what credentials and experience does victor wendl have as a financial advisor?
Victor Wendl, president of Wendl Financial Services, Inc. received an MBA from the University of Illinois - Champaign Urbana and is a Certified Financial Planner™. A Certified Financial Planner™ requires passing a comprehensive examination showing competency in insurance, estate planning, retirement planning, income taxation and investments. It also requires 30 hours of continuing education every 2 years. Victor Wendl also holds the Chartered Financial Consultant designation that requires passing six examinations in a wide range of financial planning topics as well as ongoing continuing education requirements. Victor Wendl has been in business providing investment advice and financial planning for 16 years.
what are the fees, charges and expenses that a client incurs after transferring an account to wendl financial services, inc.?
The firm charges an annual asset management fee of 0.75% for all accounts that range in size from $500,000 - $1,000,000 and 0.5% management fee for accounts greater than $1,000,000 in size. A small transaction fee is charged for every buy or sell order that takes place in an account. This transaction fee is not charged by Wendl Financial Services, Inc., but the broker/dealer that executes the transaction. Transaction fees are typically less than 0.1% of the account value in any one year.
what amount of communication from victor wendl can the client expect on an annual basis?
Every client can expect at least 3 personal meetings in my office on an annual basis to review the account. These personal meetings will also give the advisor an opportunity to cover other financial planning topics that might be relevant for that particular client's personal financial situation. In between personal meetings, the client may receive a telephone call updating them on the status of their account and other relevant developments. Once a quarter, every client will receive a letter from Wendl Financial Services, Inc. that addresses a timely financial topic as well as a summary of the management fee deduction for their particular account.
what is the investment philosophy of wendl financial services, inc. and will it be communicated to me so that I can understand it?
Every client will complete a risk profile questionnaire and the results of that information along with the individual's age and personal life situation will be used to construct an Investment Policy Statement. The Investment Policy Statement is easy to read and will include an asset allocation recommendation as to what percentage of the investment account is in stocks, bonds and cash. The recommended stock allocation in a client's account will be biased towards a value investment philosophy. The two major styles of investing in stocks are growth and value. Growth investors are looking for stocks with large increases in sales and earnings over the recent past. They are less concerned about the price paid for a stock provided the momentum in sales and earnings continues driving the share price higher. A value investor looks for stocks that are low in price relative to the underlying earnings and assets of a company. Stocks that are artificially depressed in price due to negative reports in the financial press or a general trend lower in the overall market are prime candidates for value investors to purchase. Although each style, both growth and value, go in and out of favor over secular time periods, the value investment style has shown above average performance over long time periods. Many advisors claim to embrace the value investment philosophy, but upon closer inspection of their recommendations, it is not the case. The stock portion of a client account managed at Wendl Financial Services, Inc. conforms to the strict interpretation of value investing as written by Benjamin Graham, the father of the investment philosophy.
what is the compliance and disciplinary history of victor wendl?
Wendl Financial Services, Inc. is in full compliance with all regulations as a state Registered Investment Advisory firm. No disciplinary complaint has ever been made by a client in the history of the firm. To review the compliance history of Wendl Financial Services, you can visit the SEC website and run a search under the advisory firm name.
The Certified Financial Planning Board of Standards website can be visited to review any compliance issues associated with any Certified Financial Planner™. At the website, search for the name Victor Wendl to confirm there are no compliance issues.
does wendl financial services, inc. use an independent custodian for client accounts?
An independent custodian in the securities industry performs the function of holding cash and securities for the client that is separate from the person providing financial advice to the client. This is an additional layer of protection to the client where the independent custodian's main function is to guard the client's assets, monitoring all activity that takes place in the account. Wendl Financial Services, Inc. uses the independent custodian, JP Morgan Clearing Corporation, for all client accounts.
what correspondence will I receive on my account from the independent custodian?
The independent custodian, JP Morgan Clearing Corporation, will send out monthly account statements to the client that summarizes transaction activity in your account, including every transaction of money into and out of the account. This monthly correspondence to the client is independent from the investment advice provided by Wendl Financial Services, Inc. on an ongoing basis.
does wendl financial services, inc. receive any extra fees or compensation from the independent custodian on their client accounts including 12b-1 fees or "soft dollar" payments for doing business with them?
Wendl Financial Services, Inc. does not receive any extra fees or compensation for using the services of the independent custodian, JP Morgan Chase Corporation. In no way does the use of JP Morgan Clearing Corporation's custodial services influence the advice Wendl Financial Services, Inc. gives to its clients.
can I be provided with the names of other clients of wendl financial services, inc. as references?
Yes. Most of my clients come to Wendl Financial Services, Inc. through a client referral, so many individuals considering using my advisory firm probably know several of my clients already. If further references are needed before choosing my advisory firm that can be arranged.
why should i choose an independent investment advisory firm such as wendl financial services, inc. over a large investment house whose name i recognize immediately?
The criteria one should use to go with one investment advisor over another has more to do with experience and credentials rather than brand recognition. Many of the independent investment advisors in the St. Louis area are some of the most experienced and well respected in the industry. Many have chosen not to work for a large firm because of a desire to give uncompromised advice to their clients. By working for a large firm, some advisors feel pressured at times to recommend certain products that were not suited for their clientele. Many people after choosing an independent investment advisor feel they receive better service because their dealing with the owner of the firm who is loyal to his customer base rather then an employee working in a large firm.
what kind of protection does my account have from theft and bankruptcy?
Each account is insured by SIPC up to $500,000 with additional private insurance on top of that for larger accounts. Insurance does not protect investors from losses in their account due to market fluctuations. The insurance only provides protection from theft and bankruptcy of assets held in the account.
can my account lose money?
Unlike a CD at a bank, the account is not insured against loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. We make every effort to analyze your tolerance for risk and take that information along with your age to make recommendations that are appropriate, but this does not guarantee that a loss of principal can occur.
