D. L. Blain & Co. is an independent, Fee-Only™ wealth management firm offering investment management, comprehensive wealth planning, strategic tax planning, and realty consulting services. The firm is organized as a Registered Investment Advisor under the SEC Investment Advisor Act of 1940.

A Registered Investment Advisor is a fiduciary who stands in a special relationship of trust, confidence or responsibility to his, or her, clients. Any person or entity that holds itself out as an investment advisor or financial planner must be registered as an investment advisor with the appropriate regulatory agency. A Registered Investment Advisor is a representative of the client.

No. All those categories of financial sales people are employees or independent contractors of larger firms and have an obligation to their parent firm or other outside interests. They generally do not have a fiduciary obligation to their clients. The majority of stockbrokers, fee-based advisers, broker dealer affiliated advisers, insurance agents, and bank employees make their income by recommending and selling commission-based products or programs in one form or another to their clients

Individuals providing investment or financial planning advice to clients are Registered Investment Advisor Representatives with the North Carolina Secretary of State Securities Division. Individuals preparing income tax returns are permitted under IRS regulations to sign tax returns as paid income tax return preparers.

It is the policy of our firm that all individuals providing advice directly to clients hold a college degree and also hold at least one of the following professional designations:  Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP™), Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Enrolled Agent (EA).

We offer top-tier advice on investment management, financial and retirement planning, estates and wills, tax planning and asset protection, cash flow and debt management, insurance, charitable giving, children and college, intergenerational issues, businesses and real estate.

No. We are a fee-only firm. If products must be purchased by clients from other sources, we will suggest sources where clients can purchase them with little or no sales commission

We serve financially successful individuals and families, trusts, businesses, charitable organizations, and employee benefit plans.

Anyone who wishes to plan prudently for his or her financial future can benefit from our services. However, persons who desire to delegate the responsibilities of day-to-day investment management and developing sophisticated financial planning strategies to someone else will find our services most appealing and helpful.

Our investment management services typically require $1,000,000 in investable liquid assets.

Yes. We maintain an independent business relationship with Schwab Advisor Services; a division of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Assets are managed under a limited power of attorney with the client retaining full rights and ownership of the assets. We will help you set up your investment accounts at Schwab Advisor Services after you become a client.

Equity securities, warrants, corporate debt securities, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, municipal securities, investment company securities, U.S. Government securities, options and futures contracts and real estate investment trusts (REITs). Our investment approach is based primarily on a risk averse, long-term strategy (we typically purchase and hold securities for at least one year).

We employ a fundamental approach that takes into account the current economic and political environment, earnings, industry outlook, historical data, interest rates, tax benefits and company management (we occasionally use technical analysis as a secondary confirmation of our fundamental approach). All our research is conducted in-house using a variety of sources including proprietary software, global independent research providers, annual reports, prospectuses, filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and widely respected financial newspapers and magazines.

No. Each portfolio is specifically tailored to the individual goals and risk tolerances of the client. Comparing our firm’s aggregate performance to a market benchmark does not provide meaningful information. However, we will gladly discuss the past performance and rate of return targets of portfolios that have similar objectives to the one we design for you.

No. We do not guarantee investment performance.

A financial plan is an in-depth review of your financial situation. It takes into account your goals and objectives relating to investments, tax planning, estate planning, risk management, educational planning and retirement. The plan analyzes and recommends ways that you can achieve your financial objectives.

Generally, yes. We have found that trying to provide recommendations and advice on a specific part, or parts, of your financial affairs leads to a fragmented and non-cohesive plan that is not in your best interest.

No. A person not licensed by the North Carolina Bar Association is prohibited from providing legal advice. However, we do provide legal information in the estate and business planning areas. We work closely with a number of attorneys to ensure continuity of your plan when implementing suggestions that require legal documents.

Our investment management fees start at 1.00% of the first $5,000,000 we manage, then go down to 0.5% on balances above $5,000,000. Our wealth planning (retainer) fees start at 0.25% of the first $5,000,000 in assets, then go to 0.00% for balances over $5,000,000. If you require this service, your Client Advisory Agreement will contain the specific information of how your fee is calculated. Full disclosure of our investment management fee structure is outlined in our Form ADV (we will provide a copy of this document to you upon request).

Our one-time financial plan fees are determined by your current financial position and the complexity of the advice required to create your plan. Most one-time financial plan fees range from $2,500 - $20,000. This fee is determined by various factors including your income, assets, and the intricacy of the work involved in creating your plan. Your Client Advisory Agreement will contain the specific information of what services you will receive and how much you are paying for them.

Yes. Section 212 of the Internal Revenue Code permits an itemized deduction for tax and/or investment advice in the miscellaneous section of Schedule A. This deduction is subject to a 2% floor of the adjusted gross income. Clients who own their own business, have a farm, or rental property may also be able to deduct a portion of the fee on the corresponding schedule or entity tax form.

Contact us by phone, email, regular mail or complete our on-line form.