Client Scenarios

Recently Divorced, Facing Financial Complexity Alone

After a recent divorce, a woman in her early 50s was introduced to SJS by her attorney. She was left with significant assets, but also a financial and estate plan that no longer fit her new life. With limited experience managing personal finances, she was overwhelmed and needed guidance on how to move forward—both emotionally and financially.

How SJS Helped: Simplifying, Planning, and Coordinating for Her Future

The SJS team took the time to listen and understand her priorities. What she wanted most was simplicity, financial clarity, and the confidence that she and her young-adult daughters would be secure.

SJS created a customized plan that modeled sustainable monthly income distributions—directly deposited into her checking account—while also positioning her portfolio for long-term, tax-efficient growth. They illustrated additional scenarios, including the financial feasibility of purchasing a new home in another city and helping her visualize her next steps.

Recognizing the complexity of her estate, SJS coordinated with her attorney and accountant to align strategies. They consolidated 14 accounts across multiple institutions into just three, simplifying her financial picture. In partnership with a third-party manager, they also built a tax-sensitive municipal bond portfolio to generate tax-free income on a monthly basis.

The Outcome: Confidence Through Clarity and Ongoing Partnership

The client gained more than just a financial plan—she gained peace of mind. With a trusted team in place, she felt supported and empowered to move forward. Her financial life was simplified, aligned with her goals, and structured for flexibility as her needs evolved.

Client Scenario: A Life-Changing Liquidity Event—and Complex New Problems

While waiting at the DMV, John had a lightbulb moment: there had to be a better way to connect residents with their government. That idea turned into a thriving digital platform, transforming frustrating in-person tasks into seamless online experiences. After selling part of his company to a venture capital firm, John—now in his early 40s—suddenly found himself with significant wealth and equally significant complexity. For the first time, this seasoned problem-solver faced a new challenge: managing a windfall that came with serious tax exposure, an unprotected estate, and no cohesive financial strategy.

How SJS Helped: Aligning Wealth with Purpose, Protecting What Matters Most

A fellow entrepreneur and SJS client introduced John to SJS founder Scott Savage and the team, knowing he needed a partner who could bring clarity to this new chapter. SJS got to work—restructuring his concentrated holdings, conducting venture capital due diligence, and collaborating closely with John’s estate attorney, trust advisor, tax team, and insurance professionals. The result? A well-structured estate plan using advanced tools like GRATs, ILITs, and GST strategies to protect his assets and legacy.

With John’s wife and young daughter at the center of the conversation, SJS helped design a plan not just for today, but for generations to come.

The Outcome: Confidence to Keep Solving Big Problems—Without Worry

Thanks to the SJS team, John now has a strategy as innovative and forward thinking as the company he built. His wealth is protected, his risks are addressed, and he’s free to focus on what he loves—his family and his next big idea. And who knows? With his track record, he might just eliminate DMV lines for good.

Client Scenario: Burnout at the Peak of Success

A high-level executive at a major tech firm came to SJS with all the outward signs of success—he was well-compensated, driven, and supported by a strong team at work. But in our quarterly meeting, something had shifted. He opened up about feeling burnt out, disconnected from his family, and increasingly unhappy. Despite his accomplishments, his personal life was suffering. He was even considering a recovery program, but needed to know: could he make a major life change without sacrificing his long-term financial security?

How SJS Helped: Creating Space for Change Without Sacrificing the Future

Having helped many executives navigate big transitions, the SJS team knew how to step in. We adjusted his portfolio to create short-term income, restructured his retirement plan to reflect a new timeline, and showed both him and his wife what these changes meant for their future—clearly, honestly, and without fear.

We also made sure his wife felt supported and informed, helping her become more involved in the family’s financial picture. That clarity gave them both peace of mind and the confidence to move forward. Beyond the numbers, we connected him with a life coach to help him navigate this new chapter.

The Outcome: Reclaiming Control and Realigning Priorities

With a clear financial path forward and a supportive team in his corner, he was able to take a step back from the pressure, reconnect with his family, and reimagine what success looked like. Today, he’s teaching, living more fully, and back to enjoying the life he worked so hard to build. He told us we gave him back something he hadn’t felt in a long time: freedom.

Client Scenario: Tragedy Just Weeks After “I Do”

Just six weeks after marrying the love of her life, one of our clients received an unimaginable phone call—her husband had been in a fatal accident. What had just been a joyful new beginning turned into a world of grief, shock, and uncertainty. Suddenly alone, she didn’t know where to start. Like many people do in moments like this, she turned to family and asked the most important question: “Am I going to be okay?”

