Financial Planning Consultants
Tardus Wealth StrategiesImportant information
- Customer Complaint:Complaints allege that obtaining a line of credit was instrumental in making the company's program work for them; without it, consumers could not progress. However, when they could not obtain a line of credit due to their financial status, their calls for assistance were not returned in a timely manner, or returned at all. Often, instructors left the company without the consumers' knowledge. When the consumers requested a full refund citing the company's guarantee, they were told that no refund would be given because they had not applied the principles taught in class, and were offered contract extension with no additional charge instead.
The company informed BBB that they have taken the following steps to address the underlining cause of complaints described above:
- Implemented a new customer service procedure since the beginning of 2008 to ensure that consumer concerns are addressed in a timely manner.
- New programs currently offered by the company, do not require consumers to obtain a line of credit.
The company also stated that each of the refund request based on the company's money back guarantee were carefully evaluated, and some cases did result in full refunds.
Complaints
Customer Complaints Summary
- 2 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 1 complaint closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:03/28/2025
Type:Product IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Their service was terrible from the start. After a year with the company and meeting with 5 coaches, I still did not have instructions for my first flip. They promise a refund if their strategies have not increased your net worth by more than the fee ($5500 in my case) in the first year. As my net worth had not increased, I asked for a refund.They refused to provide one unless I signed an ***, even though their contract doesnt mention an ***. This is probably why the BBB doesnt get more complaints and negative reviews about them, they coerce customers they have burned into silence. They confirmed this was standard practice before issuing any refunds.The first thing I am seeking is that refund.The second request is to change their refund policy. Either quite advertising a refund or quite requiring an NDA.The third is to change their advertising around interest rates. Their advertising says that the interest rate on your credit line doesnt matter; this is false. Also, two coaches told me that the interest rate I invest at doesnt matter; this is also false. The ratio of interest you borrow at and invest at matters. Their training and advertising needs to reflect this mathematical reality.Business Response
Date: 04/05/2025
Aloha BBB,
Thank you for the opportunity to respond. Were genuinely sorry to hear that Mr. ***** feels disappointed with his experience, though wed like to clarify a few important points.
Throughout his time with us, Mr. ***** was provided instructions multiple times on how to complete his first investment, both through sessions with his assigned coach and in two additional meetings directly with leadership. Unfortunately, he chose to discontinue his coaching sessions and did not follow through with the customized plan laid out at the start of his program. These steps are essential to meet the requirements as detailed in the agreement he signed, which is attached.
That said, we still offered him a full refund as a gesture of goodwill, even though he is not contractually eligible. As part of our company's 20-year-old refund process, in exchange for the refund, we asked ******** to sign our standard Refund and Release agreement, which includes an NDA to ensure that neither party disparages or defames the other party after the matter is resolved. It is not intended to silence anyone, but rather to protect the integrity of our process and ensure fairness to all parties.
Regarding his comments on interest rates, this seems to be a misunderstanding. We do not advertise that interest rates dont ********* context, our messaging explains that while interest rates can impact long-term financial goals, they do not prevent clients from meeting the guarantee when using our fast-burning fuel strategy. His statements,unfortunately, misrepresent that nuance.Additionally, we offered him the option to restart his program with a fresh 12-month timeline and a new coaching team, but he declined. Our CEO personally reached out on two occasions to offer support and resolution, intending to resolve this respectfully. However, Mr. ***** declined to reciprocate.
We remain open to a fair solution, and as previously shared, Mr. ***** is welcome to follow the dispute resolution process outlined in his coaching agreement if he prefers not to proceed with the refund under the standard Refund and Release Agreement.
Please let me know if you require any additional information.
Sincerely,
**** *****
Client Relations Manager
Tardus Wealth StrategiesCustomer Answer
Date: 04/12/2025
Complaint: 23129008
I am rejecting this response because:Tardus didn't say anything for me to respond to, but I will clarify some things they tried to obfuscate.
There was no customized plan at the start of the program. There was a generic projection based on my income. It did not contain any actionable information. Necessary details like how to fund the flips, where to invest the flips, how to set up those investment accounts, how to structure the repayment of the flips, etc., were not included. That is why they have coaches.
At no point did any coaches give those necessary details, even when directly asked. I dont know what they mean by additional meetings with leadership, but no one else gave me those details either.
I did not discontinue coaching. I continued meeting with the first two coaches until they would not answer questions by email. I asked to change to new coaches, after three attempts, customer service finally responded, and I got new coaches. I met with both until one of them canceled a meeting the day of. I was moving to a new city at the time and was not able to reschedule immediately. However, as soon as I had finished moving, I resumed scheduling meetings. At that time, the level two coach left the company, and customer service changed my level two coach back to the first one I had worked with without telling me. After three attempts, I was able to change to a new level two coach, and I booked a meeting with him as well. After booking that meeting, the level one coach was a no-show for our next meeting. I attended the meeting with the level two coach, and he said he would get with the level one coach about scheduling our next meeting; to my knowledge, he never did. After that meeting, it was clear to me he wasnt going to help with starting flips either. At this point, I was 9 months into the program, so I asked customer service for information about how the refund process works. They didnt answer; they just brought both coaches into the email chain, asking them to answer me. After three months of follow up I never received an answer from anyone on that email chain. It is true I did not book a coaching session during those three months; but they were ignoring my emails, so I was justified in thinking they would not attend meetings either.
