we always Put clients first

At Bay Point, we do not receive commissions or referral fees, so our advice is never biased toward particular products.  Instead, we find solutions that best serve you.  In fact, we are required by law to always act in our clients’ best interest. This is known as a fiduciary duty. Read our Fiduciary Oath.

Commission-based or fee-based advisors earn commissions on the financial products they sell to clients. They may also charge fees on top of the commissions. They are not held to the same fiduciary duty as fee-only advisors and do not have the same obligation to openly disclose all fees and conflicts of interest. The risk is that there may be financial incentives to recommend products that are not the best solutions for their clients.

Only a small percentage of financial advisors are fee-only.

Bay Point also does not charge additional fees for our truly comprehensive financial planning, but includes it as part of our investment management service.  From cash flow planning to insurance to taxes, we make sure all your bases are covered.

Click here to check Bay Point's compliance record at FINRA.org.

WE TRULY CARE

At Bay Point, our primary purpose is to improve the lives of our clients and their families through highly personalized wealth management.

As a client, you will know we care about you and your family by the way we get involved with nearly every aspect of your financial life - whether helping you refinance your mortgage, update your estate plan, or even get a great deal on a new car.  We work closely with a team of professionals to make things easier for you and to make sure everything gets done right.

We will meet with you on a regular basis to establish and prioritize your goals, identify and protect against risks, minimize your taxes, and simplify the complexities of your financial life. We will also help care for those you care about. This can include aging parents, independent children or family members with special needs.

To get started, click here.

We are highly competent

We have a unique set of skills and experience that allows us to offer the best solutions, especially for clients with very complex financial concerns. No matter what your situation, we can help you develop the most optimal strategies for meeting your goals.

Our competence is reflected in the designations we have earned and maintain. These are the highest standards in the industry for comprehensive, client-focused, financial, investment and tax planning.

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER
Most people think that all financial planners are "certified," but this isn’t true. Anyone can call himself or herself a "financial planner." Only those who have fulfilled the certification and renewal requirements of the CFP Board can display the CFP® certification marks. When selecting a financial planner, you need to feel confident that the person you choose to help you plan for your future is competent and ethical. The CFP® certification provides that sense of security by allowing only those who meet their requirements the right to use the CFP® certification marks. For more information on the CFP® designation, please visit: www.cfp.net.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PERSONAL FINANCIAL ADVISORS
NAPFA advisors have even more rigorous requirements, including peer reviewed financial planning and twice the number of continuing education requirements as the CFP.  All NAPFA advisors must be Fee-Only and take a Fiduciary Oath each year. For more information about NAPFA, please visit:www.napfa.org

CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT
 The CPA designation is limited to those individuals who have met the high standards of examination, professional work experience, and continuing education requirements set by the State Boards of Accountancy.  These individuals will have expertise in the areas of accounting, auditing, tax, business valuation, and personal financial planning. For more information about the CPA license, please visit: www.aicpa.org.

CHARTERED FINANCIAL ANALYST
The CFA designation is considered the highest distinction in the investment management profession.  Charter holders must meet education and work experience requirements, as well as pass three levels of testing ensuring advanced investment analysis and portfolio management skills.  For more information about the CFA, please visit: www.cfainstitute.org

Not all financial advisors are the same!

Brokers, insurance agents, and Registered Investment Advisers (RIA) may all call themselves financial advisors. But, what do these terms really mean?  And, how do you know which is right for you? 

• Financial advisor is a generic term or title and does not indicate any specific credential.
• Fiduciary is the highest legal duty of one party to another, and requires being bound ethically to act in the other's best interests. 
• Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) is a person or firm that is paid by a client to provide investment advice. An RIA is registered with and regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or if small, by the state securities administrator.  An RIA is a fiduciary. Bay Point is an RIA.
• Registered Representative (RR) is a person employed by a brokerage firm to buy and sell investment products to clients. An RR is also known as a broker.  A broker is not a fiduciary.  Brokers register with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) a non-governmental self-regulatory organization.
• Fee Based Advisor is usually an RIA and RR (dual registered) who charges fees and can also earn commissions from product sales. 
• Fee Only Advisor is an RIA who accepts no commissions or fees from product sales and who provides comprehensive advice. A Fee Only advisor may be paid hourly, as a retainer, as a percentage of assets (AUM), or as a flat fee. Bay Point is a Fee Only advisor.
• Insurance Agent is a salesperson who works for insurance firms and earns commissions by selling insurance products. An insurance agent is not a fiduciary. An insurance agent is licensed at the state level. 
• BrokerCheck - A site that allows you to get information about investment professionals such as whether they are an RR (broker) or an RIA, what credentials they have earned, and if there have been any disciplinary actions against them.
• NAPFA - The leading organization of Fee-Only advisors whose site will help you find a Fee-Only advisor in your area.

