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Vern Sumnicht, MBA, CFP®

Chief Executive Officer

Sumnicht & Associates, LLC

“In the February 1, 2009 issue of Economics & Portfolio Strategy Newsletter, Mark Kritzman reports the findings of his study showing that, after fees, the vast majority of actively managed mutual funds (and even hedge funds) fail to outperform benchmark indexes. The costs involved in implementing many of those strategies are simply so high that the managers of those funds cannot provide enough outperformance to overcome them and deliver superior returns…” [more]


iSectors® is a new investment management service that is a better way to invest in the financial markets. Combining the best features of investment products with advanced technology and backed by an experienced team of investing professionals, iSectors is the future of investing.

iSectors has developed an entire suite of Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF)-based Asset Allocation models to meet the needs of a wide range of investment objectives. iSectors offers investors low-cost (relative to actively managed mutual funds), properly allocated portfolio solutions designed to provide superior risk-adjusted returns, liquidity and complete transparency with respect to account holdings.

The iSectors series of asset allocation models are available exclusively through Registered Investment Advisors. We invite you and your investment advisor to explore how iSectors can help you reach your investment objectives, simplify your life and improve your investment performance.

iSectors® Post-MPT Growth Allocation  Portfolio has historically shown hedge fund-like risk and return characteristics. However, iSectors’ Post-MPT Allocation Models are more investor-friendly than hedge funds in the following ways:

  • Available to all investors (no accredited investor standard)
  • Low minimum investments ($50,000)
  • Daily liquidity (even intraday liquidity)
  • Full transparency
  • Separately Managed Accounts (held in client’s own name)
  • 1099 tax reporting (no late K-1s or other tax issues!)

In addition to the Post-MPT Allocation Series, iSectors offers five additional series of models, categorized by risk and return characteristics: Domestic, Institutional, Endowment, Liquid Alternatives, and Strategic International.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are a diversified portfolio, or basket of individual securities similar to mutual funds. There are ETFs that hold portfolios of nearly every major asset class, including major stock and bond sector indexes, industries, foreign countries, currencies, precious metals, real estate, and many others.   Thus, with the purchase of one ETF, an investor obtains a diversified portfolio of securities in the particular asset class the ETF has been designed to track.

However, ETFs do have several advantages over mutual funds because of their unique structure. For example – they are bought and sold on stock exchanges (just like individual stocks) at anytime throughout the day.  In addition, the unique structure of ETFs offer the following advantages over mutual funds:

  • lower expense ratios
  • lower tax liabilities
  • and increased transparency

iSectors offers investors complete, properly allocated and diversified, ETF-based portfolios. All iSectors investment portfolios use ETFs as the primary vehicle with which to execute the desired asset allocation strategy.

Why is it so important to keep expenses low by using exchange traded funds (ETF’s)?  Investing in low-cost index ETF’s, versus higher cost mutual funds, is like a horse race in which you put a 100 pound jockey on your horse and the other competitors put 300-pound jockeys on their horses. This lighter jockey is going to give you a significant competitive advantage in this competitive world of horse racing. Low cost ETF’s, as a part of your investment strategy, are going to give you a significant competitive advantage in the very competitive world of investing.

For more information on the costs involved in mutual fund investing, go to www.personalfund.com.

All iSectors allocation investments use separately managed accounts. These accounts are opened in your name, you have internet access to them and you know what has been bought and/or sold in your account at any time. In addition, your performance report and realized/unrealized, gain/loss tax report is update daily and available to you over the internet at anytime from anywhere.
iSectors uses exchange traded funds (ETF’s) whenever possible to invest your account. Just like individual securities, ETF’s may be bought or sold at anytime during the day while the securities markets are open. Because ETF’s are like individual securities and they are held in your own individual account, you don’t have to wait until the end of the day to purchase or sell a portion of your account. Additionally, since the securities in your account are held in your name- they are owned by you. Thus, unlike a mutual fund, you won’t have to be responsible for taxes when someone else sells their shares. Finally, your account is transparent- there are no hidden fees. iSectors charges a maximum of .45% annually for our investment management services and platform access fee. Depending upon the custodian used by your advisor, there will be either a flat $150 or .10% of assets*(subject to a $200 minimum) (depending upon the custodian used by your advisor) for custody and trading expenses, and your advisor will charge you an asset-based fee for his services. There will be no additional commissions or other hidden marketing charges assessed on your account.

* Note – some custodians will assess an account closing fee.