Located in Santa Rosa, CA (Serving Clients Nationwide)  ♦  (707) 899-1010  ♦   info@swadwealth.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you a fiduciary?
Yes. I am ethically and legally required to act in your best interest.
What level of communication can I expect when working with you?

I believe in a high level of communication with you. I generally recommend meeting 2-4x/yr. to ensure we are covering all of the different wealth management areas while keeping up with changes that are happening in your life.

I am also available by email and phone as needed and promise to get back to you within 24 hours.
How will my money be invested?
I will carefully consider your goals, needs, preferences, and feelings around risk to custom-tailor a portfolio that makes sense for you. I generally use low-cost ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) and index funds.
What is your investment philosophy?
Click HERE to read more about our investment philosophy
What is an adaptive asset allocation?

Many firms have adopted passive, diversified allocations based off of “modern portfolio theory,” utilizing low-cost ETFs & Index Funds.  These strategies became conventional wisdom in the 1970s and 1980s, but have proven themselves to be less successful over the past two decades, subjecting many investors to losses of 35-50% twice (crashes of 2000-2002 & 2007-2009).

Depending on your needs and preferences, as an alternative, I may utilize dynamic allocations, or “adaptive allocations,” utilizing a key-factor, Momentum, which is a centuries-old market factor.  It has had hundreds of peer-reviewed studies that have shown that many major asset classes (stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities, and more) that have been rising, tend to continue to rise.  Also, it has provided better returns with significantly less risk. Note:  Past performance is not indicative of future results.

 

How are you different than other financial advisors?

Prior to Swad Wealth Management, I worked at a Fortune 500 financial services firm for over 10 years. I had the opportunity to partner with 15 top independent advisory firms in the Bay Area. I learned firsthand what worked well and what areas needed improvement. Based on this experience and knowledge, I created today what fully encompasses the needs of people in retirement or close to it. These are the main factors that differentiate Swad Wealth Management from the rest:

 

Retirement Planning Specialization: Many firms are generalists. They help anyone with a pulse and a chunk of money with “comprehensive” wealth management.

 

At SWM, I specialize in working with people in retirement or getting close to it. This means we are better equipped at understanding advanced strategies unique to your situation. We are more in-tune with the needs and emotions that arise during the critical retirement transition along with the situations that our clients face throughout the rest of their lives.

 

Advanced Tax Planning & “Ask Your CPA”: Many firms claim that they help with “tax planning” and “tax minimization” strategies for their clients. But, at the end of the day, they don’t have the tools or expertise necessary so many of them refer the client back to their CPAs or give vague guidance.

Unfortunately, many CPAs don’t do forward-looking, multi-year tax strategies for their clients. It also makes it difficult for the clients as they would have to coordinate with their CPA, and their CPA had no idea what their financial plan was.

At SWM, I help with advanced tax planning strategies including Roth conversion analysis, coordination of retirement income, asset location, tax-loss harvesting, and more.  I will coordinate with your CPA to make sure you are taking full advantage of these strategies.

 

Dynamic Allocation & Active Risk Management: Many firms adopted passive, diversified allocations based off of “modern portfolio theory,” utilizing low-cost ETFs & Index Funds. These strategies became conventional wisdom in the 1970s and 1980s, but have proven themselves to be less successful over the past two decades, subjecting many investors to losses of 35-50% twice (crashes of 2000-2002 & 2007-2009).


At SWM, I can utilize dynamic allocations, or “adaptive allocations,” utilizing a key-factor, Momentum, which is a centuries-old market factor. It has had hundreds of peer-reviewed studies that have shown that many major asset classes (stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities, and more) that have been rising, tend to continue to rise. Also, it has provided better returns with significantly less risk. 

 

While I believe dynamic allocations provide more attractive risk-adjusted returns, I also know that our investing behavior is the largest influencer of returns. I believe that an investment philosophy that matches your own will provide the best results. Because of this, I offer a Strategic Allocation based on Modern Portfolio Theory, utilizing low-cost ETFs/Index Funds as an alternative to our Dynamic Asset Allocation.


Satisfaction Guarantee:
None of the independent advisors offer a satisfaction guarantee.

At SWM, if you are unhappy for any reason, I will refund your advisory fees.

Refund requests must be received within 90 days of the date the fee was charged.

Past performance is not indicative of future results.

How are you paid?
I am a “fee-only” advisor. This means I do not get paid commissions for selling products or for trading.  I am only paid by you.
What are your fees?

Our fees are transparent and straightforward:

For Wealth Management clients, our fees start at 1% per year on investable assets with a minimum fee of $7500/yr.  (see schedule below). While 1% is the average in our industry, my promise is to deliver substantially more value than our fee. I believe that through our specialization and advanced tax tools and knowledge that I deliver far more than the average advisor.

In fact, if you don’t see the value, you are covered by our Satisfaction Guarantee.

Wealth Management – Fee Schedule:

1.00% First $3 million
0.75% Next $2 million
0.50% Next $10 million
0.25% $15 million and above

For more information, see Pricing.

