Frequently Asked Questions
What is wealth management and how is it different from financial planning?
Wealth management is a more comprehensive service that includes all aspects of financial planning and investment management.
While financial planning focuses on specific financial goals and needs, wealth management encompasses a broader range of services, including financial planning, investment management, tax planning, and estate considerations to manage an individual’s or family’s wealth more comprehensively.
What makes your firm different from other wealth management firms?
What sets our firm apart is our unwavering dedication to providing individualized, fiduciary advice that is both independent and customizable. We prioritize a personal approach to each client’s financial situation, ensuring that our advice is tailored to their unique needs and goals.
Our firm specializes in actively managing risk within our clients’ portfolios, a strategy we believe significantly enhances the financial security and experience of families, particularly as they approach retirement and during their post-retirement years. This focus on risk management is designed to provide a smoother financial journey and greater peace of mind.
What qualifications and experience do your financial advisors have?
How do you charge for your services?
Are there any hidden fees I should be aware of? We charge for our services through a management fee, hourly rates, or flat fees for specific projects, depending on the nature of the engagement.
In some cases, we may receive commissions for insurance policies we facilitate, but we manage this potential conflict of interest through careful plan design and transparent disclosure. There are no hidden fees; all costs are discussed upfront and detailed in our engagement agreements.
How often will you review my financial plan and portfolio?
While we monitor the portfolios we manage closely, portfolio management is just one part of the more comprehensive service we provide. We insist on meeting with our clients at least annually to discuss any changes in life circumstances and update their planning needs accordingly.
However, we prefer to engage much more frequently. We adopt a client-led approach to meetings, tailoring our interactions to the frequency that best suits each client’s needs and preferences. Some clients prefer quarterly meetings, others seek guidance and call us at crucial financial decision points, and some opt for regular, detailed communications through more non-traditional methods like email or text messages.
We meet our clients where they are, communicating in ways that ensure they feel comfortable and confident. We pride ourselves on being readily available, maintaining prompt response times to meet and exceed our clients’ expectations.
Can you provide examples of how you have helped other clients similar to me?
What is your investment philosophy?
Our investment philosophy is focused on active risk management. We have a unique way of determining risk, evaluating Expected Tail Loss, rather than more traditional methods such as standard deviation or value-at-risk. This is a risk-management concept aimed at avoiding the life-changing tail end events of the market, such as 2008 or the dot-com crash.
While no strategy ensures success or guarantees against market loss, we feel confident and committed to actively trying to do something to avoid it while still being able to stay invested over the long term.
We believe in creating portfolios that are well-diversified and tailored to meet each client’s individual risk tolerance and financial goals. Our approach adapts to both market conditions and your evolving financial needs.
How do you ensure my investments are aligned with my risk tolerance and financial goals?
We start with a thorough assessment of your risk tolerance and financial objectives. This involves detailed discussions and analyses to understand your comfort level with risk and your long-term financial aspirations.
Based on this, we construct a portfolio that aligns with your preferences and continually monitor and adjust it to keep it in line with your goals.
What kind of communication and reporting can I expect from your firm?
How do you handle tax planning and estate planning? Are these included in your wealth management services?
Tax and estate planning considerations are integral parts of our wealth management process. We integrate these elements with your overall financial plan to ensure a cohesive strategy that aims to minimize tax liabilities and aligns with your estate goals.
We work collaboratively with your preferred tax professional and attorneys to design and implement strategies that aim to optimize your financial position both now and for future generations.
- Have a question we didn't answer?
Send us an email at contact@ducharmewealth.com and we’ll get back to you.