Our Services

Clear Direction Investments

Clear Direction Investments, along with Stonebridge Capital Advisors, provides custom portfolio management services to high net worth individuals and businesses, including tax sensitive investing not available through mutual funds.

Stonebridge Capital is different than a typical RIA (registered investment advisor).  As fiduciaries, we are both committed to managing your portfolio with your best interests in mind.

Clear Direction Investments is honored to offer the back-office expertise of Stonebridge Capital Advisors at more reasonable account minimums than other investment firms. It’s simply a better way to start a financial relationship.

For smaller accounts, we use SEI Private Trust Co. as their efficiency of managing mutual funds and re-allocating those funds as a discretionary RIA to stated client objectives is accomplished at a reasonable fee.

At CDI, it’s common for a household portfolio to have one or two larger accounts managed by Stonebridge, and smaller ones that need diversification from mutual funds to be managed by SEI.

 

Opportunity Zone Investing

Opportunity Zones are areas of the United States, certified by the US Treasury and the IRS, which exist for investors to receive preferential tax treatment in exchange for investing long term in areas designated by the governors of each state. With specialized knowledge of Opportunity Zones (not just limited to Arizona), we can help you:

  • Understand the properties and/or funds that are qualified…and guide you to vetted opportunities.

  • Potentially realize tax savings from investing in such areas. You may be surprised that some zones are in or near existing, upscale communities.

  • Explore Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ) Funds, or partnerships that provide exposure to some of the best areas available in the USA.

  • All gains inside a QOZ fund held for 10 years can be exempt from Capital Gains taxes. We believe this provides a great incentive to invest in a well-vetted fund!

  • Work with your tax team to ensure proper documentation and procedures are upheld.

We also work on a standalone basis with professional advisors to those who are interested in Opportunity Zone investing. If you’re a CPA, Attorney, Real Estate Professional, Business Broker or Investment Banker and would like to augment your practice by offering your clients a way to take advantage of this type of investing, we’re happy to act as a resource. Ask about our Opportunity Zone Minute video series by getting in touch.

Investment Property Exit Planning

Anyone who has been in the position of having to sell real estate, that you earned a profit from, knows that this means one thing: a tax headache. In a 1031 exchange, you can reinvest the proceeds of this sale in another real estate asset of the same type while deferring the gains until later or “never” if you leave it to your heirs.

This is well known. What is not well known, however, is that you don’t necessarily have to pursue the traditional route and directly purchase a replacement property. What if you don’t have the time or means to do all that it takes to execute this transaction? You may be able to assume passive ownership by purchasing shares of a trust that has title to such a property.

This scenario is called a Delaware Statutory Trust, or DST. As investment property exit specialists, we are well versed in 1031 exchanges and DSTs as well as many other options that go beyond the traditional. We work with both real estate investors and financial intermediaries such as attorneys and accountants who wish to structure non-traditional exit planning solutions.

CLEAR DIRECTION RISK MANAGEMENT

We believe a large part of being a successful advisory firm involves risk management. As well, when suitable, it may be appropriate for a portion of a portfolio to be risk protected in a “pension-style” annuity, equipped with various guarantees that insurance companies make available for an extra cost. The CDI team indeed takes the time to understand the impact on all the stakeholders in the process – family, longstanding advisors, business partners and more.

We believe risk must be addressed through an advisory lens. This means creating space in the relationship to help you get deep instinctual clarity about how you want your story, not just your investments, to play forward.

If lives, accounts, or property are left unprotected, it can be costly. This is why we use national brokerage networks to quote the proper type of life insurance or long-term care insurance, when suitable. Of course, we’ll make sure your premiums don’t make you “insurance poor”.

Business owners will be able to leverage the expertise of my associates at Wealthpoint. Together, we provide you with insurance advisory services, succession planning, and other solutions to make sure you and your business are prepared for complex situations.

Protecting Against Market Downturns
Protecting Against Security Breaches

CLEAR DIRECTION PLANNING

Our planning process is multi-faceted to accommodate you as your life evolves.  Most of the time, clients look to us for guidance to prepare for a dignified retirement. However, you may also need our help with estate planning to create a plan to help protect your assets and way of life.

Similar to tax planning, professional college planning can mean significant potential savings. Campus Advisers, our sister firm, has been providing guidance and “scholarship realities” to families since 2001.

As business owners ourselves, we understand the need to have clarity about how your business plays out as you step away. As such we are often called upon to assist our business owner clients with succession planning.

SUCCESSION PLANNING

We are here to help you get clarity about how you want your story to play out going forward. It starts with my team’s responsibility to know your background, meet your stakeholders and understand your goals. This means taking the time to hear the full story of all the rainmakers and owners before recommending any actions.

RETIREMENT PLANNING

No matter where you are in life, we can provide guidance, tools, and services to help you prepare for retirement and financial independence. We will be there every step of the way and answer any questions that you have about reaching, or even exceeding, your financial goals.

COLLEGE PLANNING

Comprehensive planning helps ensure that students receive the best possible insight from the universities they want to attend. Furthermore, Randy will use his fiduciary philosophy to help your family be realistic with how much financial aid, if any, you should plan on.

ESTATE PLANNING

We can help you formulate a plan to help protect your way of life and the assets you’ve accumulated. Additionally, we will help you plan ways for your beneficiaries to enjoy the benefits that you want to leave them. We will coordinate with your attorney to review your current estate plan.

Our Process Our History Team Associates Resources Contact Clear Direction Investments

FINRA BrokerCheck is an important tool for investors to use to help them make informed choices about the individuals and firms with which they conduct business. Member FINRA/SIPC.

Randall B. Stoltz offers securities through Concorde Investment Services, LLC (CIS), member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Concorde Asset Management, LLC (CAM), an SEC registered investment adviser. Insurance provided through Stoltz Financial Partners, LLC and Clear Direction Investments, LLC, both of whom are independent of CIS and CAM. CIS and CAM are also independent of the Campus Advisers and Alliance companies listed herein. This communication is strictly intended for individuals residing in the states of AZ, AL, CA, KS, MA, OR, VA, WA. No offers may be made or accepted from any resident outside the specific states referenced. This is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to buy or sell any investment. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against a loss. Alternative investments involve specific risks that may be greater than those associated with traditional investments and may be offered only to clients who meet specific suitability requirements, including minimum income & net worth parameters.

CONTACT


602-889-6500

8390 E. Via de Ventura
Suite F-205
Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Latest Articles


DST 1031 Exchange: Landlord Style Assets Without the Landlord Hassle

The IRS refined and created the 1031 internal revenue code decades ago but within the past 20 years a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) fund gave people another option to defer their taxes. When selling a business or investment property there may be large gains made on...

Opportunity Zone Investing

Opportunity Zones are areas of the United States, certified by the US Treasury and the IRS, which exist for investors to receive preferential tax treatment in exchange for investing long term in areas designated by the governors of each state. With specialized...