Frequently Asked Questions

We prefer to structure our compensation to meet your needs. We can charge on a basis of commissions, a fee-basis (a percentage of the assets we manage for you), or an hourly rate. Which of these makes sense for you depends on your individual portfolio and goals. We will work with you to structure our compensation so that your best interests are aligned with ours. Always ask a financial advisor how they will be compensated. It is a relevant, pertinent and critical question that any advisor should willingly and openly answer.

All advisors who trade securities must affiliate with a broker-dealer in order to trade. An independent broker-dealer is one who does not create any financial products for sale. We believe our independence helps us to select the best investments for our clients. Non-independent broker dealers create and issue financial products and many do so under different names in order to appear to have independence. Always ask an advisor if they are affiliated with an organization that creates or issues any financial products when you are evaluating them.

Yes and no. There are benefits to the larger firm and the smaller “boutique style”. At Granite Financial, we believe we can offer you the best of both worlds. Our commitment to client service provides a “boutique feel” that most people prefer but our affiliation with LPL Financial, LLC as our broker-dealer also provides you with the resources of the largest independent broker-dealer in the country.*

Combined, we have more than forty years of financial experience. We believe our extensive and diverse experience sets us apart from other financial advisors. Because we have spent time in management positions requiring us to create and evaluate financial products from the ground up, we have an in-depth knowledge of most products and their workings. This enables us to more thoroughly evaluate them and how they fit your unique situation.

We prefer to have as much information as we can in order to help make your plan as strong as possible. Assisting with outside investments like a 401(k), 403(b), TSA or other benefits is part of our commitment to customer service and also serves to only help us make your financial plan even stronger.

Yes, we are licensed life insurance agents and are happy to help you evaluate how life insurance fits your unique situation or help evaluate existing policies. There is no charge for this service.

We feel that working with your other planning professionals is essential to maintaining a strong plan. As such, we are very willing to work closely with your financial professionals. If you are in need of a financial professional we are also happy to assist you to select one to address your needs.

We prefer to stay in contact with all of our clients because as the markets and economic environments change, so too our lives change. A good plan will react and reflect those changes. We prefer to review your accounts with you at least annually but welcome more frequent reviews as well. We will review your accounts in a detailed fashion monthly at a minimum, and with more frequency as conditions warrant.

*As reported by Financial Planning magazine, June 1996-2020, based on total revenue.