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Braver Wealth Management: Frequently Asked Questions

How are you compensated?

As a fee-only firm, we are compensated exclusively by our clients.  We sell no products and accept no referral fees, commissions, sales charges or other compensation from any source.  This allows us to be completely objective when making recommendations to our clients.

Fees for investment management are generally calculated as a percentage of assets under management.  Click here for a complete description of our investment fees.

Fees for financial planning and tax preparation are charged on an hourly basis ranging from $150 to $300 per hour.   For all large planning projects we provide a project quote prior to beginning our work.

Do you have an account minimum?

Yes.  Our minimum requirement for investment management or financial planning is $500,000 in assets under management.

What is your investment philosophy?

At Braver Wealth Management we believe there is no one right way to manage money, which is why we maintain six distinct investment programs.  These range from a traditional asset allocation program to unique wealth preservation programs.   In the same respect, there is not a single portfolio that is right for all clients.  Every portfolio is customized to meet a unique set of circumstances (age, goals, time horizon, tax status, risk tolerance and income needs).

We realize that what matters to our clients is not what they earn, but what they keep.  We evaluate the expense and tax implications of all our investment choices.  To accomplish our goals we use no-load (or load-waived) mutual funds (including index funds) and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). 

What is wealth preservation?

Wealth preservation is based on the philosophy that it is more important not to lose money than it is to make money.  If you lose 20%, you need a 25% return to break-even.  Our wealth preservation programs have three goals:  to make money, to perform in line with objective market benchmarks, and to avoid significant declines.  They have historically provided equity-like returns with significantly lower risk.

What is your investment track record?

Each of our six different investment programs has its own performance and risk/reward characteristics.  Click here for a description of each program along with performance histories and metrics.

Why choose Braver?  

Braver Wealth Management is an established firm with over 20 years experience, over $360 million in assets under management, and a strong investment track record.  Our proprietary Wealth Preservation investment programs make us unique in the investment community.  As a fee-only advisor we are objective and maintain the highest integrity in all of our recommendations.

Clients appreciate our wide range of services including financial planning, investment management, tax preparation, tax planning, and family office services.

Who is a typical client?

We work with a wide range of clients, often spanning multiple generations of a single family.  There are two general categories of clients.  One category consists of clients in the process of building wealth as mid-career professionals, corporate executives or business owners.  The second category is retirees, many of whom depend on their portfolios for income.  The common theme is that our clients are generally seeking a long-term relationship with their wealth manager.

Do you offer hourly planning?

Our financial planners are available on an hourly basis to all investment management and tax clients. 

Do you offer tax preparation?

Yes.  Many of our clients choose to have their tax returns prepared by a CPA within our wealth management team.  The integration of tax preparation with investing and financial planning can be very helpful.

How do I get started?

Call David D'Amico or Debbie Levenson at 617-969-0223 to learn more.  Or you can email ddamico@thebravergroup.com or dlevenson@thebravergroup.com.