Frequently Asked Questions
Who does Query Capital serve?
We primarily serve queer and trans people in their 30s and 40s who want a deeply engaged financial advisor who understands their life and values. We are happy to serve those of other identities who feel drawn to our practice and know that we are not the only ones who feel alienated by mainstream culture and need a space to talk about our futures that isn't underpinned by family assumptions.
What are Query Capital's values?
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We believe that queer futures exist and matter. We believe it's natural to bring values into the way we manage our resources. We believe it shouldn't be mandatory to put money towards fossil fuels, prisons, weapons manufacture, and human rights abuses in order to take care of our elder selves.
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How does Query Capital work with partners/households?
We encourage partners/households to approach their financial planning together. If you share a large part of your finances and are saving towards the same goals, it can be counterproductive to work with only one person in your household unit. Depending on your situation, individuals in couples or polycules may benefit from doing separate but simultaneous initial financial plans to allow for more time and individual attention, before proceeding into ongoing planning as a unit.
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We'll need to meet with all joint initial plan participants before committing to do your financial plan, so either have everyone come to the info chat or schedule separate times to intro.
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What is a financial plan?
A financial plan is a written document that lays out your financial situation and makes recommendations for the future. It's a distillation of your story + a game plan for your future. A financial plan is the initial phase of financial advisory work with Query Capital.
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What happens after Query Capital's initial financial plan phase?
After the initial plan phase, we move into our ongoing planning. We meet every 6 months to get an update on your financial life and make sure we're on the point with our strategy. We also manage your investments, if applicable, and keep in touch via email. When additional topics that require discussion arise, you book a float meeting to talk.
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What does it cost?
Our advisory relatioship costs $19,800/year, billed as $1,650/month. There is an additional $8,400 onboarding fee for the initial plan work. This fee level is appropriate for households with combined income and wealth of around $3,300,000.
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Historically, we used a wide sliding scale and we're still investing into this long-term mission-driven work with ongoing clients. We are no longer accepting sliding scale clients.
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Is there a long-term commitment?
We believe your personal finances are too important to do with zero support, and that financial plans without ongoing planning have limited effect. We only take new clients who are seeking a long-term relationship with a financial advisor. But there is no lock-in, and you will be able to leave at any time. All fees are month-to-month.
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Can I pay for an hour of your time?
No, Query Capital does not offer hourly planning. We pride ourselves on providing financial planning that is underpinned by a thorough and longitudinal understanding of your entire financial situation.
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How do I discontinue financial planning with Query Capital?
If you conclude that you'd like to discontinue work with Query, let us know and we'll focus on helping you with the same intention as when you arrived. We will help coordinate the transfer of any accounts you hold with us and help you get organized for the next chapter of your financial management.
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Note that returning clients will be subject to the minimum fee for new clients at the time of their return.
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​Does Query Capital has investment minimums?
Query Capital has a fee of $19,800/year and suggest a minimum wealth and income level ($3,300,000) in order for that fee to make sense.
But Query Capital does not have investment minimums. For example, we might work with a young person whose wealth is in a family trust held elsewhere, but we work together on their complex financial situation without directly managing assets.
Can you manage my money without doing comprehensive financial planning?
Typically, no. We believe investment management is practiced best within a full service financial planning relationship. Furthermore, we believe that advisory relationships are most durable when your ideal model is what the advisor already does. People who don't like comprehensive financial planning and only want to talk about investments with their advisor will find us annoying.
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What is your investment philosophy?
Query Capital provides diversified portfolios with investments that aim to reduce harm to people and the environment. Our goal is to seek returns that make your future possible.
Many people are not aware that their investment portfolios often contain shares in private prisons operators, oil, gas and coal companies, or weapons manufacturers. If you currently own investments you can plug your mutual fund or ETF into FossilFreeFunds.org to see a rating and the underlying holdings. This site is run by a non-profit and free to use.
For investment and retirement accounts that Query Capital manages on your behalf, we work with you on a values-based investment strategy that prioritizes companies advancing clean and renewable energy, strong worker protections, public benefit companies (B Corps), diversity and LGBTQ+ rights. In addition to mutual funds and ETFs we are able to create portfolios of individual stocks and bonds - an approach that allows for more focused strategies while also cutting out underlying fund expense ratios (which in some cases can be costlier than financial advisor fees!).
We actively and rigorously screen all investments for financial return potential, diversification, risk and costs, while simultaneously incorporating your personal values.
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Are you a fiduciary?
Yes, as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional providing financial planning services, Landon must abide by the fiduciary standard, as defined by CFP Board. The fiduciary standard of care requires that a financial adviser act solely in the client's best interest when offering financial advice.
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Your financial life impacts you so intimately, and your financial stability impacts your loved ones and our whole community. We consider the relationship between us to be sacred.
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What is a Certified Financial Planner?
A financial planner generally works with individuals and families to broadly review the issues that touch their financial life and provide strategies given their goals and values.
A CFP® professional is someone who has completed coursework in financial planning, gotten a bachelor’s degree, had three years of experience, passed a board exam, and subsequently submitted to continuing education and ethical standards of the CFP® Board. Learn more at letsmakeaplan.com.
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Do you prepare taxes or make wills?
No. While Query Capital brings an awareness of legal and tax issues to financial planning, we cannot give legal advice or file taxes. With your consent, we partner with your other advisors to coordinate strategy and lower the time burden on you.
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Have questions not answered here? Just ask.
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