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Signature Estate & Investment Advisors (SEIA) 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.

Signature Estate & Investment Advisors (SEIA) has been providing financial planning services since 1997. This financial advisory firm is based in Los Angeles, and it currently oversees billions of dollars in client assets under management (AUM). 

Signature Estate & Investment Background

Brian D. Holmes founded SEIA in 1997. According to the firm's brochure, it is wholly owned by Signature Financial Service Group, LLC, which is primarily owned by a "consortium of employees and investors through Reverence Capital Partners Opportunities Fund V, L.P."

The team of advisors collectively holds various certifications, including the certified financial planner (CFP), chartered financial consultant (ChFC), chartered life underwriter (CLU) and accredited investment fiduciary (AIF) designations, among others. 

Signature Estate & Investment Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes

Signature Estate & Investments works with a variety of clients including the following: 

  • Individuals with and without a high net worth
  • Pension/profit-sharing plans
  • Charitable organizations
  • Business entities and corporations

Account minimum vary by investment strategy and account type. Clients with equity/blended portfolios are required to have at least $250,000. The firm's fixed-income portfolios require a minimum investment of $500,000. 

Services Offered by Signature Estate & Investment

Signature Estate & Investment specializes in offering financial planning and portfolio management services to individuals. Its advisors are equipped to provide advice on the following topics. 

  • Wealth counseling
  • Business advisory services
  • Trust and estate planning
  • Tax planning
  • Risk management
  • Investment solutions
  • Comprehensive financial planning

Signature Estate & Investment Investment Philosophy

The firm’s investment philosophy is driven by research. Its Department of Investment Management and Economic Strategy (DIMES) screens the entire investment universe to identify securities that meet the company’s standards. These advisors evaluate potential investments using both quantitative and qualitative metrics.

The firm also relies on modern portfolio theory, which suggests that diversification is essential to capturing returns while protecting against downside risk. More specifically, the firm may use strategic, tactical and dynamic asset allocation strategies to manage portfolios. 

Fees Under Signature Estate & Investment

SEIA negotiates investment managemetn fees with their clients. However, the firm also adhere to the following minimums: 

  • The minimum annual fee per client household portfolio is $3,500, billed as a minimum quarterly fee of $875.
  • In all cases, the maximum annual fee a client will pay is capped at 2%.
  • Any household that contains an active "elite" account is subject to the billing minimum.
  • Households that have their entire portfolio invested in firm's Signature Allocation Series or Signature Targeted Strategies are not subject to the billing minimum.
  • For clients that have opted to join households for billing purposes, minimums are applied to any non-exempt household on a pro rata basis

What to Watch Out For

SEIA does not have any disclosures on its SEC-filed Form ADV.

Some of the firm’s advisors are licensed to sell insurance and securities products. As a result, they may earn commissions or other forms of compensation in addition to the regular fees they charge their clients. While this creates a potential conflict of interest -- advisors may be incentivized to recommend certain products and services over others -- the firm must abide by fiduciary duty to always act in the clients' best interests.  

Tips for Finding the Right Financial Advisor

  • Don’t just settle for the first firm you find. Keep doing your research and interviewing potential advisors. 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.
  • Not all advisors are the same. So make sure you ask your advisor the right questions.

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

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