At Merels Capital, every decision starts and ends with your best interest—because as a state-registered investment adviser, we are legally and ethically bound to act as your fiduciary. This means we never earn commissions, 12b-1 fees, revenue-sharing, or any hidden compensation from product sales. The only money we make comes from the transparent advisory fees you agree to pay.

Fiduciary Duty in Action

• No commissions or third-party incentives – We do not receive payments from mutual funds, insurance companies, or any other provider.

• No proprietary products – All recommendations use publicly available registered securities (mutual funds, ETFs, individual stocks/bonds). We deliberately avoid private placements, annuities, or alternative investments that could create conflicts or higher costs.

How We Manage Conflicts

1. Compensation alignment – We are paid a portion of the advisory fees you pay and a share of the firm’s overall profitability. This incentivizes growing your assets responsibly, not pushing unnecessary trades or products.

2. No performance fees or side-by-side management – All client accounts pay the same asset-based or fixed fees; we do not manage hedge funds or incentive-fee accounts that could tempt higher-risk strategies.

Investment Philosophy

• Evidence-based, low-cost indexing at the core – Portfolios are built primarily with broadly diversified, institutionally priced ETFs and securities to minimize expenses and tracking error.

• Risk-aware customization – We match asset allocation to your time horizon, liquidity needs, tax situation, and emotional tolerance for volatility—not a one-size-fits-all model.

• Continuous monitoring (discretionary accounts) – We review positions daily, rebalance when necessary, and adjust tactically only when supported by data.

• Point-in-time clarity (nondiscretionary advice) – For financial reviews or retirement plans, you receive a written roadmap; implementation is always your choice.

Transparency & Accessibility

• $1,000 minimum for managed accounts—designed for younger accumulators and modest savers.

• Clear fee example: A $10,000 discretionary portfolio at 1.5 % pays $150 annually ($37.50 quarterly). You keep 100% of gains after our fee.

• Plain-English reporting – Quarterly statements plus our summary of performance, fees deducted, and any portfolio changes.

• Open-door policy – Call, email, or schedule a video review anytime. No layers of assistants—speak directly with us.

In short, we run a lean, conflict-free practice so you can focus on life while we focus on disciplined, cost-efficient growth of your wealth.