Expect More
At iAB Wealth Management, we specialize in the management and administration of foundation/endowment, trust, estate, investment agency, and IRA accounts. Our staff includes two Certified Trust and Financial Advisors (CTFA), a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), a Certified Securities Operations Professional (CSOP), and an MBA holder. Together we bring over 140 years of combined investment and administrative experience; all to bring you a higher level of service.
Service is an integral part of the corporate culture at iAB Wealth Management. We recognize the value of our clients and go out of our way to make sure we are meeting their needs. We believe one of our key competitive advantages is our ability to provide superior customer service on a local level. There are no automated phone menus, and no departments in other parts of the state, country or world. Every decision is made and every operation is handled locally. Our employees recognize the value of a local firm that is committed to devoting attention to each and every client. Most of our employees have worked in the past for large institutions where local customer service is not always emphasized at the corporate level. They will tell you how refreshing it is to be working for a company that is committed to providing old-fashioned customer service, where customers are treated like people and not just another number.
Investment Strategy
Asset Allocation
The most important investment decision is determining how assets are to be allocated among different asset classes. Once the asset allocation decision is made, rigorous fundamental analysis is done to select the individual securities for our clients' portfolios. We spend time getting to know our clients and their investment objectives in order to ensure that our investment strategy will meet their needs. We work with our clients to determine their risk tolerance and initial asset allocation and revisit it periodically to determine if there have been any significant changes which would require modification to the investment strategy and/or long term goals.
Investment Approach
We believe that successful long-term investment results can be achieved in all market environments by using a disciplined investment strategy. All of our investment decision making is done in-house by our local investment professionals. We take a long term approach with our investment strategies and focus not only on producing competitive long term returns but also on controlling risk and preserving wealth. It is our belief that the key to profitable equity investing is not only the business or stock chosen, but also the price paid for that investment. We focus on buying quality companies that are undervalued or that have superior total return potential. We use traditional valuation metrics in assessing the proper price to pay for a stock such as price/earnings ratio (P/E), return on equity (ROE), earnings growth and dividend growth, among others. Our sell philosophy is based on a number of factors including deteriorating fundamentals, stretched valuation, superior replacement opportunities, and fraud/deceptive accounting or other problems within the corporation. We recognize that in the short term, markets are not always rational or efficient, and can be driven by fear and greed. However, we believe that in the long run, markets can provide excellent returns for those who patiently acquire good companies at attractive prices.
Tax Advantaged Investing
We invest primarily in individual stocks and bonds which allows us to control both tax consequences and transaction costs. In addition, we do use low cost, non-proprietary mutual funds and ETFs to achieve exposure to certain asset classes such as international emerging markets, small/mid cap stocks, and to take advantage of certain specialty niches or opportunities.
Resources
iAB Wealth Management provides the following links and additional resources. The information contained in these sites does not necessarily reflect the opinions of iAB Wealth Management.
Publications
Estate & Retirement Planning
The Insider Newsletter
Read current and past issues of the Wealth Management Insider, a quarterly publication written by Portfolio Manager Travis McEowen.
Current Issue
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Archive
Our Aim
The primary aim of trust services and estate planning is ensuring that your wealth is eventually distributed according to your wishes. Individually tailored trusts enhance your overall investment program. Both revocable and irrevocable trusts offer flexibility in safeguarding and managing assets now and in the future.
Providing for the next generation -- leaving a lasting legacy -- requires that you plan thoughtfully and strategically. For instance, avoiding unnecessary taxation requires planning, but ensuring that your final wishes regarding your wealth are accommodated is a matter of extreme trust.
We focus on building trusting relationships with clients. Such a relationship is often perpetual in design, to accommodate a commitment such as a family's continued support of a charitable cause. Trust extends to the investment management activities required to ensure the completion of specific wishes, including settling your estate.
Our estate settlement professionals work with objectivity and sensitivity to ensure that your estate is settled according to your wishes while conforming to the highest legal standards required of a corporate fiduciary.
A Living Trust, for example, helps to protect assets while you are living, provides a means for their later distribution, and the privacy you need.
Trusts also allow you to safely provide gifts to minors who may need assistance with money management and have long been used as a way to avoid unnecessary taxation.
Always consult your tax advisor to help answer specific questions regarding how tax laws apply to you.
Our Services
- Traditional trusts - revocable, irrevocable, charitable
- Asset management
- Collection of investment income
- IRA administration
- Estate administration
- Estate and transfer tax planning
- Charitable endowments and foundations
- Investment portfolio review
Our Team
1. Jerry Harms
Jerry has over 40 years of experience in security analysis and portfolio management. He has a history of managing personal trust and investment agency accounts for high net worth clients, as well as numerous large foundations. He is currently a board member of Easter Seals ARC of Northern Indiana.
2. Jennifer Witmer
Jennifer supports both the administrative and investment staff. She is responsible for handling the daily operations of the department and has over 5 years of banking and trust experience.
3. Joe Byers
Joe is a Certified Trust Financial Advisor and has over 40 years of banking and trust experience. He was instrumental in the establishment and growth of iAB’s Wealth Management Department. Joe serves on the Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana and Visiting Nurse and Hospice Home Boards of Directors.
4. Sherri Chaney
Sherri’s 20+ years in the banking and trust industry has given her extensive experience in the areas of trust operations as well as the administration of trust accounts.
5. Alice Kopfer
During her more than 30 years in the trust industry, Alice has managed trust, investment and charitable accounts worth more than $500 million. She has served on Indiana Tech and St. Joseph Community Health Foundation Boards and currently serves on the Diocese of FW/SB Finance Council/Investment Committee.
6. Travis McEowen
Travis has worked in the investment management and trust industry for more than 10 years. He is experienced in managing complex investment portfolios for fiduciary and investment management accounts, as well as public and private foundations and endowments.
Securities and Insurance Products Are:
• Not FDIC Insured • May Lose Value • Not Bank Guaranteed • Not a Deposit • Not Insured by any Federal Government Entity