If you’re new to wealth management, you’d be excused for thinking investors have always had as many choices as they do today—but that hasn’t necessarily been the case.
Just a generation ago, if you had complex finances or substantial wealth, you worked with a large bank or insurer to access the right kind of expertise and tools needed to manage your assets. Working with these legacy companies offered a sense of stability, but it also came with big commissions for your broker, who might or might not be looking out for your best financial interests in the end.
Today, the calculus has changed. The big firms have gone all in on mass-produced model portfolios and roboadvice, while boutique, fee-only firms like Cedar Point Capital Partners have stepped in to offer the tailored portfolios and unbiased insights sophisticated investors expect.
In fact, for many people, working with an independent firm is actually a strategic advantage rather than just a matter of preference. Here are a few reasons why.
1. Nimble financial life advice
The best financial advisers adhere to an evidence-based, systematic approach that prioritizes your long-term goals, but that doesn’t mean your investments or strategy should be etched in stone. If you can’t adjust positions to reflect your life’s changes, you have to wonder if your plan was ever really about you in the first place.
Boutique firms like Cedar Point Capital Partners excel at handling these pivots. We can move as quickly or as cautiously as the situation calls for. If that means charting a new course or working outside of “banker’s hours,” we’re there for it. We believe your future deserves that level of responsiveness.
2. Deeper relationships that prioritize human capital
All wealth managers will prioritize your financial capital, but boutique firms like ours are leading an industry paradigm shift that emphasizes the importance of your human capital, as well. We believe that building a life well-lived demands a more holistic approach to planning—one that includes your family, career, networks, and aspirations. After all, it’s not a beautiful life if you have a high net worth and low everything else.
Talk to us about your money, or anything else—we want to be the adviser who sees you for the multifaceted person you are.
3. Technology that’s equal to the big guys
Our investment in a custom client portal and mobile app allows us to provide comprehensive portfolio analysis, performance tracking, and personalized tools that would have been unattainable just a decade ago.
Even better—because we built it out ourselves, we are able to maintain portfolio information and performance data, no matter where your accounts are held. That gives you the freedom to switch financial providers or investment custodians without losing account details, transaction history or balance information.
4. A truly local perspective
Working with an independent firm like Cedar Point Capital Partners doesn’t just benefit you as a client; it contributes to the growth and prosperity of your community. Unlike the big investment houses, we’re focused on the well-being of our hometowns, like Cedar Rapids and Williamsburg.
Your advisor might be located here in the Corridor, but what about their management? Their corporate leadership? When you think about the motivations of the different layers of management in a national sales company, you see why it just makes more sense to stay independent.
So whether you’re a seasoned investor or just starting your planning journey, consider the advantages of partnering with a boutique firm that puts your financial well-being first. We’re here and ready to help. Give us a call or send us an email, and let’s grow together.
David Ernst is a partner with Cedar Point Capital Partners, a financial life planning and wealth management firm in Cedar Rapids. For more information and important disclosures, visit www.cedarpointcap.com.
