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Acorn Creek Capital LLC
Form ADV Part 2A – Disclosure Brochure
Effective: January 28, 2026
This Form ADV Part 2A (“Disclosure Brochure”) provides information about the qualifications and business
practices of Acorn Creek Capital LLC (“Acorn Creek” or the “Advisor”). If you have any questions about the content
of this Disclosure Brochure, please contact the Advisor at (970) 818-4820.
Acorn Creek is a registered investment advisor with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The
information in this Disclosure Brochure has not been approved or verified by the SEC or by any state securities
authority. Registration of an investment advisor does not imply any specific level of skill or training. This Disclosure
Brochure provides information about Acorn Creek to assist you in determining whether to retain the Advisor.
Additional information about Acorn Creek and its Advisory Persons is available on the SEC’s website at
www.adviserinfo.sec.gov by searching with the Advisor’s firm name or CRD# 325809.
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Item 2 – Material Changes
Form ADV 2 is divided into two parts: Part 2A (the "Disclosure Brochure") and Part 2B (the "Brochure
Supplement"). The Disclosure Brochure provides information about a variety of topics relating to an Advisor’s
business practices and conflicts of interest. The Brochure Supplement provides information about the Advisory
Persons of Acorn Creek.
Acorn Creek believes that communication and transparency are the foundation of its relationship with clients and
will continually strive to provide you with complete and accurate information at all times. Acorn Creek encourages
all current and prospective clients to read this Disclosure Brochure and discuss any questions you may have with
the Advisor.
Material Changes
No material changes have been made to this Disclosure Brochure since the last annual amendment filing and
distribution on 2/07/2025.
Future Changes
From time to time, the Advisor may amend this Disclosure Brochure to reflect changes in business practices,
changes in regulations or routine annual updates as required by the securities regulators. This complete Disclosure
Brochure or a Summary of Material Changes shall be provided to you annually and if a material change occurs.
At any time, you may view the current Disclosure Brochure on-line at the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public
Disclosure website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov by searching with the Advisor’s firm name or CRD# 325809. You
may also request a copy of this Disclosure Brochure at any time by contacting the Advisor at (970) 818-4820.
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 2
Item 3 – Table of Contents
Item 1 – Cover Page ................................................................................................................................................. 1
Item 2 – Material Changes....................................................................................................................................... 2
Item 3 – Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................................... 3
Item 4 – Advisory Services ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Item 5 – Fees and Compensation ........................................................................................................................... 6
Item 6 – Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management ................................................................... 8
Item 7 – Types of Clients......................................................................................................................................... 8
Item 8 – Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss ........................................................... 8
Item 9 – Disciplinary Information ......................................................................................................................... 14
Item 10 – Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations .......................................................................... 15
Item 11 – Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and Personal Trading ............... 15
Item 12 – Brokerage Practices ............................................................................................................................. 16
Item 13 – Review of Accounts .............................................................................................................................. 17
Item 14 – Client Referrals and Other Compensation ......................................................................................... 18
Item 15 – Custody .................................................................................................................................................. 19
Item 16 – Investment Discretion ........................................................................................................................... 19
Item 17 – Voting Client Securities ........................................................................................................................ 19
Item 18 – Financial Information ............................................................................................................................ 19
Privacy Policy......................................................................................................................................................... 20
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 3
Item 4 – Advisory Services
Firm Information
Acorn Creek Capital LLC (“Acorn Creek” or the “Advisor”) is a registered investment advisor with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission. The Advisor is organized as a limited liability company under the laws of the
State of Colorado. Acorn Creek was founded in April 2023 and is wholly owned and operated by Ben Loeffler
(President). This Disclosure Brochure provides information regarding the qualifications, business practices, and the
advisory services provided by Acorn Creek.
Advisory Services Offered
Asset Management:
As part of our Asset Management service, a portfolio is created, consisting of individual stocks, bonds, exchange
traded funds (“ETFs”), options, mutual funds and other public and private securities or investments. The client’s
individual investment strategy is tailored to their specific needs and may include some or all of the previously
mentioned securities. Portfolios will be designed to meet a particular investment goal, determined to be suitable to
the client’s circumstances. Once the appropriate portfolio has been determined, portfolios are continuously and
regularly monitored, and if necessary, rebalanced based upon the client’s individual needs, stated goals and
objectives. Our firm may retain other types of investments from the Client’s legacy portfolio due to fit with the overall
portfolio strategy, tax-related reasons, or other reasons as identified between our Firm and the Client.
Our firm utilizes the sub-advisory services of a third party investment advisory firm or individual advisor to aid in the
implementation of an investment portfolio designed by our firm. Before selecting a firm or individual, our firm will
ensure that the chosen party is properly licensed or registered. Our firm will not offer advice on any specific
securities or other investments in connection with this service. We will provide initial due diligence on third party
money managers and ongoing reviews of their management of client accounts. In order to assist in the selection of
a third party money manager, our firm will gather client information pertaining to financial situation, investment
objectives, and reasonable restrictions to be imposed upon the management of the account.
Our firm will periodically review third party money manager reports provided to the client at least annually. Our firm
will contact clients from time to time in order to review their financial situation and objectives; communicate
information to third party money managers as warranted; and, assist the client in understanding and evaluating the
services provided by the third party money manager. Clients will be expected to notify our firm of any changes in
their financial situation, investment objectives, or account restrictions that could affect their financial standing.
