Mergers & Acquisitions

Hello everyone! This particular post is to read everyone in on timelines, expectations, and upcoming events over the next month or so. If you’re a client, please be sure to read through it in full!

Schwabitrade Merger

TD Ameritrade completes its merger with Charles Schwab over Labor Day weekend. We’ve already written about action items (or lack thereof) for you as clients, but in case you missed it, here’s a link. We will be reviewing each and every financial account after the merger to ensure a clean transition. This means that any ad hoc requests we “check on something” will be addressed shortly after the merger by default, and does not require an inquiry if you have not actually detected or found a specific issue or error. One known issue is that couples with “view only” permissions on their spouse’s accounts may not transfer over depending on how the access was established. To solve this, both spouses will need to create credentials with Charles Schwab, after which view-only access to each other’s accounts can be restored. Your accounts will still be fully visible under the performance reporting portal at all times.

All recurring income payments to those receiving them should continue, as should all recurring contribution payments. Copies of all TDA documents and statements will be kept in the Performance Reporting Portal, and we will continue to receive copies of documents from Charles Schwab after the merger is completed. If you do log into your accounts at Charles Schwab and find something is out of place, or if you do not receive systematic income or see a systematic contribution be made on time, please let us know, and we will investigate.

Dan’s Nuptial Leave

As has been shared many times before this year, Dan will be taking a leave of absence from September 15^th through October 15^th for his wedding and honeymoon. During this time, no appointments can be scheduled, and no ad hoc meetings will be accepted. However, MY Wealth Planners is still open for business and available to assist regarding investment accounts and transactions. If you have a need to make a contribution or take a distribution from an account that is not pre-scheduled, you can request the contribution at service@mywealthplanners.com. Upon receipt during business hours, Emily will call to confirm the requested funds and amount. If the confirmation is completed before 12 pm MST, then it will be submitted the same business day, and will be completed by the next business day if confirmed after 12 pm MST. As is standing policy, voicemails and emails alone cannot be used to request transactions; we do need to confirm transactions with the requesting party verbally. Accounts and investment positions will continue to be monitored during the leave period, and activities such as rebalancing and tax loss harvesting may continue to take place during the leave period.

There Are No Emergencies

With these events in mind, we have 1 week before the Schwabitrade Merger takes place and between the merger and the beginning of the nuptial leave, just two weeks. If there are activities, requests, or areas you need advice or input on before Dan’s leave of absence or the Schwabitrade merger, now is the time to ask. As the expression goes: “A failure to plan ahead does not constitute an emergency.” So, please be sure to make any necessary requests now so you can get on the calendar and we have time to work on your requests, rather than waiting until the last minute before the nuptial leave period, because when the leave starts, no exceptions will be made. Thank you for your patience and understanding, and I look forward to sharing stories and pictures of the celebrations to come.