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United Brokerage Services 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.

United Brokerage Services (UBS) functions as a hybrid firm, meaning the financial advisor offers both investment advisory and brokerage services. In turn, the firm is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a broker-dealer and an investment advisor. Located in Parkersburg, West Virginia, UBS has a somewhat large team of on-staff financial advisors who are responsible for the management of hundreds of millions of dollars in client assets.

As for its advisory fees, the fee-only firm’s compensation arrangements solely consist of asset-based fees charged to clients. On the flip side, a fee-based firm would earn commissions and other forms of compensation from things like insurance sales.

United Brokerage Services Background

United Brokerage Services has been in the brokerage and investment management business since 1996. This firm is also a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB). UBS is owned by United Asset Management Corporation, which is, in turn, owned by United Bank, Inc., a large bank with branches all over the central East Coast.

United Brokerage Services Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes

United Brokerage Services advises mostly non-high-net-worth individuals, along with high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans and businesses. 

Account minimums at the firm generally start at $25,000.

Services Offered by United Brokerage Services

United Brokerage Services offers the following advisory services:

  • Portfolio management
    • Asset Advisor Program
      • Wrap fee program that combines all advisory, custodial and transactional fees into one charge
  • Selection of other advisors

United Brokerage Services Investment Philosophy 

Long- and short-term trading are among the key investment strategies employed by UBS, but methods and strategies will vary depending on the investment advisor offering advice. UBS may employ technical analysis, asset allocation, long-term purchases, short-term purchases and re-balancing strategies. 

The firm invests in exchange-traded equity securities, investment-grade corporate bonds, non-investment-grade corporate bonds, securities issued by registered investment companies and cash and cash equivalents.

United Brokerage Services Fees

United Brokerage Services only lists the fee schedule for two of its wrap fee programs: the Asset Advisor Program and Custom Choice Program. Clients enrolled in either program are subject to a 2.00% annual program fee. 

What to Watch Out For

United Brokerage Services doesn’t have any disclosures reported on its Form ADV.

Opening an Account with United Brokerage Services

You can set up an account with UBS by visiting the firm in person, or you can call a firm representative at (888) 424-6158.

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

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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