We perform three services for clients:

  • Setting investment strategy
  • Allocating assets appropriately
  • Investing and monitoring their investments

Benefits of our investment program:

  • Clients are able to delegate a critical activity (investing) to a professional to free up their time.
  • They develop peace of mind about their financial matters.
  • They have a clear picture of their long term financial situation as well as the knowledge that as life changes so will their financial plan and portfolio.
  • They know that though their lives are busy and time is short, their portfolio is being regularly monitored and managed.
  • They have a go-to professional who is knowledgeable about their financial matters. This enables them to make informed decisions on matters like: contributions to 401K plans, exercising their stock options, and year-end tax strategy related to investments.

Our Investment Program moves you towards your goals.

Snow

“Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?
The Cheshire Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.
Alice: I don’t much care where.
The Cheshire Cat: Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go.
Alice: …So long as I get somewhere.
The Cheshire Cat: Oh, you’re sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Setting Investment Strategy

Our Clients can typically explain what their financial goals are: Retire comfortably, educate their children, provide for their dependents, leave a legacy, or buy fancy toys.

But they have difficulty in translating these goals into actionable financial steps. For example: “I need to save $x each month to sustain my life style in retirement”.

Also, when they have multiple goals, making a cohesive plan becomes much harder since goal finances may be inter-related.

And evaluating different scenarios (e.g. what if I lose my job?) is even more challenging especially if they don’t have the correct tools and training.

We can help clients develop a cohesive and customized investment plan to achieve their goals.

We believe that taking the proper risks to meet your goals is more prudent than shooting for high returns with high risk.

Allocating Assets Appropriately

Allocating assets properly is critical to managing your portfolio’s risk.

We recognize that there are many asset allocation rules of thumb available – for example, “invest your age in Bonds”. But real-life is a little more complicated. We view risk from 9 perspectives and then use the resulting insights to craft asset allocations for clients.

We believe that holding the course is a good (nautical) strategy – unless you are heading for rocks.

Making and Monitoring Investments

Investors are often capable of making their own investment decisions but lack the time, interest, and analytical tools to do so effectively. Our program lets you delegate your critical investment management activities to a qualified professional.

Think of our services as a GPS for your financial life: Goals – Plan – Strategy.

Who should invest with us?

Our advisory services are designed for busy individuals (such as corporate executives or Private Practice owners) who have at least $500,000 to invest with us and are interested in a streamlined and clear investment program.

Our Fees

Sound advice is not free but it can be transparently and competitively priced

Our Fees are straightforward, transparent and competitive.

We charge 1% of assets under management. Moreover, we endeavor to keep your total investment costs at or below median industry levels. We can do this because we know how to find high-quality investments that are attractively priced. And, we also keep our overheads and wastage low.

We believe that our fees & costs are competitive and are also considerably lower than the total fees and costs of the large branded firms.

Though many investment firms impose account minimums, we do not. However, if portfolios are less than $500,000 then our total investment costs may be somewhat higher.

Value of Advice

FAQ

What Investment Services do you offer?

A well-organized financial situation does not generally come about by luck; it is the result of effort and expertise whether they come from investors themselves or from the advisors they delegate these tasks to. If you desire to use an advisor, we can help.

  • We help clients to accumulate capital, invest it in a way they are comfortable with (asset allocation) and execute our recommendations (portfolio management) by researching, buying, monitoring, and selling investments with the aim of making money for clients.
  • Though the aim is to help clients to build sufficient resources for their goals (e.g. a secure retirement), typically we take specific actions for clients such as: Rolling over their IRA’s and 401k’s, streamlining their portfolios, etc. (click for service menu).

What is DorchesterAdvisors’ investment philosophy?

A well thought out and evidence based investment philosophy is critical when it comes to managing your serious money. Our investment approach, finely honed over 30 years, is also the one we use to manage our own assets.

