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How to Switch Financial Advisors — Without Selling Everything First

Investment management in Nashville

Moving your portfolio to a new advisor is far simpler than most investors expect. Your investments can move in-kind — as they are, share for share, staying invested the whole way — the transfer itself sells nothing, and the paperwork runs through us and the custodian. Upgrading your advice is a fresh start, and the process is built to feel like one.

Strategy designed and managed by Erik James Roberts, MBA — Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Infinitus Wealth Management. Wharton MBA · Fee-only fiduciary.

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Wharton MBA · Fee-Only Fiduciary  · Veteran-Owned ·  Music Row, Nashville

In-kind

ASSETS MOVE AS THEY ARE

$0

TAX TRIGGERED BY THE TRANSFER ITSELF*

0

CALLS REQUIRED TO YOUR OLD ADVISOR

1

DIGITAL PROCESS, START TO FINISH

*An in-kind transfer of securities between accounts of the same registration is generally not a taxable event. Some holdings may not be eligible to transfer in-kind, and any later repositioning decisions are made separately and tax-aware. This is general information, not tax advice — see full disclosure below.

Switching Is Simpler Than Most Investors Expect

At our Nashville firm, we hear the same handful of questions from nearly every investor exploring a move — and each one has a genuinely good answer:

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  • "Do I have to sell my investments?" No. The standard industry transfer process — ACATS, the Automated Customer Account Transfer Service — moves securities in-kind. Your 500 shares of a stock arrive as the same 500 shares.

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  • "Will the move trigger taxes?" The transfer itself doesn’t sell anything, so it doesn’t create a taxable event. Taxes only enter the picture if and when positions are later sold — and that becomes a deliberate, tax-aware decision, not a side effect of moving.

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  • "Do I need to talk to my current advisor?" Only if you want to. Transfers are initiated on the receiving side — by us and Altruist — and your current custodian processes the request. The conversation is entirely your choice.

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  • "How much paperwork is involved?" Very little, and none of it on paper: an account-opening confirmation by email, an advisory agreement signed electronically, and the transfer request handled from there.

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  • "Will I be out of the market while it moves?" No. An in-kind transfer means your positions stay fully invested as they move, keeping your money working the whole way.

FAQ-style comparison graphic answering common questions about switching investment advisors. The left column lists concerns such as whether investments must be sold, whether taxes are triggered, whether the current advisor must be contacted, whether assets leave the market, and how much paperwork is involved. The right column explains that securities typically transfer in-kind, the transfer itself does not sell investments, the receiving advisor manages the process, positions remain invested during the transfer, and the process is completed digitally.

What "In-Kind" Means — and Why It Changes Everything

An in-kind transfer moves your holdings exactly as they are. The shares you own at your current custodian are re-registered to your new account at Altruist without being sold. Your cost basis travels with them. Your market exposure never lapses. And because nothing is sold, the transfer itself is not a taxable event for accounts moving to the same registration — a taxable account to a taxable account, an IRA to an IRA.

 

This runs on ACATS, the Automated Customer Account Transfer Service — the standardized system the brokerage industry uses to move accounts between firms. It is the same rails every major custodian uses; there is nothing exotic about leaving.

 

The honest caveat: some holdings can’t make the trip

Certain assets — most commonly proprietary mutual funds that only exist on your current firm’s shelf — may not be eligible to transfer in-kind. This is worth knowing before anything moves, which is why we review your holdings first and flag anything that can’t travel. For those positions, the options are laid out plainly — including what selling would mean for taxes — and the decision is made deliberately, with you, before the transfer starts. It is also a telling detail about the model you may be leaving: portfolios built from individual stocks and bonds, the way we build them, transfer cleanly because you directly own every position.

Diagram illustrating an in-kind ACATS transfer between brokerage accounts. The left account contains shares of multiple companies, bonds, and cash with cost basis attached. An arrow labeled "ACATS in-kind" points to a new Altruist account containing the same holdings and preserved cost basis, emphasizing that nothing is sold and market exposure remains intact during the transfer.

An in-kind ACATS transfer re-registers your existing holdings to your new account. Positions and cost basis move intact; nothing is sold by the transfer.

Who Does What — Your Part Is the Short List

A well-run transfer divides the work so that almost none of it lands on you. Here is the honest split:

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You

  • Decide the account types you’re moving and share basic contact details.

  • Confirm your new account digitally from an account-opening email.

  • Sign the advisory agreement electronically.

  • Have a recent statement from your current custodian handy — it tells us exactly what’s moving.

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Infinitus

  • Reviews your current holdings before anything moves — including flagging any positions that can’t transfer in-kind and any embedded gains that deserve care.

  • Prepares the account opening and initiates the transfer process with Altruist.

  • Keeps you informed at each step, and answers every question directly — you work with the Founder and Chief Investment Officer, not a transfers department.

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Altruist

  • Opens your account in your name and processes the ACATS request with your current custodian through the industry’s standard system.

  • Receives your assets and reports every position to you directly — your account, your name, your statements.

 

Notice who isn’t on the list: your old advisor. The request goes custodian to custodian. There is no permission to ask and no exit interview to sit through.

