| Advisor Profile |
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Business Description |
We are an independent financial advisory firm providing financial planning and wealth management services. “Fat tail” is a term in probability theory referring to the unforeseen, extreme risks and rewards we face in our lives and in our investment portfolios. We call ourselves FatTail Financial Advisory Group because we work to mitigate these risks.
Using concepts from the fields of behavioral economics and post-modern portfolio theory when appropriate, we guide our clients through the complexities of the financial arena teaching our clients to use the financial system to their advantage. We specialize in working with people preparing for retirement or already in retirement, with entrepreneurs, and with people wishing to express their values in how they invest. Many of our clients are in the healthcare, financial services and teaching professions. |
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General Information |
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| Name of Broker/Dealer: |
Cambridge Investment Research Inc
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| Name of Custodial Firm: |
Several
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| States Licensed in: |
NY NJ CT MA PA NC FL WI NV IL
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| States Willing to do Business in: |
NY NJ CT MA PA FL WI NV IL
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| Years of Experience in Financial Services: |
13
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| Number of Years with Current Firm: |
4
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| I work with the following types of clients: |
Individual Investors, Businesses, Non-Profit Organizations
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Education |
| Academic Background |
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BA, History - Northeastern University
MA, International Affairs - School of International Studies, American University
ChFC - The American College |
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Services |
| Investment Types: |
1031 Exchanges, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Mortgages & Real Estate, Alternative Investments, FOREX & Currency, Mutual Funds, Commodities, Insurance, Annuities, Stocks, Bonds, Socially Responsible Investments (SRI)
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Qualifications & Memberships |
| Certifications, Accreditations & Designations: |
Insurance License (Life & Health; Long Term Care; Specify below), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®)
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| Securities Licenses: |
Series 63, Series 6, Series 7
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| Insurance and Annuity Licenses: |
Disability, Life, HMO, Annuity, Variable Annuity, Health, Variable Life, Long Term Care
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Firm Information |
| Number of Advisors in Office: |
Up to 10 employees
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| I work with clients as part of a team: |
Yes
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| Firm's Number of Clients: |
125
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| Firm's Number of Planning Clients: |
50
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| Firm's Number of Managed Clients: |
50
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| Assets Managed by Firm: |
Done 3rd Party
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| Advisor's Number of Clients: |
125
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| Advisor's Number of Managed Clients: |
50
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| Advisor's Number of Planning Clients: |
50
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Compliance |
| Registered Representative: |
Yes
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| Investment Advisor Representative: |
Yes
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| I am an acknowledged fiduciary: |
Yes
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| Compliance Disclosures in Last 5 years: |
I have a clean record
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| Criminal Disclosures in Last 5 years: |
I have a clean record
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Compensation & Fees |
| I am a fee-based financial professional: |
Yes
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| Minimum Portfolio Size for New Managed Accounts: |
50000
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| Compensation Methods: |
Flat Fee, Based on Assets, Hourly, Commissions
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| Fee % Based on Assets: |
on a scale
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| Additional Details on Charges: |
Our asset-based fees include basic financial planning services. We also do planning on a fee-for-service basis and an hourly basis, agreed upon in advance, depending upon an estimation of what work needs to be done and the time required to implement the plan. Our firm's focus is on plan implementation. We will hire other professionals on your behalf if you require it.
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| Minimum Fee Charged for Managed Accounts: |
325
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| Minimum Fee Charged for Hourly Planning Accounts: |
325
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| Minimum Fee Charged for Flat Fee Accounts: |
325
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| Prepared By: |
Helen Beichel, ChFC |
| Most Recent Update: |
08/29/2008 |
Frequently Asked Questions |
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| Q. |
Do you have a customer satisfaction or refund policy? |
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At the end of our first meeting we can quantify for you the value of our services, if you follow our advise. Otherwise, there is no need for us to continue to work together. Sometimes clients are willing to pay for the knowledge they are doing everything possible to achieve their financial goals. That is priceless. |
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What are your qualifications? What is your education background? |
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I am an independent Chartered Financial Consultant with 13 years of advisory experience. I have a background in history and international affairs with a specialty in development and North and Southeast Asia. In our interconnected world, this background has become more and more valuable. |
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What is your approach to financial planning? |
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We follow a wholistic, six-step financial planning process. |
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What services do you offer? |
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We do comprehensive and single-purpose planning, such as home purchase planning, education planning, retirement planning, income planning, special needs planning, portfolio analysis and evaluation, estate planning, business and tax planning and risk management planning and wealth management services. |
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How many clients do you currently manage? |
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Will you be the only person working with me? |
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How are you compensated? How will I pay for your services? |
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For financial planning services we generally charge a fee-for-service. In some cases we will charge an hourly fee, or be placed on retainer based upon the circumstances.
