Our relationship with Michael Kitces
Our relationship with Michael Kitces.
At Buckingham, we believe that a whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We believe it’s our duty to share our collective wisdom. And above all else, we believe in following evidence over intuition.
Over the years, we’ve partnered with bright, like-minded individuals to help find, create, and evaluate evidence-based investment and planning strategies – and Michael Kitces is no exemption. As our Head of Planning Strategy, Kitces explemplifies our strategic approach, and has helped shape the Buckingham experience.
The ideal fit.
Buckingham’s extensive wealth management services are ideal for individuals and families with significant investable assets. It’s these clients who will have the most optimal experience with our fiduciary, evidence-driven, highly collaborative approach.
Evidence before everything.
When clients place their trust in us, we honor that trust by relying on decades of peer-reviewed research to inform and validate our recommendations. It’s an extraordinarily complete wealth management experience – incorporating and advising on virtually every aspect of your financial life. We call it “doing well by doing right.” Because we firmly believe one should never come at the other’s expense.
Buckingham by the numbers
-
Founded
1994
-
Total Clients
13,120
-
Client Assets Under Management
$28.31
Billion*
-
Team Members
600+
-
Advisors Focused on
Serving Our Clients258
Clients, team member and number of advisor Information as of June 30, 2023
*As of December 31, 2023, Buckingham, managed $25.47 billion on a discretionary basis and $1.56 billion on a non-discretionary basis for a total of $27.03 billion assets under management. In addition, Buckingham provided services to $1.28 billion of participant-directed retirement plan assets. In the aggregate, the total number of assets under management or administration was $28.31 billion.
**Team member number includes BSW and BSP associates.
The prowess of our process.
Our three-step process – Design|Build|Protect™ – keeps your values, needs and concerns at the forefront of everything we do and ensures we deliver a better wealth management experience.
-
Step 1: Design Process
By discovering, and continually rediscovering, your ever-changing values, goals and challenges, we ensure your personal and financial priorities align. Starting from where you’d like to go allows us to ensure every step we take brings you closer to where you’d like to be.
-
Step 2: Build Process
Next, we’ll create and continually evolve an evidence-driven plan to get you there. It’s a comprehensive approach which employs the resources and strength of our entire team as we co-plan your financial future together and work toward fulfilling your more granular goals like debt optimization, education funding and long-term care.
-
Step 3: Protect Process
Life isn’t linear, and neither is any effective investment strategy. That’s exactly why we continually and proactively educate our clients on how changes in the markets, economy and tax legislation can improve their overall plan. Because as your goals and values change, our strategies and advice should as well.
All about you. All the time.
-
Retirement Planning
Work to ensure the retirement you want by skillfully planning all aspects of your future financial resources to align with your desired lifestyle.
-
Tax Planning
Shape your financial picture with smarter, more tax-efficient strategies.
-
Estate & Trust Planning
Safeguard your financial resources to ensure the legacy and impact you wish to have on future generations.
-
Business Owner Planning
Enhance and integrate the value and capability of your business or professional practice.
-
Charitable Giving
Support causes that align with your values while better positioning your financial future.
-
Investment Planning
Benefit from a portfolio based on evidence-driven investment methodology backed by more than 80 years of peer-reviewed financial research and market studies.
Kitces makes the case.
Great minds think alike. Greater minds act alike. Michael Kitces comments on why he connected with the evidence-driven approach of Buckingham and the power and possibilities of the Buckingham partnership.
How we are compensated
Buckingham has been proudly fiduciary and fully transparent with fees since its very first day nearly 30 years ago. As a fee-only wealth management firm, our fees from clients are based on a percentage of our managed client assets in any given year. This structure underpins our ability to give fully independent, fiduciary advice and further puts us “on the same side of the table” as our clients. So, when you do well, we do well.
The annual fee for Buckingham’s wealth management or asset management services is charged on a quarterly basis and is based on a percentage of the assets under management/advisement and typically ranges from 0.35% to 1.25% per year depending on the size and complexity of the client's accounts as well as services required or unique client circumstances. Buckingham generally has a minimum annual fee of $3,000.
While we will not engage in hourly consulting, in a limited number of circumstances we will engage in one time, planning only engagements. Such engagements are limited in scope and duration and are entered into with good upfront intentions to ultimately use our wealth management services.
Tax preparation services are available but charged separately.