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Interactive Financial Advisors 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.

Interactive Financial Advisors

Interactive Financial Advisors (IFA) is a Chicago-based financial advisor firm providing financial planning and portfolio management services through a variety of different asset allocation models. These models vary from short-term conservative to long-term aggressive, and they are chosen based on each client's risk tolerance.

This fee-based firm's client base is currently made up entirely of individuals. As a fee-based operation, certain advisors at IFA can receive commissions from third parties in addition to client-paid fees. This differs from a fee-only firm, which is one that only earns compensation from client fees.

Interactive Financial Advisors Background

Interactive Financial Advisors was founded in Chicago in 2003. The firm's CEO is Rick Peterbok and its managing partners are Gary Tsujimoto, Roderick Hill and Jonathan Kehinde Aina. OrganizAmerica, the sole owner of IFA, is in turn owned by Peterbok and chief compliance officer (CCO) Joanne Woiteshek.

This firm is part of a network of firms called the "CARES Companies." The group also includes Unifinancial Corporation and OrganizAmerica, the firm's owner. Unifinancial Corporation is a risk management analysis business, whereas OrganizAmerica provides information technology services to financial advisor firms.

Interactive Financial Advisors Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes

While Interactive Financial Advisors currently only works with individuals, the firm is also open to working with pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates and charities. Of IFA's individual clients, the vast majority do not have a high net worth, although a handful do. 

There are a variety of minimum investment requirements at this firm, ranging from $1,000 to $25,000. 

Serviced Offered by Interactive Financial Advisors

Interactive Financial Advisors works with clients to provide a range of both financial planning and investment management services. To be precise, the firm's services can be divided into five main categories:

  • Portfolio management services  
  • Financial planning services  
  • Advisory consulting services  
  • Selection of other advisers
  • Sub-advisory services
  • Advisory services to retirement plans

The firm's portfolio management services can be broken down into a number of strategies and accounts. These asset allocation models generally range from conservative to aggressive growth:

  • In-house investment management
    • Invest with Trust
  • Sub-advisory investment management
    • Core strategy
    • Momentum strategy
    • Global equity strategy
    • Quantum strategy
    • Tech Leader strategy
    • Diversified Tax-Efficient strategy
  • Legacy
    • Mutual fund/ETF strategy

Financial planning services at IFA are offered through a program called "CARES Client Confidential Information Organizer." The result of participating in this program is what the firm calls a "Making Life Better Official Report." Financial planning may entail advice on variety of financial topics. Specific advice ultimately depends upon what the client is looking for help with.

Interactive Financial Advisors Investment Philosophy

Interactive Financial Advisors works with clients to provide tailored investment management services. Advisors provide continuous account supervision, working with clients over the course of the engagement to ensure they have the best grasp of the client's financial situation. This includes their personal financial objectives, as well as their risk tolerance, time horizon and income needs.

Advisors use a range of investments to populate client portfolios, such as equities, fixed-income securities, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Different strategies, programs and models may involve the use of certain investments instead of others. When it comes to evaluating potential investments, the firm uses fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory and a computer-based mathematical technique known as "portfolio analyzer."

Fees Under Interactive Financial Advisors

Interactive Financial Advisors charges clients portfolio management fees based on how much they have invested with the firm. The firm's fee schedule is built using basis points (BPS), which are individually equal to 0.01%. Specific annual fee rates vary by account type, program, strategy and asset level.

Invest with Trust Fee Schedule
Portfolio Value Non-403(b) Fee Range 403(b) Fee Range
First $25K 95 BPS - 245 BPS 102 BPS - 252 BPS
$25K - $50K 90 BPS - 240 BPS 97 BPS - 247 BPS
$50K - $250K 80 BPS - 230 BPS 87 BPS - 237 BPS
$250K - $500K 71 BPS - 191 BPS 72 BPS - 192 BPS
$500K - $1MM 62 BPS - 182 BPS 57 BPS - 177 BPS
Above $1MM 50 BPS - 170 BPS 42 BPS - 162 BPS

 

Core/Momentum/Global Equities/Quantum/Tech Leader Strategies Fee Schedule
Portfolio Value Non-403(b) Fee Range 403(b) Fee Range
$2K - $25K 115 BPS - 265 BPS 122 BPS - 262 BPS
$25K - $50K 110 BPS - 260 BPS 117 BPS - 267 BPS
$50K - $250K 100 BPS - 250 BPS 107 BPS - 257 BPS
$250K - $500K 91 BPS - 211 BPS 92 BPS - 212 BPS
$500K - $1MM 87 BPS - 207 BPS 77 BPS - 197 BPS
Above $1MM 75 BPS - 195 BPS 57 BPS - 177 BPS

  

The Legacy Service Fee Schedule
Portfolio Value Annual Fee Range
$1K - $25K 135 BPS
$25K - $50K 130 BPS
$50K - $250K 125 BPS
$250K - $500K 121 BPS
Above $500K 100 BPS

Financial planning services are mainly offered on a fixed fee basis, ranging from $48 to $7,500. General financial consulting services are available on an hourly basis, and this rate ranges from $100 to $400 per hour.

What to Watch Out For

Interactive Financial Advisors does not have any legal or regulatory disclosures listed on its Form ADV.

As mentioned earlier, IFA is a fee-based firm, which means some on-staff advisors are also registered as broker-dealer representatives and insurance agents. As a result, these advisors may receive commissions from selling securities and insurance products to clients. This is a potential conflict of interest, though it is technically mitigated by the firm's fiduciary duty, which legally requires it to act in the best interests of clients at all times.

Opening an Account With Interactive Financial Advisors

If you're looking to open an account with Interactive Financial Advisors, go to the firm's website. There, you'll find the firm's email address and phone number you so you can reach out to an advisor directly.

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

Tips for Finding a Financial Advisor

  • SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
  • When you're talking about investing, investors with a significant amount of wealth are referred to as high-net-worth individuals. These investors are often given access to special services and programs that those with less money are not. Take a look through SmartAsset's guide to high-net-worth individuals to figure out if you qualify.

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