|
SERVICES
Sudeley Financial is pleased to offer its clients a variety of services ranging from comprehensive, global financial planning, to advice on formulating reasonably obtainable financial goals, to simply providing a fresh look at a discrete financial issue. We affirmatively accept and embrace a fiduciary duty to put our clients' interests first. The financial regulatory reform program pending in Congress originally sought to impose this standard on all financial advisors, but the proposal has been tabled for further study by the SEC, and currently many advisors refuse to hold themselves to this high standard.
We provide services in the following areas:
-
Investment advice -
Non-discretionary asset management -
Tax planning -
Insurance analysis and advice -
Retirement planning -
Retirement plan consulting -
Estate planning -
College planning and savings advice -
Sudeley Financial will provide only the services each client selects. For example, we will perform simple and discrete tasks such as reviewing the asset allocation in a client’s retirement account to assure sufficient diversification. Or we will fully analyze a client’s entire financial life, from whether to refinance a mortgage to insurance needs to whether to sell an employer’s stock or exercise options. Our clients control the scope of the work done and its cost.
Sudeley Financial will, at the client's request, not only make investment recommendations, but also provide non-discretionary asset management services. The client maintains complete control of the plan, but Sudeley Financial performs those mechanical tasks necessary to implement the client's plan. This service is ideal for those clients who have the best of intentions, but who simply lack the time to implement their plan.
Sudeley Financial does not take custody of its clients' assets. The clients at all times remain firmly in control of all of their investments, thus negating any possible misuse of their money, in contrast to some recent and well publicized events.
Sudeley Financial will work with lawyers, accountants, brokers, or other professionals at the client’s direction. As financial planners, however, we are uniquely situated to combine the recommendations of such professionals in their particular areas of expertise to ensure the overall financial success of the client.
Our Fees
Sudeley Financial is a fee-only financial planning organization. Generally, Sudeley Financial bills on an hourly basis. In appropriate situations, we also offer clients the option of payment on an annual retainer basis, or will charge a flat fee for providing a particular service desired by the client.
Sudeley Financial does not sell investments, insurance products, or provide legal services, nor do we recommend individual stocks. We avoid hidden costs and the potential conflict that may result between the advisor and the client due to the way the advisor is compensated.
We do not have "preferred lists" nor do we participate in "revenue sharing." We base our recommendations only on what is appropriate for the client. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, in a poll conducted by Cerulli Associates nearly half of financial advisors who accept "revenue sharing" fees from "preferred" mutual funds would be reluctant to sell those funds if the advisors were forced to disclose those payments to their clients [Wall Street Journal, 1/25/2005]. A similar issue was recently raised in the Journal, asking whether clients would be as likely to purchase a financial product if they were advised of hidden compensation to an advisor recommending the product [Adviser Alert, 8/3/2009]. Sudeley Financial does not accept fees from anyone other than its clients.
Our philosophy is that by accepting payment only from our clients, rather than from third parties, we ensure the advice we render is solely motivated by the client’s best interests.
|