Why Fee-Only Matters
Your interests come first, always.
SFM was founded on a simple principle: the financial advice you receive should be free from hidden agendas, commissions, or conflicts of interest. That’s why we operate as a Fee-Only fiduciary advisor.
Fee-Based or Fee-Only and what it means for you
"Fee-based" or commission-based advisors are often paid directly by third parties (insurance companies, mutual fund companies, broker-dealers, etc.). These advisors are paid based on the size and type of product that they sell to you. This can create pressure to recommend investments that generate higher commissions, even if they aren’t in your best interest. Often, this type of relationship can be flawed and unfavorable for you, and forces you to carefully consider how your advisor is paid and what their incentives are.
At SFM, we are a fee-only fiduciary advisory and this means the only compensation we receive comes directly from our clients. We do not, and cannot, accept commissions or payments from mutual fund companies, insurance providers, broker-dealers, or other third parties. This allows us to make recommendations based solely on what’s best for you, not what pays us the most.
Why This Matters
At the end of the day, you deserve a financial advisor whose loyalty is to you, not a product provider. By choosing a Fee-Only fiduciary, you can trust that every recommendation we make is in your best interest and designed to help you achieve your goals-nothing more, nothing less.
Your success is our only incentive.
How We Charge for Services
We believe in full transparency. You should always know exactly what you’re paying and what you’re getting in return.
Asset Under Management Fee
For clients who prefer full-service wealth management, including investment management, we charge a percentage of investment assets under our management. This aligns our interests with yours. As your investment portfolio grows, our compensation grows. If your portfolio declines, so does our fee. This fee structure covers all the services we offer, including financial planning, retirement planning, business succession planning, and more.
Our annual AUM schedule is:
Account Size | Annual Fee % |
|---|---|
$50,000 – $500,000 | 1.375% |
$500,000 – $750,000 | 1.125% |
$750,000 – $1,000,000 | 1.00% |
$1,000,000 – $1,250,000 | 0.95% |
$1,250,000 – $1,500,000 | 0.875% |
$1,500,000 – $2,000,000 | 0.85% |
$2,000,000 – $3,000,000 | 0.825% |
$3,000,000 – $4,000,000 | 0.80% |
$4,000,000 – $5,000,000 | 0.775% |
Over $5,000,000 | Custom Quote |
