Pinnacle Investments distinguishes itself in that it operates both as a registered broker-dealer and registered investment advisor (RIA). The company is an independent, full-service financial advisor firm located in East Syracuse, New York. The firm works with a combination of individuals and businesses. Of its individual clients, most do not have a high net worth.
Pinnacle is a fee-only firm, meaning all of its compensation comes from client-paid fees.
Pinnacle Investments Background
Pinnacle Investments has been in business in 1995, when it was co-founded by two of the firm's advisors, Gregg Kidd and Daniel Raite. Today, Pinnacle is owned entirely by Pinnacle Holding Company, LLC, which in turn is principally owned by FKAPI, Inc., a financial services holding company.
Pinnacle’s staff includes lots of advisors, many of whom hold professional certifications. Such certifications include certified financial planner (CFP), chartered retirement planning counselor (CRPC), certified retirement counselor (CRC) and chartered financial consultant (ChFC).
Pinnacle Investments Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes
Most of this firm's clients are individuals below the high-net-worth threshold. The firm also works with some high-net-worth individuals, as well as a handful of corporations.
Pinnacle Investments has a wide selection of advisory programs, and each has its own minimum account size ranging as high as $3 million. However, the majority of services have minimums somewhere between $10,000 and $250,000.
Services Offered by Pinnacle Investments
Pinnacle Investments offers a fairly standard range of advisory services to its clients. These include financial planning, portfolio management, third-party manager selection and non-discretionary consultations.
With regard to portfolio management services, some instances may occur where Pinnacle Capital Management acts as a sub-advisor to Pinnacle Investments. Pinnacle Capital Management is also a subsidiary of Pinnacle Holding Company, LLC.
The firm also has access to a number wrap fee programs, in which clients are charged a single fee that covers both management and transactional costs. Here’s a breakdown of the different options:
- Ascend
- Private Investment Management (PIM)
- Asset Advisor
- CustomChoice
- Wells Fargo Advisors programs
- Masters
- Diversified Managed Allocations (DMAs)
- FundSource
- Compass
- Allocation Advisors
Pinnacle Investments Investment Philosophy
Pinnacle Investments generally utilizes a range of securities to flesh out clients' portfolios. These include equities, bonds, commercial paper, certificates of deposit (CDs), municipal securities, mutual funds, hedge funds, government securities, options, interests in partnerships investing in real estate, residential real estate mortgage-backed securities, collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBSs) and private placement debt securities.
The Pinnacle approach to portfolio construction depends on a number of different factors, including the client’s risk tolerance and financial goals, the type of program the client is in, the investment strategy the client has chosen and more.
Fees Under Pinnacle Investments
Pinnacle Investments charges advisory fees as a percentage of your AUM. The rate you pay each year will depend mostly on the size of your account, the specific program you subscribe to and the complexity of the services you need. However, the firm may decide to negotiate a different fee arrangement based on other factors.
| Pinnacle Investments Advisory Fees | |
| Account Type | Annual Fee Rate |
| AdvisorPro | 3.00% |
| Pinnacle Capital Management | 3.00% |
| Ascend | 0.25% - 1.50% |
| Masters | 2.50% |
| Diversified Managed Allocations (DMAs) | 2.55% |
| FundSource | 2.00% |
| Compass | 2.25% |
| Allocation Advisors | 2.25% |
| Private Investment Management (PIM) | 2.75% |
| Asset Advisor | 2.00% |
| CustomChoice | 1.50% |
Clients will pay fees on a quarterly basis based on their account value on the last business day of the previous calendar quarter. The firm deducts fees directly from clients' accounts, though authorization is needed to initiate this.
What to Watch Out For
Pinnacle Investments has three disclosures on its Form ADV. Each of these are attributed to the firm directly.
Opening an Account With Pinnacle Investments
The simplest way to become a client of Pinnacle Investments is to call the firm. If you prefer to do things in person, you can also stop by the firm’s office on in East Syracuse, New York. You can also reach out via the firm’s website by heading to the “Contact Us” tab and filling out its form with your name, phone number, email address and a message.
All information is accurate as of the writing of this article.
Tips for Investing for Your Future
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