Firm Info
Firm Size
Services Offered
- Financial Planning
- Portfolio Management for Individuals & Small Businesses
- Educational Seminars & Workshops
Types of Clients
- Individuals (Not High Net Worth)
-
Individuals High Net Worth
*>=750k in Investable Assets or >=1.5m of Estimated Total Net Worth
- Charitable Organizations
Available Fee Structures
- Percentage of Assets Under Management (AUM)
- Hourly
- Fixed Fees (Other than subscription)
High Falls Advisors, Inc. Overview
High Falls Advisors, Inc. is a well-established financial advisory firm based in Rochester, NY. Since 1989, the firm has been providing investment advice and management services to both individuals and small businesses. High Falls Advisors operates as a fee-based registered investment advisory firm, which means their fees are based on a percentage of the assets under management. In addition to investment advisory services, High Falls Advisors is also a broker-dealer representative and insurance broker/agent. This allows the firm to offer a wide range of financial products and services to their clients. Their team of experienced advisors provides expert financial planning and portfolio management to help their clients achieve their financial goals. As part of the firm's commitment to educating their clients, High Falls Advisors offers educational seminars and workshops. Through these seminars, clients can learn about a variety of financial topics, including investment strategies, retirement planning, and estate planning. By providing this valuable information, High Falls Advisors empowers their clients to make informed financial decisions and achieve financial success. Overall, High Falls Advisors, Inc. is a comprehensive financial advisory firm that offers a range of services to meet the needs of their clients. With over three decades of experience in the industry, the firm has established a reputation for providing expert guidance and exceptional service.
HIGH FALLS ADVISORS, INC. serves a varied clientele comprising of individuals, high net worth individuals, and charitable organizations. Their comprehensive approach caters to clients looking for personalized financial solutions that align with their financial goals, lifestyles, and risk tolerance. Their holistic planning methodology takes into account different factors, such as legacy planning, retirement planning, investment management, and tax considerations. The firm's expert advisors strategize for each client's unique situation, ensuring they receive tailored advice and support. HIGH FALLS ADVISORS, INC. offers different fee structures based on the services provided. For investment management, the firm charges a percentage of the client's AUM, calculated annually. This percentage decreases as the client's asset base increases, providing clients with an incentive to grow their investments. For other financial planning services, the firm offers hourly billing, where clients pay for the time spent by the advisor on their financial planning. Alternatively, the firm also offers fixed fees for specific services or projects. This flexible structure allows clients to choose the payment option that best suits their needs and budget while ensuring transparency and aligning interests of the client and advisor. The firm is committed to delivering value to their clients and has tailored pricing to meet their diverse financial needs.
Typical Clients, Fee Structures & Investment Minimum
The investment minimum for HIGH FALLS ADVISORS, INC. is $100,000.00 for most Portfolio Management Services, as noted in their Part 2 Brochure. However, there may be exceptions that are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
How This Office Can Help Webster, NY Residents
High Falls Advisors provides comprehensive financial planning services to individuals and families residing in Webster, NY. The firm seeks to understand each client's unique financial situation and helps them create a tailored plan to achieve their short and long-term financial goals. High Falls Advisors offers a range of services, including investment management, retirement planning, tax planning, estate planning, and risk management. Individuals living in Webster, NY are likely to face various financial situations that require expert advice. For instance, Webster residents may be struggling to save enough money for retirement or may not know where to invest their funds for optimal growth. Other individuals may need assistance in managing their debt or creating a budget for their finances. High Falls Advisors has a team of dedicated financial experts who work with clients to identify their challenges and develop a personalized plan to address them. By understanding the unique needs of each client, High Falls Advisors can provide robust solutions that meet their financial objectives.
Services Offered by High Falls Advisors, Inc.
Core Advisor Services
Financial Planning
Financial planning services encompass the process of devising strategies for your future financial well-being, including preparing for events such as retirement, funding your child's college education, or planning for the transfer of assets.
Portfolio Management for Individuals & Small Businesses
Portfolio management entails the careful selection and strategic management of investment combinations tailored to meet the needs of individuals and small businesses.
Market Timing Services
Market timing services involve the endeavor to generate short-term profits from investments by capitalizing on opportunities to buy at low prices and sell at high prices.
Other Services
Selection of Other Advisors
The firm provides support in selecting and engaging other advisors who possess specialized expertise to complement your financial needs.
