The Informed Investor

Top 8 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Financial or Investment Advisor

Investment Counsel Company

January 3, 2024

When searching for the right financial or investment advisor, it’s crucial to be armed with knowledge. Delve into our comprehensive guide, providing answers to the top 8 questions to ask when hiring a financial or investment advisor, ensuring you make informed decisions for your financial future.

Will I be working with an advisor or a group?

Our Firm’s 4 fiduciary advisors work collaboratively with each client. Our clients benefit from each advisor’s subject matter expertise, ranging from investment, wealth management, tax, estate planning, and more. Additionally, our 7 Client Services Managers work closely with the clients who are assigned to them.

How many years of experience do you have?

Bernadette Mashas, CPA (41 yrs exp), Michelle Konstantarakis, CFP®, CIMA®, AIFA®, MBA (30 yrs exp), Alexis Miranda, CFP® (5 yrs exp), Nick Hickly, JD, CFP®, CIMA®(19 yrs exp), and Randy Garcia, CIMA (40+ yrs exp). You can find information on their backgrounds in the most recent ADV Part 2B, Firm Brochure Supplement Dated: March 28, 2023, beginning on Page 1 of the Part 2B. That can be found here: https://iccnv.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-ICCNV-FORM-CRS-COMBINED-ADV-PART-2A-2B.pdf

How many clients do you have?

320

How much money do you manage for your clients?

Assets Under Management as of June 30, 2023, are $1.541 billion. All client assets are held in your personal accounts that we establish for you at Charles Schwab Institutional or similar national firms so you can see your account balances 24/7. We do not custody any client assets with the firm.

Have you ever had a complaint filed with the SEC or FINRA against an advisor or your firm?

Never, in over 35 years in business. https://brokercheck.finra.org/

Are your advisors’ fiduciaries?

Yes, all of our advisors are fiduciary advisors meaning we are legally required to put our clients’ interests first. We do not accept commissions or fees for products we recommend to clients. As a fee only advisory firm, we only do well if our clients do well.

How often do you meet with your clients?

We meet with all clients each quarter. By meeting four times per year you have the opportunity to review your portfolio performance frequently, tell us if there are any changes in your financial needs or goals and answer your questions about the economy or any concerns you may have.

Can you describe your investment philosophy?

1. We believe every client of our Firm is entitled to a positive experience resulting from a professional standard that far exceeds the industry norm.
2. We believe top advisors should continually challenge the financial industry’s current thinking in order to gain our clients every advantage possible.
3. We believe investor success is determined by proactive management of investment challenges and opportunities.
4. We believe it is the responsibility of our advisors to increase our knowledge on behalf of our clients at a rate far faster than the industry standard.
5. We believe all costs should be disclosed to our clients in a proactive manner.
6. We believe attention to tax considerations is an integral and necessary part of superior investment results.

When searching for a wealth management firm that will be the right fit for you and your financial future, make sure you are armed with the top 8 questions for your Financial or Investment Advisor.

If you have $5 million or more of investable assets, please visit our website: www.iccnv.com  or call us at 702-871-8510 to learn more about how we can help you achieve all that is important to you and your family.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE INFORMATION

The Investment Counsel Company of Nevada (“Company”) is an SEC registered investment adviser located in Las Vegas, Nevada. Company may only transact business in those states in which it is registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. Company’s web site is limited to the dissemination of general information pertaining to its advisory services, together with access to additional investment-related information, publications, and links. Accordingly, the publication of Company’s web site on the Internet should not be construed by any consumer and/or prospective client as Company’s solicitation to effect, or attempt to effect transactions in securities, or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation, over the Internet. Any subsequent, direct communication by Company with a prospective client shall be conducted by a representative that is either registered or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration in the state where the prospective client resides. A copy of Company’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing Company’s business operations, services, and fees is available from Company upon written request. Company does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to Company web site or incorporated herein, and takes no responsibility, therefore. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly.

*Please Note: Limitations: Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk. Therefore, it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended and/or undertaken by ICC) will be profitable, equal any historical performance level(s), or prove successful.

Certain portions of Company’s web site (i.e. newsletters, articles, commentaries, etc.) may contain a discussion of, and/or provide access to, Company (and those of other investment and non-investment professionals) positions and/or recommendations as of a specific prior date. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions, such discussion may no longer be reflective of current position(s) and/or recommendation(s). Moreover, no client or prospective client should assume that any such discussion serves as the receipt of, or a substitute for, personalized advice from Company, or from any other investment professional. Company is neither an attorney nor an accountant, and no portion of the website content should be interpreted as legal, accounting or tax advice.

Please Note: Limitations: Neither rankings and/or recognition by unaffiliated rating services, publications, media, or other organizations, nor the achievement of any professional designation, certification, degree, or license, membership in any professional organization, or any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if Investment Counsel Company is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. Rankings published by magazines, and others, generally base their selections exclusively on information prepared and/or submitted by the recognized adviser. Rankings are generally limited to participating advisers (see below as to participation data/criteria, to the extent applicable). Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, Investment Counsel Company did not pay a fee to be included on any such ranking. No ranking or recognition should be construed as a current or past endorsement of Investment Counsel Company by any of its clients.

ANY QUESTIONS: ICC’s Chief Compliance Officer remains available to address any questions regarding rankings and/or recognitions, including the criteria used for any reflected ranking. Please review Important Disclosure Information set forth in the last section of our website: www.iccnv.com