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Bringing Clarity and Transparency to Wealth Management

FURLONG INVESTMENT SOLUTIONS

FINANCIAL PLANNING AND WEALTH MANAGEMENT


Who We Are

Furlong Investment Solutions, LLC is an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) located in Chicago, Illinois. We provide customized financial planning and investment management services to help our clients align their personal finances with their distinct life and retirement goals. We designed our business from the ground up to offer our services centered on providing realistic practical solutions that addresses your individual and/or family’s financial circumstances, needs and objectives.

Our independence and adherence to the fiduciary standard allow us to provide unbiased, objective, conflict-free investment advice. Our sole objective is to understand our clientele’s financial goals; then design investment strategies to achieve them. Our only interest are those of our clients. 

Check the background of this RIA on FINRA's BrokerCheck:  http://brokercheck.finra.org

What we do

Life is fluid, circumstances and resources change as we progress through life’s various stages. We work in partnership with our clients to develop a unique financial plan and investment strategy that can handle a range of possible scenarios and that can evolve as you progress through your professional career and life’s different investment stages.

We start every relationship by developing a thorough understanding of a client’s personal situation, goals, income and return objectives and tolerance for risk. We then design and implement an appropriate asset allocation strategy optimized to fit your unique set of circumstances. Our core investment approach is built upon a broad platform utilizing multiple asset classes in highly diversified investments that captures global market returns.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide intelligent, low cost, strategic asset allocation strategies to help secure specific life and retirement goals. It is the goal of Furlong Investment Solutions that we become our client’s trusted family financial partner providing comprehensive financial solutions throughout their career and retirement.    

Our clients can be assured that they and their families will have a trustworthy partner that provides honest, intelligent, timely and unbiased advice throughout life’s expected and unexpected events. Our core values of honesty, clarity, transparency and empathy will be evident to our clients in everything we do.  

PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS

ABOUT US


Matt Furlong CFA Investment management Chicago, IL

Matt Furlong, CFA, CFP®, EA 

Matt Furlong is the principal and portfolio manager at Furlong Investment Solutions, LLC a Registered Investment Advisor Firm. He is the primary investment advisor with over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Since 2004, Matt has been privately managing individuals and various trusts investment portfolios, as well as, providing tax and estate planning solutions.

Prior to forming Furlong Investment Solutions, Matt’s professional experience ranges from being a financial analyst for a San Francisco based investment boutique to institutional trading in fixed income and equity securities servicing the retail and institutional clients of Drexel Burnham Lambert, E*Trade Financial and Susquehanna International Group.

Matt received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Northern Illinois University. He continued his financial education by attaining the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation in 2002 , the Certified Financial Planner (TM) designation in 2018 and the federally authorized tax practitioner status of Enrolled Agent in 2019.  He is a CFP® and Enrolled Agent practitioner, a member of the CFA Institute, and the Charter Financial Analysts Society of Chicago.

Check the background of this investment professional on FINRA's BrokerCheck: http://brokercheck.finra.org 

Investment Philosophy

Asset allocation is the cornerstone and driving force of every prudent investment plan. It’s also dynamic for the various stages of one’s career, as well as, life’s expected and unexpected events. As rational investors we will always seek the greatest total return proportionate for each given level of risk. 

We will build customized portfolios designed to meet long term objectives that can handle a broad range of economic events along with short term market volatility. We seek to minimize the gap in investment performance and investor returns over time due to behavioral finance by eliminating irrational financial decisions driven by short term emotions. It’s important to note a person risk tolerances because improper asset allocation leads individuals to abandon the investment policy during difficult phases of market cycles. This is why we carefully explain to the client the process and plan of what we are going to do; then we go out and do it.

Our investment strategy incorporates this principal when constructing diversified investment portfolios. We collaborate with each client in developing an investment plan that considers their current financial situation, existing resources, investment objectives, time horizon, liquidity needs, risk tolerances and special considerations. Based on this information we develop the investment policy statement that outlines the investment strategy and securities that will be used to meet the stated objectives.

ALIGNING CURRENT RESOURCES TO FINANCIAL GOALS

SERVICES


Financial Planning Services

We begin by understanding your current personal and financial situations so that we can best advise you on financial decisions that bridge current resources to future goals and objectives. We incorporate state of the art software and investment experience to customize a personalized financial plan that meets your objectives. Our tailored financial planning services addresses:

Cash Flow Analysis

Compensation and Benefit Planning

Insurance Planning

Income Tax Planning

We examine the client’s current financial condition and present strategies and techniques to maximize present value of after-tax family net worth. Items reviewed include, among others, the following: 529 college savings plan and other state and federal financial aid vehicles, charitable giving, family gifting, social security benefits, trust options and property titling.


Investment Planning

Retirement Planning

Estate Planning

Comprehensive Financial Planning Package

 

Our in-depth analysis and easy to understand reporting allows you to have a firm grasp of your:

Net Worth (Assets – Liabilities)

Investment Portfolios

Asset Allocation Strategies

Risk Tolerance Levels

Liquidity Requirements

401K Planning

Future Income Requirements

Future Withdraw Levels

Inflation

Diversification

Cash Flow Planning

Required Saving Levels

Investment Management Services

We design, implement and manage portfolios using a core and satellite investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory.  The desired result is a portfolio that lies on the efficient frontier where the expected investment returns are greatest for every given level of risk assumed.  We emphasize the importance of long-term strategic thinking, controlling cost and tax efficiency when designing and implementing portfolios.

