For Those Who've Built Something Significant—And Want to Work to Protect It

I've always been drawn to complexity.

Early in my career, I found myself in unexpected places: negotiating with ethnic Burmese tribal leaders in the jungles of Northern Thailand, coordinating a 30,000-person Earth Day event in Japan, managing the release of an American teenager held against her will in a foreign country. 

These experiences taught me something critical: the best solutions emerge when you can hold multiple variables in your mind simultaneously, see patterns others miss, and remain calm when everyone else is panicking. 

When other financial advisors tell you your situation is "too complicated," that's exactly when you should call me. 

Complex is where I live. It's where I've always thrived. 

WHY I BUILT A PRACTICE FOR PRIVATE CLIENTS 

Before I became a financial advisor, I spent over a decade as a management consultant specializing in turnarounds and operational problem-solving. 

I walked into failing businesses—companies with revenues up to $50 million—and was given a simple directive: "Figure out what's broken. Fix it." 

Over those years, I: 
• Evaluated and solved profitability issues for over 200 companies 
• Developed operational turnarounds for 116 businesses 
• Reorganized 253 companies 
• Performed corporate seizures, valuations, and strategic restructurings 
• Installed 28 sales and marketing programs from scratch 
• Worked with everyone from Burger King franchises to Nobel Peace Prize winners

I learned to diagnose problems others couldn't see, ask questions nobody thought to ask, and engineer solutions that actually worked in the real world—not just on paper. 

But here's what that experience really taught me: **Complexity isn't the problem. Complexity without a system is the problem.** 

When I transitioned to financial advising in the mid-2000s, I brought that same forensic, systems-thinking approach. And I quickly realized that the clients who needed me most were the ones everyone else found "too difficult": 

  • Business owners preparing to sell companies they'd built from nothing.
  • Executives managing sudden liquidity events and facing seven-figure tax bills .
  • Families with multiple trusts, real estate holdings, and entities across states.
  • Retirees with 14 different accounts accumulated over decades.
  • Multi-generational wealth situations where nobody could explain the "why" behind the structure.

These aren't obstacles to me. They're exactly the kind of puzzles I'm wired to solve. 
That's why I created Private Client Services at Texas Retirement Planners—for accomplished individuals and families who've built significant wealth and need more than a portfolio manager. You need a wealth architect who can see the entire blueprint and coordinate every piece. 

 

 

WHO I SERVE 

Private Client Services is designed for families and individuals with: 
**$2 million+ in investable assets** (not including your primary residence).
**Complex financial situations** requiring sophisticated planning. 
**Multiple income streams** or entities (businesses, trusts, real estate). 
**Significant tax planning needs** beyond standard W-2 situations. 
**Multi-generational wealth transfer** objectives. 
**Business transitions** or liquidity events on the horizon.

I intentionally keep the number of private client relationships limited. You benefit from personalized guidance that goes beyond quarterly portfolio reviews. When I know your complete financial picture, I'm better positioned to help you recognize opportunities you might not have considered.. 

THE PRIVATE CLIENT DIFFERENCE 

Most wealth management is transactional: "Here's your portfolio. Call us if you need something." 
That's not what you need when your financial life is genuinely complex. 
You need someone who: 

  • Can translate sophisticated strategies into plain language.
  • Proactively identifies planning opportunities before they expire.
  • Monitors evolving tax laws and works with you to adapt your wealth strategy accordingly with your tax professionals.
  • Coordinates with your CPA, estate attorney, and insurance professionals.
  • Actually enjoys untangling the complicated situations that make other advisors uncomfortable.

That's what Private Client Services provides. 

A STORY THAT CAPTURES MY APPROACH 

A few years ago, a business owner was referred to me by his attorney. He'd built a manufacturing company over 25 years, and someone offered to buy his business. 

He'd already talked to three financial advisors and two CPAs. Everyone gave him the same advice: "Sell the business, pay the capital gains tax, invest the proceeds." 

The projected tax bill was huge. 
Something bothered me about that answer. It felt like everyone was treating this as a standard transaction when nothing about his situation was standard. 

I spent two weeks doing a detailed analysis: 

  • Reviewed the company's P&L’s for the past 4 years.
  • Examined his entire financial inventory (not just the business balance sheet).
  • Spoke to his CPA and attorney (with permission).
  • Researched the buyer's structure and motivations.
  • Explored alternative sale structures that may not be customarily considered.

I discovered several things: 
1. He had significant low-basis assets outside the business that could be contributed to a Charitable Remainder Trust. 
2. The buyer was actually open to an installment sale structure that would spread his tax burden over multiple years.
3. His existing estate plan was creating unnecessary tax exposure for his children. 
4. He had life insurance policies that were no longer needed and could be repositioned. 
5. His wife had substantial retirement accounts that weren't being tax-optimized.