At the one-year ***** the Client Success Coach Manager called me for a routine follow-up. He claimed not to know my situation. He asked for information, which I gave him. He said that there was a meeting with the board of directors, and that they agreed that their system failed, that changes were needed to prevent this from happening again, and that I should be refunded. However, he asked if I would consider giving them another year to fix the issue before I asked for the refund. That is what they mean when they say they offered me another year of free coaching. I said I would consider it, after attending a group coaching meeting and another conversation with him (more on that later), I decided another year of coaching was unlikely to be more valuable than the first year had been, and I asked for the refund to be issued.
They then told me they wouldnt issue a refund until I signed an NDA, which also included omissions of guilt for things I did not do. Signing this document is against my religious convictions, and requiring it violates the terms of our agreement, so I told them I wouldnt sign it.In the initial sales call, in the contract, and their advertising, they lay out the criteria for a refund. Nowhere is an NDA mentioned. Requiring one is fraud; the fact that they have been committing the same fraud for 20 years doesnt change that.
In videos explaining their service, the founder appears, stating, ...it almost doesnt matter the interest rate. This statement is at best misleading. Furthermore, during the group coaching call I attended, the coach leading the group said that the flips would work even if invested at zero return. I challenged her in this, and she stood by it, saying that consistently negative returns would cause it to fail, but zero return would still work. I mentioned this to the Client Success Coach Manager. I felt that if long-time coaches were saying such false things, another year of coaching wouldnt. To my surprise, he doubled down on this claim. He spent five minutes on the phone going over the numbers of a hypothetical he thought proved this point; it didnt prove that point, but it did convince me not to give them a ******** on the first year's coaching. I do not know if they dont understand simple arithmetic or if they were lying, but either way, the company should not allow them to keep saying that.
After I refused to sign the ***, the founder emailed reiterating they would not issue a refund without the ***, but offered to schedule a Zoom meeting. I replied, expressing skepticism about the value of that meeting. We both understood the situation and had made our positions clear. I felt we would just reiterate what we had already said, and make no progress, but I concluded the email by asking if she thought there could be another outcome of this meeting. She never responded to that email.
It is true I could seek mediation as outlined in our contract, but I should not have to. I have met every condition under which a refund was promised.
Sincerely,
****** *****Initial Complaint
Date:09/28/2023
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Tardus will not share the complete financial plan / debt payment strategy that I paid to have performed. Initially, the complete plan was shared with me. However, they are now stating that it is company policy to only share 2 years worth of material. They are citing that circumstances can change, so that is the reason they withhold the information. I have corresponded with them, acknowledging that if circumstances on my end change, then likely that would impact the plan. However, they still will not share my financial plan with me. I have spent several thousand dollars with Tardus, and all I am asking for is the complete financial plan that I paid for.Business Response
Date: 10/25/2023
Our client, **************** asked his coach for a full investment schedule from the Income Snowball CalculatorTM over a multi-year period. His coach explained to him that the investment schedule is a snapshot in time based on the clients initial reported personal income, expenses, cash flow and the return on his chosen investments at the start of his plan. Whenever those elements change over time, and input into the software, so will his investment schedule timing in the calculator. As a result, Mr. ******* coach recommended he rely on the current years investment schedule for his investment planning and decision-making.
However, after the coach explained this to ****************, she should have provided him with the full investment schedule at his request. We believe there was a breakdown in communication between the coach and ***************** Our Client Relations Manager, *******************, attempted to clear up the miscommunication by reaching out to **************** without success. The purpose was to discuss the miscommunication, suggest a coaching change if needed, and provide his full investment schedule. **************** has not returned her call.
When **************** did not get what he wanted from his coach, he should have escalated it to the Client Relations Manager or to the Client Success Coach Manager. We can and will provide what he is looking for and we hope that he will respond to our calls so we can do that.Customer Answer
Date: 10/30/2023
Complaint: 20667957
I am rejecting this response because: I would like to clarify a few points. Firstly, my coach did not recommend that I rely on the year's plan, I was told flat out that it was company policy that the information would not be shared. I did receive a phone call and voicemail from **************, and I returned her call and left her a message on October 4th at approximately 5:45 PM, EST. I have still not heard back from her. I also received correspondence from a ******************************* on Monday October 25th, where he provided me with my full plan. I returned his call this past Friday, October 27th around 2:00 PM, EST. I left him a voicemail thanking him for sending me my plan and let him know that I would be more than happy to discuss this further with him, however I have not heard back from him as of yet. As far as protocol, I had emailed both my coach, ************************* and our wealth manager ************************* about trying to find resolution. I only heard back from ******, once again stating that it was against policy to share my plan. I have yet to hear anything from *********** ****** even suggested that ***** might be able to help us figure this out, and would be the one to help us find a better fitting coach.While I did eventually get my plan as I originally requested, I certainly do not appreciate being made to feel that this is my fault and I did something wrong. I found the response to be condescending in tone, almost lecturing me on how I should have elevated this issue. This is the first time I have ever even heard about Client Relations Manager. I would have expected my coach, who is being paid and knows the ins and outs of your organization, to have guided me to find resolution. The icing on the cake, was the fact that my last name was misspelled, and not once was referred to as doctor, a title that i would expect any of my hired advisors to address me by.
Lastly, we were supposed to have our bi-annual meeting with both our coach and wealth coach this past month, as that is part of the service we are paying for. During our last meeting with ******, she told us she would email ***** to get the meeting setup, and we have still not heard anything back. We have continued to pay our monthly fees as we agreed to, even while Tardus does not hold up their end of the agreement.
Sincerely,
*********************Customer Answer
Date: 11/01/2023
I am happy to report that Tardus has very professionally resolved the issue I was having with them. Further, they have taken steps to ensure this problem does not occur with any other clients. If possible, I would like to rescind my complaint.
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