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As an independent firm, we keep costs low by running a lean, efficient operation. We invest in technology and processes that directly benefit our clients; not in layers of management and overhead. Arcadia is not cheap, but in our opinion offers a fair fee that is predictable each year and does not rise based on your investment portfolio size. Arcadia was built with the sole purpose of providing clients with better service and outcomes, with a transparent and fair fee structure.
Our clients are typically age 50+, planning to retire within the next 10 years, and have $2M+ saved, mostly in IRA and trust accounts. They’ve done everything right and now they’re worried about how much of their retirement savings they’ll actually get to keep and enjoy.
To learn more about who we help, see About You.
The starting point of our relationship is the creation of your financial plan, which is the guide for future financial decisions. As life happens, financial markets fluctuate, and tax legislation changes, your financial plan will evolve. We're there to be your trusted advisor to help you make the decisions and strategic changes along the way.
Financial and tax planning is an ongoing process and a close ongoing relationship between us involving regular meetings, calls, and emails. The ultimate goal is for us to help you make the best possible decisions around your finances to allow you and your family to have your best financial life.
Concurrently, with the implementation of your financial plan, we will create a custom Investment Policy to guide the management of your investment and retirement accounts. We provide ongoing management of your investable assets (with no AUM fees) through our custodians, Charles Schwab and Altruist. We use a straightforward investing approach that ensures your portfolio will remain globally diversified, low cost and properly allocated for your risk tolerance and financial goals.
After discussion of your initial plan and investment strategy, we'll work closely with you throughout our relationship. Typical areas in which we provide ongoing advice are:
Ongoing discretionary management of your investable assets adhering to your custom Investment Policy
Reallocating investment portfolios that we do not manage directly (i.e., outside retirement plan accounts)
Setting up and implementing a portfolio distribution plan (i.e., sequence of withdrawals in retirement)
Doing annual income and tax projections that include analysis and implementation of strategies
Creating a strategy for when to claim Social Security
Design gifting plans to shift wealth to members of your family
Assessing life insurance, property & casualty, and long-term care insurance needs
Helping with the financial and tax aspects of buying and selling residential and commercial real estate
Analyzing whether to pay off, keep, or refinance an existing mortgage
Assisting in updating or putting in place estate documents and beneficiary forms
We typically have two or three formal meetings per year to update your financial plan, refine your investment strategy, determine tax planning actions, and discuss any concerns you have. We're accessible by Zoom, phone, email or in-person at our San Diego office.
Additionally, you'll have continuous access to your own personal finance portals through Right Capital or Income Lab, our two financial planning systems. Our portfolio reporting system, Advyzon, has a custom client portal for you to monitor the performance of the investment accounts we manage for you.
Throughout the year, with no charge on our end, we will coordinate our financial planning efforts with your tax professional, estate planning attorney, and any other professional important to you. At the beginning of tax season, we will compile tax reports for your tax professional that includes the taxable activity in your investment accounts from the prior year, as well as any tax related decisions we made together (i.e., Roth conversions, Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), tax loss or gain harvesting, etc.)
Your money is held at Charles Schwab or Altruist (your choice), two leading independent custodians. The accounts stay in your name, and we act as your advisor with limited authority to manage them on your behalf.
Transferring your investment accounts is simple and secure thanks to the ACAT system, which moves assets “in-kind”—meaning nothing is sold or changed during the transfer. Whether you’re moving an IRA or trust account, your investments stay exactly the same; the only difference is where you log in. If you already have your accounts at Charles Schwab or Altruist, we simply establish a Limited Power of Attorney (LPOA) so we may serve as the Investment Advisor to manage your accounts going forward.
Flat-fee advice for significant wealth. Most advisors become dramatically more expensive as your wealth and portfolio grows. Arcadia separates compensation from portfolio size. This is a huge windfall for clients who understand fee drag and is a large cost savings for families with investable assets over $2 million.
We focus on tax planning. Most firms market investment management first and rarely discuss taxes. We believe investment management is a tool inside a broader tax and financial strategy. We foxus on lifetime tax minimization: retirement distribution strategy, withdrawal sequencing, Roth conversion strategy, & intergenerational planning coordination.
Deliberately small, high-depth relationships. Most firms scale through advisor teams, service models, segmentation, and advisor-to-client ratios. We value depth over scale and our clients favor direct access, low bureaucracy, consistency, and trust over large company clutter. We're attractive to clients who are tired of junior advisor delegation, turnover, & “relationship manager” structures at larger firms.
Our $2 million minimum portfolio recommendation is to ensure our $18,000 annual fee is appropriate and a long-term cost benefit for each client. In some circumstances we may waive our minimum. Exceptions are typically granted for clients who we expect to surpass our minimum within one year of working together.
Yes. Arcadia serves as a fiduciary to all clients, which means we are required to put client interests ahead of our own at all times. We only receive compensation from our clients. If a conflict of interest ever arises, we will notify you immediately and do everything possible to mitigate it.
Even if you don’t work with Arcadia, please ask any prospective wealth manager whether they serve as fiduciaries for all accounts, and will sign a binding contract to that effect (this language is included in every Arcadia client agreement).
We typically have two formal meetings each year: one in late Spring and in the Fall. At our Spring meeting we review your tax return and do an analysis to look at opportunities for the remainder of the year. We meet in Fall, before the holidays, to implement tax strategies before year-end. At both meetings, we review your financial plan and investment portfolio. We are available for calls, emails, and “pop up” meetings as needed.
Although we are headquartered in the San Diego area and meet many clients locally, we use secure, high-definition video conferencing and digital portals to serve clients across California and the U.S.
We work with you to develop a tax sensitive transition plan, and because we do not charge AUM fees, we can help manage appreciated portfolios without you incurring unnecessary management fees. To discuss your portfolio details, please contact us at grant@arcadiaprivate.com.
Our flat fee covers an entire household (both spouses), and there are no limits on the number of accounts or the size of the portfolio. Our fee is billed quarterly ($4,500 per quarter). We don’t earn commissions, sell financial products, or receive incentives from third parties.
Most clients elect to have their fees deducted from their investment accounts at Charles Schwab. If you have multiple accounts, the fee is prorated based on the balances. For example, if you have a $1,000,000 IRA and a $3,000,000 trust account, $1,125 would be deducted from the IRA and $3,375 from the trust account. The process is automated, so you don’t have to worry about making manual payments.
You’ll receive a quarterly notice that transparently details the fee calculation, so you always know exactly what’s being deducted and from where.
It's really the simplest approach: One fee. No commissions. No percentages. No uncertainty about the incentives behind the advice.
It's a great value for larger portfolios: 1% might not seem like a lot, but it is for large portfolios. If you have a large portfolio ($2M+), that 1% charged is usually well above our $18,000 flat fee. See our pricing page for a comprehensive fee calculator to see what you are currently paying your advisor.
It's the fairest way with the most objectivity: Advisors stand to benefit from some recommendations when charging a percentage fee or working on commissions. A flat fee minimizes conflicts of interest, meaning our advice is tailored to you and only you.
It depends on your particular situation, but retirement planning is much more complex than saving for it. You’ll need to decide when to claim Social Security and Medicare, how much and which accounts to withdraw from tax-efficiently, whether Roth conversions make sense, how to make your money last 30+ years, and how to enjoy your money while leaving a legacy for your loved ones. A retirement-focused financial advisor can help you avoid costly mistakes that are difficult to come back from.
Grant Webster is 40 years old. Old enough to be experienced, and young enough to hopefully be around for decades to come!