When third-party institutional money managers are engaged, clients pay one flat quarterly fee on the size of the account. For an account in the $1 million to $10 million range, the fee usually is 1 % to 1 1/2% per annum. That fee covers all expenses, including management, custody, transaction costs (commissions), quarterly reporting, and benchmarking. If a client deposits securities into one of these managed accounts, the manager will liquidate the securities commission-free.

All client assets are held at a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of New York Mellon. Private Client Group does not have custody of client assets. Cash and security positions are recorded on monthly statements and sent to clients directly from the custodian. Portfolios can also be viewed online.

Private Client Group is organized so that through Cetera Advisors, LLC., we can access many investment products and offerings from its custodian, Pershing (a Bank of New York Mellon company). As a result, our product offerings exceed those of the wire-house firms. At the same time, our cost of operations is less than that of large firms, allowing Private Client Group to be very price competitive.

Perhaps Private Client Group's most significant advantage is its independence. We are not pressured to sell products that may not be suitable or in the best interests of our clients.

Finally, we believe few financial consultants have had more varied, successful, and financially rewarding careers than the firm's Senior Partner, David W. Johnson. David and the firm's strategic partners feel that Private Client Group can confidently compete with anyone.

Life insurance premium finance is used to leverage succession capital. While our clients often have the ability to pay premiums that can be several hundred thousand dollars each year, many find writing such large checks to be unappealing (Click here for an article on this topic).

*The cost and availability of life insurance depend on factors such as age, health, and the type and amount of insurance purchased. Before implementing a strategy involving life insurance, it would be prudent to make sure that you are insurable by having the policy approved. As with most financial decisions, there are expenses associated with the purchase of life insurance. Policies commonly have mortality and expense charges. In addition, if a policy is surrendered prematurely, there may be surrender charges and income tax implications.

We use a detailed questionnaire. The questionnaire, however, only serves as a starting point for ongoing discussions with clients and, in many instances, family members. We determine a client's income requirements, investment goals, time horizon, risk tolerance, and future lifestyle projections. As circumstances change, so will asset allocation. Since our clients/prospects have strong financial profiles, the equities portion of the portfolio is often larger than the fixed-income segment. Some clients may have appetites for alternative investments. Alternative investment strategies are available for accredited investors.

Individuals and families with investable net worth looking for unbiased, fee-based investment advice and “high touch” personal attention. After considering time horizons, risk tolerances, and other factors, top-rated institutional money managers are typically engaged to implement a plan.