We specialize in people who are retired or very close to it (typically 10 years or less). This allows us to tailor our service and expertise to the unique needs of retirees. With your income often changing dramatically during this chapter of life, it brings its own set of challenges as well as planning opportunities. We can help navigate this important and exciting time; advising on Social Security, timing and sourcing of withdrawals, and limiting the overall tax drag on your investment income as you draw down assets.

<See: Who We Serve>

While we do not have an asset minimum, our clients generally have over $500,000 of investable assets.

Your assets are held at an independent custodian, TD Ameritrade, Inc.  The assets are always titled in the clients name maintains control.  Phillip James places trades for clients under an Investment Advisor Account Access agreement. 

Yes, your accounts will be continually monitored, analyzed, re-balanced, and traded when appropriate.

As a Fiduciary we have a legal and ethical obligation to put the client's interest first. Not all financial advisors are held to this high of a standard, and is often not clear which advisors work this way. In fact, many "broker/dealers" are held to what is called the Suitability Standard, a much lower quality of care. 

No.  When we establish a relationship we agree to certain risk parameters, a portfolio allocation, and other trading guidelines.  This will guide our trading decisions and allow us to make timely changes to the portfolio if needed.  However, we will not make any dramatic changes to the portfolio that differ from your original plan without discussing with you first.

Yes.  With TD Ameritrade you can sign up for direct access to your accounts.  You can also log-into your client portal through Phillip James using the Login button on our home page.

We charge an annual fee based on the assets under management (AUM), billed quarterly.  Fees range from 1.5% down to 0.50%. We believe in complete transparency. 

Independent studies by Vanguard, Russell Investments and Morningstar show individuals who work with a good financial advisor receive meaningfully greater returns over the life of their portfolio - value well in excess of the cost. Advisors add value in many ways, from cost effective investment implementation to strategic withdrawal strategies. But where they add the greatest value is being an accountability partner, helping you navigate the joys and challenges of life. 

<See: Phillip James Value Proposition>

We take an academic approach to the markets by investing in a globally diversified portfolio based on historical research of assets classes and returns.  Research has proven time and again that asset allocation is by far the primary determinant of total return.  As a result, we construct and manage broadly diversified portfolios using tax efficient and low-cost exchange-traded funds and mutual funds. We also tilt the portfolio to specific types of funds like small cap and value stocks which research has shown outperform over time. Each client’s portfolio is then monitored and re-balanced continually to maintain their ideal asset allocation to stocks and bonds.  This disciplined approach has repeatedly been proven to achieve optimal investment returns over time.

<See: Professional Investment Management>

Fee-Only planners are registered investment advisors (RIA) with a fiduciary responsibility to act in their clients’ best interest.  You pay a fee based on Assets Under Management (AUM) directly to the advisor.  It is very transparent and straightforward. We never accept commissions, sales incentives, bonuses or special perks paid by insurance companies or other financial service entities by selling products.  This removes the conflicts of interest associated with the commission based products.  Consumers should be careful of the new category "fee-based", in which brokers charge a fee in addition to the commissions.

<See: Fee-Only vs. Fee-Based Financial Planning>

At a minimum, we want to meet annually to stay up to date on your situation but you have unrestricted access to us and can meet more often if/when issues arise. 

PJF Tax is our affiliated Tax & Accounting firm that provides tax advisory services to clients.  Taxes are a part of everything you do financially, and your plan should reflect it.  We believe that having these two practices under one roof enables us to see a clients' full financial picture and ultimately better serve the client. 

<See: Tax Planning & Preparation>

The first step is to schedule a meeting with one of our experienced advisors to determine your needs and goals in life. Schedule a meeting here. Or you can read more about our process and learn what you can expect.

While our office is located in Plymouth Minnesota, we are able to work virtually using Skype or Google Hangouts.  We find this to be convenient solution for clients.