Why Working with a Virtual Financial Advisor is the Smartest Choice for High-Net-Worth Women and Couples
In today’s digital world, nearly everything from grocery shopping to doctor appointments can be done online. So why not financial advising?
Spoiler: It can—and we’re willing to bet it might actually be a better fit for your financial goals.
Once upon a time, meeting your financial advisor meant driving into an urban high-rise, paying for parking, checking in with a receptionist who offered you hours-old coffee, then sitting across a mahogany desk staring at a suit over piles of paper. It might have felt prestigious—but it’s also inconvenient. That’s why more and more investors are opting for virtual relationships with trusted advisors.
At Hendershott Wealth Management, we help high-net-worth women and couples build, protect, and grow their wealth through personalized, evidence-based strategies–and we do it all virtually.
In this article, we’re going to talk about why that matters.
Prefer to listen? This article is based on episode 278 of the Love, your Money® podcast:
5 Reasons Hiring a Virtual Financial Advisor Might Be Your Smartest Money Move
The Advantages of Working with a Virtual Financial Advisor
Let’s get right into it: What makes working with a virtual advisor better for your financial future?
1. Cost-effective financial planning without sacrificing quality
Traditional financial firms in major cities often come with high costs. Think about it: That deluxe office space isn’t free. The overhead costs they have to pay to rent and maintain those high rises can get passed on to clients in the form of higher fees.
At HWM, our virtual operations keep our overhead low, and it doesn’t mean sacrificing quality. In fact, because our team isn’t limited geographically, we can hire top-tier financial advisors regardless of which state they call home.
When it comes to our clients, we are also able to work with a diverse range of people across the country, which means our advisory team gains experience from a variety of financial situations and locations. As a result, our advisors are better equipped to provide customized financial guidance that adapts to your needs at different stages in life.
Not only is our experience more vast, but virtual advising elevates the service we’re able to offer because it allows for more frequent check-ins. You’re not waiting for your next in-person appointment to hear from us.
If you have a question about changes to a tax provision, want advice about family estate planning, or need a calm and reassuring voice in the midst of uncertain markets, we’re just an email or phone call away!
As part of our commitment to service, we pride ourselves in being proactive about communication and support. We work hard to get to know our clients so that we’re able to anticipate their needs, and reach out to them with solutions before they come to us with problems.
Our top priority is our clients–not watering plants or filing paperwork in an office–and the advisory team’s digital focus means we’re able to respond to client emails or calls most often within a business day.
Worth noting before we wrap this point up is the fact that unlike many advisors who are tied to local banks or insurance companies, we are fee-only fiduciaries. That means we work solely in your best interest, with no commissions or hidden costs. Our advice is always transparent, unbiased, and aligned with your financial goals. This isn’t true of all virtual advisors, but it is for your advisors at Hendershott Wealth.
Learn more about how financial advisors get paid, and why we’re proud to be a firm of fee-only fiduciary CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals:
Fee-Only Financial Advisors: Do You Need Fee-Only or Fee-Based?
2. Flexible scheduling and hassle-free communication
Time is one of our most valuable assets as humans, and we want you to be able to spend yours wisely.
As a virtual financial advisory team, scheduling (or rescheduling!) a meeting with us is as easy as clicking a link. You can say good-bye to back-and-forth emails or waiting on hold (especially if you have a strong aversion to phone calls), and when it’s time for a meeting, you don’t have to waste time commuting in traffic or getting stuck at those pesky red lights.
Whether you’re at home, traveling, or splitting time between residences, you can meet with your advisor from the comfort of your own space–drink-of-choice in hand, slippers on, and no parking stress.
And when that pressing question about your money wakes you in the middle of the night? You can hit send on that email without waiting until business hours the next day. (Though when you work with us, we like to think you’ll be sleeping much more soundly at night because you’ll be confident your portfolio is built to achieve all of your goals and weather every market cycle!)
3. Enhanced security and a paperless office
Running a virtual office means data security is of utmost priority. As a tech-forward, process-driven firm, we’re paperless, and all personal and/or sensitive information is stored securely, encrypted, and accessible only to you and your advisory team.