Three-column workflow graphic showing responsibilities when transferring investment accounts. The client confirms the new account, signs digitally, and provides a recent statement. Infinitus Wealth Management reviews holdings, prepares the account, initiates the transfer, and keeps the client informed. Altruist opens the account, processes the ACATS transfer with the existing custodian, and provides ongoing statements and reporting directly to the client. A note explains that the transfer request occurs custodian-to-custodian without requiring the client to contact the previous advisor.

The division of work in a transfer to Infinitus. The client’s role is deliberately minimal, and the outgoing advisor is not part of the process.

What Happens After Your Assets Arrive

There is one more question thoughtful investors ask: "will the new advisor reposition everything the day it lands?" Here, the answer is no — and the reason is philosophy, not politeness.

 

When your portfolio arrives at Altruist, nothing is automatically liquidated into a model. We review what you own — position by position, with the embedded gains, the concentrations, and the pieces genuinely worth keeping — and then transition the portfolio toward your strategy with thoughtful, paced execution, carried out with intention rather than reaction. Positions with large embedded gains are handled tax-aware. Repositioning happens on a schedule that serves your after-tax outcome, not our convenience.

 

Because we build portfolios from individual stocks and bonds across twelve proprietary strategies, the destination is a portfolio you directly own and can see position by position — with our fee visible on your statement and published for anyone to read. And a complimentary, comprehensive financial plan comes with the relationship, so the transition is guided by your full picture, not just the account that moved.

Three-step process diagram illustrating how transferred investment portfolios are handled after arrival. The process begins with a review of every holding and embedded capital gain, followed by development of a tax-aware transition plan aligned with the client's investment strategy, and concludes with a deliberate, staged portfolio transition rather than a forced liquidation or fire sale. A disclaimer notes that transition decisions depend on individual holdings, objectives, and tax circumstances.

The post-arrival process: a full review of what transferred, a tax-aware plan, and a paced transition into the client’s strategy — never an automatic liquidation.

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⎯ Frequently Asked Questions

Switching Questions, Answered

Do I have to sell my investments to change advisors? No. Securities transfer in-kind through ACATS, the industry’s standard account-transfer system — your shares move to your new account exactly as they are, with cost basis intact and market exposure uninterrupted. Selling is never a requirement of switching; if any position is ever sold, it is a separate, deliberate decision made with you.

Will switching financial advisors trigger taxes? The transfer itself generally does not — an in-kind move between accounts of the same registration sells nothing, so there is no gain to realize. Taxes only come into play if positions are later sold, and at Infinitus those decisions are made tax-aware, with embedded gains reviewed before anything is repositioned. For your specific situation, consult your tax professional; this is general information, not tax advice.

Do I have to tell my current advisor I’m leaving? No. The transfer is initiated on the receiving side — by Infinitus and Altruist — and processed custodian to custodian through ACATS. Your current custodian handles the request without requiring your advisor’s permission. Whether you have that conversation is entirely up to you.

What if some of my holdings can’t transfer in-kind? Some assets — most often proprietary mutual funds available only at your current firm — may not be eligible to move in-kind. We review your holdings before anything is initiated, flag any position that can’t travel, and lay out the options plainly, including the tax implications of each. Nothing is sold without that conversation happening first.

Will I be out of the market during the transfer? No — that is the point of moving in-kind. Your positions remain invested as they are re-registered to your new account. You are not liquidated to cash and left waiting on the sidelines while the transfer completes.

Are there fees to transfer my account? Infinitus charges nothing to bring your account over. Some custodians charge an outgoing account-transfer fee when you leave; whether yours does, and how much, is set by your current custodian and disclosed in your account agreement with them. We’ll help you identify any such fee before you decide.

Will Infinitus sell everything and start over once my assets arrive? No. Arrival triggers a review, not a liquidation. We examine every transferred position — including embedded gains and anything worth keeping — then transition the portfolio toward your strategy with paced, intentional, tax-aware execution. The portfolio you end up with is built from individual stocks and bonds you directly own.

How do I get started? Schedule a complimentary, no-obligation consultation directly with Erik James Roberts, Founder and Chief Investment Officer. Bring a recent statement if you’d like — we’ll review what you own, flag anything that needs care in a transfer, and walk you through exactly what the move would look like. Contact us at erik.roberts@infinituswealth.com or request a consultation today.

Disclosure: Infinitus Wealth Management is a registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. All investments involve risk, including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee returns or eliminate risk. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Advisory services are offered only pursuant to a written advisory agreement. This page describes the general mechanics of account transfers for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax or legal advice; the tax treatment of any transfer or subsequent transaction depends on individual circumstances, and clients should consult their own tax professional. In-kind transfer eligibility varies by asset and by the delivering firm; certain holdings, including some proprietary mutual funds, may not be eligible to transfer in-kind. Outgoing transfer fees, if any, are set and charged by the delivering custodian under its own account agreement. Transfer processing is conducted through industry-standard systems by the custodians involved; Infinitus does not control the delivering firm’s processing. Altruist Financial LLC is an independent custodian and broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC, and is not affiliated with Infinitus Wealth Management.

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