As an investor, you have many choices for investing your money. Let’s look at a few of these choices and highlight some of the differences.

Do it yourself – Self-managing is a viable option for many investors, particularly with assets totaling less than a million dollars. With larger portfolios, proper diversification, security selection and tax efficiency become increasingly important. For individuals who do not possess investment research capabilities or expertise, or who simply do not have the time to devote to ongoing management, engaging a professional advisor proves beneficial.

Hire a Broker or Financial Planner or Financial Advisor – Choose to work with a financial professional to manage your money, give advice and make investment decisions.

If you have decided that you need some professional help, there are two basic choices you can make.

A commissions based approach – This is the traditional ‘wire house’ / brokerage model (e.g. Merril Lynch, etc) where the investment professionals make money by selling you products. The problem with Custodial Agents and this business model is that the investment firm’s incentive is to make money from the client, not for the client. Simply put, the investment professional doesn’t sit on the same side of the table as the client. If you have the time and expertise to make sure that you don’t excessively pay for services under this business model, it may be a viable choice. However, if you have that kind of time and expertise, why wouldn’t you just do it yourself with a discount brokerage?

An asset based approach – Under this approach, investment professional fees are based on a percentage of assets under management. As a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), Atlas Capital Advisors LLC employs this model because there is no conflict of interest with clients; we act as fiduciaries and put our clients’ interest ahead of our own. We invest according to what makes the most sense for the client; the investment choice has no effect on our service fee. Most important of all, the better the client does, the better the advisor does.