Business Description
We are an independent financial services firm dedicated to helping families pursue and maintain their financial independence. Our mission is to help clients retire sooner than they expected with financial independence, free to work because they want to, not because they have to. Our goal is to help clients connect their faith, values and finances so that they can fully enjoy life and pursue what is most important to them. Our practice maintains an office in Marysville and Dublin.
General Information Gender:    Male CRD#:    3185284 Name of Broker/Dealer:    Commonwealth States Licensed in:    OH, KY States Willing to do Business in:    OH Years of Experience in Financial Services:    10 Number of Years with Current Firm:    10
Education Academic Background   BA, Economics and Political Science - Capital University (1980). Graduated summa cum laude with 4.0/4.0 GPA.
Services Investment Types:    Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Alternative Investments, Bonds, Insurance, Annuities, Stocks, Real Estate, Mutual Funds
Qualifications & Memberships Certifications, Accreditations & Designations:    CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Certificant, Insurance License (Life & Health; Long Term Care; Specify below) Securities Licenses:    Series 7, Series 63 Insurance and Annuity Licenses:    Life, Health, Annuity, Disability, Variable Life, Long Term Care, Variable Annuity Financial Organization Memberships:    Financial Planning Association (FPA), National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) Non-Financial Organization Memberships:    Elks, Moose, Eagles, Kiwanis, Union County Chamber of Commerce, Trinity Lutheran Church, Chairman of Union County Foundation, Chairman of Central Ohio Youth Center
Firm Information Number of Advisors in Office:    Up to 10 employees I work with clients as part of a team:    Yes Firm's Number of Clients:    250 Firm's Number of Planning Clients:    200 Firm's Number of Managed Clients:    200 Assets Managed by Firm:    $60,000,000 Advisor's Number of Clients:    150 Advisor's Number of Managed Clients:    100 Advisor's Number of Planning Clients:    100 Assets Managed by Advisor:    $40,000,000
Compliance Registered Representative:    Yes Investment Advisor Representative:    Yes I am an acknowledged fiduciary:    Yes Compliance Disclosures in Last 5 years:    I have a clean record Criminal Disclosures in Last 5 years:    I have a clean record
Compensation & Fees I am a fee-based financial professional:    Yes Minimum Portfolio Size for New Managed Accounts:    $100,000 Compensation Methods:    Based on Assets, Commissions, Flat Fee Fee % Based on Assets:    1% Additional Details on Charges:    The fee for planning is based on scope and type of work agreed upon. We promise in writing to refund all fees if the client feels our planning failed to deliver exceptional value. To date no one has ever requested a refund. The client is free to implement the plan with anyone, and if we are chosen the client decides if we wll be paid a fee or a commission.
Prepared By:	Tom McCarthy
Most Recent Update:	07/22/2008

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.	Do you have a customer satisfaction or refund policy?

Q.	What are your qualifications? What is your education background?

Q.	What is your approach to financial planning?

Q.	What services do you offer?

Q.	How many clients do you currently manage?

Q.	Will you be the only person working with me?

Q.	How are you compensated? How will I pay for your services?

Q.	If you are going to manage my account, will you obtain my permission every time you buy or sell something?

Q.	Do you offer any guaranteed results?

Q.	How much risk should I be willing to take?

Q.	Have you ever been charged with any breaches?

Q.	What services do you provide? What are your specialties?

Q.	What is your experience? How many clients do you currently manage?

Q.	What financial institution(s) do you represent?

Q.	How do you charge for your services?

Q.	Do you provide a free initial consultation?

Q.	Why should I choose you as my financial advisor?

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Q.	Do you have a customer satisfaction or refund policy?
We offer you a complete satisfaction guarantee for our consulting/planning services.The law prohibits us from a guarantee of investment results. To date, we have never had a client who asked for a fee reduction or refund.

Q.	What are your qualifications? What is your education background?
I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS, recipient of many honors and awards and named one of the top financial planners nationally in 2007.High School Valedictorian with a 4.0/4.0 GPA. Graduated summa cum laude from Capital University majoring in economics and political science. Annually complete over 20 hours of continuing education. 3 times elected Union County Commissioner.

Q.	What is your approach to financial planning?
We use a goal based approach that lines up you finances with what matters most to you. We will ask many questions to better understand not only your finances, but more importantly what you value. We uncover missed opportunities,possibly reduce risk and reduce taxes and/or investment fees and protect what matters most to you.

Q.	What services do you offer?
We offer comprehensive wealth management and investment service to people on the verge or alreday in retirement. To see all we do, please check out our website at www.mccarthyandcox.com

Q.	How many clients do you currently manage?
Our firm has over 400 and I personally have about 150 clients. I am at a point where I limit the clients I work with.

Q.	Will you be the only person working with me?
I have a business partner named Jim Cox who is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and we work as a team. Depending upon what your needs are, you may work with just me, just Jim or a combination of us both.

Q.	How are you compensated? How will I pay for your services?
There is NO fee until we mutually agree on what needs done and what the fee will be. If we implement the plan for you, we will be paid a fee or commission just like any advisor. We will disclose all sources of income and prefer to work on a fee rather than commission basis.

Q.	If you are going to manage my account, will you obtain my permission every time you buy or sell something?
Yes.We do not make changes in accounts without your prior approval. The only exception is if you ask us to use a separate professional money manager who you have chosen because you wanted to have an active manager who acts on his/her own without your permission.

Q.	Do you offer any guaranteed results?
We guarantee you will be pleased with our financial planning.We can offer guaranteed results only on products that leaglly are guaranteed.No investment in a mutual fund, stock or bond is guaranteed and past performance is no guarantee of future results.It is CRITICAL to understand the risk associated with investing and to not take on more risk than your situation or risk tolerance will allow.

Q.	How much risk should I be willing to take?
You should take no more risk than you are comfortable with and need to take to be successful. It is our job to objectively help you manage risk.

Q.	Have you ever been charged with any breaches?
No, never

Q.	What services do you provide? What are your specialties?
We focus in helping you make smarter money decisions so you can possibly enjoy a better life. We focus on helping you grow assets and then convert those assets into an income you can never outlive. Please see our webiste: www.mccarthyandcox.com for more details about services

Q.	What is your experience? How many clients do you currently manage?
Over 10 years a professional financial planner and over 30 years managing my family's investments,real estate and business interests. I have about 150 clients

Q.	What financial institution(s) do you represent?
We are affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network, a registered advisory firm, that allows us to remain objective. We will serve you as your representative to the investment and insurance world. We are your agent and represent your best interest first and foremost.

Q.	How do you charge for your services?
There are 2 ways we are paid. First,we charge a planning fee for our advisory services. Second, we charge an asset fee depending upon the size of the investments we manage.

Q.	Do you provide a free initial consultation?
Yes. There is NO FEE until we know your situation,we have mutually agreed in writing on the work to be done, agreed on how it will benefit you and put in writing it will cost. Only then do you pay us. If you feel for any reason that we don't deserve the fee we charged, we will reduce our fee or refund it at your request. No hassle.

Q.	Why should I choose you as my financial advisor?
You should ONLY choose us after meeting with us and we have both found that our process, our values and our personalities are a good fit for one another. We are affliated with one our nation's largest and most cutting edge planning organizations supported by staff tax, legal and investment specialists yet small enough to provide personal, high level service.