Royal Fund Management

[bgscms]

Has anyone dealt with them?

[l2ridehd]

I have not and would not. This is from their web site.

"RFM is compensated by a fee based on a percentage of a client’s assets under management. Fees are negotiable and Exhibit II of the Investment Advisory Contract shows the final fee agreed upon. The advisory fees are paid quarterly in arrears eliminating the need for a refund policy. Client authorization allows the advisory fees to be withdrawn directly from their account. Clients can terminate the advisory relationship without penalty by providing a thirty day written notice."

Their fee runs a minimum of 1% of assets under management plus fund fee's. That is a VERY steep price to pay for what they do. You can do the same thing your self with minimum effort and and significantly lower cost.

[bgscms]

Isn't the 1% pretty standard based on their success at making money for you then they make money?

[l2ridehd]

85% of all financial advisors fail to beat the market in any 3 year period. It goes to 95% in any 5 year period. Unless you believe they are part of the 5% then you can do better by just buying a very low expense ratio of index funds that cover the total market.

So why would you pay someone 1% of your money, plus you will pay the fee's of the funds they put you in, plus you pay a transaction fee every time they make a move, when you can do that yourself?

Financial management is really simple. Educate yourself for 8 hours and you will begin to understand why it makes sense to do it yourself. Invest an hour a day for the next 8 days. Go to boogleheads.org and read "Investing Theory" as a place to start. Then maybe some of the books they recommend.

If you really want a financial advisor after that, use Rick Ferri at Portfolio Solutions as he charges only .34% of assets under management and provides you access to DFA funds which are very low cost index funds.

I manage my own and my total expenses including all fund fee's is .011% of total assets. I do pay Morningstar $99 a year for a subscription so I can research any funds and stocks I want to know about. But that is more to force me to not make any moves then anything else.