• 1. What is a fee-only advisor?

    A fee-only advisor is compensated solely by the client, not through commissions or third-party payments. This structure eliminates conflicts of interest and ensures recommendations are based solely on what’s best for you. SSCM is proud to operate as a fiduciary, fee-only firm.

  • 2. What does it mean to be a fiduciary?

    As fiduciaries, we are legally and ethically bound to act in your best interest. At SSCM, this means always putting your goals ahead of ours and providing advice rooted in care, diligence, and transparency.

  • 3. What is capital management?

    Capital management is our disciplined approach to growing, preserving, and optimizing your financial assets. This includes investment management, financial planning, tax strategy, and retirement coordination, all aligned with your long-term goals.

  • 4. What does "white-glove service" mean at SSCM?

    It means concierge-level attention. All emails are returned within 24 hours, phone calls by COB. Each client is supported by our team, with a Client Services Specialist coordinating back-office, cashiering needs, and staying accountable to the service and outcomes you expect.

  • 5. How do you tailor plans to each client?

    We believe planning is a process, not a document. Your strategy evolves with you, driven by key priorities and continuously updated. We do not hand you a binder and disappear — we refine and act as priorities shift.

  • 6. Can you help business owners with retirement plans?

    Yes. We specialize in Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans, including 401(k), Cash Balance/Defined Benefit plans. And for smaller business owners, we offer guidance and implementation on tax-advantaged retirement plans like SEP IRA’s, SIMPLE IRAs, and Solo 401(k)s. Whether you are optimizing a current plan or starting fresh, we are with you from onboarding to ongoing investment oversight and participant education.

  • 7. What is the Direct Retirement Plan Strategy?

    This strategy (coming soon) allows eligible clients to have us professionally manage their workplace retirement accounts (401(k), 403(b), etc.) using secure third-party technology. If you have ever wanted expert oversight of your retirement plan without moving it, this is for you.

  • 8. What is the Unconstrained Alpha strategy?

    Our soon-to-be-announced strategy for qualified clients focuses on seeking alpha through flexible, high-conviction investment ideas across asset classes. It is unconstrained by traditional benchmarks, giving us the latitude to pursue opportunity where it exists.

  • 9. What if I already have a financial advisor?

    We are happy to provide a second opinion or serve as a fiduciary partner alongside your CPA or estate attorney. Many clients come to SSCM for a more proactive, planning-focused experience.

  • 10. Do you work with clients outside of Oregon?

    Yes. While we are based in Oregon, we serve clients across the country. Virtual meetings, secure portals, and effective communication allow us to deliver boutique service wherever you are. And depending on the number of clients in a given region, we may even schedule in-person visits to connect and explore a new town alongside you.

    Market Idioms (SSCM's Jargon-Free Guide to Wall Street)

    • "Don’t fight the Fed." The Federal Reserve influences markets more than headlines. Fighting Fed policy is like swimming upstream.
       
    • "Don’t fight the tape." Respect the market trend. Betting against momentum can be costly.
       
    • "Bull market." A sustained period where markets rise—typically defined as a 20% increase from the most recent market bottom (trough to peak).
       
    • "Bear market." A market decline of 20% or more from recent highs (peak to trough). It’s a long drop—but not forever.
       
    • "Correction." A market drop of 10% or more from a recent high. It’s normal and often healthy—but can feel unsettling.
       
    • "Picking up pennies in front of a steamroller." Chasing small gains with big risk. Not a strategy we recommend.
       
    • "Risk on, risk off." When markets shift rapidly between seeking risk (buying stocks, high-yield bonds, etc.) and avoiding it (moving into cash, Treasuries, or gold). It reflects changing confidence, not always fundamentals. We position for both.
       
    • "Soft landing." The economy slows just enough to curb inflation without triggering a recession. Rare. Beautiful. Tough to nail.
       
    • "Hard landing." The economy slows too much, leading to recession. Often painful but sometimes necessary.
       

    • "No landing." The economy stays hot despite rate hikes. Growth continues, inflation lingers. No slowdown in sight.

               "FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)."When investors chase trends or rallies out of anxiety they’re being left behind. A common mistake. We stay grounded.

    • "TINA (There Is No Alternative)." A mindset when low interest rates make stocks seem like the only viable investment. We diversify anyway.
       
    • "Catching a falling knife." Buying a stock or asset that is rapidly dropping. Could be a deal... or a disaster.
       
    • "Dead cat bounce." A short-term rally in a falling market that fools investors into thinking the worst is over. It’s not.
       
    • "Bagholder." An investor left holding a losing investment when everyone else got out. Not you. Not on our watch.
       
    • "Overweight/Underweight." How much we own of an asset vs. its benchmark. Overweight = more. Underweight = less. No guesswork. Just strategy.
       
    • "10-bagger." An investment that returns 10x your original money. Rare, but not impossible. Patience equals quality, not a lottery ticket.
       

Want us to add more? Tell us what phrases you hear and we’ll translate them—no jargon, no fluff.