ARGI Investment Services is a registered investment advisor (RIA) with billions in client assets under management (AUM). Based in Louisville, Kentucky, the firm serves individuals, business owners, certain institutions and more. Its financial advisors are spread across eight other cities, including Atlanta and Cincinnati. The firm has a low general minimum investment of $100,000.
Besides being named a Financial Times Top 300 Registered Investment Advisor six times between 2014 and 2020, the firm holds the top spot in SmartAsset's lists of the top financial advisors in Louisville and the top financial advisors in Kentucky.
ARGI Investment Services Background
ARGI Investment Services originally started as a franchise of American Express Financial Advisors in 1995. In 2003, it separated from American Express (which changed its own name to Ameriprise), and offically changed its name to ARGI in 2005. Today, it’s owned by ARGI Holdings, Inc., which in turn is owned by CEO Joe Reeves, president Neil Quinlanan and an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Reeves is a certified financial planner (CFP) who has been with the firm since 1996.
ARGI Investment Services Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes
ARGI Investment Services works with non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, pooled investment vehicles and charitable organizations. However, individuals make up the vast majority of its client base.
The firm generally requires a minimum investment of $100,000 for portfolio management services. However, it may waive this requirement under certain circumstances.
Services Offered by ARGI Investment Services
ARGI Investment Services designs long-term financial plans that address a variety of topics including:
- Tax management
- Insurance solutions
- Retirement savings
- Estate planning
The firm also offers various investment management programs through its independent advisor representatives (IARs). However, you can work with the firm’s investment committee if you’re in the ARGI Asset Management Program II. This requires a minimum investment of $100,000, though.
ARGI Investment Services Investing Philosophy
The firm's investment committee is responsible for designing, maintaining and monitoring its model portfolios. These model portfolios follow different strategies, including tactical asset allocation, strategic asset allocation, the "SmartCap" strategy (bases security weightings on company-specific metrics other than size) and a strategic asset allocation that invests in exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These four core strategies are available at six different levels of risk tolerance, from conservative to aggressive.
The firm also offers the following: individual bond strategies, individual stock strategies, a dividend-focused portfolio, the Defensive Equity Portfolio, the SmallCap Factor 15 Model, the S&P Select Portfolio, the Concentrated Stock Option Portfolio, the Artificial Intelligence Portfolio, the BlackSwan Options Portfolio and the Strike Zone Options Portfolio.
Fees Under ARGI Investment Services
ARGI Investment Services charges annual asset-based fees for its investment advice. These fees vary, depending on the investment program and asset level. Here is the tiered schedule for the firm's Asset Management Program II:
| ARGI Asset Management Program Fee Schedule | |
| Account Size | Annual Fee |
| $0 to $1,000,000 | 1.25% |
| $1,000,000 - $2,500,000 | 0.85% |
| $2,500,000 - $5,000,000 | 0.70% |
| $5,000,000 - $10,000,000 | 0.60% |
| $10,000,000 - $20,000,000 | 0.50% |
| $20,000,000 - $50,000,000 | 0.40% |
| $50,000,000+ | 0.25% |
Here's the estimated dollar amount you'd pay in advisory fees based on the size of your account:
| *Estimated investment management fees do not include brokerage, custodial, third-party manager or other fees, which can vary in amount. | |
| Estimated Investment Management Fees at ARGI Investment Services* | |
| Your Assets | ARGI Fee Amount |
| $500K | $6,250 |
| $1MM | $12,500 |
| $5MM | $42,750 |
| $10MM | $72,750 |
What to Watch Out For
ARGI Investment Services has a clean legal and regulatory record according to its SEC-filed Form ADV.
Opening an Account With ARGI Invesment Services
Those looking to open an account with ARGI Investment Services should go to the firm's website to request an advisor to reach out to them. As an alternative, feel free to call the firm at (502) 753-0609.
All information was accurate as of the writing of this article.
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