Our goal is to work in a tax-sensitive and tax-efficient manner, which focuses on long-term, absolute returns.  We believe that market and economic cycles are a normal part of investing, and we help our clients structure their portfolios in a manner designed to endure these cycles.

Humility and common sense are underappreciated but powerful investment tools.  We focus on managing for the common pitfalls of behavioral finance.  As such, we are primarily fee-based in our approach, utilizing Stifel’s investment advisory services. 

Our rigorous investment product due diligence process leverages the research of leading institutional consultant Rocatan Investment Advisors.  Our goal is to identify the best possible investment managers in each area of the market.  We believe it’s important to know where to “be the market” – or passive investing – and when to seek to “beat the market” – or active investing.  We lean toward tax-efficient passive strategies, such as tax-loss harvesting, in asset classes that are more efficient, such as large cap equities.  We look for strong, niche managers in asset classes that are less efficient, where there is less investment, and not flooded with capital.  Our $6 billion in managed client assets allows us to keep our advisory fees reasonable.

Philosophy by asset class

• Equities – Low-cost, tax-efficient exposure for core equities.  Active management in less efficient markets.
• Fixed income – Active management in inefficient municipal bond space.
• Alternatives – Target outsized opportunities in private equity, private credit, real estate, and hedge funds

^{Neither Stifel nor its associates provide legal or tax advice.  You should consult with your legal and tax professionals regarding your particular situation.}

^{Portfolios that emphasize stocks may involve price fluctuations as stock market conditions change.  When investing in bonds and interest rate-sensitive securities, it is important to note that as interest rates rise, prices will fall.  Alternative investments may include, but are not limited to:  Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), Hedge Funds, Private Equity, Commodities and Futures, etc.  Real Estate – When investing in real estate companies, property values can fall due to environmental, economic, or other reasons, and changes in interest rates can negatively impact the performance.  Hedge Funds and Private Equity – Investors should be aware that hedge funds often engage in leverage, short-selling, arbitrage, hedging, derivatives, and other speculative investment practices that may increase investment loss.  Hedge funds and private equity funds can be highly illiquid, are not required to provide periodic pricing or valuation information to investors, and often charge high fees that can erode performance.  Additionally, they may involve complex tax structures and delays in distributing tax information.  While hedge funds may appear similar to mutual funds, they are not necessarily subject to the same regulatory requirements as mutual funds.  Commodities and Futures – The risk of loss in trading commodities and futures can be substantial.  You should therefore carefully consider whether such trading is suitable for you in light of your financial condition.  The high degree of leverage that is often obtainable in commodity trading can work against you as well as for you.  The use of leverage can lead to large losses as well as gains.  Alternative investments are appropriate only for investors who have the capacity to absorb a loss of some or all of their investment.}