Frequently asked questions

The fact is that traditional Wall Street firms - both commission-based broker dealers and fee-based investment advisors - are typically inefficient. Many of them pay inflated salaries to layers of middle-management, and many rely on outdated systems that are expensive to maintain. In our opinion, too many financial services firms are focused on fancy (and expensive) office space, company cars, art collections, and expense accounts. All of these expenses are eventually passed on to clients.

Wedmont is not cheap (in fact, for clients with assets close to our minimum of $1,000,000, our fixed fee of $12,500 is likely to be similar, and, perhaps, even more expensive than many other firms). Wedmont was built from the ground up with the sole purpose of trying to provide clients with better service and outcomes than our competitors, with a transparent and fair fee structure.

Our $1,000,000 minimum is meant to ensure that our $12,500 fee is appropriate for each client. In rare circumstances we will waive our minimum. Exceptions are typically granted for clients who we expect to surpass our minimum in the near future (i.e., individuals with pre-IPO stock, expected inheritances, pending business or real estate sales, etc.).

To request an exception to our $1,000,000 minimum please contact us at [email protected]

• Our client portal, where clients can access performance and account information, is protected by the industry’s leading two-factor identity and information security provider, SecureAuth.
• Clients are able to transfer sensitive data to and from Wedmont via a secure tunnel (SSL/TSL) protected by 128-bit or higher Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption.
• All client documents are stored in a secure cloud-based file storage system that utilizes 256-bit AES encryption.
• We store no sensitive client information onsite and destroy all physical copies of client documents once they have been uploaded to our secure cloud.
• Assets are custodied at leading third-party custodians and can be accessed by clients at any time.
• We utilize Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) when appropriate.
• All of our systems are encrypted and our email, secure storage systems, and trading software is protected by two-factor authentication.
• We maintain error and omission insurance well in excess of industry norms.
• We are always looking for ways to enhance our data security posture and remain vigilant when it comes to protecting our systems.

Wedmont serves as a fiduciary to all clients, which means we are required to put client interests ahead of our own at all times. This is very different than traditional Wall Street firms. Practically speaking, here’s what you can expect from Wedmont:

• We only receive compensation from you. We will never receive a cent from asset managers, brokers, insurance companies, attorneys, accountants, or any other entities.
• We will never accept gifts or quid pro quos from any company, person, or entity. If a conflict of interest ever arises, we will notify you immediately and do everything possible to mitigate it.

Even if you don’t work with Wedmont, please ask any prospective wealth manager whether they serve as fiduciaries for all accounts, and will sign a binding contract to that effect (this language is included in every Wedmont client agreement). A number of other nice-sounding standards exist but do not provide the same level of legal protection as the fiduciary standard.

We provide comprehensive private wealth management services and discretionary portfolio management. Our wealth management services include retirement planning, tax planning, estate planning, charitable planning, wealth transfer planning, equity compensation planning, insurance planning, and education planning.

We also manage customized investment portfolios for our clients on a discretionary basis. Each client’s portfolio is built specifically for their situation, informed by their comprehensive wealth plan. Each client has a formal Investment Policy Statement (IPS).

We are index based investors because we believe it is the most value maximizing approach to investing.  You can learn more about our investment philosophy and approach HERE.

We work with you to develop a tax sensitive transition plan. To discuss the details of your portfolio please contact us at [email protected]

We prefer not to. We do not believe there is sufficient evidence to expect alternative investments, especially those available to individual investors, to provide a net return (after taxes and fees) superior to what is readily available in the public markets. Too often, alternative investments are expensive, tax-inefficient, and illiquid.

However, we understand certain investors are more comfortable maintaining an allocation to various alternative investments. In certain situations we will facilitate investments in various alternative investment strategies at the request of a client. When we do so, we are often able to achieve superior terms as we do not charge placement fees, nor do we receive trailing commissions.

We are very familiar with the alternative investment landscape and we are able to work with existing limited partner positions you may hold within your portfolio.

No.

Our fee does not change on annual basis.  However, we expect to adjust our fee periodically to account for inflation. Our fee was most recently updated on January 1, 2024. We expect to revisit the fee in 2029.  We will not move away from a flat fee model.