Ranked by SmartAsset as one of the top financial advisors in Indiana, Valeo Financial Advisors is a large fee-only advisory firm with billions in assets under management (AUM). The firm offers services such as financial planning and portfolio management. Based in Carmel, Indiana, Valeo also has offices in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia.
Valeo Financial Background
Valeo Financial was founded in 2003 and has been registered with the SEC since March 2006. The company is owned and managed by its members: John C. Trott, John T. Wortman, P. Richard Evans, Timothy A. Ginn and Gregory A. Fulk, who also serves as Valeo's chief compliance officer (CCO).
Valeo Financial Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes
Valeo Financial advises the following types of clients:
- Individuals
- High-net-worth individuals
- Estates
- Pooled investment vehicles
- Charitable organizations
- Other corporations or business entities
The firm does not have a set minimum account size.
Services Offered by Valeo Financial
Offerings from Valeo Financial include personal advisory services and institutional advisory services. The firm manages assets on both a discretionary as well as a non-discretionary basis.
In terms of personal advisory services, the firm provides individuals and their families with independent, comprehensive financial planning and investment advice (usually related to a client's business, cash flow, charitable giving, education funding, estate planning, liabilities, insurance investments, retirement and taxes). Recommendations vary from client to client.
In terms of institutional advisory services, the firm provides these to trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations and other business entities. Institutional advisory services are mostly related to investment management consulting and involve helping clients manage their investment decisions and selecting specific service providers.
The firm may provide financial planning and related consulting services if a client requests them. Additionally, it offers pro-bono planning and investment advice services to local and regional nonprofits and their clients.
Valeo Financial does not participate in a wrap fee program.
Valeo Financial Investment Philosophy
Valeo Financial derives information for its investment research from various third-party sources, including but not limited to Litman/Gregory, Fidelity and Morningstar. Other sources the firm uses include financial newspapers and magazines, research materials prepared by others, corporate rating services, annual reports, prospectuses, SEC filings and company press releases. The methods by which the firm analyzes securities may include charting, fundamental, technical and cyclical.
The main investment strategy the firm uses for client portfolios is a strategic asset allocation with tactical adjustments based on asset-class, meaning that Valeo may recommend a tactical allocation when it believes that there is an opportunity to overweight or underweight a particular asset class.
Furthermore, Valeo may use one or more of the following strategies for managing assets:
- Equity
- Fixed income
- Commodities
- Hedge funds
- Managed futures
- Margin transactions
- Master limited partnerships
- Pooled investment vehicles
- Short sales
- Timber
- Venture capital
- Real estate partnerships
- Options purchasing and option writing
Fees Under Valeo Financial
Valeo is a fee-only financial advisor, meaning that it is compensated only through fees paid directly by clients. The firm calculates fees once a year and then bills quarterly installments in advance. All fees are negotiable, including minimum fees, when a client faces unique circumstances. With clients' consent, the firm typically deducts fees from an account of the clients' choosing. Clients may also pay by check.
Personal Advisory Services
Personal advisory services involve a one-time setup fee equal to one full quarterly fee, plus an annual fee that is based on the client's net worth and adheres to the following fee schedule:
| Net Worth | Annual Fee |
| First $7.5MM | 0.40% |
| Next $7.5MM | 0.20% |
| Over $15MM | 0.10% |
The minimum annual fee is $7,500. The firm may offer an "Emerging Client" program to clients who have a manageable investment portfolio of less than $350,000 or other unique financial situations. This arrangement also involves a one-time project fee and no quarterly fee, among other parameters.
Here is the estimated dollar amount you'd pay in personal advisory fees based on the size of your account:
| *Estimated investment management fees do not include brokerage, custodial, third-party manager or other fees, which can vary in amount. | |
| Estimated Investment Management Fees For Personal Advisory Services at Valeo Financial Advisors* | |
| Your Assets | Valeo Financial Advisors Fee Amounts |
| $500K | Doesn't meet the minimum fee |
| $1MM | Doesn't meet the minimum fee |
| $5MM | $20,000 |
| $10MM | $35,000 |
Institutional Advisory Services
Institutional advisory service fees also have a minimum annual amount of $7,500. More specifically, they involve a one-time setup fee equal to one full quarterly fee, plus a fee schedule based on a percentage of the investment portfolio as follows:
| Portfolio | Annual Fee |
| First $7.5MM | 0.40% |
| Next $7.5MM | 0.20% |
| Next $15MM | 0.10% |
Here is the estimated dollar amount you'd pay in institutional advisory service fees based on the size of your account:
| *Estimated investment management fees do not include brokerage, custodial, third-party manager or other fees, which can vary in amount. | |
| Estimated Investment Management Fees For Institutional Advisory Services at Valeo Financial Advisors* | |
| Your Assets | Valeo Financial Advisors Fee Amounts |
| $500K | Doesn't meet the minimum fee |
| $1MM | Doesn't meet the minimum fee |
| $5MM | $20,000 |
| $10MM | $35,000 |
The firm does not charge any performance-based fees.
Learn more about advisors' typical costs here.
What to Watch Out For
Within the past 10 years, Valeo Financial has not undergone any disciplinary or legal action deemed material to a client’s evaluation of its business integrity. You can view its latest Form ADV on the official website of the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC). As an SEC-registered investment advisor, the firm is legally obligated to uphold its fiduciary duty and work in clients’ best interests at all times.
Opening an Account With Valeo Financial
To open an account with Valeo Financial, you can visit the firm's website or call (317) 218-6000.
All information is accurate as of the writing of this article.
Tips for Finding a Financial Advisor
- Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
- Ask candidates whether they adhere to the fiduciary standard of putting clients’ interests first. Yes is the ideal answer, of course. But they may follow a lower standard of providing only suitable recommendations.
