I was born in Boise, Idaho, but our family later moved to California. I am the son and grandson of pastors, who greatly influenced my life. I am grateful for their spiritual legacy and the faith-based values my parents provided. I am an ordained minister of the Church of God Ministries, based in Anderson, Indiana, and am deeply involved in our local church.

In high school in Atwater, California, I balanced academics, church activities, being on the water polo team, and working summers on a farm. My parents encouraged me to explore my passion for computers, even helping me buy one of the earliest personal computers. I spent many hours learning about this new technology. I also founded a computer club at my high school.

After high school, I attended Biola University, a prominent Christian college in California. I majored in computer science with a minor in biblical studies. During college, I worked as a software developer for a small programming firm. I knew being a coder wasn’t my long-term goal and decided to pursue an MBA in finance at Cal State Fullerton. I planned to work as the director of marketing and finance for the programming firm, but the owner decided to join the ministry full-time and closed the company.

With my degree in finance, financial services was a logical next step. I started as a management trainee at a growing regional firm that provided investment and insurance products. I became a financial advisor and within two years was a branch manager. I left to become an insurance wholesaler, working closely with advisors at the firm I had left. Fortunately, I was able to keep many of my clients, who appreciated my personalized approach to their financial needs.

In 1995, an experienced advisor at the firm approached me about starting our own independent advisory firm. That partnership continues to this day under the name Alpha & Omega Financial Solutions. While we conduct our own practices, we share office space, collaborate, and act as business partners. We are part of Elite Financial Network, which provides support services for independent financial advisors, as well as opportunities to network with peers.

Kevin Gotts, co-founder of Alpha & Omega Financial Solutions, and Stephanie Gotts, financial advisor

Alpha & Omega Financial Solutions is a full-service financial-consulting firm dedicated to helping clients build, preserve, and distribute wealth. We are independent, so our loyalty lies solely with our clients.

I became a financial advisor mainly for the opportunity to help people improve their financial situation. For me, this work is an extension of my family’s ministry. That does not mean every client has to have faith-based values, but it does mean I approach every client relationship with respect, humility, and a genuine interest in their lives. I’ve been in practice since 1990 and, to me, it’s the greatest job in the world.

We educate clients to view money as simply a means to help them finance their values and aspirations. A core belief we share is, “We are made for more.” We believe people should strive to live their best lives. We see three supporting concepts for that philosophy: (1) People should have the ability to demonstrate generosity in their daily lives. (2) Their ultimate financial goal should be to live comfortably without needing to earn income at a job—what most people define as retirement. (3) They should be in a position to care for and interact meaningfully in the lives of their family—whether a spouse, children, grandchildren, or parents.

We use a structured financial-planning process that starts with discovery and establishing objectives. From there, we perform analysis and examine alternative scenarios before formulating recommendations and discussing the pros and cons with clients. Once we’ve developed an action plan, we follow up with periodic reviews and revise the plan as needed. Our goal is to create a sound financial program using appropriate strategies that are customized to suit each client’s vision and objectives.

This process addresses a variety of areas, including retirement income, Medicare and Social Security, tax management, educational funding, risk management, estate planning, and investments. We are always happy to collaborate with a client’s existing advisors, such as a lawyer or CPA, or recommend professional resources in our network as needed. We also work with small-business owners, whose business and personal financial needs are usually closely related.

There are a few aspects of our process that I think set us apart. For one, I don’t believe in presenting clients with a 100-page financial plan that ends up sitting on a shelf. Instead, we work with clients to set priorities and address the most critical issues first—what I call their “worry points.” We take things step by step, sometimes over months or even years, and focus on concise action plans that are easy to understand and provide clear direction.

Also, for many of our clients, the faith-based aspect of financial and investment planning is important. For those clients, we want to make sure their planning objectives and investments align with their spiritual values.

Finally, we strive to take financial planning to a higher level with what we call life planning. The focus is more on understanding who the client is and who they want to be than it is on money. The role of money is intertwined with the concepts of lifestyle, creativity, family, service, values, and other aspects of personal satisfaction. Life planning is a comprehensive process that looks at the big picture of a client’s life.

A client’s investment strategy is tailored to their risk profile, financial objectives, and time horizons. Many of our clients are at the stage where retirement planning is a priority. Their investment goals typically focus on two key objectives: achieving risk-managed portfolio growth and developing predictable income streams—while factoring in the impact of inflation and tax exposure. There are a few ways we can help clients pursue these objectives. One approach is using a managed portfolio that can provide for withdrawals in retirement, with excess returns set aside for bear markets, emergencies, or reinvestment. Another option is combining a managed portfolio with annuities, which can provide guaranteed income along with the opportunity for principal growth. The most conservative approach is full annuitization of a client’s retirement assets, but this is usually the least desirable given the future impact of inflation. We usually discuss these options with clients, helping them understand the pros and cons of each.

I believe in using investment specialists for clients’ managed portfolios. It wouldn’t be possible for me to duplicate the research capabilities, market monitoring, and strategic and risk-management expertise of these professionals. I work closely with one third-party manager that offers actively managed strategies that are suitable for clients of various risk profiles. These strategies are based on rules-based algorithms, providing an unemotional, sophisticated approach to the markets. Their risk-management approach is impressive and aligns well with my philosophy of seeking less volatile upside growth while mitigating steep portfolio drawdowns through active portfolio adjustments. I also believe in portfolio diversification, so clients may have a mix of active and passive strategies, as well as exposure to asset classes beyond traditional equities.

The asset manager I use also has capabilities in the areas of self-directed 401(k) programs and faith-based investments. This can include actively managed strategies in those areas and a focus on risk management. That appeals to many of our clients. They also appreciate this manager’s ability to create an ongoing, customized benchmark that tracks long-term portfolio progress against their specific investment goals.

I’ve been fortunate to hear from several long-term clients about what they value in working with us. To paraphrase, they’ve told me that we are trustworthy, care about their values, treat them like members of the family, and are always available to discuss any issue—not just financial concerns. I find this very gratifying because it reflects our desire to act as both financial and life advisors, offering a highly personalized and consultative approach.