Firm Description
Arnold Financial Planning DBA as Arnold & Mote Wealth Management (“AMWM” or the
“Firm”) was founded in August 2018, but its origins date back to 2000. Quinn Arnold and
Matthew Hylland own the firm. There are no intermediate subsidiaries.
Arnold & Mote Wealth Management offers personalized financial planning and investment
management services to individuals, trusts, and small businesses. Financial advice is provided
through consultation with the client and, depending on the client, may include, but is not
limited to the following: determination of financial objectives, identification of and solutions
for financial problems, tax planning, insurance/risk management review, investment
management, education funding, retirement planning, estate planning and other financial
questions or issues that arise.
AMWM is a strictly commission-free, Fee-Only firm. The Firm acts as a fiduciary, putting
client interests ahead of our own. AMWM sells no products. The Firm does not sell annuities,
insurance, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, limited partnerships, or any other commissioned
product. AMWM is not affiliated with entities that sell financial products or securities. No
commissions in any form are accepted, and no incentives for recommendations for mutual
funds or any other investments are allowed.
After an introductory telephone call, the initial meeting with a prospective client (which is
generally in person but may be conducted by telephone or Internet), is free of charge and with
absolutely no obligation. The initial meeting is considered an exploratory interview to
determine whether the financial planning and investment management needs of the client
align with services offered by Arnold & Mote Wealth Management and whether the company
and the prospective client may be a good match.
Arnold & Mote Wealth Management also manages clients’ employer retirement accounts such
as 401(k), 403(b), profit sharing, or 457 plans. Investment choices are selected from those
available in the plan, and the asset allocation determined according to the client’s investment
plan. Employer accounts are invested and rebalanced based on the client’s objectives and risk
tolerance. The firm may be able to implement our recommendations via an authorized trading
form through the custodian or third-party administrator. Fees for management of these
accounts may be charged according to the firm’s usual fee schedule.
AMWM will also assist clients in the coordination of annual individual tax returns. AMWM
is not an accounting or tax practice and does not file tax returns on behalf of clients. However,
we will recommend third-party tax professionals that will work with our firm and our firm’s
clients. If clients choose to utilize our recommended tax professionals and upon client's prior
consent, we will work with both parties to gather all necessary data, forms, and work
collaboratively to help clients file their tax returns in a timely manner. At the firm’s discretion,
AMWM will absorb tax preparation fees if client utilizes our recommended providers.
AMWM does not receive a referral fee from the recommendation of third-party professionals.
Other professionals such as attorneys, accountants, insurance agents, etc. are engaged directly
by the client on an as-needed basis. Any conflicts of interest AMWM has with these
professionals will be disclosed to the client in the unlikely event they should occur. Fees for
outside assistance are the responsibility of the client. With the client's concurrence, outside
professionals may participate directly or indirectly in the financial advising process, such as
estate planning or tax review. AMWM receives no remuneration or soft-dollar compensation
from other professionals who provide support sources.
As of December 31, 2023, Arnold & Mote Wealth Management manages approximately
$111,333,148 in discretionary assets under management.
Types of Agreements
The following agreements define the typical client relationships:
• Wealth Management (Comprehensive Financial Planning and Asset
Management); and
• Financial Planning.
Wealth Management (Comprehensive Financial Planning and Asset Management)
This is a comprehensive engagement wherein AMWM provides ongoing financial advice and
investment management services. Depending on a client’s needs, a Wealth Management
Agreement encompasses the following services: risk management (insurance) review,
investment recommendations, education planning, retirement planning, estate planning,
charitable gifting, and tax planning, as well as the implementation of investment
recommendations.
When Arnold & Mote Wealth Management performs investment management services, it
does so pursuant to discretionary authority. A client will appoint AMWM with discretionary
authority to manage the cash and securities in their account(s) within agreed guidelines. In
granting this discretionary authority, the client gives AMWM the full power to direct, manage,
and supervise the investment and reinvestment of assets in client’s account(s) without client’s
prior approval.
Although the Wealth Management
Agreement is an ongoing agreement, the length of service
to the client is at the discretion of both parties.
