First Financial Strategies Inc

First Financial Strategies, Inc. provides investment advisory services and general financial guidance — including tax planning and estate planning — to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, businesses and retirement plans. Since March 2024 the firm refers client accounts to Morgan Stanley under a professional alliance; Morgan Stanley maintains custody and handles billing while FFSI continues to consult with clients on financial and tax matters.

FFSI describes an investment process that combines fundamental and technical analysis and tailors portfolio allocations through interviews that consider age, income, risk tolerance and other personal factors; the firm may recommend strategies such as option transactions, margin, or short sales where suitable. Under the alliance FFSI’s role is primarily consultative, supplying client information and recommendations to the Morgan Stanley representatives who have investment discretion over accounts.

The firm’s principals are certified public accountants and the adviser retains accounting and tax-planning capability alongside its investment advice, a feature that is uncommon among peers. The principals also operate multiple other business ventures and disclose instances where clients invest in affiliated alternative investments; FFSI no longer invoices clients directly and instead receives a share of the portfolio management compensation through its referral arrangement.