Fee-Based Advisors: How We Are Compensated
As an independent fee-based practice, we aim for transparency and parity through our compensation structure. Within our holistic financial planning approach, we recommend strategies that are solutions-focused, not product-focused. Our commitment is to serve our clients’ needs first.
Financial Planning Fees
New client relationships require the establishment of a strong intentional financial foundation. During the first two months of working with you, we typically anticipate three to five face-to-face meetings to carry us through the discovery, strategy and implementation phases of our planning process. At the outset, our advisors charge a one-time planning fee for the time, effort and resources spent through this process. Our new client planning fee starts at $3,000. We base the fee on time anticipated, client complexity and assets available for our eventual management. As we work together, we are also coordinating with other financial professionals on your behalf. Once we have an agreed upon working plan and you are an established client, the ongoing compensation for our working relationship becomes part of the assets under management fees.
Assets Under Management Fees
As independent financial advisors, we are thorough and client-centric in our asset management process. Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS) provides us access to a top-ten* (by gross revenue) independent broker-dealer. This provides advisors with access to top providers and products including stocks, bonds, ETFs and alternative investment solutions through an open-architecture platform and relationships with a wide array of financial product providers. We are not beholden to any specific fund family or institution. We charge a percentage of the total assets managed, which allows us to keep the playing field level for all investment opportunities. Our typical advisory fee ranges from 0.75% to 1.5%. We use a decreasing marginal fee bracket: the more of your assets we manage within your household, the lower the overall fee percentage.
Do Advisors Earn Commissions?
When using insurance products as a consumer—whether you go direct to the carrier or work with an advisor—the cost to you is the same. In the industry, it’s common practice for insurance companies to compensate agents and advisors via commissions when utilizing insurance products within a customized risk management plan. As your advisor, when considering and transferring risk, our professionals have the ability to select from a myriad of insurance carriers. The scope of our recommendations may include annuities, life insurance, and long-term care insurance. In doing so, we carefully screen insurance carriers for those better suited to your desired benefits, as well as for the insurance company’s overall financial strength and ability to minimize cost. Once we discuss these with you, we assist you through the application process and placement of the policy. Upon successful placement, a commission is paid.