questions & answers
what is a fee-only advisor?
Rossi Financial Group is a Fee-Only Advisor, Most Firms Are Not. And why does it matter? A fee-only advisor does not receive any third-party compensation...unlike most advisory firms who do get paid from insurance or mutual fund companies -we don't. This reduces the typical conflicts of interest found within most financial institutions, as many mutual fund and insurance companies pay advisors to sell their products. We think this is part of the problem with Wall Street and most advisory firms.
Rossi Financial Group is a Fee-Only Advisor, Most Firms Are Not. And why does it matter? A fee-only advisor does not receive any third-party compensation...unlike most advisory firms who do get paid from insurance or mutual fund companies -we don't. This reduces the typical conflicts of interest found within most financial institutions, as many mutual fund and insurance companies pay advisors to sell their products. We think this is part of the problem with Wall Street and most advisory firms.
what is the difference between a fee-only advisor and a fee-based advisor at a large bank or brokerage firm?
Quite a Bit Actually. If the financial industry weren’t complicated enough, there are fee-only investment advisors and fee-based advisors/stockbrokers. As the wording implies, fee-only investment advisors like Rossi Financial Group never receive any commissions or any other forms of compensation from ANY outside sources. At the other end of the spectrum, commissioned brokers and fee-based advisors receive some or all of their revenue from the companies whose products they buy and sell which can cause conflicts of interest between what's best for you and what's best for the advisor.
Quite a Bit Actually. If the financial industry weren’t complicated enough, there are fee-only investment advisors and fee-based advisors/stockbrokers. As the wording implies, fee-only investment advisors like Rossi Financial Group never receive any commissions or any other forms of compensation from ANY outside sources. At the other end of the spectrum, commissioned brokers and fee-based advisors receive some or all of their revenue from the companies whose products they buy and sell which can cause conflicts of interest between what's best for you and what's best for the advisor.
what does our firm and a company like Amazon have in common?
Lower Costs - Amazon is known as the low cost provider of almost everything they sell. Ditto, we have been able to strip out the fees the typical firm charges. A major win for our clients. Many times its a 50% - 80% savings - seriously. This savings gets passed directly to our clients.
Focused on our clients - Amazon makes shopping easy and is totally focused on their customers...so are we. We are purpose driven not profit driven. We strive to be your ally in helping you determine what's important to you.
Amazing Service - Same day delivery, no questions asked return policy. Our interpretation of Amazon's amazing service is - our clients know us, and more importantly we know our clients. No request is off limits. Our aim is to wow our clients, so no 1-800 call center, no question too small, no financial jargon to confuse anyone. We treat you the way we would want to be treated if the roles were reversed.
Lower Costs - Amazon is known as the low cost provider of almost everything they sell. Ditto, we have been able to strip out the fees the typical firm charges. A major win for our clients. Many times its a 50% - 80% savings - seriously. This savings gets passed directly to our clients.
Focused on our clients - Amazon makes shopping easy and is totally focused on their customers...so are we. We are purpose driven not profit driven. We strive to be your ally in helping you determine what's important to you.
Amazing Service - Same day delivery, no questions asked return policy. Our interpretation of Amazon's amazing service is - our clients know us, and more importantly we know our clients. No request is off limits. Our aim is to wow our clients, so no 1-800 call center, no question too small, no financial jargon to confuse anyone. We treat you the way we would want to be treated if the roles were reversed.
how are we different?
And What This Means To You. It’s hard to find an advisor who offers all the investment advisor services we provide, but we’d be flat-out lying if we claimed to be the only one. So, beyond our robust services, we believe we’re an appealing choice because:
1. We are a fee-only advisor always working with our clients in a fiduciary capacity...unlike the vast majority of investment firms.
2. We seek the lowest cost investment options for our clients. What does this mean to you? More money that can earn an investment return.
3. We never receive any third-party compensation... no commissions, no 12b-1 fee's, no sales charges. Period. Most firms accept these other form of compensation that cause huge conflicts of interest. How do we know? We see it virtually every time we look at our new clients statements from their previous advisor. How does this benefit you? You won't be pushed into a product or investment that doesn't make sense.
4. We don't have sales quotas so we can focus on you, our client, and not meeting some arbitrary corporate goals. Your goals are our highest priority. Isn't this the way it should be?
5. Paul R. Rossi, the President of the company, holds the CFA designation, less than 1% of financial advisors hold the CFA designation (considered the gold standard in the industry per the Economist and the Financial Times). Our firm is committed to and adheres to the CFA Institute's Statement of Investor Rights. Nobel Prize winner and Yale Professor, Robert Shiller says of the Statement of Investor Rights, "it's (CFA) an inspiration to me...and shows there is a moral underpinning...". Learn more about the CFA designation here.
And What This Means To You. It’s hard to find an advisor who offers all the investment advisor services we provide, but we’d be flat-out lying if we claimed to be the only one. So, beyond our robust services, we believe we’re an appealing choice because:
1. We are a fee-only advisor always working with our clients in a fiduciary capacity...unlike the vast majority of investment firms.