The Advisor serves as a fiduciary to Clients, as defined under the applicable laws and regulations. As a fiduciary,
the Advisor upholds a duty of loyalty, fairness and good faith towards each Client and seeks to mitigate potential
conflicts of interest. Acorn Creek's fiduciary commitment is further described in the Advisor’s Code of Ethics. For
more information regarding the Code of Ethics, please see Item 11 – Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in
Client Transactions and Personal Trading.
Comprehensive Portfolio Management:
As part of our Comprehensive Portfolio Management service clients will be provided asset management and
financial planning or consulting services. This service is designed to assist clients in meeting their financial goals
through the use of a financial plan or consultation. Our firm conducts client meetings to understand their current
financial situation, existing resources, financial goals, and tolerance for risk. Based on what is learned, an
investment approach is presented to the client, consisting of individual stocks, bonds, ETFs, options, mutual funds
and other public and private securities or investments. Once the appropriate portfolio has been determined,
portfolios are continuously and regularly monitored, and if necessary, rebalanced based upon the client’s individual
needs, stated goals and objectives. Upon client request, our firm provides a summary of observations and
recommendations for the planning or consulting aspects of this service.
Our firm utilizes the sub-advisory services of a third party investment advisory firm or individual advisor to aid in the
implementation of an investment portfolio designed by our firm. Before selecting a firm or individual, our firm will
ensure that the chosen party is properly licensed or registered. Our firm will not offer advice on any specific
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 4
securities or other investments in connection with this service. We will provide initial due diligence on third party
money managers and ongoing reviews of their management of client accounts. In order to assist in the selection of
a third party money manager, our firm will gather client information pertaining to financial situation, investment
objectives, and reasonable restrictions to be imposed upon the management of the account. Our firm will
periodically review third party money manager reports provided to the client at least annually. Our firm will contact
clients from time to time in order to review their financial situation and objectives; communicate information to third
party money managers as warranted; and, assist the client in understanding and evaluating the services provided
by the third party money manager. Clients will be expected to notify our firm of any changes in their financial
situation, investment objectives, or account restrictions that could affect their financial standing.
Financial Planning & Consulting:
Our firm provides a variety of standalone financial planning and consulting services to clients for the management
of financial resources based upon an analysis of current situation, goals, and objectives. Financial planning
services will typically involve preparing a financial plan or rendering a financial consultation for clients based on the
client’s financial goals and objectives. This planning or consulting may encompass Investment Planning,
Retirement Planning, Estate Planning, Charitable Planning, Education Planning, Corporate and Personal Tax
Planning, Cost Segregation Study, Corporate Structure, Real Estate Analysis, Mortgage/Debt Analysis, Insurance
Analysis, Lines of Credit Evaluation, or Business and Personal Financial Planning.
Written financial plans or financial consultations rendered to clients usually include general recommendations for a
course of activity or specific actions to be taken by the clients. Implementation of the recommendations will be at
the discretion of the client. Our firm provides clients with a summary of their financial situation, and observations for
financial planning engagements. Financial consultations are not typically accompanied by a written summary of
observations and recommendations, as the process is less formal than the planning service. Assuming that all the
information and documents requested from the client are provided promptly, plans or consultations are typically
completed within 6 months of the client signing a contract with our firm.
Retirement Plan Consulting:
Our firm provides retirement plan consulting services to employer plan sponsors on an ongoing basis. Generally,
such consulting services consist of assisting employer plan sponsors in establishing, monitoring and reviewing their
company's participant-directed retirement plan. As the needs of the plan sponsor dictate, areas of advising may
include:
• Establishing an Investment Policy Statement – Our firm will assist in the development of a statement
that summarizes the investment goals and objectives along with the broad strategies to be employed
to meet the objectives.
•
Investment Options – Our firm will work with the Plan Sponsor to evaluate existing investment options
and make recommendations for appropriate changes.
• Asset Allocation and Portfolio Construction – Our firm will develop strategic asset allocation models to
aid Participants in developing strategies to meet their investment objectives, time horizon, financial
situation and tolerance for risk.
•
Investment Monitoring – Our firm will monitor the performance of the investments and notify the client
in the event of over/underperformance and in times of market volatility.
• Participant Education – Our firm will provide opportunities to educate plan participants about their
retirement plan offerings, different investment options, and general guidance on allocation strategies.
In providing services for retirement plan consulting, our firm does not provide any advisory services with respect to
the following types of assets: employer securities, real estate (excluding real estate funds and publicly traded
REITS), participant loans, non-publicly traded securities or assets, other illiquid investments, or brokerage window
programs (collectively, “Excluded Assets”). All retirement plan consulting services shall be in compliance with the
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 5
applicable state laws regulating retirement consulting services. This applies to client accounts that are retirement or
other employee benefit plans (“Plan”) governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended (“ERISA”). If the client accounts are part of a Plan, and our firm accepts appointment to provide services
to such accounts, our firm acknowledges its fiduciary standard within the meaning of Section 3(21) or 3(38) of
ERISA as designated by the Retirement Plan Consulting Agreement with respect to the provision of services
described therein.
