Compston Wealth Management offers investment, retirement planning

For eight years, Compston Wealth Management has been offering planning to the Tri-State and beyond for the years to come.

“We do financial and investment planning, including retirement and college planning and a full range of that,” Mark Compston, owner and partner for the company, said.

Along with his son and partner, Casey, and part-time assistant Christi Lockwood, who is Casey’s sister-in-law, the family-run business has been operating at its current location, 1011 S. Third St. in Ironton, since it was launched in 2013.

It is an independent company, but Mark and Casey are affiliated with Lincoln Financial Securities.

Compston, who has been in the business since 1993, previously worked as a branch manager and financial planner at another firm in Huntington. His son has worked in the field since 2008.

“Casey was the youngest financial advisor to go through the AG Edwards program,” he said.

As for their client base, Compston said they see “quite a wide variety.”

“Most are Ironton and Lawrence County, then followed by Greenup, Boyd and Cabell counties,” he said. “And we have clients in 10 states.”

He said the bulk of their work is investment management.

“And most of our clients are older and we’re helping with retirement,” he said.

When asked what draws him to the profession, Compston said there are two things.

“Finding what we can do that makes a real difference with people and their lives, and seeing how what we do touches every aspect of the economy,” he said. “It’s interesting.”

Compston said, going forward, they hope to offer the same, stable service.

“We’re long-term planning for clients,” he said. “We don’t get into fads. The long-term, high-quality investments continue to make the most sense.”

He said they will offer both formal and informal planning, with formal planning being “much, much more in-depth, encompassing a client’s entire lifestyle.”

One change they have had, though, is beginning to use more online resources, such as Zoom for meeting, something he said was done due to COVID-19.

Compston said the pandemic affected their business very little, being a small family-centered staff.

He said, while they received a few calls from clients, his message to them was to again “stress the long term and not the short term.”

“And some were just calling to make sure we were OK,” he said.

The emphasis on long-term planning is key to everything, Compston said. He points out that a good, quality investment over any 10-year period can benefit a client.

“Sticking with good, long-term high quality investments is what brings success,” he said.

And he urges prospective clients to begin thinking about the future at any age. He said they have some clients who are in their 90s.

“When to start is today,” he said. “The sooner you start planning, the more likely you are to be successful. But it’s never too late to plan for your children and grandchildren, either.”

Securities and advisory services, such as financial planning, offered through Lincoln Financial Securities Corp., Member SIPC. Branch Office: 1011 South Third Street, Ironton, OH 45638. Lincoln Financial Securities is not affiliated with Compston Wealth Management. LFS-3777415-092021.

For more information, visit www.compstonwealthmanagement.com.