Here are a few questions that prospective clients ask frequently when we have our initial investment meeting with them. Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Intelligent Investment Management, LLP (IIM) is a State Registered Investment Adviser Firm regulated by the Colorado Division of Securities. To verify the Firm’s status as a Registered Investment Adviser Firm, you may follow this link to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Website here: http://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/Content/IapdMain/iapd_SiteMap.aspx then click the Investment Adviser Search in the left hand column.  From here you can type in the firm name (Intelligent Investment Management, LLP) or search by CRD #108833 or by SEC Registration #801-64029. With the results you can follow the links to the Firm's form ADV filed with the regulators and view the Firm registration status.

To verify the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation, visit the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Board of Standards website and follow the process to search a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.

A financial advisor held to a fiduciary standard occupies a position of special trust and confidence when working with a client. As a fiduciary, the financial advisor is required to act with undivided loyalty to the client. This includes disclosure of how the financial advisor is to be compensated and any corresponding conflicts of interest.

• As your Durango based State Registered Investment Adviser Firm we will have the authority toMake transactions in your Charles Schwab & CO., Inc. account in order to allocate your investments according to your financial plan and the Investment Policy Statement created for you
• Request a check be sent directly to you, or a transfer be made to a like named account. No funds can be withdrawn or likewise transferred out in any other name except for your ow
• Deduct management and investment advisory fees from your accounts per our Investment Management Agreement and Fee Schedule. Account debits in excess of the normal or usual investment advisory fees (noted in our form ADV which is on file with Charles Schwab & CO., Inc.) are not allowed. Charles Schwab & CO., Inc. has safeguards in place to prevent excessive investment advisory fee debits from being processe
• View online, monitor, maintain and discuss your accounts directly with you.

No. Charles Schwab & CO., Inc. has custody of your investments. Custodians have implemented safeguards to protect you and your financial assets. For example:

• Any funds leaving your account will only be sent by the custodian directly to your address of record and in your name. Your address will not be changed by anyone in our office. We will, however, give you telephone or online instructions on how to update your physical and/or mailing address with Charles Schwab & CO., Inc.
• Any money transferred out of an IRA account (with the exception of the Firm’s investment management fees) may only be transferred into an account with the exact same registration. For example, an account in the name of John and Jane Doe may only transfer to another account in the exact name of John and Jane Doe. For non-IRA accounts, fund distribution is subject to approval from Charles Schwab & CO., Inc. through “Move Money” forms provided to our office that the account owner must sign.
• Charles Schwab & CO., Inc. retains on file a copy of the Firm’s most current Form ADV and reviews billing fees that Intelligent Investment Management, LLP submits to insure fees are not billed in excess of the stated billing schedule.

Yes. The Firm carries professional liability insurance in the amounts of $1,000,000 per claim maximum and $2,000,000 per year total. If you would like a copy of our professional liability insurance policy please contact James Brost to request a copy.

Intelligent Investment Management, LLP maintains state of the art security measures. While no guarantees can be made in the current day and age of cyber hackers and other criminals, we have consulted with our technology providers who feel confident that we are doing what we can to protect our clients to the fullest extent available. We are very concerned with computer security and take this matter very seriously. In addition, we test our security measures on a regular basis.

Yes. By law we cannot disclose your private information to anyone but you, or your other financial advisors (attorneys, accountants, estate planners) with your written consent. Our clients' information is highly confidential and we take this matter very seriously.

Over the last twenty-five plus years, we have developed an investment strategy for managing our clients’ nest eggs to meet their long-term investment goals; with investments that are time-proven, broadly diversified and provide reasonable total returns (both growth and current income). Our Active Management strategy includes regular reviews of the underlying fundamentals of each position, as it relates to the total portfolio that evolves with the economy and investment horizon. Over the years we have fine-tuned the portfolio by both adding and deleting positions that circumstances dictate; all with the goal of preserving principal and growing wealth at reasonable rates of return.

