My name is David Conley but my friends call me Dave. I am a Certified Financial Planner® who started in this industry in 1994. That was pre-internet for those under age 40, that is important to you because it means I have real world experience helping folks navigate stormy economic times.
My wife of 30 years (Rita) and I moved to the Upstate in 1998. We have 4 children (3 adopted) ranging in age from 12 - 40 plus a Cocker Spaniel name Izzy. We have a home + 3.5 acres southeast of the Five Forks area that keeps me busy most weekends (mow, trim, etc.).
MFG has been helping Upstate individuals & families pursue their financial goals since 1998.
Our mission is to help you reach your financial goals and experience financial peace. Our Certified Financial Planners help Upstate families prepare for tomorrow while enjoying today. Your future deserves a plan, because your goals are too important to leave to chance.
You wouldn't go on vacation without first planning the trip. You know where you're going, where you'll stay, and what you'll see and do before ever leaving home. Many hours go into deciding how to spend a few weeks each year, yet we often treat our entire financial future as if everything will somehow work out.
Financial Services for Every Step of Your Journey.
Whether you want to eliminate debt, save for retirement, or leave a legacy, our experienced advisors can help.
Randy Chalmers
MBA
Randy has 15 years of experience in investing his own funds (since 2007). After retiring from the Air Force he obtained his MBA in 2022. With a strong desire to assist others in pursuing financial peace he took a position of paraplanner at Masters Financial Group. He currently is currently a fiduciary advisor and in training to become a Certified Financial Planner⢠with an estimated certification date of late 2023 to early 2024.
General Information |
| Firm Start Year: | 1994 | |
| No. of Employees: | 5-9 | |
| Insurance License#: | 218093 |
| Name of Broker/Dealer: | LPL FINANCIAL LLC |
| States Licensed in: | SC, NC, FL, VA, OH, PA |
| Number of Years with Current Firm: | 29 |
| Work Experience: | 25+ years as a financial advisor, Certified Financial Planner® Dave Ramsey endorsed Smartvestor® since 2007 |
| Work with the following types of clients: | Individual Investors, Businesses |
| Advisory Services Provided: | Financial Advice & Consulting, Estate Planning & Trusts, 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, Investment Advice & Management |
Services |
| Investment Types: | Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Stocks, Bonds, Annuities, Insurance, Mutual Funds, Socially Responsible Investments (SRI) |
| Can meet clients in the following ways: | Your Home, Our Office, Phone, Your Office, Email, Video Conference |
Qualifications & Memberships |
| Insurance and Annuity Licenses: | Variable Life, Long Term Care, Variable Annuity, Life, Annuity |
Firm Information |
| Firm's Number of Clients: | 250 |
| Firm's Number of Planning Clients: | 150 |
| Firm's Number of Managed Clients: | 150 |
| Assets Managed by Firm: | 56,750,000 |
| Advisor's Number of Clients: | 125 |
| Advisor's Number of Managed Clients: | 75 |
| Advisor's Number of Planning Clients: | 75 |
| Assets Managed by Advisor: | 56,750,000 |
Compensation and Fees |
| Fee Structure: | Fee-Based |
| Compensation Methods: | Hourly, Based on Assets, Flat Fee |
| Fee % Based on Assets: | .75 to 1.5 |
| Hourly Rate: | $250 |
| Additional Details on Charges: |
Clients have different needs so our compensation varies based on client circumstances. If we mange your assets our fee is based on the $ value of the assets we manage (0.75% to 1.50%). If you want us to work with you in developing and implementing a comprehensive financial plan that fee starts at $2,500. If we are consulting with you on a one time fee only basis then our fee is $250 an hour (1 hour minimum). If you want to work with us to begin wealth building on an ongoing basis we offer subscription plans starting at $55 month. You get the point, we are not a one size fits all company but offer flexibility in serving our clients. |
| Minimum Fee Charged for Managed Accounts: | $600 yr |
| Minimum Fee Charged for Hourly Planning Accounts: | $250 |
Board Positions |
| Organization : | Brashier Charter Middle College, 1830 W Georgia Rd, Simpsonville, SC 29680 |
| Position : | Charirman |
| Duration : | 05/13/2019-Present |
Education |
| Bachelors - Accounting / Business | Liberty
- Lynchburg, Va 08/01/1982-12/12/2014 |
Financial Services |
| Financial Planning for Businesses
Startups to established business. This issues include this like tax questions, compensation, 401k plans, buy sel;l agreement funding, etc. |
| Financial Planning for Individuals
We believe everyone plans (or should), be it for a family vacation or a trip to the grocery store. Financial plans vary in complexity but encompass a number of areas: " Becoming purposeful with our income or making sure our spending is in line with what we say is important to us. " Paying off our debts " How will we pay for... financial goals (short-mid-long) term " How should I invest what I have in my (401k, IRA, etc.) is Investment management " Taxes " What happens if I am disabled, need long term care or die prematurely. " What happens to our stuff after we die - Estate Planning You either have a plan for handling these, or you do not but either way we help you understand what can be done through proper planning. |
