Experts in the investment field have said the following:

"The majority of investors should invest in index funds."
Warren Buffet 2004 Annual Report

"The average actively managed dollar must 'underperform' the average passive managed dollar. This assertion will hold for any time period, and empirical analyses that appear to refute this principle are guilty of improper measurement."
Bill Sharpe 1991 Nobel Prize Winner

"For me, the strongest evidence suggesting that markets are generally quite efficient is that professional investors do not beat the market. When returns are measured over periods of 10 years or longer, 80% of active managers are outperformed by the index."
Burton Makiel Princeton Professor and author of the "Random Walk Theory"

"What's really quite remarkable in the investment world is that people are playing a game which, in some sense, cannot be played. There are so many people out there in the market; the idea that any single individual without extra information or extra market power can beat the market is extraordinarily unlikely. Yet the market is full of people who think they can do it and full of other people who believe them. This is one of the great mysteries of finance: Why do people believe they can do the impossible? And why do other people believe them?"
Daniel Kahneman, Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs at Princeton University and 2002 Nobel Prize winner

For some investors, active investing is exciting. However, investing was never meant to be exciting. Instead, it should be about providing investors with the greatest odds of achieving their financial goals with the least amount of risk.

Two of our core competencies are:
1. Establish a long-term client relationship

We have a consultative client relationship process that is achieved in a series of meetings precisely orchestrated to know our clients' financial challenges and then execute a comprehensive investment solution for them.

We work with a select number of clients ...we don't take clients unless we can add substantial value to their financial lives.

Our clients refer their friends and business associates to us due to our trusted personal relationship.
2. Leveraged with other strategic partners

We are aligned with a group of top advisors who share the same philosophy. Our group allows us to have the lowest fees possible with custodians, banks and fund providers.

We are an approved advisor with one of the most respected passive institutional mutual fund managers in the world.

We have a fixed income group that is able to leverage its' buying power to benefit our clients. These markets can have very expensive hidden markups that we are able to avoid.

We have formed professional relationships with other financial experts that are accessible to our clients (estate planning attorneys, accountants and risk management experts).

The selection of an investment advisor is a major decision. Subtle differences become magnified over time, and many people make this decision without being aware of its significance. Below is an example of how a small difference in market return can have an enormous impact on one's quality of life during retirement.

Making the right decision at age 50 can provide an increase in annual spending of $40,000 at retirement. Besides having a higher living standard during retirement, one would have an additional $6,000,000 to give to their heirs at age 90.

Example:

Age: 50
Retirement Age: 65
Current Portfolio: $1 million
Savings for next 15 years: $40,000/yr.

Outcome:

Making the right decision at age 50 can provide an increase in annual spending of $40,000 at retirement. Besides having a higher living standard during retirement, one would have an additional $6,000,000 to give to their heirs at age 90.

Conclusion:

Making the best investment decision (option 2) is critical, and one should carefully evaluate the merits of their investment advisor.

Our typical client is very smart and inquisitive. Our experience has taught us that intelligent people appreciate data, logic and evidence when making critical decisions. They do not make decisions quickly, but rather conduct careful due diligence to insure that they have the best odds of success on their side.

We work with a limited number of clients for whom we can add significant value. We work primarily with corporate executives or business owners to simplify their financial life so they have more time to do what they love. We have a particularly strong relationship with Anheuser-Busch.

Roughly half of our clients are in St. Louis, with the other half located around the United States.

We ask ourselves these three simple questions when evaluating a new relationship:

1. Are they fun?

2. Are they comfortable delegating?

3. Do they understand our investment philosophy?

The initial decision is the asset allocation for each client. Studies have shown that this decision determines the vast majority of the investment returns. The breakdown between equity and fixed income is client specific and based on each client's ability, willingness and need to take risk. We also perform a Monte Carlo analysis that shows outcomes using different asset allocations...this provides valuable insight in determining each client's proper allocation.

After deciding on the Equity/Fixed Income breakdown, we will determine the breakdown of the various equity asset classes and fixed income selections. The end result will be a diversified portfolio that provides the best odds of success to achieve each client's financial goals.

The next decision is the asset location or placement of assets in the taxable and tax-deferred accounts. The most tax efficient assets (US Large Equity, Intl Large Value) will be held in the taxable accounts. The most tax inefficient assets (Fixed Income, REITs) will be held in the tax-deferred accounts.