Q3 Asset Management Corporation is a Birmingham, Michigan-based financial advisor firm. The company has a small staff of advisory employees, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars in assets for a client base consisting almost entirely of individuals. The firm provides a wide range of services, including investment management, financial planning and consulting on market timing. All of Q3's services are only accessible through independent financial advisors and professionals.
This is a fee-only financial advisor firm. That means that the firm only receives advisory fees from clients and does not earn other outside compensation, such as commissions from the sale of financial products.
Q3 Asset Management Background
Q3 Asset Management was founded in 2006 by Brad Giaimo, who had spent the previous two decades working in wealth management. Giaimo currently serves as president and chief compliance officer (CCO) of Q3. Adam Quiring acts as the firm's vice president. Quiring and Giaimo are the firm's principal owners.
Bruce Greig, a portfolio manager at Q3, is a chartered financial analyst (CFA), chartered alternative investment analyst (CAIA) and chartered market technician (CMT).
Q3 Asset Management Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes
Through its affiliated advisors, Q3 Asset Management works almost exclusively with individal clients. Of the firm's thousands of clients, only about 1% come in above the high-net-worth threshold. The firm also works with investment companies and investment advisors.
Clients who are looking to open an account with Q3 will need a minimum of $75,000 in investable assets. The firm may waive this minimum under certain circumstances.
Services Offered by Q3 Asset Management
The services offered by Q3 Asset Management can be broken down into four main categories:
- Investment management services using Q3's investment programs
- Asset management, financial planning, consulting and market timing services
- Services that are provided to other financial advisory professionals
- Mutual fund management
Q3's services are available on a referral-only basis, which means the only way individuals can access its services are through an outside financial professional. Most investment services are provided on an ongoing basis, whereas financial planning and consulting services are handled on a stand-alone basis.
Q3 Asset Management Investment Philosophy
Q3 Asset Management manages client assets with the intention of helping them meet their personal investment and financial goals. As a result, advisors at Q3 provide ongoing investment management, all while performing regular rebalances to keep portfolio strategies intact. The firm works directly with clients to stay in touch with their changing objectives, time horizon, risk tolerance and liquidity and income needs.
The firm's investment strategies range from aggressive to conservative, again depending on the needs and objectives of each individual client. Advisors select specific investment strategies and tend to use more quantitative and technical methods of analysis rather than fundamental and qualitative analysis. Many of the firm's strategies utilize short-term trading, though some take a different trading approach.
Fees Under Q3 Asset Management
Investment management fees at Q3 are charged based on a percentage of each client's total assets under management (AUM). There is both a standard fee schedule and a separate fee schedule for clients who utilize the firm's Destination strategies.
| Standard Fee Schedule | |
| Portfolio Size | Quarterly Fee |
| First $500,000 | 0.5625% |
| Above $500,000 | 0.4625% |
| Destination Fee Schedule | |
| Portfolio Size | Quarterly Fee |
| First $500,000 | 0.4125% |
| Above $500,000 | 0.3750% |
Here's a breakdown of what you can expect to pay for standard investment management at Q3:
| *Estimated investment management fees do not include brokerage, custodial, third-party manager or other fees, which can vary in amount. | |
| Estimated Standard Investment Management Fees at Q3 Asset Management* | |
| Your Assets | Q3 Asset Management Fee Amounts |
| $500K | $11,250 |
| $1MM | $20,500 |
| $5MM | $94,500 |
| $10MM | $187,000 |
Financial planning and consulting fees are charged at an hourly rate of $200. However, overall prices may be negotiable on a client-to-client basis.
The firm does utilize a performance-based fee arrangement with certain clients, all of whom have at least $500,000 in investable assets. The maximum annual performance-based fee rate at Q3 is 1.50%.
What to Watch Out For
Q3 Asset Management does not have any legal or regulatory disclosures on its Form ADV.
Since Q3 Asset Management takes performance-based fees from some client accounts, there arises a potential conflict of interest. According to the firm's Form ADV, these fees "may incentivize Q3 to recommend investments which may be riskier or more speculative than those recommended under traditional fee arrangements." Despite this, the firm is a fiduciary and is therefore legally bound to act with your best interest in mind at all times.
Opening an Account With Q3 Asset Management
To open an account with Q3, you'll need to either call the firm at (248) 566-1122 or go to the firm's website and submit a contact form so an advisor can reach out to you directly.
All information is accurate as of the writing of this article.
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