Office Contact Information:
Financial Independence, LLC
3883 Telegraph Road, Suite 203
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
Phone (248) 594-8114, Fax (248) 282-9954
www.financial-independence.com
Click here to register for our seminars
Who We Are
Financial Independence was started by Steve Case and Bill Kumm in 1995, and has become one of metro Detroit’s most trusted financial management firms specializing in retirees, pre-retirees and business owners.
The professionals at Financial Independence have more than 40 years of combined investment experience. We provide educational programs and customized, long term financial strategies to help individuals and business owners work toward achieving financial independence.
We realize that the financial analysis process can be complex, and, at times, confusing. Our commitment to the educational process helps to ensure our clients make informed decisions designed to reach their long-term financial goals, and move down the road toward financial independence.
Our Seminars
With a goal to help small and medium-sized business owners and their executives better understand the roles and responsibilities of persons charged with the adoption, administration and management of their company-sponsored 401(k) retirement savings plans, we offer seminars in our series every 3 months at MGM Grand Detroit - sign up for one or all four. See our registration link below and the seminars page for more information.
Upcoming Seminars:
Understanding Fees & Expenses. November 1, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.
These sessions address the issues of understanding and benchmarking plan fees for purposes of determining their overall competitiveness and value. We will also cover the various regulatory initiatives around fee disclosure, including the new Form 5500 and its anticipated progeny. Lastly, we will provide tips and tools for determining a plan’s actual costs, including both explicitly charged fees as well as soft-dollar revenue sharing. 
Click here for a seminar outline.
Managing Investment Liability. February 7, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.
These sessions tackle the issues surrounding the investment selection and evaluation process, as it relates to the “Prudent Man” standard under ERISA. We will cover the implementation and use of an Investment Policy Statement (IPS) as well as recommended tracking and reporting processes related to the periodic review of the plan’s investment options. Lastly, we will provide tips and tools for creating fiduciary safeguards that can help insulate plan trustees and investment committee members from potential exposures to fiduciary liability. 
Click here for a seminar outline.
Communication with Plan Participants. May 7, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.
These sessions will address the issues surrounding employee-participant communications and potential pitfalls involved when fiduciaries communicate with plan participants. We will also cover the use of third-party service providers for education and enrollment services, as well as the permissible use of third-party information providers for disseminating investment information. Lastly, we will review the requirements of Section 404(c), as well as provide tips and tools for claiming the employee-directed safe harbor. 
Click here for a seminar outline.
Managing Outsourcer Service Providers. September 11, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.
These sessions contend with the issues surrounding the routine selection and ongoing management of outsource service providers, including contracting guidelines and fee benchmarking. We will cover the three most common forms of outsourcing, including recordkeeping and administration, non-discretionary directed trustees and fiduciary advisors, as well as engagements around participant communications. Lastly, we will provide tips and tools for managing the performance of outsourced service providers as well as guidelines for determining when it may be time to reconsider their ongoing engagement. 
Click here for a seminar outline.
Click here to register for our seminars
Securities and advisory services offered through National Planning Corporation (NPC), Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Financial Independence, LLC and NPC are separate and unrelated companies.