Ep 421: Integrating Tax Preparation Without Hiring In-House CPAs To Bring More Tax-Focused Value with Daniel Friedman
Jan 21, 2025
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Daniel Friedman, CEO of WMGNA, shares insights from his hybrid advisory firm managing $270 million in assets. He discusses integrating outsourced CPA tax preparation into client services, allowing his team to focus on tailored tax strategies. Friedman elaborates on the 'Restylement' concept, helping clients redefine life transitions, and underscores the importance of a ‘director of first impressions’ in client relations. He also highlights the unique subscription-based fee model and the rare invocation of a money-back guarantee, which speaks to his firm's commitment to exceptional service.
Daniel Friedman’s firm enhances value by outsourcing tax preparation while keeping focus on in-house tax planning and strategy development.
The subscription-based model for financial planning offers flexibility and has grown to surpass core revenue from AUM fees.
The concept of 'restylement' redefines retirement, encouraging clients to engage proactively in their evolving life journeys beyond traditional work cessation.
Deep dives
Outsourcing Tax Preparation for Strategic Focus
Daniel Friedman, the CEO of WMGNA, emphasizes his firm’s innovative approach by outsourcing tax preparation while maintaining in-house tax planning services. This strategy enables the firm to leverage the expertise of external CPAs for complex client needs, particularly those involving intricate equity compensation plans. Friedman views these CPA relationships as financially beneficial, as his firm can negotiate bulk discounts on tax preparation while allowing CPA firms to streamline their billing processes. This approach positions the firm as a value-added service provider, offering clients both independent perspectives on tax planning strategies and efficient preparation of their tax returns.
Subscription-Based Financial Planning Model
Friedman highlights his firm's long-standing use of a subscription-based model for financial planning fees, which has been in place for about 30 years. The monthly subscription fee is tailored to each client's unique needs, including the complexity of their tax situations. Most clients who utilize subscription services also choose to have their assets managed separately under an AUM fee structure, allowing the firm to cater to various financial needs. Interestingly, the firm's AUM fees have grown to exceed their core subscription revenue, reflecting a robust integration of both pricing models.
The Concept of Restylement
The firm has redefined the concept of retirement by introducing the term 'restylement,' which signifies a more dynamic transition into the next stage of life rather than a passive withdrawal from work. This term resonates with their clients, especially those in their mid-career who are reassessing their financial and personal goals as they approach significant life changes. By focusing on restylement, the firm helps clients envision a future that reflects their aspirations and potential, not just the cessation of their work life. This philosophical shift also encourages deeper engagement with clients, positioning the firm as a partner in their ongoing journey.
Client Relationship Management and Team Structure
Friedman's firm implements a structured approach to client relationship management, including the role of a Director of First Impressions, responsible for fostering positive client interactions and enhancing client loyalty. The team includes client relations specialists who handle follow-ups and communications, ensuring that clients receive consistent and personalized attention. This structure allows the advisors to focus on high-level financial planning and tax strategies while the support team manages operational details. Collaboration and transparency within the team are emphasized, aiming to create a cohesive and efficient work environment that translates into superior client service.
Challenges and Lessons Learned in Building Success
Reflecting on his journey, Friedman shares that the initial years of building his advisory firm were met with persistent challenges and slow growth despite his high expectations. He learned that success in this industry often comes from consistent effort and the cultivation of long-term client relationships rather than immediate results. Through various ups and downs, including personal struggles, he remained committed to delivering high-quality service, which ultimately yielded favorable outcomes over time. Friedman encourages newer advisors to understand that patience, adaptability, and authenticity are crucial components of long-term success in the financial advisory space.
Daniel Friedman is the CEO of WMGNA, a hybrid advisory firm based out of Connecticut that oversees approximately $270 million in assets under management for 200 client households. What’s unique about Daniel is how his firm offers “in-house” tax return preparation as part of its one-stop-shop service, while outsourcing the actual preparation work to trusted CPAs paid from his firm’s revenue. This allows Daniel’s team to focus on delivering tax planning analyses and strategies, which are central to the firm’s value proposition for clients.
Listen in as Daniel discusses how his firm combines a subscription-based planning fee with an AUM charge on investments it manages and how it has implemented a money-back guarantee with very few clients taking them up on the offer. Daniel also explains how his firm embraces the concept of "Restylement" to help clients redefine their next life chapter, the key role of a “director of first impressions” in fostering client relationships, and how persistence and exceptional service have fueled his firm’s long-term growth and success.