Frequently Asked Questions
Our services work best for people nearing retirement, going through a life transition (career change, widowhood, business owners or international moves). We are looking for clients wanting to have a thinking team of advisors to best navigate your values, goals and wealth.
Our services work best for those that do not want to manage a portfolio and want a professional to help them understand and keep them on track. We do request that the accounts are managed by us for the best long-term outcome. For our Wealth Management Program we encompass financial planning and asset management. This is set up for clients with $500,000 or more in assets to manage.
Yes, all independent advisors that have a Registered Investment Advisory Firm are required to provide all clients with the ADV Part 2 which outlines the practice, background of advisors and fee structure, this also explains our fiduciary duty to clients. Clarity is also registered by the SEC and we can also send you a copy of our Client Relationship Services form If you would like a copy send us an email and we will send it to you.
Currently we use TD Ameritrade as our custodian. TD Ameritrade is a member of SIPC, insurance coverage to protect client assets. Using a third party custodian protects a clients assets and ensures that the assets are owned by the client, not us. It does not protect your assets from the volatility of the stock market. Above and beyond SIPC coverage, both custodians maintain additional insurance coverage, currently through the Customer Asset Protection Company.
This depends on the client’s situation and whether we can accommodate it. We can sometimes rearrange appointments if needed but prefer to keep appointments on the weekdays.
Business hours are Monday through Thursday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and Friday is 8:30 am to 1 pm. This is when the office is staffed and can immediately answer your phone calls. We do encourage you to set appointments ahead of time. You are welcome to drop off items needed by us and if we’re not in an appointment we will try to visit. Again, always call first to find out if we’re available. Your phone call is important to us and we try to answer emails and phone calls within a 24 hour time-frame.
We prefer to work with clients that are looking for more financial planning needs beyond the asset allocation. If you are looking for a long-term relationship with planning advice then we could be the advisor you are looking for. Basically we want to work with clients that value the advice as well as clients that appreciate the accountability and help.
If you are just looking for a second opinion or want to manage your own assets then we may not be a good fit.
Financial planning fees have 2 components: The negotiable hourly fee is billed by the hour and is paid after the consultations.
Written financial plan fees range from $150 to $2,500+ depending on the complexity of your financial situation. Half the negotiable fee is due in advance and the rest upon presentation of the plan, which will always be well within 6 months of our engagement. If you cancel, any prepaid fees will be refunded on a pro-rated basis.
Managed money fees also have two components: If we manage your money, the annual negotiable fee is a percentage depending on the size and complexity of your account. The fee is paid quarterly, at the end of each quarter. If we help you select other money managers and we monitor them for you, the other money managers (registered or notice filed in Oregon) pay us a portion of the fees generated by you. You do not directly pay for this service.
