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CLS Investments Review

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This review was produced by SmartAsset based on publicly available information. The named firm and its financial professionals have not reviewed, approved, or endorsed this review and are not responsible for its accuracy. Review content is produced by SmartAsset independently of any business relationships that might exist between SmartAsset and the named firm and its financial professionals, and firms and financial professionals having business relationships with SmartAsset receive no special treatment or consideration in SmartAsset’s reviews. This page contains links to SmartAsset’s financial advisor matching tool, which may or may not match you with the firm mentioned in this review or its financial professionals.

CLS Investments, LLC

CLS Investments, LLC, is a financial advisory firm serving a variety of clients from individuals to business and government entities. It has been in operation since the 1980s and currently oversees more than $8 billion in assets under management (AUM). 

CLS Investments Background

CLS Investments first opened its doors to the Omaha, Nebraska, community in 1989. Today, it’s a subsidiary of NorthStar Financial Services Group, LLC. This firm is managed by TA Associates, L.P. and its affiliates. 

What Types of Clients Does CLS Investments Accept?

According to documents the firm recently filed with the SEC, CLS Investments serves the following types of individuals: 

  • Individuals including high-net-worth ones
  • Trusts and estates
  • 529 college savings plans
  • Retirement and profit-sharing plans
  • Businesses 
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Governmental entities 

CLS Investments Minimum Account Size

Account minimums vary, depending on the type of investment strategy your advisor recommends.  

Services Offered by CLS Investments

CLS Investments focuses on managing portfolios by utilizing numerous different investment strategies. A CLS advisor would work with each individual client to select an  asset allocation that is appropriate for the client, based on factors such as risk tolerance and long-term investment goals. 

Depending on your situation, your portfolio may invest in some of the following types of securities: 

In addition, your advisor may utilize AutoPilot, an automated investment program available through a partnership with Riskalyze Inc. 

In some instances, a client may have access to model portfolios available through a wrap-fee program sponsored by an investment platform provider. 

CLS Investments Investing Philosophy

CLS Investments primarily engages in active investment strategies. This means the firm can make adjustments to portfolios based on market conditions or economic outlook in order to maximize returns. These strategies can be broken down into the following four categories and objectives: 

  • Accumulation - aims for maximum return through growth of interest, capital gains and dividends 
  • Income - seeks consistent distributions from income-producing assets 
  • Protection - seeks capital growth during sustained market uptrends and protection during market downturns
  • Tax management - aims to reduce annual net taxable gains 

Fees Under CLS Investments

CLS Investments charges investment advisory fees as a percentage of assets in clients’ accounts. That percentage varies by account size and investment strategy. A portion of this advisory fee is paid to the advisor while the rest is collected by CLS Investments. 

Investment advisory services at CLS Investments are available on a wrap-fee basis. We describe the current wrap-fee schedule below: 

Some advisors working through CLS Investments may engage in non-wrap fee programs, in which case the preceding schedule may not apply. 

What to Watch Out For

CLS Investments may work with various affiliated and non-affiliated financial services firms. In some cases, your fees may account for a portion of compensation received by such firms. However, CLS Investments serves as a fiduciary and legally must work in your best interests. In addition, the firm has a code of ethics designed to minimize potential conflicts of interest. For instance, the advisor must disclose potential conflicts of interest. 

You can find the firm’s code and disclosure information by looking up CLS Investments on the SEC website. 

Disclosures

CLS Investments has no disciplinary event to disclose as of the time of this writing. You can view the latest disclosure information by accessing the firm brochure through the SEC website. 

Opening an Account With CLS Investments

You can open an account with CLS Investments by visiting the firm’s website at http://www.clsinvest.com/ or by calling 402-493-3313.

Where Is CLS Investments Located?

You can find CLS Investments at the following address: 

17605 Wright Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68130

All information was accurate as of the writing of this article.

Tips for Finding the Right Financial Advisor

  • Use our SmartAsset advisor matching tool. It connects you with up to three advisors in your area and vetted by us. All you have to do is answer a few questions about your financial situation and the tool runs the search for you. The tool also gives you access to their profiles for easy comparing and contrasting. 
  • Before you work with a financial advisor, you should be aware of what distinguishes them from the competition. Some designations such as certified financial planner (CFP) may mean the advisor is more equipped to meet your needs. You also should understand what is expected of a fiduciary advisor.

How Long $1mm Lasts in Retirement

SmartAsset's interactive map highlights places where $1 million will last the longest in retirement. Zoom between states and the national map to see the top spots in each region. Also, scroll over any city to learn about the cost of living in retirement for that location.

Least
Most
Rank City Housing Expenses Food Expenses Healthcare Expenses Utilities Expenses Transportation Expenses

Methodology We analyzed data on average expenditures for seniors, cost of living and investment returns to determine how many years of retirement a $1 million nest egg would cover in cities across America.

First, we looked at data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on the average annual expenditures of seniors. We then applied cost of living data from the Council for Community and Economic Research to adjust those national average spending levels based on the costs of each expense category (housing, food, healthcare, utilities, transportation and other) in each city. Using this data, SmartAsset calculated the average cost of living for retirees in the largest U.S. cities.

We assumed the $1 million would grow at a real return (interest minus inflation) of 2%. Then, we divided $1 million by the sum of each of those annual numbers to determine how long $1 million would cover retirement expenses in each of the cities in our study. Cities where $1 million lasted the longest ranked the highest in the study.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Council for Community and Economic Research