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Business Description |
Clear Perspectives Financial Planning provides sound, unbiased advice on everything that touches your financial life.
To provide the best possible service to our clients we:
* learn about your financial priorities and help you refine and align on your goals;
* thoroughly evaluate opportunities in order to clearly frame possible courses of action;
* manage your investments using research driven and time tested investment strategies geared to your risk tolerance;
* ensure that your plans are supported by appropriate insurance and estate planning;
* coordinate with your legal, tax and other advisors to ensure that all of your planning is aligned with your priorities;
* offer proactive advice in response to changes in the financial world as well changes in your life.
We are committed to helping our clients make the most of their finances. We work to simplify complicated financial matters and determine the best course for you. By working with Clear Perspectives you receive seamless, comprehensive advice which will allow you to concentrate on other facets of your life. |
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General Information |
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| Insurance License#: |
not applicable
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| Name of Broker/Dealer: |
Trade PMR
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| Name of Custodial Firm: |
Sterne, Agee & Leach
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| States Licensed in: |
Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky
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| States Willing to do Business in: |
All states
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| Years of Experience in Financial Services: |
10
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| Number of Years with Current Firm: |
4
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| Work Experience: |
30 years experience in global finance, including commodity management and mergers and acquisitions; 10 years part time & full time experience in financial planning; 20 years experience in global finance at Procter & Gamble Co.
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| I work with the following types of clients: |
Businesses, Investment Clubs, Non-Profit Organizations, Individual Investors
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Education |
| Academic Background |
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MBA, Finance, Indiana University;
BA, Political Science, Indiana University
Certificate in languages & letters, University of Grenoble France
Certificate in Financial Planning (18 university credit hours of classes) |
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Services |
| Investment Types: |
Stocks, Bonds, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Mortgages & Real Estate, Annuities, Mutual Funds, Options & Futures, Alternative Investments, Commodities, Socially Responsible Investments (SRI)
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Qualifications & Memberships |
| Certifications, Accreditations & Designations: |
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Certificant, Certified Internal Auditor, Registered Financial Consultant (RFC)
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| Securities Licenses: |
Series 65
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| Financial Organization Memberships: |
Financial Planning Association (FPA), National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA)
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| Non-Financial Organization Memberships: |
Board Member, Council of Christian Communions
Trustee, Cincinnati Friends Meeting
Former Board Member, Kelley School of Business Alumni Association (Indiana University)
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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: |
80
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| Firm's Number of Planning Clients: |
80
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| Firm's Number of Managed Clients: |
80
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| Assets Managed by Firm: |
<$25M
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| Advisor's Number of Clients: |
all client
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| Advisor's Number of Managed Clients: |
all client
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Compliance |
| Registered Investment Advisor: |
Yes
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| 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 |
| Fee Structure: |
I am a fee-only financial professional
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| Minimum Portfolio Size for New Managed Accounts: |
$250,000
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| Compensation Methods: |
Hourly, Based on Assets
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| Fee % Based on Assets: |
< 1%
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| Additional Details on Charges: |
Most of our clients prefer to retain us for comprehensive financial planning AND investment management for less than 1% of Assets Under Management. These fees are deducted from the accounts, so no need to write checks or pay with credit cards.
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| Minimum Fee Charged for Managed Accounts: |
$2,500
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| Minimum Fee Charged for Hourly Planning Accounts: |
$150/hour
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| Prepared By: |
Carol Hoffman |
Frequently Asked Questions |
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Do you have a customer satisfaction or refund policy? |
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Yes. Clients pay only AFTER the services are received, and if the client is unhappy for any reason, no fees are charged. |
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| Q. |
What are your qualifications? What is your education background? |
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My partner and I both have MBAs in finance, we completed the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification process, and we have 50+ years of global financial experience between us. |
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| Q. |
What is your approach to financial planning? |
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Holistic financial planning is the best way to describe what we do. We have tools to help you in whatever goal you have, whether it is to go on a nice vacation, reduce your debt, pay for your children's college or retire at age 55. |
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| Q. |
What services do you offer? |
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Holistic financial planning, which including spending plans, debt management, |
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| Q. |
How many clients do you currently manage? |
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The two partners, Tim Grout and Carol Hoffman, meet with about 80 clients throughout the year. We try to meet with clients together as much as possible, so either one of us can address your needs anytime. |
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Will you be the only person working with me? |
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Unless you request otherwise, both Tim Grout and Carol Hoffman will meet with you together. |
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| Q. |
How are you compensated? How will I pay for your services? |
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We are Fee-only. Most clients want us to charge them as a percentage of assets under management, but occasionally a client prefers to pay an hourly rate. We never take commissions because we believe that creates a conflict of interest: the investment that provides the best commission to an advisor is seldom the best investment for the client. |
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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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No, we agree an asset allocation and strategy with you for each of your investment goals, and we stay within that range until you tell us you would like to adjust it to be more or less conservative. |
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| Q. |
Do you offer any guaranteed results? |
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No, I think only Bernie Madoff did that! |
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How much risk should I be willing to take? |
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We will talk about that at length, and it will be different for each of your goals. |
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Have you ever been charged with any breaches? |
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Do you provide a free initial consultation? |
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Yes, up to 2 hours of advice and discussion. Sometimes that is all someone needs, too. |
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| Q. |
Why should I choose you as my financial advisor? |
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What makes us a great fit for our clients is our deep knowledge of finance, plus our independence from large firms' quotas or bonus structures. Our work is structured entirely by your goals and needs. |
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What are your qualifications? |
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We are CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals, meaning we have passed six university courses in financial planning and passed a rigorous 10 hour exam. Both partners have MBAs in finance, and we have a combined total of 50 years of finance experience. |
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What is your approach to 401 K plan rollovers? |
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401k rollovers are most frequently simple and straightforward. The portfolio transfers directly from your employer's represenative company to our custodian and then we agree with you on the investment plan and tax management plan, which is driven entirely by your goals. |
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| Q. |
How long does the process of rolling over a 401K plan usually take? |
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How many years of experience do you have? |
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My partner and I have a combined total of 50+ years of experience in global finance. |
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What are your fees for this service? |
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Less than 1% of assets under management. |
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How many 401K rollover clients do you currently manage? |
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Most fo our clients came with a 401k to be managed or rolled over. |
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| Q. |
Why should I roll over my 401K plan to your firm? |
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No one will meet your needs better than we do! |
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Do you provide a free initial consultation? |
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Yes, we really encourage this. |
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