On a broad basis, our portfolio is divided between equity positions (for both growth and income) and income positions (primarily for predicable cash flows):

• The Total Equity Allocation is divided between Domestic Equities (including large, mid, and small cap funds) and Alternative Equities (currently focused on real estate, energy and commodities to meet the needs of a growing economy; including both funds and individual listed companies). Both allocations include positions in Regulated Investment Companies (or RICs) that are managed by professional investment managers as Closed-End Funds (CEFs). In our opinion, CEFs offer advantages over other fund types (such as open-end Mutual Funds and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). 
• The Total Income Allocation is divided between a CD/Bond Ladder (with serially maturing individual securities paying fixed rates of interest) and Alternative Income positions in CEFs that are currently focused on the growing needs for power (e.g.  utility companies) and all types of infrastructure needed to support communities across the globe. The CEFs pay regular and significant dividends, as well as  growth in value with a growing economy.
• Each portfolio can also include allocations to cash set aside for specific needs and/or emergencies.
• Depending on each client’s unique needs and goals, a total client portfolio is designed that includes all of the above allocations, in amounts specific to each client.
• The majority of clients currently have total allocations of between 60 to 65 percent equities and 35 to 40 percent income and cash allocations. Allocations typically are adjusted up or down depending on a combination of economic and geopolitical circumstances to provide both growth and downside protection.
• Our goal is for each client to pass the “sleep at night “ test. Each client’s allocation is documented in an Investment Policy Statement that is updated as circumstances dictate.

No. We absolutely do not guarantee returns whatsoever.  We put together solid and focused financial and retirement plans for our clients which are designed to help them achieve their goals. Financial and investment planning is more of an art than it is a science, and we cannot predict the future nor guarantee returns in any form.

Absolutely! We work diligently for all of the Firm's clients and as such, the overwhelming majority of them are happy to provide a reference regarding the Firm’s services. While not every client chooses to provide a reference (some high profile clients wish to maintain their privacy), you can contact Intelligent Investment Management, LLP, and we will be happy to contact our clients for permission to pass along their names and email addresses or contact numbers.

No. We will not hold or take custody of cash or securities in any form for any time frame. We will however forward checks and/or securities directly to Charles Schwab & CO., Inc., by the next business day via overnight delivery service.

Charles Schwab is a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), assets custodied with Charles Schwab & CO., Inc. are insured by SIPC up to $500,000 for each separate account. For details, please see www.sipc.org

Additionally, Charles Schwab & CO., Inc. provides each client $149.5 million worth of protection for securities and $2 million of protection for cash through supplemental coverage provided by London insurers.

Such insurance DOES NOT protect your investment principal from market fluctuation or volatility; however it does provide protection in the event of your custodian going out of business.

Intelligent Investment Management, LLP (IIM)  trades securities through Charles Schwab & CO., Inc. They do not charge any custody fees. Trades initiated by IIM are executed by Charles Schwab & CO., Inc.  Trade confirmations and monthly account statements are provided by Charles Schwab & CO., Inc. Clients can receive these in either paper or electronic format. IIM sends quarterly performance reports to all of its clients in either paper or electronic format. Reports sent electronically will be uploaded to a secure online client specific AdvisorVault account.

We utilize Black Diamond, a comprehensive performance reporting package to help us provide clients their quarterly performance reports. All account activity is downloaded and reconciled daily. This data is stored in IIM’s computer database and backed up locally and remotely.

We provide quarterly performance reports, which specifically state the beginning balance, contributions and withdrawals, the different sources of return, the ending balance, and the percentage and dollar return net of fees during that time frame. We also send to each client a monthly letter that addresses a variety of investment and economic issues.

The client will also receive from Charles Schwab & CO., Inc. a monthly statement via mail or an email notice informing them that they can view their statements electronically.  Statements list their securities and the associated current values as of month-end. Furthermore, as securities trades are executed, each client will receive a confirmation statement with full details of each buy or sell.

Our Firm fees are not only competitive; they’re a great value for the services provided and value added to your financial and investment planning!

We are happy to provide you an apples to apples comparison of the fees you are paying another advisor (or the proposed fees you will pay another financial advisor) and our fees. Our fees are simple to understand and reasonable. Most importantly, we believe in FULL DISCLOSURE – so we never hide or bury our fees like other brokers or “financial advisors” who are commission or "fee-based" (not fee-only).

Yes, as part of the financial and investment planning process we can help ensure your investment assets, both through work related retirement plans and separately held at the directed custodian, will work in concert together.