If you engage us on the wealth managment side of the business we charge an annual assets under management fee which includes basic financial planning services. |
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| Q. |
If you are going to manage my account, will you obtain my permission every time you buy or sell something? |
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We are not stock brokers. Most of our money management is done by institutional-level third-party money management firms. Your assets will be placed in a custom-tailored, discretionary account and managed by fiduciaries according to your goals and risk-tolerance levels. |
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Do you offer any guaranteed results? |
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Regarding financial planning, if you follow our advise, results will be realized. On the investment side of the business, the only thing we can guarentee is that we will be with you during the ups and downs of the market. With a fee-based account, when you make money we will make money, when you lose money we lose money. Guarantees can only be provided through the use of insurance products. |
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How much risk should I be willing to take? |
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We work with, and build portfolios for, people of all risk-tolerance levels. The greatest risks people face are not related to their portfolios. We uncover and manage these risks through the financial planning process. |
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| Q. |
Have you ever been charged with any breaches? |
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What carrier(s) do you represent? |
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All major carriers and some specialty carriers. I work through several independent brokergae agencies. Our process is that we broker out our client's risk profile to see which carrier will take on the risk at lowest cost. |
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Are there any pre-existing conditions that you can not cover? |
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All medical conditions are handled on a case-by-case situation. |
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How long does it take to complete the application and approval process? |
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It varies from company to company and is greatly determined by the responsiveness of the client and the client's physicians. |
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Is there a maximum age that you can insure? |
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It varies from state-to-state, by product and by carrier. |
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What services do you provide? What are your specialties? |
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We provide financial planning and wealth management services primarily for people over the age of 55, for private corporations and values-based investing. |
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What is your experience? How many clients do you currently manage? |
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I am an independent Chartered Financial Consultant with 13 years of advisory experience. I have a background in history and international affairs with a specialty in development and North and Southeast Asia. In our interconnected world, this background has become more and more valuable. We have about 100 clients. |
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What financial institution(s) do you represent? |
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As an independent Chartered Financial Consultant we represent the client's interests. We have access to almost all institutional and retail money managers. We often use several money managers to provide proper diversification and risk management controls. |
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How do you charge for your services? |
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For financial planning services we generally charge a fee-for-service. In some cases we will charge an hourly fee, or be placed on retainer based upon the circumstances. If you engage us for wealth managment we charge an annual assets under management fee which includes basic financial planning services. We may or may not earn a commission with alternative investments. |
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Do you provide a free initial consultation? |
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Why should I choose you as my financial advisor? |
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We are honest, ethical, communicative and put the needs of our clients first. We want to keep our clients and build the firm through referrals. |
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What are your qualifications? |
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I am an independent Chartered Financial Consultant with 13 years of advisory experience. I have a background in history and international affairs with a specialty in development and North and Southeast Asia. In our interconnected world, this background has become more and more valuable. Your children will need a world-class education to compete in the job market 20 years from now. |
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What is your approach to Education Planning? |
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The cheapest way to pay for college is to save and invest ahead of time. We need to begin as soon as the child receives a social security number. |
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How long does the process of setting up an Education Plan usually take? |
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Education Planning generally takes two hours. Preparing a child for college takes two decades. |
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What financial institutions do you represent? |
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As an independent Chartered Financial Consultant we represent the client's interests. We have access to almost all institutional and retail money managers. We often use several money managers to provide proper diversification and risk management controls. |
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How many years of experience do you have? |
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I have 13 years of advisory experience and 2 years back office experience. |
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What are your fees for this service? |
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We charge $150 for Education Planning Services. Fees and/or commissions for investment management depend upon how we decide to invest. |
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How many Education Planning clients do you currently manage? |
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Why should I work with you on setting up an Education Plan? |
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We are honest, ethical, communicative and put the needs of our clients first. We want to keep our clients and build the firm through referrals. |
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Do you provide a free initial consultation? |
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For comprehensive financial planning, yes we do, to determine the scope of the engagement. For single-purpose education planning it is obvious when you need the service. We just need to determine what and how to do it, which is what education planning is all about. |
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What are your qualifications? |
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I am an independent Chartered Financial Consultant with 13 years of advisory experience. I have a background in history and international affairs with a specialty in development and North and Southeast Asia. In our interconnected world, this background has become more and more valuable. |
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| Q. |
What is your approach to 401 K plan rollovers? |
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We conduct a fiduciary audit of your current plan taking into consideration your tax and retirement benefit needs as a company to see if changes in the plan are needed. We then see what options might be appropriate now and into the future. We build cost-conscious programs tailored to your needs with full disclosure of all costs. |
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How long does the process of rolling over a 401K plan usually take? |
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Plan fiduciary audits, analysis, research and development may take a month. Actual rollover of plan assets and account establishment may take 2 weeks-3 months depending upon the size and complexity of the plan. |
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What financial institutions do you represent? |
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All major and minor carriers. |
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How many years of experience do you have? |
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I have 13 year of advisory experience with 10 years of 401(k) experience. |
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What are your fees for this service? |
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We can establish a commission-based or fee-based 401(k)plan. We provide turn-key plans or can bid out component parts based on your needs. We can design a plan where the bulk of the cost of the plan is borne by the participants or by the plan itself. We prefer to develop fee-based plans with full dislosures as you tend to get more for what you paid for. |
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How many 401K rollover clients do you currently manage? |
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Why should I roll over my 401K plan to your firm? |
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We work with you to reduce hidden costs, if there are any, develop an Investment Policy Statement and other proceedures to protect fiduiciaries. Most importantly, with your cooperation, we conduct quarterly enrollment campaigns to convey the value of the plan to employees, increasing participation and success ratios. We also provide non-qualified executive benefit and sucession plans. |
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Do you provide a free initial consultation? |
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