Erin Talks Money
Why Root Financial
I can talk about wealth building all day, but there’s a point where the best thing I can do is point you toward someone who can sit down with your actual numbers and help you build a real plan.
That’s why I trust Root.
Root is a fiduciary firm. Their advisors have your best interest at heart and love to teach, so you’ll always understand the plan you’re building together.
Their process is built around getting to know who you are. They start with your goals, your family, your retirement vision and work backward from there.
Take it from Root’s
current clients.
"...simply the best. They genuinely care about their clients and truly have the heart of a teacher."—Patrick G
"...knowledgeable, honest, helpful and everything we hoped for when planning our retirement."—Kelly F.
"...for the first time I feel that we can look forward to our retirement."—David W.
"I am astonished at the level of time and effort they put into working with you..."—James A.
A process defined
by you.
Root calls their process The Sequoia System because, unlike many firms, they don’t start with the numbers. To build a plan with a strong foundation, they begin with your roots to get a real picture of what you want most out of life.
It’s a method that helps them intimately understand your situation so their recommendations are thoughtful, researched, and always made with your best interest in mind. They’ll systematically formulate a financial plan so you can start to experience freedom with your money.
Like the great Sequoia tree, their goal is to help you develop a robust, specialized retirement plan that aims to weather any storm.
Here’s what people are asking.
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Answer
Root works with people from all walks of life. Root is a business, and staying viable means it needs to be compensated fairly for its work. Root’s best-fit clients have found some success and built a portfolio of at least $1 million. They’ve done a great job saving, but don’t want to carry the full weight of managing their money and retirement planning alone. -
Answer
Root charges a fee that’s a percentage of the value of the investments they manage, which is debited directly from the account:
—1% on the first $1,000,000 we manage
—0.75% between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000
—0.50% between $5,000,000 and $10,000,000
—0.40% between $10,000,000 and $25,000,000
—0.30% between $25,000,000 and $50,000,000
—0.25% between $50,000,000 and $100,000,000
—0.20% on amounts above $100,000,000They don’t get paid through any type of commission, kickback, or other undisclosed revenue sources.
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Answer
Root’s mission is to help you get the most out of life with your money. That means taking as much of the planning off your plate as possible. Root helps clients with:
—Retirement planning
—Investment management
—Tax planning
—Estate planning
—Insurance review
—Cash flow planningAnd everything else it takes to help you feel calm (and excited) about your financial future.
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Answer
Yes. Your CPA is great at accounting for what happened last year, but often doesn’t focus on limiting your tax liability going forward. Root looks at the big picture and offers strategies to optimize your spending and saving for tax efficiency. You (or your CPA) are still responsible for filing your return. -
Answer
Your money is typically held at Charles Schwab or Altruist, independent third-party custodians — think of it like a secure grocery cart where you own everything inside. The accounts stay in your name. Root acts as your advisor, with limited authority to manage them on your behalf. Root doesn’t work for Schwab or earn commissions, so every recommendation is made in your best interest.
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next step?
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Once you start working with Root, you’ll have a kickoff meeting where we dive deep into your goals, values, and current financial picture. From there, we begin building a personalized plan through a series of focused meetings—covering income, investments, taxes, estate planning, and more—designed to help you live the life you want, not just the one you can get by on. Planning continues with ongoing support and regular check-ins to keep your strategy aligned as life evolves.
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Your money is typically held at Charles Schwab, an independent custodian—think of it like a secure grocery cart where you own everything inside. The accounts stay in your name, and we act as your advisor with limited authority to manage them on your behalf. We don’t work for Schwab or earn commissions, so every recommendation we make is in your best interest.
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Transferring your investment accounts is simple and secure thanks to the ACAT system, which moves assets “in-kind”—meaning nothing is sold or changed during the transfer. Whether you’re moving an IRA or brokerage account, your investments stay exactly the same; the only difference is where you log in. We don’t make any changes to your portfolio until you approve a personalized plan built around your goals and tax strategy.
Transferring your investment accounts is simple and secure thanks to the ACAT system, which moves assets “in-kind”—meaning nothing is sold or changed during the transfer. Whether you’re moving an IRA or brokerage account, your investments stay exactly the same; the only difference is where you log in. We don’t make any changes to your portfolio until you approve a personalized plan built around your goals and tax strategy.
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We charge a transparent, tiered percentage based on the assets we actively manage—starting at 1% for the first $1 million and decreasing as your assets grow. There are no commissions, hidden fees, or extra charges for tax or estate planning, and billing is done monthly for flexibility. If we’re not delivering value that exceeds the cost, you’re free to walk away—no long-term commitments.
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Our fee reflects the value of having a trusted partner focused on your entire financial life—so you don’t have to become your own advisor. We provide both quantifiable benefits (like tax strategies and withdrawal planning) and priceless peace of mind, helping you make confident, intentional decisions about retirement, lifestyle, and legacy. Ultimately, you’re investing in your time, clarity, and confidence—not just spreadsheets and returns.
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No—James and Ari don’t personally oversee every client, but every plan follows the same high standards they’ve set through our structured team approach. Each client is supported by a dedicated team including a lead advisor, senior advisor, associate advisor, and client service associate—all trained through Root’s internal program to deliver a consistent, personalized experience rooted in our philosophy.
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At Root, we focus on proactive tax planning, not tax preparation. We help clients identify opportunities like Roth conversions, tax gain/loss harvesting, charitable strategies, and optimizing income to manage healthcare costs or subsidies—all in coordination with your broader financial goals. While we don’t file your taxes, we collaborate closely with your CPA to ensure everything is implemented smoothly and strategically.
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We work with people from all walks of life. Most of the people we serve have built portfolios of at least $1 million (excluding current 401(k)s if under age 59.5, real estate, and 529 plans) and are ready to delegate. We ask to manage all assets that are available for direct management so we can deliver advice that’s fully integrated across your financial life.
All advisory relationships are subject to a $10,000 minimum annual fee. If your fees under our standard asset-based schedule fall below that amount, the minimum will be applied. This structure is designed for standard advisory relationships where assets are limited but planning needs fall within our typical scope.
If your situation involves more complexity, such as business ownership, multiple entities, or advanced planning needs, and asset-based billing isn’t available, we may instead recommend working together under a flat-fee planning arrangement that reflects the scope of work involved. In those cases, a separate agreement would outline the services and cost.
If we’re not the right fit, we’ll do our best to answer your questions and connect you with someone who might be.
