Item 5 Fees and Compensation
A.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES
If a client determines to engage the Registrant to provide discretionary investment
advisory services on a fee-only basis, the Registrant’s annual investment
management fee shall generally be a flat fee of 1.00% of the total assets placed under
the Registrant’s management/advisement.
Please Note: Margin Accounts The Registrant does not recommend the use of
margin. However, should a client determine to use margin, the Registrant will include
the entire market value of the margined assets when computing its advisory fee.
Accordingly, the Registrant’s fee shall be based upon a higher margined account
value, resulting in the Registrant earning a correspondingly higher advisory fee. As a
result, the potential of conflict of interest arises since the Registrant may have an
economic disincentive to recommend that the client terminate the use of margin. The
Registrant’s Chief Compliance Officer, Andrea W. Johnson, remains available
to address any questions regarding the above.
FINANCIAL PLANNING AND CONSULTING SERVICES (STAND-ALONE)
To the extent specifically requested by a client, the Registrant may determine to
provide financial planning and/or consulting services (including investment and non-
investment related matters, including estate planning, insurance planning, etc.) on a
stand-alone fee basis. Registrant’s planning and consulting fees are negotiable, but
generally range from $500 to $50,000 on a fixed fee basis, and from $75 to $450 on
an hourly rate basis, depending upon the level and scope of the service(s) required
and the professional(s) rendering the service(s).
Fee Dispersion. Our investment advisory fee is negotiable at our discretion,
depending upon objective and subjective factors including but not limited to: the
amount of assets to be managed; portfolio composition; the scope and complexity of
the engagement; the anticipated number of meetings and servicing needs; related
accounts; future earning capacity; anticipated future additional assets; the
professional(s) rendering the service(s); prior relationships with us and/or its
representatives, and negotiations with you. As a result of these factors, similarly
situated clients could pay different fees, the services to be provided by us to any
particular client could be available from other advisers at lower fees, and certain
clients may have fees different than those specifically set forth above. Registrant’s
Chief Compliance Officer, Andrea Johnson, remains available to address any
questions that a client or prospective client may have regarding the above fee
determination.
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SCHWAB INTELLIGENT PORTFOLIOS
When consistent with a client’s investment objectives, Registrant may provide
portfolio management services through an automated, online investment
management platform. Through the Program, Registrant offers clients a range of
investment strategies it has constructed and manages each consisting of a portfolio
of exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) and a cash allocation. Registrant’s investment
management fee for Program accounts shall be based upon a percentage (%) of the
market value of the assets placed under Registrant’s management. Currently,
Registrant charges a 1.0% fee on all Program assets
As described above, clients do not pay fees to SPT or brokerage commissions or
other fees to CS&Co as part of the Program. Schwab does receive other revenues in
connection with the Portfolios. Specifically, Schwab Bank® earns interest revenue on
the cash in Program accounts. Also, Schwab affiliates can earn revenue from the
underlying assets in Program accounts. This revenue comes from managing Schwab
ETFs™ and providing services relating to third-party ETFs that Registrant may select
for the portfolios. Finally, Schwab may receive payments from the trading firms and
exchanges where ETF trades are routed for execution.
As described in Item 4 Advisory Business, clients do not pay fees to SWIA or
brokerage commissions or other fees to CS&Co as part of the Program. Schwab does
receive other revenues in connection with the Program, as described in the Program
Disclosure Brochure. Brokerage arrangements are further described below in Item 12