Managing wealth, planning for retirement, navigating taxes, and understanding equity compensation can feel overwhelming—especially for busy technology professionals, executives, and small-business owners. To help bring clarity, we’ve compiled answers to the most common questions we receive as a fee-only fiduciary Registered Investment Advisor. These FAQs cover our planning process, investment approach, tax strategy, equity compensation guidance, virtual advisory services, and how we serve clients across Hillsboro, Beaverton, Portland, and nationwide. If you have questions not addressed here, we’re always available to discuss your situation in more detail.
Q1: Are you a fiduciary financial advisor?
Yes. Independent Investment Advisors is a fee-only fiduciary Registered Investment Advisor, meaning we are legally required to act in your best interest at all times. We do not sell products or earn commissions.
Q2: Do you work with clients virtually or outside Oregon?
Yes. We serve clients nationwide through secure virtual meetings, online planning tools, and digital portfolio management. We work with technology professionals, executives, and families across the U.S.
Q3: What types of clients do you specialize in?
We primarily serve technology professionals, small-business owners, executives, and high-net-worth families who need integrated financial planning, investment management, tax strategy, and equity compensation guidance.
Q4: Do you help with RSUs, ESPPs, and stock options?
Yes. We specialize in equity compensation planning, including RSUs, ESPPs, ISOs, NSOs, AMT analysis, and managing concentrated stock positions for tech-industry clients.
Q5: What services do you provide?
We offer comprehensive financial planning, wealth management, tax strategy, equity compensation planning, retirement planning, RMD planning, Roth conversions, inherited IRA guidance, and small-business financial planning.
Q6: Are you fee-only or commission-based?
We are fee-only. We do not receive commissions or accept compensation from product sales. Our only compensation comes directly from our clients.
Q7: Do you provide tax planning?
Yes. We provide integrated tax planning, including strategies for equity compensation, capital gains, Roth conversions, retirement distributions, and multi-year tax optimization.
Q8: Do you help with retirement planning?
Yes. We build retirement income strategies, tax-efficient withdrawal plans, Social Security analysis, RMD planning, and long-term projections tailored to your goals.
Q9: How do you manage investments?
We use a data-driven approach to portfolio construction, risk management, and tax-efficient investing. Portfolios are tailored to your goals, risk tolerance, and overall financial plan.
Q10: Do you work with small-business owners?
Yes. We assist with retirement plans, compensation structures, tax planning, entity evaluations, and long-term business and personal financial strategies.
Q11: What does the onboarding process look like?
We start with a complimentary consultation, followed by data gathering, financial analysis, plan development, and portfolio alignment. Everything can be done virtually or in person.
Q12: Are you available to clients in Portland and Beaverton?
Yes. We serve clients throughout Portland, Beaverton, Cedar Mill, Bethany, Hillsboro, and the surrounding metro area, as well as clients nationwide through virtual meetings.
Q13: Do you help with required minimum distributions (RMDs)?
Yes. We provide RMD planning, IRA distribution strategies, tax-efficient withdrawal coordination, and annual monitoring.
Q14: Can you help with inherited IRAs?
Yes. We guide clients through SECURE Act rules, 10-year distribution timelines, tax planning, and beneficiary strategy for inherited IRAs.
Q15: Do you offer one-time financial plans or ongoing advisory?
We offer both. Many clients engage us for ongoing planning and wealth management, while others begin with a standalone financial plan and choose ongoing service later.
Q16: Are meetings required in person?
No. We offer fully virtual meetings and flexible scheduling designed for busy professionals. In-person meetings are optional at our Hillsboro or Portland/Beaverton office.
Q17: Do you help optimize employee benefits like 401(k)s and HSAs?
Yes. We help evaluate and optimize employer benefits such as 401(k) plans, HSAs, FSAs, deferred compensation, and equity compensation programs.
Q18: What makes your firm different from larger financial institutions?
We are a boutique, independent, fee-only fiduciary firm focused on a limited number of families. This allows for deeper planning, integrated tax strategy, and highly personalized investment management.
Q19: Is there a minimum investment?
We do not publish strict asset minimums. Most clients come to us with complex planning needs, equity compensation, or multi-layered tax considerations.