Longevity Capital: 2025 5-Star Wealth Management Team

Andy Burt  00:00:10 

In a field dominated by big names and templated strategies, it's the boutique firms quietly delivering clarity, independence and a deep personal counsel that are often driving the most lasting impact. This year, one such firm based in Southern California is earning national attention, Longevity Capital Management led by veteran advisor with over 35 years of experience, Terri McGray. Terri, congratulations on being named a 5-Star Wealth Management Team for 2025. 

Terri McGray  00:00:44 

Thank you, Andy. 

Andy Burt  00:00:46 

Your firm operates outside of the wire house model by design. Let's start with your journey. 

Terri McGray  00:00:53 

Well, we appreciate the recognition and thank you for the time. We chose to operate independently because we believe in putting our clients interest above all else, without product sales and without corporate agendas, and we really wanted the freedom to design custom, holistic financial plans that truly addresses our clients unique situation, rather than a generic turns turnkey kind of plan we understand the complex issues related to retirement. We call ourselves the retire rate company, because everything we do centers around retirement. So being independent really aligns our focus and translates into tangible advantages for our clients, including transparent advice, custom managed strategies and a team who thinks like owners, not employees. So at the end of the day, we're focused on optimizing retirement and making sure our clients have checked all the boxes before they forfeit their paychecks indefinitely. And I think what aligns us best as an independent firm is that it allows us to sit on the same side of the table as our clients without corporate noise, just dedicated stewardship. 

Andy Burt  00:02:09 

Terri, your firm has operated independently from day one. What motivated that decision and what advantages has it created for your clients? 

Terri McGray  00:02:19 

Well, I started in the business back in the late 80s, when the world of finance was very different, especially, I think, for female advisors. In fact, we weren't even called advisors. Back in those days. We were called stock brokers. So I've seen an evolution in the financial planning arena, in investments and advice, and I'm very excited to be along in this journey and have evolved our practice, of course, to today's more modern world, where clients are demanding and deserve far more complex solutions and dedicated support. 

Andy Burt  00:02:55 

Terri, thank you. Your pass framework, plan, analyze, strategize, strengthen, has become a core differentiator. Where did that structure come from? And what kinds of clients respond best to it? 

Terri McGray  00:03:12 

The pass framework itself was born from a gap in the marketplace. I saw a problem. People need confidence, transitioning into retirement, and these days, the onus is on us to turn a 401, K or our retirement savings into an income that lasts the rest of our lives. And people are rightfully so worried about running out of money. After all, you retire, your needs typically change from wealth accumulation to income generation. And let's face it, most people just don't have experience with that. And when you consider all the many risks we face in retirement, inflation, market risk, longevity risk, taxes, health care risks and so much more, there's a lot at stake, one mistake, one error in calculations, one misstep with assumptions, and it can cause a wave of implications. For example, consider taxes, one simple sell decision can spread through your finances, impacting not just your taxes today, but your Medicare premiums in a couple of years, and potentially your cash flow for years to come. So these days, we've got to really dial it in, right? And most people have assets spread all over. They've got a joint account. Maybe their spouse has a 401 K, they have a 401 K, they inherit an IRA. Their spouse has an IRA and maybe have a 401, K with an ex employer or two. So it sort of reminds me of a puzzle where you have all these pieces and you just sort of accumulate this stuff over your working lifetime, and then when you're ready to retire, you dump all the pieces on the table like a puzzle, and somehow you're supposed to put them together. Together and make sense of what your retirement picture is going to look like. But of course, before you make that transition into your retirement, you want to make sure you have all the pieces you need, and that the picture you create, once you put it all together, is the one you want you don't want missing pieces. Ultimately, we built PASS plan, analyze, strategize and strengthen that reflects how we work. We build the foundation first based on what's important to our clients, then we dig deep into every detail, every design, which is done with intention, with strategies specific to their retirement. But we don't stop there way then worked to continuously strengthen their retirement over time, because, of course, things change, tax laws, the economy, their needs. So pass is not just a process, it's really a mindset. So those who respond best to pass tend to be analytical. They tend to be disciplined, and perhaps most of all, they're looking for structure. Our clients want customization, and they want depth. They don't want to be sold a product or put into some generic model for investing. They want precision. They want smart strategies, and they want good stewardship. So that's path. 

