Prospective Clients
What should you expect when you hire Scholtz & Company?
How can I open an account?
What is the minimum account size?
Who maintains custody of the assets? How secure are my assets?
What is the difference between a Portfolio Manager and a Financial Planner?
Does Scholtz & Company offer financial planning?
Can I get a referral?
What is the experience level of the Portfolio Managers?
Do Scholtz & Company’s Portfolio Managers work as fiduciaries?
Will my investments be managed as part of one mutual account or fund?
Does Scholtz & Company have an incentive to trade frequently?
Do larger accounts get more attention?
Can I meet or talk with the Portfolio Managers?
What should you expect when you hire Scholtz & Company?
When we manage your financial assets, you are getting an investment management firm that is highly focused on individual attention, client service, and investment performance. At the beginning of the process, Scholtz & Company Portfolio Managers take the time to fully understand your financial picture, long-term goals, risk tolerance, time horizon, and unique investment needs. Once your account is opened, your Portfolio Manager will begin investing your assets in your own personal, customized investment account. One size does not fit all.
We strive to make the account opening paperwork as easy as possible by filling it out for you so all you have to do is sign. You will receive an official monthly statement from the custodial bank as well as quarterly statements and letters from Scholtz & Company. Additionally, our back-office team will handle all communication with the custodial bank so clients can rely on a single point of contact at Scholtz & Company who knows their unique situation and can help with anything related to investments or logistics.
How can I open an account?
To open an account, please call Mishaal Husain or Sarah Simandl at 203-714-9900. They can walk you through the details, but basically new clients will need to fill out a new account application, an investment advisory agreement, and a transfer form to fund the assets (or you can send us a check). We will also need a copy of your ID and most recent account statement.
We hope to make the process as easy as possible.
What is the minimum account size?
Scholtz & Company typically does not invest accounts smaller than $500,000. That said, we have been willing to make exceptions in the past depending on specific circumstances.
Who maintains custody of the assets? How secure are my assets?
For clients that come to Scholtz & Company directly, a majority of the assets are custodied with U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank currently holds over 1 trillion dollars in assets under management. Scholtz & Company does not possess the assets, but merely has the authority to make buy & sell decisions within the account. For smaller accounts, the assets are typically placed with TD Ameritrade. Finally, for clients that are sent to us by our Broker-Dealer partners (such as Wells Fargo, Raymond James, or Morgan Stanley), the assets are typically custodied with the Broker-Dealer.
What is the difference between a Financial Planner and a Portfolio Manager?
A Financial Planner is focused on helping clients prepare for retirement through budgeting, insurance decisions, and estate planning. They typically outsource the asset management process through funds. A Portfolio Manager is focused on the actual investing of your assets. Scholtz & Company specializes in asset management, but does offer financial planning services as well. For a more in-depth discussion click here.
Does Scholtz & Company offer financial planning?
We offer many aspects of financial planning. Our Portfolio Managers have decades of financial services experience and are well versed in many finance and estate planning options which they are happy to discuss with you.
Can I get a referral?
Yes, we are more than happy to give you multiple referrals from our clients. However, as we point out in our ‘How to Choose the Best Investment Manager’ section, no investment firm will ever give you a bad referral.
What is the experience level of the Portfolio Managers?
All of our portfolio managers have a minimum of 10 years of professional investment experience. Please read an in-depth Bio of Peter, John, Carl, Jeffrey, and David.
Do Scholtz & Company’s Portfolio Managers work as fiduciaries?
Yes, as a registered investment advisor, our Portfolio Managers are required to act as fiduciaries for our clients. As fiduciaries, Scholtz & Company’s Portfolio Managers must uphold the highest level of ethical and legal standard to act in the best interest of our clients.
Will my investments be managed as part of one mutual account or fund?
No. All Scholtz & Company clients have their own accounts that are individually managed. Through online access or monthly statements sent to you by mail, you will be able to see exactly what securities you own. Assets are not co-mingled with other clients’.
Does Scholtz & Company have an incentive to trade frequently?
No. Scholtz & Company is paid based on the size of its accounts so it has an incentive to make the accounts as large as possible. For this reason, Scholtz & Company’s motives are well-aligned with its client’s welfare.
Do larger accounts get more attention?
No. Scholtz & Company has a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of all our accounts, and that includes no favoritism. Since we manage accounts on a discretionary basis and are paid based on assets under management (AUM), not on commissions per trade, we do not have an incentive to favor large accounts for key trades like the stockbrokers of the past. When we make the decision that a security should be bought or sold, we put together a block trade and all accounts (big and small) receive the same price.
Can I meet or talk with the Portfolio Managers?
Yes. Our Portfolio Managers are extremely accessible to both current clients and potential new ones. Keeping a dialogue with clients and understanding their ever-changing financial situation is vital to our approach. Call us at 203-714-9900 to speak with them or set up a time through Mishaal Husain or Sarah Simandl.