The Bay Area Synergos Group at Morgan Stanley

We are a team of experienced wealth managers who believe in a balanced investment approach. David Lu was trained as a Certified Public Accountant and has spent much of his career advising senior executives. Kris Watts is a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor who directs our goals-based planning approach. Together, we implement comprehensive wealth strategies.

What We Do

Together, we strive to:

• Quantifying the minimum amount of risk needed to help achieve the highest level of success.
• Identifying the resources available to attain your goals.
• Developing strategies to fill the gaps we identify.
• Utilizing active tax management strategies to help reduce capital gains.
• Recommending estate planning and philanthropic strategies.
• Focusing on the long term, understanding bumps will happen along the way.

What We Are Not

• We are not traders speculating in stocks, options and commodities.
• We do not follow the recent trend or hot stock of the day.
• We do not believe in concentrated portfolios.
• We do not provide you with a generic computer-based financial plan that is never revised.
• We do not use historical market data to project future expectations.

How We Measure Success

• The Head Hit The Pillow Test
How do you feel when your head hits the pillow each night? Ready to rest or tossing and turning with anxiety?

• The Claim Victory Test
You have already won. Acknowledge it. Reassess the level of risk required to achieve your objectives.

• I Have A Plan Test
I know where I am going and how I am going to get there.

We are a true wealth management practice. Beyond your investments, we can help you:

• Retire with confidence
• Leave a meaningful legacy
• Finance a new home or other major acquisition
• Protect your family from unexpected long-term care expenses
• Provide ongoing care for a special needs child
• Adapt financially to the loss of a spouse
• Send your children to college
• Execute various business goals including acquisition, sale, succession and cash management.

We work closely with your attorney and accountant to develop a plan in concert, not at odds with each other. If you wish, we can introduce you to professionals with the experience to help you meet the specific challenges you face.

Many of our clients are successful executives, whose personal wealth is linked to the fortunes of their companies. Often, their investment portfolios consist largely of employer stock and options that are subject to a myriad of rules of which they may only be vaguely aware. At The Bay Area Synergos Group, we are committed to helping you manage your wealth and make more informed choices. We understand the risks, as well as the rewards, of employer stock ownership and the need to integrate your corporate benefits with the rest of your finances. Specifically, we can help you address such issues as:

• Avoiding Over-Concentration
Most corporate executives share an optimistic view of their company’s future and consider employer stock to be a sound investment. Perhaps it is, but would you concentrate such a substantial portion of your assets in any other stock? Our team offers objective guidance to:
Diversify your portfolio without necessarily liquidating part of your employer stock position and incurring capital gains tax.

Comply with SEC regulations, if applicable, should you choose to sell shares and reinvest the proceeds in other securities.

Implement a 10b5-1 trading plan that can help you sell employer shares even during blackout periods when you are ordinarily not allowed to sell your company’s stock.

• Understanding Your Equity Awards
RSUs, RSAs, PSUs, stock options – equity compensation is complex, and you are responsible for knowing the rules. What happens to your equity awards should you decide to retire or leave your job for another employer? If you own performance shares, how does the plan work and what is your payout if performance goals are met? Equally important, what happens if goals are not met? Do you understand the differences between non-qualified options and incentive stock options? What about restricted stock awards and restricted stock units? At The Bay Area Synergos Group, we can help you ask the right questions before making any decision that might be irrevocable.

Our practice focuses on working with musicians, bands, band managers and business managers. Our current clients have won Grammy, AMA, Billboard Music and MTV Music Awards. We understand the unique and sophisticated needs of high profile entertainers. We collaborate with your business manager, attorney and accountant to coordinate the overall management of your finances and provide you with the guidance to:

• Live within your means
• Protect yourself from fluctuations in your income
• Transition to the next stage of your career
• Incorporate estate planning and philanthropy strategies to ensure your legacy.
• Evaluate investment business opportunities
• Understand how to navigate the financial world

The music business has changed considerably in recent years. Sizable revenues from album sales have been replaced by not so sizable revenues from streaming. Many musicians who thought they had paid their dues long ago are now finding themselves touring and spending months away from home. Our cash flow optimization approach to financial planning is designed to provide you with the confidence that when you are not on the road, you will have the income needed to live and support your families.