Proud to Support

Bay Point has been helping those who live, work, or play in the Annapolis area for over 20 years.  We are deeply committed to the community and to the organizations that serve it.  While there are many great ones, these are the organizations that we have chosen to serve, sponsor, and/or support.   We would love to tell you more about the great work they are doing and why we support them.

Contact

Annapolis Office

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582 Bellerive Road
Suite 4D
Annapolis, MD 21409

410-626-8198

443-458-0944

info@baypointwealth.com

Sarasota Office

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1990 Main Street
Suite 750
Sarasota, FL 34236

941-388-8456

443-458-0944

info@baypointwealth.com 

Careers

We do not have any career opportunities available at this time, but we are always interested in talking to great talent!  If you would like to discuss our firm and future opportunities, please send your resume to kanderson@baypointwealth.com.

HOLISTIC, COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL PLANNING 

At Bay Point, we are committed to improving our client's lives. Most of our clients have complex financial needs, such as business owners needing to coordinate their business and personal finances, executives wanting to understand and get the most from their compensation packages, or individuals experiencing life changes such as retirement, divorce or death of a spouse. Our goal is to help you simplify, strategize and succeed. 

OUR COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL PLANNING SERVICES MAY INCLUDE 

CASH FLOW PLANNING & DEBT MANAGEMENT: For our clients that have already accumulated the required net worth and income sources to retire, we are experts in planning the required cash flows and managing the associated tax implications related to retirement account withdrawals. For our clients that are still accumulating substantial wealth from their employment or business, through rigorous analysis we assist in planning for retirement and accumulating the required wealth to comfortably achieve all key goals.

RETIREMENT PLANNING: We comprehensively bring together our knowledge of various types of aspects relating to each client's retirement, which include both financial and nonfinancial matters. We develop a strategy to help you achieve a comfortable and worry-free retirement. Your plan is then monitored regularly and evaluated to see if any changes may be required based on your life circumstances, changes in legislative/tax laws, and other events that require adjustments to your plan.

TAX PLANNING STRATEGIES: Federal and local income tax payments have significant impact on your ability to invest and save for the future. Our review and recommendations encompass many aspects of income taxes and ensure that you are taking advantage of available tax benefits and are avoiding any unnecessary costs. 

EDUCATION FUNDING: With education planning we conduct an analysis to project the expected costs of primary school through higher education needs. Within the context of your financial plan and circumstances we help you develop a strategy to effectively prepare for these costs. Finally, we help you select the most effective savings vehicle, which may include a 529 college savings plan or a trust for your children or grandchildren.

ESTATE PLANNING: Passing your legacy on to your heirs, protecting your family and business, growing your estate, reducing or eliminating both death and income taxes, and providing to charity are the key components that we review as part of each client's estate plan. After evaluating your current state plan and discussing with you carefully your current estate planning goals and objectives, we will work closely with your attorney to design a plan to efficiently transfer wealth to your heirs and charitable beneficiaries. If you are not currently working with an attorney, we will assist you in finding one that best meets your needs.

RISK AND INSURANCE MANAGEMENT: Passing your legacy on to your heirs, protecting your family and business, growing your estate, reducing or eliminating both death and income taxes, and providing to charity are the key components that we review as part of each client's estate plan. After evaluating your current estate plan and discussing with you carefully your current estate planning goals and objectives, we will work closely with your attorney to design a plan to efficiently transfer wealth to your heirs and charitable beneficiaries. If you are not currently working with an attorney, we will assist you in finding one that best meets your needs.

CHARITABLE GIFT PLANNING: Philanthropy is an important part of preserving your family's legacy.  We help our clients understand the various charitable giving alternatives and make the best decisions from both a tax and philanthropic perspective.

If you want truly comprehensive financial advice, let's get started!

We provide institutional investment solutions for our clients. The portfolios we construct are diversified and designed to meet each client’s unique circumstances, goals, and objectives.

Our “goals-oriented portfolio design” means that your portfolio is tailored to your specific short or long-term goals. Our disciplined, due diligence process allows us to select and monitor our recommended investment managers. We review your portfolio on a regular basis and rebalance it as necessary to keep it diversified and properly allocated.

There are three elements of our investment philosophy and practices that diverge from the approaches of most other investment managers. We believe these to be highly beneficial for our clients:

MANAGE DOWNSIDE RISK

For most of our clients, the primary objective is to preserve wealth rather than chase performance. To achieve this objective, we include mutual funds that actively manage downside risk for a portion of each client’s equity holdings. We might give up some “upside” performance, particularly in a bull market. However, since the timing of a bull market or a bear market is impossible to predict, we believe that the prudent path is to seek to avoid large losses when the market turns downward.

