Independent Objective Financial Advice

Meet Scott
Scott T. Blaesing CPA, CFP
Principal
(509) 886-8866

Our Story

Cascade Wealth Advisors is an independent, fee-only registered investment advisory firm based in Wenatchee, Washington.

We work hard to help simplify our clients' financial lives, optimize their investments, and organize their personal financial planning.

Our mission is to be the trusted advisor for all aspects of our clients' financial lives. To do this, we take the time to develop a detailed understanding of each client's individual circumstances, goals, and objectives. We help our clients make smart financial and investment decisions, and gain confidence in having a secure financial future.

Markets may be volatile, but our values are steadfast. We are dedicated to serving our clients with integrity and are committed to the following principles:

  • honest, transparent, and open communication
  • highly responsive, professional, first-class service
  • unbiased, expert, and timely advice
  • steadfast dedication to our belief that "clients interests always come first"

As a fully independent financial advisor, we are not restricted to any investment product or service, and work exclusively for the benefit of our clients. In fact, as a registered investment advisor, we have a legal fiduciary obligation to act in each client's best interests. We care deeply about helping our clients' achieve their goals and objectives, and provide them with the highest-quality service and guidance.

Why Us?

Cascade Wealth Advisors is one of the only Independent, Fee-Only, NAPFA - Registered Investment Advisors in the Central Washington area.

  • Comprehensive Financial Planning

    What sets our firm apart from others in Central Washington is that we offer a scope of work that is comprehensive and a process that is proactive. Most financial advising firms focus on investment management, and over look other financial aspects which may be critical to success. With Scott's credentials as both a CPA and CFP he can assist clients ' with planning and guidence in multiple financial areas such as cash flow, tax, real estate, business planning, estate planning, wealth preservation, and any other financial concerns that would affect their financial goals.

    Investment strategy is only part of the overall solution. Our clients enjoy access to a truly comprehensive wealth management program. Your financial picture isn't bound by a focus on investments, and your financial planner shouldn't be either!

  • Fiduciary Financial Advisor Services

    We are an Independent Registered Investment Advisor firm. As such we can acknowledge in writing our fiduciary obligation to clients.

    The NAPFA (The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors) adopted the following definition of Fiduciary:

    fi-du-ci-ar-y: A financial advisor held to a Fiduciary Standard is required to act with undivided loyalty to the client. This includes disclosure of how the financial advisor is to be compensated and any corresponding conflicts of interest.

    Cascade Wealth Advisors, Inc. is truly an independent fee only financial advisor which embraces our Fiduciary responsibility to each and every client.

  • The Independence You Deserve

    Why is our independence important? Independence assures that the guidance we offer is tailored to our clients' unique situations, rather than a pre-determined menu of products. You can be certain that your wealth management plans are focused exclusively on your personal goals, and that those plans will continuously evolve to assure success.

    There is a freedom that comes from being independent – the freedom to build a custom portfolio for you without being limited to standard models, the freedom to choose the best investments available without being constrained by house brands, the freedom to service you without being pressured by sales quotas, and the freedom to manage our firm in the best interests of our clients.

  • Investment Portfolio Solutions

    Investment management strategy and portfolio construction is paramount to investment success. However, if the investment tools implemented are standard retail broker sold solutions, you're simply leaving money on the table.

    We use only institutional caliber investments for our client portfolios. As a fee only financial advisor, our only incentive is delivering the results our clients need to realize their vision of retirement. Every dollar counts, and throwing away money through high cost, big commission, inefficient investments is simply foolish.

    Our portfolios are implemented with lower costs, lower trading fees, and more efficiently with broader diversification using institutional mutual funds and ETF's. We choose only the very best investment solutions completely independent of brokerage or insurance firms.

Our Fees

Since we do not accept commisions, we receive compensation one of three ways:

  • Percentage of Assets Under Management (AUM) 
  • Flat Fee
  • Hourly Rate

The majority of long-term relationships will be under the AUM method and deducted directly from your investment account. The investment advisory fee may be tax deductible.

Due to the amount of time and resources we spend on each client we require a minimum aggregate household account size of $500,000 (or a minimum annual fee of $4,500). This insures that we schedule an appropriate amount of time during the year meeting with and updating financial plans for our active clients.

Our Clients

Our clients at Cascade Wealth Advisors seek a trusted confidant who can help make smart, informed and well thought out financial decisions. They need a professional who has the experience and knowledge to guide them through the often complex and confusing areas of personal finance.

We generally work with the following clients:

  • Business owners or corporate executives
  • Retirees or individuals nearing retirement concerned with providing income for their future
  • Young professionals working to build their wealth
  • Non-profit organizations and Trustees
  • Pension and Profit Sharing Plans
  • Individuals who have experienced an infrequent event– inheritance, sale of business or real estate, or insurance proceeds, etc.
  • Individuals who have recently gone through a major change in their life circumstances, such as a divorce or death of a spouse

 

Our Approach

Our investment approach combines more than eight decades of market data, Nobel Prize-winning academic research and the latest discoveries in behavioral finance. The main objective is reducing risk through diversification, which we call asset allocation. We consider risk to be another word for volatility, the likelihood of a given investment fluctuating in value from year to year. Diversification is intended to reduce volatility.