  • Our philosophy is to invest sensibly, prudently and cost-consciously; the way we invest our portfolio.
  • We use evidence based investment strategies and specialize in value oriented investing – i.e. buying good quality investments at attractive prices.
  • We Invest in all five asset classes to diversify risk; choose well researched investment strategies that have been tested over long periods of time; regularly monitor portfolio and make changes to it as market conditions change or your needs evolve.
  • Our aim is to achieve a level of return that enables clients to grow their wealth on an after-tax and after-inflation basis over a market cycle, so they can sustain their desired lifestyle.

What is DorchesterAdvisors’ investment process?

While Investing is not as complicated as rocket science, neither is it trivial; we believe that effective investing can be made simple but it’s rarely easy. It is not easy, because it needs discipline, training, experience, and professional tools, all of which enables the more accomplished practitioners to develop a robust and repeatable investment process.

  • We have a well-defined approach for our investment process.
  • Our bedrock philosophy is to buy good (high quality) investments are attractive (low) prices. I.e. we are value investors.
  • We then implement this value- philosophy with clear guidelines and processes for:
    • Which investments to buy these are defined at the Ticker symbol (Jargon for specific names) level. We decide these names based on research and fundamental analysis.
    • We have a clear process which determines when we buy these investments.
    • We have clarity about how much (number of shares) of these investments to buy.
    • We set clear targets for which signals will tell us when to sell (Signals that are more specific than “we sell when the fundamentals change or we sell when the stock reaches its intrinsic value”)
    • And finally, how much of our position we will sell.
  • Our thinking: without clearly knowing these key elements we (and indeed any investor) cannot execute a trade. And unless we can buy and then subsequently sell a security, we cannot make a return.

How do you manage risk?

  • We endeavor to take the least amount of risk that is consistent with your goals.
  • We view risk from X perspectives and balance these
  • We also insure that no one individual security is more than 3% of your portfolio when we buy it.

What are your fees and costs?
We charge 1% of assets under management and endeavor to keep your total cost of investing at or below the industry median level of fees. We strive to keep our fee structure: streamlined, transparent and competitive.

We do not impose minimum levels for fees or account size.

What do I get for my fees?
Clients credit us for providing benefits like:
You get a written plan detailing the steps you need to take to get to your goals.
We develop a specific saving target “your number” that is consistent with your plans.
You get a portfolio designed to fit your plans
You get ongoing portfolio management
You have access to an advisor who knows your financial situation and can act as a sounding board for your family’s financial topics
You have a fiduciary third party who can provide continuity for your financial matters.

Can I get investment advice cheaper through online services or companies like Vanguard.

Yes you can.

Like with restaurants, where you get a variety of menus, prices, and experiences, you have many choices in the financial industry. But we also know that not every restaurant is at the top of their game.

At Dorchester Advisors you get an experienced (more than 30 years), credentialed (Wharton MBA) advisor who operates as a fiduciary and has deep expertise with the financial needs of successful individuals and families. All at a very competitive cost.

Do you have experience with my situation? Are you good at what you do?

  • How long have you been offering investment advisory services
    • Dorchester Advisors has been in operation since 2010. The founder and lead advisor, Dushyant Pandit has more than 25 years of experience in the investments industry. This has given us vast experience with many diverse investment situations that clients face. We are well qualified and knowledgeable about offering appropriate investment solutions for your situation.
  • Who and How many clients do you work with?
    • Our clients are successful individuals and Families that are serious about insuring a comfortable retirement for themselves and taking care of their families in this generation and the next.
    • Click to see Dorchester by the numbers.
    • Clear communications: Regular meetings; key written documents (Plans, investment policy statements). Additionally our custodian sends regular confirmations and statements.
    • As a result we have seen and dealt with a wide variety of issues that are relevant to our clients.
    • Our clients expect high service levels and we deliver this by keeping the advisor to client ratio at 50 or less.
  • What is your background and Education?

