At Justabout Wealth Management,
we are built on ten principles:
1. Trust
Our goal is to build trusting relationships with our clients, so they know at all times that we are doing what is in their best interest and not in ours or anyone else’s. Trust can only be built over time and requires us to truly get to know the lives and needs of our clients.
2. Fiduciary Responsibility
Close to 99% of our business is fee-based, which requires us to adhere to a fiduciary standard, the highest level of responsibility in our industry. According to the CFP® Board, “At its core, the concept of a fiduciary standard is to protect consumers who make important financial and life decisions with the assistance of financial planners. The fiduciary duty in the Code and Standards raises the bar for the profession and benefits the public.”* We put our clients first at all times.
*Source: https://www.cfp.net/knowledge/industry-insights/2020/03/the-history-of-cfp-board-fiduciary-standard
3. Independence
As an independent firm, Justabout Wealth Management has no propriety products that we use for our clients. We are able to research and locate the best in class options for clients when it comes to investments and insurance products. Some companies incentivize their financial advisors for using certain products, but that is not how we operate.
4. Objectivity
With our fee-based clients, we maintain complete objectivity, because we get paid the same no matter what investment vehicles we use. They are charged a fee based on assets under management, not commissions when they buy or sell investments.
5. Frequent Contact
We know that it is important to our clients that we are in contact on a regular basis. Whether it be through face-to-face meetings, video calls, or phone conversations, we contact our clients regularly. At times when the markets are not performing well, we reach out even more with calls and/or emails. We do not bury our heads in the sand and hope that no one will contact us when the markets become volatile. That is when they need us the most.
6. Customization
Our clients are very diverse in their goals, needs, and risk tolerances. We do not put our clients in “cookie cutter” approaches just to make our job easier. We create customized financial plans and investment portfolios for clients that are geared toward their personal financial situations.
7. Credentials and Education
Education is extremely important to what we do. We educate ourselves through attaining designations such as the CFP® and AIF® and taking numerous continuing education courses. The law and industry are constantly changing. We need to make sure we are on top of these changes to provide the best products and services to our clients. We also believe in educating clients, so they understand why we do what we do for them and how it impacts them.
8. Transparency
Our clients are aware of their fees up front. Our fee-based and financial planning clients sign an investment advisory agreement for each account that spells out exactly what we are charging them. When fees are charged, clients can see them as a line item on their statements.
9. Goal Orientation
Our goal with our clients is not to beat the performance of the S&P 500 or some other index over time. Rather, we focus on investing clients to achieve a targeted return based on financial planning in order to meet their specific financial goals. Some people have more aggressive goals that require us to invest more aggressively, while others do not need to achieve a high rate of return to meet their needs. We do not believe in taking on undue risk in client portfolios, so we adjust to each situation individually.
10. Collaboration
We collaborate closely with clients to help them to develop goals and objectives. We are a team. We also work with CPAs, estate planning attorneys, P&C insurance agents, and other professionals, who are also members of the team. We believe it is extremely important to collaborate with these other professionals in an effort to make sure we are protecting our clients and maximizing benefits to them.