Andy Burt  00:06:25 

Terri, thank you for explaining that for us now. You work closely with professionals CPAs and women in transition groups that often face complex, layered financial decisions. What do you think most advisors miss when serving these kinds of clients? 

Terri McGray  00:06:45 

Let's be honest, accountants are wired for precision. They want everything to add up, and they expect the same from their advisors. So we know CPAs want the logic and the math behind the strategy, and that's where pass comes in, because that's where we do the heavy lifting before anyone becomes a client. In fact, we build out a holistic financial plan. That's really what pass is. And with CPAs, it's not just about being thorough, it's about showing respect for how they think. And it works both ways. Pass gives accountants the confidence that they're working with a firm who meets them at their level, and it gives us the opportunity to make sure this is the right fit before we get a formal engagement. Now, when it comes to women, well, I've spent my entire career working with them and being one myself. I think I understand the nuances that many advisors might miss. So pass isn't just a framework. It's how we demonstrate our care and respect before we ever ask for your business. And it works well with women, because they want time to fully understand their options, without pressure and without industry jargon. They want someone who listens, communicates clearly and moves at their pace. Pass creates that space. It gives them the what, the why and the how behind our stewardship and we don't push we really work hard to earn trust through the pass process. As for professionals, they're stretched thin. They're traveling managing teams. They're in meetings. So what they need is a partner who stays at least one step ahead for them. They want someone who proactively reaches out to prompt them to do a Roth conversion, for example, or to to nudge them to update their estate plan. Basically, they want a partner who helps keep their financial life on track without being asked. So when they work with us, they know we're not going to sit around waiting for them to call us. We're going to reach out to them with ideas, answers and accountability. 

Andy Burt  00:08:56 

Terri, thank you. You've been in this industry for over 35 years. How is your view of retirement planning changed over that time, especially given today's longer lifespans and shifting economic pressures? 

Terri McGray  00:09:11 

Yeah, I've not just seen changes in my career, but revolution really. Back when I started in the business, in the late 1980s people didn't have 401 Ks, they had pensions. We didn't have the internet, so the only way you could buy or sell stock was through a broker. And in those days, we didn't live past the age of 75 on average, so retirement didn't require much planning. But today, well, first of all, technology is moving so fast, and so too are the global capital markets, which brings a lot more opportunities, but of course, far more risk than we used to have. And the fastest growing segment of our population is the nonagenarians, those in their 90s. And since most of us these days don't have a pension, we're largely on our own when it comes to. Supporting income in retirement. So when you compound the numbers take inflation, for example, over 25 or 30 years, that's a long time to live off of your savings, and a lot can happen with the markets, with taxes, with your health. And so inflation alone will cut the value the buying power of your money in half about every 20 years. So clearly, planning wisely can make the difference between living independently and with dignity versus becoming dependent on your kids, or worse. The government, when I started in the business, they described retirement as a three legged stool with Social Security, your pension, and a little savings, and each leg represented an important component of your retirement. But two out of those three legs aren't as reliable anymore, and in fact, they don't represent the guaranteed income that our parents or grandparents had. That means that we've are more on your own. And in fact, when you think about it, private pensions failed back in the 1970s largely because of miscalculations, errors and assumptions. They underestimated life expectancies and overestimated rate of return assumptions. That was back in the days when we had stagflation. So that's exactly why I think pass is so critical. The stakes are just too high, and it's largely because of longevity risk. We're not talking about 10 years of retirement anymore. We're talking potentially 30 years. And believe me, you don't want to count pennies or live with financial stress for 30 years I'm reminded of the news recently. You may have heard something that was reported not too long ago, a 106 year old woman, I think her name was creorda, bigger staff, I believe in she was based out of Texas, and she said she flies twice a year to Florida to visit her daughter. But apparently the airport computers don't recognize ages past 100 so she gets detained every time she travels 106 and still traveling. Imagine that it's definitely a different world. And also, I don't know if you remember, but a few years ago, Dorothy Hoffner from Chicago, at 103 she went skydiving, and that wasn't her first time. The first time she jumped, she was 100 so yes, the idea of longevity is becoming very real, and frankly, it's exciting. I think it's a gift, really, but it's also all the more reason why meticulous planning is no longer an option. 

