At RayLign, we focus on helping families make some of the most important decisions they make in their lifetimes. We are realists, meaning our optimism is balanced by a healthy dose of experienced-based skepticism. Our approach provides a firm sense of direction while readily conforming to the specific ways in which clients address their challenges. It helps us both look at the world of possibilities through a wide-angle lens. 

Consulting

Our consulting-based, client-driven approach begins with a "systems" view of the family that includes: an understanding of the family structure, history and member relationships; structural entities that include operating business, LLCs, and trusts; financial profile that includes assets, liabilities, insurance, income and spending; advisory relationships; governance and decision-making processes, as well as philanthropic initiatives.
 
Through our facilitation, clients come to explicitly understand how to organize the family system to achieve its goals: personal, family, estate, tax and accounting, investments, insurance, legal, financial literacy, philanthropy and governance. Together, we take inventory of the current dynamics,  clarify future goals, and evaluate the bottlnecks that prevent  goals from being achieved.  On an ongoing basis we address new conditions by recalibrating the many variables.

The timing and duration of our approach is determined by each client’s unique situation. So too is the entry point as well as the ability to consider several components simultaneously. Our aim is to correlate with our client’s dynamics  to develop solutions that work. Below we have provided some representative benefits that our clients receive from our relationship with them.

A FAMILY was managing the transition from the wealth creating generation to support the ongoing needs of three living generations and beyond. After helping the family rethink its assumptions and risk parameters regarding how to arrange and manage its financial and advisory resources, RayLign led the family through an in-depth service needs analysis, and the ensuing restructuring of its family office resources. RayLign’s in-depth understanding of the wealth advisory landscape provided valuable perspective for the family leaders to be realistic about perceived opportunities, and to frame the mandate for less-involved family members. As a result, a major shift in the composition of the family office was accomplished with broad endorsement and effective integration.

A MIDDLE-AGED COUPLE sought to make sure their inter-generational communications and asset transition plans met their desired objectives. Successful careers, near-adult children, a concentrated equity holding, and global partnership investments meant that elements involved were  complex. RayLign led a collaborative process - including the accountant, estate lawyer, insurance agent and lead investment advisors - to restate and clarify the role of the many estate plan facets, and to determine explicitly how the team would work together to ensure the plan would achieve the family’s wishes. Additionally, we instituted a new tracking and monitoring system that eased investment oversight considerably, as well as a program for generational communications that addressed the responsibilities of wealth and philanthropy.

A TRUST FUND beneficiary was receiving a newly restricted flow of dividends from undiversified sources under trustee and family member control, without making lifestyle and spending pattern adjustments. Consultation and program design on the part of RayLign yielded effective communications that de-escalated tensions and led to the adoption of a liquidity and asset diversificaition initiative, as well as critical beneficiary budgeting and financial education. Potential splintering of the family members was mitigated and tough choices were made in a supportive context.

RayLign Foundation

RayLign Foundation has been established with a primary purpose of supporting the strength of the family as a way to overcome individual and societal challenges, in part through linking financial literacy with the enhancement of adolescent and young adult development, parenting leadership and effective family communications. We are in the process of actively identifying organizations that will join us in our pursuits. 

Raylor

Raylor is an asset management company with its roots dating back to 2001 during the development of a dynamic global asset allocation framework that was designed to build risk-based portfolios utilizing a global opportunity set of equities, interest rates, currencies and commodities. The Dynamic Weighting Methodology (DWM) is applied to build a spectrum of portfolio strategies that include long-short, highly tactical global asset allocation using futures (qualified investors only), as well as low cost, long-only "strategic" portfolios of exchange traded funds. As of August 2011, Raylor exists as a combination of Xplor Capital and Raylor Investments, after a six year strategic partnership together. Today, Raylor is equally owned by former Xplor Capital Partners, Damon L. Hart and John R. Annicelli, and Gregory T. Rogers (through his 100% ownership of RayLign Advisory). For more information about our Strategic Portfolio Series, please visit, www.raylorinvestments.com. You can also view the most recent Strategic Series portfolio summaries here. If you would like more information regarding our global alternative investments for qualified investors, please contact John R. Annicelli at (203) 742-5462.