Financial Planning Engagement
This service involves working one-on-one with a planner over an extended period. Clients get
continuous access to a planner who will work with them to design their plan. The planner will
monitor the plan, recommend any changes and ensure the plan is up to date.
A client will be taken through establishing their goals and values around money. They will be
required to provide information to help complete the following areas of analysis: net worth,
cash flow, insurance, credit scores/reports, employee benefit, retirement planning, insurance,
investments, college planning and estate planning. Once the client’s information is reviewed,
their plan will be built and analyzed, and then the findings, analysis and potential changes to
their current situation will be reviewed with the client. Clients subscribing to this service will
receive a report, providing the client with a detailed financial plan designed to achieve his or
her stated financial goals and objectives. Follow up meetings as required, will be scheduled
as needed. The plan and the client’s financial situation and goals will be monitored throughout
the year and follow-up phone calls and emails will be made to the client to confirm that any
agreed upon action steps have been carried out. On an annual basis there will be a full review
of this plan to ensure its accuracy and ongoing appropriateness.
Automated Investment Program
We offer an automated investment program (the “Program”) through which clients are
invested in a range of investment strategies we have constructed and manage, each consisting
of a portfolio of exchange-traded or mutual funds (“Funds”) and a cash allocation. The client’s
portfolio is held in a brokerage account opened by the client at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
We use the Institutional Intelligent Portfolios® platform (“Platform”), offered by Schwab
Performance Technologies (“SPT”), a software provider to independent investment advisors
and an affiliate of Schwab, to operate the Program.
We are independent of and not owned by, affiliated with, or sponsored or supervised by SPT,
Schwab, or their affiliates (together, “Schwab”). We, and not Schwab, are the client’s
investment advisor and primary point of contact with respect to the Program. We are solely
responsible, and Schwab is not responsible, for determining the appropriateness of the
Program for the client, choosing a suitable investment strategy and portfolio for the client’s
investment needs and goals and managing that portfolio on an ongoing basis. We have
contracted with SPT to provide us with the Platform, which consists of technology and related
trading and account management services for the Program. The Platform enables us to make
the Program available to clients online and includes a system that automates certain key parts
of our investment process (the “System”).
Based on information the client provides to us, we will recommend a portfolio via the System.
The System also includes an automated investment engine through which we manage the
client’s portfolio on an ongoing basis through automatic rebalancing and tax-loss harvesting
(if the client is eligible and elects).
Clients do not pay brokerage commissions or any other fees to Schwab as part of the Program.
Schwab does receive other revenues, including (i) the profit earned by Charles Schwab Bank,
a Schwab affiliate, on the allocation to the Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Sweep Program
described in the Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Sweep Program Disclosure Statement; (ii)
investment advisory and/or administrative service fees (or unitary fees) received by Charles
Schwab Investment Management, Inc., a Schwab affiliate, from Schwab ETFs™ Schwab
Funds® and Laudus Funds® that we select to buy and hold in the client’s brokerage account;
(iii) fees received by Schwab from third-party ETFs that participate in the Schwab ETF
OneSource™ program and mutual funds in the Schwab Mutual Fund Marketplace®
(including certain Schwab Funds and Laudus Funds) in the client’s brokerage account for
services Schwab provides; and (iv) remuneration Schwab may receive from the market centers
where it routes ETF trade orders for execution.
Termination of Agreement
The client or Arnold & Mote Wealth Management may terminate any of the aforementioned
agreements at any time by providing 30 days’ advance written notice to the other party.
AMWM reserves the right to stop work on any account that is more than 30 days overdue. In
addition, AMWM reserves the right to terminate any financial planning engagement in which
a client willfully conceals or refuses to provide pertinent information about financial situations
when necessary and appropriate, in the judgment of AMWM, to providing proper financial
advice.
If a client has not received a copy of AMWM’s Disclosure Statement at least 48 hours prior
to execution of an agreement, the client has five (5) business days from the date of execution
of the advisory agreement to terminate AMWM’s services without penalty or fee.