How we work
A system, not a sales pitch
Goal-based investing, executed the same way every time: discover, map, allocate, implement, review. Here is exactly what working with LFS looks like — including how we're paid.
01 — The process
Five steps. Every time. No exceptions.
Discovery call
30 minutes. What we discuss: your goals by name — not categories like "retirement" or "wealth creation", but actual names and amounts. Existing investments if you want to share them. Income, dependents, time horizons, and your honest risk tolerance explored through a drawdown scenario rather than a questionnaire. No documents required. Nothing to prepare.
Goal map
Named goals with amounts and dates. Each goal gets a bucket: short (0–3 years, capital preservation), medium (3–7 years, balanced), long (7+ years, growth-oriented). The bucket assignment determines asset class — equity does not belong in a 2-year emergency fund. Written down before any product is discussed.
Allocation policy
The equity/debt split for each bucket derived from the goal's horizon and your demonstrated capacity for drawdowns — not your stated preference. The two are often different; the policy reflects the former. Written down and agreed before implementation begins. This is the document that anchors every future review: if we deviate, we both notice.
Implementation
Paperless via InvestWell. Your bank account transfers directly to the AMC — your name on the folio from the first transaction. LFS never handles, holds or routes client money at any point in the process. Consolidated reporting and a family-level view across all folios are available through InvestWell from day one.
Reviews
Semi-annual by default, with a published agenda (see below). Trigger-based rebalancing when allocation drifts beyond agreed thresholds, or when a goal date approaches and the bucket needs de-risking. Reviews are not triggered by market news or headlines. The schedule is the schedule.
02 — The first call
What you're actually signing up for
It is
- A 30-minute conversation about your goals
- An honest look at your existing investments, if you choose to share them
- A clear answer on whether LFS is likely to be useful to you
- Free. No obligation.
It is not
- A product pitch or a scheme recommendation
- A request for documents, KYC, or account details
- A commitment of any kind
- A request to transfer money anywhere
30 minutes · Free · No documents needed · We reply within one working day.
03 — How we're paid
No hidden charges. No conflicts. Disclosed openly.
Mutual funds
Trail commission paid by AMCs out of the scheme's Total Expense Ratio. It is already reflected in the daily NAV — it is not an additional charge on top of your investment. Direct plans carry a lower TER because no trail commission is paid to a distributor; the difference in TER is the cost of the allocation, fund selection, family-level consolidation, behavioural discipline through drawdowns, and accountability that LFS provides.
How we are paid on each product category is set out on our Disclosures page, and the commission on the specific schemes being considered is disclosed to you before you invest — not after onboarding.
PMS and AIF
Distribution commission paid by the portfolio manager or AIF to LFS — disclosed in the product's disclosure document before you commit to anything. The commission structure is specific to each product and manager, and is presented to you before onboarding, not after. We do not work with products that do not permit disclosure.
Fixed income
Distribution fee paid by the issuer or the empanelled platform to LFS for placing the instrument. Disclosed before any recommendation is made.
Unlisted & pre-IPO shares
A distribution margin or fee paid by the empanelled partner through whom the transaction is executed. It is disclosed to you before you transact, alongside the price you are paying.
Loans against mutual funds / securities
A referral fee paid by the RBI-registered NBFC lender. LFS is a referral partner only — the lender sets the interest rate, charges and sanction terms, and you pay LFS nothing.
One thing that is never true across any product: commission levels do not influence which product is recommended. The selection comes from the analysis; the disclosure follows.
04 — Our commitments
What we will never do.
- Guarantee investment returns or income of any kind
- Ask you to transfer money to Ladder Financial Services or any personal account
- Churn your portfolio to generate additional commission
- Recommend a product we could not explain clearly to your family
- Hide how we are paid or what we earn from a product we recommend
- Prioritise a product because it pays us more than an alternative
05 — What a review looks like
Our review agenda — published for anyone to read.
Most reviews cover fund performance. Ours covers six things. This is the actual agenda.
Goal progress vs plan
Are the goal amounts on track given current corpus and contribution rates? If not, what changes to contributions or expectations are needed? The conversation is about the goal, not the index.
Allocation drift
Has the actual equity/debt split moved more than the agreed threshold from the target? If yes, rebalance candidates are identified — considering exit loads, LTCG positions and tax efficiency before any action.
Fund health checks
Rolling-return consistency, manager changes, AUM relative to strategy capacity, expense ratio changes. Not performance-chasing — stability and discipline checks. A fund that has changed character is treated differently from a fund that has simply underperformed.
Tax and rebalancing actions
LTCG/STCG positions reviewed across the portfolio. Tax-loss harvesting opportunities identified. Exit loads checked before any switches. No action is taken without a tax and cost analysis first.
Life-change updates
New goals, changed income, family events, upcoming large expenses. Any change that affects the allocation policy is documented and the policy is updated — not at the next review, but immediately. The policy is a living document.
Open questions
Anything you have been thinking about between reviews: a scheme you read about, a market event you are worried about, a product someone recommended to you. This slot exists so that nothing builds up unaddressed between reviews.
You will receive a brief written summary after every review. Not a marketing report — a record of what was discussed, what was decided, and what the next trigger points are.
06 — Common questions
Before the first call.
How often will we talk?
What do I need to get started?
I already have a distributor. What happens to existing investments?
What if we disagree on an investment?
What is the minimum investment?
How is LFS different from a SEBI-registered investment adviser?
07 — Contact
See if we're a fit.
The first conversation is 30 minutes, with no documents and no obligation. Reach us on any of the details below.
Phone / WhatsApp
+91 98194 44453Hyderabad
Royal One Apartments, 304
Road No. 8, Banjara Hills
Hyderabad – 500034
Mumbai
Office 12, Shri Paramanand Society
Road No. 5, Khar West
Mumbai – 400052