Dushyant Pandit
Dorchester Advisors
Email: [email protected]

About me: Founded Dorchester Advisors – Investment advisory firm|Professional Investor|Help Individuals and Families to accumulate capital|Invest sensibly, prudently and cost-consciously| Entrepreneur |I champion Simplification|Married, NY area resident| Volunteer with Wharton Alumni Clubs|Wharton MBA

  • How do you envision we work together to set investment objectives, monitor and adjust over time, and evaluate success?
    • We have honed a well-developed process – the Dorchester wealth management process – to make a smooth start and ongoing progress with clients
    • We have an Interactive process using both proprietary and professional tools for developing financial plans and investment strategies.
    • Though we start with one of three investment models, these are tailored to fit your goals and needs.
    • We expect to have full investment discretion over your account. This means we will not typically consult with you prior to making any investment decisions. We use this approach for two reasons: One, speed is often of essence when making investment decisions and we can act faster with discretionary authority. Two, we wish to avoid any conflict in our investments based on information that our clients (who are successful in their careers) may have. Indeed many clients’ firms require that their investments be handled on a discretionary basis.
    • Discretion over your account is only for investment management purposes. In terms of moving money or security, we have no ability to do so, except based on written instructions from clients.
  • Who will I be dealing with? Who is actually managing my investments?
    • You will be dealing directly with Dushyant Pandit, founder and lead advisor of Dorchester Advisors. He is also the key decision maker on the investments that will go into your portfolio.
    • While he may rely on analysts or services for support and information, he is the lead advisor on accounts and you deal directly with him.
  • Tell me how you will interact with me?
    • In person as well as via video conferencing. We aim for quarterly updates of your portfolio. We are accessible at all times by appointment.
  • How will you help me achieve my financial goals?
    • By jointly setting them with you, setting targets for progress and regularly monitoring progress. Show a sample client presentation

Do you have a business continuity plan?

  • Yes, and we are required to keep this updated to comply with regulations.

How do access my accounts if I want to move them?
Our agreement is cancelled anytime with 30 days’ notice.

If you want to go with another organization: Tell us and we can liquidate your investments and send you a check; OR we can work with the other organization to move the account over in kind. Alternately, most advisors or brokers can initiate a transfer of your account based on instructions from you.

If you need to go because I am incapacitated: You can contact SSG (number is on every statement) and ask them to move your account. They have personnel who can assist you. Should something happen to me, they will also be informed by Dorchester Advisors and will be prepared to assist you.

If you need to move your accounts because You are incapacitated: I strongly urge clients to introduce me to their Heirs / executors of will / lawyers & CPA. Done in real time when all is well sets up a relationship and communication channel; then all these players are comfortable talking with each other to get your wishes done. What we do at Dorchester Advisors is to simply add these folks to our ongoing update emails, which since they are sent routinely make it easy for your heirs etc. to access us quickly.

Will you act in my best interest?

  • Yes.
    • We operate as a stand-alone Registered Investment Advisor. This means we act in a fiduciary capacity (i.e. in a client’s best interests) rather than in a Suitability capacity (a more lenient standard). Read about the critical differences.
    • As a stand-alone firm, we are not subject to any pressure from the home office or other interested parties.
    • Nor are we dully registered (Lingo for having licenses to do other financial products business). All we do is investment advisory work for fully disclosed fees.

Have you been cited for disciplinary actions?

  • No. Clean credentials – no complaints

Will you sign a Fiduciary Oath

  • Yes

How are you compensated? What do I pay for? What do I get?
Our fees are straightforward…
You pay for advice on how to accumulate for retirement and how to spend it in retirement; You get a strategy tailored to your temperament and goals, and a plan which is updated regularly, and a portfolio that is tailored and managed according to your goals.

Do you receive any other forms of compensation which may cause conflict of interest?

  • We don’t get any other compensation other than fees we charge you. If this changes, we will inform you. This means:
  • We do not earn commissions or 12b-1’s or other such compensation from firms who sell mutual funds, ETF’s or such products.
  • We are not engaged in any other business activity which may divide our time and attention.
  • We do not receive financial incentives for recommending any financial products or for making investment recommendations.
  • We do not receive any referral fees from other professionals (CPA’s Lawyers, Insurance etc)?

Will you provide a written agreement outlining services and the fees?

  • Yes

How much of the net worth of the principals is managed at the firm?

  • More than 40%

Does the adviser take custody of, or have access to, a client’s assets?

  • No
  • We do ask for your authorization to take our investment fees directly from your account.