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Aegean
Wealth Management ^®

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Questions and answers

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Investment Advisory

Our Investment Process

Goals Analysis

Risk Tolerance Analysis

Investment Implementation

Performance Evaluation

Wealth Structuring

Private Banking

How does your firm get paid for investment advisory?
We are a fee-only based firm. This means we charge an hourly fee for investment advisory services.

How does your firm manage money?
We assess your personal goals and risk tolerance, and then advise on investment selection to match your goals and risk tolerance. We do not take custody of any client assets. We do not offer discretionary accounts. Once we create the investment selection plan we will implement the selections while you are sitting next to us. The accounts will be in your name and you are the only one who will have access to them. We use investment products that are already part of the investment product universe such as funds of hedge funds, hedge funds, index funds, mutual funds, private banks, private equity funds, private equity funds of funds, venture capital funds, venture capital funds of funds, and precious metals. The investment product universe is so huge that it takes a significant amount of time to stay somewhat current on the product offerings. So this is where we spend most of our time.

Why should I use your firm when I can use a big firm with a wealth management department that has all the funds and advisors in house?
First, because we are independent and don't manufacture our own financial products, we won't try to sell you some overpriced cookie-cutter investment just because our firm manufacturers it or so that we can make extra commissions. Our time is spent searching the investment product universe looking for quality investment products that best suit our clients. We also spend time focusing on monitoring economic trends, political trends, and legal trends. So if you choose our firm you can always know that we will recommend the best solutions that we know of for you.

Second, because we are privately held, we don't have to answer to Wall Street Demands for quarterly performance. So our advisors are not pushed to sell in order to please Wall Street.

Third, in the last few years very large well-known firms have been pressured by governments to hand over information about their clients. And very large well-known firms have also been targeted by internal employees that steal confidential client information and then sell it. These events are less likely with a smaller privately held firm.

How does your firm get paid for wealth structuring?
For complicated structurings we charge a percentage of the assets we advise on. The percent depends on the amount of wealth structured and how complicated the structuring is. For many clients, their needs are fairly simple, so we also offer an hourly rate.

Which should come first, the investment management or the wealth structuring?
For sure the wealth structuring. Many people are unknowingly at a high-level of risk to their total wealth because it is not properly structured. Investing without the proper wealth structuring is like building a house before building the foundation. It might not even be necessasary to do much wealth structuring depending on the client. Some clients wealth structuring needs are met, simply by placing some of their wealth in a family trust onshore or opening up a second bank account in a different country than their own country that holds a different currency than their home currency. But at least some due diligence has been done.

For investment advisory or wealth structuring do I have to pay for everything up front?
You do not. We can agree on a "pay as you go" plan. Once again, best to contact us.

What personal information do I have to give you?
None if you wish. It is really up to you. We will give you a confidential client number (CCN). When you call us you can use this number so we know how to match you with your individual plan. It is possible during your relationship with us, we will never know your real name or address, or passport information if this is what you would prefer.

How much does it cost for just a short phone call?
The cost is free. Just email us and we will give you a contact number and you can decide if our firm is right for you or not.

Do I have to come in person for an appointment?
You do not. Most of our clients are international and we can do appointments by phone. It is especially not important to do a first consultation (free) in person.