Our Services

Financial Planning

Every plan starts with understanding what matters most to you. Whether it’s planning for retirement, saving for a child’s education or making charitable contributions—you name it, we get to know you personally so we can develop a tailored financial plan that works for you now, and over the long term.

Our planning process typically includes:

• Discussing your goals and reviewing your current financial picture
• Addressing immediate needs and identifying potential risks
• Collaborating to set goals and outline actionable next steps
• Coordinating strategies such as tax planning
• Reviewing and updating your plan as life changes

Investment Management

We believe your financial plan should guide how your investments are managed. As we learn more about your goals and comfort with risk, we work with you to shape an investment approach that fits your situation.

Diversification is central to that approach. By holding a mix of investments that respond differently to market conditions, we can help balance risk and opportunity over time.

We also recognize that investing isn’t only about markets—it’s about behavior. Our role is to provide perspective, helping you stay on track when emotions or uncertainty might otherwise lead to reactive decisions.

And finally, we know that it’s not just what you make; it’s what you keep. That’s why we pay close attention to costs, fees, taxes and other factors that can affect your long-term results.

Tax Planning

Taxes touch nearly every part of your financial life. That’s why we look not only at your current tax situation, but also at how retirement, estate planning and other future events may come into play. Based on today’s tax laws, we work with you to make informed choices about how your assets and income are positioned—so your plan is designed to manage taxes effectively over time.

We stay attentive to changing regulations and coordinate with CPAs, tax preparers, and our in-house tax team to put practical strategies into action.

Our services include:

• Year-round tax planning and analysis
• Multi-state tax strategies, including resident and domicile considerations
• Gift and estate tax planning
• Charitable giving strategies

Retirement Plan Services

A well-structured retirement plan can be an important way for businesses to support both their owners and their employees. We collaborate with a CEFEX-certified team* to design, manage, and review employer-sponsored retirement plans that are built with your company’s needs in mind.

• Plan design
• Investment selection 
• Asset allocation 
• ERISA compliance and fiduciary services 
• IRS preparation and maintenance 
• Benchmarking and analysis 
• Employee education and financial wellness 

*Mariner is certified by The Center for Fiduciary Excellence (CEFEX) as meeting the standards described in the handbook “Prudent Practices for Investment Advisors.” The standard describes how an investment adviser assumes the responsibility for managing a client’s overall investment management process, which includes the selection, monitoring and de-selection of investment managers, as well as developing processes to implement investment strategies and fiduciary practices on an ongoing basis. These practices also include maintaining a fiduciary checklist for each client to ensure proper fiduciary governance and compliance with ERISA and implementing best practices as described by the Department of Labor. 

Risk Management / Insurance Analysis

Unexpected events can disrupt even the best financial plan. That’s why managing risk is a key part of protecting your family and your future. Our role is to help you think through these possibilities in advance, so you can put the right protections in place without feeling overwhelmed.

We begin by looking at potential risks that could affect your financial plan and long-term security. We consider factors such as passing away too soon, living longer than expected, experiencing a long-term illness or disabling injury, or facing liability risks with your home, auto, or business. We also look at risks related to identity theft and other unexpected expenses.

Our services include:

• Asset and income protection strategies 
• Review of major insurance companies and product recommendations 
• Life insurance audits and long-term care expense planning 
• Estate tax planning strategies 

Trust Services

Trusts can play a valuable role in helping families manage wealth across generations. When appropriate, we may recommend establishing a trust as part of your financial plan to help protect family wealth, address tax considerations, and carry out your wishes for your legacy.

Working in coordination with your attorney, we can:

• Review trust documents in the context of your overall financial plan
• Explore charitable planning and gifting strategies
• Consider generation-skipping wealth transfer strategies
• Evaluate self-settled trusts for asset management and distribution
• Connect you with professional trust management resources

M&A Advisory

Whether you’re planning for succession, evaluating a potential buyer, or exploring growth through acquisition, a major business transition can feel overwhelming. Our dedicated team takes the time to understand your goals before we move into strategy, so the process reflects not just the numbers but also what matters most to you.

That understanding shapes the way we move forward together. By coordinating each step, from early preparation through closing, we help manage the details of the transition so you can focus on running your business.

Business Valuation

As a business owner, your primary focus is on running your company, leaving you little time to step back and assess the full value of what you’ve built. But understanding that value is an important part of building a comprehensive wealth plan that reflects the years of work and dedication you’ve invested.

A formal business valuation can provide insight for the preservation, monetization and succession of a closely held business, especially in areas such as:

• Transitions: financial planning, mergers and acquisitions, buy-sell agreements, financing and ESOPs
• Tax reporting: gift and estate tax, charitable giving, IRC section 409A and discount studies
• Financial reporting: purchase price allocations and goodwill impairment
• Litigation: marital dissolution and shareholder disputes