We use market volatility to our advantage by periodically rebalancing portfolios back to desired asset allocation targets.  This disciplined and systematic approach allow us to objectively manage the overall risk characteristics of the portfolio while remaining compatible to your acceptable levels of risk tolerance.

Our core and satellite approach is built upon a broad platform of globally diversified equity and fixed income securities.  More specifically, we utilize multiple asset classes, investment styles, market capitalizations, industry sectors, and regions that are allocated across domestic and international equities, fixed income and alternative investments.

The core approach specializes in managing low-cost, well-balanced and globally diversified client accounts.  Once the core is established we incorporate satellite positions to tilt the portfolio to desired asset classes that enhances your portfolio characteristics given your time horizon, liquidity requirements and risk tolerances.

See Our Investment Policy

 

Retirement Solutions for Small Businesses

Market volatility, expanded investment options and regulatory changes are driving the need to take a close look at the cost, performance and effectiveness of 401K investment lineups.

Our independence and adherence to the fiduciary standard allows us broad latitude when selecting third-party administrators, record-keepers, custodians and investment lineups to service the retirement plan.  Our solution is mindful to both the plan sponsor’s business objectives and the employees’ retirement needs.

We focus on the “Four Ps of Asset Manager Due Diligence” – People, Process, Philosophy and Performance to ensure sponsors that their investment lineups meet current and future fiduciary requirements.  We make the plan participant-friendly by being transparent with simple and streamline investment choices.  We provide professionally managed all-in-one solutions in the form of target date funds, balanced index and active management funds.  In addition, we provide access to a core set of broad-market index funds to allow employees to customize their portfolio to meet their individual preferences.

We drive the participation rate of the plan by providing employees the proper tools, workshops, educational materials and asset allocation strategies that increases awareness and ownership in meeting their future financial objectives. 

Our “Best Practices” solutions allow us to serve as either a 3(21) or 3(38) investment fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). We shift the fiduciary requirements and compliance responsibilities on us, so that you can run your company.

OUR MISSION IS HELPING YOU ACHIEVE YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS

CLIENTS


Our Clients

It is the goal of Furlong Investment Solutions that we become our clients' hub for comprehensive financial solutions. FIS will develop and nurture long term relationships, covering all stages of life. Our clients are assured that they and their families have a trustworthy partner to provide honest, intelligent, timely and unbiased advice throughout life’s expected and unexpected events.

Clients work with us because of experience, integrity, transparency and commitment to exemplary client service. Our growing clientele includes individuals, families, high net worth individuals and their trusts. We collaborate with all generations who are eager to engage us to establish a successful financial life.

 

Young Professionals

Emerging investors early into the careers and starting families

Established Professionals

Established in careers and family life focused on asset accumulation

Transitional Retirees

Beginning to think, plan or enter into retirement focused on asset preservation.

Post Retirement

Retirees focused on strategies that produce current income, capital appreciation and appropriate levels of drawing down savings.

FAQs

There can be a lot of uncertainty when you first start out, and FIS will do its best to answer whatever questions you may have. 

Getting Started? 

Minimum Investment Level? 

I have no required minimum investment levels when onboarding new clientele or working with existing clientele.  My only requirement is that the client have an enthusiastic attitude of shared ownership and required responsibilities in meeting their financial objectives.  


Where are my assets held? 

I use TD Ameritrade as my custodian of your assets. You will always have 24/7 direct access to view your account(s).


How are you compensated? 

I am a fee-only advisor. We do not sell any financial products, receive any commissions or other incentive compensation from third parties.  Financial planning fees or retainers are based upon the level of complexity of the client’s situation.  Investment or wealth management services are based on assets under management and investment strategy. 


Do I need a financial advisor?
Ask yourself, the following three questions:
  1. What are my financial goals and objectives?
  2. Am I making progress toward them?
  3. Do I fully understand my current financial picture and future retirement needs?
If the answer is unclear or no, to any of these three questions, then seeking the help of a qualified financial advisor maybe appropriate.

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT BASED ON EMPIRICAL DATA

RESOURCES


Client Login

We are committed to using the latest technologies that enable us to successfully design and implement portfolios tailored to meet our clients’ financial objectives. 

Bloomberg Business
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current financial news

 

Strategic Partners

We have partnered with Charles Schwab as our trusted custodian of your assets. Through various relationships we have aligned our firm to a select group of asset managers that enable us to design, implement and manage investment portfolios engineered to your specific life and retirement goals.

TIMELY, UNBIASED, OBJECTIVE INVESTMENT ADVICE

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SEIZE THE MOMENT BY PLANNING YOUR FUTURE


CONTACT

Matthew Furlong, CFA, CFP®, EA

ADDRESS

1820 W. Berenice Ave.

Chicago, IL 60613-2720


EMAIL

matt@furlonginvestments.com

PHONE

773-218-4346