Can you aggregate my accounts at various firms—like my 401K, etc.?
We have the ability to aggregate accounts from over 4,000 firms and include them in reports, portfolio performance and management. That way, you can see it all in one place.
Your investments should be managed according to the purpose they serve (e.g. fund retirement). So, these accounts together should follow the same plan. Imagine asking a nutritionist for a plan that best serves your nutrition needs. If different cooks prepare your breakfast, lunch and dinner and don’t coordinate, your plan won’t be followed. Similarly, if your investments aren’t coordinated, your optimized plan can’t be followed for asset allocation, tax management, asset location, rebalancing, etc.
Do you deal with annuities?
We do not sell investment products, including annuities. However, we partner with experts who value a relationship with us and work hard to serve our clients without sales pressure. For our clients who have or need annuities, our firm has a relationship with custodians who will review existing annuities or any proposal. They don’t work on commission, so they’re not motivated to make a sale. We value their approach.
Do you deal with life insurance?
We do not sell investment products, including life insurance. When we advise clients, we often find the need to call on experts, such as life insurance agents. Based on the specific needs, we’ll bring in a specialist who fits the situation. We work with trusted experts who can review life insurance contracts and serve our client’s needs. However, we tap a variety of professionals, from local experts to nationally renowned specialists—whatever the situation calls for. Our clients benefit both from what we know and who we know.
What are your fees?
Our fees are explained in detail on page 3 of our regulatory brochure. You can find it here.
What kind of reports can I expect?
We aim to provide clear reports that go from important information to specific details. On the first page, we report the performance over various time periods. The performance is reported net of advisory fees. So, clients know how they fared since they started with us, and over the last years and quarters if applicable. Our quarterly reports are also easy to match to the investment plan each clients has. That way, client can easily see if we are doing what we said we would. Each quarter, we also include the calculation of our advisory fee. We like to be clear and transparent. Click here for an example of our quarterly format.
Do you work with clients who live far away from you?
Yes, we have clients who live quite a distance from us, even overseas. Technology makes it simple and effective. For example, we use computer screen-sharing tools to have effective meetings. Many documents can be handled via encrypted email with e-signatures for example. We accommodate client preferences as well. For instance, some clients do like facetime… but not all.