IEQ Capital is a large financial advisory firm located in Foster City, California, a suburb of San Francisco. IEQ manages billions in client assets and employs a large team of financial professionals. As a fee-only firm, IEQ Capital only earns compensation from client-paid fees, not commissions for selling third-party products.
IEQ Capital Background
IEQ Capital opened its doors for business in mid-2019. The firm has five founders: co-CEOs Alan Zafran, Eric Harrison and Robert J. Skinner II, as well as Frank McFarland and Jeff Westsmith. IEQ Holdings, LLC is the majority owner of the firm. Skinner and Zafran appeared on Forbes' 2020 list of America's Top Wealth Advisors.
The leadership team at this firm includes three chartered financial analysts (CFAs) and one chartered alternative investment analyst (CAIA).
IEQ Capital Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes
IEQ Capital works with a variety of clients, although the vast majority are individuals with a high net worth. Other clients of the firm include a handful of non-high-net-worth individuals and several charitable organizations. Services are also made available to families, trusts, foundations, endowments, nonprofits and businesses.
IEQ generally only works with clients who have net worths of $10 million. However, the firm may accept clients whose net worths fall below that threshold.
Services Offered by IEQ Capital
IEQ Capital notably provides clients with investment management and financial planning services. The firm primarily uses separately managed accounts to manage client assets. It also may take advantage of third-party sub advisors to help with these services, though. Qualified clients may also have the opportunity to invest in private pooled investment vehicles. The vast majority of the firm's assets are managed on a discretionary basis.
The firm's financial planning services can be adjusted to each client's personal needs. However, the firm generally focuses on estate planning, tax planning, investment advice, consolidated financial asset reporting, as well as environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment management. IEQ's advisors will even work with your attorney, tax professional, insurance agent and other professionals to ensure that all of your finances are aligned.
IEQ Capital Investment Philosophy
IEQ Capital tailors its investment philosophy to the individual goals and needs of each client. Before anything else, new clients will work with their advisor to develop an investment policy statement (IPS) and an investment management agreement (IMA). These materials detail the preferences and financial situation of each client. They also specify the way in which the firm plans to manage the client's assets. The firm is willing to integrate non-financial factors into your investment plan as well, such as ESG considerations.
Advisors at IEQ typically invest client assets in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, bonds, index funds, private funds and alternative investments. When researching where your money should be invested, advisors will typically analyze macro-economic trends, while also doing internal and external research. Advisors tend to use fundamental, technical and cyclical methods of analysis to inform their investment decisions.
Fees Under IEQ Capital
IEQ Capital does not use a set fee schedule. In turn, all investment management fees are deteremined on a case-by-case basis. The firm takes into account the size of a client's portfolio, as well as the scope of services and strategies the client is taking advantage of, in order to determine how much they'll be charged.
Annual management fees at IEQ usually range up to 2% of a client's assets under management (AUM). Fees are charged on a quarterly basis, in advance, via a direct debit from the client's account.
What To Watch Out For
IEQ Capital does not have any disclosures on its legal and regulatory record, according to its SEC-filed Form ADV.
Opening an Account With IEQ Capital
If you're interested in working with IEQ Capital, you can go to the firm's website and submit a contact form. You can also call the firm at (650) 581-9807.
All information is accurate as of the writing of this article.
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