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The Unvarnished Truth

We tell you the unvarnished truth and operate on the basis of transparency. If you find another firm that will do what we do, with as much care and expertise as we do, at a lower rate, you should probably choose them. We are seeking new client relationships where we support you as your trusted go-to for years to come.

our programmes

Informed Decisions MasterPlan™
& Implementation

€3,950 one-off

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The MasterPlan
Maintain Programme

0.7% of the assets you invest with us

Available exclusively to people who have received their Informed Decisions MasterPlan™ & invest with us

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Transparency

In Paddy's own words: "As one of the only Irish Ambassadors of the international volunteer movement ‘Transparency Task Force’ I campaign for fair and transparent fees for investors."


"In my work with advisors I encourage them to focus on the clients goals and desires, instead of products & sales. Fortunately there is a real shift under-way, it is slow but the tide is turning back in favour of the consumer, pension holders and investors of Ireland."

In 2018 a European Regulation called ‘Packed Retail Investment and Insurance Products’ (PRIIPS) came into force. This forced providers to give clarity to investors about the fees that they pay on investment products. Investors since 2018 are obliged to be given what is known as a ‘Key Investor Document’ (KID). What has been really eye-opening is that despite many clients being told that they are paying 1% to 1.5% in annual fees, these KIDs show that they are more often paying 2-2.5% in annual fees.

“A Department of Social Protection report recently found that the average annual fee for most investors is 2.2% per year, when underlying charges are included”

How We Compare

Surprisingly, despite many clients being told that they are paying 1% to 1.5% in annual fees, a recent study by the Department of Social Protection found that investors are paying an average 2.2% in opaque annual fees.

Without realising it, most pension-holders and investors in Ireland are paying 2.2% per year in fees.

Industry-Average Annual Investment Fees
= 2.2%

WIth Informed Decisions, clients know exactly who they are paying, why they are paying them, and what they receive in return.

Informed Decisions Advisory Fee: All Financial Planning, Advice, Meetings and Support: 0.5%*
+ Global Custody, On-Line Access & Admin: 0.3%
+ Diversified Portfolio - Index Funds: 0.20%
= 1%

*Advisory Fee for amounts €300,000 and €500,000 = 0.6%
Advisory Fee for amounts €500,000-€1,000,000 = 0.5%
Advisory Fee for amounts over €1m = 0.4%
Global Custody & Admin in certain retirement structures: 0.4%

John Sherry
‍GARDENROOMS.IE

Working with Paddy and Informed Decisions assures us that we are doing the right things at the right times. The service we get is personal and accurate, and importantly it’s very good value for money

€400,000 invested for 10 years with average 7% growth

industry norm
7% Growth

Final Value

€627,540

Reduction in Yield
2.39% per year
informed decisions
7% Growth

Final Value

€709,000

Reduction in Yield
1.11% per year

The difference

Informed Decisions is
€81,460
higher!

The Impact For You

If you invested €400,000 over 10 years with two different companies, one charging 2.2% and the other charging 1%, both growing at 7% per year; your return would have been €81,460 more in the 1% investment. This is thanks to the magical power of compounding. 

That is over €8,000 of additional growth, or a saving of €8,000 per year in investment fees. €660 per month more for you, thanks to a 1.2% fee differential

The savings outlined here include the flat fee clients pay us for creating their Informed Decisions MasterPlan (€1,200-€1,500) and for implementing new investment and retirement structures (€1,500).

Typical Example

Client Engagement & Master plan

Client engages me to help them define the desired results, conduct analysis and create their Informed Decisions MasterPlan.

Based on 14 hours of analysis and recommendation
€1,120

Implement Investment Account

Where there is a desire to work together and a tangible benefit to clients we will implement their new strategy.

Fixed cost for establishing their account, no matter what the amount.
€950

Ongoing Guidance, Planning, Portfolio Management

On an investment of €600,000 the total all-in fee per year for our clients is 1% of assets. This is the total cost per year for all custody, admin, fund fees, and the services from me. This included on-going financial planning, guidance, reporting, on-line access and a relationship which stands to deliver results for us all over the long term.

€600,000 x 1%
€6,000

final pot value

€600,000 invested over 10 year period, paying a total fee of 1%, and average annual growth of 7%

Final Pot value with Informed Decisions
€1,067,608

Reduction in yield of 1.09%

the difference

The final pot value with Informed Decisions includes the initial outlay for your Discovery MasterPlan, the costs of implementing your accounts and the total annual fees payable for all services you receive from us. Final Pot value if paying industry norm of 2.2% = €940,310 and reduction in yield of 2.39%.

The difference is€124,123 - yours to keep.

Your Informed Decisions MasterPlan™ (tax-deductible)

If you are looking for clarity and independent guidance on major financial decisions, this first step will be perfect solution to your problems.

what you get
  • A highly personal strategy, where you feel in control of your financial future
  • Expert analysis of your current financial structure, investments and plans
  • Detailed cash flow forecast based on where you are right now, and where you want to be in the future
  • Investment research and portfolio design to give you confidence in our decisions
  • A personally crafted strategy to protect and grow your savings & retirement income
  • Elegantly designed and proven investment and pension portfolio proposals
  • Our expertise to implement the best investment and pension structures for you on the Informed Decisions platform

Clients tell us this is one of the most worthwhile exercises they have ever done regarding their finances, ever!

The fee for the Informed Decisions MasterPlan™ of €3,950 is a tax-deductible business expense and includes us carefully establishing your new investment and pension structures. When you subsequently invest with us, we support you into the future via the MasterPlan™ Maintain Programme, detailed below.

Fin goulding
‍FLOWACADEMNY.ORG

I'm time poor & distrustful of the usual financial advice channels. Since working with Paddy and Informed Decisions, I know that my future is safe with his steady hand on the tiller and therefore, I can't recommend him highly enough.

