Achieving Your Goals. Managing Your Risk.
We provide personal, professional assistance devoted to growing and preserving your savings and to achieving your hopes, plans, and dreams.
Our Business Model:
Unlike the vast majority of the retail investment industry, we operate on a fiduciary business model that is:
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Driven by experience, credentials, and education well beyond what you will typically find in retail brokerage firms.
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Typically far less expensive to the client;
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Truly Independent -- we are not affiliated with any brokerage or financial institution; and
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Legally obligated to act in the client's best interest.
We Offer:
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Low-cost, commission-free, active and passive portfolios;
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Personalized portfolios to match your tax situation, societal values, risk tolerance, and time horizon;
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Retirement accounts;
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Financial planning;
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Tax-advantaged charitable giving structures;
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Trust and estate services; and
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Peace of mind!
Our vision and business model are to be what the investment industry should be.
It's YOUR Individual Path.
How We're Different
Low Cost. Fully Transparent, with no Hidden Fees.
Most of the investment industry remains based on multiple layers of commissions and fees, many of which are not transparent to clients. We are fee-only, and the fees are fully transparent. By eliminating the multiple layers of hidden costs, we are far less expensive than most competitors and traditional brokers…and that means higher returns and faster accumulation of wealth. Our fees include constructing and managing a custom portfolio that fits your tax situation, values, risk tolerance, and time horizon.
Best of all, you are not sacrificing quality by paying our lower fees. Just the opposite. Please read on...
Expert Qualifications and Experience
As you search for an advisor, you may quickly find that many are not financial experts at all. Do they have degrees and advanced degrees in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related fields? Do they have premier industry credentials and certifications, such as the Chartered Financial Analyst designation? Do they have a CPA on staff to help make tax-efficient investment and planning choices? Have they made a career of analyzing investments, economics, and investment strategies? Have they taught at the University level? Please consider the qualifications you'd expect from an advisor and compare our experience and credentials to theirs.
We Don't Outsource Your Investment Management
Since many "advisors" are primarily asset-gatherers and do not have the skills, qualifications, or background to manage investment portfolios, they often outsource actual investment management to another firm, and this is not always transparent to the client. This arrangement is also typically very costly to the client. We have the skills, qualifications, certifications, and experience to manage your investments in-house. And when you talk to us, you will be talking to the people that actually manage your holdings.
We are a Fiduciary
Our firm is a Registered Investment Advisor, which is very different from a brokerage. As a fiduciary, we are bound by the legal duties of care and loyalty. In short, we must act in your best interest. In contrast, most of the financial industry is based on a broad standard of "suitability," which allows for high fee structures and commissions, illiquid investment products, and a potential conflict between the broker's commission-based compensation and your best interest.
Evidence-Based Investing
Everything we do is based on in-depth knowledge of decades of research in investment management.
We emphasize low portfolio turnover because that means lower costs for the client. We similarly emphasize low-cost index funds because they tend to outperform their higher-cost counterparts.
We allocate these funds based on sound principles of diversification that minimize volatility and maximize return. Portfolios are very well-diversified across asset classes, industries, and geographies.
We choose individual holdings based on established traits that tend to lead to strong investment performance.
One thing we regularly notice when we take on clients from another advisor is the common lack of adherence to the these basic sound principles of investing.
Socially Responsible Investing
We offer personalized portfolios that reflect YOUR values. Invest in businesses and industries that you support and believe in. Many studies show that there is no performance reduction from investing in responsible companies. In fact, some studies show that socially responsible companies outperform their less responsible counterparts. Read more.
We Welcome Everyone
Everyone is welcome as a client. There is no minimum asset requirement. Unlike many competitors, we want to help everyone, regardless of portfolio size.
A Long-Term Buy-and-Hold Approach
Without commissions, we have no incentive to churn portfolio holdings. But more important than that, our focus is on the long-term value of each underlying investment. We never lose sight of the financial math that drives returns in the long run.