What this covers
You’ll know what to keep, what to change, and why, with a portfolio you can stick with through a rough market year and a plan that respects taxes and account rules.
You reached out because a job change or payout forces real decisions about where the money goes. Next, I’ll confirm what you own, what it costs, and what needs to change.
I start by mapping your accounts and holdings, then I pressure-test the current mix against your time horizon and risk tolerance. From there I build an allocation and rebalancing plan you can follow, including tax-aware moves for taxable versus retirement accounts and a clear checklist for what gets traded and what stays put.
About me
I’m Elena Pacheco, an investment advisor. I do portfolio work for people who already have accounts and funds in place, but need a grounded plan after a job change, a payout, or a big shift in savings. Most of my time goes into the unglamorous parts that move results: costs, taxes, and whether a portfolio matches the way you’ll actually react in a drawdown.
I don’t sell products, and I don’t hide the tradeoffs. I’ll put fees, taxes, and constraints on the table before you act, and I’ll tie each recommendation to a specific account and holding, not a model. If something you already own is suitable and efficient, I’ll say so and build around it, instead of forcing a clean-slate portfolio just to make the paperwork tidy.
Selected work
These are recent portfolio decisions I’ve guided, with the account rules, tax costs, and fund lineups spelled out before trades went in.
Portfolio
Job-change rollover plan. Reviewed an old 401(k) and a rollover IRA side by side, then set a target allocation and a fund lineup that reduced overlap. The client kept the positions that were already efficient and only traded where costs and fit were off.
Taxable account clean-up. Mapped a taxable brokerage account by tax lots and unrealized gains, then built a rebalancing path that avoided unnecessary realized gains. The plan used staged trades and cash-flow routing so the portfolio moved toward target without a one-day overhaul.
ETF lineup replacement. Compared an existing ETF and mutual fund lineup to lower-cost alternatives, then replaced only the pieces that were duplicative or expensive. The client ended with fewer moving parts and a rebalancing rule that didn’t depend on watching markets daily.
“Everything was tied to my accounts, and I knew the tax cost before trading.”
Software engineer, moving money after a job change
How I work
You’ll always know what I’m basing a recommendation on, what it changes, and what it costs in dollars, taxes, and complexity before anything gets implemented.
1. Risk and timeline Days 1-2 I’ll ask a focused set of questions about time horizon, income stability, cash needs, and what a bad year would feel like in real terms. You’ll leave this step with a plain-language risk target we can use to judge every holding you own. 2. Inventory everything Days 2-5 You’ll share statements or exports for your 401(k), IRA, and taxable account so I can list every holding, cost, and account type. I’ll flag anything that changes how we act, like concentrated positions, trading restrictions, or large unrealized gains in taxable. 3. Build the plan Week 2 I’ll review your current allocation and fund lineup against the risk target, then design a target allocation and rebalancing approach that fits your accounts. You’ll see where the plan uses taxable versus retirement accounts differently, and why, before we talk about specific trades. 4. Implement and check Weeks 3-4 I’ll walk you through the trade sequence and cash-flow routing so the changes happen in the right accounts, in the right order. If you prefer to place the trades yourself, I’ll give you the exact checklist and notes. After implementation, I’ll confirm the portfolio matches the target and the rebalancing rules are set.
What it costs
Pick the tier that matches how much you want me to handle during implementation. All three follow the same Days 1 to Weeks 4 process described above.
Priced items
Getting started
If you want me to take this on, the next steps are straightforward and you’ll know what I need from you.
1. Sign this proposal to book the engagement. 2. Pay the 30% booking invoice within 14 days. 3. Send your most recent statements so I can start the holdings inventory.
Signature
Fee summary
Payment
30% is due to book the work when you sign. The remaining 70% is due when the engagement is complete. Each invoice is payable within 14 days of its date.
Scope changes. If your accounts, constraints, or goals change while I’m building the plan, I’ll tell you what changes in the work before I do it. If it adds time, I’ll price the added work in writing first.
What I need from you. I’ll ask for recent statements or an up-to-date holdings export for each account, plus plan documents for any workplace plan you may roll over. If anything is missing, the schedule pauses until I have it.
Working with what you own. I start with what you already hold and the tax treatment in each account. If I recommend selling something, I’ll tie it to cost, diversification, risk, or taxes and note what changes if you keep it.
Taxes
I’ll build a tax-aware investment plan and flag expected tax impact before taxable sales. I don’t prepare or file tax returns, and you’re responsible for tax reporting and decisions with your tax preparer.
Market moves. Markets can drop right after changes. I’ll map what a 20% decline looks like in your target allocation and cash flow plan, and I’ll note what I would rebalance and what I would leave alone.
Custody and trading. Your accounts stay in your name at your custodian. Any trades or transfers happen only with your approval and access at that custodian. I can’t guarantee execution price, settlement timing, or fund company restrictions.
Completion. The engagement is complete when you have the plan plus the implementation checklist and trading notes, and I’ve done the final check after the trades and transfers you chose have settled or been confirmed.
