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We Help You Climb to SuccessTM

Fiduciary Fee-Only Investment Advisors providing a white-glove service to clients throughout the United States

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  • Fee-Only Investment Advisors

    No commissions, no sales pitches—just honest advice focused on what’s best for you.
  • Customized Financial Planning

    We build a plan around your goals and stick with you as life and priorities change.
  • Portfolio Rebalancing & Tax Efficiency

    We help you buy low, sell high, and keep more of what you earn with smart tax strategies.
a disciplined & calming perspective

The Difference the Right Financial Advisor Makes

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what we do

We are dedicated to helping you navigate the complex world of finance.

  • We employ numerous strategies to maximize the growth of your investments.
  • Our “evidence-based” investment philosophy is endorsed by the top business schools in the country. It is not speculative or derived from guess work.
  • Instead of trying to beat the market, we help our clients own the market.
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What we do

How We Help

We Have 40 Years of Financial Expertise & Advisement

Comprehensive financial planning is a health plan for your financial situation and it goes far beyond Wealth/Investment Management. Comprehensive financial planning involves a detailed review and analysis of all facets of your financial situation.

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    Cash Flow Planning

    Understanding what’s coming in, and what’s going out… we provide a written financial plan to help you reach all your goals before and through retirement.

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    Retirement Planning

    We help our working clients determine how much income they will need to retire without the fear of running out of money, along with Social Security optimization, Medicare planning and HSA accounts. For those already IN retirement…we help them maximize their existing nest egg.

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    Estate Planning

    If you became incapacitated or passed away, who would manage or distribute your estate? These questions along with many others can and should definitively be determined by YOU, not the government.

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    Risk Management

    Good insurance and bad insurance…we help our clients understand the difference. Additionally, as our clients get closer to retirement, proper portfolio rebalancing can drastically lower risk and reduce volatility, creating a smoother glide path into their retirement years.

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Working with Fischer Investment Strategies

We are committed to providing the best financial solutions for your individual situation.

At FIS, we realize that every client has different goals and a unique set of financial circumstances. Our mission for every client is simple: to provide the highest expected rate of return, with the least amount of risk based on the client’s situation, using a low-cost, globally diversified and tax-efficient portfolio.

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  1. Step 1: Initial Client Consulting

    During our complementary initial Discovery Meeting, we gather information that allows us to create a financial plan. From this foundation, we are able to provide financial planning, asset protection, risk management, tax planning, investment management, retirement planning and estate planning.

  2. Step 2: Understanding Your Financial Goals

    Understanding your financial goals is essential for us to help you establish a clear path to reaching them.

  3. Step 3: Balancing Your Portfolio

    After understanding our client’s goals, we create a low-cost, globally-diversified portfolio that aligns with the client’s assessed risk tolerance, and then we monitor and rebalance the portfolio as needed to maintain the appropriate risk level throughout our client’s investment horizon.

  4. Step 4: Keep Your Plan Up to Date

    We understand priorities and goals can change, so we like to meet with our clients at least one or two times per year to keep their financial plan current and on track.

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Our Investment Philosophy

At FIS, our investment philosophy is based on academic evidence and empirical data in the field of Investment Science and Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT). MPT was pioneered by Harry Markowitz, and was further refined by Eugene Fama who won the 2013 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.
See What Makes Us Different
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The Fiduciary Standard

The Importance of a Fee-Only, Fiduciary Advisor

How can a Fee-based (AKA: Commission-based) advisor operate as a true fiduciary when their clients are likely limited to an investment menu that first-serves the advisor’s wallet or company, or both instead of the client?

There is a difference between “FEE-ONLY” and “FEE-BASED”.  Fischer Investment Strategies is a NAPFA Certified Fee-Only firm.

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  • "Of the roughly 285,000 professionals in the U.S. who offer clients financial advice, fewer than 2% are fee-only advisors who follow a true fiduciary standard that prohibits commissions on products recommended to clients and legally requires the advisers to always put their clients’ interests first."

    Excerpt from this Wall Street Journal article.
  • "When you hire a fee-only fiduciary investment adviser to manage your investments, develop a financial plan, or both, you alone are paying a financial professional who is legally and professionally committed to acting solely in your best interests — otherwise known as the fiduciary standard. They don’t get paid by investment or insurance companies to sell their products."

