Questions & Answers

What is your investment philosophy?

I believe that good long-term investment results are determined mainly by the management of risk rather than by striving for outsized returns. My personal and professional philosophy is conservative. My primary objective in all accounts is to achieve reasonable, yet consistent returns. I am not interested in being an investment advisor hero but rather a care provider for my clients’ wealth.

For my clients and those expressing interest in my services, I write and distribute a quarterly newsletter on current economic and financial market developments. And if that schedule doesn’t keep up with current happenings, I provide more frequent updates as events warrant.


Will you work with me personally?

Absolutely. To begin with, I will want to sit down with you and find out as much as I can about your current financial situation, your goals, needs and concerns. We can develop a comprehensive financial plan for you or focus on specific areas of concern.

To make sure that I have a complete picture of your situation, I can also work with your attorney, your accountant, or other professional advisor.

Based on the information I gather, I will tailor a financial strategy that makes sense for you. Naturally, I will explain my recommendations and answer all your questions. Only then and with your approval will I take any action.


Will you be available to me after you start managing my portfolio?

Yes. You can always reach me by phone, fax, mail, or e-mail. I or my staff are always available to answer questions about any aspects of your account. If you’d like to meet with me in person, just call and we’ll set up an appointment.


How do I keep track of what you do for me?

For those clients who want a fee-based investment advisor account we provide a quarterly portfolio evaluation. In addition, all our clients receive a comprehensive monthly brokerage statement. The quarterly evaluation lists all securities, original purchase date and cost of the security, and current market value. It provides a percentage distribution for all asset classes (asset allocation). Most important, the report shows internal rates of return for the account, so that the investor knows exactly how the account is performing.

We maintain a complete record of all transactions and of realized capital gains and losses for tax planning purposes. This information is available at any time upon request and is provided to your accountant at tax time. This eliminates the need for tedious bookkeeping of all transactions.


How does your investment advisory service differ from the personalized service a broker offers?

When I compare our services to those offered by a brokerage firm, I see three differences:

1. Brokers work mostly on commissions and their compensation is directly tied to account activity –buying and selling securities. Although we also earn commissions for such transactions, our primary compensation is fee-based and tied to the value of each client’s portfolio.

2. A brokerage statement usually doesn’t tell you how your investments are performing. Our quarterly investment advisory reports give performance measurements so that you know how your investments are doing.

3. If you use money management services through a brokerage firm, the person who takes care of you is probably not the person who actually manages your assets. With our firm you are dealing directly with the person managing your account.


What kind of portfolios do you currently manage?

We handle all accounts sizes and do not impose any minimums on regular accounts. Our fee-based investment advisory account minimum is $100,000. Portfolio design varies according to the needs and circumstances of the clients. Portfolios differ, ranging from those containing a majority of assets in stocks to those which have primarily fixed income assets and are designed to generate maximum income. Each account is individually tailored to the personal circumstances of the client, including risk preferences, age, and tax situation.


Can I afford the kind of personalized care you offer?

Our charges are surprisingly affordable and in most cases substantially lower than the cost of doing business with a large brokerage firm.

Our annual fee for investment advisory accounts never exceeds 1% of assets under management. At the beginning of each quarter, we bill you according to portfolio value. For example, if you place $200,000 of your assets under my management, we will bill you $500 (1/4% or .0025) for the first quarter. Let’s say that at the end of the first quarter your $200,000 is worth $205,000; in this case your fee for the second quarter will be $512.50. When we buy or sell investments in managed accounts, commissions are highly discounted.


Why should I use you as an investment advisor?

Besides my experience, there are two salient points in my favor for you to consider:

1. I only have you to answer to. I’m independent and completely free from any pressures to sell one product over another. One of the main reasons I decided to open my own financial advisory firm was to free myself of the conflicts of interest that can occur when working under the pressure of brokerage firm incentives and recommendations.

2. My compensation is primarily fee-based and I am not solely dependent on commissions for income. My income increases when your assets grow.


I have investments in several places. Will I have any difficulty moving everything to your firm?

As your investment advisor, we make all the arrangements, handle the paperwork, and follow through until all transfers are completed.