Our Way

We think simple is better.  We won't charge you more than the next guy just because you didn't know you could negotiate a better deal.

We charge a flat fee for each service we offer. Most people who engage us for a particular service pay the same amount.

For portfolio management, our fee is capped so that as your portfolio grows, our fee (as a percentage) goes down.

Their Way

There are many other ways you can pay for investment advice.  Several are listed below along with their shortcomings:

Commissions

• Advisor is paid by, and works for, someone other than you.
• Competing products pay the advisor a differing amount.
• Many financial issues have no associated product and hence, no means by which the advisor can be fairly compensated to help you.

Asset-Based Fees (AUM or Assets Under Management)

• Such fees are frequently too high.
• They rise at an alarmingly high rate.
• They are linked to portfolio size which has little to do with the time, effort, or expertise required to manage the portfolio.
• They present potential conflicts of interest regarding strategies that might reduce your portfolio size.

Retainer Fees

• Frequently cover an ill-defined scope of services.
• You overpay if you don't utilize all that the fee entails.
• Often inconsistent; everyone pays a different fee.

Hourly Fees

• Rewards inefficiency (the longer it takes, the more the advisor is paid)
• Inequity among client fees (you might be charged for research or work that benefits other clients)
• Ethical dillemmas (what's billable? what's not?)