Frequently Asked Questions

Every client receives a quarterly review and the client has the option of going over the review with their adviser in person, by video conference, or by telephone. We encourage new clients to discuss each of the reviews with their adviser as the plan develops over the first two years. Clients are put on a schedule of their choice. Rodgers & Associates proac­tively contacts clients to schedule the review meeting.

Fees are usually deducted quarterly from the client’s investment portfolio. We evaluate each account in the household to determine a fee deduction arrangement that will maximize income tax savings. We discuss the evalu­ation with the client and obtain autho­riza­tions as needed. For example, advisory fees associated with an IRA can be deducted from the IRA and treated as a tax-free withdrawal.

Our fees are based on the total assets we manage for a client. Our fee schedule can be found in our disclosure Form ADV 2A and you can learn more about our pricing structure on the pricing page. The fee is deducted quarterly in advance at the beginning of each calendar quarter. Total billable assets do not typically include bank accounts and rental real estate.

Clients will pay either an hourly rate or a management fee. An hourly rate will be charged when someone chooses to use our consulting services for a specific situation over a limited engagement. A Management fee is charged to advisory clients for ongoing investment management and financial planning services.

No, our fees are all-inclusive for advisory clients. Whenever a client has a financial question, we want to be the first place they turn for answers. Should I pay off my mortgage, or refinance? What is the best way to pay for my new car? How can I help my children finan­cially without putting my own retirement at risk? These are all questions we can help with and clients will not receive a bill for our guidance. It is included.

Please call our office if you are in Phase 1 “A” (10 years to retire) or Phase 2 “G” (2–9 years from retirement). These are crucial phases in the retirement journey, and we want to make sure you have expert guidance. We will determine the best way to assist you even if you do not meet the minimum at this time.

Each client has a primary adviser as well as a backup adviser assigned to them. An Associate Adviser may also be very involved in the process. Our Advisers meet weekly to discuss unique issues to help ensure our approach is consistent across the firm.

Our Investment Committee sets the strategy for the firm as a whole and each adviser then imple­ments any investment changes as necessary with their individual clients. All advisers rotate on and off the Investment Committee in order to gain insight and experience. Perfor­mance devia­tions are monitored regularly to determine if client accounts are performing within our standards.

We do not issue market forecasts, nor do we buy research from others. We believe the market reverts to the mean so there is no benefit to timing the market. Wharton professor Dr. Jeremy Siegel states that equities have returned an average of 6.5% to 7% over inflation over the past 200 years, and he expects this trend to continue¹. Our objective is to capture the return of the market while minimizing risk through active asset allocation rebalancing.

Clients receive monthly account state­ments from their account custodian in addition to our quarterly reviews. A monthly letter keeps clients informed of upcoming seminars and the topics to be covered. We use the seminars to keep clients informed about important economic and tax changes that could impact them. Email is often used to provide updates on timely issues.

A client’s Investment Advisory Agreement may be cancelled at any time, by either party, for any reason upon receipt of written notice to the other party. Upon termi­nation of any account, any prepaid, unearned fees will be promptly refunded, and any unpaid fees will be due and payable.

No. We have selected Charles Schwab & Co., Inc & Fidelity Insti­tu­tional Wealth Services as custodian for our clients’ accounts. They both offer custody of securities, trade execution, clearance, and settlement of transactions.