Frequently Asked Questions
Often-asked questions about our fee-only services how they differ from other financial services.
Q: WHAT IS AN INDEPENDENT ADVISORY FIRM?
Ewing Wealth is independent, meaning we have no outside entity to unduly influence our client advice. Our independence enables us to select investments in the best interests of our clients’ money. Ewing Wealth Management focuses on clients’ asset allocation decisions.
We strongly believe the combined breadth of services and cost effectiveness available from this approach as a fee-only independent advisor, building balanced, global portfolios.
Our independence enables us to provide unbiased investment advice.
Q: WHAT IS A FEE-ONLY FINANCIAL ADVISOR AND WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?
Fee-Only means Ewing Wealth is compensated solely by fees paid by our clients, as we do not accept commissions or compensation from any non-client source nor do we sell any products. We believe there is a significant “conflict of interest” if an adviser stands to gain financially from the purchase of any product he or she recommends to you. In essence, we sit on the same side of the table as you, looking out exclusively for your investment interests.
Q: WHAT IS A FIDUCIARY?
Ewing Wealth has a Fiduciary duty to our clients, this is the highest standard of care in the industry, which entails always acting in your best interest.
Q: DO WE HAVE A MINIMUM PORTFOLIO SIZE?
A typical portfolio for us starts at $500,000. If your current asset level does not meet our typical minimum requirements but you have unique circumstances you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to give us a call.
Q: WHAT HAPPENS TO MY CURRENT HOLDINGS IF I BECOME A CLIENT?
Before any changes are made, we first analyze your existing portfolio, develop an investment policy statement and discuss our recommendations with you. Our overall goal is for your portfolio to make sense for you and your financial goals and objectives, in the most cost-effective way possible. We work to achieve these goals by identifying and capturing your specific willingness, ability and need to take on market risk via appropriate asset allocation diversification; to minimize the expenses involved in investing; to effectively manage for appropriate asset location between taxable and non-taxable accounts; and to eliminate unnecessary complexity within the collection of accounts within your portfolio. If existing holdings lend themselves to these objectives, we will maintain the positions. If changes are required, we work with you to ensure any transitions occur as smoothly and cost-effectively as possible.
Q: DOES Ewing Wealth TRADE AND HOLD MY ASSETS FOR ME?
As part of our investment management engagement, we advise you on portfolio construction and changes as necessary and you then authorize us to execute transactions on your behalf. You remain in control of your assets. All accounts that we service are held in your name and maintained at the institutional level and custodied by TD Ameritrade Institutional.
Q: WHAT IS Ewing Wealth’s INVESTMENT APPROACH?
For managing your financial portfolio, we offer a prudent approach based on our fiduciary relationship with you as your trusted investment adviser. Fiduciary duty is generally considered the highest legal duty one party can have to another. As a Registered Investment Adviser firm, we have a legal responsibility to always act in your best interests – and we take that responsibility very seriously.
Many other financial service firms offer an approach based on “active management.” Active management assumes that the markets are generally inefficient, allowing clever individuals to regularly exploit and profit from the anomalies (beyond the costs of consistently seeking and executing such trades). And yet, there is overwhelming academic evidence that the collective wisdom of all market players – especially in today’s electronic era – results in highly efficient markets. Markets reflect fair pricing almost instantaneously upon release of any good or bad price-related news. In offering a “passive asset class” approach, we heed the academic wisdom. We assume that the opportunities to exploit inefficiencies are too few and far between to effectively and affordably pursue.
Q: WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING FOR AN INITIAL MEETING?
We will send you a questionnaire to complete in advance of the initial meeting. In addition, we would like you to bring all of your financial statements so we can get a sense of your assets and liabilities.
Q: HOW OFTEN WILL Ewing Wealth REVIEW MY PORTFOLIO AND SEND ME STATEMENTS?
We review portfolios quarterly. If there are major changes in your life, we can do so more often. All of our clients receive monthly fee invoices from Ewing Wealth Management and your custodian TD Ameritrade Institutional sends comprehensive statements on a monthly basis.