Frequently Asked Questions

Tide Creek Financial Group is a collection of financial advisors operating under the umbrella of Mass Mutual Life Investor Services (MMLIS).  We blend the personal touches of a small group with the financial strength, resources, and compliance oversight that you'd expect from a company as reputable as Mass Mutual.  Our team has 20 years of industry experience, maintains all the investment and insurance licenses, and collectively hold various industry designations.  Learn more about our story here

Our philosophy is that financial planning should be approached from a holistic perspective. Our team creates and maintains a financial plan to guide you and your financial behaviors towards your goals. Our goal is to help you navigate financial decisions with confidence and achieve the best financial outcome.  Learn more about our beliefs here.

Financial planning is right for you if you do not have the time or interest to research financial information and are looking to accelerate your financial success. At Tide Creek, our team creates and manages a custom financial plan for your goals, and coaches you along the way. Tide Creek is for those looking to get financially organized, create, and implement a sensible strategy, then maintain an on-going relationship to ensure their products and strategies continue to meet their needs.

On the other hand, you may be a do-it-yourself person who possesses both the financial IQ and emotional discipline to manage your own budget, investments, and decision-making. In which case, financial planning might not be necessary for you—though there might still be some benefits.

Our fee for planning and advice is based on the complexity of your situation. Before entering into a financial planning engagement with us, we will quote you a fee. 

We are compensated in a variety of ways, depending on the products and services you choose to purchase from us.  The three ways we earn income are as follows:

1. Fee for planning services and advice*
2. Fee for investment advisory services/asset management*
3. Commissions for the sale of financial products

The sources listed above are not mutually exclusive and many of our clients engage us for multiple services, resulting in multiple compensation arrangements.  

Having said that, financial planning is about generating better outcomes—not just better outputs. The correct application of the right product, in the right way, at the right time, is an essential step in the long-term process of achieving those desired outcomes. 

We have the freedom and flexibility to access multiple insurance carriers and investment managers, ensuring that the plan you implement is the plan that is right for you. 

^{Please note that the recommendations within the financial plans that we create are not exclusive to our firm and that clients who engage us in a financial planning relationship are under absolutely no obligation to purchase financial products from us or hire us to manage their investments as a result of our planning engagement.} 

In short, no.  Our firm has access to a wide array of investments and insurance products, offered through some of the industry's biggest names.  We have the freedom and flexibility to use the investment or insurance product that best-fits a given situation and base our recommendations on what is best for our clients, not our company.  

First and foremost, we believe investments are just one of many financial tools to achieve your goals. When it comes to investments, we believe that no one has the ability to predict the future or consistently “beat the market”. There is a significant amount of independent research that supports this position.

Instead of trying to beat the market or keep pace with an arbitrary index, we match your investment strategies to your financial plan’s requirements. We encourage a widely diversified portfolio of investments in equities, fixed-income instruments, cash, and—when appropriate—insurance products. We discourage making investment decisions based on media, rumors, and co-worker predictions.

Finally, we believe it is essential to stick to your plan and asset allocation—even when it may be unpleasant.

Our clients are not united by age, geography or objective.  Instead, they are a diverse mix of individuals, families, and businesses, with the common desire for comprehensive advice and an on-going relationship.   Many are near-retirees and retirees who are looking to recreate income, preserve assets, and/or plan their estates. Others are younger individuals who are focused on building wealth for the future and protecting their families.  Some are business owners who are looking to integrate their business and personal financial planning, offer their employees a quality suite of benefits, and eventually exit the business.  They are from all walks of life and want to plan for the long-term.  They are not seeking unrealistic investment returns or try to jump in and out of the market based on what they hear on the news.,