Questions worth asking before making important financial decisions.
A starting point for understanding wealth advice, investment planning, our approach and what an advisory relationship can involve.
What does a Wealth Adviser do?
A Wealth Adviser helps a client step back from individual financial decisions and look at the wider picture — goals, circumstances, existing wealth, investments, risk and the decisions that need to be made over time. The role is to bring perspective and structure to those decisions.
What is the difference between Wealth Advisory and Investment Advisory?
Wealth Advisory is the broader way we describe the process of looking at a client’s financial life as a whole. Investment advice is narrower and concerns investment decisions within the applicable regulatory framework. Investment planning is therefore one part of a broader wealth strategy.
What does an Investment Adviser do?
An Investment Adviser provides investment advice within the scope of applicable SEBI regulation, based on the client’s objectives, circumstances, risk profile and suitability. The advice is about decisions and strategy, not simply selecting products.
Do you start with investment products?
No. The starting point is the client’s circumstances and the decision that needs to be made. Investments are considered for the role they can play within the strategy rather than allowing a product to define the strategy.
What services does Bargad Wealth provide?
The six services are Wealth Advisory, Financial Planning, Investment Planning, Retirement Planning, Estate & Succession Planning and Independent Review. Each has a different role, while the services can work together where appropriate.
What kinds of investments can be considered?
Depending on the client’s objectives, risk profile, suitability and the scope of the engagement, an investment strategy may consider a range of securities and investment instruments, such as equity, fixed income, mutual funds, bonds, ETFs and other permitted securities. Examples are illustrative, not recommendations.
How do you maintain neutrality in investment decisions?
The objective is to recommend or evaluate investments because of their role in the client’s strategy, not because a particular product or provider needs to be used. Under the SEBI Investment Adviser framework, registered IAs must also comply with requirements around client-level segregation from distribution activities and, wherever available, advise direct plans of products.
Do you receive commissions from the investments you advise on?
Investment advice provided under the SEBI IA framework is fee-based advisory activity and is distinct from distribution. The regulatory framework requires client-level segregation of advisory and distribution activities and, wherever available, advice on direct plans. Any applicable fees and other costs are disclosed to the client as required.
How are advisory fees determined?
Advisory fees are disclosed and agreed with the client in the advisory agreement and are subject to applicable regulatory requirements and limits where those requirements apply. The exact fee structure should always be confirmed as part of onboarding.
Can you review investments that I already hold?
Yes. Independent Review is specifically designed as a second look at an existing financial or investment strategy. The purpose is not to assume that everything should be replaced, but to understand what is there, why it is there and whether it remains appropriate for the objectives.
Do you execute or trade investments for clients?
Investment advisory is distinct from execution. Under the SEBI IA framework, an IA cannot execute or carry out a purchase or sale on behalf of a client without the client’s specific and positive consent for that trade. Clients should retain control of their account credentials and OTPs.
Does all financial advice fall under SEBI?
No. SEBI’s IA framework covers investment advice relating to securities. Where an IA provides services relating to products or services outside SEBI’s regulatory purview, the framework requires appropriate disclosure and client declaration/undertaking that those services are outside SEBI’s purview and that SEBI grievance recourse does not apply to them.
Do you provide legal or tax advice?
No. Legal and tax implementation should be handled by the appropriate qualified professionals. Bargad Wealth can bring the financial-planning perspective into the discussion and coordinate with those specialists where appropriate.
Are investment returns guaranteed?
No. Investment returns cannot be guaranteed or assured. Investments are subject to market risks, and the SEBI IA framework expressly prohibits assurances of returns and requires appropriate risk disclosures.
How often should my financial or investment strategy be reviewed?
There is no universal timetable. A review should reflect the nature of the strategy and the client’s circumstances. Significant changes in income, goals, liquidity, family circumstances, risk capacity or wealth may warrant a review even if the scheduled review date has not arrived.
What happens in the first conversation?
The first conversation is about context: where you are today, what matters to you, what has changed and which financial decisions are becoming important. It is also an opportunity to determine whether there is a useful advisory relationship to continue.
Can you work with my existing advisers and professionals?
Where appropriate, yes. Wealth decisions can involve tax, legal, business or other specialist considerations. The aim is not to replace every professional relationship, but to bring the relevant financial decisions into a coherent strategy and involve the right specialists where needed.
Is Bargad Wealth a SEBI-registered Investment Adviser?
Bargad Wealth is being developed around the Investment Adviser model. The website should not be read as a statement of SEBI registration unless and until registration has been granted. Once applicable, the registered name, SEBI registration number and other mandatory disclosures will be displayed as required.