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Western International Securities 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.

Western International Securities, Inc. (WIS) is a financial advisor firm located in Pasadena, California. The firm works with financial advisors, providing them with various investment and financial planning services that they, in turn, use with their own client base. These advisors, which are referred to as investment advisory representatives (IARs), maintain advisory relationships with individuals, retirement plans, trusts and more.

WIS a fee-based firm; this means that, in addition to client fees, some of its advisors can also earn commissions from the sale of securities. That's different from a fee-only firm, which earns all of its compensation from advisory fees.

Western International Securities Background

Western International Securities was founded in 1995 and is currently under the ownership of Concept Brokerage Holding Corp. The CEO of the firm is Donald Bizub and Brad Kaiser acts as the firm's chief compliance officer (CCO). WIS has offices and advisors located throughout the country, though its main place of business is in Pasadena, California.

Kaiser is a chartered financial consultant (ChFC), and the firm's network of IARs holds a wide variety of financial certifications.

Western International Securities Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes

Through its IARs, Western International Securities offers services to individuals with and without a high net worth, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charities and businesses. Currently, however, the firm's Form ADV only lists individual clients. 

For a client to take advantage of WIS' services, they'll need at least $25,000 in investable assets. The firm may waive this minimum at its discretion. When that minimum is waived, those clients with account sizes less than the typical minimum usually pay a higher percentage rate on their annual fees than other clients who have a greater amount of assets under management with the firm. 

Services Offered by Western International Securities

WIS' IARs provide investment and wealth management services to clients, along with comprehensive and personalized financial planning. Through a series of ongoing interviews and consultations with clients, advisors look to determine financial objectives, identify financial problems and help with cash flow management, tax planning, insurance planning, education planning, retirement planning, estate planning and more.

This firm also offers investment programs sponsored by outside clearing agents. These include the "Managed 360" program, the "Managed Account Solutions" program and sub-advisory services. The firm also has a number of agreements that determine the relationship with each client. These include:

  • Financial planning
    • Strategic tax planning
    • Retirement planning
    • Investment planning
  • Investment advisory service
    • Comprehensive wealth and investment advice
  • Retainer
    • One-time limited investment advisory service
  • Hourly planning engagements
    • Case-by-case financial planning services based on the client's needs

Western International Securities Investment Philosophy

Western International Securities looks to tailor investment and financial planning strategies to the individual needs of each client. This is done in relation to their risk tolerance, liquidity needs, time horizon and other pertinent factors. While assets are typically managed on a discretionary basis, clients can place reasonable restrictions on how their assets are managed.

When evaluating investments for client portfolios, WIS typically uses fundamental, technical, charting and cyclical methods of analysis. The majority of the research materials used by the firm are from publically available sources, like newspapers and other financial publications. Advisors typically focus on strategic and tactical asset allocation methods, as well as long- and short-term purchases, trading, short sales, margin transactions and option writing.

Advisors may use a wide range of investments depending on the client's personal needs. However, the firm commonly invests in stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit (CDs), municipal bonds, options, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and limited partnerships.

Fees Under Western International Securities

There are no standard fee schedules at Western International Securities. This is because all fees for wealth management and financial planning services at WIS are negotiable. They may be charged on an hourly basis, as a flat rate or as a percentage of AUM.

Financial planning fees will not exceed $250 per hour. Investment management fees are billed quarterly or monthly, either in arrears or in advance, and they will not exceed 3% of a client's AUM.

What to Watch Out For

Western International Securities has several disclosures listed on its Form ADV. They relate to several different violations, such as failing to maintain proper amounts of net capital, failing to report ownership changes, improperly storing electronic communications and failing to report earned commissions. As a result, the firm has had to pay multiple fines and submit to censure on various occasions.

As a fee-based firm, some advisors at WIS have the opportunity to earn commissions from the sale of securities to clients. This represents a potential conflict of interest, as the firm may have an incentive to recommend certain transactions. Despite this situation, the firm is a fiduciary and is legally bound to act in the best interests of clients at all times.

Opening an Account With Western International Securities

If you're interested in opening an account with WIS, you can go online to its website and submit a form. There is also an option to find an advisor in your area on its website.

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

Tips for Financial Planning

  • Thinking of working with a financial advisor in your area, but don't know where to start? 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.
  • SmartAsset’s investment calculator is a good place to start on your investment journey, allowing you to see how long different amounts of money may take to grow.

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