George's education began when he earned a soccer scholarship to Dominican University of California in San Rafael. First, George pursued his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He then stayed at Dominican to study business, graduating with an MBA in International Finance/Sustainable Development. Realizing how often legal issues arise in the business world, George completed his education at the University of San Diego, School of Law. He earned his J.D. in December 2001.
These graduate studies laid the foundation for the global investment program that George runs today. Whether working for a gold mine in Ghana, traveling extensively through Spain and Brazil, or learning about winegrowing in the Rhinegau region of Germany, George was constantly aware of the interconnected global economy. These experiences, combined with advanced research on behavioral finance during law school, have given George a truly unique perspective on financial planning and wealth migration.
George has been a financial advisor since February 2002. Over the years, he has assisted his clients and his colleagues clients in creating and implementing complex estate and business succession plans. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP®.
Today, George helps business owners, corporate executives, and other individuals manage their assets. Consistent with his sustainable background, George is an advisor who incorporates triple bottom line investment principles during portfolio creation. He believes that the companies able to compete in the 21st century will be conscious about how they impact society and the environment in addition to potentially being profitable financially.
Outside the office, George is active with several non-profits and community organizations. George is an adjunct faculty member at Dominican, teaching a personal finance course. He sits on two Business Advisory Boards: the first at his alma mater and the second at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. In his free time, George is a soccer enthusiast, inspired chef, and house project extraordinaire. He and his wife Nicole live in Alamo, CA with their two sons, Heathcliff and Julian.
At Blossom Wealth Management, LLC, our clients come to us for a variety of reasons. We believe that most want the expertise of our investment management. Many want us to integrate their tax, philanthropic and estate plans. Some want us to bring simplicity to complexities. All of them want to sleep well at night.
Your investment goals are important to us. We understand that risk tolerance and time frame vary from one person to the next. We learn about each client so that we may design customized portfolios. We educate our clients on the investment landscape and demonstrate how diversified holdings blend together to form a cohesive portfolio.
James E. Salter
MBA, AIF®Co-Founder
James joined the team in 2009 and has been a financial advisor since February 2002. Over the years, he has assisted his clients and his colleagues' clients to create and implement complex estate and business succession plans. As a financial advisor, James is also an Accredited Investment Fiduciary, AIF®. Prior to becoming a financial advisor, he spent seven years developing web-based businesses. He provides investment planning and asset management strategies for institutions, trusts, endowments, corporate executives and high-net-worth families. James graduated Summa Cum Laude from Dominican University of California with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and a Concentration in International Business. He also earned his MBA in Global Strategic Management with a focus on sustainable development. While attending Dominican, James played on the Men's basketball team in the California Pacific Conference. In 2009, he was asked to return to Dominican as an adjunct instructor in the business department and taught a course titled, General Principles in Personal Finance. In addition, James previously served on the Alumni Board, where he focuses on career development by arranging internships.
Craig Braemer
MS, CFA®, CFP®
Craig's education began at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. During his five years of college, he received two degrees, one in Financial Management as a B.S. and the other in Accounting from the Business School. He did this while playing soccer for three years for the School's Division Two soccer team. After graduating, he worked a couple of years in the investment world at Merrill Lynch, but upon leaving Craig decided to improve his educational background further and build a solid financial and investment foundation for his future. While working at Franklin Templeton Investments, RWB Advisory Services and Fisher Investments over the coming 8 years; Craig improved his educational foundation during these eight years by starting and then completing his Masters in Financial Services from Golden Gate University, acquiring the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ or CFP® designation and completing the Chartered Financial Analyst designation or CFA®. During a number of these years he was working on all three programs simultaneously.
