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Are you a fiduciary?
Yes! As fiduciaries we are required to act in the best interest of our clients whether engaged in financial planning or giving financial advice.
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What happens during the initial consultation? Is it free?
We don’t charge a fee for the initial meeting which typically last about an hour. The initial meeting is about getting to know one another and making sure we are a good “fit” for each other.
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How do you get paid?
Beyond the first meeting, the cost can take the form of an hourly consulting fee, commission, and/or an asset-based fee. Just as no one investment is right for everyone, no one fee structure is right for everyone either! The arrangement depends on the client’s situation and is determined, and fully disclosed, before signing any paperwork.
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What is your investment philosophy?
Our philosophy is built on the following beliefs:
- Market timing presents more risk than opportunity.
- Proper diversification can help maximize return for a given level of risk.
- A core and satellite approach can add investment performance.
- Managing money in retirement is completely different than managing money to save for retirement.
- Investment fees are important, but not a limiting factor. Price is important in the absence of value.
There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk.
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Do you have an account minimum?
No. We are strong believers that everyone deserves access to sound financial advice including help getting started. The level of service will vary between smaller accounts and larger accounts.
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How often will we communicate?
As an independent office, we have the ability to customize our communication to fit your needs. We generally have more communication early in the relationship as we each build trust and understanding and less as that trust is established. Life events such as transitioning to retirement or the death of a loved one often dictate more frequent communication. Your busy work schedule may dictate less face-to-face communication.
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Who is your custodian?
While independently owned, we chose LPL Financial as our broker-dealer and custodian. LPL Financial is the largest independent broker-dealer in the United States according to Financial Planning magazine (June 1996–2022) based on total revenue; with more than 20,000 financial advisors.
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Do you benchmark your performance?
Each client is invested according to their specific tolerance to fluctuation. Each of our strategies are then benchmarked to appropriate weightings of the Russell 3000, MSCI ACWI ex USA, and Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Index.