The Fee-Only Advantage: Unbiased Advice Aligned with Your Goals
As value investors, we love hunting down hidden gems in the stock market—and now we’ve brought that same mindset to your personal finances. We dig deep to squeeze extra value from your investment choices, tax strategies, and overall plan, so you keep more, worry less, and live better.
We operate as a fee-only Registered Investment Adviser (RIA), meaning our compensation comes solely from the fees you pay us—typically a percentage of assets under management or flat fees for services.
The share of true fee-only fiduciaries has roughly doubled from about 2% in 2018 to around 5% as of early 2025, and is still growing. We believe the growing acceptance is proof that it is the best model
This structure eliminates hidden incentives and ensures our recommendations are always in your best interest.
Pure Alignment of Interests: Unlike commission-based models, we don't earn money from selling products like mutual funds, insurance, or annuities. Our success is tied directly to yours—when your portfolio grows, so does our compensation.
Transparency and Trust: Fee-only advisors represent a small but elite group in the industry, with only about 5% of financial professionals operating under this strict standard. This rarity underscores our commitment to fiduciary duty, where we are legally obligated to put your needs first at all times.
Comprehensive Planning: As a CFA charterholder-led firm, we provide tailored strategies for wealth building, retirement planning, tax optimization, and more, without the pressure to push unnecessary products.
Choosing a fee-only RIA like ours means peace of mind, knowing your financial future is guided by objective expertise, not sales quotas.
Why Traditional Models Are Often Conflicted
Many financial advisors operate under dual-registered or broker-dealer models, where conflicts of interest can undermine client outcomes. Here's why these approaches fall short compared to a pure fee-only RIA:
Commission-Driven Incentives: About 95% of advisors earn commissions or other product-based payments, which can lead to recommending higher-cost or unsuitable investments to boost their earnings, rather than what's best for you.
Dual Standards: Broker-dealers follow a "suitability" standard, which is less stringent than the fiduciary duty required of RIAs. They may suggest options that are merely adequate, not optimal, and often prioritize firm profits.
Hidden Fees and Lack of Transparency: Traditional models can involve undisclosed markups, 12b-1 fees, or revenue-sharing arrangements that erode your returns without clear benefits.
Regulatory Gaps: While recent rules like Regulation Best Interest aim to improve standards, they still allow for managed conflicts, unlike the unwavering fiduciary commitment of fee-only RIAs.
We avoid these pitfalls entirely, offering independent advice free from external pressures. Our fee-only structure ensures your goals remain our sole priority.