Frequently Asked Questions
Are you taking new clients?
Yes. Ramsey & Associates, Inc. is expanding and taking on new assets-under-management clients (retainer clients). We continue to build on the knowledge and experience we have acquired over nearly two decades.
What is your account size minimum for retainer clients?
$1,000,000.
What if I don't have $1,000,000?
Ramsey & Associates has created RamseyInvesting.com, a unique online and telephone investment management service with a $50,000 minimum.
For more information, please visit www.RamseyInvesting.com.
Who are your clients?
Our clients are a diverse group from all walks of life. We are committed to serving you as unique individuals with special concern for your personal needs.
How do I become a client?
Call our office at (206) 324-1950 or email info@ramseyassoc.com.
What are the credentials of the financial planners and of the firm itself?
We have two financial planners, Karen Ramsey and Shawn Donnelly, who are CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Practitioners. Ramsey & Associates, Inc. is registered as an Investment Advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and all planners are Registered Members of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), an organization of fee-only financial planners.
What services does Ramsey & Associates, Inc. offer?
We offer a full spectrum of financial planning services. These services include analysis of your financial affairs, including consideration of assets and liabilities, present and future obligations, and income and financial investment goals. We make recommendations about actions you might take toward the achievement of your financial goals by advising you on cash flow planning, insurance planning, investment planning, and retirement planning.
We assist clients in establishing an accurate picture of their current financial situation and developing a clear financial plan and investment strategy. Typically, we schedule a two-hour initial meeting that serves as our gathering session for your personal aims and your financial data. Once you and your planner agree upon the work we will do, we schedule a follow-up meeting. For more information see our Services page.
What does it mean to be a “fee-only” financial planner?
A fee-only financial planner is one who is compensated solely by the client, with neither the advisor nor any related party receiving compensation contingent upon the purchase or sale of a financial product.
Do you work on a retainer basis?
Yes. We offer on-going financial services on a yearly retainer basis.
What are your fees?
The annual fee for retainer clients is 1% of portfolio value up to $1,000,000; 0.5% of portfolio value from $1,000,001 to $5,000,000; and 0.4% for $5,000,001 and above. Mutual fund fees and separate account manager fees are in addition to Ramsey & Associates’ retainer fee. These are charged separately to the client.
Please note that our firm is a believer in full fee disclosure up front so there are no hidden fees, no hidden agenda—and therefore, no unpleasant surprises regarding fees.
Do you work on an hourly basis?
We are no longer taking new hourly clients.
What services are available for retainer clients?
Services covered by the annual retainer fee include:
What kinds of investments do you recommend?
Ramsey & Associates searches for and evaluates appropriate independent separate account managers and/or no-load mutual funds for clients. For retainer clients, we also purchase individual bonds to create individual bond ladders.
What is a separately managed account (SMA)?
An SMA is a private, individual investment account where you have direct ownership of the actual securities in the account. The SMA is managed by a professional money manager; however you, the investor, can restrict the types of securities held in the account. It can also be invested to offer maximum tax efficiency.
What are the benefits of SMAs?
Unlike with mutual funds, separately managed accounts offer separate, individual portfolio management, presenting advantages as discussed on our Services page.
How do you select the separate account managers you recommend?
Ramsey & Associates relies on an outside consultant with a rigorous due-diligence process that evaluates each potential manager’s investment performance. Managers that qualify from a performance standpoint are then examined to discover the process they have in place for security selection and portfolio construction.
The due diligence is concluded with a qualitative, face-to-face examination of the management firm. It is a process that narrows over 6,000 investment management firms down to a select few who are reviewed and approved by Ramsey & Associates Investment Committee for recommendation to clients.
How do you select the no-load mutual funds you recommend?
The no-load mutual funds we select are initially screened through the Morningstar database. The funds that pass this screening then go through a more in-depth analysis by the Ramsey & Associates Investment Committee. A quarterly mutual-fund review evaluates performance versus indices, compares similar mutual funds, checks consistency of investing style, and assesses other no-load mutual funds for potential inclusion in our recommendations.
Where will my investment account be located?
The custodian that we recommend our clients use is Charles Schwab, Inc.
Yes. Ramsey & Associates, Inc. is expanding and taking on new assets-under-management clients (retainer clients). We continue to build on the knowledge and experience we have acquired over nearly two decades.
What is your account size minimum for retainer clients?
