Fee-only means we do not charge for products. So, our interests are more likely to be aligned with yours. We have no financial incentive to recommend any particuar product. Our fees vary only based on the total assets we are managing, not on what you buy.
Fiduciary means we take an oath to put client interest first. By contrast, most advisors follow the so-called "suitability" rule. That means they can recommend a product as long as it is suitable -- even if there's a less expensive product available.
The most important decision you make is what percent of your portfolio is in stocks (higher risk and anticipated return) vs bonds (lower risk and anticipated return). That decision depends on each person's circumstances. Once we mutually determine that mix, we believe in purchasing broadly diversified, low-fee mutual funds to provide your exposure to stocks or bonds. Over long periods, diversification should reduce risk compared to owning only a small number of individual stocks or bonds. Finally, we believe in keeping a long-term focus for any investing that serves with long-term goals. Typically, we would only recommend stock for that portion of your portfolio which has a long-term horizon.
We charge an annual planning fee of $7,500 plus 0.25% annually on any assets we manage. Please see (link).
The frequency of our interaction depends largely on your needs. Sometimes we will speak weekly or more often, and sometimes we will not speak for a month or longer if there is nothing urgent to discuss. We send clients a quarterly report and we seek to provide an annual financial plan update.
We only work with clients on an ongoing basis. We have found that maximizes the likelihood a client can achieve their financial goals.
We are independent of Schwab. They act as custodian for almost all our client accounts. We require this arrangement so we have one interface to monitor all client accounts, to make trades, to complete paperwork, etc. We pay no fees to Schwab, and they pay us nothing.