Tailoring of Advisory Services
Our firm offers individualized investment advice to our Asset Management and Comprehensive Portfolio
Management clients.
General investment advice will be offered to our Financial Planning & Consulting, Retirement Plan Consulting, and
Referrals to Third Party Money Management clients. Each Asset Management or Comprehensive Portfolio
Management client has the opportunity to place reasonable restrictions on the types of investments to be held in
the portfolio. Restrictions on investments in certain securities or types of securities may not be possible due to the
level of difficulty this would entail in managing the account.
Participation in Wrap Fee Programs
Acorn Creek does not manage or place Client assets into a wrap fee program.
Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2025, Acorn Creek manages $488,690,719 in Client assets, $478,477,116 of which are
managed on a discretionary basis and $10,213,603 on a non-discretionary basis. Clients may request more current
information at any time by contacting the Advisor.
Item 5 – Fees and Compensation
Asset Management: The maximum annual fee charged for this service will not exceed 2.00%. Our firm charges on
a tiered fee schedule that will be outlined in the signed advisory agreement. Fees to be assessed will be outlined in
the advisory agreement to be signed by the client as well. Our firm bills on cash unless indicated otherwise in
writing. Annualized fees are billed on a pro-rata basis monthly in arrears based on the daily average value of the
account(s). Fees are negotiable and will be deducted from client account(s). In rare cases, our firm will agree to
directly invoice. As part of this process, Clients understand the following:
a) The client’s independent custodian sends statements at least quarterly showing the market values for
each security included in the Assets and all account disbursements, including the amount of the advisory
fees paid to our firm;
b) Clients will provide authorization permitting our firm to be directly paid by these terms. Our firm will send
an invoice directly to the custodian; and
c) If our firm sends a copy of our invoice to the client, a legend urging the comparison of information
provided in our statement with those from the qualified custodian will be included.
All securities held in accounts managed by our firm will be independently valued by the Custodian. Our firm will
conduct periodic reviews of the Custodian’s valuation to ensure accurate billing. The maximum combined annual
fee charged to clients utilizing Third Party Managers will not exceed 2.75%. Our firm will debit fees for this service
as disclosed in the executed advisory agreement between the client and our firm. This fee shall be in addition to
any fees assessed by the chosen third party money manager. The third party money managers we recommend will
not directly charge you a higher fee than they would have charged without us introducing you to them. Third party
money managers establish and maintain their own separate billing processes over which we have no control. They
will directly bill you and describe how this works in their separate written disclosure documents.
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 6
Comprehensive Portfolio Management:
The maximum annual fee charged for this service will not exceed 2.00%. Our firm charges on a tiered fee schedule
that will be outlined in the signed advisory agreement. Fees to be assessed will be outlined in the advisory
agreement to be signed by the client as well. Our firm bills on cash unless indicated otherwise in writing.
Annualized fees are billed on a pro-rata basis monthly in arrears based on the daily average value of the
account(s). Fees are negotiable and will be deducted from client account(s). In rare cases, our firm will agree to
directly invoice. As part of this process, Clients understand the following:
a) The client’s independent custodian sends statements at least quarterly showing the market values for
each security included in the Assets and all account disbursements, including the amount of the advisory
fees paid to our firm;
b) Clients will provide authorization permitting our firm to be directly paid by these terms. Our firm will send
an invoice directly to the custodian; and
c) If our firm sends a copy of our invoice to the client, a legend urging the comparison of information
provided in our statement with those from the qualified custodian will be included.
All securities held in accounts managed by our firm will be independently valued by the Custodian. Our firm will
conduct periodic reviews of the Custodian’s valuation to ensure accurate billing. The maximum combined annual
fee charged to clients utilizing Third Party Managers will not exceed 2.75%. Our firm will debit fees for this service
as disclosed in the executed advisory agreement between the client and our firm. This fee shall be in addition to
any fees assessed by the chosen third party money manager. The third-party money managers we recommend will
not directly charge you a higher fee than they would have charged without us introducing you to them. Third party
money managers establish and maintain their own separate billing processes over which we have no control. They
will directly bill you and describe how this works in their separate written disclosure documents.
Financial Planning & Consulting:
Our firm charges on an hourly or flat fee basis for financial planning and consulting services. The total estimated
fee, as well as the ultimate fee charged, is based on the scope and complexity of our engagement with the client.
The hourly fees range from $100 to $350 per hour. Flat fees range from $1,000 to $50,000. The fee-paying
arrangements will be determined on a case-by-case basis and will be detailed in the signed consulting agreement.
Our firm will not require a retainer exceeding $1,200 when services cannot be rendered within 6 months.
Retirement Plan Consulting:
Our Retirement Plan Consulting services are billed on a fee based on the percentage of Plan assets under
management. The total estimated fee, as well as the ultimate fee charged, is based on the scope and complexity of
our engagement with the client. Fees based on a percentage of managed Plan assets will not exceed 1.00%. The
fee-paying arrangements will be determined on a case-by-case basis and will be detailed in the signed consulting
agreement.
Other Types of Fees & Expenses
Clients will incur transaction fees for trades executed by their chosen custodian, either based on a percentage of
the dollar amount of assets in the account(s) or via individual transaction charges. These transaction fees are
separate from our firm’s advisory fees and will be disclosed by the chosen custodian.
