The firm has operated as an independent registered investment adviser since 2014.
Strategic Wealth Management offers the following primary services:
Comprehensive portfolio management
Ongoing, advisor-led investment management combined with financial planning and consulting.
Portfolios may include:
ETFs
Mutual funds
Individual stocks and bonds
Other securities
Financial planning and consulting
Services may be delivered as a written financial plan or as consulting, depending on scope and complexity and can include:
Investment planning
Retirement planning
Estate planning and charitable planning
Education planning
Tax planning
Insurance analysis
Debt and mortgage analysis
Broader personal or business financial planning.
Risk assessment and management
Risk-related planning is addressed through the firm’s planning work, including insurance analysis and evaluation of how clients manage financial risk exposure as part of their overall financial picture.
Employee and executive benefits planning
Planning support related to employee and executive benefit structures, typically for business owners and organizations, is integrated into the firm’s consulting and planning services.
LPL financial sponsored advisory programs
Access to third-party portfolio managers through programs such as “Manager Access Select,” where external managers oversee portfolios on a discretionary basis. At the same time, Strategic Wealth Management advisors assist with selection and ongoing oversight.
How does Strategic Wealth Management work?
Strategic Wealth Management typically begins with one or more meetings with an advisor to understand a client’s financial situation, goals, and risk tolerance.
Based on that information, the advisor proposes an investment approach and/or planning recommendations.
For ongoing portfolio management, accounts are opened or transferred to enable the firm to manage the portfolio. This is then monitored on an ongoing basis and reviewed at least quarterly, with rebalancing or adjustments as needed.
For planning-only engagements, the firm provides a written plan or consulting guidance depending on the scope of work. The client then decides whether and how to implement the recommendations.
What are the pros and cons of Strategic Wealth Management?
Strategic Wealth Management emphasizes advisor-led investment management combined with broader financial planning, which can appeal to investors who value ongoing advice and flexible planning support.
Its strengths centre on personalized service and integrated planning, while potential drawbacks relate to higher costs than automated platforms and varying fees and minimums depending on the services used.
Here is a closer look at the pros and cons of Strategic Wealth Management.
Pros of Strategic Wealth Management:
Advisor-led, relationship-based service: Clients work directly with a financial advisor rather than an automated platform, allowing portfolios and plans to be tailored to individual goals, circumstances, and risk tolerance.
Integrated investment management and planning: Portfolio management is combined with financial planning and consulting rather than treated as a standalone service.
Flexible planning engagement options: Financial planning and consulting can be delivered as a written financial plan or as ongoing consulting, depending on the client’s preference.
No firm-wide account minimum for advisory relationships: The firm does not impose a minimum asset requirement to open or maintain an advisory account. This lack of minimum can make its core services accessible to a wider range of clients.
Access to third-party portfolio managers when needed: Through sponsored advisory programs, clients can use external portfolio managers for discretionary management while still working with a Strategic Wealth advisor for selection and oversight.
Cons of Strategic Wealth Management:
Fees are higher than automated platforms: Asset-based fees for comprehensive portfolio management range from 0.50% to 1.00% annually, which is generally higher than the fees charged by robo-advisors or fully automated services.
Costs can vary by service type and program: Fees differ across portfolio management, financial planning engagements, and LPL-sponsored advisory programs, making overall costs less predictable without reviewing individual agreements.
Third-party program minimums may apply: LPL Financial-sponsored advisory programs have minimum investment requirements ranging from $15,000 to $250,000, depending on the program.
Strategic Wealth Management fees: How much does Strategic Wealth Management cost?
Strategic Wealth Management’s pricing depends on which service a client uses.
Here is a breakdown.
Comprehensive Portfolio Management:
Annual management fee: Sliding scale ranging from 0.50% to 1.00% based on assets under management (AUM).
Billing: Quarterly in advance, pro-rated based on account value at the end of the prior quarter.
Payment: Typically deducted from the managed account; fees are described as negotiable and disclosed in the client agreement.
LPL Financial sponsored advisory program fees:
Program fee: Varies by program, up to 2.00%.
Billing: Billed quarterly in advance; the specific fee is disclosed in the applicable program materials and is described as negotiable.
Financial planning and consulting fees:
Hourly fees: $80 to $300 per hour.
Flat fees: Generally, $750 to $15,000, depending on scope and complexity.
Retainer: Typically 50% upfront, with the remainder due upon delivery of the plan or consultation; the retainer will not exceed $1,200 if services cannot be rendered within six months.
