Formation and Firm History
The firm filed its initial registration as an investment adviser
with the US Securities & Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on
May 15, 2006 as Werba & Davis Advisory Services, LLC. From
January 1, 2007 until January 1, 2011 the firm was known as
Werba & Davis Advisory Services, LLC until changing its
name to Werba Rubin Wealth Management, LLC on January 1,
2011 upon the retirement of Barbara Davis from the firm. On
June 15, 2017, Werba Rubin Wealth Management was renamed
Werba Rubin Papier Wealth Management due to a merger
between WRWM and Fluent Wealth. Ownership is now split
evenly between Alan Werba, Aaron Rubin, and Jason Papier.
Investment Services
Most WRP investment advisory clients participate in one of
four services sponsored by Buckingham Strategic Partners,
LLC (“Buckingham”): (1) Structured Investing Asset
Management, a portfolio allocation service utilizing primarily
no-load, asset-class mutual funds advised by Dimensional
Fund Advisors (“DFA”); (2) Structured Investing Portfolio
Services, a portfolio allocation service utilizing primarily no-
load, asset-class mutual funds advised by Buckingham and
sub-advised by DFA (the SA Funds – Investment Trust or “SA
Funds”); (3) Structured Investing Advantage, a service similar
to Structured Investing Portfolio Services that allows additional
stocks, bonds and funds be held in addition to the Buckingham
and DFA offerings; and (4) 401(K) and Other Retirement Asset
Management Services, a service offering risk-based portfolios
utilizing primarily no-load, asset-class mutual funds managed
by DFA. Under these four portfolio allocation services,
Buckingham provides quarterly performance reports,
quarterly fee billings, quarterly portfolio re-optimization
analysis and annual supplemental tax reporting (when
applicable) to WRP clients. Buckingham also performs daily
downloads from custodians, account reconciliations with
custodial account records and initiates trades in client accounts
in its advisory capacity with the help of the account custodian.
The custodians utilized by WRP clients include Charles
Schwab & Co. (“Schwab”) and Fidelity Investment Services
(“Fidelity”). WRP IARs maintain the client relationship by
handling client questions via telephone, email or in person and
by personalizing the service to meet each particular client’s
needs for information and assistance.
WRP works exclusively with Buckingham as the servicing
agent for WRP client accounts. In the three Structured Investing
Asset Management Services described below, Buckingham
either bills its administrative fee directly to WRP, receives
compensation directly from the SA Funds or bills a separate
administrative fee to the clients. In the 401(K) services WRP
fees and Buckingham fees are billed separately.
For certain clients, WRP will retain an independent and
unaffiliated separate account manager to perform asset
management services with respect to individual stock, fixed
income, or other special positions that are applicable to a
client’s specific situation. The separate account manager and
WRP will work in partnership to manage such positions
around other components of the client’s overall portfolio,
especially as it relates to tax and volatility parameters.
Opening an Account
Generally, a written investment plan is prepared for each
prospective client before an account will be opened. The
written investment plan will define a specific allocation based
on the prospective clients’ risk profile as determined using a
Risk Questionnaire that reflects the prospective clients’
attitudes toward various types of investment risk and market
volatility. Each client’s risk profile is unique to their own
circumstances and personal feelings toward risk. Once the
client agrees to the Model Portfolio allocation to be used, an
account can be opened.
Prospective clients are able to open a SAM, Structured Investing
Portfolio or
Structured Investing Advantage account by taking the following
steps:
1. Complete and sign the appropriate account forms (such
as Revocable Trust, IRA, UTMA, etc.) as required by the
selected custodial firm (eg., Schwab or Fidelity).
2. Sign a managed account relationship agreement
naming WRP as the advisor for one of the three portfolio
services described above.
3. Sign a Model Portfolio
Allocation form.
4. Deposit funds by check or use transfer forms to move
assets from other brokerage firms, mutual funds or
bank accounts.
Fees are collected on a quarterly basis, usually around the 10th
day of the new calendar quarter, using the account values on
the last day of the previous calendar quarter. Thus, a portion
of the fees are being collected in advance. The fees are
computed based on the number of days in that calendar
quarter expressed as a percentage of the total days in the year.
When accounts are opened, the first billing will be computed
on a prorated basis using the number of remaining days that
the funds are to be managed that quarter. All fees are collected
by debiting the client’s investment account directly and a
billing advice memorandum is included with the Performance
Reports sent to every client soon after the end of each calendar
quarter.
Clients utilizing the 401(k) advisory service are charged in
arrears.
WRP uses a third party platform to facilitate management of
held away assets such as defined contribution plan participant
accounts (“Held-Away Discretionary Accounts”), with
discretion. The platform allows WRP to avoid being considered
to have custody of client funds since WRP does not have direct
access to client log-in credentials to affect trades. WRP is not
affiliated with the platform in any way and receives no
compensation from them for using their platform. A link will be
provided to the client allowing them to connect an account(s) to
the platform. Once client account(s) is connected to the
platform, WRP will review the current account allocations.
When deemed necessary, WRP will rebalance the account
considering client investment goals and risk tolerance, and any
change in allocations will consider current economic and
market trends.
Closing an Account
Clients may discontinue these advisory services simply by
requesting in writing to do so. In the event a client closes an
account, any unearned portion of the fees for the current
quarter will be returned to the departing client from the date
of account closure until the end of the calendar quarter.
Advisory Consulting Services
On occasion WRP IARs will prepare a financial plan, a
retirement analysis, a 401(K) plan analysis or perform some
other advisory consulting service for a client. These functions
may be performed at no charge to the client in conjunction with
the establishment of an investment advisory account under the
SAM, Structured Investing Portfolio or Structured Investing
Advantage services. On occasion, however, a WRP IAR may
bill a client for these services. In these cases, the client will sign
a contract for advisory services before the engagement begins.
The contract will detail the exact nature of the services to be
performed and the fee for delivering these services. These fees
are negotiable and may be quoted on an hourly basis or as a
flat fee for specific tasks. The fees will be collected 50% at the
time the contract is signed and the remainder payable when
the contract services are completed and delivered to the client.
Wrap Program
WRP does not participate in any wrap programs.
ERISA Accounts
When we provide investment advice to you regarding your
retirement plan account or individual retirement account, we
are fiduciaries within the meaning of Title I of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) and/or the Internal
Revenue Code (the “Code”), as applicable, which are laws
governing retirement accounts. The way we make money
creates some conflicts with your interests, so we operate under
a special rule that requires us to act in your best interest and
not put our interest ahead of yours. Under this special rule’s
provisions, we must:
● Meet a professional standard of care when making
investment recommendations (give prudent advice);
● Never put our financial interests ahead of yours when
making recommendations (give loyal advice);
● Avoid misleading statements about conflicts of interest,
fees, and investments;
● Follow policies and procedures designed to ensure that
we give advice that is in your best interest;
● Charge no more than is reasonable for our services; and
● Give you basic information about conflicts of interest.
Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2022, WRP managed $767,283,708 in client
assets on a discretionary basis and $0 in client assets on a non-
discretionary basis.