As the president and founder of Family Wealth Counseling, Trinh utilizes over 30 years of personal expertise alongside a team of experts to help individuals and families maximize their income, thus maximizing the impact they’re able to make on the world around them.
The company’s ethos is exemplified in The Impact Culture™, a tried-and-true method that combines core values and vital resources to teach clients to truly live and give with purpose.
“We live in an impact culture whether or not we realize it. The decisions that we make about our resources and time have an impact on people around us, the community we live in and our own lives,” Trinh said. “That impact can be intentional or it can be accidental. For us, [it’s about] being intentional with the resources that we have and deploying it to create the influence and the impact we’d like to see in the world.”
The Impact Culture™ is a continuous process that begins with three phases:
Phase 1: Codify your Why
Family Wealth Counseling starts by inviting clients to take a step back from their daily stressors and spend time rediscovering their purpose, goals and dreams. By identifying the people and causes they care about most, they determine their “Impact Drivers.”
“Usually when we sit down with an individual or family, the first question is not about money. The first question is about what’s important to them,” Trinh said.
Phase 2: Magnify your Meaning
Once the “Impact Drivers” are clear, clients analyze whether or not their time, actions and resources are aligned with their values. In this step, clients will recognize what their “Impact Resources” are, allowing them to make informed decisions geared toward a greater impact.
“When you do that, you have an opportunity to say, ‘What are some of the things that I can enhance? What are some of the things that I may not need to continue anymore?” Trinh said. “You’re magnifying your meaning because you’re aligning your resources and values with the goals and objectives.”
Phase 3: The Culture Maker
In the final phase, Trinh said clients will be living intentionally, using their “Impact Drivers” and “Impact Resources” in tandem as a guiding light in their lives.
“When you’re a culture maker, you’re basically living The Impact Culture™ and that will impact other people around you,” Trinh said. “There’s an attractiveness that comes with it and allows people to notice what makes you different.”
After the initial three steps, Family Wealth Counseling provides a comprehensive written action plan for clients to follow. Its experts will continue to walk alongside them during the implementation and provide ongoing support, checking in periodically to make any necessary adjustments.
Navigating retirement
Trinh said The Impact Culture™ is most profound when clients are preparing for or in the midst of major life changes. Although Family Wealth Counseling works with individuals and families from all walks of life, Trinh said services are especially crucial for those readying for or entering retirement.
“When people are leaving the workforce and entering retirement, it’s not the end, right? It’s the beginning and it’s so exciting,” Trinh said. “It’s a privilege to come alongside someone and really have them think intentionally about what this next season is going to be.”
According to a report from the Alliance for Lifetime Income, 2024 will be a record-breaking year for retirement in the U.S., with approximately 4.1 million Americans turning 65 years old. With the unprecedented number 0f retirees, Trinh said there’s “a bit of unpreparedness because it almost catches people by surprise.”
Trinh said there are two common issues when it comes to retirement:
1. Lack of understanding about Social Security: Making the wrong decision about Social Security and Medicare restricts a person’s ability to be productive with their wealth.
2. Misconceptions about tax planning: Many people don’t realize their work benefits and various systems of tax planning don’t coordinate with updated rules from the U.S. tax system.
Trinh and her team believe in the power of information, which is why Family Wealth Counseling hosts free seminars for clients and community members to learn about topics that will help them thrive for years to come. Its next educational seminars, set for 7 p.m. on March 19 and March 21 at the Georgetown Library, focus on Social Security and Medicare. A future meeting will teach attendees how to be savvy while tax planning for retirement.
“There’s so many people approaching retirement, and the decisions that they make really determine this next season of life,” Trinh said. “Get information, attend financial educational [seminars] ... There’s no cost so it doesn’t hurt to take that step.”
Ready to make an impact?
Family Wealth Counseling is dedicated to helping people embrace their unique story, take stock of their goals and create a plan to make their dreams a reality. For Trinh and her team, it’s all about giving others the tools to experience true fulfillment through financial freedom and stewardship.
“When [my family] first came to this county, we were basically homeless,” Trinh said. “A few families from a church really took us under their wing to help teach us the way. And they weren’t rich, they were working people who were making sacrifices of their time and resources, and they made an impact in our life. Turning around and being able to pay it forward and be able to allow other people to have that opportunity ... that’s important.”
Anyone can set up an appointment for an hour-long, complimentary conversation with Family Wealth Counseling.
Family Wealth Counseling’s full suite of services includes:
- Financial planning
- Estate planning
- Investment planning and management
- Life insurance acquisition & management
- Tax planning & retirement income optimization
Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. Family Wealth Counseling is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS. Kestra IS and Kestra AS do not provide tax or legal advice. https://Bit.ly/KF-Disclosures
The above story was produced by Multi-Platform Journalist Morgan O’Neal with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