To achieve diversification that reduces risk, we recommend allocating assets among the major classes of stocks, bonds, and real estate (and to a limited degree, cash, commodities and other alternative investments). Stocks are further divided between U.S. and foreign, large and small companies, and growth and value styles. We do not "time the market". Rather, we follow the discipline of "staying the course" through both the ups and downs of the financial markets (studies show, even in a declining market, it is risky to engage in "timing", as an investor who has stepped out of the market is likely to miss the opportunity to reenter in time to participate in the rebound). In addition, we exercise care to minimize income taxes and investments' expenses so that more of what is earned is retained in the account.

Our Process

Our approach to investment management is based on fundamentals that have become well established in the investment advisory field. We follow a process that allows us to approach managing your investments in a caring, responsible and intelligent manner.

  • Discovery

    We start with a complimentary "Get Aquainted" meeting to introduce ourselves and listen to your unique financial goals, concerns and your experience as an investor. We will describe our investment philosophy, process, services and fees. Additionally, we gather financial data to determine your current financial position and discuss the scope and complexity of your needs and circumstances. We carefully consider your tolerance for investment risk, weighing critical factors like your investment horizon, and your portfolio size. The goal of the meeting is to transform those concerns into specific, actionable goals and to determine wheter a mutually beneficial relationship exists.

  • Investment Plan

    Based on the financial information we gather, we will present a comprehensive investment plan. This is our opportunity to present our analysis and our recommendations. We will also introduce our investment policy statement and further discuss our investment philosophy and our wealth management process. During this meeting we will demonstrate how CWA will add significant value to your unique circumstances.

  • Implementation

    After you have had time to digest the information we presented in the Investment Plan Meeting, we will meet with you to discuss whether CWA is the right advisor for you. If we all agree to move forward, we will work together to assist you in achieving all that is important to you. CWA will have all the ncecssary documents prepared to "on-board" you as a client. We will help explain and organize all the paperwork that is involved in the initial stages. The amount of paperwork in asset transitions can be overwhelming and we want to make sure you have the opportunity to get all your questions answered. We offer assistance to gain access to your accounts, and introduce you to any new statements and reports.

  • Monitor & Review

    CWA will always be available to you, but we would like to schedule regular progress meetings at times that are convenient to you. Generally, we have client review meetings twice per year. These meetings are an excellent opportunity for both of us to review any changes in your personal or financial life and make according adjustments to your Wealth Management Plan. Review meetings help ensure your assets are aligned and working efficiently to achieve all that is important to you and your family. We will meet more frequently if changing circumstances warrant it.

Strategic Alliances

  • Orion Advisor Tech

    In 1999, when the hunt for a portfolio accounting system that could meet the needs of a growing RIA turned up empty, we made it our mission to develop the best portfolio management software on the market. Today, that same passion is what drives our quest to innovate our platform, disrupt the status quo, and help financial professionals win by realizing their unique vision for success.

  • NAPFA

    The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is the country's leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors--highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve. Since 1983, Americans across the country have looked to NAPFA for access to financial professionals who meet the highest membership standards for professional competency client focused financial planning, and Fee-only compensation.

  • Dimensional Fund Advisors

    Dimensional Fund Advisors is a mutual fund provider with over 20 years of experience and over $160 Billion invested. DFA offers institutional caliber mutual funds that enable us to provide our clients globally diversified, low cost and tax efficient portfolios beyond what is available to the average investor at "retail". DFA funds are only available to institutional investors and through select financial advisors.

    DFA's investment strategies are supported by extensive historical research, which documents a reward for taking risk. Since the firm was founded in 1981, DFA has continued to work with some of the world's leading financial economists to develop and enhance its strategies.

  • MoneyGuidePro

    MoneyGuidePro is the first collaborative internet-based financial planning software that offers a unique client centered approach. The goal based planning approach is meaningful to the client and more productive for the advisor.

  • Certified Financial Planner

    Working with a CFP professional is an important first step toward reaching your financial goals. Not only do these advisors meet rigorous education and experience requirements, but they are also held to the highest ethical and professional standards in the industry.

Get a complimentary financial review

We offer a complimentary "Get Acquainted" meeting to describe our services, and to see if our services are right for you.
Let's begin
(509) 886-8866

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Cascade Wealth Advisors is a registered investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission . The adviser may not transact business in states where it is not appropriately registered, excluded or exempted from registration. Individualized responses to persons that involve either the effecting of transaction in securities, or the rendering of personalized investment advice for compensation, will not be made without registration or exemption.