FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who do you typically work with?
Many of our clients are accomplished professionals, business owners, and retirees who want their money to work as hard as they do – for today, tomorrow, and their legacy.
While we don’t set strict income or net worth equirements, we do hold a high standard. We work best with people who are serious about building and protecting wealth. Our clients are committed to growth, make intentional financial choices, and value having a trusted team that helps them make decisions based on facts, not opinions.
What exactly do you do as a financial advisor?
We help clients make sense of every part of their financial lives -from saving and investing to retirement income, tax planning, insurance, real estate*, debt, business decisions, and legacy goals.
What sets us apart is our focus on education: when you understand how money truly works, that knowledge becomes one of your greatest assets. With clarity comes smarter decisions, and with the right strategies in place, you can grow wealth, keep more of what you earn, protect your family, and approach the future with confidence.
Put simply, we help you make smart money decisions so you can enjoy more freedom, security, and financial confidance for yourself and the people you love.
Why the Fitzgerald Group?
At the Fitzgerald Group, we believe financial planning should be more than products or quick fixes, it should be a coordinated process that touches every part of your financial life. Our focus is on helping you make smart, informed decisions that build wealth, reduce unnecessary taxes, protect your family, and create lasting confidence for the future.
Along the way, our work has been nationally recognized. Joseph Fitzgerald has been named by Forbes as one of the Top 50 Best-in-State Financial Security Professionals**, is a Lifetime Member of the Centurion Club*** (a distinction achieved by only a small fraction of advisors nationwide), and holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM (CFP®) designation, one of the most respected credentials in the profession.
But what matters most isn’t the accolades – it’s how we treat our clients. When you trust us with your family’s financial future, you’re welcomed as part of our client family. You can expect elite service, customized strategies, and the commitment that if we can’t help directly, we’ll connect you with the right specialists who can.
Our goal is to provide more than advice, we aim to deliver a life-changing planning experience that creates confidence today and a lasting impact for generations to come.
How do you get paid?
We believe in complete transparency. Depending on the type of work, compensation may come from fees, advisory management, or insurance products. You’ll always know how we’re paid before moving forward, no surprises.
As part of our process, we begin with an initial conversation at no cost. It’s an opportunity for us to understand your goals, and for you to see how we work, before deciding if it makes sense to move forward together.
What’s the process if I decide to work with you?
This process is designed to take something complex and make it clear, actionable, and adaptable so you can move forward with confidence knowing every area of your financial life is working together.
Do I need a certain amount of money to work with you?
No. We don’t set minimum balances, but we do set high standards. What matters most is not how much you have, but how much you care.
We work with people who value their financial future, want to make informed decisions, and see planning as a responsibility to themselves and their families. Some clients are early in their journey, others already have significant wealth, but all share the same mindset: they take their future seriously.
If quick fixes or short-term thinking are what you’re after, we’re not the right fit. But if you’re ready to build clarity, confidence, and long-term success, then we’re ready to serve you with our complete commitment and the full resources of our team.
How do you communicate and stay in touch?
We check in regularly and are available between meetings for questions. Many clients meet with us annually or semi-annually, but we also adapt to life events as they happen. Meetings can be in person or virtual, whichever works best for you.
What happens if life changes?
Life doesn’t stand still. Whether you’re changing jobs, buying a home, raising kids, or entering retirement, we update your plan so it keeps working for you, no matter what stage you’re in.
What should I bring to an initial consultation?
You don’t need to bring anything to the first meeting. What’s most important is having an open conversation about your goals, values, and what you’d like to accomplish. If you have recent account statements or a general outline of your finances, that can be helpful, but it’s not required. The purpose of the first conversation is simply to get to know one another and confirm there’s a good fit.
Are you an independent financial advisor, or are you tied to a specific company?
The Fitzgerald Group is your team of Financial Advisors a boutique practice focused on personalized planning and long-term strategy. We operate under the umbrella of Northeast Financial Network (NEFN). This gives you the best of both worlds: the close,
customized experience of a small team, supported by the resources and stability of a large, established network.
Here’s how it all fits together:
- The Fitzgerald Group is your dedicated team and main point of contact. We design your plan, guide decisions, and help keep you moving toward your goals.
- Northeast Financial Network (NEFN) provides the operational support, compliance oversight, and infrastructure that let us focus fully on serving you.
- Park Avenue Securities (PAS) is our broker-dealer and advisory platform, ensuring investments are offered and managed within strict SEC and FINRA standards.
- Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, PAS’s parent company, is a 160-year-old mutual insurer with top-tier financial strength ratings across all major agencies. Our partnership with Guardian gives us the support and stability of one of the industry’s most respected companies. Yet we are not limited to Guardian alone, we have access to solutions from numerous other leading carriers, allowing us to design strategies around your unique needs rather than a single company’s offerings.
- Pershing, a subsidiary of BNY Mellon, safeguards your investment accounts as custodian, handling custody, trade execution, statements, and tax documents.
In short: You get the personal connection of a boutique advisory team, with the confidence that comes from being supported by some of the largest and most established financial institutions in the world.
