How We Work
Project-Based Financial Planning
Get expert analysis and clear recommendations for a specific financial decision or question—one-time fee, no ongoing commitment.
Business Consulting
Work with an experienced advisor who can guide you on the ins-and-outs of starting, managing, and exiting your business venture.
Specialized Estate Planning Services
Protect your family and assets with a complete, attorney-reviewed estate plan customized to your state’s laws.
At Black Hills Financial Planning, we believe financial planning should be about education, clarity, and building a strategy that works for your life—not about pushing products.
We offer three distinct services, tailored to your specific needs and stage in your financial journey.
Option 1: Project-Based Financial Planning
-
Best for: People facing a specific financial decision or wanting to evaluate their options before taking action.
What You Get:
- Comprehensive analysis of your specific situation
- Multiple scenario modeling using professional planning software
- Written recommendations with clear action steps
- Typically 1-2 meetings to review findings and answer questions
Investment: Varies
Common Projects:
- “Should I buy an annuity, and if so, which type?”
- “When can I realistically retire?”
- “How do I structure my business owner retirement plan?”
- “What’s the best strategy for my pension decision?”
- “How should I handle this inheritance?”
- “Does my current financial plan actually work?”
If you choose to implement recommended products through us, we can credit a portion of your planning fee toward ongoing services.
Option 2: Business Consulting
Best for: Business owners and entrepreneurs who need an experienced strategic partner to help navigate growth challenges, operational decisions, and long-term planning.
What You Get:
- Quarterly strategic sessions (in-person or virtual) to review business performance, address challenges, and refine your strategy
- Ongoing advisory access via email and phone between meetings for time-sensitive decisions
- Objective, outside perspective on the decisions that keep you up at night
- Proactive recommendations as market conditions, regulations, or your business circumstances change
- Confidential sounding board for major decisions before you commit
Investment: $400-$500/quarter ($1,600-$2,000/year)
Special rates available for existing clients who’ve worked with us on insurance product implementation.
Why Work with Black Hills Financial Planning for Business Consulting?
With 15+ years of experience across financial services, insurance, and business strategy, our firm brings a unique blend of analytical rigor and practical business acumen to your challenges.
What makes our approach different:
- Cross-Functional Expertise: We understand how financial decisions, risk management, operational efficiency, and growth strategy interconnect
- Insurance & Risk Management Perspective: Deep knowledge of how to protect your business while optimizing costs
- Financial Acumen: Strategic thinking grounded in financial reality—not just theory
- Implementation Focus: We help you move from analysis to action with clear, executable recommendations
- Confidential Partnership: A trusted advisor relationship without the overhead of hiring a full-time executive
- No Conflicts: Independent advice aligned with your success, not product sales
- Local Expertise with Broader Perspective: Understanding of regional business dynamics combined with national best practices
- Flexible & Accessible: Support when you need it, scaled to your business stage and budget
- Long-Term Partnership: Building deep understanding of your business over time for increasingly valuable insights
What Business Consulting Covers:
Strategic Planning & Growth
- Annual business plan reviews and strategy refinement
- Growth opportunity assessment and prioritization
- Market positioning and competitive analysis
- Succession planning and exit strategy development
Operations & Efficiency
- Process improvement recommendations
- Resource allocation decisions
- Technology and systems evaluation
- Vendor and partnership negotiations guidance
Financial & Risk Management
- Key financial metrics monitoring and interpretation
- Cash flow planning and working capital optimization
- Business insurance needs assessment and periodic reviews
- Risk mitigation strategies across operations
Human Capital
- Compensation structure design
- Key employee retention strategies
- Organizational structure recommendations
- Benefits program design and cost management
Major Business Transitions
- Ownership changes or buy/sell agreements
- Business expansion or contraction decisions
- Partnership disputes or restructuring
- Regulatory compliance navigation
- Major capital investments or financing decisions
How It Works:
- Initial Discovery Session: Deep dive into your business, goals, and current challenges
- Quarterly Strategic Reviews: Structured sessions to assess progress, address emerging issues, and adjust strategy
- Between-Meeting Support: Email and phone access for urgent questions or time-sensitive decisions
- Annual Planning: Comprehensive review of the year and strategic planning for the next 12 months
Additional Services Available:
-
- Estate planning coordination for business owners (annual reviews to identify when updates are needed)
- Estate plan creation or major revisions through our FWP network (~$2,500) available when needed
- Insurance product implementation and ongoing management
- One-time project consulting for specific initiatives
Option 3: Estate Planning Services
-
Best for: People who need to create or update their estate plan to protect their family and assets.
