877.554.8150 CLIENT LOGIN About Us What We Offer Discipline & Results How We Compare Investor Institute Awards Contact Us Home < About Us < How We’re Different How We're Different Our Story How We Compare Why Independence Our Beliefs Our History 12 Reasons To Choose Institutional Direct In this booklet you'll learn: What most advisors don't want you to know Read Our Guide How We're Different Unlike other investment firms (fee-only investment advisors and retail advisors), Linden Thomas & Company directly manages money for their private client (Institutional Direct). We also have a team of CFP®s, CFAs, FPs, FAs, and other industry experts that work together to help each client. This enables each client to plan, manage, and navigate before and during retirement. The main benefit is that our structure removes unnecessary layers of fees. There are four main disadvantages when investments are placed in third-party mutual funds: Hidden fees Pricing disadvantages Assets are pooled with other investors Clients have no relationship with the money manager Old School Versus New School Historically, investors could hire a financial planner or financial advisor for a fee to invest in products like mutual funds, annuities, and ETFs. The downside is the investor is charged a fee for advising while incurring additional fees to be placed in pooled investment products like mutual funds or ETFs (which carry hidden trading costs and pricing disadvantages which impact investment results). This means that investors have high costs from the advisor but if you peel back the onion you find other hidden fees of products that can be very expensive. Disadvantages Of Investment Advisors Advisor fees can be high The portfolio is not managed directly for clients Investor's money is pooled with other investors Products often carry layers of fees and pricing disadvantages Pricing is often high, and results are often low Seldom do advisors have a team of experts to help manage and enhance results Often investors don't know the real cost or results because there's no transparency Pricing disadvantages Do it yourself investors Tailored tax needs Often when investors get tired of paying fees to an advisor who invests in products, (potentially because of poor advice, high cost, or adverse results) they will take it upon themselves to invest in no-load mutual funds like index funds. While this does save some advisor cost, this now limits investors when it comes to research and having a team that helps navigate making decisions as they get old and needs and markets change. Disadvantages Of Do-It-Yourself Investing Limits access to a team of professionals. Investors still pay mutual fund costs. Assets are often invested in mutual funds which can carry hidden costs and pricing disadvantages. Investors don't have access to the industry's top technology and investing systems. Often as investors age, they need a team to help navigate income, tax, and risk needs. While you save advisor costs, you still pay the hidden cost of investment products. New School - Linden Thomas & Company Institutional Direct Institutional Direct is a discipline where we manage our clients directly through individual securities (individual stock and bond purchases). Because Linden Thomas & Company is the asset manager, it employs a team of expert CFPs, CFAs, advisors, and other industry experts. This gives each of our clients the benefits of having their assets managed directly and not through a third party. As a result of hiring us directly, clients avoid the high cost of investment advisors and the hidden cost of third-party mutual funds. Our client's portfolios are tailored and managed directly for each investor, giving each of our clients total control and transparency while minimizing cost and portfolio inefficiencies of pooled investing. Through Linden Thomas & Company's tailored portfolio management, each investor gains the ability to have their assets managed through equity and fixed income portfolios with proved time-tested results. The Benefits of Institutional Direct include: No more high advisor costs No more hidden mutual fund costs No more pooled investing Reduce portfolio inefficiencies that impact investment results No uncertainties of results and costs "Most advisors know what is right for their clients, but what is right is not easy, so they choose easy." ~ Stephen L. Thomas Why Doesn'T Every Investment Advisor Do What Linden Thomas & Company Does? Simply, it comes down to background, desire, team, and costs. When Linden Thomas & Company founder Stephen Thomas began his career 30-plus years ago in Washington, DC, his goal was to build a private wealth asset management firm committed to offering the best advice and delivering the best results. While many of his peers were satisfied in selling mutual funds for a fee, Thomas was busy developing a team that could build proven and consistent results Over the years, Thomas and his team have been recognized 30 times as one of the top advisors and wealth management firms. What most investors don't know about pooled investment products like mutual funds, ETFs, and annuities are they carry significant disadvantages that are often hidden to the naked eye. While inefficiencies are not visible, they do impact investor results. Items That Impact Investment Results In Pooled Products Small investor herding impact Hidden trading cost Expense ratios Spreads on trades Pricing disadvantages Quality of holdings Low yields to maturity Phantom taxes No transparency All of these items are seldom discussed by advisors and fund companies and they all can impact results. This is why Linden Thomas & Company built a private investment firm with a focus on tailoring and building private portfolios through individual securities. "It's not what you say that's important, it's what you do." ~ Stephen L. Thomas How To Compare Linden Thomas & Company Versus Your Investment Advisor Click Here to See Full Size Chart Interested in Learning More? See why investors choose Linden Thomas & Company to manage their money and how we can help you achieve your financial goals. Contact us today. 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