Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about our services, process, privacy, and financial planning.
Eight questions we get every week.
If yours isn't here, write to us. We answer everything in writing.
Q01 Are you a fiduciary?
Yes. We are registered investment advisors under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, which means we are legally bound to act in your best interest. We hand you a signed fiduciary pledge at onboarding. If we ever breach it, you have a direct claim.
Q02 How are your advisors compensated?
Every advisor is salaried. No commissions, no product bonuses, no sales quotas. The firm earns money from client subscriptions and AUM fees — that's it. We do not receive kickbacks from lenders, insurers, or fund companies.
Q03 What states do you serve?
All 50. We hold resident insurance licenses in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Texas; non-resident licenses in the remaining 46 states. NMLS #2489017 covers loan originator activity nationwide. SEC registration covers investment advisory nationwide above the $100M AUM threshold (we are above it).
Q04 Can I use you for just one service — say, a mortgage?
Yes. About 40% of clients start with a single transaction (a loan or a policy). The Foundation plan covers that at $0. If it makes sense to coordinate later, we'll suggest it — but we won't push.
Q05 What credit score do I need to qualify for a loan?
It depends on the product. Conventional mortgages: 620 minimum, 740+ for best rates. FHA: 580. VA: 580 (no official minimum, but most lenders want 580). Auto: 660+ for prime rates. Personal: 640+. We can pre-qualify with a soft pull — no score impact — in 90 seconds.
Q06 How quickly can you close a mortgage?
Our 2024 average was 18 days for purchases and 14 days for refinances. The industry median was 38 days (ICE Mortgage Monitor, Q4 2024). We control underwriting in-house, which is the bottleneck at most lenders. Appraisal is the one variable we can't compress.
Q07 What's the minimum to start investing?
$25,000 for managed accounts. Below that, we'll point you to a robo-advisor (we recommend Betterment or Wealthfront) and bring you over when you cross the threshold. Direct indexing starts at $250,000.
Q08 Is my data secure?
256-bit AES encryption at rest, TLS 1.3 in transit. SOC 2 Type II audited annually by Withum. We use Plaid for bank connections (read-only, no credentials stored). We never sell data. We share information with lenders and insurers only when you authorize a specific application. Full details in the Privacy Policy.