Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What distinguishes Lau Associates LLC from other private wealth managers?
Lau Associates LLC is an independent, private wealth management firm focused on meeting the diverse needs of high net-worth clients and families. Our primary goal is simple. We strive to help our clients discover what is important to them, and to move in that direction, step by step. What makes us different?
An integrated approach to wealth management. We streamline your complex financial affairs, creating systems that give you confidence your money will be well managed. Then, based on your goals and risk tolerance, we invest the portfolio using similar strategies employed by institutions, endowments, and foundations. We review your investments regularly to adjust for changes in the economy, the markets, and your personal world.
Nationally recognized expertise. With CFP®s, CPAs, and CFAs, our in-house expertise is broad and deep. Our firm is consistently singled out as one of the premier wealth managers in the country.
Personal mentoring and coaching. Free of the day-to-day pressures of managing their wealth, our clients are free to explore and concentrate on what is truly important to them. Accordingly, our relationship becomes about more than money. As your trusted advisor, we serve as the point person for your other professional advisors and are always ready to serve as a sounding board and resource about any financial or personal matter.
Q. What multi-family office services does your firm offer?
Our multi-family office offers comprehensive financial and investment management to individuals and families of wealth. Our multi-family office services include personal planning, sophisticated investment strategies, tax and estate planning, risk management, consolidated record-keeping and reporting, intergenerational planning and counseling, and family philanthropy. In addition to these broad categories, we offer highly personalized services according to your unique needs.
Q. How are you compensated?
Lau Associates is a fee-only investment advisor; we do not accept commissions of any kind. Our sole compensation comes from an annual retainer which is determined by the size and complexity of your situation.
Q. How often will we meet?
We meet with our clients quarterly, with a different emphasis each quarter. We dedicate our winter meeting to an in-depth investment analysis. Spring is client choice time where we work on whatever special project you have in mind. In the summer, we review your estate plan and in the fall we conduct comprehensive year-end tax planning and cash flow analysis. The number of additional meetings and conversations vary from client to client according to individual preferences and circumstances.
Q. What are your minimum requirements for accepting new clients?
Our minimum portfolio size is $2 million.
Q. Do you accept clients who reside outside of the Delaware area?
Yes. While we call Delaware home, we work with clients throughout the United States and in a number of foreign countries.
Q. How do you define a successful client relationship?
We define success as the ability to make a positive difference in a client’s life. We have long term relationships with our clients allowing us the opportunity to coach on many levels. Combining technical knowledge and a personal connection, we help our clients define and achieve their goals and design their legacies.
Q. Is your website secure?
All communication between our website and your browser uses 128-bit SSL encryption (or https), an industry-standard method for encrypting data that is accessed over the Internet. SSL security also ensures that data can only be received by the requesting user, thereby eliminating any unauthorized interception. In addition, security threats are actively monitored and we will continue to follow industry best practices with regard to security and privacy standards. Proactively, the application code and network infrastructure supporting the site are scanned by automated network monitoring equipment. 7X24 network engineering support immediately responds to any unconformity or security threshold notifications within the monitored environment.
Q. Where can I learn more about financial planning?
For general questions about financial planning, please visit http://www.fpanet.org/public/tools/financialplannerhelp.cfm.
You’ll also find helpful questions to consider when interviewing a wealth manager at: http://www.fpanet.org/public/tools/tenquestionschecklist.cfm