2. We seek the lowest cost investment options for our clients. What does this mean to you? More money that can earn an investment return.
3. We never receive any third-party compensation... no commissions, no 12b-1 fee's, no sales charges. Period. Most firms accept these other form of compensation that cause huge conflicts of interest. How do we know? We see it virtually every time we look at our new clients statements from their previous advisor. How does this benefit you? You won't be pushed into a product or investment that doesn't make sense.
4. We don't have sales quotas so we can focus on you, our client, and not meeting some arbitrary corporate goals. Your goals are our highest priority. Isn't this the way it should be?
5. Paul R. Rossi, the President of the company, holds the CFA designation, less than 1% of financial advisors hold the CFA designation (considered the gold standard in the industry per the Economist and the Financial Times). Our firm is committed to and adheres to the CFA Institute's Statement of Investor Rights. Nobel Prize winner and Yale Professor, Robert Shiller says of the Statement of Investor Rights, "it's (CFA) an inspiration to me...and shows there is a moral underpinning...". Learn more about the CFA designation here.
why hire a CFA Charterholder to manage your wealth? click here for more info
When you engage with a CFA Charterholder, you can trust their:
1. RIGOR To earn the distinction of Chartered Financial Analyst® Charterholder, candidates spend an average of more than 1,000 hours of demanding studying to successfully complete 3 exams (6-hours each) and must have at least four years of professional experience.
2. COMMITMENT TO ETHICS All CFA charterholders are required to annually reaffirm their compliance with the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct, so you can be sure your interests come first.
3. DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE CFA charterholders wield an extensive body of knowledge on investing and global financial markets, built by years of study and real-world experience.
When you engage with a CFA Charterholder, you can trust their:
1. RIGOR To earn the distinction of Chartered Financial Analyst® Charterholder, candidates spend an average of more than 1,000 hours of demanding studying to successfully complete 3 exams (6-hours each) and must have at least four years of professional experience.
2. COMMITMENT TO ETHICS All CFA charterholders are required to annually reaffirm their compliance with the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct, so you can be sure your interests come first.
3. DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE CFA charterholders wield an extensive body of knowledge on investing and global financial markets, built by years of study and real-world experience.
what is the difference between the fiduciary standard and the bank & brokerage standard?
They Are Actually Light-Years Apart. Working in a fiduciary capacity as we do, requires the highest level of client care, putting the client's interests ahead of our own. Period. As a client you will always know our advice is given from a position of the utmost care and loyalty. On the other end...is the suitability standard (the low level where most advisors work), which only requires that the investment advice or product be "suitable". Can you believe that these so called "advisors" are held to this standard do not have to work in your best interests. A key distinction: These so called advisor's first duty is to the firm they work for and not to the client.
They Are Actually Light-Years Apart. Working in a fiduciary capacity as we do, requires the highest level of client care, putting the client's interests ahead of our own. Period. As a client you will always know our advice is given from a position of the utmost care and loyalty. On the other end...is the suitability standard (the low level where most advisors work), which only requires that the investment advice or product be "suitable". Can you believe that these so called "advisors" are held to this standard do not have to work in your best interests. A key distinction: These so called advisor's first duty is to the firm they work for and not to the client.
how are you going to protect my money if there is another melt-down?
That's a Great Question. The best time to “react” to an economic meltdown is long before it happens...that's part of what we do and why clients hire us. To manage your wealth through good times and bad, we emphasize planning, preparation, and a proper asset allocation as the foundation upon which to build a successful strategy. We use sophisticated analytical stress testing software to help manage and reduce portfolio risks.
That's a Great Question. The best time to “react” to an economic meltdown is long before it happens...that's part of what we do and why clients hire us. To manage your wealth through good times and bad, we emphasize planning, preparation, and a proper asset allocation as the foundation upon which to build a successful strategy. We use sophisticated analytical stress testing software to help manage and reduce portfolio risks.
ever wonder what your advisor is currently making and what exactly you are being charged?
Never Wonder Again. We are 100% transparent and you will know exactly what you are paying in plain English. There are no hidden fees, commissions paid by a third-party, or special incentives we receive from anyone. We only get compensated by our clients.
Never Wonder Again. We are 100% transparent and you will know exactly what you are paying in plain English. There are no hidden fees, commissions paid by a third-party, or special incentives we receive from anyone. We only get compensated by our clients.
how do I get started?
It's Quite Easy and Always a Relaxed Environment. It's really quite simple, contact us in the way that suites you best, call, email or send smoke signals. Once we are able to briefly chat, we can both determine if it might be the right fit for further discussions. Typically, our first meeting is a further discovery of your unique financial goals. Our process is completely relaxed and proceeds at the speed that makes you most comfortable.
It's Quite Easy and Always a Relaxed Environment. It's really quite simple, contact us in the way that suites you best, call, email or send smoke signals. Once we are able to briefly chat, we can both determine if it might be the right fit for further discussions. Typically, our first meeting is a further discovery of your unique financial goals. Our process is completely relaxed and proceeds at the speed that makes you most comfortable.