As a busy high-achieve who has accumulated substantial wealth, selecting the right financial advisor is a critical decision with significant repercussions if you make the wrong decision. Your challenge is to select a trustworthy team of experienced financial professionals working with investors like you. The good news is the Internet makes it possible to choose from various financial advisors. Then, it’s up to you to select the right advisory firm.
Many investors believed their wealth management providers were doing well during the extended bull market from 2009 to 2020. However, with increasing market volatility following the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and rising interest rates, many are contemplating a switch to a more sophisticated financial solution.
A growing trend for many U.S. investors is the selection of a Swiss wealth manager to oversee the investment of their assets. In this article, we’ll explore this phenomenon in more detail and look at various considerations you should be familiar with when you select a Swiss wealth management firm.
Defining Your Financial Goals
Before embarking on your quest to find the ideal Swiss-based wealth manager, it’s important for you to determine the services you need to pursue your financial goals.
Because Swiss financial advisors offer a range of services, starting with a clear understanding of your specific needs is an important first step.
Swiss advisors may focus on financial planning or investment management, while others offer more comprehensive services. Once you define what you need, you can start your search.
Following are some key questions to consider before you start your search:
- Do you need assistance creating and/or updating a retirement plan?
- Are you looking for support in managing your investments?
- Do you have distinct financial objectives you want to pursue?
- Do you need an estate plan that fulfills your legacy?
- Are you in need of sophisticated, tax-efficient planning services?
- Are you interested in the development of a charitable giving strategy?
Five Reasons to Consider a Swiss Wealth Manager
As your wealth grows, so do the complexities of managing it, including the need for more sophisticated planning, investment, and distribution solutions. These reasons highlight some benefits you can experience when you select a Swiss wealth manager.
- Swiss wealth managers have a deep understanding of the global financial markets.
- Wealth managers in Switzerland help clients diversify their investments across multiple asset classes and geographies, reducing risk and optimizing returns.
- Swiss wealth managers offer personalized global investment strategies tailored to each client’s unique financial goals and tolerance for risk. This is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
- Switzerland is renowned for its strong financial privacy laws and discretion, making it an attractive destination for those who value confidentiality in their financial affairs.
- Swiss wealth managers have access to a global network of financial institutions and investment opportunities, enabling clients to access a wide range of international markets and asset classes.
Other Considerations
Before you hire a Swiss wealth manager, it’s important to understand the impact of tax compliance. Assuming you reside in the U.S., you will want to discuss any potential tax obligations associated with a global investment strategy.
You also should clearly understand how you will communicate with your Swiss wealth manager. Many firms, like LFA, offer in-person and virtual meetings on a scheduled basis.
How to Vet Swiss Wealth Managers
Given the importance of your selection decision, conducting your due diligence and vetting financial professionals should be high on your priority list. You don’t want to make a subjective decision based solely on the personality of a professional or the content of a sales presentation.
Our experience shows that using consistent questions will make it easier to compare the wealth managers’ responses.
We recommend asking the following questions, plus any other questions that are unique to your situation:
- What professional qualifications does your team have that make your firm a wealth management expert? Degrees, experience, certifications?
- Can you describe your typical client?
- Are you a Registered Investment Advisor with the SEC?
- What firm has physical possession of my assets?
- Does your firm provide proprietary investment management services or rely on third parties to manage your client’s assets?
- Does your firm receive compensation from third parties for recommending their financial products?
- What is your philosophy regarding global investment management?
- Does your firm provide services that are in addition to planning and investment?
- How would we meet, and how often?
- How are you compensated for your advice and services?
A Look at Global Impact Investing
If you’re like many investors we work with, you may be looking for ways to use your investments to build a better world. The LFA team is highly regarded for its specialized expertise in global impact investing. This approach combines the pursuit of financial goals with generating positive, measurable social and environmental impact on a global basis.
Global impact investing offers the opportunity to align your assets with initiatives aimed at producing positive, measurable social and environmental impacts. This approach encompasses a variety of sectors, including sustainable energy, healthcare, education, and microfinance, enabling you to contribute to industries driving change. While the focus is on generating impactful outcomes, financial returns can vary and are not guaranteed.
Impact investing is designed to create a more sustainable and equitable world by focusing on profit and purpose at the same time.
Get to Know LFA
As a leading Swiss-based wealth management firm specializing in global investing, our team brings together years of expertise in crafting and managing custom-designed portfolios.
We specialize in both discretionary and non-discretionary investment management services. Some clients may want to approve our investment decisions before they are executed. Other clients may prefer to delegate those decisions to the team of professionals at LFA.
We also craft portfolios that cater specifically to our client’s requirements. A key portfolio management service is the development of a personalized investment policy statement. This involves documentation for our client’s risk tolerance, expected returns, investment duration, liquidity needs, tax considerations, and any other special considerations.
Our approach includes U.S., Swiss, and other European investments, providing the international diversification that our clients are seeking.
We offer compliant, detailed U.S. tax reporting for all our services.
Our dedication to a business model prioritizing trust and transparency has solidified our position as a top choice for U.S. citizens seeking planning and investment services from a global wealth manager.
We invite you to connect with us to schedule an introductory call.
