Flat-Fee Investment Advice

Eric Kulwicki

Eric Kulwicki CFA®, CFP®
Investment Consultant
Portfolio Manager
Wealth Advisor

Intrua Financial
(262) 798-7979
[email protected]

 

Actionable Advice Through Flat-Fee Investment Consulting

Drawing on over twenty years of financial industry experience and my perspective as a professional investor at Intrua Financial, I have witnessed the wide spectrum of service and fee models available to the public.

I believe every investor, regardless of net worth, income or status, should have access to quality investment advice and services.  I also believe investors should have the ability to consider different ways to pay for those services when working with financial professionals, whether it be based on a flat project-based consulting fee, ongoing assets under management (AUM) or commissions. 

In my opinion, there isn’t just one way to service clients for a reasonable fee.  For these reasons, I offer project-based investment consulting services for a flat fee through Intrua Financial. 

My flat-fee investment consulting services can include a portfolio review, investment strategy discussion, education and ad hoc discussions. My flat-fee consulting does not include ongoing portfolio management, active trade execution, daily monitoring, or ongoing reporting.  

The consulting services and fee structure are defined by a scope of work and governed by a consulting agreement through Intrua Financial.  The fee structure is based on the depth and complexity of the services required.  Flat-fee engagements require the client to be comfortable executing the investment strategy on their own within their own investment account.  

For those who ultimately decide they want ongoing, discretionary portfolio management and other wealth management services, those services are offered through my Horizent team at Intrua Financial. You can learn more about our team by visiting our website. Under a flat-fee consulting engagement, you are not under any obligation to use our team for ongoing management, you are free to implement your strategy wherever you choose. 

Is Flat-Fee Investment Consulting Right for You?

A flat-fee consulting model can resonate with different types of investors:

The DIY Investor

  • The Goal: Obtain a professional second opinion and identify potential portfolio risks while maintaining complete control.

  • The Fit: You are comfortable managing your own accounts but value a periodic professional review to uncover potential blind spots. By opting for a flat-fee engagement, you receive a professional analysis of your holdings while retaining full discretionary control, trade execution, and avoidance of ongoing AUM fees.

The Second-Opinion Seeker

  • The Goal: Obtain an outside professional review of a portfolio currently managed by another financial advisor or institution.

  • The Fit: You already work with a financial advisor or have assets in a trust, but you want a fresh set of eyes on your portfolio. You may be seeking clarity on the fees you are paying, the true risk you are taking, or whether your current strategy still aligns with your evolving goals. For a flat fee, you receive a confidential analysis of your existing portfolio without requiring you to move your accounts or disrupt your current advisory relationship.

The High-Net-Worth Index Investor

  • The Goal: Complement a passive strategy with professional insights, paying a fee based on project complexity rather than account size.

  • The Fit: You have accumulated wealth and prefer a highly simplified, passive approach, but you want to ensure your diversification is optimized. You may be looking for professional insight into alternative strategies or exposures to complement your core portfolio. This structure provides a transparent option for those with straightforward situations who do not require daily portfolio oversight.

The Fee-Conscious Wealth Accumulator

  • The Goal: Establish a disciplined, long-term strategy while paying a flat fee out of your current cash flow.

  • The Fit: Often a younger, analytical professional, you want to ensure your investment capital remains fully invested without being drawn down by ongoing advisory fees. You recognize that avoiding structural mistakes early on is key to long-term success.

The Illiquid Asset Owner

  • The Goal: Receive professional guidance on your total investments without the liquid account minimums typical of standard AUM models.

  • The Fit: Your net worth is high, but heavily tied up in employer-sponsored retirement accounts, a private business, real estate, or stock options. Flat-fee consulting allows a consultation on your overall asset allocation and liquid portfolio, regardless of your current brokerage account size.

The Sudden Wealth Investor

  • The Goal: Receive guidance for strategically allocating new wealth without the pressure of committing to a long-term advisory contract upfront.

  • The Fit: You have experienced a major transition (inheritance, business sale, retirement) and feel overwhelmed. A flat-fee engagement serves as an introductory step to help you organize and strategically allocate funds with general tax efficiencies in mind, all with a clear, upfront price tag.

How I Can Help​

Leveraging my 20+ years of professional investment experience and working with both institutional clients and individual investors, I can provide tailored guidance to your specific needs.

  • Comprehensive Portfolio Review: An in-depth analysis of your current investments to assess risk exposure, diversification, and alignment with your goals and objectives.

  • Strategic Asset Allocation: Based on your current investments and other options available on the investment platforms you use (401k, brokerage account, HSA, etc.), we’ll develop a customized, long-term asset allocation strategy designed to balance your risk tolerance with your financial goals.

  • Cost & Efficiency Analysis: Evaluating your current portfolio for general tax considerations and identifying potential ways to reduce underlying investment costs.

  • Periodic Strategy Check-Ins: Based on your preferences and the scope of the consulting agreement, we can schedule periodic check-ins as little or as often as you need. Some clients prefer check-ins quarterly, annually, every few years, as needed, or never. We can review whether your investment strategy and holdings remain aligned with your updated goals and objectives over time.  Periodic check-ins are limited to the scope of the consulting agreement and should not be considered an ongoing advisory relationship.

  • Ad Hoc Discussions: We can schedule an ad hoc discussion about a specific investment topic, to get my updated views on the financial markets, or to gain insights on positioning across various investment strategies.

All consulting engagements are conducted under an Intrua consulting agreement and all fees are billed and processed through Intrua.

Let's Start with a Quick Discussion

Get the professional investment advice you’re looking for without an ongoing commitment. Whether you need a comprehensive portfolio review, an investment strategy discussion, or just a quick chat to gain perspective on a specific topic, I am here and available to be a resource.

Please feel free to reach out to schedule a brief introductory call so we can assess your situation and determine the right level of guidance for your needs.

Eric Kulwicki

Eric Kulwicki CFA®, CFP®
Investment Consultant
Portfolio Manager
Wealth Advisor
(262) 798-7979
[email protected]

Intrua Financial
675 North Barker Road
Suite 220
Brookfield, WI 53045
www.intrua.com

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