In my last few blog posts, I discussed the benefits of being an RIA, what to look for when joining, and the pros and cons of creating your own versus joining an established one. In this post, I’m going to share why I think Key Client is worth your consideration if you decide to head toward the RIA world and join an existing franchise.

Everything we have ever done at Key Client has been based on the simple idea that we have been there ourselves. I, myself, have been in a wire house for over 20 years and in the independent world for over 15 years. I have seen the pros and cons of each of these channels, and we designed KCFA to offer the best elements of what the industry has to offer. We are all practicing advisors who are reminded daily about what is needed to run and grow a successful franchise.

Below are three key elements of our success:

1. Advisor Flexibility: We believe that the advisor knows what’s best, and we want them to be able to do their job. It’s as simple as that. And, while we expect the highest ethical standards from our advisors, we do not insert ourselves into the advisor-client relationship, nor do we dictate models to our affiliates.
2. Costs: We have designed our cost structure to be competitive and straightforward. We work on an override basis with just a few separately notated fixed costs, which means we do not have a laundry list of “nickel and dime” fee charges.
3. Top Shelf Support: We have partnered with some of the top service providers in the industry to create a platform that allows our affiliates to operate in an efficient and productive manner. Our custodian partner (Charles Schwab) is an industry leader and has the full range of products and services that any successful advisor could want. Our technology package includes a portfolio management system through Black Diamond, a CRM through Salentica, and financial planning tools through Money Guide Pro. We have also partnered with local insurance agencies to allow our affiliates to provide a wide range of insurance products, and we have the ability to offer 338 and 321 services on retirement plans.

Our services are arranged in three basic levels:

Bronze Level: Provides RIA services, which includes our state-of-the-art technology package.

Silver Level: Provides bronze services plus professional sales support.

Gold Level: A total turnkey platform. It provides the silver level plus space and all other office services.

At KCFA, we have constructed a model that can adapt to your business structure and create an environment where your company can thrive.

I hope you’ll consider us.

Key Client Fiduciary Advisors, LLC (“KCFA”) is an SEC-registered investment adviser located in Fairfield, New Jersey.  This blog post is limited to the dissemination of general information pertaining to KCFA’s investment advisory services.  The information in this blog post should not be construed as personalized individual advice.  A copy of our KCFA’s written disclosure statement as set forth on Form ADV, discussing KCFA’s business operations, services and fees is available upon written request.