Briaud Financial Advisors is a fee-only fiduciary registered investment advisory firm providing comprehensive financial planning and investment management for individuals and families with complex financial lives. Founded in 1986 and based in College Station, Texas, we primarily serve university professors, along with federal employees, business owners, and families with special needs who value thoughtful coordination and long-term planning. Our role is to help clients navigate important financial decisions with clarity, care, and perspective. We work with clients across the United States and are fully independent from investment product providers, insurance companies, and university retirement plan vendors. Our advice is delivered through a fiduciary, client-first model focused on sound decision-making and ongoing planning rather than product sales. Briaud Financial Planning, Inc. (“Briaud Financial Advisors”) is a registered investment advisor. Briaud Financial Advisors provides investment advisory and related services for clients nationally. Briaud Financial Advisors will maintain all applicable registration and licenses as required by the various states in which it conducts business. For additional information, please visit our website at https://www.briaud.com/.
External link for Briaud Financial Advisors
1611 Crescent Pointe Pkwy
College Station, TX 77845, US
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Our Director of Investments, Matt McKay, CFP®, weighs in on where gold and silver prices could head this August. Check out his quote in MoneyWatch here: https://lnkd.in/gZNkqy8x #gold #silver #commodoties #investmentplanning
“I’ll never get back what I paid into Social Security.” That belief often leads people to claim benefits early without fully considering how an irreversible decision may affect their lifetime income. In one hypothetical example, a high earner recovered her employee Social Security taxes in less than five years after reaching full retirement age. When spousal and survivor benefits were considered, the potential value became even more significant. The right Social Security claiming strategy depends on your earnings history, longevity, marital status, other retirement income, and broader financial plan. Social Security may provide more value than many people realize through: • Lifetime income • Inflation adjustments • Spousal benefits • Survivor benefits Before deciding when to claim Social Security benefits, it’s worth understanding the long-term financial impact. Read our article here to explore the numbers and key considerations: https://lnkd.in/gW3Jbmg9 #socialsecurity #feeonlyfiduciary #feeonly #Fiduciary #RetirementPlanning
Our Director of Investments, Matt McKay, CFP®, weighs in on where gold and silver prices could head this August. Check out his quote in MoneyWatch here: https://lnkd.in/gZNkqy8x #gold #silver #commodoties #investmentplanning
PART 4 OF 4: THE REAL BENCHMARK IS YOUR LIFE Why does benchmarking matters in practice? Benchmarking is not just an investment exercise. It affects real decisions. For someone still building wealth, staying ahead of inflation helps ensure today’s savings are meaningful tomorrow. For someone in retirement, it helps protect the long-term value of withdrawals. For families thinking about travel, charitable giving, education, family support, or legacy, the same principle applies: money needs to retain its usefulness over time. This is also why inflation shapes how we invest, not just how we measure results. A thoughtful portfolio should be prepared for different economic environments, including periods of rising prices. No benchmark is perfect, and no investment process can guarantee a specific outcome. But measuring against inflation helps keep the focus where it belongs: on whether your money is supporting the life you want to live, now and in the future. Ready to talk about whether your portfolio is aligned with your plan? https://lnkd.in/gFhTqhN9 #FinancialPlanning #RetirementPlanning #InvestmentManagement #WealthManagement #Inflation #FiduciaryAdvisor #Fiduciary
