Six phases. Each one ends in a document, not a pitch.
High-trust planning is a defined sequence, run the way regulated software is built: every phase has an exit, and every exit produces a written artifact you keep.
Two speeds, honestly sorted.
Not every situation needs the full process — and we will tell you which yours is in the first conversation, at no cost. If your need is simple — straightforward term coverage, a clear amount, a clean health picture — an application can be moving the same week, at the same price you would find anywhere, because term rates are filed with the state and cost what they cost. If your situation has structure to it — a business, a partner, an estate, equity compensation, a health history — you will know exactly why it deserves more care, and that is what the phases below are for. Either way, you never get a longer process than your situation actually requires.
Already know you want term? Take the express path →
Six phases, in order. You can stop at any phase — and keep every document produced to that point.
Discovery
The first conversation is exploratory. We discuss your situation, what is prompting the conversation now, what existing advisors you work with, and what you are considering. We ask many questions. We do not present products. The goal of discovery is to determine whether a structured engagement makes sense — and if so, what shape it should take.
Analysis
If the engagement proceeds, the next phase is fact-finding and analysis. We model your specific situation — income, dependents, debts, time horizon, existing coverage, tax bracket, and the planning goals you have identified. Where insurance has a potential role, we identify the role; where it does not, we identify that too. The analysis is the foundation everything else rests on.
Strategy Design
The recommendation phase. Multiple carrier options compared on their merits — product design, illustrated and guaranteed performance, underwriting fit, and how each option matches your specific situation. We are independent, with no carrier exclusivity, so the comparison is genuine rather than steered toward a single carrier.
Coordination
Where your CPA, attorney, or fiduciary advisor is involved in the broader plan, we coordinate the insurance recommendation with their work. This is not an afterthought — it is how serious planning gets done. The insurance design must integrate with the broader strategy, not exist parallel to it.
Implementation
If you decide to proceed, we handle underwriting, application, medical examination (where required), and policy delivery. Each step is documented and explained. You see what is being applied for, you understand the underwriting process, and you receive the policy with a clear explanation of what it does and does not provide.
Ongoing Review
Annual review of the plan as your circumstances evolve. Insurance needs are not static; they should be evaluated against the changing reality of your situation. The review keeps the strategy current and ensures the insurance design continues to serve its intended purpose.
The memo is the deliverable. The policies are its implementation. Every recommendation is written to withstand review by your other advisors.
How long does this take?
Faster than the deliberateness might suggest. Discovery to a written recommendation typically takes one to two weeks — the analysis is systematized, so the pace is set by conversation, not paperwork. Once you apply, conditional coverage can begin the same day under a temporary insurance agreement. Final issuance depends on underwriting: accelerated programs can complete in days; fully underwritten cases — large amounts, physician disability — typically take four to eight weeks, at every firm in the industry.
Already know you want term? The express lane is faster.
Because it is self-serve and skips the advisory phases above — discovery, analysis, the recommendation memo — the express path gets you moving right away. What it speeds up is how quickly you reach the starting line, not how the insurer reviews you: a clean case can still land in the accelerated underwriting shown above, and final issuance depends on that same review either way.
How much does it cost?
There is no separate fee for the planning work. Our compensation comes from commissions paid by the insurance carrier when (and only when) you decide to proceed with a policy. If a first conversation determines that no insurance need exists, or if the engagement does not result in a policy, no cost has accrued to you.
This compensation model means we have an incentive to recommend insurance, and we are direct about that. The discipline that offsets the incentive is the suitability-first standard: if the recommendation is "no insurance need that requires action," we say so. That answer happens. Our reputation depends on it.
Not ready for a full engagement? The lowest-commitment way to start is a second opinion — one document from you, one written memo back. And if you are an attorney, CPA, or fiduciary advisor evaluating us for your clients, this page is for you.
Ready for a first conversation?
The first conversation is exploratory and at no cost. We will discuss your situation and whether a structured engagement makes sense.
Schedule a Consultation