Fidelity Brokerage Services (“Fidelity”) eliminated transaction fees for U.S. listed equities and exchange traded
funds for clients who opt into electronic delivery of statements or maintain at least $1 million in assets at Fidelity.
Clients who do not meet either criteria will be subject to transaction fees charged by Fidelity for U.S. listed equities
and exchange traded funds.
Clients may also pay holdings charges imposed by the chosen custodian for certain investments, charges imposed
directly by a mutual fund, index fund, or exchange traded fund, which shall be disclosed in the fund’s prospectus
(e.g., fund management fees and other fund expenses), distribution fees, surrender charges, variable annuity fees,
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 7
IRA and qualified retirement plan fees, mark-ups and mark-downs, spreads paid to market makers, fees for trades
executed away from custodian, wire transfer fees, direct indexing fees, and other fees and taxes on brokerage
accounts and securities transactions. Our firm does not receive a portion of these fees.
Termination & Refunds
Either party may terminate the advisory agreement signed with our firm for Asset Management or Comprehensive
Portfolio Management services in writing at any time. Upon notice of termination pro-rata advisory fees for services
rendered to the point of termination will be charged. If advisory fees cannot be deducted, our firm will send an
invoice for due advisory fees to the client.
Financial Planning & Consulting clients may terminate their agreement at any time before the delivery of a financial
plan by providing written notice. For purposes of calculating refunds, all work performed by us up to the point of
termination shall be calculated at the hourly fee currently in effect. Clients will receive a pro-rata refund of unearned
fees based on the time and effort expended by our firm.
Either party to a Retirement Plan Consulting Agreement may terminate at any time by providing written notice to the
other party. Full refunds will only be made in cases where cancellation occurs within 5 business days of signing an
agreement. After 5 business days from initial signing, either party must provide the other party 30 days written
notice to terminate billing. Billing will terminate 30 days after receipt of termination notice. Clients will be charged on
a pro-rata basis, which takes into account work completed by our firm on behalf of the client. Clients will incur
charges for bona fide advisory services rendered up to the point of termination (determined as 30 days from receipt
of said written notice) and such fees will be due and payable.
Commissionable Securities Sales
Our firm and representatives do not sell securities for a commission in advisory accounts.
Item 6 – Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management
Acorn Creek does not charge performance-based fees for its investment advisory services. The fees charged by
Acorn Creek are as described in Item 5 above and are not based upon the capital appreciation of the funds or
securities held by any Client.
Acorn Creek does not manage any proprietary investment funds or limited partnerships (for example, a mutual fund
or a hedge fund) and has no financial incentive to recommend any particular investment options to its Clients.
Item 7 – Types of Clients
Acorn Creek offers investment advisory services to individuals, high net worth individuals, trusts, estates, charitable
organizations, pension and profit sharing plans, private foundations, corporate executives and business owners,
and corporations, limited liability companies and other business types. Acorn Creek generally does not impose a
minimum relationship size.
Item 8 – Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss
Methods of Analysis
We use the following methods of analysis in formulating our investment advice and/or managing client assets:
Charting: In this type of technical analysis, our firm reviews charts of market and security activity in an attempt to
identify when the market is moving up or down and to predict how long the trend may last and when that trend
might reverse.
Cyclical Analysis: Statistical analysis of specific events occurring at a sufficient number of relatively predictable
intervals that they can be forecasted into the future. Cyclical analysis asserts that cyclical forces drive price
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 8
movements in the financial markets. Risks include that cycles may invert or disappear and there is no expectation
that this type of analysis will pinpoint turning points, instead be used in conjunction with other methods of analysis.
Duration Constraints: Our firm adhere to a discipline of generally maintaining duration within a narrow band
around benchmark duration in order to limit exposure to market risk. Our portfolio management team rebalances
client portfolios to their current duration targets on a periodic basis. The risk of constraining duration is that the
client may not participate fully in a large rally in bond prices.
Fundamental Analysis: The analysis of a business's financial statements (usually to analyze the business's
assets, liabilities, and earnings), health, and its competitors and markets. When analyzing a stock, futures contract,
or currency using fundamental analysis there are two basic approaches one can use: bottom up analysis and top
down analysis. The terms are used to distinguish such analysis from other types of investment analysis, such as
quantitative and technical. Fundamental analysis is performed on historical and present data, but with the goal of
making financial forecasts. There are several possible objectives: (a) to conduct a company stock valuation and
predict its probable price evolution; (b) to make a projection on its business performance; (c) to evaluate its
management and make internal business decisions; (d) and/or to calculate its credit risk.; and (e) to find out the
intrinsic value of the share.
When the objective of the analysis is to determine what stock to buy and at what price, there are two basic
methodologies investors rely upon: (a) Fundamental analysis maintains that markets may misprice a security in the
short run but that the "correct" price will eventually be reached. Profits can be made by purchasing the mispriced
security and then waiting for the market to recognize its "mistake" and reprice the security.; and (b) Technical
analysis maintains that all information is reflected already in the price of a security. Technical analysts analyze
trends and believe that sentiment changes predate and predict trend changes. Investors' emotional responses to
price movements lead to recognizable price chart patterns. Technical analysts also analyze historical trends to
predict future price movement. Investors can use one or both of these different but complementary methods for
stock picking. This presents a potential risk, as the price of a security can move up or down along with the overall
market regardless of the economic and financial factors considered in evaluating the stock.
