How we work
A solo practice, by design.
The person who analyzes your portfolio is the person who makes the decision and answers for it. Here is exactly how that works, and how your assets are protected.
Four commitments
You work with Samah. Every time.
Your review meetings, your questions and your trades go through one person: a CFA® charterholder with more than 20 years in investments, including advisory roles at Charles Schwab. There is no relationship manager relaying messages to an investment team you never meet.
- Direct email and phone line
- Meetings in Pleasanton, by video or at your office
- The same analyst on your file year after year
No junior advisors. No re-explaining.
At some larger firms, clients can be reassigned as advisors are promoted, leave or rebalance their books. Here, the context you share once stays with the person managing your money: your business, your CPA's strategy, the reason behind each position.
- One file, one decision-maker
- Coordination with your CPA and estate attorney handled directly
- Continuity through market cycles
Simple, transparent fees.
Our fees are simple and transparent: generally based on assets under management (AUM), and always disclosed in writing before you sign.
- No commissions or product revenue
- Fee terms set out in your written advisory agreement
- Form ADV brochure publicly available: read it here
Decisions without committee delays.
When markets move, tax-loss harvesting windows and bond pricing opportunities can close quickly. With no committee to convene, decisions within your written guidelines are made and executed by the person who already knows your file, and every change is documented.
- Written investment guidelines agreed in advance
- Trades executed through Schwab's institutional platform
- Every trade visible in your Schwab account
The alternative
A disciplined, documented process.
Large firms spread your relationship across teams, platforms and product shelves. A boutique RIA built around one CFA® charterholder keeps the analysis, the decision and the accountability in the same place.
| Feature | What some larger firms do | Pleasanton Wealth |
|---|---|---|
| Who manages your money | May assign a team, with junior associates handling day-to-day work | Samah Naguib, CFA®, personally |
| Portfolio construction | Often favor model portfolios, sometimes including in-house products | Built for your tax bracket, cash needs and business |
| Fixed income | Often favor bond funds | Individual California municipal bonds in laddered maturities, when appropriate |
| How the firm is paid | May combine fees, commissions and product revenue | Advisory fees from clients only |
| Decision speed | May route decisions through committees or service centers | One decision-maker. Direct email and phone. |
| Custody | Some firms hold client assets themselves | Independent custodian: Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. |
Allocation philosophy
A disciplined 70/30 core, rebalanced as markets move.
Our starting framework holds roughly 70% in diversified global equities for long-term growth and 30% in high-grade fixed income, often California municipal bonds, for scheduled income and stability. The fixed-income side is built as a rolling ladder: as each bond matures, the proceeds fund withdrawals or buy a new bond at the long end.
The mix is a starting point, not a template. Your actual allocation is set in writing around your cash needs, time horizon, tax bracket and tolerance for risk, and reviewed at least annually.
Safeguarding your assets
Your money stays in your name, at Schwab.
Pleasanton Wealth never holds client funds. Assets are held by an independent, qualified custodian: Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., through Schwab Advisor Services, one of the largest custodians serving independent advisers.
- You open the account in your own name at Schwab. Account paperwork is completed with Schwab; your advisory agreement with us is signed electronically through Adobe Acrobat Sign.
- You grant Pleasanton Wealth limited authority. We can place trades and, if you authorize it in writing, have our advisory fee deducted from your account and paid to us. We cannot otherwise withdraw or transfer money from your account.
- Schwab reports to you directly. You receive statements and tax forms from Schwab and can log in at schwab.com at any time.
- Independent protection. Schwab is a member of SIPC. SIPC coverage protects customers up to $500,000, including $250,000 for cash, if a member firm fails; it does not protect against market losses.
Fiduciary duty & transparency
Our duty is to you.
As a registered investment adviser, Pleasanton Wealth owes its clients a fiduciary duty: a legal obligation to act in your best interest, put your interests ahead of our own and disclose any conflicts.
Being fee-only means the firm is compensated solely by its clients. We are not a broker-dealer, we do not sell insurance or commissioned products, and we receive no payments from fund companies. Because our fee is generally a percentage of the assets we manage, we earn more when those assets grow or when you add assets, such as a rollover. This is a conflict of interest, and it is described in our Form ADV.
- Public disclosures on the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site
- Form ADV Part 2 brochure provided before you sign
- Independent custody at Schwab
The engagement
From first conversation to a managed portfolio.
Private review
A complimentary conversation about your goals, accounts and tax picture.
Document analysis
Statements, tax returns and plan documents reviewed line by line for tax drag, concentration and cost.
Written proposal
Allocation, fixed-income ladder and tax strategy, with fees disclosed in writing before you sign.
Implementation & review
Accounts opened at Schwab, portfolio implemented, then monitored and reviewed with you at least annually.
Questions, answered precisely
Is Pleasanton Wealth a fiduciary?
Yes. Pleasanton Wealth LLC is a California-registered investment adviser and acts as a fiduciary to its advisory clients, which means advice must be in your best interest. The firm is fee-only: it is compensated by its clients, not by commissions on products.
Where are my assets held?
In your own name at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., an independent qualified custodian. Pleasanton Wealth does not hold client money. You receive statements directly from Schwab and can log in at any time.
Are California municipal bonds exempt from state tax?
Interest on bonds issued by California and its municipalities is generally exempt from federal and California income tax for California residents. Some bonds can be subject to the alternative minimum tax, and gains on bonds are taxable, including market discount on bonds bought below face value, which is generally taxed as ordinary income. We coordinate with your CPA.
Why a bond ladder instead of a bond fund?
A ladder holds individual bonds maturing on a set schedule, so each bond's principal is scheduled to be repaid at maturity if the issuer does not default, and cash flows are known in advance. A bond fund has no maturity date and its share price moves with interest rates. Read how a California muni ladder works.
How are your fees structured?
Our fees are simple and transparent: generally based on assets under management (AUM), and always disclosed in writing before you sign. Our Form ADV brochure is public.
What is the difference between a CFA® charterholder and a CFP®?
The CFA® charter is a graduate-level credential focused on investment analysis, portfolio management, fixed income and ethics, and requires passing three exams, 4,000 hours of qualified work experience completed over at least 36 months, and adherence to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics. The CFP® certification focuses on broad personal financial planning. Samah Naguib holds the CFA® charter, not the CFP® certification.
Does my California business have to offer a retirement plan?
Since January 1, 2026, most California employers with at least one eligible W-2 employee (other than owners) must either offer a qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k), SIMPLE IRA or SEP IRA, or register with the state CalSavers program. Government, religious and tribal employers are exempt. If you already sponsor a qualified plan, you are exempt; if CalSavers sends you a notice, certify your exemption on the CalSavers employer portal.