A few things worth knowing

Yes, and we wouldn't have it any other way. With no parent company setting sales targets or steering us toward certain products, every recommendation we make starts and ends with what's right for you.

I'm Matt Smith, the founder of West Highland Advisors. While I'm the only full-time member of the firm for now, you'll see "we" throughout this site because I'm surrounded by a team of trusted professionals I work with every day. Compliance specialists, technology partners, our custodians, and the CPAs and attorneys I collaborate with on client work all play a part in how we serve you. Because they're specialists at outside firms rather than generalists on staff, you benefit from deep expertise in each area, and I get to spend my time where it matters most: getting to know you and keeping your plan on track.

That team extends even further through XY Planning Network, a national community of fee-only financial planners that West Highland is proud to be part of. XYPN provides ongoing compliance support, technology, and training, but its greatest value is the people. It's a network of thousands of advisors who share ideas, pressure-test tough questions, and genuinely want to help one another serve clients well, and it's been one of our greatest resources since day one!

We work with individuals and families at points in life when financial decisions start to carry more weight. That includes couples nearing or in retirement, small business owners, professionals with stock compensation, and growing families whose finances have gotten more complicated than they have time for.

Most of our clients did well on their own for years and reached a point where they wanted an expert looking at the whole picture. Other clients could have used a hand years ago, and we take pride in getting them back on track toward their goals.

West Highland Advisors was built for the long haul, so you won't have to wonder whether your advisor is about to retire or move to a new firm right when you're transitioning into retirement or facing another important decision.

You'll always work directly with an advisor who knows your situation inside and out. Matt Smith is both a CFP^® professional and a CFA^® charterholder, so your financial plan and your investments are built together. As a fee-only firm, we're paid only by our clients and receive no commissions or other compensation from the investments or products we recommend.

It's a fair question, and one that every client should ask. First, your money is always held in your name at an independent custodian, so your accounts stay safe and accessible no matter what happens on our end.

We also keep a written continuity plan, and through our partnership with XY Planning Network we carry wind-down insurance. If Matt were ever unable to serve clients, that coverage does more than keep your accounts cared for in the meantime. It also helps you find a qualified, fee-only advisor who's a genuine fit for your needs, so you're never left to start that search on your own.

We plan for the unexpected on your side too. We'll help you name a trusted contact on each of your accounts, someone your custodian can reach out to if they can't get in touch with you or have concerns about your account. It's a simple step that adds a meaningful layer of protection for you and your family.

Day to day, you can reach Matt directly by phone or email, and with today's technology, he's rarely more than a call away.

No; we can work with clients in all 50 states, and most meetings happen by video. If you're near Denver or Boulder, we're glad to meet in person. For people in Texas and Louisiana, we'll just have to complete a short filing before we begin working together, and we'll handle that as part of getting started if necessary.

We don't have an asset minimum. To give you a sense of who we typically work with, most of our ongoing clients pay $5,000 or more per year. If you're not there yet, we're still happy to talk, and a one-time plan may be a good place to start.

It means the only money we make comes directly from our clients. We don't earn commissions, we don't accept referral fees, and we don't sell products. That removes the biggest conflicts in our industry. The ones that remain, like a fee based on the assets we manage, are explained in our Form ADV.

Our Core Advisory service (investment management and financial planning) is billed at 0.90% per year on the first $2 million, 0.75% from $2 million to $5 million, and 0.60% above $5 million. Investments held in your current employer retirement plans (i.e. held-away accounts) are billed at a rate of 0.50% per year, and these assets are excluded from the tiered advisory fee. Ongoing financial planning runs $5,000 to $15,000 per year depending on complexity. A one-time financial plan package usually takes about 12 hours, or around $3,000 at our $250 hourly rate, and unique engagements are billed at $250 per hour.

We'll talk through exactly what you would pay in our first conversation, before you commit to anything. Full details are in our Form ADV Part 2A.

We do our best work, and have the biggest impact, when we have an ongoing relationship. Life keeps moving: job changes, kids, an inheritance, aging parents, new tax rules. Working together over time lets us keep your plan and your investments current and catch things before they become problems.

We recognize that's not what everyone is looking for, so we're happy to help with a one-time engagement as well.

Usually about four times in the first year while we build and implement your plan, then about twice a year after that. If something comes up in between, like a job change, a home purchase, or a big decision, just reach out. Email and phone are both great ways to reach us.

Yes. We use technology that lets us track your employer retirement plan on a view-only basis, so we can give you active investment guidance on when to rebalance or adjust the funds you're invested in. You make the changes on your end, and we make sure those accounts fit with the rest of your plan.

We don't prepare tax returns, but tax planning is a big part of what we do. We work closely with a CPA and communicate regularly so we're always on the same page, which saves you time and effort both with your investments and your taxes. We have no financial relationship with CPAs, including no referral arrangement, expressed or implied, so you're free to use any CPA you like.

Your investment strategy comes from your financial plan. We start with your goals, your timeline, and your comfort with risk, and build the portfolio from there. Asset location, goals-based investing, and tax efficiency are central to every portfolio.

The foundation is low-cost, broadly diversified ETFs. We work to keep costs and taxes low and avoid complexity that doesn't serve you.

Your accounts are held in your name at an independent custodian, Altruist or Charles Schwab. We don't hold your money. With your written authorization, our fee is deducted from your account, and the custodian sends statements directly to you.

Protecting your information is something we take as seriously as managing your money. Your documents and personal details are shared through our secure, encrypted client portal rather than email, and both the portal and your accounts at the custodian are protected with multi-factor login. We'll never ask you to send account numbers or sensitive documents by regular email.

That care extends to every company we work with. Before bringing on any third-party provider, from our custodians to our planning software, we go through a thorough due diligence process with a particular focus on information security. We look at how each provider encrypts and stores data, who can access it, and how they guard against breaches, and we review independent security audits wherever they're available. Only the providers that meet our standards earn a place in how we serve you, so you can feel confident your information is in good hands at every step.

The CFP^® certification is the standard for financial planning, and it applies directly to the decisions you face: when to retire, how to lower your taxes, whether you have the right insurance, and how to pass on what you've built. Earning it takes extensive coursework, a six-hour exam, and thousands of hours of real planning experience. The CFA^® charter is widely considered the most rigorous credential in investment management. It requires passing three exams, each of which typically takes hundreds of hours of study, and most candidates need several years to finish. Many never do. The program covers investment analysis, portfolio construction, and ethics in depth.

Only a small fraction of advisors hold both. Our founder, Matt, is one of them, which means your financial plan and your investment portfolio get the same level of expertise.

Book an intro conversation. It's relaxed and low-pressure. We'll ask about what matters to you and what's on your mind, you can ask us anything, and we'll both get a sense of whether it's a good fit. Afterward we'll send you a short recap, and you can decide on next steps from there.

Moving your accounts is easier than most people expect, and we handle nearly all of it for you. Opening accounts at Altruist takes just a few minutes online. From there, we request the transfer through ACATS, the standard system brokerage firms use to move accounts between each other, so there's no need to call your old firm or fill out stacks of paperwork. Most transfers are complete within about three business days.

Investments typically move over as they are, so nothing has to be sold just to make the switch. Once everything arrives, we review it together and make any changes thoughtfully, with an eye on taxes. Some accounts, like old 401(k)s or certain annuities and mutual funds, follow a different process and can take a bit longer, and we'll walk you through those step by step.