H O W I ‘ M C O M P E N S A T E D
You should know exactly what you pay, and exactly what you get for it.
Most people can't tell you what their advisor actually costs. That's not an accident in this industry. I do things differently.
◆ H O W T H E M O D E L W O R K S
I'm compensated primarily through a straightforward advisory fee, calculated as a percentage of the assets I manage for you. When your portfolio grows, my compensation grows with it. When it falls, mine falls too. We're on the same side of the table.
The fee is tiered and blended, so the more your account grows, the lower the rate on each additional dollar, and you always know the effective rate you're paying on the whole. When I set rates, I also look at your family's combined balances, not just each account on its own, so the whole family benefits from what you've built together. Complete Wealth Management and Investment Management are priced differently, since one is comprehensive and the other is narrower in scope.
Complete Wealth Management
One advisory fee covers financial planning, investment management, quarterly reviews, and direct access to me whenever you need it. Nothing billed à la carte, no charge for picking up the phone.
Investment Management
Portfolio management with an annual review, at a lower fee that reflects the narrower scope. For people who feel settled in their plan and simply want their investments handled with discipline.
Fee-Based Planning
Planning on its own, for people who want a clear roadmap without ongoing investment management. Available as a complete written plan for a flat fee agreed up front, or hourly when you have a single decision to work through. You'll know the cost before we begin.
◆ T H E F E E S C H E D U L E S
Your family’s balances count together.
Rates are graduated: each rate applies only to the dollars within that tier, so your effective rate is a blend. Accounts within a household aggregate toward the total fee. For example, a household with $1 million invested pays 1.20% on the first $500,000 and 0.80% on the next $500,000 — a blended fee of 1.00% across all accounts.
Fee-based planning is priced separately: a flat fee quoted up front for a complete plan, or hourly for a single question.
Ascendant may, at its discretion, negotiate alternative fee arrangements based on account size, account type, services required, the overall relationship, or other factors. The specific annual fee will be set out in a written agreement before services begin. This schedule does not apply to employer-sponsored retirement plans other than Solo 401(k)s.
I pride myself on transparency. You'll know the cost before any work begins.
I'll walk you through the exact schedule in our first conversation.
It's also spelled out in full in my Form ADV. There's no version of my fees that you only find out about after you've signed on. You'll know before you decide anything.
My advice isn't driven by commissions. I'm not working from a shelf of products I'm pushed to sell, and my recommendations don't change based on what pays me more. Where a commission-based product like life insurance is genuinely the right tool for your situation, I'll recommend it — and I'll tell you plainly that it carries a commission, so you can weigh it with full information. What you won't get is a surprise: no hidden fees, no charges you learn about after the fact.
◆ E T H I C A L R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y
One of the clearest signs of whether an advisor is on your side is whether they'll tell you plainly how they're paid. So I do.
Questions about how I’m compensated?
Ask me anything, the money conversation is the easy part.