| Financial Advice & Consulting
Yes, but the kind of questions we have helped folks answer over the past 25+ years are too numerous to list. |
| Portfolio Management
Yes, be happy to discuss details. Our philosophy is use low cost ETF, mutual funds, stocks, bonds, etc. and we invest where we put our clients funds. |
| Retirement Planning
Yes, ranges from developing a plan, reviewing an existing plan to managing assets for someone already retired. |
| 401K Rollovers
We can assist with this but we should explore all options and make sure whatever you do is in your best interest. |
| Insurance Planning
We can assist you in gathering quotes to find the best option to address your: " Life " Disability " Long Term Care Outside of these area's we can refer you to other professionals. |
| Annuities
We can service existing annuities. Although we can offer annuities we find that it is NOT the preferred / best option for most people. Annuities serve a very specific niche for very specific issues. |
| Estate Planning & Trusts
We are not attorneys but are an initial step that can assist you with determining your need for: " Simple Will " Revocable Living Trust " Something more complicated We can then provide you with referrals to attorneys in the area to assist you. |
| Tax Advice and Services
Yes, we have experience, staff and training that includes tax advice, planning, preparation & filing. |
| Education Funding and Planning
Yes, including 529 plans but also might be a question like: " Put extra money in a college account or " Pay off a mortgage early and use the money going toward mortgage to pay off house. |
| Investment Advice & Management
Yes . We offer advice on an ongoing basis (quarterly, 2x a year). We also have folks who have single issue questions (inheritance, inherited IRA) and pay us for our recommendations. |
| Wealth Management
Focus is on risk management and simplicity. We tie specific investment funds to specific financial goals/objectives. |
| Risk Management
This can range from: " Safe money investments like CD's, money market funds. " Should one ensure that they can afford (long term care after age 55). Do they need a policy? if so what kind? " Premature disability, death, etc. |
| Money Management
We can assist in cash flow planning, budgeting and how to make sure you are not "fretting" about your money. |
FAQs |
Do you have a customer satisfaction or refund policy?Our policy is to refund any unused fees (through the end of the current month). For any monthly subscription clients we ask for an initial 12 month commitment. |
Why should I choose you as my financial advisor?Experience - Over almost 30 years in the industry. This is not the first time I have seen interest rate rising, inflation, market corrections (that last longer than 90 days), recessions. The typical advisor was in grade school when we started helping clients invest. Qualifications - We are Certified Financial Planners" which is the GOLD standard when it comes to qualifications. We are not a commission shop but charge a flat fee for our services. Dave Ramsey endorsed - We are the longest tenured Dave Ramsey Smartvestor/ELP in the Upstate. |
How do you charge for your services?You can pay us 1 of 3 ways: Fee for services for one off advice Monthly subscription fee for ongoing service 1% of asset managed if we are custodian and actually handle your assets and do your trading |
What services do you provide? What are your specialties?Most of our clients are families with very specific questions / needs such as: Can I afford to retire in the next X years? We just had a child and need to consider term insurance and setting up a college savings plan. We need to know if we should put extra funds toward paying off our mortgage or save toward retirement? What are my options for handling potential Long Term Care expenses? How much should I put in my 401k? ROTH or Regular pre-tax? I have a deferred comp plan / stock options and need advice. |
What is your experience? How many clients do you currently manage?I started in the industry in 1994 (almost 30 years). We current manage about 200 households and almost $60,000,000 in assets. Our average household has a net worth of $500,000+ (investments, home equity, property, etc.) |
Disclosures |
|
WiserAdvisor provides referrals to financial professionals of LPL Financial, LLC (LPL). WiserAdvisor is not a current client of LPL for brokerage or advisory services. Financial professionals of LPL pay WiserAdvisor cash compensation for these referrals, which creates the incentive for WiserAdvisor to make these referrals, resulting in a conflict of interest. LPL ADV 2A https://www.lpl.com/content/dam/lpl-www/documents/disclosures/A58.pdf Additional Detailed Disclosures |
Registered Representative:
Yes
Investment Advisor Representative:
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. | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Tue. | 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Wed. | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Thu. | 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Fri. | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| South Carolina Most of the entire Upstate (Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Pickens, Laurens) counties Others areas are remotely via phone, email , Zoom. |
 |