There are no files piling up on a desk, no papers sitting in a to-be-shredded bin, and no chance of misplaced documents—just strategically-designed storage and sharing systems built with security in mind. This minimizes the risk of identity theft, unauthorized access, or lost paperwork, giving you peace of mind and a streamlined experience.
4. Continuity in your financial plan, no matter where life takes you
We’ve worked with many clients who have relocated—for a new job, retirement, or simply a change of scenery–but thanks to our firm’s location-independence, their financial planning doesn’t miss a beat.
If you’ve ever had to start over with a new financial planner, you know that kind of continuity is invaluable.
We already know your financial history, your goals, and your long-term plans; there’s no need to start fresh with a new advisor just because you’ve moved to a different state. Likewise, we’ve had advisors on our team relocate, but our business processes and client relationships continue uninterrupted.
Our goal is to be the last financial advisor you ever meet with, which means when you choose us, we choose you right back. We get to know each client’s goals and evolve with them as their lives change. We are stable, have continuity built into your care, and have chosen to grow our practice very intentionally; we only take on clients with whom we can see a lifelong partnership.
Thanks to our virtual advising model, that long-term commitment doesn’t rely on zip codes or time zones.
5. Meaningful relationships built on trust
We often say that trust is the most valuable asset we manage, and the long-standing relationships we build with clients are key to building that trust.
That said, one of the most common misconceptions about virtual advising is that it lacks the personal touch of in-person meetings. But the truth is simple: In over a decade of running Hendershott Wealth Management, we’ve found that many clients experience even deeper relationships through our virtual approach–because meaningful connection isn’t built by being in the same room.
Trust and connection are built through communication, consistency, and genuine caring–not geography.
Meeting with your advisor online means connecting from the comfort of your own space. In our experience, that allows our clients to slow down and really focus on their financial goals, so they can clearly communicate what matters most to them.
And it gives us, their advisory team, the ability to focus on helping them use their money as a tool to achieve those goals.
The accessibility and flexibility we’re able to offer clients alongside that communication, consistency, and caring directly contributes to our client retention rate–which we’re proud to say is 94% over the last five years.
The bottom line when it comes to working with a financial advisor
Nine times out of ten when we engage with a potential client and ask about their experience with past financial advisors, they describe a level of mistrust, stemming from their expectation of what they should get vs. what they actually get.
At HWM, we’re a team of CFP® professionals who really care about our clients, so it makes us sad to hear stories of advisors who got rich at the cost of their clients or relationships that have gone awry–and if you’re in that category, we’re sorry for your experience!
So at the risk of sounding corny, here’s what we can promise you:
It is possible to find a financial advisor who you deeply trust, who is transparent with you every time, who shows up when they say they’re going to show up, who does the work they say they’re going to do, and who delivers what they say they’re going to deliver.
And, when you choose a financial advisory firm set up to work virtually, you can do it from wherever you are.
The Future of Financial Advising is Virtual–In Fact, It’s Already Here
Managing your wealth shouldn’t be stressful, inconvenient, or tied to outdated traditions.
With greater convenience, lower costs, and access to top-tier advisors–regardless of location–hiring a virtual financial advisor offers a more efficient, flexible, and secure way to manage your money.
If you’re ready to experience the benefits of working with a virtual financial advisor, we’d love to connect!
Schedule a call with the Hendershott Wealth Management team today and let us build a life-long financial strategy tailored to your needs, goals, and lifestyle, so you can enjoy your money today and feel confident that it will take care of you well into your future.
Your 20-minute initial call gives us the opportunity to learn a little about you, understand why you’re reaching out to a financial advisor now, and gain a high-level summary of your current financial picture and goals. During this call we ensure your financial needs match our services and expertise.
All three steps in our initial series of meetings are complimentary.
We invest in you to maximize the chances of building a valuable
partnership. If at any point in the process we feel we’re not the right
fit for you, we promise to let you know with tact and transparency.
