Frequently asked questions

What makes Shore to Summit different?

We believe one of the many things that makes Shore to Summit different is the fact that the core of advisors on the team Scott, Ben and Kelly have worked together for over twenty years. The consistency of these seasoned professionals gives our clients the added comfort of knowing they are working with a competent team who will be around for many years to come. Furthermore, we have surrounded ourselves with a truly diverse and talented team that should make any client or potential client feel comfortable working with us. Finally, having offices in both Annapolis, MD and Bozeman, MT makes us more accessible than most other advisory practices.

What are your qualifications?

Scott L. Brown has been a registered wealth management advisor since 1994 and a branch manager since 1998. He holds his Series 7,9,10,24,63,65 as well as his Life, Health and Long-Term Care Insurance Licenses. He has also earned his CFP®, CIMA®, CRPC® and CFS industry recognized designations. He was also recognized as a Barron’s Top 1,200 Advisor for 3 consecutive years in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Benjamin D. Spiker has been a registered wealth management advisor since 1998. He holds his Series 7, 63, 65, 24 as well as his Life, Health and Long-Term Care Insurance Licenses. He has also earned his CFP® and CRPC® industry recognized designations. Ben has been recognized as a Five Star Wealth Manager for 2013, 2015, 2019, and most recently for 2020. 2

What types of clients do you specialize in?

Our wide-ranging client base consists of corporate executives, business owners and other high-net-worth individuals, couples and families. We also work closely with physicians, dentists, attorneys and other personal service professionals.

How will our relationship work?

At Shore to Summit Wealth Management (STSWM) we take client service very seriously. Our relationship is an advisor-client relationship in which both parties should expect honestly, trust, full-disclosure and prompt and timely responses to requests. Our relationships are built on comprehensive planning as Scott and Ben are both CFP®’s and Scott, Kelly and Ben are all CRPC®’s. We review a minimum of four topics with each client every year and in most cases several times per year. These include but are not limited to; a balance sheet and cash flow statement review, a goals and objectives review, a risk profile review, a basic estate planning review, an asset allocation review, a performance review and discussions regarding our economic and capital market outlook and how that impacts changes to your portfolio and overall investment strategy. You can also expect timely and informative e-mails, mailings and surveys.

How much contact do you have with your clients?

Shore to Summit Wealth Management employs a robust service model that entails a minimum of four scheduled meetings or calls annually. In addition to this, our staff will contact you periodically to “check-in” or to see if there is anything you may need. In addition, any client that calls in and needs to speak with their primary advisor can expect to be connected within 24 hours if not immediately! In addition to this, we communicate electronically with all of our clients via email and through LinkedIn and our Facebook page.

Will I be working only with you or with a team?

Each client has a lead relationship with one of the team's financial advisors as well as one of the team’s relationship managers. In support of those direct relationships, we apply as a team our complementary skill sets and collective wisdom that have developed over the years. We believe that we can address the many levels of complexity in your financial life.

How do you get paid?

Advisors can use a variety of fee structures. To keep it simple and avoid conflicts of interest, we focus primarily on a fee-based relationship. That is approximately 93% of our revenue is derived from a flat percentage fee charged to our clients assets that we manage. However, there are certain products or securities that may involve a commission to STSWM. As such, we will always fully disclose our fees prior to clients making any investment with STSWM. We also provide all of our clients with an annual fee and service disclosure letter in the first quarter of each year.

What are my all-in costs?

All of your costs are disclosed at the time of investment and in our annual fee disclosure letter. Some products may have an additional management fee paid directly to the investment manager that is separate from the STSWM wealth management advisory fee. These are all fully disclosed and may range from .04% to in excess of 1%.

What hours are you open?

Our offices are open from 9am until 6pm Eastern Standard Time.