Advisor Fees

 

Robinswood Financial accepts no commissions or referral fees. The advice you receive from us is unbiased and independent.

Robinswood Financial is a fee-only financial advisor

When you select a financial advisor, there are a number of factors you must take into account—expertise, integrity, experience, and even compatibility. But if you are looking for unbiased, ethical financial advice, you cannot ignore the question of how that advisor is compensated.

We believe that the success of an advisor should not be based on the number of products a client purchases, but on the success of the client. This is why Robinswood Financial is an independent “fee-only” investment advisor firm. We accept no commissions, referral fees, or other reimbursements. This ensures that we allow no external factor to bias our recommendations to your portfolio. (Read about the problem with commission-based financial advisors.)

Annual Fees for Portfolio Management Services

Instead of accepting commissions, referral fees, or other such compensation, Robinswood Financial charges a yearly portfolio management fee based on the size of your account.

Households and Individuals
Robinswood Financial charges an investment management fee based on a percentage of the market value of the client’s assets managed by Robinswood at the end of each calendar quarter.

Fees are payable quarterly, in arrears, at the following annual rates: All Accounts are billed at 0.75% on the first $1 million, and an additional 0.2% on account values up to $5 million. Values greater than $5 million are billed at 0.1%

The blended annual fee at $5 million is approximately 0.31%, $10 million in assets under management is approximately 0.21%.

When you open your account, your first fees are prorated based on the day our portfolio management agreement is executed. If funds are deposited into or withdrawn from the account during the quarter, the fees may be prorated accordingly.

Being compensated by this predetermined client fee rather than by commissions ensures that the advice you receive from us is unbiased and independent. Our fees increase only if your investments grow. Therefore, our interests are closely aligned with yours. We focus on your financial objectives and your future, and our only motivation is your best interest.

Extra Meetings

We view our services and advice as a process rather than a one-time event. Your peace of mind is important to us. In addition to your regularly scheduled appointments, our service allows you to call or come see us at any time during the year at no extra cost.

Closing Your Account

Our investment management contract is open-ended, meaning you may discontinue our services at any time without having to pay a penalty. However, because we bill quarterly in arrears (after work has been completed), you may be subject to a prorated management fee.

Should you decide to close your account with Robinswood Financial, you need to submit a written notice of termination. Once we are removed as your financial advisor, you become responsible for your portfolio. If you later sell shares, you could be subject to taxes and redemption fees imposed by the mutual fund companies or the custodian.

The Problem with Commission-Based Financial Advisors

A relatively small percentage of financial advisors actually get paid exclusively by the clients who receive that advice. The majority earn some or all of their income by selling mutual funds, annuities, insurance, and other financial products. When advisors are also salespeople, they bring a silent third party into the relationship between advisor and client. Instead of working solely for you as your financial advisor, their primary allegiance might be to the product sponsors, brokers, and insurance companies for whom they also work. With the financial advisor responsible for selling certain products, it’s difficult for the advisor to fulfill his or her fiduciary duty to put your interests first; it’s also difficult for the client to know whose interests are really being served.

Robinswood Financial is an independent firm with a different approach: we are a “fee-only” company, meaning we are paid only by client fees. We accept no commissions, referral fees, or any other compensation from any other source.

We have found that the out-of-date commission system is an obstacle to providing conscientious advice because it stresses transactions that are not always in your best interest. In a commission system, advisors must often achieve sales quotas, deadlines, and incentives which can result in biased advice, shortcuts, and transactions contrary to “client-first” principles.

Instead of emphasizing a product push for the company, Robinswood Financial advisors work alongside our clients for the goals of the client alone. Because our fees increase only if your investments grow, our interests are aligned with yours. We focus only on your financial objectives and your future.

When advisors are also salespeople, they bring a silent third party into the relationship.

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