Avion Wealth
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.
The Avion Wealth team is made up of advisors who hold the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and chartered retirement planning counselor (CRPC) designations.
Avion Wealth Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes
Avion Wealth's client base primarily consists of high-net-worth individuals, although the firm also works with individuals who do not have a high net worth. Avion Wealth also offers services to charitable organizations, corporations and other business entities.
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 offers investment consulting, portfolio management and advanced planning services. The firm works with clients to identify factors such as their goals, risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs and broader financial circumstances, then uses that information to develop and manage discretionary portfolios.
The firm also provides advanced planning services as part of its wealth management offering. These services may address tax and cash flow strategies, wealth transfer, asset protection and charitable giving. Avion may also refer clients to outside professionals, such as accountants, attorneys or other specialists, when appropriate.
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. n turn, the composition of your portfolio will generally be altered only if there is an opportunity for greater return potential at the same level of risk tolerance.
Because of Avion Wealth's use of MPT, it’s not surprising that the firm’s preferred investment vehicles principally include indexed 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 are 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 - $2,500,000 | 1.00% |
| $2,500,001 - $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 - $50,000,000 | 0.50% |
| Above $50,000,000 | Negotiable |
What to Watch Out For
Avion Wealth has a clean legal and regulatory record, according to its Form ADV.
As a fee-only practice, Avion Wealth's revenue comes from client-paid fees, not commissioned products and services like securities and insurance. This reduces the number of potential conflicts of interest the firm may have.
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 visit its website and submit a contact form.
All information is accurate as of the writing of this article.
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