What happens if I am not happy with your service?

You are covered by our Satisfaction Guarantee. If you are not satisfied with my work at any time, I will refund your fees for any reason. There are no long-term commitments so you are free to terminate the relationship at any time.

Refund requests must be received within 90 days of the date the fee was charged.

Do you have a client minimum?
For “Financial Planning Only” clients, there is no minimum.  For “Wealth Management” clients, the minimum fee is $1,250/qtr.
What are your credentials/qualifications/experience?
Click HERE to read more about our credentials/qualifications experience.
Isn’t it too expensive to hire a financial advisor?

Vanguard did a study that shows that advisors can add up to 3% per year in returns. Their study doesn’t include some of the advanced tax, financial, and investment planning strategies that our firm incorporates nor does it factor in the clarity, confidence, and peace of mind that working with an expert can bring.

 

I’m confident you’ll see the value in working with me. And If you don’t, you are covered by our Satisfaction Guarantee. I will credit you back your fees for any reason.* There are no long-term commitments so you are free to terminate the relationship at any time.

*Refund requests must be received within 90 days of the date the fee was charged.

Swad Wealth Management is a small firm - what happens to your clients if something happens to you?

That’s true – I’m the sole person that runs Swad Wealth management. That being said, I take very seriously my obligation to clients in making sure they’re always taken care of. I have a Business Continuity Plan in place which I review annually and update as needed.  The Business Continuity Plan includes, but is not limited to, a written action plan in the event of my death or incapacity.  This would include company procedures in case of natural or manmade disasters.  This plan helps ensure the business continues to operate smoothly regardless of the conditions presented.  You may contact me to learn more about it or if you’d like a copy.

You have access to your documents and investments at all times and don’t need me to access them.

 

For wealth management clients, your assets are yours and would remain invested at our custodian, Shareholders Service Group.  You can reach them directly at (858) 530-1031.
Do you carry errors & omissions insurance?

Yes – while we have never had to use it, we do carry errors & omissions insurance to help protect our clients. As a member of XY Planning Network, Swad Wealth Management, LLC pays a premium for coverage under their group policy. XY Planning Network and myself have done significant due diligence, and the policy has extensive coverage for more than 500 financial advisory firms across the country. To see a copy of the certificate, please click HERE. If you’d like a copy of the full policy, please send an email to info@swadwealth.com.

I'm not located in Santa Rosa, CA. Can you meet virtually and work with people in other states?
Yes! Our office is located in Santa Rosa, CA; however, we can meet virtually with clients across the country.
Do you have a list of services that you provide?

I help clients with many topics:

 

  • Financial Life Planning
  • Retirement Planning
  • Retirement Income Planning (Coordination of Income Sources, e.g. Social Security, Pensions, Annuities, IRA Distributions, Rental Income, etc.)
  • Social Security & Pension Optimization
  • Investment Planning
  • Tax Minimization Strategies & Tax Planning
  • Charitable Giving
  • Titling & Beneficiary Designations
  • Risk Management and Insurance Planning
  • Estate Planning
  • Planning for Incapacity
  • Education and Family Support
  • Executive Compensation (Stock Options, Restricted Stock, etc.)
  • Concentrated Positions
  • Banking & Credit Management (Mortgages, Debt Optimization, etc.)
  • Budgeting & Cash Flow
Who is your custodian and how can I know my money is safe? How are my assets protected?

What is a custodian, you might ask?  The custodian is a financial institution that holds customers’ securities (investments) for safekeeping to prevent them from being lost or stolen.

Swad Wealth Management is not a custodian.  We are an independent registered investment advisor (RIA).  As an RIA, we can advise and manage investments on your behalf.

It’s important to have a custodian that is separate from your advisor.

After significant due diligence, we have selected Shareholders Service Group (SSG) as our custodian for our clients.

SSG has chosen Pershing LLC, a subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon, the oldest bank in the USA, for securities clearing and custody. The Bank of New York Mellon is the world’s largest custodian with over $45 trillion in assets under custody. Shareholders Service Group holds client accounts and processes securities transactions under a fully-disclosed clearing agreement at Pershing. That means your assets are safeguarded by one of the oldest and most stable custodians in the world. Since 1939, Pershing has provided brokerage execution, trade clearance, securities data processing and investment access to registered broker/dealers. Pershing is a member of the NYSE, FINRA and SIPC, and its international affiliates are members of the Frankfurt, Irish and London stock exchanges. With over 6 million accounts and more than $2 trillion in client assets, Pershing is the largest securities clearing firm in North America and has extensive financial resources.

You can read more by clicking HERE.

I want to work with you. What are the next steps?

Great! I’m excited to help you.

The first step is to meet with me to ensure we are a good fit. Please schedule an introductory call by clicking the gold “Schedule Intro Call” button below. If for any reason we aren’t a good fit, I will gladly introduce you to another firm that better suits your needs.

(707) 899-1010 ♦ info@swadwealth.com
100 Stony Point Rd, Suite 244, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM PST (Office Hours by Appointment Only)
© 2022 SWAD WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.