After 25 Years at Schwab and Fidelity, I Built Something Different.
After 20+ Flat fees. Custom portfolios. Advice that doesn't change based on your balance. Every client works directly with me — always.between Schwab and Fidelity, I built Sevey Wealth Advisors to do things differently: flat fees, custom portfolios, and advice that's always in your best interest.
WHY I STARTED SEVEY WEALTH
I Left the Traditional Model to Build Something Better
After more than 20 years between Schwab and Fidelity, I saw the same problems holding clients back: product sales goals that influenced recommendations, outdated percentage-based fee models that compounded costs, and cookie-cutter portfolios that ignored individual needs.
I watched clients with $3 million pay $30,000 a year in advisory fees — and clients with $5 million pay $50,000 — for essentially the same work. The planning wasn’t more complex. The service wasn’t better. The only thing that changed was the bill.
I watched advisors hesitate to recommend paying off a mortgage because it meant money leaving the portfolio they charged a percentage on.
I knew there was a better way. So I built it.
Sevey Wealth Advisors charges every client $10,000 a year — whether your portfolio is $2 million or $20 million. Same planning. Same investment management. Same access. The only thing that changes is how much money stays in your pocket.
Case Studies
The Fee Wake-Up Call
“We Were Paying $32,000 a Year and Didn’t Know It”
A retired couple in Austin with a $3.2 million portfolio had been with their AUM advisor for 12 years. They assumed they were paying “about 1%.” When we showed them the dollar amount — $32,000 per year, plus fund expenses totaling nearly $45,000 — they were stunned.
They switched to our flat-fee model. Annual savings: $22,000. Over their projected 25-year retirement: more than $550,000 back in their portfolio.
The service didn’t change. The planning didn’t change. Only the bill did.
The Mortgage Decision
“Our Old Advisor Wouldn’t Give Us a Straight Answer About the Mortgage”
A retired executive with $4.1 million wanted to use $380,000 from his portfolio to pay off his mortgage. His previous AUM advisor kept deflecting: “Let’s discuss it next quarter.” The reason? That $380,000 leaving the portfolio would reduce the advisor’s annual fee by $3,800.
We ran the numbers together. In his situation, paying off the mortgage eliminated $2,400/month in payments, reduced his annual income need by $28,800, and extended the life of his portfolio by an estimated 3 years. The math was clear.
The Widow
“After My Husband Died, I Didn’t Know Where to Start”
A 76-year-old widow inherited a $2.8 million portfolio after her husband’s passing. He had handled all the finances. She didn’t know what accounts they had, what they were paying in fees, or whether the plan was still appropriate for one income instead of two.
We rebuilt the plan from scratch: simplified the accounts, consolidated from 4 advisors to 1, created a withdrawal strategy optimized for her tax situation, coordinated with her estate attorney, and reduced her annual advisory cost from $24,000 to $10,000.
Eighteen months later, she told us: “For the first time since he passed, I understand my own finances. And I’m not afraid anymore.”
The Pre-Retiree
“I Was 18 Months From Retirement and Had No Plan”
A 63-year-old tech executive in Austin had accumulated $4.5 million across multiple accounts — 401(k), RSUs, deferred comp, a joint brokerage, and two IRAs. He had no coordinated withdrawal strategy, no Roth conversion plan, and no analysis of when to claim Social Security.
We built a comprehensive retirement income plan: modeled 6 different Social Security claiming scenarios, identified a 5-year Roth conversion window that would save an estimated $180,000+ in lifetime taxes, and created a drawdown sequence across all accounts.
His previous advisor had managed his investments for 0.90% ($40,500/year) but had never done this kind of planning. With us, he pays $10,000/year for planning that’s an order of magnitude more comprehensive.
Qualifications
Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®): Advanced designation in financial planning, insurance, income taxation, and retirement planning.
Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®): Specialized expertise in retirement income planning, Social Security optimization, and sustainable withdrawal strategies.
25+ Years of Experience: Over two decades of experience at leading financial institutions (Charles Schwab and Fidelity Investments), working with clients ranging from early-career professionals to high-net-worth retirees.
Registered Investment Advisor (RIA): As a fiduciary, I am legally and ethically required to act in your best interest at all times.
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