Our Process
Our process is a disciplined, continuous cycle of planning, implementing, monitoring, and refining - a cycle we believe helps to ensure success in attaining your overall financial objectives.
Our Four-Step Process:
- Interview process and creation of Investment Policy Statement (IPS)
- Development of asset allocation parameters and guidelines
- Application of rigorous manager selection process
- Monitoring results, reporting performance, and refining the process as appropriate
Learn more about these individual steps below.
Interview and Investment Policy Statement (IPS)
As we interview you and collect your vital information, we work with you to develop an appropriate overall plan. We document this plan in a formal Investment Policy Statement (IPS), thereby assuring that all parties know and agree on investment goals, objectives and parameters. Your IPS will focus on crucial issues such as:
- Risk tolerance
- Return objectives
- Time horizon
- Cash flow needs
- Terminal value goals
- Legal and regulatory requirements
- Other client specific parameters
If through the interview process we find that Argentum is not the best fit for a prospective client, we will work diligently to place that client with a firm or individual advisor that is best suited to their needs. That is the Argentum promise.
Asset Allocation
At Argentum we believe that the asset allocation decision is the most important factor in achieving successful investment results. We are strong supporters of diversification and do not believe in stock picking or market timing. Rather we adhere to a philosophy of objective research and a disciplined strategy of diversified asset allocation. utilizing state-of-the-art risk management software combined with years of market expertise. These highly complex models combined with information obtained in the IPS allows us to determine the most appropriate portfolio mix that quantitatively has the highest probability of ensuring the success of your overall objectives, while taking the minimal amount of necessary risk.
Manager Selection
Once the IPS and asset allocation decisions are finalized with the client, we apply a rigorous Manager Selection process. Argentum performs extensive research on institutional investment managers and hedge funds, which allows us to quantitatively and qualitatively identify the best match for your investment objectives. Managers are selected for each asset class based on their performance and their "fit" within your overall portfolio plan and their suitability to achieving client objectives.
Monitoring Results
Once the plan is implemented, we closely monitor all of your invested assets and prepare, on a quarterly basis, a Portfolio Accounting and Performance Report that is comprehensive, easy-to-read and which consolidates all of your financial statements (See "Consolidated Reporting under the "Client Services" tab for more information). By monitoring the results of this process, we provide a disciplined approach for reviewing and refining the investment planning process strengthening our long-term partnership with you.
