GLASS JACOBSON AIP FAQ
What can Glass Jacobson do for me?
We have several service tiers with simple pricing structures (see our pricing page). There is a minimum fee for each service tier. For Base Camp clients, the fee applies to each account. For example if a Base Camp client has two accounts, they would each be charged the appropriate fee. For Ascent and Apex clients, the fee applies to the individual, not the account. For example, if an individual has two accounts and the quarterly bill is $25.00, only one of the accounts will be charged $25.00. for a couple with separate accounts, their respective fee would apply to each spouse separately.
We have several service tiers with simple pricing structures (see our pricing page). There is a minimum fee for each service tier. If an individual has multiple accounts, the fee applies at the individual level and is not per account. For example, if an individual has two accounts and the quarterly bill is $25.00, only one of the accounts will be charged $25.00. For a couple with two separate accounts their respective fee would apply to each spouse separately. If each spouse had multiple accounts, one fee will apply to all accounts registered to that individual.
No. There are no trading fees, no IRA account fees, nor any small account fees.
The CFP Board defines financial planning as “a collaborative process that helps maximize a client’s potential for meeting life goals through financial advice that integrates relevant elements of the client’s personal and financial circumstances.” In contrast to traditional investment advice which revolves solely around investment management, financial planning integrates all the relevant aspects of a client’s financial and personal life to optimize their finances.
How does the platform work?
Charles Schwab & Co. (Schwab) is the custodian of your money and investments. The purpose of a custodian is to allow clients peace of mind acting as a firewall between any individual and your money. Schwab is a global industry leader in asset custody with trillions of dollars in total client assets custodied.
We offer a large suite of investment account options on our platform, including individual, joint, custodial, retirement, SEP, SIMPLE, and even trust accounts.
Yes, we can help you simplify your life by consolidating multiple accounts. The process is simple, streamlined, and can be completed as part of the account opening process. Should you need additional help, our dedicated representatives can assist.
As part of the onboarding process, you may link your bank account to your investment account. This will allow you to transfer funds quickly and easily to invest, as well as withdraw funds when the need arises. Also, you can easily fund your account with a self-guided account transfer or retirement plan rollover. If you require additional assistance with a transfer, our service associates can guide you through the process.
Our platform is equipped to handle ACAT (Automated Customer Account Transfer Service) transfers which allows you to transfer your investments directly into your account without the hassle of selling them first. Most typical mutual funds, ETF’s (exchange traded funds), and stocks can be transferred in-kind. Upon delivery to the platform, our software will rebalance the existing investments into the investment model which matches your investment goals, risk appetite, and time horizon.
Tax-loss harvesting is the process of identifying positions within your portfolio which can be sold at a loss and substituted with similar securities, leaving you with a similar portfolio and at the same time allowing you to reap the tax benefits of a loss sale. These losses can be used to offset investment gains and even used to offset a portion of your income, providing deductions when filing for taxes. As we believe that tax loss harvesting offers significant value to clients, for taxable accounts above $50,000, tax loss harvesting is available at no additional cost.
How are my investments managed?
Based upon your investment goals, risk appetite, and time horizon, we will recommend a personalized investment allocation. You can update the inputs at any time to reflect new life circumstances.
We offer a large suite of investment account options on our platform, including individual, joint, custodial, retirement, SEP, SIMPLE, and even trust accounts.
Our portfolios use mutual funds and ETF’s (exchange traded funds) to build broadly diversified portfolios.
Our models are custom built by our in-house team of investment managers with industry leading designations. The investment management team is comprised of investment analysts, certified public accountants, and Certified Financial Planners™. Together, they integrate their investment analysis with the most up-to-date financial planning and tax strategies to create broadly diversified and tax-efficient portfolios. Every investment undergoes rigorous testing, monitoring, and analysis by our Investment Committee on a quarterly basis.
Because SRI investment vehicles are imposing additional criteria on the underlying investments utilized, there are fewer investment vehicles to be considered in the construction of SRI portfolios. The funds used is these portfolios are screened using the same risk and performance metrics as our other portfolios. In addition, these funds are screened against SRI monitoring criteria as established by Morningstar Inc. Due to the limited availability of funds in the SRI universe, in the event that a fund would normally be removed from the portfolio due to failing monitoring criteria, it is possible that we will not remove a fund from an SRI portfolio for failing similar monitoring criteria.
As a result of having fewer investments options available for the SRI portfolios, clients are accepting the trade-off that their portfolios may carry higher risk attributes and/or lower expected returns when compared to a non-SRI portfolio, as a tradeoff for investing in supporting ideals.
How do I plan for the future?
Opening an account on our platform allows you access to our budgeting tool, account aggregator, as well as the Play Zone- where you can stress test your financial plan using industry leader Money Guide Pro®’s financial planning software.
By identifying your goals and their financial cost, you can determine in advance how much you will need to save, as well as if you are on track. Knowing your concerns will help to formulate goals to protect your financial health. Utilizing Money Guide Pro®, you will identify which goals and concerns are important to you and test to see if you are on target.
Read our comprehensive guide for an explanation of the various investment account options. For additional guidance, call us at (410) 356-1000. For trust accounts, please consult with a competent legal authority.
Who is available if I need help?
Glass Jacobson has long recognized and incorporated into its company culture that client service is the number one factor in our clients’ success. We pride ourselves on our responsive and knowledgeable team.
We are accessible by either phone or email.
For clients with Ascent or Apex accounts, we have a team of financial advisors, financial planners, and tax professionals available to help you plan for various life goals.
