Firm Description ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC, ("FIRM NAME") was founded in 1999.
ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC provides personalized confidential financial planning and investment management to individuals, trusts, estates, and small businesses. Advice is provided through consultation with the client and may include: determination of financial objectives, identification of financial problems, cash flow management, tax planning, insurance review, investment management, education funding, retirement planning, and estate planning.
ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC is strictly a fee-based financial planning and investment management firm. The firm does not receive commissions for purchasing or selling stocks, bonds, mutual funds. The firm may receive some economic benefit (including commissions) from a non-client in connection with utilizing financial products (life insurance / long-term care insurance/ annuities) necessary to implement the financial recommendations provided to the client. The firm is not affiliated with entities that sell financial products or securities. No commissions in any form from any security firm (mutual fund company) are accepted. No finder's fees are accepted.
ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC may directly or indirectly compensate clients for client referrals. Compensation will never be in the form of a monetary payment. ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC may send clients a gift of appreciation which might be as simple as a thank you card, a bakery item or a book.
Investment advice is an integral part of financial planning. In addition, ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC advises clients regarding cash flow, college planning, retirement planning, tax planning and estate planning.
Investment advice is provided, with the client making the final decision on investment selection. ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC does not act as a custodian of client assets. The custody of client assets is facilitated by Schwab Institutional a division of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. The client has separate access to their account at all times. Monthly client account statements are generated by Schwab Institutional a division of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. separate and free from any involvement of ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC. The client always maintains asset control. ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC places trades for clients under a limited power of attorney.
A written evaluation of each client's initial situation is provided to the client, often in the form of a net worth statement or investment analysis report. Periodic reviews are also communicated to provide reminders of the specific courses of action that need to be taken. More frequent reviews occur but are not necessarily communicated to the client unless immediate changes are recommended.
Other professionals (e.g., lawyers, accountants, insurance agents, etc.) are engaged directly by the client on an as-needed basis. Conflicts of interest will be disclosed to the client in the unlikely event they should occur.
The initial meeting, which may be by telephone, is free of charge and is considered an exploratory interview to determine the extent to which financial planning and investment management may be beneficial to the client. 4 Principal Owner Sean G. Todd 100% stockholder Types of Advisory Services ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC provides investment supervisory services, also known as asset management services; manages investment advisory accounts not involving investment supervisory services; furnishes investment advice through consultations; issues periodicals about securities by subscription; issues special reports about securities; and issues, charts, graphs, formulas, or other devices which clients may use to evaluate securities.
On more than an occasional basis, ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC furnishes advice to clients on matters not involving securities, such as financial planning matters, taxation issues, and trust services that often include estate planning.
ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC does not provide a timing service.
As of March 12, 2024, ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC provides continuous management services for $222,696,290 in assets on a discretionary basis. ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC also provides advice on approximately $5 million of assets that are not continuously managed.
Tailored Relationships The goals and objectives for each client are documented in our client relationship management system. Each Client is required to complete a risk analysis questionnaire which provides an inquiry into holding periods, risk tolerance and possible behavior choices which aids ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC in reviewing Client's existing securities in addition to making recommendations. Clients may impose restrictions on investing in certain securities or types of securities.
Investment Management Agreements may not be assigned without client consent.
Types of Agreements The following agreements define the typical client relationships.
Financial Planning Agreement A financial plan is designed to help the client with all aspects of financial planning without ongoing investment management after the financial plan is completed. The financial plan may include, but is not limited to: a net worth statement; a cash flow statement; a review of investment accounts, including reviewing asset allocation and providing repositioning recommendations; strategic tax planning; a review of retirement accounts and plans including recommendations; a review of insurance policies and recommendations for changes, if necessary; one or more retirement scenarios; estate planning review and recommendations; and education planning with funding recommendations.
5 Detailed investment advice and specific recommendations are provided as part of a financial plan. Implementation of the recommendations is at the discretion of the client.
The fee for a financial plan is predicated upon the facts known at the start of the engagement. The fee range is $1,500.00 to $7,500.00 and is negotiable. Since financial planning is a discovery process, situations occur wherein the client is unaware

of certain financial exposures or predicaments.
In the event that the client's situation is substantially different than disclosed at the initial meeting, a revised fee will be provided for mutual agreement. The client must approve the change of scope in advance of the additional work being performed when a fee increase is necessary.
