Background & Credentials
Yes, I am held to a fiduciary standard as an investment advisor – meaning I am legally obligated to act in your best interest.
No – You should check FINRA’s BrokerCheck and the SEC’s https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/ site to review an advisor’s disciplinary record.
Since 2006 – I have the grey hair to prove it 🙂
I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ , an Accredited Investment Fiduciary® and an Agriculture Focused Financial Planning professional. I am an investment advisor representative licensed in the state of Nebraska. I am also a licensed life insurance agent in the state of Nebraska.
Client Experience
I do have Krystal and additional support people helping with general administration tasks, but I will serve as your advisor and primary contact. I do collaborate with other professionals (accountants, attorneys, etc.) as needed to help facilitate your financial plan.
I often meet clients once or twice a year for review meetings which is driven by personal preference.
All of the above, but I rely heavily on email as I find it one of the more efficient ways to stay in touch.
Yes, I can. My firm is regulated by the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance and I work with others across the US. We have often found virtual meetings, emails, and phone calls work just fine in serving others not local to central Nebraska.
In the event of my death, you will have two choices. First, you may become a client of another advisor of your choosing – we can advise you on local options and suggest visiting plannersearch.org and XY Planning Network to find and evaluate other financial planners. Or, second, you may elect to simply become a retail client of your existing account custodian which would be Charles Schwab and/or Betterment. In either event, nothing will change with your money. It most often remains the same accounts, and you will retain all access to it as before.
It has become quicker and easier than it used to be – typically it just takes some paperwork that often can be completed electronically nowadays and it’s all complete within a week or two. Sometimes current investment providers require their own paperwork before transferring accounts, but we can help with the prep work. In most cases there is no need to speak with your current investment provider.
We use Charles Schwab and Betterment to custody client accounts. We primarily use Schwab as they are generally a good fit for clients in or near retirement. Betterment is often a compelling solution for investors in the accumulation stage of their life.
Compensation
I receive no incentives or commissions from recommending investment products. I am a licensed life insurance agent, so I may receive commissions from fixed insurance products in an independent agent capacity, however, I use these products infrequently in specific circumstances. I strive to minimize or eliminate conflicts of interest at all times.
As a percentage of your account – assets under management (AUM). The fee is structured so that when you do better, I do better. Asset management fees for accounts held at Schwab are billed quarterly in advance, and deducted directly from client’s accounts. See my AUM fee schedule below.
| Assets Under Management (AUM) | Annual Fee |
| Under $500k | 1.50% |
| $500k – 1M | 1.25% |
| $1M – 2M | 0.90% |
| $2M – 5M | 0.75% |
| $5M+ | 0.50% |
Services
Yes, I am taking new clients and I primarily work on a referral basis. I currently serve approximately 60 households, but intend to limit new clients once we reach the 75-household mark to protect the quality and integrity of our services. I prefer operating a small firm to better serve clients.
No. Any recommendations to make investment changes are made only after I do a thorough analysis of everything and ensure it is in your best interest.
I do use model portfolios but can customize them to the individual based on needs and preferences. My strategy involves optimizing the overall investment portfolio according to the tax treatment of your account types (i.e, taxable vs tax-deferred vs tax-free assets).
No, while I do not have a hard minimum, those similar to our existing clients will find the most value in our services.
No, our business is built to serve those looking for ongoing investment management and financial planning rather than a one-time consultation. With that said, I will always make time to provide one-time consultations to our clients’ friends and family.
Our typical client is in or near retirement (55+ years old) and is seeking ongoing investment guidance and planning for assets exceeding $500,000. Our clients do NOT want to personally manage investment accounts and appreciate partnering with a professional to manage the process. Designing a prudent investment plan while considering all income sources, the timing of social security, and individual goals for retirement is a common challenge we aim to solve. Several of our clients have farm-related wealth including farm income and farmland and we have expertise in navigating the unique planning opportunities and considerations these situations require.
I fundamentally believe financial discipline creates financial freedom. I focus solely on the intersection of what matters AND what I can control. I have 4 core guiding principles to investing: 1) Over time, stocks outperform bonds and bonds outperform cash, 2) I do not recommend or support timing the market, 3) Diversification is key to sound investing and 4) Any action, behavior, strategy or advice not consistent or compatible with the preceding principles is not in your best interest. I encourage you to read my Financial Freedom Field Guide for more context on my philosophy and approach.