Navigoe Wealth Management 

Above L to R: Eric Toya, Heather Johnson, Jennifer Okamura-Albert, Diana Bouch, Scott Leonard and Roxie

Navigoe is a South Bay fee-only financial fiduciary that works with families, business owners and executives concerned with maintaining and growing their financial prosperity. Owner and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional Scott Leonard has more than 30 years of experience in financial planning and wealth management. For the past four years, Navigoe has been selected as one of the Best Financial Advisors & Wealth Management Firms in Los Angeles by AdvisoryHQ. 

Is there an overriding concept that best describes Navigoe’s services? 

We call it Family Wealth Preservation. Our clients have worked hard, made sacrifices and saved to achieve or get on the path toward financial independence. They are looking to generate a steady income stream in retirement for themselves while still preserving their financial legacy for subsequent generations.

How do you approach the difficult task of wealth preservation?

Our entire service model is set up to design, implement and oversee a custom financial strategy that integrates all the aspects of family wealth preservation: investment management, tax mitigation, estate planning, retirement income, wealth transfer, charitable giving and asset protection.

What is unique about Navigoe’s family wealth preservation versus other traditional wealth management services? 

What is unique is the focus on both preservation and income. There are many different factors that can impact a family’s financial health. Most firms primarily focus on investments. However, other elements such as taxes, expenses and complexity are much greater forces affecting the long-term value of capital and its ability to generate spendable income. We use a holistic approach to the preservation of capital—always seeking to determine if it can be accomplished for less money, less complexity, less risk and lower taxes.

What types of clients are best suited for Navigoe’s wealth preservation service?

Family Wealth Preservation is best suited for families that have already accumulated a seven-figure net worth. However, it is extremely beneficial for those who are still in the accumulation—or saving—phase of their lives. Since taxes are one of the biggest expenses for most people, doing proper multiyear tax planning early is critical to minimize the effects of taxation later in life. Planning earlier for financial independence and family wealth preservation leads to a higher probability of achieving these goals.

What are you doing to help your clients through this time of unprecedented uncertainty?

A unique feature of our investment approach is that it does not require us—or anyone else—to forecast what is going to happen. I know that we cannot predict the future, but we can plan for it. This allows our clients to have peace of mind that the strategies put in place for them to fulfill their goals are not disrupted by these difficult and tragic times.

I liken this approach to planning for an earthquake. In this analogy, most wealth management firms spend their effort trying to predict when and where the next earthquake may strike. At Navigoe, we focus on being ready for “the big one.” If it never occurs in our lifetime, excellent. If it does happen, we are prepared to minimize the after-effects and move on with our lives as smoothly as possible.

Navigoe is an interesting name; what does it mean?

“Navigo” is Latin for “navigate” or “to sail.” The translation may specifically be “to navigate a sailboat across oceans.” At Navigoe we believe that we serve as our clients’ financial navigators, helping them achieve their goals and doing so in a secure and enjoyable manner.

You personally know something about navigating oceans.

Yes, in 2011 my family and I departed on a 2½-year sailing trip through the Caribbean Sea and the South Pacific. I worked remotely on the boat with periodic trips back to the South Bay for meetings. In the middle of the worst recession since the Great Depression, I literally sailed off into the sunset … and we did not lose a single client as a result of the trip. I attribute that to the incredible staff of Navigoe, our commitment to service, and the peace of mind we provided to our clients during the Great Recession and market crash.

What is the process to begin working with Navigoe?

At Navigoe, we are seeking lifelong relationships with our clients—to be a partner in helping them achieve all that matters to them in their financial lives. To play off the theme of being our clients’ financial navigator, we do not just hand our clients a chart and push them off the dock. Rather, we board their boat and assist in navigating through their financial lives. 

For families looking for an ongoing relationship with an experienced financial services firm, the first step would be to contact us and schedule an introductory meeting. The purpose is for you to learn more about Navigoe and our bespoke approach to wealth management and for us to learn about your unique financial situation and to explore whether working together would be beneficial.

Photographed by Siri Berting