Free guide for investors
Do you know what you’re really paying your advisor?
A plain-English guide to how advisors get paid, what each fee arrangement can mean for you, and the questions worth asking before you sign anything.
- Know the difference between fee-only and fee-based
- Spot the sales incentives that can come with commissions
- See how a flat fee can cost more when markets fall
- Know what your fee should cover, and what to ask
What’s inside
A short, plain-English guide you can read in one sitting. Each section ends with questions worth asking, so you know exactly what to bring up with any advisor.
Fee-only vs. fee-based
They sound alike but they aren’t. Ask where the advisor’s pay comes from and how your fee is calculated.
My advisor makes commissions. So what?
How commissions can put a sales incentive into an advice relationship, and three questions to ask before you buy.
A flat fee might cost more than you think
Follow one account through ups and downs and watch the same flat fee take a bigger share of what’s left.
Major declines are part of market history
Why it’s worth asking how a firm’s pricing works in a bad year, not just a good one.
Know what your fee covers
Meeting limits, extra charges and the six questions worth asking any advisor.
How our firm is different
Fee-only, a transparent fee that makes sense no matter the value of your portfolio, and no extra charge when you need to talk.
You have worked hard to build your investments. You deserve to understand what you are paying, and what kind of relationship you are getting in return.
From the guide
From Paul Curtman
I’m an investment advisor, and managing portfolios is what I do every day. I started P.R. Curtman Investments to give people honest, personal advice they can understand. I’m a former Marine infantry squad leader, served eight years in the Missouri House as Chairman of Ways and Means, and I’ve worked in the financial industry since 2008. My wife and I have five children.
If you’d like a second set of eyes, I’m happy to walk through a statement with you and explain the fees you’re paying now. No pressure, just a clear picture.
- Fee-only, so we do better when you do better
- A fiduciary, required to act in your best interest
- Serving the Panhandle, Missouri and families nationwide by phone and video
P.R. Curtman Investments is a registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. This page and the guide are general education, not individualized investment, tax or legal advice. All investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. We do not prepare taxes or give tax advice; please consult your tax professional and attorney.
