Udo earned his Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Brunel University, London, U.K., in less than two years. From the same university, he also received a Master of Science in Numerical Analysis.
He participated in the Salomon Brothers Training Program for Business Production in New York City before working for Citigroup, the Swedish SEB, and German Commerzbank.
In 2012, he left Commerzbank with the rank of Vice President to found Herges Capital.
Udo is also an undefeated former U25 German Correspondence Chess Champion, as well as a chess coach and sponsor.
Every investor is different. Using a holistic approach, Herges Capital assesses a client’s current investments, obligations, needs, and goals before recommending improvements.
In a Statement of Investment Policy (SIP), overall risk preferences – ranging from highly conservative capital preservation to aggressive growth – are formally agreed upon.
The subsequent investment portfolio’s structure will align with the client’s risk tolerance. Naturally, a retiree will place greater emphasis on reliable and steady investment income than a first-job employee.
We make sure your hard-earned money grows efficiently — without being unnecessarily reduced by fees or taxes.
Our goal is to help you maximize your returns through smart, transparent, and well-structured financial strategies. By focusing on long-term growth, tax efficiency, and cost-effective investment options, we ensure that every dollar you earn continues to work for you.
Whether you’re building wealth for the future, planning for retirement, or seeking to protect your assets, we provide personalized solutions tailored to your goals. With us, you can feel confident that your money is managed wisely, securely, and with your best interests in mind.
Under the Investment Advisor Act of 1940, investment advisors must act in their clients’ best interests, holding a fiduciary duty similar to that of doctors or lawyers. Brokers, by contrast, follow a lower “suitability” standard—selling expensive products that may benefit them more than their clients.
Dual registrants, licensed as both investment advisors and brokers, can continue to act as brokers. Clients cannot tell in which of the two roles an investment decision is being made. Therefore, even more relevant than being a fiduciary is what Herges Capital is not: we are not a broker – and that makes us somewhat rare. Only 12% of financial advisors – roughly 89,000 as of 2024—are independent fiduciaries not associated with a broker.
What counts most is investors’ net return – gains after expenses and taxes. Herges Capital’s efforts focus on increasing that net return.
We reduce costs by choosing either low-fee ETFs or by avoiding funds and their associated expenses altogether. In a direct-indexing approach, we instead gain risk and profit exposure by directly purchasing individual stocks and bonds – no fund expenses here.
Direct indexing leads to many positions, which in turn supports highly effective tax-loss harvesting. In this way, capital gains tax – generally the highest investment cost – is reduced or even completely avoided.
Our goal is to safeguard your money by diversifying more thoughtfully and thoroughly than most firms in the industry. True diversification also unlocks additional performance potential often ignored by less diversified portfolios.
Does your current portfolio include more than 20 different commodities – beyond just gold or silver? Do you hold income-generating real estate from around the world, not just in the U.S.? Have you considered inflation-protected bonds to hedge against rising prices?
Herges Capital identifies and invests in powerful global themes, including electric vehicles, renewable energy, plant-based proteins, sustainable cement, artificial intelligence, digital assets, robotic surgery, gene therapy, and quantum computing – all customized to each client’s risk preferences and investment horizon.
No. Herges Capital has no minimum holding period. You may cancel services and withdraw funds at any time, even on short notice. Please allow a few days for accrued management fees to be deducted.
There is no minimum account size for Herges Capital’s registered investment adviser services. We aim to support investors, regardless of their current financial resources. Often, smaller or younger investors need professional guidance the most.
For the alternative investment strategy ‘trend following’, under Herges Capital’s Commodity Trader Advisor (CTA) registration, the minimum commitment is $350,000.
No. Technically, that is not possible. Money from an online broker can only be transferred to a dedicated account in your name, such as an external bank account. Funds cannot be transferred to a third-party account. Likewise, checks will only be sent to your home address on file.
These are important fraud protections.
Herges Capital sends quarterly invoices. A pro-rata invoice is issued if services are stopped before the end of the quarter. Fees are automatically deducted from your investment account.
Herges Capital earns fees exclusively through portfolio management. You pay us quarterly in arrears only if we compose a portfolio and buy and sell securities in your account. General consultation and advice on investments or other financial matters are not billed. We encourage client communication and education.
You should consult your own local tax advisor.
Here in the U.S., Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, effective 2018, eliminated most investment-related tax deductions at the federal level – bad news for investors and the U.S. investment industry alike.
U.S. states generally follow federal tax rules, so you will need to contact a specialist to determine any state-specific deductibility.
Herges Capital is an independent investment advisor, meaning we are not simultaneously a broker. We don’t receive kickbacks from fund companies for selling their products, nor do we earn commissions for trading. By federal law, we are required to – and do – put YOUR INTERESTS AHEAD OF OURS. That is the highest fiduciary standard.
Another good reason to work with Herges Capital – and perhaps even put us in parallel competition with your current financial advisor – is cost and tax efficiency. Net, you will have more money in your pocket.
Yes, most foreign residents can open a Schwab One International brokerage account and exchange their local currency into U.S. dollars. A few countries – notably Canada and Turkey – are not eligible.
No. Herges Capital does not take physical custody of clients’ assets. Instead, you will maintain an account with an independent, qualified online broker-dealer and custodian (Charles Schwab). Herges Capital will trade on and manage YOUR ACCOUNT.
This setup provides important fraud protection.
Manager fees should not be considered in isolation.
Instead, total investment costs are crucial. Take into account manager fees, fund expense ratios, cash drag, and capital gains taxes. Weigh these total expenses against the quality of your portfolio (diversification) and services offered. Because Herges Capital’s portfolios typically have minimal expenses on funds, cash drag, and capital gains taxes, our fees appear highly attractive.
Herges Capital charges a percentage of Assets Under Management (AUM) – the rate decreases as the account value increases. Additionally, for accounts below $100,000, we charge nothing.
The alternative investment strategy ‘trend following’, as part of your CTA registration, is not charged based on AUM but is 100% performance-based. In this case, we earn fees only when we deliver a profit.