MasterPlan™ Maintain Programme (tax-deductible)

This valuable service is exclusively available to you when you complete your Informed Decisions MasterPlan™ and implement new investment or pension structures with us

When you invest with us you become a member of the MasterPlan Maintain Programme, the benefits of which include:

  • Having a professional & empathetic advisor to help you build & protect your financial future
  • Two Planning Meetings with Paddy at your home/office every year
  • Access to Paddy as your dedicated advisor
  • Personal guidance on all aspects of your financial life planning
  • Wise counsel and a gate-keeper on your new pension and investment structures
  • Access to our proven, regulated and high performing portfolios and partners
  • Invitation to exclusive Informed Decisions Developmental Work-Shops & Seminars
  • Invitation to Investment Manager updates as they arise
  • Annual investment portfolio rebalancing
  • Access to new portfolio options and non-standard investment solutions
  • 24/7 access to your online portfolio, with quarterly updates
  • Annual Fee schedule and breakdown – enabling your business to claim tax relief
  • We don’t sell policies - No sales pitches or product pushing, ever
  • No commissions, hidden charges or exit penalties, ever
  • Liaising with your accountant/tax advisor when needed
  • Bespoke investment and ARF income draw-down planning as needed
  • Helping you avoid costly mistakes with your financial plans and investment decisions
  • Removing stress and concern about your future lifestyle and incomes
  • If for some reason you are not happy, you can walk away, no penalty or restrictions
  • Personally holding you to account on living & spending your money!

Annual fee of 0.7% of invested assets with us

  • 0.7% on assets up to €1.4m, subject to minimum of €4,200
  • Fee capped where client/couple assets exceed €1.4m

Example section below details how the preferential rates we can achieve for clients helps them avoid unnecessary fees on their investments and pensions.

When you invest with us, you will be hiring the expertise and safety of the world’s most proven providers of safe custody and index fund management, see below.

Third-Party Services

When you place investments with us, we hire specialist, independent and regulated providers on your behalf, to deliver two critical services for you.

Investment platform & Global Custody

Informed Decisions do not hold your funds. Your assets are held on a trading platform and secured by Pershing, one of the world’s largest dedicated custodians. Your funds are therefore fully protected by the Central Bank of Ireland Client Assets Regulation. The combined platform and custody annual fee is between 0.3% to 0.5% of invested assets, depending on the type of structure we need to use for best results.

Fund Manage

Our proven and cost-effective investment portfolios are delivered by expert fund managers such as Vanguard and Blackrock. The managers annual fee is 0.2% of invested assets to access the passive index portfolios we prefer.

Including our MasterPlan Maintain fee and all third party services our clients typically pay total all-in fee of 1.5% to 0.8% per year.

Examples

Financial services in Ireland display charges in % terms, which can make it difficult to see the real fees. A Department of Social Protection study found that investors are paying average annual fees of 2.1%. To allow you to compare how we stack up, we show you the total % discounted rates our clients' avail of when they invest via Informed Decisions. Read our FAQ to learn how our investors’ money is as well, if not better protected and regulated, than typical investors.

  1. Your Investment portfolio with Informed Decisions is €400k, the total % fee including all costs and services = 1.55%
    Total €6,200 (1.55%) versus industry average of €8,400 (2.1%)
  2. Your Investment portfolio with Informed Decisions is €800k, the total % fee including all costs and services = 1.2%
    Total €10,600 (1.2%) versus industry average of €16,800 (2.1%)
  3. Your Investment portfolio with Informed Decisions is €1.8m, the total % fee including all costs and services = 1.04%Total €18,800 (1.04%) versus industry average of €37,800 (2.1%)
  4. Your Investment portfolio with Informed Decisions is €3m, due to the fee cap the total % fee including all costs and services = 0.83%Total €24,900 (0.83%) versus industry average of €63,000 (2.1%)

If we need to hire pension trustees in order to maximise your results, it will add up 0.1% to 0.2% per year to the above. Examples as of July 2020, and may vary over time.

You may feel that we look ‘cheap’ when compared to ‘the norm’. We will cease to when you realise that ‘the norm’ doesn’t exist to serve you! We charge a fair fee for the services we provide our clients, and prioritise their success as well as our own . Win-win.

We don’t discount our fee, as we sincerely believe it is a fraction of what it’s worth. If you want to invest but don’t wish to benefit from our planning, support and on-going guidance, the Informed Invest service may be for you.

Many of the valued clients that benefit from the MasterPlan Maintain Programme tell us our service is in stark contrast to the 2%+ fees, lack of technical guidance, and lack of care they were experiencing before they chose to invest and be supported by Informed Decisions.

Arrange an Initial Call with Paddy in confidence and at no expense nor obligation. We’d love to hear from you.

arrange a call

Informed Invest

Not Looking For comprehensive Financial Planning & valuable on-going support? Just want access to our portfolios via investment account or pension?

Find Out About ‘Informed Invest’, our low cost, no-frills investment service.

Find out more
Many of the valued clients that benefit from the MasterPlan Maintain Programme tell us our service is in stark contrast to the 2%+ fees, lack of technical guidance, and lack of care they were experiencing before they chose to invest and be supported by Informed Decisions.
Arrange an Initial Call with Paddy in confidence and at no expense nor obligation. We’d love to hear from you.

Ready to become a client?

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Informed Decisons exists to help people in a meaningful way. We strive to work with valued clients who want to work with us over the long term, and to do so in partnership. I believe the goal for most of us is to live a life free of financial concern. I hope I get the opportunity to help you do so

The Difference

No VAT
No Government Levy
No Exit Penalties
No Commissions
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