Objective Advice
Fee-Only, Objective Advice. Pure and Simple.
Objectivity is the hallmark of our service. When selecting an investment advisor, you need to have confidence that he or she is always doing what’s right for you…and not what may be convenient for them.
Here’s how we’re different:
- We provide fee-only services. We do not accept compensation from any source other than our clients.
- No product sales and no commissions, so we always act in your best interests.
- We have no incentive to recommend or select one investment over another. We build unique portfolios using only those investments that have passed our rigorous analysis and that are right for you.
That kind of transparency builds trust—another hallmark of the work we do.
In addition, we’ll help you look at your money more objectively; examining how it can best help you achieve financial security and independence. We believe that perspective and balance in the financial picture is a critical element to financial success in both good markets and not so good ones.
If objective advice from an unbiased, experienced advisor makes sense for your financial future, let’s talk.
Expertise
Smart, Knowledgeable People Focused On You
Managing money is not a hobby or a discipline to be taken lightly…at least not to us. Our nine investment advisors hold 14 industry certifications and have an average of more than 20 years of experience in financial planning. Eight of the nine are Certified Financial Planners®, the most widely recognized industry designation for knowledge and discipline.
We are an SEC registered investment advisor, subject to rigorous training, disclosure, and fiduciary standards. Our advisory team maintains its credentials through ongoing education and must, by law, do what is in your best interest at all times. We are accountable to you with current, publicly available information. In this way, you can easily compare us to competitors and see how we truly add value for you.
Resources
Many Experts Stand Behind Your Advisor
Supporting your advisor is a team of dozens of analysts, account service staff, and investment research experts. We are part of a corporate family whose roots go back 100+ years. This is the support network that allows your advisor to focus on you.
The seven members of our investment management team hold seven masters degrees, four Chartered Financial Analyst® designations and average more than 15 years in investment and portfolio management. Every investment vehicle we use has been through a rigorous due-diligence process, including proprietary, quantitative models designed to help us evaluate the relative risk and historical characteristics of each investment alternative. This same team is responsible for ongoing monitoring of investment choices.
Their investment recommendations are overseen by our Investment Committee, members of which, in turn, hold three CFA® designations and average 23 years in investment selection and monitoring.
Unique to a firm with institutional resources, our investment team is also the investment advisor for retirement plan clients of The Standard, representing the financial futures of hundreds of thousands of individuals. The team also manages Standard Insurance Company's fixed income security portfolio, helping Standard Insurance Company to achieve a Standard & Poor¿s financial strength rating of AA (Very Strong).
Communication
We Listen to You
From our first meeting to your ongoing updates, you’ll see something a little different with us. We ask a lot of questions and then — we listen.
Tell us about your dreams.
Tell us what you want your money to do for you.
Tell us what financial security means to you.
You can expect to meet with your advisor several times a year, or more frequently, for updates and to review your financial plan and your portfolio. Your advisor will also contact you regularly by phone or email to check in with you on changes in your life circumstances or as a follow up to a meeting. When the market changes, your advisor may reach out to you to explain how those fluctuations will affect you.
We work hard to build relationships where your first instinct is to come to us about all things financial. Should you buy that new house or investment property? How should you handle that bonus? Your advisor is experienced—and available.
Our work begins and continues with great conversations.
