About the Firm
Objective Financial Advice Since 1998
Money Matters was founded in
June 1998. Rod spent the previous six months in a Prudential training program
to make seasoned business managers into “financial planners”. One week of
selling Prudential Financial products confirmed what Rod had suspected – he was
an advisor, not a financial sales person. While at Prudential, he was assigned
to work with two clients. They became the first two financial planning clients
of Money Matters. One of them remains a client today, 12 years later.
Fee-Only Compensation Model
From it's inception, Money Matters was committed to the fee-only practice model. Fee-only means that advice and other services are provided for a fee. No sales commissions are received. At Prudential, he was a fee-based financial planner. He worked for Prudential, and he received a sales commission for investment and insurance sales, plus a fee for managing investments. Typically, financial incentives are paid to fee-based financial planners by their employers to sell certain products over others. Clients of fee-based financial planners receive advice distorted by a sales incentive system.
Money Matters is an independent Registered Investment Advisor firm licensed by the State of Minnesota. Rod is also a Certified Public Accountant licensed by the State of Minnesota Board of Accountancy. Client securities transactions are cleared through TD Ameritrade Institutional Services. They also provide account and custodian services to Money Matters’ clients.
Family Owned and Managed
The firm is owned by Rod and
his family. Each member works part-time or provides consultation to the firm.
Family members comprise the firm’s Board of Directors.
Healthy Attitude
Money Matters is a practice, not a business. Clients come first. Relationships count. We are motivated to serve, and if we serve our clients well the firm will grow. We believe this attitude is responsible for our success. And we define success by the measurements listed below.
- Almost all clients come from referrals.
- The firm has grown by 15% annually.
- With few exceptions, most clients retain the firm for multiple financial, tax and investment services.
- Client turnover is extremely low. Our first client is still with us.