General Information |
| Firm Start Year: | 2009 | |
| No. of Employees: | 2-4 | |
| Insurance License#: | CA OD64714 (George) & CA OF75024 (James) |
| Name of Custodial Firm: | Charles Schwab & Co Inc. |
| States Licensed in: | Registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and notice filed in CA, IL, and TX. |
| Number of Years with Current Firm: | 13 |
| Work Experience: |
Founder, CEO at Blossom Wealth Management Director, Clean Tech and West Coast Operations at Capistrano Global Advisory Services Adjunct Instructor, Business Department at Dominican University of California Assistant Coach at Mustang Soccer Council Member at International Business Advisory Council Private Wealth Management at Smith Barney Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor/Advisor Coach at Ameriprise Financial Advisors |
| Work with the following types of clients: | Investment Clubs, Individual Investors, Businesses, Non-Profit Organizations |
| Advisory Services Provided: | Financial Advice & Consulting, Investment Advice & Management, Insurance Products & Annuities, Financial Planning, Portfolio Management, Retirement Planning, 401K Rollovers, Wealth Management, Money Management, Risk Management, Education Funding and Planning, Financial Planning for Individuals, Financial Planning for Businesses, Tax Advice and Services, Estate Planning & Trusts |
Services |
| Investment Types: | Options & Futures, Commodities, Stocks, Insurance, Mutual Funds, Mortgages & Real Estate, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Bonds, Socially Responsible Investments (SRI) |
| Can meet clients in the following ways: | Your Home, Our Office, Email, Your Office, Phone, Video Conference, Our Offices |
Qualifications & Memberships |
| Insurance and Annuity Licenses: | Variable Life, Long Term Care, Life, Health, Annuity |
| Financial Organization Memberships: | Financial Planning Association (FPA) |
| Non-Financial Organization Memberships: | George's hobbies include running, mountain biking, and, especially, playing soccer. He and his wife, Nicole Davidson, recently celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary in Belize. They enjoy traveling, international cuisine, and hiking. George is also an Eagle Scout. |
Firm Information |
| Firm's Number of Clients: | 175+ |
| Firm's Number of Planning Clients: | 50+ |
| Firm's Number of Managed Clients: | 150+ |
| Assets Managed by Firm: | 200MM+ |
| Advisor's Number of Clients: | 175+ |
| Advisor's Number of Managed Clients: | 150+ |
| Advisor's Number of Planning Clients: | 50+ |
| Assets Managed by Advisor: | 200 MM + |
Compensation and Fees |
| Fee Structure: | Fee-Based |
| Compensation Methods: | Commissions, Flat Fee, Hourly, Based on Assets |
| Fee % Based on Assets: | .10 - 1.75 |
| Hourly Rate: | 250 |
| Additional Details on Charges: | Based on Assets. There may be trading fees or internal manager fees depending on the strategy selected. |
| Minimum Fee Charged for Managed Accounts: | NA |
| Minimum Fee Charged for Hourly Planning Accounts: | NA |
Board Positions |
| Organization : | Dominican University of California, San Rafael, CA |
| Position : | Dominican University of California Business School |
| Duration : | June 2013-June 2014 |
Education |
| MBA, Pacific Basin Studies - International Business | Dominican University of California
- San Rafael, CA June 1997-June 1999 |
| Juris Doctor, LAW - LAW | University of San Diego
- San Diego, CA 05/01/1999-05/01/2002 |
| CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER - Finance | American College for Financial Planning
- San Francisco, CA January 2005- March 2005 |
Financial Services |
| Financial Advice & Consulting
Analyze your present retirement plans, including company sponsored profit sharing, 401(k) and pension plans or self- employed arrangements and whether we believe they meet your projected retirement needs. |
| Financial Planning for Individuals
To make this process work we believe a planner must be an excellent listener and be able to help you articulate your financial and personal goals. Then all the relevant data must be collected and analyzed. The planner then develops a plan in an effort to help you achieve your goals. Where I further differentiate my approach is that, I let you decide what involvement I will have in implementing your plan. It can vary from being available to answer questions, to showing you how to manage your own investments, or to implementing part or the entire plan for you. For more complex plans, I can also make use of other professionals or work with your CPA, attorney or other financial professional. |
| Financial Planning for Businesses
If you're a business owner, we believe a retirement plan can be one of the most valuable employee benefits you offer. A retirement plan is not only a tax-efficient way to save for the future but also a powerful tool to attract and retain quality employees. |
| Portfolio Management
Assist in developing a comprehensive asset allocation and marketplace diversification strategy that is tailored to your specific objectives. We also design custom individual stock portfolios. |
| Retirement Planning
As you approach your transition from the workforce, it is important to start planning in advance. We believe Blossom Wealth Management provides tools and resources to help you with the decision process for all your retirement savings needs. |
