Details
Our clients come from all walks of life – some working, some retired, but all professionally successful. For most, professional success created financial complexity, while limiting the time available to thoughtfully navigate it. As experts in their own fields, our clients value experienced counsel and the ability to delegate critical tasks to a trusted partner.
Yes. We add a limited number of new clients each year. Our commitment to slow, sustainable growth allows us to focus attention on serving our existing clients.
New clients’ investable assets typically exceed $1M. Although, a prospective client’s age, saving rate, and personality fit are also taken into account.
You should expect to learn what it would be like for us to work together. You’ll get a feel for our personality, our fee structure, and our fit for your needs. We’ll ask lots of questions and answer each of yours. We’ll provide you feedback on the organization of your finances, discuss areas of opportunity, and specific strategies you might consider. Whether or not a working partnership develops, we’ll ensure our time together is as valuable for you as possible.
You can expect us to listen. Getting to know you is essential to understanding how we can help. You can expect attention to detail, prompt response to calls and emails, careful execution of the tasks at hand, and confidentiality in all matters. You can expect integrity and clear reasoning in each recommendation we make. Ultimately, you can expect us to uphold the highest professional standards in every aspect of our relationship.
Our time and counsel is available whenever you need it. Our door, inbox, and phone lines are always open. Annual meetings – at a minimum – are a requirement for being a client. This ensures that your comprehensive financial plan remains up-to-date. In turn, this enables us to provide informed advice to complicated and time-sensitive issues whenever they arise throughout the year.
Confidentiality is paramount to our clientele. We do not release your information, including your identity as a client, to any party (other than legal and regulatory authorities) without your explicit permission. Each year, you will receive a written Privacy Policy detailing the steps taken to protect your personal information.
Yes. Client investment accounts are held at TD Ameritrade Institutional where they are insured up to $500,000 per account by SIPC®, and to the full net equity of each account up to $149.5 million by Lloyd’s of London. This coverage provides protection against brokerage insolvency, not against loss in market value.
Yes. Helping clients manage concentrated stock positions is a common wealth management challenge. Stock options, restricted stock, employee stock purchase plans, and retirement plans matched with company stock can all result in significant wealth tied directly to your employer. We help you assess this risk and its alignment with your overarching financial objectives.
Yes. For many investors, an employer-sponsored plan is their most important retirement asset. Our process includes working with the fund choices available to design a portfolio that reflects your needs and complements the other investments we manage on your behalf.
The short answer is that RIAs are advisors, while brokers are salespeople. Brokers far outnumber RIA’s and are a completely self-regulated industry with no legal requirement to act in the best interests of their clients. By contrast, RIAs are bound by the Investment Advisors Act of 1940, operate under government regulation, and are required by law to work in our client’s best interest.
Anyone can call themselves a “financial advisor” because there are no government-enforced educational or testing requirements to do so. The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation means the professional has satisfied the education, examination, experience, and ethical standards required by the Financial Planning Board of Standards.