Oxford Financial Group
The Oxford Financial Group, Ltd. is a financial advisory firm that provides family office, personal financial planning and investment advisory services to a diverse range of clients. This registered investment advisor (RIA) currently oversees billions in assets under management (AUM).
Oxford has been in operation since the 1980s. Today, it serves around 700 family and institutional clients across the country. It's a fee-only firm, which means all of its compensation comes from client-paid fees.
Oxford Financial Group Background
CEO and managing director Jeff Thomasson founded Oxford in 1981, driven by the idea that financial advisors can’t truly be objective while taking commissions from the companies whose products and investments they recommend. The firm has secondary offices in Chicago, Cincinnati, Minneapolis and Grand Rapids.
Today, Oxford exists as a fee-only RIA on a mission to help families preserve and expand their wealth on a legacy basis. The firm also works with individual clients and various types of organizations.
Oxford Financial Group Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes
According to its Form ADV, Oxford currently serves the following types of clients:
- High-net-worth individuals and their family members
- Non-high-net-worth individuals
- 401(k) and profit-sharing plans
- Pension plans
- Deferred compensation plans
- Endowments and foundations
- Trusts and estates
- Corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs)
- Family partnerships
- Pooled investment vehicles
- Insurance companies
The firm generally requires a minimum account size of $5 million, though exceptions might be made in certain circumstances at the discretion of the firm. Oxford generally evaluates the financial situation of each client prior to engagement in order to determine whether its fees are justified for the desired services. If it finds that it isn’t, Oxford will advise the client not to proceed.
Services Offered by Oxford Financial Group
Oxford Financial Group manages its own family office division. These are private financial organizations that focus on helping high-net-worth families build and pass on wealth on a legacy basis. Oxford’s family office services can deliver advice on a range of topics, including:
- Investment planning and evaluation
- Trust management
- Tax and estate planning
- Insurance
- Accounting
- Property management
In addition, Oxford provides personal financial planning services. The firm begins by conducting an intensive fact-finding session with clients about their financial status, tax situation, investments, estate affairs and more. Advisors use this information to develop a financial plan that can help the client meet his or her financial goals.
Oxford also creates diversified investment portfolios in order to help clients meet their long-term investment goals. The firm would recommend money managers, brokerage firms and other applicable entities that it deems appropriate to develop an asset-allocation strategy. Finally, the firm can also serve as a fiduciary investment advisor to a client’s trusts or make a referral to The Trust Company of Oxford, a subsidiary.
Oxford Financial Group Investment Philosophy
The firm established the Oxford Investment Fellows (OIF) to oversee investment management strategies. The team features eight chartered financial analysts (CFAs), four chartered alternative investment analysts (CAIAs), one professional risk manager (PRM) and one Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®).
These advisors work with clients to determine their financial profile as well as any investment or financial goals they may have. Upon developing an investor profile, advisors work to put together a portfolio that fits the needs of each individual client.
Fees Under Oxford Financial Group
Oxford generally charges fees as a percentage of your account's fair market value. That percentage depends on the size of your account and the type of account you have.
The following fee schedule applies to mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and separately managed equity accounts.
| Fee Schedule for Mutual Fund, ETF & SMA Equity Accounts | |
| Account Size | Fee Rate |
| First $5,000,000 | 1.00% |
| Next $5,000,000 | 0.70% |
| More than $10,000,000 | 0.50% |
The fee schedule below applies to separately managed fixed-income accounts:
| Fee Schedule for SMA Fixed-Income Accounts | |
| Account Size | Fee Rate |
| First $10,000,000 | 0.30% |
| More than $10,000,000 | 0.20% |
Diversifier Strategies available through Savile Row charge a 1.00% fee on the total value of all assets. Long and Short Strategies through Berkshire charge the same rate on all assets. However, Aspirational Solutions accounts charge a 1.50% fee on the total value of assets. Client-directed accounts have a 0.20% annual fee.
However, investment advisory fees don’t account for other charges such as custodial fees or the expenses of underlying funds in your portfolio. While Oxford won’t earn these additional fees, your account will still bear the expense. You can find specific details in fund prospectuses and related advisory documents.
For family and personal financial planning services, Oxford usually charges an annual fee based on the value, time and expense associated with the services desired. This fee covers gathering data, devising a written financial plan, consulting with the appropriate advisors and other factors associated with your financial plan. The firm also charges a deposit worth 50% of this fee after you’ve agreed to establish a financial planning relationship. These fees are then charged quarterly or annually.
What to Watch Out For
Oxford Financial Group does not list any disclosures on its Form ADV.
Opening an Account With Oxford Financial Group
To contact Oxford Financial Group, call (317) 843-5678, or submit a request for information on its website. You can also visit the firm at one of its many offices.
All information is accurate as of the writing of this article.
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