Capital Asset Management, LLC (CAM) is a Denver-based firm with a small staff of five financial advisors who manage almost $87 million in client assets. The firm specializes in a combination of asset management and financial planning services, like retirement planning and investing. CAM only works with individuals investors with and without a high net worth.
Some of Capital Asset Management’s employees have an opportunity to earn commissions from insurance sales. This makes the firm fee-based, as it receives income from both client fees and outside sources. This is different from a fee-only firm, which avoid conflicts of interest by only earning compensation from the fees that clients pay.
Capital Asset Management Background
Matthew D. Hickey founded Capital Asset Management in 2003, though the firm wasn’t registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) until 2016. Hickey is the president of the firm and has worked in the financial services industry for around 35 years.
The small five-person team at CAM holds a total of three advisory certifications: two certified wealth strategists (CWSs) and one certified financial planner (CFP).
What Types of Clients Does Capital Asset Management Accept?
Capital Asset Management’s client base is about 240 members strong. Almost 85% of these clients are individuals beneath the high-net-worth threshold, though there are a few high-net-worth individuals as well. The firm does not have any institutional clients.
Capital Asset Management Minimum Account Size
As a general requirement, Capital Asset Management requires new clients to have at least $500,000 in investable assets. The firm reserves the right to accept clients with less than this, though.
Services Offered by Capital Asset Management
Capital Asset Management’s advisory services can be divided into three main categories:
- Asset management
- Customized portfolio creation based on:
- Risk tolerance
- Time horizon
- Individual investment objectives
- Asset allocation planning
- Regular portfolio monitoring
- Investment discretion for clients
- Outside advisor programs
- Envestnet
- SEI Managed Accounts
- SEI Mutual Fund Models Program
- SEI Funds
- Customized portfolio creation based on:
- Retirement income planning
- Retirement account reviews
- Healthcare planning
- Social Security benefit planning
- Estate and insurance planning
- Probate fees planning
- Death and inheritance tax planning
- Death, disability and critical illness insurance planning
Capital Asset Management Investment Philosophy
The premier aim of Capital Asset Management is to create an investment portfolio that’s aligned with your personal needs. To do this, the company will do a deep dive into your financial situation so it can formulate an investor profile. When complete, this profile will detail your risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity and income needs and any specific financial or investment goals you may have.
CAM tends to stick to the basic securities. In fact, most of its investments are in stocks, bonds, mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The firm states in its Form ADV that it usually holds onto securities for the long-term, meaning a year or longer. However, under certain circumstances, it may decide to sell earlier than this.
Fees Under Capital Asset Management
Capital Asset Management’s fee schedule is standard, as rates are charged in a tier-based system according to the size of your account. In other words, the more money you invest with the firm, the better the rate you’ll get. Although shown as annual rates, these fees are billed quarterly, in advance, based on the amount of assets managed at the close of the final business day of the previous quarter.
| Capital Asset Management Fee Schedule | |
| AUM | Annual Fee |
| First $1MM | 0.95% |
| Next $1MM | 0.90% |
| Next $1MM | 0.85% |
| Next $1MM | 0.80% |
| Next $1MM | 0.75% |
| Over $5MM | Negotiable |
Check out the table below to see how CAM’s fees for its management services compare to those at similar financial advisor firms. Note that these fees are only estimates and actual costs may vary.
| *Fee estimates only consider the maximum base fees for the services each firm provides. You may also pay manager fees and other fees, which can vary in amount. **All figures are based on median fee levels according to Bob Veres' 2017 Planning Profession Fee Survey. The above estimates solely take into account AUM-only fees. Total costs will likely be higher due to additional expenses. | ||
| Estimated Fee Comparison* | ||
| Your Assets | Capital Asset Management Fees | National Median Advisory Fees** |
| $500K | $4,750 | $5,000 |
| $1MM | $9,500 | $8,500 - $10,000 |
| $5MM | $42,500 | $25,000 - $32,500 |
| $10MM | Negotiable | $50,000 |
What to Watch Out For
As a fee-based firm, some of Capital Asset Management’s advisors can earn commissions from the sale of insurance products to clients. While this represents a potential conflict of interest, the firm is a fiduciary. This legally binds it to act in your best interest at all times.
Capital Asset Management is only licensed by the SEC to operate in four states: Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana and Texas. Note that this may mean that prospective clients outside of these states won’t have access to the firm’s services.
Disclosures
Capital Asset Management has a clean legal and regulatory record.
Opening an Account With Capital Asset Management
If you want to get in touch with a Capital Asset Management advisor, call the firm at (303) 832-7770, or toll-free at (800) 843-4409. For those that prefer online communication, you can send an email to CAM@capasset.net. There’s also a form on the firm’s website that lets you put down your name, email address and a message so an advisor can contact you.
Where Is Capital Asset Management Located?
Capital Asset Management’s only office location is in Denver, Colorado at 1800 Glenarm Place in Suite 703.
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