After delivery of a financial plan, future face-to-face meetings may be scheduled as necessary for up to one month. Follow-on implementation work is billed separately at the rate of $300.00 per hour.
Investment Management Service Agreement Most clients choose to have ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC manage their assets in order to obtain ongoing in-depth professional counsel and advice and life planning. All aspects of the client's financial affairs are reviewed, including those of their children. Realistic and measurable goals are set and objectives to reach those goals are defined. As goals and objectives change over time, suggestions are made and implemented on an ongoing basis.
The scope of work and fee for an Investment Management Service Agreement is provided to the client in writing prior to the start of the relationship. A Financial Planning Agreement includes: cash flow management; insurance review; investment management (including performance reporting); education planning; retirement planning; estate planning; and tax preparation, as well as the implementation of recommendations within each area.
The annual Investment Management Service Agreement fee is based on a percentage of the investable assets according to the following schedule:
•1.00% on the first $1,000,000
•The management fee for client investment accounts exceeding $5,000,000 is negotiable. ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC currently does not institute a minimum annual fee. If implemented, the minimum annual fee will be $500.00 and such fee will be negotiable. Current client relationships may exist where the fees are higher or lower than the fee schedule above based on the combined services the client has retained ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC to provide.
Although the Investment Management Service Agreement is an ongoing agreement and constant adjustments are required, the length of service to the client is at the client's discretion. The client or the investment manager may terminate an Agreement by written notice to the other party. At termination, fees will be billed on a pro rata basis for the portion of the quarter completed. The portfolio value at the completion of the prior full billing quarter is used as the basis for the fee computation, adjusted for the number of days during the billing quarter prior to termination.
Tax preparation services may be requested to be performed. This service is performed by an affiliated firm, SEAN G. TODD, P.C., which is a separate law office owned one hundred percent (100%) by Sean G. Todd. Each client has the discretion to utilize this service or not. 6 Retainer Agreement In some circumstances, a Financial Plan Agreement is executed in lieu of an Investment Management Agreement when it is more appropriate to work on a fixed-fee basis. The Financial Plan Agreement fee can range from $1,500 to $7,500. This fee is negotiable and is based on the complexity of the matter. Investment Management Agreement An Investment Management Agreement may be executed when financial planning is not provided as part of the relationship. The annual fee under an Investment Management Agreement is based on a percentage of assets managed. The fee is one percent (1.0%) of assets up to $1,000,000 with a negotiable fee for assets exceeding $5,000,000.
Tax Preparation Agreement Tax preparation work is not included in the Investment Management Agreement or Retainer Agreement scope of work.
Tax preparation work is performed separately from an Investment Management Agreement or a Retainer Agreement is billed based on the complexity of the client's tax return.
Tax preparation work is performed by an affiliated firm which is a law office, Sean G. Todd, P.C.
Hourly Planning Engagements ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC provides hourly planning services for clients who need advice on a limited scope of work. The hourly rate for limited scope engagements is $400.00. Hourly planning engagements are billed and payable upon completion of the agreed upon services.
Asset Management Assets are invested primarily in no-load or no transaction mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, usually through Schwab Institutional a division of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Fund companies charge each fund shareholder an investment management fee that is disclosed in the fund prospectus. Discount brokerages may charge a transaction fee for the purchase of some funds.
Stocks and bonds may be purchased or sold through a brokerage account when appropriate. Schwab Institutional a division of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. may charge a fee for stock and bond trades. ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC does not receive any compensation, in any form, from fund companies.
Investments may also include: equities (stocks), warrants, corporate debt securities, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, municipal securities, investment company securities (mutual funds shares), U. S. government securities, options contracts, futures contracts, and interests in a closely held company.
Initial public offerings (IPOs) are not available through ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC.
7 Termination of Agreement A Client may terminate any of the aforementioned agreements at any time by notifying ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC in writing and paying the rate for the time spent on the investment advisory engagement prior to notification of termination. If the client made an advance payment, ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC will refund any unearned portion of the advance payment.
ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC may terminate any of the aforementioned agreements at any time by notifying the client in writing. If the client made an advance payment, ESTATE MANAGEMENT COUNSELORS, LLC will refund any unearned portion of the advance payment.