The first five years of retirement matter most
Why sequence-of-returns risk deserves more attention than your average return.
Wealth, considered over decades.
Ashgrove is a fee-only advisory firm for families and business owners who want a long view of their money — and a small team that knows them by name.
“The best financial plans are quiet. They let you stop thinking about money and get on with your life.”Eleanor Hartwell, CFP® · Founding Partner
$1.4Bassets under advisement
212client families
96%client retention, 10-year
1998year founded
Who we are
Independent, fee-only, and deliberately small.
For more than twenty-five years, Ashgrove has advised a limited number of families on the decisions that matter most: when to retire, how to draw income, what to leave and to whom.
We are paid only by our clients. We don't sell insurance, earn commissions or run proprietary funds, so our advice can be judged on its merits. Every client works with a partner and a dedicated associate who know the whole picture — investments, taxes, estate documents and the family behind them.
What we do
One plan, carried across every part of your financial life.
i.
Retirement income planning
When you can retire, how much you can spend, and which accounts to draw from first — revisited every year.
ii.Investment management
Globally diversified, low-cost portfolios built around your plan rather than the market's mood.
iii.Tax-aware strategy
Roth conversions, gain harvesting and charitable giving, coordinated with your CPA.
iv.Estate & legacy
Beneficiaries, trusts and family meetings, so your intentions are clear and carried out.
Retirement projection
Will what you're saving get you where you want to go?
Adjust the inputs to see a simple, hypothetical projection. It's a starting point for a conversation, not a plan.
Portfolio approach
Projected savings at retirement$0About $0 in today's dollars, after 0
Est. income at 4% draw (today's $)$0
Total contributions$0
Assumed growth$0
Hypothetical illustration only. Assumes a constant annual return, monthly compounding, 2.5% inflation and a 4% annual withdrawal rate; ignores taxes, fees and Social Security. Actual returns vary and may be negative. Not investment advice.
“We came to Ashgrove with a business to sell and no idea what came after. Five years on, the plan they built still holds — and they still pick up the phone.”
Margaret EllisonClient since 2019 · Retired business owner
Client statement provided without compensation; it may not represent the experience of other clients. Demo content.
How we charge
Clear, simple fees. Nothing hidden in a product.
An annual advisory fee based on assets we manage, billed quarterly. Planning, tax coordination and estate reviews are included.
- First $2 million0.90%
- Next $3 million0.65%
- Above $5 million0.45%
- Planning-only engagementFrom $6,500
From the journal
Recent letters to clients
A patient case for Roth conversions
The quiet years between retirement and required distributions can be a tax opportunity.
What we're watching this half
A measured look at rates, valuations and why we rebalanced in May.
Questions
Before we meet
We're paid only by our clients — never by commissions on products we recommend. That removes the most common conflict of interest in financial advice.
Our ongoing wealth management relationships typically begin around $750,000 in investable assets. For earlier-stage families we offer a flat-fee planning engagement.
Your accounts are held in your name at an independent, third-party custodian. We have limited authority to manage investments and deduct fees; we can't withdraw funds for ourselves.
At least twice a year for a full review, and whenever life changes. Most clients also hear from us after major market events and before tax deadlines.
Yes. As a registered investment adviser, we're required to act in your best interest at all times when providing advice.
A first conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
Forty-five minutes, in our office or by video. Bring your questions; we'll bring a pot of coffee and a blank page.