Avion Wealth, formerly known as Efficient Wealth Management, is a fee-only financial advisor firm that mostly focuses on financial planning and investment management services. The firm employs just a small team of financial advisors.
Avion gets its name because of its strong ties to the airline industry. That said, it works with a wide range of institutional and individual clients. The firm also has an office in Austin. Avion is on SmartAsset's list of the top financial advisors in The Woodlands, Texas.
Avion Wealth Background
Managing member, CCO, CEO and senior wealth manager Paul J. Carroll founded Avion Wealth in 2005. Today, Carroll remains the firm’s sole principal owner.
Avion Wealth currently employs certified financial planners (CFPs). Additionally, some of the firm’s planning associates are currently pursuing a CFP designation.
Avion Wealth Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes
For the most part, Avion Wealth's client base consists of high-net-worth individuals and individuals without a high net worth. The firm maintains advisory relationships with charitable organizations and businesses as well.
You’ll need at least $1 million in investable assets to become a client of Avion Wealth. However, the firm does reserve the right to waive this requirement under certain circumstances.
Services Offered by Avion Wealth
Avion Wealth focuses on a number of advisory services, such as financial planning and investment management. Here’s an overview of all services available at Avion:
- Discretionary portfolio management
- Asset allocation planning
- Investment planning
- Portfolio monitoring
- Periodic and as-needed rebalances
- Investment goal determination
- Financial planning
- Retirement planning
- Wealth accumulation
- Financial analysis
- General consulting
- Specialized services for:
- Aviation professionals
- Energy industry employees
- Third-party investment advisor selection
Avion Wealth Investment Philosophy
Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) is the strategy at the core of Avion Wealth's investment ideology. This Nobel Prize-winning theory details the ever-important relationship between risk and the allocation of assets in your portfolio. This means it looks to maximize your return potential without exceeding a prespecified risk tolerance. In turn, the only time the composition of your portfolio will be altered is if there is a greater return potential opportunity at the same level of risk tolerance.
Because of Avion Wealth's use of MPT, it’s not surprising that the firm’s favorite investment types principally include mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These securities are inherently diversified across entire markets, while still trading like stocks. This allows the firm to get involved in the stock and bond markets without worrying about having to pick the securities that will beat the rest.
Fees Under Avion Wealth
The fees associated with Avion Wealth's portfolio management services feature asset-based, tiered and annualized percentages. These costs are charged on a quarterly basis, in advance. Once you provide authorization to do so, the firm will begin pulling your fees directly from your account’s balance. Your custodian will send you a statement at least quarterly. The minimum quarterly investment advisory fee is $5,000 and older client relationships may be subject to different fee schedules or minimum quarterly fees.
| Discretionary Portfolio Management Fees | |
| Portfolio Value | Annual Fee |
| $0 - $2,000,000 | 1.00% |
| $2,000,001 - $4,000,000 | 0.90% |
| $4,000,001 - $7,000,000 | 0.80% |
| $7,000,001 - $10,000,000 | 0.70% |
| $10,000,001 - $25,000,000 | 0.60% |
| $25,000,001 and up | 0.50% |
Check out the table below to see how Avion'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.
| *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 Avion Wealth* | |
| Your Assets | Avion Wealth Fee Amounts |
| $500K | $5,000 |
| $1MM | $10,000 |
| $5MM | $40,000 |
| $10MM | $70,000 |
What to Watch Out For
Avion Wealth has a clean legal and regulatory record, according to its Form ADV.
Opening an Account With Avion Wealth
Those who want to become a client of Avion Wealth can call the firm at (281) 528-1200 or go online to their website and submit a contact form.
All information is accurate as of the writing of this article.
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