Wealth management encompasses a wide range of offerings – including financial planning, investment management and private banking services – catering to the special and specific needs of individuals. It’s an increasingly competitive business, and a great deal of finesse is required in order for a firm to stand out. One notable standout in the industry is Cahaba Wealth Management.
“Our mission is to help our clients build and preserve wealth by providing objective, fee-only advice,” Brian O’Neill, president of Cahaba Wealth Management, told The Suit. “All relationships begin with a carefully curated, long-term financial plan tailored to each individual based on goals, life cycle and objectives. We spend a great deal of time talking with and understanding clients. Investing is really just part of what we do.”

O’Neill began his noteworthy financial career in 1995 with Bank of America. A Certified Financial Planner, he founded Cahaba Wealth Management in 2009, with offices in Atlanta, GA and Birmingham, AL, wanting to provide customized financial planning, active risk management, bespoke investment services and retirement transitions for corporate executives, business owners and affluent individuals. The firm’s takes its name from Alabama’s storied Cahaba River, while its logo draws inspiration from the rare and protected Cahaba lily.

“My aim then, as it remains today, is to always have clients’ best interests at heart. When I started the firm, I wanted to create a company with a brand name that stands for preservation and longevity. As a financial planner, I go to clients with realistic cash flow projections to help them make the best strategic moves for their investments and retirement.”

O’Neill says the highly publicized scandals that rocked Wall Street over the last several years, along with the 2008 financial crisis, have benefited his firm. Indeed, more and more individuals have and are turning to fee-only planners. A key advantage of going the fee-only route is not having to worry that your planner is making a particular recommendation solely for the purpose of generating fees. Another distinct benefit is that you get a clearer idea of how much you are paying for advice.

Cahaba designs clear investment portfolios for its diversified client base, aimed at generating the best possible returns, while minimizing risk. It protects assets by monitoring risk and guarding against future inflation. “Our investment selection is very specific and driven by many factors. Once we have assembled a custom-made, diversified and balanced portfolio, we monitor economic and market data and make changes as warranted. Finances are a huge part of people’s lives yet many don’t know how to deal with their dollars. We give people a trustworthy place to go for unbiased financial advice,” O’Neill explained.

In addition to helping clients, O’Neill also helps to make positive social changes for the benefit of Atlanta. He is a passionate board member of Soccer in the Streets, a nonprofit conducting soccer clinics in urban and under-served communities.

For more information, visit: www.cahabawealth.com