| 401K Rollovers
Analyze your present retirement plans, including company sponsored profit sharing, 401(k) and pension plans or self- employed arrangements and whether we believe they meet your projected retirement needs. |
| Insurance Planning
We believe it is important to review existing life insurance contracts. Focus on ownership and beneficiary designation of contracts. Evaluate the cost/benefit relationship of you existing contracts. Determine whether contracts will avoid estate taxation. Determine whether or not we believe that your retirement objectives are attainable in the event of a long-term disability. |
| Annuities
Discuss asset management assistance needs for your family and illustrate how management flexibility can be made available to your family. |
| Estate Planning & Trusts
In our view it is important to analyze present estate distribution plan. Determine the effectiveness of your present plan and recommend changes as needed. Coordinate with your business succession plan. |
| Tax Advice and Services
Identify and discuss alternatives in an effort to reduce income tax liabilities, as they relate to your investments. |
| Education Funding and Planning
It is our goal to create a comprehensive education plan that compares various options to the 529 Plan and estimate College expenses. |
| Investment Advice & Management
We believe Blossom's investment advisory services are an integral component of our overall goals driven approach to advising our clients. We seek to provide you with returns that are consistent, competitive and in-line with your objectives. Clients typically are exposed to a level of risk that they need to take in order to meet their personal objectives and we seek to limit risk by focusing on broad diversification and a disciplined approach. Clients typically are exposed to a level of risk that they need to take in order to meet their personal objectives and we limit risk by focusing on broad diversification and a disciplined approach. |
| Wealth Management
We believe in developing and executing an investment strategy that encompasses every aspect of your financial life can be challenging, particularly when you have substantial assets and sophisticated needs. A Blossom Wealth Management advisor will work with you to develop a strategy that can range from investment management and estate planning to trust administration and private foundation management. |
| Risk Management
Evaluate current investment strategy in relation to your objectives and personal risk tolerance and recommend reallocation of monies as needed. We further believe in stress-testing the strategy to fully understand risk. |
| Money Management
We believe it is important to develop a personal cash flow statement to anticipate future cash flow needs to identify the capacity for future wealth accumulation. |
FAQs |
Do you have a customer satisfaction or refund policy?No. We however do believe customer service is a key to growing our business. |
Why should I choose you as my financial advisor?George Salter has a BA and MBA from Dominican University of California; JD from the University of San Diego, School of Law; and CFP® designation from the College for Financial Planning. James Salter has a BA and MBA from Dominican University of California and also holds the designation of Accredited Investment Fiduciary or AIF®. Craig's education began at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. During his five years of college, he received two degrees, one in Financial Management as a B.S. and the other in Accounting from the Business School. Craig also has a Masters in Financial Services from Golden Gate University, he holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ or CFP® designation and has completed the Chartered Financial Analyst designation or CFA. |
What are your qualifications? What is your education background?Blossom Wealth Management works with a variety of clients. We understand that risk tolerance and time frame vary from one person to the next. We learn about each client so that we can design customized portfolios. We believe in educating our clients on the investment landscape and demonstrate how diversified holdings blend together to form a cohesive portfolio. All this is achieved through our five step financial planning process. |
How do you charge for your services?Blossom Wealth Management charges an annual fee for Investment Management Services. Our fees are based on a percentage of assets under management and the services provided. A client with $250K at our highest annual rate of 1.75% would be charged $4,375.00 annually. The fees are automatically withdrawn from client account on a quarterly basis. Therefore, for the initial quarter only the amount would be calculated as follows: 0.00438 (1.75%/4) X account value ($250k) = $4,375.00 |
How are you compensated? How will I pay for your services?The fees are automatically withdrawn from client account on a quarterly basis. |
Disclosures |