What You Get:
- Comprehensive estate plan customized to your state’s laws
- Attorney-reviewed legal documents including:
- Revocable living trust
- Pour-over will
- Financial power of attorney
- Healthcare power of attorney
- Living will/advance directives
- Educational consultation to help you understand how your plan works
- Personal delivery and review session (in-person or virtual)
- Guidance on funding your trust and updating beneficiaries
Investment: Approximately $2,500
Through our partnership with Foundational Wealth Partners, we provide access to white-glove estate planning services with licensed document preparers. Every plan is attorney-reviewed and state-specific to ensure your documents are legally sound and accomplish your goals.
Common Estate Planning Needs:
- Avoiding probate for your family
- Protecting assets for minor children
- Planning for incapacity (who makes decisions if you can’t?)
- Reducing estate taxes and administrative costs
- Ensuring business succession planning
- Protecting beneficiaries from creditors or poor decisions
- Coordinating beneficiary designations across all accounts
Estate planning can be purchased as a standalone service or combined with our financial planning offerings.
Our Process
Step 1: Discovery Consultation (Free)
We start with a 30-45 minute conversation to understand your situation, answer your questions about how we work, and determine which service option makes sense for you. No pressure, no obligation—just a conversation.
Step 2: Engagement
Once you decide to work with us, we’ll gather the necessary information and schedule your first planning meeting.
- Project-based work: Typically completed within 2-3 weeks
- Estate planning: Plan delivery within 10-12 weeks after information gathering
- Ongoing planning: Comprehensive plan built in the first month, then quarterly meeting rhythm established
Step 3: Implementation & Support
We provide clear recommendations and help you implement them. If products like insurance or annuities make sense for your situation, we can facilitate those. If you need specialized expertise beyond estate planning (tax preparation, investment management, business valuation), we’ll coordinate with your existing professionals or connect you with trusted partners in our network.
Why We Work Differently
Modern & Flexible Approach
We meet clients in private conference spaces throughout the Black Hills region. This keeps our overhead low and allows us to focus resources on delivering value and personalized service to our clients.
Education-First Philosophy
We’re not here to sell you something. We’re here to help you understand your options and make informed decisions. You’ll never feel pressured.
Access to National Expertise
Through our affiliation with Foundational Wealth Partners, we have access to a national network of specialists—estate planning professionals, CPAs, and product experts—when your situation requires it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I have to buy products to work with you?
No. Our planning fees and estate planning services are separate from any product implementation. Some clients use us purely for planning and implement strategies elsewhere—that’s completely fine.
Can I combine services?
Absolutely. Many clients start with project-based financial planning, add estate planning to protect their family, and then transition to ongoing planning as their situations become more complex. We’re flexible.
What if I already have a financial advisor?
We’re happy to provide a second opinion, project-based analysis, or estate planning services. Many clients use us for specific expertise (like business owner planning, annuity evaluation, or estate planning) while maintaining their existing advisor relationships.
What if I already have an estate plan?
We can review your existing estate plan (usually during project-based planning or as part of ongoing planning) and help you determine if updates are needed. Many older estate plans lack modern provisions or haven’t been updated for current tax laws or life changes.
Do I need to update my estate plan over time?
Yes. Life changes—marriages, divorces, births, deaths, moves to new states, major asset changes—often require updates. Ongoing planning clients receive annual estate plan reviews to identify when updates are needed. If you purchase estate planning as a standalone service, we recommend reviewing it every 3-5 years or after major life changes.
How do you get paid?
We’re transparent about compensation:
- Planning fees: You pay us directly for financial planning services (project-based or ongoing)
- Estate planning: A portion of the estate planning fee compensates us for education and coordination; the remainder covers document preparation and legal review
- Insurance/annuity products: If you choose to implement these solutions through us, we earn commissions from the insurance carriers
We’ll always disclose our compensation and never let it influence what’s truly in your best interest.