Skip to content

How it works

Structure where it helps. Room where life happens.

A clear rhythm for decisions that rarely arrive alone. The relationship begins with a focused first year, then flexes with the questions, deadlines, and transitions life actually presents.

A single sailboat crossing dark open water

The Harbor process

Five steps from first question to ongoing clarity.

The beginning is structured enough to create momentum. The work that follows stays responsive to the decisions in front of you.

  1. 01

    Intro call

    A focused conversation about what is changing and whether Harbor looks useful.

  2. 02

    Fit & scope

    Receive a plain-language scope, fee, and outline of the first year.

  3. 03

    Discovery

    Organize documents, priorities, assumptions, and the questions beneath the numbers.

  4. 04

    Plan & decisions

    Work through the choices in sequence and create a practical action list.

  5. 05

    Ongoing advice

    Formal reviews and in-the-moment coordination keep the plan useful.

The first year

A deliberate cadence, without meeting for meeting’s sake.

Actual work follows the decisions and deadlines in the plan.

Orient

Months 1–2

Discovery, organization, assumptions, and the decisions that deserve attention first.

Decide

Months 2–4

Planning conversations, scenario comparisons, and a prioritized implementation map.

Implement

Months 4–8

Portfolio, tax, benefits, protection, and estate coordination.

Maintain

Months 8–12

Review what changed, update the plan, and establish the ongoing cadence.

Working together

A process should answer practical questions.

What the relationship looks like once the work begins.

How often do we meet?

New relationships often meet more frequently while the plan and implementation sequence are being established, then move to a deliberate review rhythm with access between meetings.

Who implements the recommendations?

Harbor creates and coordinates the action list. The client, custodian, tax professional, attorney, or benefits provider completes the steps that belong to them.

What changes after the first year?

The relationship becomes less about building the initial map and more about keeping it current when life, laws, markets, or priorities change.

A clear next step

A more useful first conversation starts with the real question.

A short, no-pressure conversation about what is changing, what feels unresolved, and whether Harbor is the right fit.

Book an intro call
How It Works | Harbor Advice