Who we are Financial Avengers, Inc. (referred to as “we,” “our,” “us,” or “FAI”), has been registered as an investment advisor since June 2000. Our principals are Thomas W. Swift, Chief Executive Officer, and Arthur L.
McCord, Chief Operations Officer.
Services we offer Investment management is a varied and multi-faceted activity that defies easy answers and requires thought, patience, discipline, courage and even-temperament.
However, we believe that as much of our value (or more) lies in financial planning services and the ongoing counseling that entails. We are equally fascinated, if not more fascinated, by how folks approach finance, how folks navigate economics and how we can help our Agents wage and win the ongoing fight for financial freedom. We believe that planning is more vital than investment selection, spending (and spending restraint) is the key to savings discipline, savings, not investments, is the key to investment success and debt management (and avoidance) is more important than asset allocation.
We believe that our role entails more than asset management. We believe that our greatest service sometimes lies in protecting our Agents from themselves and analyzing their financial decisions from the standpoint of risk and worst-case scenarios. In this case, we often play devil’s advocate, a role that is uncomfortable, but necessary. (This is sometimes our fiduciary obligation, which we take seriously, and to be clear, our role as fiduciary is always at the forefront.) Avoiding financial mistakes that can have lasting impact is far more important than choosing the right large-cap value fund.
We also believe in cheering and supporting our Agents as they navigate life’s obstacles, increase their incomes, change jobs, buy their first home, improve their credit rating, pay off their credit cards, accomplish their goals, succeed in the face of adversity, address the complexities (emotional and financial) of new-found wealth, manage the emotional pit-falls of estate transfer and learn to operate their economic lives.
We are counselors to our Agents and their wealth. In that role, managing fear and anxiety is vital. More important is uncovering the root of our Agent’s financial issues, healing past financial wounds, encouraging financial self-esteem, improving our Agent’s financial self-image and, in some cases, shining a light on certain of the more unpleasant aspects of our Agent’s financial lives.
If all this sounds touchy-feely, so be it. After many years, we have learned that how folks approach finance is far more important than whether or not they buy specific mutual funds or adopt a certain asset allocation model.
However, all of our Agents also seek guidance on their investments,

their portfolios, their company sponsored plans and their stock purchase and options plans. We are more than happy to apply our expertise, and in any event, we earn our fees from our Agents’ investment accounts, so how we invest, and how we approach asset management, is vital.
Once all the hard work (outlined above) is done, we invest our Agents' precious capital on a discretionary basis, and serve as our Agents' Registered Investment Advisor.
We are buy-and-hold investors. We do not participate in market timing, rapid trading, short-selling, puts, calls, margin, options or any other strategy that involves undo risk. (Investment alone is risky enough.) We invest primarily in a mix of stock, bond & balanced mutual funds, individual stocks, individual bonds and cash. As ETFs have gained in popularity they have found their way into some of our portfolios, but they remain a small percentage of assets under management.
Our individual stock selection tends to be value-based, and remains focused on 'large-moat' companies, dominant in their industries, with decent or high dividend yield (where possible) and strong balance sheets.
When we buy we buy for the long-haul, but we are not averse to profit-taking, and believe sell-discipline is as important as buy-discipline.
In a nutshell, this is our process: each new Agent of Financial Avengers participates in an extended and thorough intake and review process, out of which is tailored a plan. At the core of that plan is the determination of risk tolerance, as well as a deep understanding of the Agent's core values, objectives, economics and dreams.
From there a savings discipline is created (or supported, if it already exists).
And, from there, a portfolio is built to reflect the Agent's needs. That portfolio may focus on income and capital preservation, or growth and individual stock selection, or any combination thereof.
Many factors are weighed when building a portfolio, including, but not limited to the following: age, timeline, whether or not the Agent is coming from cash or fully invested, past investment experience, investment knowledge, anxiety level, etc.
Agents may impose restrictions on our investments. However, in recent years we have discouraged such stances. Still, for past clients we have allowed for restrictions on certain kinds of investments and accommodated investment requests. Such restrictions are most frequently related to socially conscious investments and 'green' investments.
We do not provide portfolio management services to a wrap fee program.
Assets under management As of January 31, 2024, we manage assets of $366.8 million on a discretionary basis. We have no non- discretionary assets under management.