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General Questions
 | What Makes You Distinct? What makes us distinct is we are
comprehensive wealth managers, not just investment managers. What this means
to you is guidance with your personal and business decision making. You can run decisions by us, such as
a home purchase, and use us as a sounding board. We bring every financial component of
your life together, including wills, trusts, mortgages, investments, the
college aid process and more. All components are there with you to arrange
life’s matters together with a plan. Traditional investment
management focuses only on the investment outcome. We focus on what market performance
means and how it impacts your long-term objectives. Our
investment approach is time tested, based upon Nobel prize winning research and
utilizes “best in class” investments vehicles. Outside of typical planning services, it is about help with your
personal decision making. You can feel comfortable knowing we
are independently owned and commission free (Fee-Only). We have no hidden
agendas, product sales or high-pressure sales practices. We are always working
in your best interest. |
| What Are Your Credentials? Our team has complimentary skills & credentials consisting of Certified Financial Planner®, Certified Public Accountant, Masters in Taxation, MBA, Certified Trust Financial Advisor, Accredited Investment Fiduciary™, and Certified Exit Planner designations. |
| How Big Is Your Firm? As of
2020, Total Wealth Planning serves over 448 client families representing
approximately $526.1 million of trust assets under management. We
have structured our firm to remain small enough to give you personalized
attention, and a relationship where you feel valued, while big enough to have
exceptional depth and expertise. Our
team consists of 11 passionate professionals, serving clients on a global
basis. Our firm was established in 1989 and is managed by the second generation
of independent owners. |
| How Do I Hire Total Wealth Planning? We simply ask for your
written commitment by signing a Wealth Advisory Agreement. The agreement will
provide the terms of the engagement with our firm. In the unlikely result that
you are unsatisfied in any way, you will not have made an up-front monetary
commitment. We charge no commissions and have no contracts in order to reduce
your risk of an unsatisfactory result. |
| What Is the Required Minimum Account Size? In
order to work with clients during different stages of their lives, we have developed
four distinct service offerings and fees vary based upon the level of service
provided. These offerings are typically broken up by the amount of assets our
clients entrust us to manage, starting at approximately $250,000 of investable
assets. In certain situations services can be accessible at lower account sizes
and can be offered on a retainer basis. |
| Where Are My Assets Held? Your investment portfolio
is held by a qualified, independent custodian. Each year we initiate a due
diligence process to evaluate the quality of custodians, evaluating multiple
criteria such as the investment platform, technological capabilities, quality
of communications and services, etc. Most clients of Total Wealth Planning use
Charles Schwab - Institutional, with the next most common being their
employer’s retirement plan custodian such as Fidelity, TIAA - CREF, Vanguard or
similar. Although we expect it to be very
rare to see a need to change a custodian the opportunity to make a change is
always available to us since we are not employed by any of these institutions. |
| Can I Transfer My Current Account Assets In-Kind or Do I Have to Sell Everything First? We recommend transferring
your existing holdings in-kind when possible which avoids incurring a taxable
event. We then mutually agree to hold or sell positions evaluating factors such as potential tax implications, investment costs, and future opportunity metrics. |
| How Do I Make Deposits or Withdrawals? These can be done by check,
bank transfer (ACH), wire transfer, or account transfer (ACAT). At no time is
Total Wealth Planning in possession of your funds. All funding happens directly
between you and the custodian. To simplify the process, we recommend and assist
with establishing standing instructions between the custodian and your local
bank account. Deposits or withdrawals can be set up as automated or on demand. Schwab
maintains local branch offices in most major cities if you prefer an in-person
process. |
| How Is My Fee Calculated and Paid? Our clients pay a quarterly fee based on the average daily balance of
their managed investment portfolio for the prior quarter. The initial quarterly
fee is pro-rated from the date of investment until the end of the quarter. The
default method for payment of fees is to deduct from your investment account,
with exception that we do not advise paying a fee from a Roth IRA unless this
is your only investment account and prefer NOT to pay by check. |
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