Publication of Periodicals or Newsletters
The firm engages in the dissemination of diverse financial educational materials through the publication of periodicals.
Educational Seminars & Workshops
The firm organizes and conducts seminars or workshops aimed at enlightening investors on various financial concepts.
Fee Structures
Financial advisory fees usually are based on the services provided. Fee types charged by High Falls Advisors, Inc. most likely consist of the following fee types: asset-based, hourly or fixed. Wrap fee programs, or the practice of bundling services for a single fee, are not offered by the firm.
Available
Percentage of Assets Under Management (AUM)
This fee structure charges a percentage of the assets under management by the firm. Fee structures are often tiered based on the amount of assets managed, with higher AUM often charged a lower rate.
Between 0.50% and 2.00% of assets under management (annually), often lower for a robo advisor. Fees are typically charged quarterly by the firm and will show on your investment statement. View typical advisor costs here.
~96% of registered firms offer this fee structure.
If you have $1 million managed by a firm at a 1% management fee, you would be charged $10,000/year to manage your assets (or $2,500 per quarter). This would be automatically deducted from your investment portfolio.
Hourly
Similar to an attorney, a financial consultant might charge fees based on hourly rates. This fee structure can be advantageous when seeking specific or ad hoc advice.
Charges generally span from $150 to $400 per hour, depending on the extent of the services required.
~33% of registered firms offer this fee structure.
If you needed hourly consulting to sell a business or transfer your estate to your children but did not want your assets managed by a firm, you could consult a firm at an hourly rate to answer any questions you may have.
Fixed Fees (Other than subscription)
Fixed fees are a one-time, lump-sum payment rendered for a specific service, such as creating a financial plan without ongoing management or implementation. This option is beneficial if you solely require guidance for a particular objective rather than a long-term consultancy or asset management.
Fixed fees for creating a financial plan often range from $1,000 to $3,000.
~49% of registered firms offer this fee structure.
If you did not want a firm to manage your assets but needed to create a retirement plan, life transition plan such as divorce or loss of a spouse, estate transition plan, business financial plan, or any other financial planning, you could consult with an RIA firm to help you with the creation of that plan.
Unavailable
Subscription (Newsletter or Periodical)
Commissions
Occasionally, advisors are compensated through commissions by selling certain financial products, such as mutual funds or life insurance policies, or as a broker-dealer by facilitating the buying and selling of securities. Advisors who receive commissions may be incentivized to make specific suggestions to clients in order to secure a commission. Advisors who operate on a fee-only basis do not earn commissions, whereas fee-based advisors may do so.
Often 3% - 6% of the value of the security.
Only ~3% of registered firms say they offer this fee structure, but other advisors may receive “soft dollars”. Many mutual funds charge 12b-1 fees to cover the promoting and selling of the fund’s shares. While your advisor does not charge these fees, they may receive a kickback for recommending the investment.
An advisor selling their client on a life insurance policy and receiving a commission on the sale of that policy, or recommending a specific investment and receiving a kickback for that recommendation.
Performance-based Fees
Advisors typically obtain performance-based fees if a portfolio surpasses a predefined benchmark. This fee is determined through various methods, but is most commonly assessed as a percentage of investment gains. Performance-based fees may incentivize advisors to undertake riskier decisions in pursuit of generating higher returns.
“Two and Twenty” is common among hedge funds with a 2% management fee and a 20% incentive fee above the “hurdle rate,” or performance threshold the fund is compared against.
32% of registered firms offer this fee structure.
A hedge fund earns a 15% return with a 20% performance fee in above the performance of the S&P 500, which grew 7% that same year.
20% of fund growth in excess of S&P 500’s 7% growth for that year = 15% hedge fund growth - 7% S&P 500 growth = 8% difference x 20% = 2% performance fee (in addition to the management fee).
Other
Firms occasionally offer unconventional fee structures when charging clients. For more detailed information about a firm’s specific fee structures, please refer to their Form ADV and Part 2 Brochure.
Types of Clients
*The Securities & Exchange Commission defines someone as “high net worth” if they have $750,000 or more in investable assets or $1.5M of estimated total net worth.
This Office Location
Other Office Locations
This firm has no other locations.
State Registrations
High Falls Advisors, Inc. is registered to service clients in the following states:
- California
- Florida
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Texas
Disciplinary History
High Falls Advisors, Inc. does not have any disclosures. Please visit it's Form ADV for more details.