What To Expect And FAQs
What does becoming a New Client look like?
Partnering with the Hucko Group begins with a few straight-forward steps. With the mindset that your time is one of the most important things you can share with someone - we promise never to waste yours. Our process is designed to be educational and focused on adding value.
Meet
It starts with a phone call focused on where life is today and your vision for tomorrow. We share who we are, what we do and the different ways we can work with clients. If we feel we can add-value, a list of items to gather is provided and we schedule our first meeting to dive deeper.
Learn
In our first meeting (in-person, virtually, or by phone) we take a comprehensive look into your life and finances - to reveal your priorities. We ask questions, we listen, and we take the time to discuss obstacles and solutions that you might encounter along the way.
Plan
After understanding your goals and circumstances – time to turn vision into action! We design a plan to organize your financial life (don’t worry, we’ll do the heavy lifting) and to serve as your roadmap going forward. This plan will empower you to move confidently toward the future you envision.
Review
After partnering with the Hucko Group, we monitor and continually optimize your plan. We connect with you for periodic check-ins, structured review meetings and to provide ongoing market insights, and the latest industry education and actionable financial guidance.
New Clients | Investable Asset Minimums
To ensure all Hucko Group clients receive the level of attention and expertise they deserve, we focus on the following criteria.
Team Standard
$500,000 Minimum:
New Clients
Your hard-earned wealth deserves thoughtful guidance, clarity, and a Team that truly understands what matters most to you. Our mission is to help you define and achieve financial happiness. Behind every person is a story—and we look forward to the opportunity to hear yours.
Family Focused
$250,000 Minimum:
Family of Existing Clients
Your legacy matters. To ensure continuity and financial confidence for future generations, we offer a reduced portfolio minimum for the immediate family of our existing clients - to support their journey toward financial independence and long-term wealth creation.
Giving Back
Less Than $250,000:
Family/Friends of Existing Clients
Education and financial planning is at the heart of what we do. For those beginning their journey with less than $250,000 in investable assets, we happily offer Pro-Bono (no cost) consultations and resources to help you create a clear roadmap to achieve your financial goals.
FAQs: Working With The Hucko Group
Explore our answers to the questions you might be (or should be) thinking about.
Yes, we serve as fiduciaries when providing guidance to our clients regarding their advisory assets. Being a fiduciary means that we are required by law to manage our client’s assets to benefit them, not us, and provide proper care and record keeping. As CFP® professionals, we are also held to rigorous ethical standards, regulated by the CFP Board, to act in our client’s best interests. Wanting to do what is best for our clients is at the core of how we operate each and every day.
Note: Baird makes available to its clients various distinct products and services, and there are important differences between those services and the duties and obligations owed to clients in connection with provision of those services. Baird and your Baird Financial Advisor do not act as fiduciaries nor is a fiduciary duty owed to a client when providing certain products and services. For more information about the products and services Baird makes available as well as the duties and obligations Baird and your Baird Financial Advisor may have to you in connection with the provision of products and services, please contact your Baird Financial Advisor.Within our industry, Advisor compensation is generally one of two primary ways: Fee-Based (as a percentage of the client’s managed assets) or Transaction-Based (a specific fee per recommended trade or service offered). The majority of our clients engage The Hucko Group for Fee-Based discretionary active management. In fact, nearly all (over 98%) of the client compensation we receive is attributable to Fee-Based relationships. Connecting how we do with how our client’s do, we feel, aligns with our client’s best interests. Should a Fee-Based account decrease in value – so does our compensation. The Hucko Group at Baird offers a tiered advisory fee schedule that is industry competitive on both regional and national levels.
The Hucko Group at Baird’s Advisory Fee Schedule is as follows:
1.10% on advisory assets $0-1 Million;
0.80% on advisory assets $1-2 Million;
0.50% on advisory assets $2-10 Million;
0.30% on advisory assets over $10 Million.
Note: Important information about the advisory services offered, fees, and certain risks of investing is contained in the Form ADV which can be obtained from the financial advisor and should be read carefully before investing.There are many financial credentials within our industry. We have focused our energy on obtaining the ones we feel will add the most value for our clients.
Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) is one of the more rigorous and comprehensive industry certifications for financial planning knowledge. CFP® professionals must have several years of financial planning experience, pass the CFP Board exam and adhere to a strict ongoing ethical standard. To learn more, visit: https://www.cfp.net/ethics/our-commitment
Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP®) is an advanced income-planning designation focused on income optimization strategies for retirees and near-retirees, developed by the nation’s top retirement planning experts. To learn more, visit: https://www.theamericancollege.edu/designations-degrees/ricp
Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA®) focuses on advanced tax planning, estate planning, philanthropy and charitable giving, family wealth and legacy planning, and other specialized financial strategies tailored to the needs of higher net worth individuals and families. To learn more: https://investmenthelp.org/certification/certified-private-wealth-advisor
Enrolled Agent (EA) is a federally authorized practitioner that specializes in tax matters facing individuals, estates, and trusts. They are empowered by the US Treasury to represent taxpayers before the IRS for tax issues, such as audits or appeals. To learn more: https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/enrolled-agents/enrolled-agents-frequently-asked-questions
For our typical client, the Hucko Group at Baird recommends diversified portfolios, created using both actively-managed mutual funds and passively-managed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) paired together – two of the industry’s most common investing vehicles. Recommended portfolios themselves range from low-risk to high-risk, depending on the client’s goals and objectives. Our typical client does not engage us solely for ongoing individual stock recommendations.
We partner with clients across the entire spectrum of financial literary. Our typical client does not have an advanced understanding of portfolio management, economic analysis or comprehensive financial planning – which is why most clients enjoy partnering with us. As a Team with three CFP® professionals – being an educator, we feel, is a big part of our duty to our clients. We leverage Baird’s extensive educational resources to provide our clients the comprehensive (or concise) information as they are seeking.
We cannot prepare your tax returns or draft legal documents (nor “give legal advice”); however, we regularly educate our clients on the pros, cons, and considerations of many different tax minimization and estate planning strategies, as well as partner directly with our client’s CPAs and Attorneys – assuring smooth implementation of their desired goals. Early in their careers, Darren, J.R. and Ryan each spent 4-6 years within Hefren-Tillotson’s Financial Planning Department, analyzing an endless number of tax returns and estate documents – so it is very likely they have analyzed a situation similar to your own.
Absolutely! We presently work with clients in over 20 states. We have been referred to friends, family and co-workers throughout the country and enjoy connecting with them on a regular basis through email, virtual meetings, phone calls and occasionally an in-person visit to Pittsburgh. We would be happy to connect with “Yinz” no matter where you reside.
Clients receive monthly financial statements (via paper or e-delivery) designed to enhance their understanding of their portfolio and its’ activity; that includes a comprehensive total portfolio view as well as a per-account view. Most clients also utilize Baird-Online, a secure online client portal to view their financial accounts. Baird-Online is accessible at https://bol.rwbaird.com, or by downloading the Baird-Online app for Android or Apple.
Enjoy Today
As We Plan For What’s Ahead
PLAN SMART • PLAN HAPPY