How long has the firm been in business?
Traphagen CPAs & Wealth Advisors was founded by V. Peter Traphagen, Sr. in 1970, with the vision of a full service financial firm.
Do you serve clients around the country or only in the NY/NJ metro area?
The majority of our clients reside in New Jersey, New York, and Florida; we service clients across the country and internationally.
Who represents your ‘average’ wealth management client?
Traphagen serves a wide range of clients from younger couples/individuals just starting out to experienced/retired corporate executives with tens of millions in investable assets. Although all Traphagen portfolios are governed by the same general asset allocation and philosophy we tailor management to the size of the portfolio. Traphagen offers a ‘Premiere’ level of management for clients with $1M or more in investable assets. Please contact one of our wealth managers for more information on our ‘Premiere management’ level of service.
Are your professionals credentialed?
Yes, all partners in the firm and the majority of our accounting team members are CPAs. Robert Traphagen, a managing partner of Traphagen, was the 88th President of the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants and is also a Council Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). In addition, as part of our focus on technology Chris Chudyk, also a partner with the firm, is a Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP).
Within the wealth management department our professionals hold or are pursuing the highest level of specialized education in each discipline. Several team members hold the CFP (Certified Financial Planner), CPA, and PFS (Personal Financial Specialist) designations.
How does Traphagen get compensated for financial planning, accounting, and wealth management services?
For comprehensive financial planning, tax preparation, tax planning, and all accounting services, we are compensated on an hourly basis. We will give you a good faith estimate along with a written engagement letter if retained for all proposed work.
We are a ‘fee-only’ wealth manager, which means we do not take commissions/fees from the buying/selling of securities or recommending any particular investment product. Our fees are based on a flat percentage of the client assets we manage. We feel this is the only way an advisors’ interests align directly with the clients.
Is it ok to schedule a ‘no-obligation’ meeting with an accountant or wealth manager to discuss how you will be able to help me?
Yes, please click here and fill out the informational form to schedule a meeting with a Traphagen professional.