With his team of tax professionals, we restructured the entire transaction.

The result was a new outlook for my new client.  That's the Private Client Experience. 

COMPREHENSIVE PRIVATE CLIENT SERVICES 

**Wealth Architecture & Tax Strategy** 
Rather than viewing accounts in isolation, we consider your broader financial situation.  We examine your investments, taxes, estate planning, insurance, philanthropy, and business interests, all in relation with your life goals and objectives. 

**Business Exit & Transition Planning** 
Whether you're selling a company, transitioning to the next generation, or managing a sudden liquidity event, we help you structure the exit to minimize taxes with a tax professional, maximize proceeds, and position wealth for the next chapter. 

**Retirement Income Engineering** 
Creating sustainable income from significant wealth requires more than portfolio withdrawals. We design multi-source income strategies that provide security, minimize taxes with a tax professional, and preserve wealth across generations. 

**Multi-Generational Legacy Planning** 
Your wealth represents more than money—it's your life's work and your family's future. We coordinate with your estate attorney to structure wealth transfers that minimize estate taxes, protect assets, and instill your values in the next generation. 

**Private Family CFO Services** 
For families with complex financial lives, we serve as your outsourced Chief Financial Officer—coordinating with your CPA, attorney, and other professionals to work to ensure seamless execution and proactive planning. 

**Investment Management with Institutional Rigor** 
We build diversified portfolios using institutional-class investments, tactical allocation, with continuous risk management—without conflicts of interest. 

**Philanthropic Strategy & Impact** 
Strategic philanthropy isn't just writing checks—it's creating lasting impact while maximizing tax benefits and instilling values in your family. We help you structure giving that reflects your purpose as a family office. 

MY APPROACH: COMPLEXITY AS ADVANTAGE 

Most advisors try to simplify your situation. I actually try to understand it first. 

MY CREDENTIALS & COMMITMENT 

• CFP®
• CPWA® 
• AIF®
• Five Star Wealth Manager (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)* 
• 15+ years serving affluent families and business owners.
• Over 9,000 individuals guided through retirement planning.
• Former management consultant who analyzed over 500 privately held companies with revenues up to $50 million.

I built my practice on a foundation of rich experiences, unconventional thinking, and genuine connections. I remember your milestones, celebrate your successes, and stay engaged during the times that matter most. 

WHY INDEPENDENCE MATTERS 

I'm an independent advisor, which means: 

I'm not employed by a bank, insurance company, or wirehouse. 

  • I don't have sales quotas or proprietary products to sell.
  • I choose from the entire universe of investment and planning solutions.
  • My only loyalty is to you and your family's long-term success.

This independence allows me to deliver unconflicted advice and build planning strategies around what's actually makes sense for you and your situation—not what's best for my firm's bottom line.

PRIVATE CLIENT SERVICES IS SELECTIVE BY DESIGN 

I don't work with everyone. Not because of net worth requirements (though there are minimums), but because the relationship matters. 
Private Client Services works best when: 

  • You value ongoing advice over one-time transactions.
  • You're willing to share complete financial transparency (I can't plan around what I don't know).
  • You're open to challenging assumptions and exploring new approaches.
  • You want a long-term relationship, not just an annual portfolio review.
  • You appreciate straight talk over sales presentations.

If that resonates with you, let's begin a conversation. 

YOUR INVITATION 

I offer a complimentary, confidential initial consultation where we'll: 

  • Discuss your current financial situation and future objectives.
  • Explore the specific challenges and opportunities you're facing.
  • Explain how Private Client Services works.
  • Determine if our relationship would be suitable fit for both of us.
  • Teach you something new.

Schedule time with me today using the link below: 

Book a Private Client Appointment

 

 

**OUR PROMISE** 
To work to provide clarity, discretion, and continuity for your family's financial life—across generations. 

*Disclosures:

A distribution from a Roth IRA is tax-free and penalty-free provided that the five-year aging requirement has been satisfied and one of the following conditions is met: age 59 1/2, death, disability. 


Information provided should not be considered as tax advice from GWN Securities, Inc. or it's representatives. Please consult with your tax professional. 

 

The "Five Star Wealth Manager" award is administered by Crescendo Business Services, LLC's dba Five Star Professional ("Five Star").  Richard Becker is not affiliated with Five Star. Five Star does not endorse Texas Retirement Planners, GWN Securities, Inc. or any of its representatives. Candidates must satisfy ten (10) objective Eligibility Criteria and Evaluation Criteria associated with work. Factors taken into account include assets under management and client retention rate. Candidates also undergo a thorough regulatory and complaint review. Consumer survey feedback is insignificant in the overall award selection process. After receiving the respective award, representatives have the option of paying a separate fee to Five Star in exchange for publication of this information. The fee is not a condition precedent to receiving the award.