Andy Burt  00:12:39 

Terri, thank you. Your approach includes a strong emphasis on education, everything from on site sessions to interactive webinars. Why is that a priority for you? And how does it show up in the client experience? 

Terri McGray  00:12:55 

You know, I wish we taught financial literacy in schools. It's starting to gain some traction, which is encouraging. Years ago, I went to my daughter's Middle School to speak with her, with the students on Career Day, and I couldn't believe it, my room had standing room only. These kids genuinely wanted to learn about investing, and that's tremendous progress, but it's still not enough, and that's why education is the cornerstone of our practice. It always has been. You know, most people understand that the transition to retirement is a big step, of course, but what they don't fully grasp is the gravity of the decisions they have to make, or, again, how the all those pieces of the puzzle fit together. Above all, they don't realize the finality of many of those decisions, like when you file for Social Security or maybe sell an investment and trigger a capital gain, some of these decisions are irrevocable, so you only get one chance to get it right, and that's why our webinars and our educational contact really aren't designed to make you an expert, but they are designed to help you understand the why, if you don't understand the challenges you're facing, or what your options are, or why one decision might be better than another, obviously it's very difficult to have confidence in your retirement. So pass is by design, a layered process aimed to specifically target the many complex and critical financial considerations you may have when you retire. We think an educated client is not just better equipped, but they're better able to walk with us through this process. They get it, they see it. The proof is in the analysis and the data. And frankly, in our experience, an educated client is a client for life, which is what we seek to build here. 

Andy Burt  00:14:48 

Terri, wonderful answer. And finally, when you're not working on a retirement plan or digging into tax strategy, you're in the kitchen on a flight. And at your hobby farm. How do each of these passions influence how you show up for your clients? 

Terri McGray  00:15:08 

Well, I've been fortunate to travel the world and spend time in places where the daily life looks nothing like it does here. I've done charitable work in remote villages and underserved communities, and I'll admit these experiences have deeply humbled me, and they're they've certainly influenced how I see money in many parts of the world, money is simply a tool. It enables clean water or maybe a roof that doesn't leak, but But here in the United States, money carries a different weight. It's about independence. It's about choices and freedom. Lack of money here may not create hardship in the way it might in other parts of the world, but it can really strip away your dignity, for instance, to not be able to afford the prescription drugs that you need, or to be able to visit your grandchildren because you don't have a reliable car. True Money doesn't buy happiness, but in my experience, lack of money typically leads to a harder life. So I understand what's at stake for our clients, and I'm truly honored to be a steward of their wealth. It is important, and yes, I also spend a lot of time on my hobby farm. I love my chickens and my ducks and my garden, and I have learned the hard way. I think, as many gardeners have, if you want a good harvest, planting isn't enough. You have to give it a lot of love. You have to weed the garden, and you have to stay consistent. And I think the same is true with an investment portfolio. I see a lot of people who plant the seeds, so to speak, but they forget to pull their weeds. So when we do the portfolio analysis, which is a part of the past process, that's one of the first things we do. We identify the weeds, because they can choke out your harvest. Now, when I'm cooking or baking bread, for example, I'm reminded that great results come from quality ingredients, just like I believe a successful retirement starts with a high caliber financial plan. So that's exactly how we show up for our clients here at longevity Capital Management, humbled but intentional, committed to doing the hard work and ready to honor what matters most to them. 

Andy Burt  00:17:12 

Terri, thank you so much for sharing your time, your insights and the values that guide your work. It is clear that longevity capital management isn't just about managing wealth, it's about building clarity and confidence for the long run. Thank you so much. 

Terri McGray  00:17:30 

Thank you, Andy. Appreciate all the recognition and the time and support for our process. 

Andy Burt  00:17:38 

And thank you so much for watching Investment News TV.