One of our founding ideologies is transparency, and we even use this image of binoculars as a reminder of its importance. Transparency is a unique concept in our industry because the bulk of investors have none. The big brokerage houses provide their clients little or no information on fees, returns, or portfolio allocations, and they’re happy doing so to keep a shroud of mystery over how much their clients are overpaying to underperform. This month’s newsletter focuses on various issues around transparency and our take on the topic.

Although wealthy families often find themselves buried in complexity, we work diligently to help them find transparency and simplify their financial lives.

Investment fees are often a mystery in the financial services industry, and we’re proud to take a different approach by reporting our advisory fees to clients on a quarterly invoice. It’s a welcome surprise to those converting from the traditional brokerage environment for the first time.

This recent article from Investment News details a lawsuit that alleges one family’s accounts were subjected to excessive trading that generated $40 million in fees. Some firms may never have any interest in fee transparency, but educated investors must know that they can find it elsewhere.