When it comes to retirement,

BEING READY BEATS GETTING LUCKY.

We believe in planning ahead—because hope isn’t a strategy. As an independent firm, we help you spot risks early, strengthen your foundation, and build a retirement plan you can count on. So you can live fully, give generously, and leave a legacy, all with quiet confidence.

Build My Plan

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If you’re done leaving your future to chance, our approach was built for you.

We serve hardworking people nearing or in retirement who refuse to leave their life’s work to chance. Our clients include:

Pre-Retirees

Retirees

BUSINESS OWNERS

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

ARE WE UNKNOWINGLY GIVING AWAY MORE THAN WE NEED TO?

Absolutely – and that’s why we address them head-on. We’ll identify tax-saving opportunities to help keep more of your money working for you.

IF THE MARKET DIVES, WILL OUR RETIREMENT INCOME RUN DRY?

We structure retirement income defensively with cash reserves and reliable sources like Social Security, giving your investments time to grow before needed.

IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME WILL MY SPOUSE BE OKAY?

We help protect against life's uncertainties with proper insurance, current estate documents, and emergency funds to keep your loved ones protected.

Any of these sound familiar? If so, you’re in the right place.

Our eight-factor Wealth Safety Index™ looks for all those potential risks and weak points. From rising health care costs to legal liabilities, we help put the right protections in place now so an unexpected event doesn’t disrupt your retirement later.

ADAM SMITH

Founder & Advisor

Guiding families through calm and storm for 25+ years.

Adam is an independent advisor who left the big firms in 2006 to provide conflict-free advice—answering only to you.

Inventor of the Wealth Safety Index™, his proprietary tool that helps uncover financial blind spots and transforms preparedness into measurable value.

Dual-licensed in investments and insurance, Adam offers a 360° approach to growing and protecting your wealth.

A lifelong learner and family man, Adam is an Eagle Scout, Florida-based Midwesterner, avid fisherman and diver, and proud husband and father of four.

READY TO START YOUR PLAN?

Build My Plan

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Phone

941-677-6113

Email

info@privatefinancialcounsel.com

Office

Lakewood Ranch, Florida (serving clients in Florida and across the U.S.)

Licensed Insurance Professional. We are an independent financial services firm helping individuals create retirement strategies using a variety of investment and insurance products to custom suit their needs and objectives. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, accounting, legal, tax or investment advice. We are not affiliated with any government agency.

Investing involves risk, including the loss of principal. No Investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in a period of declining values. Any references to protection benefits or lifetime income generally refer to fixed insurance products, never securities or investment products. Insurance and annuity products are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.

By contacting us, downloading booklets, or attending events, you may be offered a meeting to discuss how our insurance and other services can meet your retirement needs.

Investment advisory services are provided in accordance with a fiduciary duty of care and loyalty that includes putting your interests first and disclosing conflicts. Insurance services have a best interest standard which requires recommendations to be in your best interest. Advisors may receive commission for the sale of insurance and annuity products. Additional details including potential conflicts of interest are available in our firm's ADV Part 2A and Form CRS (for advisory services) and the Insurance Agent Disclosure for Annuities form (for annuity recommendations).

*Private Financial Counsel does not provide legal advice and cannot draft legal documents. We work with experienced CPA’s, tax planners and estate planning attorneys who develop the legal documents that express a client’s estate planning intentions. We are pleased to work with a client’s current estate planning attorney, CPA, and other advisers.

Asset Management and Investment Advisory Services offered through Caitlin John Private Wealth Management, a SEC Registered Investment Advisor Firm, headquartered at 1024 E. Grand River Ave, Brighton, Michigan 48116 / (810) 355-1325. Private Financial Counsel, LLC and Caitlin John Private Wealth Management are separate entities and are not affiliated.

Watership Private Capital Management, LLC is a registered investment adviser in the state of Florida. The adviser may transact business in states where it is appropriately registered, or where it is excluded or exempted from registration.Information presented is for educational purposes only and is not an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any securities or investment advisory services. Investments involve risk and are not guaranteed. Be sure to consult with a qualified financial adviser or a tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein.

ARE-19038 | 26712 | 11/12/2025