    Excerpt from this Kiplinger article.
  • "Fee-only financial planners are registered investment advisors with a fiduciary responsibility to act in their clients' best interest. They do not accept any fees or compensation based on product sales. Fee-only advisors have fewer inherent conflicts of interest, and they generally provide more comprehensive advice."

    Excerpt from this Forbes article.
  • “The time I want somebody to hire a commissioned salesperson or a traditional stockbroker to handle their investments is never, never, never, not ever,” Clark says. “The danger to you is so great when you hire someone who’s not a fiduciary, who’s not legally bound to put your interests first, that it’s like going in reverse with investing.”

    Excerpt from this Clark.com article.

Our Branches

Providing a white-glove service to clients throughout the United States

Work with honest, caring people you can share a laugh with while mapping out your financial future. In addition to providing sound investment advice, we will help you create a comprehensive financial plan to maximize the probability of success in reaching all your financial goals over the entire span of your life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Financial advisors offer a wide range of services designed to assist individuals and organizations in managing their financial health and achieving their financial goals. Some of the primary services provided by financial advisors include:

  • Financial Planning: This encompasses analyzing an individual’s current financial situation and designing a comprehensive strategy to meet short-term and long-term objectives. It can involve goal setting, budgeting, and projecting future financial needs.
  • Investment Advice: Advisors research, recommend, and monitor investments based on the client’s risk tolerance, financial objectives, and time horizon. They may advise on stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate, and other investment vehicles.
  • Retirement Planning: This service involves creating strategies to ensure that individuals have adequate funds to retire comfortably. It can include advising on retirement accounts such as IRAs, 401(k)s, and pension plans.
  • Tax Planning: Financial advisors can work alongside tax professionals to develop strategies that minimize tax liabilities and take advantage of tax-efficient investment opportunities.
  • Estate Planning: Advisors assist clients in determining the most efficient way to distribute assets to heirs and beneficiaries, often working in conjunction with legal professionals to establish wills, trusts, and other estate planning instruments.
  • Risk Management and Insurance Planning: This involves analyzing a client’s exposure to potential risks and recommending appropriate insurance products such as life, disability, long-term care, and property insurance to mitigate these risks.
  • Education Funding: Advisors help clients project the future costs of education and recommend investment strategies, such as 529 plans, to fund these expenses.
  • Debt Management: Financial advisors may provide guidance on managing and reducing debt, including strategies for consolidating loans or refinancing.
  • Cash Management: Advisors can offer recommendations on managing day-to-day finances, optimizing cash flow, and maintaining appropriate liquidity levels.
  • Business Planning: For clients who own businesses, advisors can provide insight into business valuation, succession planning, and strategies to optimize business finances.
  • Philanthropy and Charitable Giving: Advisors can assist clients in structuring charitable gifts, setting up donor-advised funds, or establishing charitable trusts.

Specific services a financial advisor offers can vary based on their qualifications, areas of specialization, and the nature of their practice. Furthermore, not all financial advisors are fiduciaries, which means they might not be legally obligated to act in the client’s best interest. Therefore, when selecting a financial advisor, it’s essential to understand their credentials, the scope of their services, and their fiduciary status.

A financial advisor is considered a fiduciary when they are legally and ethically required to act in the best interests of their client. This means putting the client’s needs and financial goals above their own financial interests or those of their firm. It also involves a commitment to providing advice and recommendations that are grounded in professional expertise and thorough analysis. In practical terms, when a financial advisor is acting as a fiduciary, they adhere to the following principles:

  • Duty of Loyalty: The advisor must prioritize the client’s interest over any other considerations, avoiding conflicts of interest and fully disclosing any potential conflicts that might exist.
  • Duty of Care: The advisor must employ a high standard of professional competence, seeking to provide accurate and well-informed advice. This involves conducting thorough research and analysis to support their recommendations.
  • Good Faith and Fair Dealing: Advisors are required to treat their clients fairly, which involves providing advice that is both honest and transparent.
  • Fee Structure and Compensation: Often, fiduciary advisors will have fee structures that align with their duty to their clients, such as fee-only compensation models that avoid potential conflicts of interest associated with commissions and other incentives.
  • Full Disclosure: Fiduciary advisors are obligated to disclose all relevant information, including potential conflicts of interest and all fees and commissions associated with their services and products.
  • Privacy: A fiduciary is required to protect the confidentiality of their client’s information, sharing it only in compliance with privacy policies that have been disclosed to the client.

