ADVICE ONLY

Many of the clients we serve ask why we chose to be compensated for our work on an advice-only or hourly basis. The answer is simple.  Most professionals are fee-for-service.  Accountants, Attorneys, Auto Mechanics, Carpenters, Electricians, House Painters, Physicians, Plumbers, and even Undertakers all charge using the fee-for-service model.  We believe it is the fairest, most transparent way to bill for our services.

Most Financial Services firms operate under one of four models:  

1. Commissions – Firms using this model charge you each time you purchase a product, an Annuity contract, an Insurance Policy, or an Investment product. They may build a “free” Financial Plan that strongly supports selling one or more products. 

2. Assets Under Management – Firms in this space typically advertise as “Fee-only” and charge a fee to manage your investments, usually 1-2% annually.  

3. Fee-Based – Some firms use the term “Fee-Based,” which we believe is misleading.  Fee-Based is a combination of the two above. The firm receives a commission on the products they sell and may also charge you a fee to manage your investments, including some of the products they sell you. 

4. Fee-for-Service – Advisory firms using this model typically set their fees on an hourly or flat fee based on the complexity of your needs.

Each has its inherent conflicts of interest.  However, a professional Financial Planner operating under the Fiduciary standard will do their utmost to avoid conflicts of interest.  If not avoidable, they must fully disclose any potential conflicts in the advice offered. 

We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to receive Competent, Trustworthy, and Affordable financial advice.  Therefore, we are committed to the fee-for-service hourly as-needed model to deliver that advice.  

We also realize this may not be a perfect fit for everyone. If you are looking for someone to use technical or fundamental analysis to provide intuition in the stock market, we will not be a good fit.  We don’t pick individual stocks, we don’t attempt to time the market, or otherwise, try to add value through prediction-based investment approaches.  We don’t sell insurance, annuities, or investment products.  We aren’t the right firm for anyone looking for those services.  Since we use technology extensively to help clients, we’re also not a good fit for anyone averse to using technology and tools.