$1,000,000.
What if I don't have $1,000,000?
Ramsey & Associates has created RamseyInvesting.com, a unique online and telephone investment management service with a $50,000 minimum.
For more information, please visit www.RamseyInvesting.com.
Who are your clients?
Our clients are a diverse group from all walks of life. We are committed to serving you as unique individuals with special concern for your personal needs.
How do I become a client?
Call our office at (206) 324-1950 or email info@ramseyassoc.com.
What are the credentials of the financial planners and of the firm itself?
We have two financial planners, Karen Ramsey and Shawn Donnelly, who are CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Practitioners. Ramsey & Associates, Inc. is registered as an Investment Advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and all planners are Registered Members of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), an organization of fee-only financial planners.
What services does Ramsey & Associates, Inc. offer?
We offer a full spectrum of financial planning services. These services include analysis of your financial affairs, including consideration of assets and liabilities, present and future obligations, and income and financial investment goals. We make recommendations about actions you might take toward the achievement of your financial goals by advising you on cash flow planning, insurance planning, investment planning, and retirement planning.
We assist clients in establishing an accurate picture of their current financial situation and developing a clear financial plan and investment strategy. Typically, we schedule a two-hour initial meeting that serves as our gathering session for your personal aims and your financial data. Once you and your planner agree upon the work we will do, we schedule a follow-up meeting. For more information see our Services page.
What does it mean to be a “fee-only” financial planner?
A fee-only financial planner is one who is compensated solely by the client, with neither the advisor nor any related party receiving compensation contingent upon the purchase or sale of a financial product.
Do you work on a retainer basis?
Yes. We offer on-going financial services on a yearly retainer basis.
What are your fees?
The annual fee for retainer clients is 1% of portfolio value up to $1,000,000; 0.5% of portfolio value from $1,000,001 to $5,000,000; and 0.4% for $5,000,001 and above. Mutual fund fees and separate account manager fees are in addition to Ramsey & Associates’ retainer fee. These are charged separately to the client.
Please note that our firm is a believer in full fee disclosure up front so there are no hidden fees, no hidden agenda—and therefore, no unpleasant surprises regarding fees.
Do you work on an hourly basis?
We are no longer taking new hourly clients.
What services are available for retainer clients?
Services covered by the annual retainer fee include:
- Overall financial planning
- Implementation of investment recommendations
- Ongoing monitoring of assets under management
- Ongoing monitoring of life-planning projections—generally updated annually
- Investment recommendations depending on client situation: mutual funds, separate account managers, bonds
- Access to separate account managers
- Creation and maintenance of bond ladders for investments in municipal or corporate bonds
- Unlimited access to portfolio information on website
- Weekly market commentary on website
- Quarterly performance reports
- Scheduling of annual reviews
- All meetings and phone calls with planner
What kinds of investments do you recommend?
Ramsey & Associates searches for and evaluates appropriate independent separate account managers and/or no-load mutual funds for clients. For retainer clients, we also purchase individual bonds to create individual bond ladders.
What is a separately managed account (SMA)?
An SMA is a private, individual investment account where you have direct ownership of the actual securities in the account. The SMA is managed by a professional money manager; however you, the investor, can restrict the types of securities held in the account. It can also be invested to offer maximum tax efficiency.
What are the benefits of SMAs?
Unlike with mutual funds, separately managed accounts offer separate, individual portfolio management, presenting advantages as discussed on our Services page.
How do you select the separate account managers you recommend?
Ramsey & Associates relies on an outside consultant with a rigorous due-diligence process that evaluates each potential manager’s investment performance. Managers that qualify from a performance standpoint are then examined to discover the process they have in place for security selection and portfolio construction.
The due diligence is concluded with a qualitative, face-to-face examination of the management firm. It is a process that narrows over 6,000 investment management firms down to a select few who are reviewed and approved by Ramsey & Associates Investment Committee for recommendation to clients.
How do you select the no-load mutual funds you recommend?
The no-load mutual funds we select are initially screened through the Morningstar database. The funds that pass this screening then go through a more in-depth analysis by the Ramsey & Associates Investment Committee. A quarterly mutual-fund review evaluates performance versus indices, compares similar mutual funds, checks consistency of investing style, and assesses other no-load mutual funds for potential inclusion in our recommendations.
Where will my investment account be located?
The custodian that we recommend our clients use is Charles Schwab, Inc.
