FAQs
When it comes to finances, it’s hard to know what you don’t know. That’s our job.
What makes Pioneer different from other financial advisors?
We founded Pioneer Wealth in 2004 to provide objective, fee-only financial advice to the Austin community — before the word “fiduciary” was common parlance. We are now a team of 12, helping clients not just in Austin, but across the country not just imagine a vision for their financial future, but realize it.
We think the following things make us special:
We are big enough to be powerful, yet small enough to be personable.
Our size allows us to provide the best of both worlds: The capabilities of a large firm with a boutique experience and personal touch. Every client has their own dedicated advisor who learns about their goals and the things that matter most to them in life. This ongoing relationship allows the value we provide to continue to improve over time, like a fine wine.
Most of our clients have worked with us for years or even decades, and we are proud to be one of the first people they contact whenever they have significant life events or celebrations.
We never receive commissions, kickbacks, or any other kind of financial incentives for our recommendations.
Surprisingly, about 90% of the wealth management industry is still comprised of commissioned salespeople who sell products like annuities, insurance, and high-fee investment products under the banner of financial advice. These products help the advisor and their firm generate commissions and fees but may not be in the best interest of the client.
By contrast, Pioneer Wealth has been a fee-only fiduciary firm since our founding in 2004. We have never accepted commissions for products, services, or any other recommendations. Our only concern is supporting our clients’ financial well-being and providing them with the most objective advice possible.
We are always honing our technical skills and are actively engaged in furthering the integrity of the financial advice industry.
Financial planning is part art and part craft. When we are not meeting with clients, we dedicate a significant portion of our time to continuing education. Each advisor on the Pioneer Wealth team has at least one professional designation, with several team members holding multiple designations.
In addition, we are exceedingly proud of Partner Daphne Jordan, CFP®, who recently served as Chair Emeritus of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, the leading association of fee-only financial advisors advocating for high professional and ethical standards. In 2024, she testified in front of Congress on behalf of the CFP Board to support the DOL Retirement Security Rule, which would require retirement account advice providers to adhere to fiduciary standards and act in their clients’ best interests.
What is a fiduciary (and are you one)?
A fiduciary is legally and ethically bound to act in your best interest at all times. When offering advice on investment and insurance products, fiduciaries commit to offering unbiased advice and recommendations based on what they believe is best for their client. In addition to the fiduciary standard, fee-only advisors do not earn commissions from selling financial products. Pioneer Wealth is proud to be both a fee-only and fiduciary firm.
Unfortunately, many financial advisors are not fiduciaries. Non-fiduciary advisors will often recommend expensive financial products (e.g. annuities, permanent life insurance, mutual funds) that may generate large commissions for the advisor while maximizing profits for the advisor’s firm.
Why do I need a wealth manager? Can’t I do all this myself?
We might be biased, but we truly believe everyone can benefit from having the guidance of a financial advisor.
We help all kinds of clients – from those for whom the thought of investments gives them hives, to successful DIYers who have decided they wanted to save some time and get a second opinion from experts. We also work with high-net worth individuals whose financial situations have become too complex to handle themselves.
Our clients have shared they love working with an advisor for the following reasons: • They enjoy having the support of an experienced financial advisor to help them avoid big mistakes that could put their goals in jeopardy, like surprise tax bills, insufficient portfolio diversification, or being underinsured. • They are busy professionals who prioritize career and/or family, and they don’t have the time or bandwidth to stay on top of their finances. • Their financial lives have become too complex to manage themselves. They are trying to manage retirement accounts, business income, equity compensation, college savings, and so on — and they are feeling stuck or overwhelmed. • They are contemplating retirement and need someone to help them create an action plan. They want to know the answers to questions like: At what age can they retire? How much can they withdraw every month, and from where? Where should they get health insurance? Can they afford to travel? Will they be able to leave money behind to family? • They need support in making major financial decisions, such as changing jobs, buying or selling real estate, investing an inheritance, handling a major life transition, retiring abroad, or paying for college.
Who is an ideal Pioneer Wealth client?
Everyone is welcome! We love working with individuals and families at all stages of life. If you believe in the value of comprehensive financial planning and want to transform or simplify your financial life, we would love to meet you.
Many of our clients are tech executives, attorneys, physicians, small business owners, busy professionals, dual-income households, and retirees.
Our happiest clients: • Are open to a collaborative and educational process • Value the guidance of subject matter experts• Are committed to “doing their homework”
Our skillsets allow us to best serve clients with $500,000 or more in investable assets. However, our flexible servicing model makes it possible for us to serve a wider range of clients through a flat-fee planning arrangement. Fill out our contact form to see if we might be a good fit.
Will you work with me where I live?
We are based in Austin, Texas but serve clients across the country (and abroad). We would love to meet with you virtually or in real life at our downtown office or satellite location in Kingsport, Tennessee.
How much does it cost to work with you?
We offer three engagement models for our clients:
Comprehensive Financial Planning + Investment Management. We work with you to develop a comprehensive financial plan, make recommendations to optimize your financial picture, and manage an investment portfolio that is aligned with your plan. Investment management support includes investment selection and portfolio rebalancing, strategic asset location for tax efficiency, and retirement distribution strategies.
We calculate our fee based on the amount of assets we manage for you. Use the table below to calculate what your annual fee would be, noting our annual minimum fee is $4,000.
Annual Fee | Assets Under Management
1.00% | On the first $2,000,000
0.85% | On the next $2,000,000
0.55% | On the next $2,000,000
0.25% | On the next $4,000,000
0.10% | On assets $10,000,001+
Flat-Fee Financial Planning. We provide comprehensive financial planning for a flat six-month or annual rate, without investment management services. Our fees start at $4,000 annually and are based on the complexity of your financial picture.
We also offer hourly engagements for new and existing clients who are seeking guidance with specific questions or life events. Hourly fees range from $250–$1,000 based on complexity. Contact us for more details.
What is your investment philosophy?
We rely heavily on historical data and research to guide our investment approach. Core tenets of our philosophy include global and industry diversification, size, value and profitability factor tilts, managing portfolio costs, minimizing taxes, and maintaining discipline during periods of market volatility.
We do not time markets or make tactical portfolio changes, as evidence suggests most active management approaches (e.g., market timing, stock picking, excessive trading) have not been able to generate consistent outperformance. We build our investment portfolios using a diversified mix of low-cost exchange traded funds (ETFs).
I prefer not to invest in fossil fuels/weapons/other segments of the market. Can you create an investment portfolio tailored to my personal values?
Yes! We strongly believe your investments should reflect your personal values. We offer environmental, social, and governance (ESG) options that can align with your preferences.
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