So there are a couple of reviews on here that are not too favorable. Have to say that when I read the reviews in their entirety, I understood why they're negative: the authors didn't do their due diligence before investing.
First, Sandvold doesn't "lose your money." They invest your money based on their best info about market trends. They don't invest anywhere without your permission. Meaning they'll explain market trends, answer questions, make recommendations, but will do nothing unless you approve. If you have less than a set amount invested, there are fees involved; above that amount it's considered "no-load" and you don't pay a fee to invest or trade. If the investment loses money, it's because the market did something unexpected, not because "Sandvold lost money."
Sandvold doesn't make money off your loss. He makes money when you do, and he collects a percentage of your return. Please note: a percentage of your *return*, not your principal. This is an important point: they make money only when you do, so they have a vested interest in making sure you make money.
I have never had any problem receiving return calls from them. They've been very responsive when I needed to take a distribution for a real estate investment. They worked with me to wire funds rather than mail them to make sure I received them in a timely manner. They meet with me quarterly to review my investments (even those I have invested elsewhere [employer retirement funds]), making recommendations based on analysis of trends and projections. If I fail to call to arrange a quarterly meeting, they call me. I am not charged anything for the meetings, nor for the trades or investments.
I've recommended Sandvold to my siblings to invest money earned from the sale of Mom's estate. Both my siblings are out of state; no matter. As another reviewer here mentioned, state lines are irrelevant. They're a phone call away.
So: Why did I rate them four stars instead of five? I haven't made money as fast as I wanted. I was an idiot earlier in life and didn't plan for retirement. Now retirement is staring me in the face and I'm woefully unprepared. Sandvold can't fix my decades-old mistake, but they'll work with me to mitigate it as much as possible. I want to make larger returns, but that requires larger risk and based on my "pucker factor" (i.e., my "risk questionnaire"), they're suggesting lower-risk investments. It's my own damned fault that I don't have as much in my retirement funds as I probably should, but they're earning me money nonetheless. It's a respectable firm. And I recommend them. read more