Frequently Asked Questions

• Why should I use a financial planner?

• What is a CFP Practitioner® or Certified Financial PlannerTM Practitioner?

• When do I need a financial planner?

• What is Georgia Investors Services' philosophy toward investing?

• What kind of personal contact will I have with Georgia Investors Services throughout the financial planning process?

• How and when will I receive updates on my account?

• Can I access my information electronically?

• Does Georgia Investors Services have direct access to my money?

• What advantages does Georgia Investors Services over the bigger, more well-known names in Financial Planning?

• What is your fee structure?

Why should I use a financial planner?

You face decisions every day that impact your long-term financial planning. That is where objective financial advice can make the difference. A good financial planner can help you design and implement a comprehensive financial plan to make your vision a reality. The right financial plan can help you answer your short-term questions and provide you with a road map to guide you into your future.

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What is a CFP Practitioner® or Certified Financial Planner^TM Practitioner?

The CFP certification is a professional certification for a financial planner conferred by the Financial Planner Board of Standards in the United States. In order to receive authorization to use this designation, the candidate must meet education standards, pass rigorous examination, pass requirements for ethics, and pay an ongoing certification fee which keeps planners up to date with current techniques, etc. Please learn more at www.cfp.net.

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When do I need a financial planner?

The main purpose of a financial planner is to assist you in the comprehensive planning of your financial affairs. The need for a financial planner may come at many stages of your life, but we find it is most pertinent in these situations:

• Planning for retirement

• Buying a home

• Saving for your child's education

• Handling the inheritance of a large sum of money or other unexpected financial windfall

• Preparing for a marriage or divorce

• Planning for the birth or adoption of a child

• Facing a financial crisis such as a serious illness, layoff or natural disaster

• Caring for aging parents or a disabled child

• Coping financially with the death of a spouse or close family member

• Funding education

• Buying, selling or passing on a family business

• Charitable giving

What is Georgia Investors Services' philosophy toward investing?

When we meet with you for the first time, we will discuss your goals, objectives, and risk tolerance to get a feel for what you are trying to accomplish. For example, if your goal is to retire at age 65, we will help you determine the amount of income your portfolio will need to generate each year to supplement your income. Then, we can select the proper investments for your portfolio to generate income or grow the asset base for future needs. Since the amount of income changes due to market factors and changes in your individual goals and objectives, we will constantly review our plan of action.

We have model portfolios in place for each type of investor ranging from: aggressive, growth, balanced, conservative & income investors. Usually, you will fit into one of these categories. We typically invest in mutual funds for our core holdings and primarily use stocks, preferred stocks, bonds and ETF funds to add value and diversification to our portfolios. Come see us today and we can determine which portfolio is right for you!

Please note that diversification does not ensure a profit and does not protect against losses in declining markets.

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What kind of personal contact will I have with Georgia Investors Services throughout the financial planning process?

At Georgia Investors Services, we believe that regular, personal communication is a key to better understanding your changing needs and goals which in turn impact your financial plan. We monitor your investments and will call as often as needed to provide updates and to discuss pertinent changes affecting your accounts.

Because everyone's needs are different, during our initial meeting, we will also discuss how often you would like to sit down and review your goals and plan.

We will also come up with a plan to create a proper timeframe for your investments. This is important because eventually, you will shift from an accumulation phase to a distribution phase, where you will need to supplement your income from your investment portfolio, taking a monthly income from your account. This will shift you from one portfolio model to the next, which requires a rebalancing/repositioning of the investments. A set distribution plan will ensure a smooth transition from the working world into retirement.

In addition to regular personal contact, we conduct a monthly financial planning conference call for all of our clients where we discuss current financial planning topics as well as provide an overview of the current market. These calls usually take place on the last Wednesday of every month and are a good way to help educate our clients about what's happening in the market, a particular strategy we are using, as well as inform them of a variety of planning topics we are analyzing going forward. Check out one of the previously recorded conference calls in our Archive.

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How and when will I receive updates on my account?

We monitor your investments. We will call as often as needed to provide updates and to discuss pertinent changes affecting your accounts. You will receive monthly statements for your active retail brokerage account and quarterly statements for your retirement account. In addition, we are always available to discuss your questions or concerns.

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Can I access my information electronically?

Upon opening an account with us, you will have the option to sign up for online access. This will give you the ability to view your current portfolio at any time. Also, you will receive monthly statements for an active retail brokerage account and quarterly statements for a retirement account.

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Does Georgia Investors Services have direct access to my money?

No, Georgia Investors Services, LTD does not have direct access to your money. Georgia Investors Services, Ltd (GIS) is our independent financial planning firm. We are a non-affiliate (independent) of NEXT Financial Group and Pershing, LLC. NEXT Financial Group is a broker-dealer, which, by definition is an intermediary for a buyer and a seller. NEXT Financial Group handles all of our back office duties, such as handing all applications/paperwork, producing statements, requesting funds to be released to the client from the clearing firm, and also make sure we follow the regulatory requirements by the SEC (Securities & Exchange Commission) and FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority). In short, each broker dealer is an intermediary between representative firms (Georgia Investors Services, LTD) and clearing firms (Pershing, LLC). In order to buy or sell stocks, bonds, or options on an exchange, each broker dealer needs a clearing firm that works closely with an exchange to handle the confirmation, delivery and settlement of transactions.  You will never be asked to deposit a check to Georgia Investors Service, LTD nor will you ever receive a check from Georgia Investors Services, Ltd. In order to find more information, please visit: www.pershing.com or www.nextfinancial.com.

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What advantages does Georgia Investors Services have over the bigger, more well-known names in Financial Planning?

Since Georgia Investors Services, LTD is an independent financial planning firm, we are not pressured by a parent company to direct you into proprietary products. Thus, we can choose from a wide variety of investment choices the financial industry has to offer. Also, since our firm is independent we do not have to pass the larger costs (associated with bigger firms) on to clients in the form of higher fees.

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What is your fee structure?

We have three different types of fee structures depending on the client's goals and objectives.

1. Management Clients - We develop and implement a comprehensive financial plan, design, monitor, and actively manage the investment portfolio. We also collaborate with your CPA, estate attorney, banker, lawyer, etc to make the most appropriate recommendations for your current situation. The fee for this type of service is a management fee based on the value of your investments. This annual fee usually ranges from .90%-1.30% of your assets. This is the suitable option if you want full portfolio management and full service planning.
2. Commission Based Clients - We develop a plan and portfolio for a client based on their goals and objectives. Then, we review and make changes on an annual basis or as each individual situation permits. This is the most appropriate option if you want a "buy and hold" portfolio that is not actively managed. We are compensated based on transaction commissions and/or advisors fees from mutual funds.
3. Planning Fee - We develop a plan and a portfolio for a client based on their goals and objectives. We then review these investments and plan on an annual basis. This is the most suitable option if you want to manage your own account but need guidance. We are compensated based on a one-time planning fee.