Why should I pay an advisor - Can't I do this myself?
Of course you can...IF you're willing to devote the time and energy required to do it well.
If your life is relatively simple, with a modest investment of time, there is a lot you can learn about managing your personal finances if you know the right resources. But, the more complex your life is (having a family, non-salary compensation, owning a business) the more interconnected the different facets of your financial life become. Hiring an advisor is the right decision for anyone who wants a thought partner or sounding board to ensure they're doing the right things with their money. Or anyone who'd rather spend the significant investment of time required to learn how to manage their finances in any other way.
What is an independent, fee-only advisor and why should I hire one?
Independent - An advisor or advisory firm that is unaffiliated with any other financial institution (wirehouse, bank, insurance company). Independence helps eliminate some of the most common and harmful conflicts of interest between an advisor and their clients.
Fee-Only - An advisor or advisory CANNOT be paid a commission for a referral or for the sale of a product.
People often seek out independent, fee-only advisors because they want objective advice and guidance without having to consistently ask the question, "Is this what's really best for me, or is my advisor recommending this because they get paid more?".
Learn more about the different kinds of advisors in our blog entry What's in a name?
What makes True North a good choice for me?
We work with individuals and families that come in all shapes and sizes, each with their own unique vision of how they want to spend their time. However, what all our clients share in common is the desire to make smart choices with their money to support their goals, and the commitment to make changes required to further their progress.
Learn more about the clients we partner with on our
What is a CFP?
A Certified Financial Planner (CFP) is a professional designation awarded to financial advisors who have satisfied the educational requirements, completed rigorous coursework, and passed an examination to test their fluency in all aspects of financial planning. A CFP must also have years of experience (at least 6,000 hours) and is required to continue their education to maintain the certification.
Read more about what is required to be a CFP on the CFP Website
What is a Fiduciary - Why is it important?
In Finance, a fiduciary is held to the highest standard of care and loyalty to their clients. Fiduciaries are ethically and legally required to act with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence of a prudent professional. A fiduciary must avoid and disclose any conflicts of interest and, most importantly, prioritize the interests of their clients over their own.
You may ask, "Aren't all advisors fiduciaries to their clients?" Unfortunately, the answer is overwhelmingly no. Why someone would consider working with a professional who is not required to put their client's interest before their own is a more difficult question to answer.
Read more about the fiduciary standard of care and it's importance on the CFP Website
Is there a fee for an initial meeting with you?
No there is not.
We believe you shouldn't be required to commit to a relationship (and pay a fee) before you've had the opportunity to know if we work well together. In addition to an initial call, we offer a free financial planning consultation to individuals we believe are a good fit, as an opportunity to "test drive" our client experience.
Learn more about our client onboarding process on our
Do you have an investment minimum?
No we do not.
Planning clients are charged a flat monthly fee based on the complexity of their financial picture. Because we do not charge a fee strictly based on the value of the investments we manage, we have an opportunity to work with those who may not have a large investment portfolio but still desire to partner with an advisor to ensure they're doing the right things with their money.
Learn more about our fee on our About Us page
How do you keep my money safe?
We protect our client's money in a number of ways. We work with a large, US-based, independent custodian who is responsible for holding your assets in your name and providing reporting. We manage your portfolio to ensure that your money is invested as it should be and provide oversight to help identify any threats or unauthorized access. Lastly, we advise you about how much and what kind of risk you should take or eliminate based on your goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance.
What is your investment philosophy?
Our investment philosophy is simple but effective. Success in investing depends on a disciplined focus on the things over which you have control: Cost, Risk, and Taxable Consequences. We do not try to time markets (guessing at when you should be invested or not) or gamble on the ability to pick winning stocks because the overwhelming body of independent academic research shows that even the most well-equipped and well-financed money managers are unable to consistently do so.
Learn more about our investment approach in our blog entry - The Fool's Errand
What are your fees?
We charge a flat monthly fee for wealth management services (financial planning, advice, and investment management) based on the complexity of your financial picture. Your monthly fee is calculated and discussed during the free planning consultation to ensure clarity and is the only fee we charge for all the services we provide.
Learn more about our fee on our About page
You operate a virtual office - How does that work?
Yes, we operate a virtual office, allowing our clients nationwide to meet discretely with their financial advisor from the convenience of their own homes. We utilize a web-based financial planning software providing an updated snapshot of your financial picture each time you log on. Keeping you more connected with your money and enabling you to easily monitor your progress toward your goals.
I'm ready to work with you. How do I start?
The first step is to schedule a casual ~20-30-minute Fit Call to discuss any goals or concerns that are on your mind, learn about how we work with clients, and see if we're the right fit.
Pick a convenient day/ time to schedule your Fit Call on our Scheduling page
Frequently Asked Questions
Still Have Questions?
Don't worry - that's why our initial meetings are offered free of charge. We want you to have a clear understanding of our services, fee, and overall client experience to ensure we're the right fit.
You are also welcome to send us a message and we'll be happy to answer your questions directly.