DON’T CHASE THE BENCHMARKS

Many investment managers compare their performance to a “benchmark,” such as the S&P 500 Index. This, however, is not how our performance is measured. Our objective is to reach a targeted return for each client, based on that client’s specific financial needs and risk tolerance. Attempting to minimize performance deviation from a benchmark does not necessarily help our clients achieve their investment objectives, especially when that benchmark drops significantly.

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO TAXES

We very carefully design each client’s portfolio for tax efficiency. For example, we place securities that would be subject to higher taxes in tax-deferred accounts and place securities that would be subject to lower taxes in taxable accounts. When tax laws change, or even when we anticipate changes in tax law, we consider how these will affect the client’s investment portfolio.

If you want truly personal, objective advice on your investments, let's get started! 

Professionals

With our combined expertise in the areas of taxes, investments, insurance and cash flow planning, Bay Point Wealth Management is uniquely equipped to help you understand and maximize your compensation package, employee benefits, and stock options.  We have helped many clients successfully navigate the risks and opportunities associated with owning employer stock, participating in employee stock purchase plans, and contributing to deferred compensation plans. We can also help you evaluate life and disability insurance options and make sure you are appropriately allocated in your 401(k) or other retirement plan.

We have helped employees and are quite familiar with the compensation and benefits arrangements of the following local employers as well as many others.  If your ready to optimize your financial life, let's get started!

Pre and Post Retirees

If you are preparing for or have recently entered retirement, you may have a lot of new questions, such as when to apply for Social Security benefits, how much you can safely afford to spend, and how to generate an income from your investments.  Many of the strategies that successfully got you to this point, no longer apply.  

With over 20 years of experience working with retirees, Bay Point is adept at helping you plan your retirement so you can maximize your lifestyle, optimize your retirement benefits, know exactly what you can spend, manage your investments to not run out of money, take care of your family, and meet your other retirement goals.

If you are ready to gain a sense of confidence about your retirement plans, let's get started!

Those In Transition

Despite careful planning, we are often thrown curveballs in life. Many of our clients have found themselves unexpectedly widowed or struggling through divorce. These transitions can be overwhelming in themselves, but also have significant financial implications. At a time like this, perhaps more than any other, unbiased, client-centered advice is critical.  

Our caring advisors are here to help you with each step.  From retitling your assets, to figuring out what you can safely spend, to generating an income from your investments, to whatever else helps you get back on your feet, we can make a difficult situation a little easier.

If you are going through a life transition, let's talk about what we can do to help.

WILLIAM J. HUFNELL, CPA, CFP®

Principal

bhufnell@baypointwealth.com

KIMBERLY K. ANDERSON, CFP®

Chief Operating Officer, Chief Compliance Officer

kanderson@baypointwealth.com

WILLIAM J. HUFNELL, CFP®

Financial Advisor

wjhufnell@baypointwealth.com

Elizabeth W. Yoder

Financial planning associate

eyoder@baypointwealth.com

GLENELL L. AGNOLUTTO

Paraplanner

gagnolutto@baypointwealth.com

CHRISTINE H. HUFNELL

Client Services

chufnell@baypointwealth.com

View All

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ABOUT CLIENT PORTALS

As a client of Bay Point, you have access to several portals that will help you monitor and stay abreast of your financial situation. Our goal behind offering client portals is to make your life easier by giving you:

• Access to your account information 24/7 in an easy-to-read format.
• A consolidated view of your current financial position.
• Secure delivery and receipt of sensitive documents that should not be sent by email.
• A completely paperless option!  We send all reports electronically.

 Portal Summary

1. Wealth Management System – this is the system you normally see during your client meetings.  We use it to forecast your cash flows, model “What-ifs,” and calculate your net worth, among other things.  We sometimes refer to this as EMA.
   
   
   
   
2. TD Ameritrade – This is where you can view real-time data for all your TDA accounts, including balances, holdings, and transactions.
   
   
   
   
3. Your Portfolio –This is the system we use to manage your portfolio and generate your portfolio reports, frequently referred to as Advisor View.  By logging into this portal, you can run your own reports such as Performance Summary, Portfolio Holdings, and Capital Flows.
   
   
   
   
4. Secure Document Sharing – this is our document management system, named ShareFile.  It is the secure “file cabinet” where we store electronic documents (such as copies of your tax returns, insurance policies or memos we’ve sent you.)  We also can send documents to other professionals (such as your CPA) from here.  And finally, it contains your client folder, where you can securely upload documents to us.
   
