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Investing in Broadway;
Fighting Back Against
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Why You Still Need Travel
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THE EVOLUTION OF FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE
p
the 100 most
poWerful people
in finance
14
WORTH.COM
VOLUME 20
|
EDITION 05
Chicago, IL
Leading Wealth Advisor
Altair Advisers LLC
Michael J. Rodenbaugh, CFA®, CFP®, CPA, Senior Consultant
“
”
Why is it important that my advisors
work together?
By Michael J. Rodenbaugh
“None of us is as smart as all of us,”
says Ken Blanchard, management
expert, and we agree. Our clients face
complex and multifaceted financial
decisions on a regular basis. While our
diverse backgrounds and experience
with tax-related matters, estate planning and insurance enables us to
guide clients through a broad array of
issues, our main area of expertise is
investment strategy and portfolio
management. A single advisor with
true, in-depth expertise who can
remain current in all fields is unusual,
if not unheard of, thus, a well-executed
team approach is paramount.
Portfolios do not exist in a vacuum. Investment decisions have tax
implications, estate plans often have
investment implications, and insurance may affect all aspects of your
financial plan. With this level of
interconnectedness, a lack of strong
coordination among advisors leads
to inefficiencies and, perhaps worse,
missed opportunities.
For example, some accountants are
strictly tax preparers and do not
know enough about you to make relevant tax planning recommendations
or are not being paid for this higher
level of advice. With our knowledge
that a retired client serves on many
corporate boards, we suggested he
discuss with his accountant the merits of establishing a defined benefit
plan that would enable him to defer
much of that income. The accountant
concurred, and the plan is now in
place. The income deferral has
decreased the client’s income tax liability by an amount greater than
the annual fee he pays for our investment services.
It is in your best interest to select
an investment advisor who advocates this kind of coordination.
Yet many advisors may resist maintaining an open flow of communication with your attorney and
accountant for fear they will ask questions about the investment portfolio
the advisor may not want to answer. A
true fiduciary welcomes the checks
and balances other advisors provide
through their different perspectives.
Guided by a fiduciary duty to act
in your best interest, a registered
investment adviser (RIA) may be the
best candidate to lead a coordinated
effort on your behalf. RIAs are commonly CERTIFIED FINANCIAL
PLANNER™ professionals or CPAs
who can speak the language of advisors in other fields and explain it all
in terms you can understand. The
RIA is also the most likely to have
regular (i.e., at least twice per year)
contact with you.
We believe that regular and direct
communication with (and among)
your team of professional advisors
optimizes your ability to achieve
financial goals. We advocate direct
communication with our clients’ other
professional advisors, whether on
an impromptu basis or via a regularly
scheduled annual planning meeting
with all advisors present.
The whole really is greater than the
sum of the parts, so insist that your
advisors work together and maintain
familiarity with all aspects of your
financial situation. If your investment professional objects, you should
consider that a red flag.
Michael Rodenbaugh
MAKE
“Investment decisions have tax
implications, estate plans often
have investment implications, and
insurance may affect all aspects
of your financial plan.”
How to reach
Michael J. Rodenbaugh
GROW
Please call me at 312.429.3000
to set up an initial appointment.
LIVE
– Michael J. Rodenbaugh
ALTAIR ADVISERS LLC
Left to right: front row-Richard K. Black, Steven B. Weinstein, Bryan R. Malis; back row-Rebekah L. Kohmescher, Donald J. Sorota, Brett K. Rentmeester, Jason M. Laurie, Michael J. Murray
About Altair Advisers LLC
Altair and its principals are consistently recognized as top independent wealth managers by Worth, Barron’s,
Financial Advisor, Wealth Manager and Chicago magazines. Steven B. Weinstein, president and chief investment
officer, has been selected five times by Barron’s as one of the Top 100 Independent Financial Advisors and
has appeared seven times on Worth magazine’s roster of the nation’s Top 100 Wealth Advisors1 (Top 250 in
2008). Richard K. Black, managing director, joined Mr. Weinstein in Worth’s two most recent selections of
this elite group of advisors2. Individual accolades are always a result of team efforts.
Assets Under Management
$2.9 billion
Compensation Method
Asset-based and fixed fees
Minimum Annual Fee
$30,000
Primary Custodian for Investor Assets State Street
Minimum Net Worth Requirement
$5 million (in investable assets)
Professional Services Provided
Planning and investment advisory services
Largest Client Net Worth
$1 billion+
Association Memberships
Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association, Chicago Estate
Planning Council, CFA Institute, CFA Society of Chicago and FPA
Financial Services Experience
13 to 35 years (managing directors)
Website Email
www.altairadvisers.cominfo@altairadvisers.com
1
September 2001, January 2004 and October 2004-2008; 2October 2007 and 2008
Altair Advisers LLC
303 West Madison Street, Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60606
312.429.3000
WORTH.COM
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2011
101
W
Steven B. Weinstein, CFA®, CFP®, JD
Richard K. Black, CFP®, JD
Rebekah L. Kohmescher, CFP®, CPA
Jason M. Laurie, CFA®, CFP®
Bryan R. Malis, CFA®, CFP®
Michael J. Murray, CFA®, CFP®, CAIA®
Brett K. Rentmeester, CFA®, CAIA®
Donald J. Sorota, CFP®, CPA
Michael J. Rodenbaugh, CFA®, CFP®, CPA
Altair Advisers LLC
303 West Madison Street
Suite 600
Chicago, IL 60606
Tel. 312.429.3000
Email: info@altairadvisers.com
www.altairadvisers.com
REPRINTED FROM
the evolution of financial intelligence
®
About the Worth Leading Advisors
he Worth Leading Advisors admittance process is based on, but not limited to, the Advisor’s experience, education, fiduciary status, compliance record, wealth management services, methods of
compensation and scope of current business. In order to be considered for the Worth Leading Advisors Program, financial professionals must be willing to provide complete and full disclosure to
investors so that independent analysts from InvestorWatchdog.com can thoroughly screen and evaluate their credentials, ethics and business practices. Once admitted, Advisors pay a fee to be
included. Investors and potential investors are solely responsible for the decision to select particular Advisors.