PART 3 OF 4: DIFFERENT GOALS NEED DIFFERENT BENCHMARKS Why a single market index does not fit most clients. A single market index can tell you how one part of the market performed. It cannot tell you whether your portfolio is right for your goals. It does not know your retirement timeline. It does not know how much risk you are comfortable taking. It does not know whether you need income, growth, stability, or flexibility. That is why we do not believe every portfolio should be judged against the same index. At Briaud, we use inflation-based benchmarks tied to each portfolio’s risk profile. A more conservative portfolio should still aim to preserve purchasing power over time. A portfolio taking more risk should reasonably be expected to earn more above inflation. The benchmark should reflect the job the portfolio is designed to do. See how we approach financial planning and investment management: https://lnkd.in/gRBmsMPs Look out for Part 4 of 4 this Friday, July 24th: THE REAL BENCHMARK IS YOUR LIFE #InvestmentManagement #PortfolioStrategy #FinancialPlanning #Inflation #RiskManagement #FeeOnlyFiduciary
PART 2 OF 4: GROWTH IS NOT THE SAME AS PROGRESS What does a benchmark actually measure? A benchmark is simply a standard used to measure performance. Many investment firms use stock or bond indexes as their benchmark. Those can be helpful, but they do not always reflect what clients actually experience. Inflation does. It shows up in groceries, insurance premiums, travel, home repairs, medical expenses, and the everyday cost of living. That is why measuring against inflation matters. A portfolio may have a positive return, but if it does not keep up with inflation, the money may still buy less over time. For clients building wealth or living from it in retirement, that difference can be significant. The question is not only, “Did the account grow?” It is, “Did the money retain its usefulness?” Explore more planning insights from our team: https://lnkd.in/gduMDXdV Follow our page and look out for Part 3 of 4: DIFFERENT GOALS NEED DIFFERENT BENCHMARKS #FinancialPlanning #InflationPlanning #InvestmentStrategy #RetirementIncome #WealthPreservation #Fiduciary
What does it truly mean to work with a Fee-Only fiduciary? In her latest article for NAPFA Advisor, Briaud CEO Natalie Pine outlines the five core duties, Care, Loyalty, Competence, Compensation, and Engagement, that define transparent, client-first financial advice. Read the full article to learn why these standards matter. https://lnkd.in/gGqqRnMZ #feeonlyfiduciary #feeonly #fiduciary #napfa #napfaadvisor #clientfirst
PART 1 OF 4: WHY WE MEASURE SUCCESS AGAINST INFLATION Most investors are taught to ask: “Did my portfolio beat the market?” But for most families, the better questions are: “Is my money still doing what I need it to do?” “Is my money keeping up with the life I want?” Retirement income. Family support. Charitable giving. Travel. Healthcare. Legacy. All those goals depend on one thing: purchasing power. A portfolio can grow in dollars and still fall behind if inflation is rising faster than the money itself. That is why we believe inflation is one of the most important benchmarks for long-term financial planning. Because the goal is not simply to beat an index. The goal is to preserve and grow wealth in a way that supports the life you want to live. Learn how our planning process connects investments to real-life goals: https://lnkd.in/g66nBAbg Follow our page and catch Part 2 of 4 coming this Friday: GROWTH IS NOT THE SAME AS PROGRESS #FinancialPlanning #InvestmentManagement #Inflation #WealthManagement #FiduciaryAdvisor #RetirementPlanning #Fiduciary
Three weeks ago, we started a 4-post series from our investment team. This is the fourth and final post of the series that answers the question, why does Our Story, Philosophy, and How We Invest matter to you? It matters because Briaud Financial Advisors was built from a personal loss that should not have happened. Four decades ago, that experience became the founding principle of our firm: clients deserve advice that is thoughtful, transparent, and truly aligned with their best interests. Today, the advisor, planner, and investment professionals at Briaud carry that responsibility forward. Our mission is to give clients the kind of care, guidance, and partnership our founder did not receive when she needed it most. That commitment has not changed. If you are looking for financial advice built around your life, your goals, and your best interests, head over to your contact us page to schedule a brief, no obligations chat to learn more. https://lnkd.in/gd8zSKpF #investmentplanning #fiduciary #feeonlyfiduciary #financialadvisor
As a fee-only, fiduciary advisory firm and proud NAPFA member, Briaud supports efforts to strengthen and clarify the fiduciary standard. Clients deserve to know their advisor is acting as a fiduciary in every sense of the word. Learn more about the fiduciary standard: https://lnkd.in/gcBQm_n5 #Fiduciary #feeonly #NAPFA #FAmag #FinancialAdvisorMagazine #FinancialPlanning