In terms of specific circumstances when a financial advisor must act as a fiduciary, here are a few instances:

  • Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs): Under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, RIAs are required to act as fiduciaries to their clients.
  • Certified Financial Planners® (CFP®s): All CFP®s are required to act as fiduciaries at all times when providing financial advice to clients, according to the standards set by the Certified Financial Planner® Board of Standards.
  • Retirement Account Advisors: Under the Department of Labor’s ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act), advisors who provide advice to participants in retirement plans, such as 401(k) plans, are often required to act as fiduciaries.

The distinction between “fee-only” and “fee-based” financial advisors is critical for clients to understand, as it can influence the advisor’s recommendations and overall approach to financial planning. Here are the primary differences:

  1. Compensation Structure:
  • Fee-only Financial Advisors:
    These advisors are compensated exclusively by the fees their clients pay them.
    They do not receive any commissions, kickbacks, or financial incentives from product providers, such as mutual fund companies or insurance providers.
    Common fee structures for fee-only advisors include a percentage of assets under management (AUM), hourly rates, or fixed fees for specific services.
  • Fee-based Financial Advisors:
    These advisors receive compensation from both fees paid by their clients and other sources, such as commissions from financial products they sell.
    Because they can earn commissions, there’s potential for a conflict of interest when they recommend specific products.

2. Potential for Conflicts of Interest:

  • Fee-only Financial Advisors:
    Since their only source of income is directly from their clients, they inherently have fewer potential conflicts of interest in their recommendations.
    They are typically seen as offering more unbiased advice because they aren’t incentivized to sell particular products.
  • Fee-based Financial Advisors:
    The potential for conflicts arises when an advisor may earn a commission or other incentive for recommending one product over another.
    It’s essential for clients to be aware of this potential and to ask their advisors about any commissions they may receive.

3. Fiduciary Duty:

  • Both fee-only and fee-based advisors can act as fiduciaries, meaning they may be ethically and legally bound to act in their client’s best interest. However, given the potential conflicts of interest in the fee-based model, it’s especially vital for clients to clarify the fiduciary status of their advisors.

4. Professional Affiliations:

  • There are professional organizations, such as the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), that only admit fee-only financial advisors. Membership in such organizations can be an additional indicator of an advisor’s commitment to the fee-only model and its principles.

While both fee-only and fee-based financial advisors can provide valuable services, it’s crucial for clients to understand the compensation model and potential biases that might influence the advice they receive. Clients should always feel empowered to ask their advisors about their compensation structure, potential conflicts of interest, and fiduciary status.

Finding the right financial advisor is a critical step in managing your financial health and securing your financial future. The following are structured steps to guide you through the process:

Determine Your Financial Needs:

  • Start by understanding your financial goals and needs. Are you looking for retirement planning, tax strategies, estate planning, or a comprehensive financial plan?

Ask for Recommendations:

  • Personal referrals from friends, family, or colleagues can be a great starting point, especially if their financial situations and goals are similar to yours.

Check Credentials:

  • Consider advisors with reputable designations such as Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®), Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®), or Certified Public Accountant (CPA). These certifications indicate a level of education, ethics, and professionalism in the field.

Research Potential Advisors:

  • Use online resources like the Financial Planning Association (FPA) or the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) to find advisors in your area.
    Review the advisor’s Form ADV (available on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s website). This document provides detailed information about an advisor’s practices, fees, disciplinary history, and more.

Understand the Fee Structure:

  • Financial advisors can be fee-only, fee-based, or commission-based. Understand the differences and decide which structure aligns best with your preferences.
    Ensure that fee structures are transparent and straightforward. Ask about any additional costs or potential conflicts of interest.

Interview Multiple Advisors:

  • It’s beneficial to meet with several advisors to gauge compatibility.
    During meetings, ask about their investment philosophy, client communication frequency, services offered, and how they’ve helped clients with similar financial situations.

Check References:

  • Once you’ve narrowed down your list, ask potential advisors for references. Speak with current clients to gain insight into their experiences.

Discuss Communication:

  • Understand how often you’ll be meeting with the advisor and how they’ll keep you informed about your investments. Ensure you’re comfortable with the proposed communication frequency and methods.

Evaluate Compatibility:

  • Beyond technical competence, ensure that you’re comfortable with the advisor’s personality, communication style, and overall approach. A strong client-advisor relationship is built on trust and understanding.

