Our Counter Story
The financial industry uses the term “wealth management” very loosely and is not well defined. For many firms, “wealth management” simply focuses on providing investment advice, selling insurance, or creating a one-off financial plan.
Our view, however is much broader. Wealth management is anchored by having a trusted financial partner to guide you life’s financial twists and turns. It’s having a team who knows you and your family, who knows what you care about, and understands the core values you are trying to live out in your life.
True wealth management is about bringing all the fragmented aspects of your financial picture together, aligning them to a clear financial purpose, then building a coherent web of connections between elements such as your retirement goals, tax planning opportunities, charitable endeavors, the structure of your estate plan, and much more. At its core, it’s weaving all financial elements together to give you clarity and confidence to live out a purposeful, meaningful life with your finances.
Counterweight Private Wealth is a fee-only, fiduciary advisory firm, which means the only compensation we receive comes directly from our clients. We do not receive any commissions, “kickbacks” or other compensation from any other entities. We feel this structure provides the most transparent and objective way of aligning our interests directly with you, the client.
Yes, Counterweight Private Wealth is a fiduciary. A fiduciary duty is the highest standard of care and it requires acting in the best interest of the client at all times and in all situations.
Are all financial advisors fiduciaries?
Not all financial advisors are fiduciaries, and it is important to understand how they are compensated. Many advisors are actually commissioned salespeople who are held to only a suitability standard not a fiduciary standard.
Our choice to limit the number of households we serve is a purposeful decision. Our boutique size enables us to deeply understand each individual's unique needs, goals, and values, and to build lasting relationships based on trust. It allows us to provide a higher level of personalized service and attention to each client.
As a boutique firm, our clients receive direct access to senior wealth advisors and a level of personal touch that larger firms can't match. Our team is nimble and responsive, able to adapt quickly to changes in clients' lives or the markets.
As an independent firm, Counterweight Private Wealth can choose which custodian best serves the needs of our clients. After a thorough due diligence process, we have selected Fidelity to be our primary financial custodian. This means that your assets are held directly in their custody, ensuring they are with one of the largest, strongest, and most financially sound institutions in the world.
We have our roots deeply planted in Raleigh, North Carolina, where we first established our excellent reputation with clients throughout the state.
Over the years, our firm has expanded its reach, deepening our specialization and expertise to serve many clients throughout the United States.
Yes, Counterweight Private Wealth is a licensed advisory firm, regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This oversight ensures that we adhere to strict federal regulations and standards designed to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation.
Our compliance with SEC regulations underscores our commitment to transparency and integrity in all our financial practices and client interactions.
Our advisory team holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®) designations, which might sound a bit formal, but here’s what they really mean for our clients: Our wealth advisors have gone through nationally recognized training programs, with rigorous exams to master financial planning and retirement strategies.
The CFP® certification ensures that the credential holder has met a high standard of excellence in financial planning. The RICP® is focused on specialized advice for developing retirement planning strategies.
When evaluating new clients, our firm is primarily focused on whether the potential partnership is the right fit, not just the size of their investment assets. That said, we generally require new clients have a minimum of $1 million of investment assets, although exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The reality is that our highly specialized expertise and the depth of our planning are best suited for clients with more complexity, commonly associated with a minimum of $1 million or more in investable assets. The majority of our clients have between $2.5 million and $10 million under our care.
The name Counterweight symbolizes our firm's commitment to providing balance and stability for our clients' financial lives. Just as a counterweight serves to balance and stabilize a scale or other mechanism, we strive to act as a balancing force for our clients, helping them navigate life's financial complexities and challenges.
By serving as your counterweight, we help you find equilibrium between your short-term needs and long-term aspirations, ensuring that your wealth works in harmony with your core values.