FAQ

Do you offer a complimentary consultation?

Yes, we offer a complimentary consultation at either of our offices or virtually, including evening availability for prospective clients.

Do you work with Clients outside of Michigan?

Yes, we are able to work with clientele outside of Michigan.

How can I make a client referral?

We like to position ourselves as a sounding board to those that are important to our clients. If someone you know would like to benefit from a complimentary consultation, please send them an introductory email copying your advisor. One of our greatest rewards is adding value to our clients’ lives by helping those they love.

What is your investment philosophy?

At Advanced Wealth Strategies, we have carefully crafted the Advanced Process through years of experience. We believe in educating our clients every step of the way, taking the guesswork out of investment planning. Our investment strategies are backed by industry research, providing our clients with effective planning tools for their long and short term investment goals and asset allocations. Implementation of our investment portfolios are accomplished using a fee-based advisory platform where we help determine the investment strategy. We continue to monitor the portfolio within established guidelines, and consider making changes based on our client’s goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon.

What is The Advanced Process?

The Advanced Process begins with partnering together to help establish your specific goals and objectives. Next, we help you understand your current situation by organizing what you currently have going towards these goals. Once we know where you are and where you want to be, we create a personalized plan designed to help reach your goals. Our holistic approach provides clients with a high-level overview of how all the pieces come together.

Why should I use a professional vs. doing it myself?

We believe that not only do we help our clients develop, design and defend their financial plan, but we also help you make better financial decisions. Through education and navigation, we strive to bring value to your life with more than just investments. Other areas we assist our clients on include adequate protection, cash planning, education planning, estate planning, and tax planning.

What does Certified Financial Planner™ mean?

A Certified Financial Planner™ professional has attained the standard of excellence in financial planning by meeting rigorous education, experience, and ethical standards. As part of their certification, they have made a commitment to the CFP® Board to serve your best interests today to prepare you for a more secure tomorrow. Only 29% of financial advisors in the United States have obtained their Certified Financial Planner™ designations. CFP® professionals are trained to show you the big picture of your financial situation. With the financial planning process, CFP® professionals help their clients to maximize their potential for reaching their future goals. To access more information about what it means to work with a CFP®, visit the CFP® board website through https://www.letsmakeaplan.org/. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the CFP® certification mark, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification mark, and the CFP® certification mark (with plaque design) logo in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Do you work with clients that aren't employed by non-profits?

Yes. Although we specialize in working with those employed by hospitals, universities, and K-12 schools, we do work with families outside of the non-profit space by referral.

Are You a Fiduciary?

Yes! Advisors at Advanced Wealth Strategies are fiduciaries. The fiduciary duty is the highest standard of care in our industry and our advisors act with undivided loyalty and utmost good faith to our clients. Therefore, it is essential we provide you thorough and accurate information, seek the best execution when placing trades, and take measures to mitigate and disclose conflicts of interest if any.

As a Fiduciary, are you required to have this standard of care at all times?

Yes. At Advanced Wealth Strategies, we started our practices as fiduciaries by choice. As fiduciaries, our advisors are always required to act in the best interest of our clients.

How do you get compensated?

Our firm works off of a fee-based model. We charge based on the amount of assets we are managing. We create an environment where our advisors are directly invested in the growth and preservation of your assets. In certain circumstances, a financial planning fee or commissions may be charged depending on the client’s needs.

Financial Planning clients:

You will pay an ongoing financial planning fee ranging from $1,000-$5,000 depending on the complexity of the planning. Financial planning fees are paid either semi-annually or annually.

Advisory and Administration Fees:

We offer a tiered fee structure to our clients that reduce your advisor fees as the value of your portfolio increases. There is a standard administration fee of 0.25% and UMA fees can charge up to 0.80% depending on the investment portfolio chosen. For assets held with TD Ameritrade, the advisor fee structure is highlighted below.

Advisor Fee Structure

1.50% : $0 – $249,999

1.25% : $250,000 – $749,999

1.00%: $750,000 – $999,999

0.75%: $1,000,000 +

For individuals who participate in direct management of Fidelity and TIAA retirement plans, there is a standard administration fee of 0.20%. Advisor fee structure is a flat 1.00% non-tiered fee on these portfolio assets. More detailed fee information can be found in Item 5 of Form ADV part 2A and the form CRS. Furthermore, more information about conflicts of interest can be found in item 10 of Form ADV part 2A and also the form CRS.