Knowledge Center
What questions do we hear most often from prospective clients? Below is a collection of FAQs we hear most often.
How often do you meet with clients?
Generally we like to meet with our clients at least twice per year, every 6 months or so for a check-in. The frequency can vary from year-to-year since financial planning can come in waves for our clients and their needs vary over time.
Are you a fiduciary?
Yes, we take on a fiduciary responsibility for investment selection, monitoring and financial planning discussions. We must put our clients interests first when advising on various financial topics. You can learn more about the fiduciary standard here
How do you get paid?
We are a fee-only financial advisory firm meaning we do not receive commissions or kick-backs on any investments or services we offer. We bill our clients based on a tiered assets under management (AUM) fee schedule:
| Billing Rate | Portfolio Size (AUM) |
|---|---|
| 1.10% | Of the amount up to $1,000,000 |
| 0.85% | Of the amount from $1,000,001 - $2,500,000 |
| 0.70% | Of the amount from $2,500,001 - $4,000,000 |
| 0.55% | Of the amount over $4,000,001 |
What are the manager fees on your portfolios?
Fees certainly factor into the analysis of choosing investment funds to build a portfolio. It is important to look beyond manager fees and assess whether a fund provides value within the overall portfolio. We scrutinize our investment managers on a multitude of criteria, the management fee being one of them.
What services are included with the AUM fee?
The AUM fee described above is all-encompassing. We do not charge hourly fees or transactional based fees. If you would like to meet to discuss a financial idea or concern, you are not billed additional costs.
What are your qualifications?
We have a diverse team of professionals that include 3 Certified Financial Planners (CFP) and 2 Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA). Other common industry designations to look for in a wealth advisor include the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA).
What’s your investment philosophy?
A detailed explanation of our investment philosophy can be found on this page.
Do you have any minimums?
As a general rule of thumb, our minimum amount of assets is set at $750,000. If you have a unique situation and your current asset level does not reach this number, please feel free to reach out to our office at (512)-774-5340.
What happens to my accounts if I become a client?
Before any changes are made to your existing investments, we first analyze the holdings in detail and provide detailed direction on what actions we would take should you become a client. We custody client assets at either Charles Schwab & Co. or Fidelity.