Clarify Their Fiduciary Status:

  • It’s crucial to know if the advisor will act as a fiduciary, meaning they are legally bound to act in your best interest.

Stay Engaged:

  • Once you’ve chosen an advisor, remain actively involved in your financial planning. Regularly review your goals, ask questions, and make sure you understand the strategies being implemented.

Remember, the right financial advisor should provide value through expertise, align with your financial goals, and establish a relationship built on trust and clear communication.

A Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) is a professional who has met the stringent education, examination, experience, and ethical requirements set forth by the Certified Financial Planner® Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP® Board). The designation represents a high standard of knowledge and expertise in the field of financial planning. Here’s a detailed look at the CFP® designation and what it represents:

Education:

  • Candidates must complete a comprehensive course of study at a college or university offering a financial planning curriculum approved by the CFP® Board. This education typically covers various aspects of financial planning, including insurance, investment planning, tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning.
  • Alternatively, professionals with certain other credentials, such as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®), may be allowed to bypass certain elements of the education requirement.

Examination:

  • Candidates must pass the CFP® Certification Examination, a comprehensive and challenging test covering the financial planning process, tax planning, employee benefits and retirement planning, estate planning, investment management, and insurance.

Experience:

  • To earn the CFP® designation, candidates must also complete 6,000 hours of professional financial planning experience or 4,000 hours of Apprenticeship experience that meets additional requirements.

Ethics and Conduct:

  • CFP® professionals agree to adhere to a strict code of professional conduct and are held to the CFP® Board’s ethical standards. These standards require CFP® professionals to provide financial planning services at a fiduciary standard of care, meaning they must act in the best interest of their clients.
  • The CFP® Board also performs a background check on all candidates and requires disclosure of any past criminal, civil, governmental, or self-regulatory agency proceedings or investigations.

Continuing Education:

  • Once certified, CFP® professionals must complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years in the body of knowledge relevant to financial planning. This ensures that they stay up-to-date with developments in the financial planning field.

The CFP® designation is recognized internationally and is often considered a gold standard in the financial planning profession. When you see a professional with the CFP® designation, it signifies that they have achieved and maintain a level of competency, ethics, and professionalism appropriate for providing comprehensive financial planning services to clients.

When considering or selecting a financial advisor, it’s crucial to ask a series of probing questions to ensure they are the right fit for your financial situation and goals. Here are some important questions to pose:

Background and Qualifications:

  • What are your qualifications and certifications?
  • How long have you been a financial advisor?
  • Are you registered with any professional organizations or regulatory bodies?

Services and Specialties:

  • What services do you offer?
  • Do you have any areas of specialization or a typical client profile?
  • Can you handle unique financial situations such as estate planning, divorce financial planning, or business succession?

Compensation and Fees:

  • How are you compensated? (fee-only, fee-based, commission, etc.)
  • Can you provide a detailed fee schedule or breakdown?
  • Are there any other costs I should be aware of, such as transaction fees or fund expenses?

Investment Approach and Philosophy:

  • How would you describe your investment philosophy?
  • What types of investments do you typically recommend?
  • How do you handle market volatility or downturns?

Fiduciary and Ethical Standards:

  • Do you act as a fiduciary for your clients?
  • How do you handle conflicts of interest?
  • Have you ever been disciplined by a regulatory body or received any formal complaints?

Client-advisor Relationship:

  • How often do you typically meet or communicate with your clients?
  • Will I work directly with you, or will there be other team members involved?
  • What is your approach to building and maintaining long-term client relationships?

Performance and Reporting:

  • How will I receive updates on my portfolio’s performance?
  • Do you benchmark against specific indices? If so, which ones?
  • How will you measure and report on our progress toward my financial goals?

Availability and Continuity:

  • How accessible are you to clients for questions or concerns?
  • What happens if you’re unavailable or on vacation? Is there someone else I can speak with?
  • What succession plan do you have in place for your clients if you retire or leave the industry?

Client References:

  • Can you provide references from clients with financial situations similar to mine?

Other Services and Network:

  • If I require services outside of your expertise (e.g., legal advice, tax planning), do you have a network of professionals you trust and collaborate with?
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Contact us today to understand more about the white-glove service we provide to clients across the United States as their Fiduciary Fee-Only Investment Advisors.

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