen Rotary Club. He was also named Young Professional of the Year by the West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce. To learn more about Clay, connect with him on LinkedIn.

Securities offered through LPL Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through NewEdge Advisors, LLC, a registered investment adviser. NewEdge Advisors, LLC and Oak Capital Private Wealth are separate entities from LPL Financial.