Investment Advisors

Choosing an investment advisor to work with can be a daunting task because they all seem to sound the same. Don’t despair, not ALL of us are the same! There are different types of advisors out there to choose from. The differences range in how they are licensed to the types of investments they can provide access to. In terms of licensing, you should ask what credentials your advisor has and how they are bound from a regulatory and legal standpoint. Most importantly don’t just take someone’s word for it, do your research and even check them out online (you may be shocked what you find doing a good Google search!) We get all those letters behind advisor’s names may mean a lot (such as CFA, MBA or CPA), or they may not mean much at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do some investment advisors differ?
The differences range in how advisors are licensed and the types of investments they can access. In terms of licensing, you must ask what credentials your advisor has and how they are bound from a regulatory, legal, and fiduciary standpoint.
What is fiduciary responsibility?
The term ‘fiduciary’ gets tossed around a lot, but there is much more meaning to the term. Essentially, it refers to the fact that an advisor has to put your interests ahead of their own. The problem that most don’t realize is that there are two types of fiduciaries within the investment management industry; a moral fiduciary and a legal fiduciary. The latter has a higher standard of care, making it an important question to ask when looking for an advisor.
What can an advisor do for me?
Mutual Fund
With a mutual fund deal license, your advisor can only provide investments in the form of mutual funds.
Transactional
With this type of advisor, each investment decision needs to be run by you first. This style generally charges a fee for each transaction that takes place in the account.
Discretionary
Discretionary means an advisor can manage your accounts daily according to an investment plan laid out at the beginning of your relationship and updated regularly to keep up with life events. This type of advisory service is best suited for those who are too busy, not interested or do not know how to manage their money independently, as it takes the onus off of you to approve any daily transactions. This style also allows for fair dealing across all clients.
Exclusive access to discretionary investment management
Sagium can provide you with exclusive access to a discretionary investment management team. Your discretionary portfolio manager is licensed to make decisions based on their knowledge of you and your investment policy statement. You will no longer have to monitor market performance and determine timely responses. Instead, your advisor takes care of what needs to be done, so you can focus on your personal and professional pursuits.

Not all investment professionals are the same

Selecting the right type of investment advisor is essential

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This form of discretionary investment counsel provides you with many benefits:

Your portfolio will not be biased by bank, brokerage, or mutual fund interests. Independence ensures that you will not be subject to pre-determined models or all-in-one fund solutions. Your portfolios are customized, managed, and monitored within your risk parameters, return objectives, time horizon, tax situations, and liquidity needs. Unlike mutual fund or transactional advisors, your portfolio manager will not sell products to generate commissions.
Your portfolio is constructed with a combination of traditional (stocks, bonds, preferred shares) and non-traditional (private equity, real estate, agriculture, and infrastructure) asset classes. Sagium's partner provides exclusive access to institutional quality investments to ensure that you are broadly diversified. Non-public investment solutions are typically unavailable or challenging to obtain by individual public investors.
Your Portfolio Manager holds a promise of accessibility, insight, and accountability, and we share this commitment. Your team has the experience, background, and expertise to handle a wide range of investor situations. You can leverage insight and execution from a wealth management team with decades of experience. Discretionary wealth managers are required to have the highest level of education and qualifications for registration.