Qualitative Analysis: A securities analysis that uses subjective judgment based on unquantifiable information,
such as management expertise, industry cycles, strength of research and development, and labor relations.
Qualitative analysis contrasts with quantitative analysis, which focuses on numbers that can be found on reports
such as balance sheets. The two techniques, however, will often be used together in order to examine a company's
operations and evaluate its potential as an investment opportunity. Qualitative analysis deals with intangible,
inexact concerns that belong to the social and experiential realm rather than the mathematical one. This approach
depends on the kind of intelligence that machines (currently) lack, since things like positive associations with a
brand, management trustworthiness, customer satisfaction, competitive advantage and cultural shifts are difficult,
arguably impossible, to capture with numerical inputs. A risk in using qualitative analysis is that subjective judgment
may prove incorrect.
Quantitative Analysis: The use of models, or algorithms, to evaluate assets for investment. The process usually
consists of searching vast databases for patterns, such as correlations among liquid assets or price-movement
patterns (trend following or mean reversion). The resulting strategies may involve high-frequency trading. The
results of the analysis are taken into consideration in the decision to buy or sell securities and in the management
of portfolio characteristics. A risk in using quantitative analysis is that the methods or models used may be based
on assumptions that prove to be incorrect.
Sector Analysis: Sector analysis involves identification and analysis of various industries or economic sectors that
are likely to exhibit superior performance. Academic studies indicate that the health of a stock's sector is as
important as the performance of the individual stock itself. In other words, even the best stock located in a weak
sector will often perform poorly because that sector is out of favor. Each industry has differences in terms of its
customer base, market share among firms, industry growth, competition, regulation and business cycles. Learning
how the industry operates provides a deeper understanding of a company's financial health. One method of
analyzing a company's growth potential is examining whether the amount of customers in the overall market is
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 9
expected to grow. In some markets, there is zero or negative growth, a factor demanding careful consideration.
Additionally, market analysts recommend that investors should monitor sectors that are nearing the bottom of
performance rankings for possible signs of an impending turnaround.
Technical Analysis: A security analysis methodology for forecasting the direction of prices through the study of
past market data, primarily price and volume. A fundamental principle of technical analysis is that a market's price
reflects all relevant information, so their analysis looks at the history of a security's trading pattern rather than
external drivers such as economic, fundamental and news events. Therefore, price action tends to repeat itself due
to investors collectively tending toward patterned behavior – hence technical analysis focuses on identifiable trends
and conditions. Technical analysts also widely use market indicators of many sorts, some of which are
mathematical transformations of price, often including up and down volume, advance/decline data and other inputs.
These indicators are used to help assess whether an asset is trending, and if it is, the probability of its direction and
of continuation. Technicians also look for relationships between price/volume indices and market indicators.
Technical analysis employs models and trading rules based on price and volume transformations, such as the
relative strength index, moving averages, regressions, inter-market and intra-market price correlations, business
cycles, stock market cycles or, classically, through recognition of chart patterns. Technical analysis is widely used
among traders and financial professionals and is very often used by active day traders, market makers and pit
traders. The risk associated with this type of analysis is that analysts use subjective judgment to decide which
pattern(s) a particular instrument reflects at a given time and what the interpretation of that pattern should be.
Third-Party Money Manager Analysis: The analysis of the experience, investment philosophies, and past
performance of independent third-party investment managers in an attempt to determine if that manager has
demonstrated an ability to invest over a period of time and in different economic conditions. Analysis is completed
by monitoring the manager’s underlying holdings, strategies, concentrations and leverage as part of our overall
periodic risk assessment. Additionally, as part of the due-diligence process, the manager’s compliance and
business enterprise risks are surveyed and reviewed. A risk of investing with a third-party manager who has been
successful in the past is that they may not be able to replicate that success in the future. In addition, as our firm
does not control the underlying investments in a third-party manager’s portfolio, there is also a risk that a manager
may deviate from the stated investment mandate or strategy of the portfolio, making it a less suitable investment for
our clients. Moreover, as our firm does not control the manager’s daily business and compliance operations, our
firm may be unaware of the lack of internal controls necessary to prevent business, regulatory or reputational
deficiencies.
Investment Strategies We Use
We use the following strategies in managing client accounts, provided that such strategies are appropriate to the
needs of the client and consistent with the client's investment objectives, risk tolerance, and time horizons, among
other considerations:
Alternative Investments: Hedge funds, commodity pools, Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”), Business
Development Companies (“BDCs”), and other alternative investments involve a high degree of risk and can be
illiquid due to restrictions on transfer and lack of a secondary trading market. They can be highly leveraged,
speculative and volatile, and an investor could lose all or a substantial amount of an investment. Alternative
investments may lack transparency as to share price, valuation and portfolio holdings. Complex tax structures often
result in delayed tax reporting. Compared to mutual funds, hedge funds and commodity pools are subject to less
regulation and often charge higher fees and may require “capital calls” which would require additional investment.
