Jasper Ridge Partners is a fee-only financial advisor firm that is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, and can serve investors in Texas and California. Wealth preservation and investment management are at the core of Jasper Ridge Partners’ services.
Jasper Ridge Partners Background
Jasper Ridge Partners was originally part of billionaire businessman Robert Bass’ investment company, Robert M. Bass Group, which was established in 1985. Jasper Ridge Partners became a separate firm in 2005. Today, Jasper Ridge Partners is under the ownership of managing partners Mark Wolfson, Richard Hayes, Linda Assante, Jeremy Wolfe, George Phipps, Cayman Seacrest and Cori Duncan.
Certifications at the firm include certified public accountant (CPA) and one chartered financial analyst (CFA).
Jasper Ridge Partners Client Types and Account Minimums
Jasper Ridge Partners has an exclusive client base. The firm serves a few ultra-high-networth individuals and families. However, it mostly works with private investment vehicles. These vehicles typically manage the assets of individuals, institutions and pooled funds. The firm also manages the Jasper Ridge Charitable Fund.
Jasper Ridge Partners sets its minimum investment requirements on a client-by-client basis.
Services Offered by Jasper Ridge Partners
Although Jasper Ridge Partners’ list of services may appear fairly short, the firm is actually quite flexible in what it can provide. This allows the firm’s advisors to individually customize plans for every client. Below is an overview of Jasper Ridge Partners’ available services:
- Family and individual clients
- Wealth preservation and enhancement
- Investment management
- Estate planning
- Tax minimization and planning
- Philanthropic gift planning
- Institutional clients
- Investment management
- Risk-adjusted and liquidity-adjusted portfolios
- Investment advice
Jasper Ridge Partners Investment Philosophy
Jasper Ridge Partners’ first step in any advisory relationship is to determine the client’s exact needs. The firm seeks to clarify the client’s risk tolerance, liquidity needs, time horizon and financial goals so the advisor can appropriately allocate the client’s assets. Should the client desire specific investments in his or her portfolio, the firm will take the client’s preferences into account.
In the name of wealth preservation, Jasper Ridge principally utilizes long-term investment plans. However, the firm is not blind to the possible returns of short-term strategies, and it may use tactical tilts to take advantage of any such opportunities. In general, though, Jasper Ridge will use all or some of the following investment types in client portfolios: U.S. and foreign securities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, hedge funds, fixed income securities, public and private equities, currencies, cash equivalents, real assets, private debt, options, warrants and commodities.
Rebalances and reallocations are a major part of the firm’s strategy once it invests clients’ assets. The firm bases all decisions related to these actions on its own proprietary analysis of a client’s investments and how the investments are performing in the context of the overall market, among other factors.
Fees Under Jasper Ridge Partners
Jasper Ridge Partners doesn’t provide specifics on its fee schedule in its Form ADV, as the firm negotiates all of its fees on a per-client basis. The main cost associated with Jasper Ridge’s services is an advisory management fee, which is based on a percentage of each client’s total AUM. The firm provides clients an annual rate, and it charges clients on a quarterly basis. All fees are withdrawn directly from client accounts, in advance.
Additionally, Jasper Ridge Partners charges some of its clients performance-based fees. Rates and requirements vary for every client, so the firm will determine exactly what these fee arrangements will look like on an individual basis.
What to Watch Out For
Jasper Ridge Partners is a notably exclusive firm. Unless you’re an ultra-high-net-worth individual or an institutional investor, Jasper Ridge Partners likely won’t be a good fit for you. Furthermore, the firm is only licensed by the SEC to conduct business in California and Texas.
Potential clients should also note that the firm includes performance-based fees in certain clients’ fee schedules, which it details in clients’ advisory agreements. The firm’s inclusion of performance-based fees could present a conflict of interest, as advisors may be inclined to recommend riskier investments in an effort to produce the returns necessary to earn a performance-based fee. Jasper Ridge Partners is a fiduciary, though, meaning it is legally bound to act in clients’ best interests.
According to the firm’s Form ADV, Jasper Ridge Partners does not have any disclosures.
Opening an Account With Jasper Ridge Partners
The best way to get into contact with Jasper Ridge Partners is via phone or email. You can send a message to the firm’s general inquiry email at investor_relations@jasperridge.com, or you can call any one of its branches listed below:
- Fort Worth, TX: (817) 333-0016
- Menlo Park, CA: (650) 494-4800
- Roseville, CA: (916) 789-0600
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