Her brother, a long-time SJS client, knew exactly where she needed to go. Years earlier, he had come to us during the emotional decision to sell his family business. He remembered not just the strategic advice he received, but the personal care and support that helped him move forward with clarity and confidence. He wanted the same for his sister.

How SJS Helped: Compassion, Clarity, and a Financial Roadmap Forward

It’s an unfortunate reality that we encounter often—many of our current clients first came to us through referrals from attorneys, accountants, or family and friends after the loss of a spouse. When this client first met with SJS, our team approached her situation with empathy. When supporting someone facing a devastating loss, we don’t rush in and start making big financial decisions. Instead, our first priority is to listen—to understand what they’re going through and let them know that we are here for them, not just as financial advisors, but as people who care.

In this case, we helped the client organize the financial pieces in a way that made sense—without rushing or overwhelming her. We documented her full financial landscape and created a simple, step-by-step roadmap that helped her understand where she stood and what options she had. We took the lead in coordinating with other professionals and made sure she had the information—and emotional support—she needed to feel safe, stable, and cared for.

The Outcome: Stability and Support When Needed Most

In the face of life-changing loss, this client found a team that brought both structure and compassion. With SJS by her side, she was able to move forward, knowing her financial future was secure—even when nothing else felt certain.

Every person’s journey through loss is different. But through it all, SJS is a steady presence—ready to support, to simplify, and to guide at a pace that feels right. Because being there for our clients through life’s hardest chapters isn’t just part of what we do—it’s at the heart of why we do it.

Client Scenario: A Sudden Diagnosis, and a New Chapter Begins

After more than 20 years of working together, we received a call from a client—not from the husband, who had always taken the lead on financial matters—but from his wife. They had just returned from a doctor’s appointment with heartbreaking news: her husband had been diagnosed with dementia. Though there had been subtle signs—forgetfulness, confusion with passwords, getting turned around—neither had wanted to admit what was happening.

While she had always been included in their financial conversations, he had managed most of the details. Now, she was overwhelmed by the responsibility of stepping into that role—caring for her husband, managing their finances, and potentially relocating to be closer to family. Her voice was filled with worry: “How will I handle this? How do I take care of him? What now?”

She also shared something poignant—one of his proudest decisions had been choosing to work with the team at SJS.

How SJS Helped: Compassionate Guidance and a Practical Path Forward

Our first step was to listen, to reassure her that she wasn’t alone and that there was time to thoughtfully navigate the road ahead. Together, we began building a clear, supportive plan.

We helped them research and evaluate continuing care communities near their son—places that offer both independence and memory care as needs evolve. We walked through how they could afford this transition without sacrificing financial stability. We made sure she had full access to their finances by securing power of attorney on key accounts and helped her implement a secure password manager with biometric access to reduce daily stress.

We coordinated these steps with empathy and clarity, just as we had with their college planning, tax strategy, and long-term care conversations over the years.

The Outcome: A Steady Hand Through Uncertainty

While the diagnosis hasn’t changed, the initial fear has softened. Our client has expressed that she knows she’s supported, equipped, and not alone. She trusts that the same team who’s been with them for decades will continue to walk alongside them in this next chapter—with the same care, attention, and humanity as always.

Client Scenario: A Sudden Career Shift in a Year of Uncertainty

Sue had spent 15 successful years as an executive in the pharmaceutical industry and was feeling confident about her future. She had every reason to believe this would be the company she’d retire from.

Then came 2020—the year that reshaped lives across the world. Just three months in, Sue learned her company was being acquired. While not uncommon in her field, it caught her completely off guard. The career she had planned to end with dignity and stability was suddenly in question, and with it, her financial future.

How SJS Helped: Reassurance and a Thoughtful Transition Plan

Thankfully, Sue had been a client of SJS for a year by the time this news broke. She knew she had a team in her corner that understood her goals and could guide her through a difficult pivot.

We immediately stepped in with a plan. By integrating the details of her severance package into her financial plan and modeling several “what’s next” scenarios, we gave Sue the confidence to pause, take a breath, and not rush into her next move. During her non-compete period, we adjusted her investment strategy and showed her how she could maintain her lifestyle while she explored her options.

The Outcome: Clarity, Confidence, and a Sense of Family

The uncertainty of job loss was real—but so was the peace of mind that came from having SJS in her corner. Sue said the level of care and personal attention felt like family helping her through a trying time. With a solid financial foundation in place, she was able to focus on what she truly wanted next, knowing her future remained secure.