Independent Financial Partners (IFP) provides investment advisory services through its employees and independent advisor representatives (IARs) across the country. The firm works with a variety of clients, including individuals and institutions.
Independent Financial Partners Background
IFP has been providing services as a registered investment advisor (RIA) since 2008. Its home base is in Tampa, Florida. The firm is wholly owned by IFP Group, LLC, which is controlled by WKW Enterprises, Inc. The latter firm is owned by IFP’s CEO William E. Hamm and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Karen Hamm.
What Types of Clients Does Independent Financial Partners Accept?
IFP works with the following types of clients:
- Individuals who are or aren’t high net worth
- Pension and profit-sharing plans
- Charitable organizations
- State or municipal governments
- Businesses
Independent Financial Partners Minimum Account Size
While IFP does not impose a minimum account requirement, the firm recommends that clients engaging in advisory services invest at least $100,000.
Services Offered by Independent Financial Partners
IFP works with hundreds of IARs to offer a variety of services to its clients. These may include financial planning and portfolio management services. Depending on your needs and the expertise of the IAR you work with, your financial plan may cover various financial objectives including:
- Retirement planning
- Estate planning
- Trust management
- Insurance
- Tax preparation
IARs also can build and manage diversified portfolios to help you meet your long-term investing goals. The asset allocations would depend on the advisor’s analysis of your financial profile. The IAR would consider several factors such as your risk tolerance and time horizon.
In addition, your IAR may recommend the use of third-party asset managers.
Additionally, the firm works with other financial services firms such as Envestnet in order to assist individual clients and other financial advisors. Envestnet can provide advice around asset allocation, account rebalancing and other investment-related topics.
As alluded to earlier, IFP also provides access to robo advisor Schwab Performance Technologies (SPT). These services are available to individuals, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and revocable living trusts.
The firm may utilize the custodial services of the following firms:
IARs may also provide services through outside firms they’re affiliated with. Nearly all of these IARs work in an RIA capacity. Some are also licensed and registered to sell investment and insurance products.
Independent Financial Partners Investment Philosophy
IARs working through IFP will have their own investment philosophies. That said, they’re generally not limited to investing in certain securities. Portfolios may invest in such securities as:
- Stocks
- Bonds
- Mutual funds
- Exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
- Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
When evaluating these securities, an IAR may adopt various analytical methods. Among them is fundamental analysis. This involves making projections of a company's financial well-being by examining its historic performance and resources such as its financial records. The IAR uses this information to make investment decisions regarding the company's stock and other investments.
Fees Under Independent Financial Partners
IFP clients are generally charged investment advisory fees that are based on a percentage of their assets under management. That percentage typically can extend up to 2.5%, depending on the IAR. Complete details would be available on the investment advisory agreement.
What to Watch Out For
According to documents it recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), IFP has a few disclosures reported on its latest Form ADV.
IARs working through IFP may be registered to sell investment or insurance products from third-party firms. This arrangement may incentivize some advisors to make certain recommendations for the added compensation.
However, IFP and the IARs it works with all operate as fiduciaries under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. This means they are required to work in the best interests of their clients at all times. In addition, they are required to disclose potential conflicts. IFP also monitors all IARs providing services through the firm.
Opening an Account With Independent Financial Partners
You can learn more about IFP by visiting their official website or by calling the firm at 813-341-0960.
IFP is located at 3030 North Rocky Point Drive West, Suite 700, Tampa, Florida 33607.
Tips on Working With a Financial Advisor
- Keep in mind that there’s no definitive job description for a financial advisor. Not all provide the same services or are even held to the same standards. A professional designation like certified financial planner (CFP), though, tells you the advisor went through intensive training and examination and is bound by a fiduciary duty to put your best interests or face severe penalties.
- Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
All information was accurate as of the writing of this article.
