A qualified client is an investor that is exempt from the provision of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. This act prohibits private investment funds from charging performance-based fees. A "qualified client" meets at least one of the following parameters:
Any investment fund that charges a performance-based fee is restricted to qualified clients. Accredited investors do not meet the qualifications for participating in a fund that charges a performance fee.
A common performance fee structure is 2 and 20. This means a 2% management fee is charged on assets under management (AUM) and a 20% fee on fund appreciation. In this case, the 20% fee is called a performance fee. To legally charge the 20% fee, all clients investing in the fund must be qualified clients.
Qualified Client Example
An investor with a $2.5 million net worth decides to invest $250,000 into a hedge fund. The fund charges 2 and 20 for its fees, with the latter being a 20% performance fee. The investor meets the minimum $2.1 net worth criteria for a qualified client, allowing the hedge fund manager to charge the investor a performance fee.