Q: Where did the idea for the program originate?
A. Over the past decade, Dorval & Chorne developed a unique niche in implementing corporate advisory agreements for large employers where these companies provide access to independent, objective advice to employees without regard to their personal financial situation. The MNA Financial Wellness Program is an evolution of this concept. Dorval & Chorne learned some profoundly important lessons from our experience with these group agreements:
- We found many people do not have access to quality financial planning advice. They do not know where to turn for information and advice which then leads to procrastination in making important financial decisions.
- Becoming well versed in the unique needs of niche groups allows Dorval & Chorne to provide greater value as advisors while being more efficient and effective in our advice.
- We discovered working through groups in a fiduciary advisory agreement reduces and potentially even eliminates many of the real and perceived conflicts of interest inherent in the financial services industry.
Q: How will I benefit from the program?
A. All MNA members will have access to independent, objective financial advice and planning with advisors that have more than a decade of experience working with MNA and its members. Dorval & Chorne’s main clientele are health care professionals with nurses making up a majority of this niche. The focus on the nursing community helps us maintain a high level of knowledge about RNs and the unique challenges they face. The areas of expertise pertaining to MNA members include the following:
- Knowledge of the MNA Twin Cities pension and the important role this valuable benefit plays in forming the foundation of retirement planning and financial security for MNA members.
- Experience in working with nearly all of the retirement plans (401k/403b) available to MNA nurses through their employer.
- An understanding of the unique challenges contract negotiations present MNA members along with financial strategies to address this important issue.
Q: How do I access the services of this program?
A. The services of Dorval & Chorne can be accessed via one-on-one meetings at our Maple Grove office, workshops at your facilities. phone calls, email, and remote video conferencing. Services are scheduled on a first come, first served basis.
Q: How do I schedule a one-on-one meeting with a Dorval & Chorne advisor?
A. The preferred way to schedule an individual meeting is to email Ellen Kvenild. Ellen can also be reached at (612) 436-3714.
Q: Where do we meet with the Dorval & Chorne financial advisors?
A. Individual meetings can be scheduled at the Dorval & Chorne office in Maple Grove:
Dorval & Chorne Financial Advisors
11242 86th Avenue North
Maple Grove, MN 55369
If you are unable to meet at the Dorval & Chorne office, a Zoom video conference meeting will be made available.
Chairs can also request workshops at your facilities:
- Contact Daniel Dorval, CFP (Phone: 763-795-9168 or ddorval@dorvalchorne.com) to request a workshop. Please provide at least one month’s advance notice of the date, time, and location of the training. Dorval and Chorne cannot guarantee availability on any date, but they need at least a month’s lead time. Whenever communicating with Dan about a potential workshop, please also copy the MNA Education department education@mnnurses.org.
- For in-person trainings, at least 12 members would need to RSVP at least one week before the date of the training, otherwise we will have to cancel.
- Establish a lead coordinator to work with Dorval & Chorne to set up the event.
- If your bargaining unit does not participate in the Twin Cities Pension, please provide Dorval and Chorne information on what kinds of pensions or defined-contribution plans your bargaining unit has in advanced of the seminar.
- Dorval and Chorne may be able to do virtual training if that works better for smaller bargaining units. If this is something you are interested in, please contact Dan.
Q: Who covers the cost of the program?
A. Dorval & Chorne is compensated by MNA for the advice and planning they provide to MNA members. There is no personal cost to MNA members for accessing these valuable planning resources!
Q: What is comprehensive financial planning?
A. Comprehensive financial planning involves the detailed review and analysis of all facets of your financial situation including cash flow analysis, retirement planning, risk management, investment management, tax management and estate planning.
Q: Is there a cost to me to go through a formal financial planning process with a Dorval & Chorne financial advisor.
A. No. Although a separate agreement will be required for those members who want to create a formal financial plan with a Dorval & Chorne financial advisor, MNA members will generally not be charged for development of their plan. There are situations of unusual planning complexity that require an excessively large time commitment. In these rare situations, a fee may be negotiated outside of the program as part of the separate planning agreement.
Q: Am I forced to implement financial plan recommendations through Dorval & Chorne Financial Advisors?
A. No. It is sometimes more expensive to implement financial planning recommendations through an advisor and we understand some people will choose to save money by doing these things themselves. We also understand some MNA members may have a relationship with a money manager and/or insurance agent they trust and may choose to implement plan recommendations through these individuals.
Plan implementation is available through our group because some MNA members are not do-it-yourselfers when it comes to finances and do not have a relationship with a trusted financial professional.
Q: Does implementation of financial plan recommendations create a conflict of interest for Dorval & Chorne Financial Advisors?
A. Yes. The financial planning agreements create a fiduciary relationship between members and their financial advisor. A fiduciary relationship means we have to do what we believe is in your best interest and we also have to disclose any potential conflicts of interest. Any compensation we might receive for implementing financial plan recommendations would be considered a potential conflict of interest which is why we clearly disclose our compensation and separate the financial planning aspect from the implementation aspect of the relationship.
It is our belief the potential conflict of interest is mitigated due to the nature of the program and our ongoing relationship with MNA. We have a very strong incentive to make sure all MNA members have a positive experience and realize value from this program. This is the only way for us to assure our relationship with MNA and its members will continue. If we were to ever engage in inappropriate behavior with one member, we would jeopardize the entire relationship. We believe this approach offers common sense protections to MNA members that are very different from more conventional financial services relationships. Please refer to the Financial Advisor Disclosure located on the MNA website for more information.
Q: Whom do I contact for more information about the program?
A. More information about the program can be found at the MNA website (http://www.mnnurses.org), Dorval & Chorne website (www.dorvalchorne.com) or by contacting a Dorval & Chorne team member below:
John T. Chorne, CFP® Ellen Kvenild, Director of Operations
jchorne@dorvalchorne.com ekvenild@dorvalchorne.com
612-436-3712 612-436-3714
Daniel Dorval, CFP® Bret Schuler, Advisor Support Specialist Specialist
ddorval@dorvalchorne.com bschuler@dorvalchorne.com
763-795-9168 612-436-3718
Kate Chapman
kchapman@dorvalchorne.com
612-436-3713