   

Safety Tips

To ensure safe usage, please follow these safety tips:

• When creating a password, include uppercase, lowercase and numeric characters in your password
• Always access your portal by visiting our website or via your own bookmark.
• If you receive an email that looks suspicious, don’t click on any links or attachments.
• Bay Point will never email asking for your password.  If you get such an email, call us!

If you have a question or run into a problem while using your portal, simply give us a call at 410-626-8198. Forgot your password? You can reset it yourself online or call us to get it fixed. Bay Point strives to make the client experience the best it can possibly be and we welcome any feedback you may have. 

Please remember to contact Bay Point Wealth Management, in writing, if there are any changes in your personal/financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing/evaluating/revising our previous recommendations and/or services, or if you want to impose, add, to modify any reasonable restrictions to our investment advisory services, or if you wish to direct that Bay Point Wealth Management to effect any specific transactions for your account. A copy of our current written disclosure statement discussing our advisory services and fees continues to remain available upon request.

At Bay Point we work closely with you and other professionals to make sure our advice gets implemented correctly.  Listed below are some of the common strategies we use in client planning.  By clicking on them, you will see exactly how each gets implemented - what role we play, what tasks other professionals do, and what your part is.  You can refer to these any time if you are unclear what the roles and responsibilities are for a given strategy. 

How well does your current portfolio suit your needs?  That is one of the questions we will explore together during our initial meeting.  In the meantime, click on the questionnaire below to assess your level of comfort with varying degrees of risk.  This is one factor in determining the right investment mix for you.

Risk Tolerance Questionnaire

PRIVACY

To learn about the measures we take to keep client information secure, please read our Privacy Notice.

Form ADV

Please also read our Form ADV.  This is the Security and Exchange Commissions required disclosure form for all Registered Investment Advisors.  

Other Disclosures

Bay Point Wealth Management (“Company”) is an SEC registered investment adviser located in Annapolis, Maryland.  Company and its representatives are in compliance with the current filing requirements imposed upon SEC registered investment advisers by those states in which Company maintains clients.  Company may only transact business in those states in which it is registered, or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration requirements.  Company’s web site is limited to the dissemination of general information pertaining to its advisory services, together with access to additional investment-related information, publications, and links.  Accordingly, the publication of Company’s web site on the Internet should not be construed by any consumer and/or prospective client as Company’s solicitation to effect, or attempt to effect transactions in securities, or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation, over the Internet.  Any subsequent, direct communication by Company with a prospective client shall be conducted by a representative that is either registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration in the state where the prospective client resides.  For information pertaining to the registration status of Company, please contact the SEC or the state securities regulators for those states in which Company maintains a notice filing.  A copy of Company’s current written disclosure statement discussing Company’s business operations, services, and fees is available on the web site and from Company upon written request.  Company does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to Company web site or incorporated herein, and takes no responsibility therefore.  All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly.

Please remember that different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy (including those undertaken or recommended by Company), will be profitable or equal any historical performance level(s).

Certain portions of Company’s web site (i.e. newsletters, articles, commentaries, etc.) may contain a discussion of, and/or provide access to, Company (and those of other investment and non-investment professionals) positions and/or recommendations as of a specific prior date.  Due to various factors, including changing market conditions, such discussion may no longer be reflective of current position(s) and/or recommendation(s).  Moreover, no client or prospective client should assume that any such discussion serves as the receipt of, or a substitute for, personalized advice from Company, or from any other investment professional.  Company is neither an attorney nor an accountant, and no portion of the web site content should be interpreted as legal, accounting or tax advice.

Rankings and/or recognition by unaffiliated rating services and/or publications should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if Bay Point Wealth Management is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services, nor should it be construed as a current or past endorsement of Bay Point Wealth Management by any of its clients.  Rankings published by magazines, and others, generally base their selections exclusively on information prepared and/or submitted by the recognized adviser.Rankings are generally limited to participating advisers.

To the extent that any client or prospective client utilizes any economic calculator or similar interactive device contained within or linked to Company’s web site, the client and/or prospective client acknowledges and understands that the information resulting from the use of any such calculator/device, is not, and should not be construed, in any manner whatsoever, as the receipt of, or a substitute for, personalized individual advice from Company, or from any other investment professional.

Each client and prospective client agrees, as a condition precedent to his/her/its access to Company’s web site, to release and hold harmless Company, its officers, directors, owners, employees and agents from any and all adverse consequences resulting from any of his/her/its actions and/or omissions which are independent of his/her/its receipt of personalized individual advice from Company.