Our process is simple; transparency at all times, with all people. When it comes to transparency in compensation for advisors, the financial services industry doesn’t bode well.
That’s why we want you to know exactly what it means to be working with a fee-only advisory like McIntosh Capital Advisors:
- Commission-Only – Advisors earn their income by selling financial products such as insurance or mutual funds, or may also earn a fee for trades that they execute. In some cases, advisors are motivated to sell products and services that benefit themselves, not you.
- Fee-Based – Advisors earn their income using a combination of fees and commissions. Working with an advisor in a fee-based relationship isn't inherently undesirable. It's simply important to know how your advisor earns their commissions before you begin working with them.
- Fee-Only Advisors – Earn income by charging fees. Some common methods include an hourly rate, an annual or retainer fee, or a percentage of investments under management. Advisors who work solely for service fees are incentivized only by the needs of their clientele, like you.
It may seem like semantics to you, but we believe it is very important to know what you are paying and how. Some advisors may not tell you what fees you are paying unless you ask. Be sure to find out about the fees, sales charges, loads, commissions, or any other costs you may incur upfront.
Fee Schedule
The following is a breakdown of our fee schedule. The programs described below do not represent formal quotes or contractual agreements. They are examples of the services we provide and their costs.
Comprehensive Financial Planning
When you engage us to create a comprehensive financial plan, you agree to partner with us so that together we can discover your goals and create a road map to reaching them. We model all aspects of your financial life, including cash management & budgeting (to reach specific goals), insurance, investments (advice and/or portfolio management), education funding, (if required), tax analysis, retirement analysis, and estate planning. All the pieces of your financial picture need to work together optimally in order to make progress toward your goals — the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We create different scenarios or “what if” situations so that you can create choices that will enable you to enjoy your dreams.
Average comprehensive plan fees are usually from $2,600 – $5,000 but will vary by circumstance and the complexity of your situation. Our hourly rate is $245 per hour.
Modular Financial Planning
When there is a desire to analyze one or just some of the elements of a comprehensive plan, we offer modular planning. Common modular plans include:
Asset allocation and Investment Analysis – You are comfortable managing your own investments, but you seek advice about how to diversify your investment dollars; you would like specific investment recommendations with expectations of solid long term returns; perhaps you have a 401(k) and are unsure how to get started, or you need help determining just how much risk (market volatility) you really can put up with.
Retirement Planning – Unlike a comprehensive plan, a retirement plan examines just cash management & budgeting along with your investment’s rate of return. We use this information to identify the cash flows necessary to support you in the lifestyle you desire.
Real Estate Planning – More and more people are turning to rental real estate as a source of income and wealth creation. A real estate plan evaluates all the relevant variables: Mortgage data; vacancy rates; maintenance costs; capital improvements; depreciation; property management costs; insurance; property taxes as well as the opportunity costs created by tying up money in a non-liquid asset.
Average plan fees are usually from $1,000 – $3,000 but will vary by circumstance and the complexity of your situation. Our hourly rate is $245 per hour.
Project Specific Planning
Perhaps you need help determining how much insurance to purchase and what type to buy. Maybe you need help choosing and funding a 529 plan for your children’s college expenses. Or perhaps you want help planning the best way to pass assets on to your heirs. These are all examples of planning to address a specific, limited need.
Plans are based on our hourly rate of $245 per hour.
Asset Management
Through our custodian, TD Ameritrade, we will manage your assets according to the following schedule:
1.20%
$0 to $ 99,999.99
1.10%
$100,000 to $249,999.99
1.0%
$250,000 to $799,999.99
0.875%
$800,000 to $1,399,999.99
0.75%
$1,400,000 to $1,999,999.99
0.675%
$2,000,000 to 2,999,999.99
0.625%
$3,000,000 +
Note that unlike most advisors who manage assets, once you reach a certain asset threshold, we charge that percentage on all your assets not just those in the highest tier attained. For example, if you have $1,000,000 under our management, you would pay 0.875%, for a total of $8,750 per year. Traditionally, investors would pay 1.35% on the first $100,000, 1.25% on the next $150,000, 1% the next $650,000 and 0.875% on the last $100,000 for a total of $10,625 per year.