Other fees and expenses:
Clients may pay additional costs charged by their custodian or the underlying investments, such as trading/transaction charges and fund-level expenses, which are separate from Strategic Wealth Management’s advisory fees.
What is Strategic Wealth Management’s minimum account size?
Strategic Wealth Management does not set a firm-wide minimum asset requirement to open an advisory account, which can reduce the barrier to getting started with an advisor.
However, minimums can apply depending on the service used, particularly for written financial plans and certain LPL-sponsored advisory programs.
| Service | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| Opening an advisory account with the firm | No minimum |
| Written financial plan | $750 minimum fee |
| LPL-sponsored advisory programs | $15,000 to $250,000 |
Who should choose Strategic Wealth Management?
Strategic Wealth Management is designed for investors who want a customized, advisor-led relationship that combines ongoing portfolio management with broader financial planning, rather than a standardized or fully automated investing experience.
Strategic Wealth Management works well for:
Investors seeking personalized advice: Those who prefer working directly with an advisor and having investment decisions shaped around their specific goals, risk tolerance, and circumstances.
Clients with broader planning needs: Individuals or families who want investment management integrated with retirement planning, estate planning, tax planning, insurance analysis, or other financial planning areas.
Business owners and executives: Clients who may benefit from planning related to business finances, employee and executive benefits, or more complex compensation and planning considerations.
Investors who want flexibility in how they engage: Those who may wish to have an ongoing portfolio management relationship, a standalone financial plan, or access to third-party portfolio managers through LPL-sponsored advisory programs.
Clients who prefer a traditional advisory model: Investors who are comfortable with asset-based fees or project-based planning fees and value an ongoing advisory relationship over a digital-first platform.
Who might not benefit as much:
Investors focused on the lowest possible costs: Those primarily seeking low-fee, automated investing may find the firm’s asset-based advisory fees higher than robo-advisor alternatives.
Self-directed or active traders: Investors who want to pick individual stocks frequently or manage their own portfolios may not need an advisor-led service.
Clients who want a purely digital experience: Those who prefer app-based investing with minimal human interaction may find the relationship-based model less aligned with their expectations.
Strategic Wealth Management: Is it secure?
Strategic Wealth Management is generally considered secure.
From a regulatory standpoint, Strategic Wealth Management operates as an SEC-registered investment adviser and reports no material legal or disciplinary events that would affect the firm’s integrity.
The firm does not have custody of client funds or securities. Client assets are held with qualified custodians, such as LPL Financial or Fidelity, and clients receive account statements directly from the custodian at least quarterly.
In addition, when assets are custodied at LPL Financial or Fidelity, client accounts are covered by SIPC protection provided through those custodians, subject to standard limits and conditions, offering protection in the event of broker-dealer insolvency rather than against market losses.
Strategic Wealth Management: Customer service
Strategic Wealth Management’s customer service is built around a traditional, advisor-led model.
This advisor–based service typically includes:
Direct advisor engagement:
Clients work with a human advisor for onboarding discussions, goal setting, and ongoing investment or planning conversations as part of an advisory relationship.
Ongoing review and communication:
For portfolio management clients, accounts are reviewed at least quarterly, with verbal updates provided at least annually, reflecting an ongoing, relationship-based service model rather than on-demand digital support.
In addition to advisor interactions, the firm also maintains standard customer service channels, such as phone, email, fax, and a physical office, for general communication, documentation, and administrative needs.
Strategic Wealth Management: Mobile app
Strategic Wealth Management does not have a dedicated, branded mobile app as part of its service.
Instead, the firm’s clients access their accounts through online portals and planning systems.
Is Strategic Wealth Management worth it?
Whether Strategic Wealth Management is worth it depends on what an investor is looking for in an advisory relationship.
For clients who value ongoing, human-led portfolio management combined with broader financial planning, the firm offers a traditional advisory model that emphasizes customization, direct advisor interaction, and flexibility in how services are delivered.
Strategic Wealth Management may make sense for investors who want portfolios managed on their behalf while also addressing planning areas such as retirement, estate considerations, tax planning, insurance analysis, or business-related financial needs.
The absence of a firm-wide minimum to open an advisory account can also lower the initial barrier to engaging with an advisor, especially compared with firms that require higher starting balances.
However, asset-based management fees are higher than those charged by robo-advisors, and costs can vary depending on whether clients use ongoing portfolio management, planning-only engagements, or third-party advisory programs with their own minimums and fees.
Investors who primarily want a digital-first experience, minimal human interaction, or the lowest possible fees may find other options better aligned with those priorities.
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