Fred Gaskin grew up naturally curious and got hooked on finances in his teens, fascinated by what made markets go up and down and how investors found their edge. That’s led him to a 35-year career as a financial professional with established investment firms including U.S. Trust, BlackRock, and JP Morgan. After commuting from the local area to New York for over five years, Gaskin opened a Charles Schwab Independent Branch in Bluffton’s Belfair Towne Village.
“Education is power, especially when it comes to money management. I love educating people on investing because we know we’re helping clients improve their lives,” Gaskin said of his almost four decades in the industry.
The Bluffton office is one of 77 independent Schwab branches across the country, a setup that gives Gaskin and his colleague, Bud Scully, the ability to serve a smaller market like the Lowcountry with all the technology and array of services the industry powerhouse provides.
Combined, Gaskin and Scully have close to 80 years of experience in the investment industry. Though the pair didn’t know each other until a mutual colleague connected them in 2019, they’ve developed a strong friendship built on common values of integrity, striving to put clients first, and focusing on the long term. Their combined experience provides a unique perspective from which to serve clients.
Gaskin’s background has largely been managing portfolios and working with both institutional and individual clients globally on their portfolios. Scully has worked with firms such as Franklin Templeton, Oppenheimer Funds, and more recently TD Ameritrade to deliver industry-leading investment solutions for both institutional and retail clients. Though both admit to being quite competitive, when it comes to serving clients, all their efforts are geared to providing custom oriented solutions that work for individual clients. Those characteristics, along with a tremendous amount of community support, have translated into a very strong start for the Bluffton branch.
“We look no different than any corporate office and have access to the same resources you’d find in New York City or Atlanta. We just have a view of palm trees outside the office as we personalize all of our programs to each client,” Gaskin said.
He said that a lot of his work matches the demographics of the region, as he works with many retirees. “There’s the newer retirees, recently moved here, gone from full-time work to part-time or no work who need help structuring their investments to support their needs,” he said. “Then you have more established retirees, the ones who have been here seven, 10, 15 years. They’re comfortable on the money-in, money-out aspects of retirement, and they have the income to support their lifestyle, but they come in wanting to optimize their existing portfolios. I love that challenge just as much as the newer retiree.”
Additionally, Gaskin said his office is adept at handling any level of investor. Capitalizing on Schwab’s enormous resources, they can partner with colleagues from across the organization to bring high caliber solutions to all their clients. “We are well-positioned to offer high-quality solutions for the folks just starting out, all the way to the most sophisticated clients with diverse portfolios, business interests and financial needs.”
Gaskin said that no matter the level of investment knowledge a client may have, the goal is to empower his clients. “Our contemporary, full-service approach allows investors to build and manage their investments and provides investment-related products, services and financial planning that combines the best of what people and technology have to offer. Our belief in the power of investing is a perspective that’s influenced our company from the beginning and creates a powerful bond between us and investors. As a result, it empowers clients to make decisions for themselves.”
The end goals are also a key part of early discussions. Whether it’s saving for a house, education, for retirement, for those who like boats or RVs, the goal is to give clients the skills and confidence to not be intimidated by money management in route to their goals.
“Life’s about being outside, taking vacations, maximizing happiness,” Gaskin said. “When you give people the knowledge to manage their money smarter, it gives them more time to maximize that happiness. That’s incredibly rewarding—never gets old for us.”
So how do you get started? Call Fred Gaskin at (843) 473-3620 to set up an appointment. From there, Gaskin can provide any level of involvement needed, including in-office at 67 Towne Drive, during the pandemic with social distancing and proper health and safety protocols.
“I can work with clients across the spectrum. Some are DIYers; they do the research, do their trades on their own, and we are there for support,” Gaskin said. “The other end is the folks who don’t want to be burdened with the routine of managing their investments and want support, guidance, or advice on their investments.
Most of his clients fall somewhere in between, he said. “In a certain sense, we’re coaches. I absolutely love coaching people up. I give them as much time and guidance as they need, but ultimately, we give them the tools, the confidence with the support when they need it, so they assume responsibility themselves.”
Schwab is in the process of merging operations with TD Ameritrade after completing the acquisition in October 2020. “It’s very exciting to see it come together. It will just give us an even greater leg up in serving our clients,” Gaskin said.
Gaskin welcomes the opportunity to serve any level of investor. “When you get someone who has never saved in a structured manner or may be scared to test the market, it’s amazing to see their excitement develop as they learn,” he said. “Whether just starting out or nearing or living in retirement, we work with investors on their terms to help take charge of their financial future and plan for success.”
Part of the assessment is figuring out a clients’ risk profile, Gaskin explained. “Are you aggressive, conservative, middle of the road? A lot of times, folks believe that they’re aggressive but are conservative and vice versa. We can help develop a plan to meet their true current lifestyle and where they want to be,” he said. “We call it right-risking. We find that sweet spot of risk management and involvement. We want to help clients identify their risk profile, properly diversify their portfolios, and select investments that make sense for the long term.
The single biggest piece of advice he gives all clients: don’t be afraid to get started and don’t ever get stagnant. “It’s never too soon to start. The more we can get younger generations to prioritize 401(k)s and savings, the more their hard work in their careers will provide for them in the long run,” Gaskin said. “I have folks in their 60s say, ‘I can stop investing now.’ But why? Make your money always work for you. Folks are living regularly into their 90s now. Let your growth keep up with your age.”
Gaskin is proud that most of their clients have not panicked during the pandemic, that they have, if anything, shifted investment strategies. “Bud and I have that breadth of experience and can bring history into our conversations, because we’ve lived almost four decades of market history,” he said. “As a business owner, I like my chances of always helping people try to do better.”
Despite having been part of the investment industry for so long, both Gaskin and Scully say they’re more excited than ever to help clients understand the investing markets and take control of their futures.
For more information or to get started with a Schwab Portfolio Builder evaluation, call Fred or Bud at (843) 473-3620.