Alternative investment managers typically exercise broad investment discretion and may apply similar strategies
across multiple investment vehicles, resulting in less diversification.
The performance of alternative investments (limited partnerships) can be volatile and may have limited liquidity. An
investor could lose all or a portion of their investment. Such investments often have concentrated positions and
investments that may carry higher risks. Client should only have a portion of their assets in these investments.
Asset Allocation: The implementation of an investment strategy that attempts to balance risk versus reward by
adjusting the percentage of each asset in an investment portfolio according to the investor's risk tolerance, goals
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 10
and investment time frame. Asset allocation is based on the principle that different assets perform differently in
different market and economic conditions. A fundamental justification for asset allocation is the notion that different
asset classes offer returns that are not perfectly correlated, hence diversification reduces the overall risk in terms of
the variability of returns for a given level of expected return. Although risk is reduced as long as correlations are not
perfect, it is typically forecast (wholly or in part) based on statistical relationships (like correlation and variance) that
existed over some past period. Expectations for return are often derived in the same way.
An asset class is a group of economic resources sharing similar characteristics, such as riskiness and return. There
are many types of assets that may or may not be included in an asset allocation strategy. The "traditional" asset
classes are stocks (value, dividend, growth, or sector-specific [or a "blend" of any two or more of the preceding];
large-cap versus mid-cap, small-cap or micro-cap; domestic, foreign [developed], emerging or frontier markets),
bonds (fixed income securities more generally: investment-grade or junk [high-yield]; government or corporate;
short-term, intermediate, long-term; domestic, foreign, emerging markets), and cash or cash equivalents. Allocation
among these three provides a starting point. Usually included are hybrid instruments such as convertible bonds and
preferred stocks, counting as a mixture of bonds and stocks. Other alternative assets that may be considered
include: commodities: precious metals, nonferrous metals, agriculture, energy, others.; Commercial or residential
real estate (also REITs); Collectibles such as art, coins, or stamps; insurance products (annuity, life settlements,
catastrophe bonds, personal life insurance products, etc.); derivatives such as long-short or market neutral
strategies, options, collateralized debt, and futures; foreign currency; venture capital; private equity; and/or
distressed securities.
There are several types of asset allocation strategies based on investment goals, risk tolerance, time frames and
diversification. The most common forms of asset allocation are: strategic, dynamic, tactical, and core-satellite.
• Strategic Asset Allocation: The primary goal of a strategic asset allocation is to create an asset mix that
seeks to provide the optimal balance between expected risk and return for a long-term investment horizon.
Generally speaking, strategic asset allocation strategies are agnostic to economic environments, i.e., they
do not change their allocation postures relative to changing market or economic conditions.
• Dynamic Asset Allocation: Dynamic asset allocation is similar to strategic asset allocation in that portfolios
are built by allocating to an asset mix that seeks to provide the optimal balance between expected risk and
return for a long-term investment horizon. Like strategic allocation strategies, dynamic strategies largely
retain exposure to their original asset classes; however, unlike strategic strategies, dynamic asset
allocation portfolios will adjust their postures over time relative to changes in the economic environment.
• Tactical Asset Allocation: Tactical asset allocation is a strategy in which an investor takes a more active
approach that tries to position a portfolio into those assets, sectors, or individual stocks that show the most
potential for perceived gains. While an original asset mix is formulated much like strategic and dynamic
portfolio, tactical strategies are often traded more actively and are free to move entirely in and out of their
core asset classes.
• Core-Satellite Asset Allocation: Core-Satellite allocation strategies generally contain a 'core' strategic
element making up the most significant portion of the portfolio, while applying a dynamic or tactical 'satellite'
strategy that makes up a smaller part of the portfolio. In this way, core-satellite allocation strategies are a
hybrid of the strategic and dynamic/tactical allocation strategies mentioned above.
Fixed Income: Fixed income is a type of investing or budgeting style for which real return rates or periodic income
is received at regular intervals and at reasonably predictable levels. Fixed-income investors are typically retired
individuals who rely on their investments to provide a regular, stable income stream. This demographic tends to
invest heavily in fixed-income investments because of the reliable returns they offer. Fixed-income investors who
live on set amounts of periodically paid income face the risk of inflation eroding their spending power.
Some examples of fixed-income investments include treasuries, money market instruments, corporate bonds,
asset-backed securities, municipal bonds and international bonds. The primary risk associated with fixed-income
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 11
investments is the borrower defaulting on his payment. Other considerations include exchange rate risk for
international bonds and interest rate risk for longer dated securities. The most common type of fixed-income
security is a bond. Bonds are issued by federal governments, local municipalities and major corporations. Fixed-
income securities are recommended for investors seeking a diverse portfolio; however, the percentage of the
portfolio dedicated to fixed income depends on your own personal investment style. There is also an opportunity to
diversify the fixed-income component of a portfolio. Riskier fixed-income products, such as junk bonds and longer-
dated products, should comprise a lower percentage of your overall portfolio.
The interest payment on fixed-income securities is considered regular income and is determined based on the
creditworthiness of the borrower and current market rates. In general, bonds and fixed income securities with
longer-dated maturities pay a higher rate, also referred to as the coupon rate, because they are considered riskier.
