Q: What services do you provide?
Investment management and financial planning.
Q: How long have you been in business?
Since April of 1989.
Do you have a minimum account size?
Yes, $250,000.
Q: Why do you have a minimum account size?
So I can provide my clients the level of service they deserve.
Q: Can you help me if I don’t live near you?
Yes, I work with clients all across the country. Through the use of my video conferencing system, we are able to view each other face to face and each other’s computer screens. This enables us to have productive meetings without you leaving the comfort of your home.
Q: What are your fees?
My tiered advisory fee schedule is as follows:
| $0 – $500,000 | 1.00% |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | .75% |
| $1,000,001 to $5,000,000 | .50% |
| $5,000,001 plus | .25% |
Q: What do your fees include?
Investment management plus all wealth advisory / financial planning services.
Q: Are your fees competitive to other providers?
My fees are lower than most advisors that provide similar services.
Q: Who are your typical clients?
I serve a variety of clients from all walks of life. Many of my clients are experiencing a transition or liquidity event in their lives such as selling property and/or a business or retiring and rolling over a 401(k) retirement plan.
Q: Are your fees deductible?
IRS Code Section 212 states that investment advisory and financial planning fees incurred may be deductible as miscellaneous itemized expenses to the extent that they exceed 2% of your adjusted gross income. Other miscellaneous itemized deductions which fall into the same category are fees paid for a safe deposit box, estate planning fees, tax preparation fees, attorney and legal fees, and more. So the short answer is fees paid for wealth advisory services may be deductibe and we encourage our clients to ask their accountant or CPA about the deductibility of fees.
Q: Can you take my money?
No. Your portfolio will be custodied at TD Ameritrade Institutional, and they have implemented safeguards to protect you and your financial assets. For example:
- Any money leaving your account will only be sent by the custodian directly to your address of record and in your name. Your address cannot be changed without your written consent, and the Institutional Service Team verifies your signature matches the one they have on file for such a request;
- Any money transferred out of your account (with the exception of the firm’s investment management fees) may only be transferred into an account with the exact same registration. For example, an account in the name of John and Jane Doe may only transfer to another account in the exact name of John and Jane Doe;
- TD Ameritrade retains on file a copy of the Firm’s most current Form ADV. Attempts to debit your account for investment management fees substantially in excess of the norm are immediately flagged as an excessive percentage of your portfolio and validated with an appropriate reason only (in the case of client fees for several accounts being taken from one account for example).
Q: Do you hold my money directly?
Absolutely not. We do not take possession of cash or securities in any form for any time frame.
Q: Is my money safe at TD Ameritrade?
TD Ameritrade is a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). The assets you have at TD Ameritrade are insured by SIPC up to $500,000 for each separate account including up to $100,000 in cash.
Such insurance DOES NOT protect your investment principal from market fluctuation or volatility; however it does provide an amount of protection in the event of your custodian going out of business.
Q: Is my information confidential?
Yes. By law we cannot disclose your private information to anyone but you directly, or your other financial advisors (attorneys, accountants, estate planners) with your consent only. Our client’s information is highly confidential and we take this matter very seriously.
Q: What happens if I cannot reach you?
I work very hard to return all calls or emails within 24 hours. In the rare event that you cannot reach me during working hours and have an urgent need, I have a dedicated support team to assist me that you can call.