“No success at work is worth failure at home.”
ML&R Wealth Management’s motto has been fundamental in their success story, with their quadrans centennial anniversary approaching it’s easy to see that their motto has served them well. ML&R has always prioritised excellent client service, being a great place to work, and giving back to the community. Their vision is “To be a great place to work, where we empower our people to reach their potential, provide exceptional service to our clients, and actively support the Community. From the very beginning, we have always been a place where employees have the flexibility to work and take care of their families,” says Stuart Vick Smith, CPA & CFS, ML&R Wealth Management. She joined the firm in 2003, became a partner in 2006, and the lead partner in 2018. ML&R is located in Central Texas and has offices in Austin and Round Rock, but they serve clients all over the country.
How an “Advisor” makes all the difference?
Stuart says, “We don’t sell products; we are a fee-only advisor. This allows us to sit on the same side of the table with our clients and advise them on what is in their best interest as opposed to maximizing how much we could make in commissions. From the beginning we have always focussed on putting our clients first, serving as a fiduciary, and controlling costs through fees and taxes. We invest in the market with a diversified, holistic approach to give our clients broad market exposure and keep their costs low.” As Stuart points out, each client relationship is based on the clients’ long-term goals. At ML&R they establish deep personal relationships with each client to understand what is important to them and what their investments need to do to achieve those goals. In addition to that, they want to be their client’s advisor for all financial planning needs including planning around estate taxes, income taxes, gifting, education, family succession, and risk management. Simply put, Stuart says, “We review our clients’ holistic financial needs to best advise them in all aspects and areas of their lives.” As such their primary focus is on individuals, families, and trusts. They also work with non-profit and community organizations along with company retirement plans.