The longer the security is on the market, the more time it has to lose its value and/or default. At the end of the bond
term, or at bond maturity, the borrower returns the amount borrowed, also referred to as the principal or par value.
Long-Term Purchases: Our firm may buy securities for your account and hold them for a relatively long time
(more than a year) in anticipation that the security’s value will appreciate over a long horizon. The risk of this
strategy is that our firm could miss out on potential short-term gains that could have been profitable to your
account, or it’s possible that the security’s value may decline sharply before our firm makes a decision to sell.
Margin Transactions: Our firm may purchase securities for your portfolio with money borrowed from your
brokerage account. This allows you to purchase more stock than you would be able to with your available cash and
allows us to purchase securities without selling other holdings. Margin accounts and transactions are risky and not
necessarily appropriate for every client. It should be noted that our firm bills advisory fees on securities purchased
on margin which creates a financial incentive for us to utilize margin in client accounts.
The potential risks associated with these transactions are (1) You can lose more funds than are deposited into the
margin account; (2) the forced sale of securities or other assets in your account; (3) the sale of securities or other
assets without contacting you; (4) you may not be entitled to choose which securities or other assets in your
account(s) are liquidated or sold to meet a margin call; and (5) custodians charge interest on margin balances
which will reduce your returns over time.
Options: An option is a financial derivative that represents a contract sold by one party (the option writer) to
another party (the option holder, or option buyer). The contract offers the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to
buy or sell a security or other financial asset at an agreed-upon price (the strike price) during a certain period of
time or on a specific date (exercise date). Options are extremely versatile securities. Traders use options to
speculate, which is a relatively risky practice, while hedgers use options to reduce the risk of holding an asset. In
terms of speculation, option buyers and writers have conflicting views regarding the outlook on the performance of
a:
• Call Option: Call options give the option to buy at certain price, so the buyer would want the stock to go up.
Conversely, the option writer needs to provide the underlying shares in the event that the stock's market
price exceeds the strike due to the contractual obligation. An option writer who sells a call option believes
that the underlying stock's price will drop relative to the option's strike price during the life of the option, as
that is how he will reap maximum profit. This is exactly the opposite outlook of the option buyer. The buyer
believes that the underlying stock will rise; if this happens, the buyer will be able to acquire the stock for a
lower price and then sell it for a profit. However, if the underlying stock does not close above the strike
price on the expiration date, the option buyer would lose the premium paid for the call option.
• Put Option: Put options give the option to sell at a certain price, so the buyer would want the stock to go
down. The opposite is true for put option writers. For example, a put option buyer is bearish on the
underlying stock and believes its market price will fall below the specified strike price on or before a
specified date. On the other hand, an option writer who sells a put option believes the underlying stock's
price will increase about a specified price on or before the expiration date. If the underlying stock's price
closes above the specified strike price on the expiration date, the put option writer's maximum profit is
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 12
achieved. Conversely, a put option holder would only benefit from a fall in the underlying stock's price
below the strike price. If the underlying stock's price falls below the strike price, the put option writer is
obligated to purchase shares of the underlying stock at the strike price. The potential risks associated with
these transactions are that (1) all options expire. The closer the option gets to expiration, the quicker the
premium in the option deteriorates; and (2) Prices can move very quickly. Depending on factors such as
time until expiration and the relationship of the stock price to the option’s strike price, small movements in a
stock can translate into big movements in the underlying options.
Short-Term Purchases: When utilizing this strategy, our firm may also purchase securities with the idea of selling
them within a relatively short time (typically a year or less). Our firm does this in an attempt to take advantage of
conditions that our firm believes will soon result in a price swing in the securities our firm purchase.
Short Sales: A short sale is a transaction in which an investor sells borrowed securities in anticipation of a price
decline and is required to return an equal number of shares at some point in the future. These transactions have a
number of risks that make it highly unsuitable for the novice investor. This strategy has a slanted payoff ratio in that
the maximum gain is limited, but the maximum loss is theoretically infinite. The following risks should be
considered: (1) In addition to trading commissions, other costs with short selling include that of borrowing the
security to short it, as well as interest payable on the margin account that holds the shorted security. (2) The short
seller is responsible for making dividend payments on the shorted stock to the entity from whom the stock has been
borrowed. (3) Stocks with very high short interest may occasionally surge in price. This usually happens when there
is a positive development in the stock, which forces short sellers to buy the shares back to close their short
positions. Heavily shorted stocks are also susceptible to “buy-ins,” which occur when a broker closes out short
positions in a difficult-to-borrow stock whose lenders are demanding it back. (4) Regulators may impose bans on
short sales in a specific sector or even in the broad market to avoid panic and unwarranted selling pressure. Such
actions can cause a spike in stock prices, forcing the short seller to cover short positions at huge losses.
Risk of Loss
Investing in securities involves risk of loss that clients should be prepared to bear. While the stock market may
increase and the account(s) could enjoy a gain, it is also possible that the stock market may decrease and the
account(s) could suffer a loss. It is important that clients understand the risks associated with investing in the stock
market, and that their assets are appropriately diversified in investments. Clients are encouraged to ask our firm
any questions regarding their risk tolerance.
Capital Risk: Capital risk is one of the most basic, fundamental risks of investing; it is the risk that you may lose
100% of your money. All investments carry some form of risk and the loss of capital is generally a risk for any
investment instrument.
