Frequently Asked Questions – New2

What is your service philosophy?

We serve as a partner and long-term advocate for our clients and their families. Every engagement begins with taking time to get to know the client, their current situation, and their goals in life. Our advice and recommendations are personal, ongoing, and designed to help clients achieve their unique goals and objectives.

Collaboration is essential when it comes to successfully building and managing wealth. We leverage the capabilities of our team and experienced specialists to address the broad financial needs of our clients. Experts from legal, tax, insurance, investment management, and other areas of wealth management may be utilized to design and execute portions of a financial plan.
Our flexibility and attention to personal detail help to differentiate us from other advisors or financial service providers.

We keep clients informed regarding their progress and respond promptly to all questions.

What does it mean to work with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™?

A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ or CFP® is an advisor who is trained to help clients reach short and long-term financial goals by developing and executing a holistic strategy. A CFP® practitioner completes extensive education and experience requirements and must commit to abide by standards outlined in the CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct. They maintain a high standard for competency and are held to rigorous ethical standards.

What does it mean to be an independent financial advisor?

Independent advisors are free to offer advice, services, and resources that are entirely aligned with helping clients accomplish their goals. They are not tied to any family of funds, investment products, or the services of a specific firm. Their obligation is to represent the client, not a financial institution. This leads to a level of personalization not always found in other advisor-client relationships.

What does it mean to be a Registered Investment Adviser (RIA)?

Signal Tree Financial Partners is a Registered Investment Adviser. A Registered Investment Adviser is an advisory firm that is registered with federal or state agencies and obligated to serve clients with a fiduciary duty. As fiduciaries, we are held to the highest standard of care by law and are required to always act in a client’s best interest. RIAs must also disclose all conflicts of interest.

Where are client investment accounts held?

Registered Investment Advisors use independent custodians to hold and safeguard client assets. This structure offers a reassuring system of checks and balances. Client money is not held by the same person who advises them on how to manage it.

Signal Tree Financial Partners uses Schwab Advisor Services, an affiliate of Charles Schwab & Co, Inc., as the custodian for our client’s assets. With more than thirty years of experience, Schwab is the market leader in custodial, operational, and trading support services for firms like ours. Their secure, world-class platform assures client data and assets are protected.

How do you charge for your services?

We evaluate our fees on a case-by-case basis based on the complexity of the client’s situation, the services needed, and our ability to add value. Our pricing structure allows us to offer services paid for through a percentage of investments under our management or a fixed advisory fee.

While a percentage of investments is the more familiar way to pay for financial services it may not always be the most suitable. Having flexibility in how we charge for our services puts us in a position to identify ways to reduce costs for our clients – allowing them to keep more of their wealth. In all cases, we strive to deliver high-quality advice and service that is worth far more than the costs.