Here are just a few of the questions we're asked on a routine basis. If you have a question, please feel free to contact us at  541-344-4884.

• What is a Registered Investment Advisor?
• What does fee-only mean?
• Is your Form ADV available?
• Is there a way to check your regulatory history?
• Will I have to sell all of my investments before I can have my portfolio managed?
• We are always scrambling at tax time to find the original purchase price for our investments. Do you have a way to track our current and historical gains and losses?

What is a Registered Investment Advisor? [ top ]
As defined by the Investment Advisors Act of 1940, a Registered Investment Advisor is any person or group that makes investment recommendations or conducts securities analysis in return for a fee, whether through direct management of client assets or via written publications.

A typical Investment Advisors will register either with their state or the Securities and Exchange Commission by filing a Form ADV and meeting licensing requirements. In general, an RIA with more than $25 million under management is registered with the SEC, and those managing less than $25 million are registered at the state level.

Registered Investment Advisors are held to a fiduciary standard which means that they are legally obligated to place your interest first and to provide financial services expressly designed to meet your goals. They are prohibited from disseminating advice that is deceitful or fraudulent.

Most investment advisors charge either a flat fee for their services or a percentage of assets being managed. Generally, there are limited conflicts of interest because the advisor's income will only rise if the client's portfolio grows.

What does fee-only mean? [ top ]
Fee-only means that our only source of income is from the fees we charge. We receive no commissions and sell no products of any kind. We believe that this arrangement is the best way to insure that we avoid conflicts of interest with our clients.

Retirement planning and focused consulting projects are billed by the hour on a project-by-project basis. If a project requires more time than estimated, we absorb the additional cost. Because project fees are agreed upon in advance, there are no surprises.

Portfolio management fees are computed on the last day of each quarter and are based on a percentage of the assets being managed. The fee schedule is reviewed and agreed upon in advance.

Is your Form ADV available? [ top ]
Yes. Please contact our office and we'd be happy to mail you a copy or send it to you via email.

Is there a way to check your regulatory history? [ top ]
Yes. You can contact the Oregon Department of Finance and Corporate Securities Division in Salem at 503-378-4387 or verify our registration at www.dfcs.oregon.gov.

Will I have to sell all of my investments before I can have my portfolio managed? [ top ]
No. With the exception of proprietary mutual funds that are managed by your brokerage, all other mutual funds, stocks, bonds, and iShares can be directly transferred without creating a taxable event.

We are always scrambling at tax time to find the original purchase price for our investments. Do you have a way to track our current and historical gains and losses? [ top ]
Yes. After we help you gather and reconcile your historical purchase information, we're able to import your data into our software. Once the data entry is complete, your quarterly performance reports and year-end Realized Gain and Loss report will reflect your true performance history rather than performance from the day your account is opened.