FAQ

Are my assets held by Apostolic Financial Advisors, LLC?

No. Client assets are held by Scottrade, a custody provider independent of Apostolic Financial Advisors, LLC.  Investors with existing custody arrangements simply have to enter into an investment advisory contract with Apostolic Financial Advisors, LLC and we can begin managing your account.  For those who do not have a custody account, we can assist them in opening one.

What are the benefits of separate account management?

Customization and transparency.  Clients can choose from a number of different faith based investment philosophies that best reflect their desires.  Specific guidelines with respect to their investments can be followed in order to construct portfolios which suit risk parameters.  Clients have complete transparency through both Apostolic Financial Advisors, LLC and Scottrade.  Real time portfolio access is provided 24 hours a day/7 days a week/365 days a year through our custody provider (Scottrade), either online or over the telephone.

How is Apostolic Financial Advisors, LLC compensated?

We are a fee-only advisor.  Fees are based on a percentage of assets under management.  We are not a broker-dealer and do not receive any commissions or fees from trading activities.  Contact us for more information regarding our fees.

Will Apostolic Financial Advisors, LLC accept existing securities?

Yes.  However, some turnover of holdings would be expected.  We review holdings of existing accounts regularly.  New accounts are reviewed prior to the client retaining the services of Apostolic Financial Advisors, LLC.  Initially, trading is focused on structuring the portfolio to comply with client’s desired investment philosophy and guidelines, and to better reflect our values based methodology of investing.

Why Apostolic Financial Advisors, LLC?

Living in a society that has become increasingly hostile toward not only Catholics, but Christianity in general, it is imperative that we align ourselves with people who share our same faith system.

Do “values-based” investment strategies lag traditional investment strategy returns?

There is a prevailing belief among investors that ethical considerations will limit the performance of mutual funds, causing them to lag behind other actively managed funds. This sentiment is common, but also unfounded. There is substantial evidence amassing that suggests values-based screening enhances portfolio performance. For example, Domini 400 which is a screened index fund has outperformed the S&P 500 by 0.82% annualized over 20 years, from May 1, 1990 to March 31, 2010. More evidence can be seen in the Credit Suisse Most Admired Portfolio, which has offered a performance advantage over the S&P 100 benchmark by 3.3% annualized since 1983. Of course, past performance does not guarantee future results.

How do I open an account?

A client enters into an Investment Advisory Contract with Apostolic Financial Advisors, LLC.  We can then assist you in opening a custody account or work with your existing custodian.   For more information, please contact us.