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WiserAdvisor provides referrals to financial professionals. WiserAdvisor is not a current client of advisor or advisory services. Financial professionals pay cash compensation for these referrals, which creates the incentive for WiserAdvisor to make these referrals, resulting in a conflict of interest. Blossom Wealth Management LLC ("Blossom") is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and is notice filed where applicable. We may only conduct business or provide personalized investment advice in those states and international jurisdictions where we are registered, notice filed, or where we qualify for an exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. The content on this website should not be considered a solicitation to effect or attempt to effect transactions in securities; it is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, recommendation, or endorsement of any particular security, products, or services. The content on this website should not be considered personalized investment advice. Any communications with prospective clients residing in states or international jurisdictions where Blossom and its advisory representatives are not registered or licensed shall be limited so as not to trigger registration or licensing requirements. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns. Diversification does not eliminate the risk of market loss. Investment risks include loss of principal and fluctuating value. There is no guarantee an investing strategy will be successful. Investors should talk to their financial advisor prior to making any investment decision. There is always the risk that an investor may lose money. A long-term investment approach cannot guarantee a profit. |
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Additional Detailed Disclosures |
Disclaimer |
| Blossom Wealth Management LLC ("Blossom") is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and is notice filed where applicable. We may only conduct business or provide personalized investment advice in those states and international jurisdictions where we are registered, notice filed, or where we qualify for an exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. The content on this website should not be considered a solicitation to effect or attempt to effect transactions in securities; it is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, recommendation, or endorsement of any particular security, products, or services. The content on this website should not be considered personalized investment advice. Any communications with prospective clients residing in states or international jurisdictions where Blossom and its advisory representatives are not registered or licensed shall be limited so as not to trigger registration or licensing requirements. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns. Diversification does not eliminate the risk of market loss. Investment risks include loss of principal and fluctuating value. There is no guarantee an investing strategy will be successful. Investors should talk to their financial advisor prior to making any investment decision. There is always the risk that an investor may lose money. A long-term investment approach cannot guarantee a profit. Blossom does not provide legal or tax advice, and any information contained in this website should not be construed as legal or tax advice. You should consult with your own legal and tax advisors. |
Registered Investment Advisor:
Yes
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
| Mon. | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Tue. | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Wed. | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Thu. | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Fri. | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Alameda | Albany |
| Berkeley | Castro Valley |
| Concord | Danville |
| Dublin | El Cerrito |
| El Sobrante | Emeryville |
| Fremont | Hayward |
| Hercules | Lafayette |
| Livermore | Martinez |
| Moraga | Oakland |
| Orinda | Pleasant Hill |
| Pleasanton | Redwood City |
| San Francisco | San Mateo |
| San Ramon | Sunol |
| Walnut Creek | All States. |
| Check |
Portfolio Manager Craig Braemer, CFA®, CFP®
When: 05/01/2018
Details:Craig's education began at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. During his five years of college, he received two degrees, one in Financial Management as a B.S. and the other in Accounting from the Business School. He did this while playing soccer for three years for the School's Division Two soccer team. After graduating, he worked a couple of years in the investment world at Merrill Lynch, but upon leaving Craig decided to improve his educational background further and build a solid financial and investment foundation for his future. While working at Franklin Templeton Investments, RWB Advisory Services and Fisher Investments over the coming 8 years; Craig improved his educational foundation during these eight years by starting and then completing his Masters in Financial Services from Golden Gate University, acquiring the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ or CFP® designation and completing the Chartered Financial Analyst designation or CFA®. During a number of these years he was working on all three programs simultaneously.
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