The skills and experience your wealth requires

The Highland Group Michael Benjamin Sanford, Lechelle Moore, Brandon Scott Sullivan, Jarrett K. Strickland, Virginia Hughes, Deborah Lenahan

The Highland Group


phone

615-750-8127



phone

888-762-1210





address

3102 West End Avenue
Suite 500
Nashville, TN 37203



At The Highland Group, our wealth managers are passionate about helping successful business owners and corporate professionals find the right answers to their important questions about career, family and future.

As our client, our entire team goes to work for you. We place a high value on continuous learning and forward thinking. Collectively, our team holds the following credentials and designations:

Certified Financial Planner®
(CFP®)1

Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®)2

Certified Exit Planning Advisor
(CEPA)3

With mastery of approximately 100 topics on financial planning, CFP certified advisors have met rigorous professional standards and have agreed to adhere to the principles of integrity, objectivity, competence, fairness, confidentiality, professionalism, and diligence when dealing with clients.


The CIMA certification is designed specifically for financial professionals who want to attain a level of competency as an advanced investment consultant.





The CEPA program trains and certifies qualified financial advisors in the field of exit planning for business owners.







Together, we’ll aim to simplify your financial life, while providing you with advice that encompasses all your evolving goals.

Helping business owners on every step of their journey

While most1 business owners feel they made the right decision in starting their companies, many haven’t had their businesses appraised and don’t have a formal exit strategy in place when it comes time to sell.

Our years of experience working closely with business owners mean we know what kind of help you need. We provide comprehensive pre- and post-liquidity advisory solutions that empower you to make educated financial decisions. And we’ll work hand in hand with your trusted advisors to incorporate all perspectives into one integrated approach.

Pre-sale planning. Before any consideration of a sale is made, we’ll consult with you to monitor industry trends in order to identify good timing for an exit from your business. We’ll also work with you to organize a team of trusted advisors (CPAs, attorneys, etc.) to help you prepare the business and add as much value as possible. We will create a financial plan for you that analyzes your family’s income and lifestyle needs after the sale and help you retire with the confidence that comes from thoughtful planning.

Your exit strategy. When it comes time to sell your business, you want to do it right. We’re there with you all the way, leveraging the resources and expertise of UBS. As your transition nears, we can help you:

  • Identify the right investment banking advisors (within UBS and our external network of boutique IBs)
  • Assist you in seeking potential buyers
  • Provide ESOP advisory services if you wish to transition their business to employees while accessing tax-favored benefits
  • Advise you if you decide to pass on your business to a family member, either as a sale or gift

Post-sale wealth planning. The period after you sell your business is a crucial one as new priorities begin to shape your life. Leveraging the vast resources of UBS, we can provide portfolio advisory services to help create an investment strategy that aligns with your objectives. We’ll connect with you on a regular basis to strategize about your changing goals. We’ll also provide philanthropic and tax planning strategies and assist you in transitioning wealth between generations of your family.

1 Source: UBS Investor Watch Report “Who’s the Boss?” February 2018.

A comprehensive picture of your future

In creating your personalized financial plan, our goal is to grow and preserve your wealth, helping to create a secure future for you and your family.

The first thing our team does is sit down with you and listen carefully as you describe your life, your family and your vision for the future. It’s like putting together the pieces of a puzzle until a clear picture emerges. Once we discover where your priorities lie, we go to work.

A customized financial plan. We create a detailed financial plan intended to give purpose and direction to your financial life, but to be flexible enough to change as your goals and priorities change.

Investing for each stage of life. By examining your current needs, your objectives for the future and your legacy goals, we design an asset allocation that meets each of your life’s transitions. Our investment strategy is designed for sensible growth and income replacement and tax efficiency.

Your risk tolerance. Our custom portfolio strategies, including alternative and private placement investments, keep you diversified while taking into account your personal tolerance for risk. Our asset allocation choices are always made in line with your financial plan and in consultation with you.


Wealth management advice that looks beyond your portfolio

More than your investments, our team provides solutions that encompass all aspects of your financial life.

Whether you’re looking to start a new business, find the right philanthropy for your family or educate your children about financial responsibility, we can help you.

Your changing life. Much of financial planning focuses on change. We’ll provide strategies for creating a road map for your children’s education, you or your parents’ long-term care, your retirement and your legacy planning.

Ongoing advice. If you’re a corporate executive, we’ll help you navigate the complexity of your compensation plan. As a business owner, we can help introduce you to potential sources of capital to help fund your business. We are here to advise you on all the financial challenges that will come your way during the course of your career.

Multigenerational strategies. Ensuring your wealth is protected for your family is a chief goal. We offer guidance in making decisions that include restructuring wealth, tax minimization plans, life insurance and making informed philanthropic decisions. The goal is to develop an actionable plan that includes helping children and heirs understand the value of their assets.

Building rapport through service

We build relationships by being detail-oriented and responsive to our clients’ needs and those of their families.

We pride ourselves on our long-term relationships with our clients. They trust us; we value that trust.

Support for your entire family. Our support spans generations within your family; we’ve given our clients’ children nuanced advice about money management and encouraged entire families to start saving, investing and planning for the future. We are happy to meet with you, your children and your estate attorney to assist in explaining or clarifying legacy issues.

Administrative tasks. We provide a high level of service with the goal of simplifying your life. Our client service team is attentive to your financial and administrative needs, from setting up online services to providing customized reporting and solving daily financial and investment issues.

The global reach of UBS. Being part of the UBS family means accessing its network of local connections—the attorneys, bankers, mortgage experts and tax professionals who can furnish you with advice on any financial situation you face.



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