Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Neuenschwander, CPA, CFP®.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
August 11, 1994 – the date that forever changed the course for my family and set my career path. My grandfather was a successful doctor in Knoxville, TN and my grandmother was a stay-at-home mom raising 7 kids. As a sole practitioner, things were often lean. Then that 1 a.m. phone call came. My grandfather and sister were killed in a hit-and-run drunk driving accident.
My father, a traditional CPA at the time, spent the next 2 years cleaning up the financial mess left behind. In doing so, he discovered that while they had several trusted advisors – a stockbroker, a CPA, and an insurance agent – no one really knew the big picture. To complicate matters, somewhere along the line, they got some bad – or incomplete – financial advice.
Fighting against myths and misinformation became the legacy of our family. We NEVER want another family to experience the financial tragedy ours did because they didn’t know what they didn’t know. This is NOT just a JOB! It is our life’s mission.
Because of what our family went through, I am committed to changing lives for the better. I believe a comprehensive and complete financial plan covering investments, income planning, and tax mitigation, and one that addresses healthcare needs and estate planning, is the best. I strive to deliver concrete, real-world solutions, not a one-size-fits-all cookie-cutter plan to all my clients so they can enjoy their dream retirement.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Owning a small, family business is never easy! With growth came the challenge of meeting clients’ needs and also establishing systems and processes for new team members. When we first started, there were three of us in a small rented office, and we all used the same phone.
While we still operate very lean, day-to-day operations look dramatically different today. Along the way, our marketing greatly expanded as our client base increased and we branched out into more geographic areas across Greater Houston.
As we’ve grown, we’ve also learned from our mistakes and become much better at knowing who we are as a business and who we serve best. Today, I would describe our business model as a high-touch, client-centric, niche-oriented financial services firm. We are not a jack-of-all-trades. We’ve honed our craft and specialized our services to reach a particular market.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Outlook Wealth Advisors is an independent, financial planning and wealth management firm serving the Greater Houston area. We serve affluent pre-retirees, retirees, and small business owners throughout the Greater Houston area. Grounded in the principles of my training as a CPA and CFP®, I apply a holistic, fiduciary process to develop holistic, individualized retirement plans.
As an educator at heart, I love to help others simplify and understand complicated financial topics. My focus is to turn the complex components of wealth management into solutions for protecting and preserving their wealth while minimizing tax exposure. Addressing our clients’ tax needs is what really sets us apart from the crowd. Being both a CPA and a CFP® allows us to offer a unique perspective that most firms simply cannot. It amazes me that many of the big-box firms aren’t even allowed to look at a client’s tax return! There’s a lot to be said about the saying “it’s all about what you keep.”
With due diligence, integrity, and transparency, together we create custom strategies designed to meet our clients’ needs throughout retirement. Our goal is to eliminate risks and help preserve and protect their nest egg so they can achieve the dream lifestyle they’ve worked so hard to achieve. Our clients’ dreams and goals are our priority.
I am a native Houstonian. I earned both a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s in finance from Texas A&M University. I have over 20 years’ experience in financial services, and my commitment to excellence has resulted in being designated as a Five-Star Wealth Manager for more than 10 consecutive years. This is a distinction awarded to less than 3% of financial advisors in the Greater Houston area. Additionally, I’ve appeared on Fox26, ABC13, Click2Houston, KHOU, and The Price of Business as a financial expert.
How do you think about happiness?
My family! I’m married to my high school sweetheart, Rachel, and we are raising two wonderful children. I’m also a car enthusiast and enjoy home improvement projects and getaways with my family. Of course, no fall would be complete without at least several trips back to College Station to attend an Aggie football game with friends.
Pricing:
- Fees are generally based on assets under management.
- Any insurance products recommended have built in commission and this cost is always presented up front.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.outlookwealth.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558218916093
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-neuenschwander/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5sYdmZu_xkjDIgUhXYKE6w
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/outlook-wealth-advisors-houston?osq=outlook+wealth&override_cta=Request+information