Company Risk: When investing in stock positions, there is always a certain level of company or industry specific
risk that is inherent in each investment. This is also referred to as unsystematic risk and can be reduced through
appropriate diversification. There is the risk that the company will perform poorly or have its value reduced based
on factors specific to the company or its industry. For example, if a company’s employees go on strike or the
company receives unfavorable media attention for its actions, the value of the company may be reduced.
Economic Risk: The prevailing economic environment is important to the health of all businesses. Some
companies, however, are more sensitive to changes in the domestic or global economy than others. These types of
companies are often referred to as cyclical businesses. Countries in which a large portion of businesses are in
cyclical industries are thus also very economically sensitive and carry a higher amount of economic risk. If an
investment is issued by a party located in a country that experiences wide swings from an economic standpoint or
in situations where certain elements of an investment instrument are hinged on dealings in such countries, the
investment instrument will generally be subject to a higher level of economic risk.
ETF & Mutual Fund Risk: When investing in an ETF or mutual fund, you will bear additional expenses based on
your pro rata share of the ETF’s or mutual fund’s operating expenses, including the potential duplication of
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 13
management fees. The risk of owning an ETF or mutual fund generally reflects the risks of owning the underlying
securities, the ETF, or mutual fund holds. Clients will also incur brokerage costs when purchasing ETFs.
Financial Risk: Financial risk is represented by internal disruptions within an investment or the issuer of an
investment that can lead to unfavorable performance of the investment. Examples of financial risk can be found in
cases like Enron or many of the dot com companies that were caught up in a period of extraordinary market
valuations that were not based on solid financial footings of the companies.
Fixed Income Securities Risk: Typically, the values of fixed-income securities change inversely with prevailing
interest rates. Therefore, a fundamental risk of fixed-income securities is interest rate risk, which is the risk that
their value will generally decline as prevailing interest rates rise, which may cause your account value to likewise
decrease, and vice versa. How specific fixed income securities may react to changes in interest rates will depend
on the specific characteristics of each security. Fixed-income securities are also subject to credit risk, prepayment
risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk. Credit risk is the chance that a bond issuer will fail to pay interest and principal
in a timely manner, or that negative perceptions of the issuer’s ability to make such payments will cause the price of
a bond to decline.
Legal/Regulatory Risk: Certain investments or the issuers of investments may be affected by changes in state or
federal laws or in the prevailing regulatory framework under which the investment instrument or its issuer is
regulated. Changes in the regulatory environment or tax laws can affect the performance of certain investments or
issuers of those investments and thus, can have a negative impact on the overall performance of such investments.
Manager Risk: There is always the possibility that poor security selection will cause your investments to
underperform relative to benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.
Market Risk: The value of your portfolio may decrease if the value of an individual company or multiple companies
in the portfolio decreases or if our belief about a company’s intrinsic worth is incorrect. Further, regardless of how
well individual companies perform, the value of your portfolio could also decrease if there are deteriorating
economic or market conditions. It is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes
sharply, in response to changes in the market, and you could lose money. Investment risks include price risk as
may be observed by a drop in a security’s price due to company specific events (e.g. earnings disappointment or
downgrade in the rating of a bond) or general market risk (e.g. such as a “bear” market when stock values fall in
general). For fixed-income securities, a period of rising interest rates could erode the value of a bond since bond
values generally fall as bond yields go up. Past performance is not a guarantee of future returns.
Options Risk: Options on securities may be subject to greater fluctuations in value than an investment in the
underlying securities. Additionally, options have an expiration date, which makes them “decay” in value over the
amount of time they are held and can expire worthless. Purchasing and writing put and call options are highly
specialized activities and entail greater than ordinary investment risks.
Strategy Risk: There is no guarantee that the investment strategies discussed herein will work under all market
conditions and each investor should evaluate his/her ability to maintain any investment he/she is considering in light
of his/her own investment time horizon. Investments are subject to risk, including possible loss of principal.
Description of Material, Significant or Unusual Risks
Our firm generally invests client cash balances in money market funds, FDIC Insured Certificates of Deposit, high-
grade commercial paper and/or government backed debt instruments. Ultimately, our firm tries to achieve the
highest return on client cash balances through relatively low-risk conservative investments. In most cases, at least
a partial cash balance will be maintained in a money market account so that our firm may debit advisory fees for
our services related to our Asset Management and Comprehensive Portfolio Management services, as applicable.
Past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Investing in securities and other investments involve
a risk of loss that each Client should understand and be willing to bear. Clients are reminded to discuss
these risks with the Advisor.
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 14
Item 9 – Disciplinary Information
There are no legal, regulatory or disciplinary events involving Acorn Creek or its owner. Acorn Creek values
the trust Clients place in the Advisor. The Advisor encourages Clients to perform the requisite due diligence on any
advisor or service provider that the Client engages. The backgrounds of the Advisor or Advisory Persons are
available on the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov by searching with the
Advisor’s firm name or CRD# 325809.
Item 10 – Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations
Representatives of our firm are insurance agents/brokers. They will not, however, be offering insurance products
nor will they receive customary fees as a result of any insurance sales.
Item 11 – Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and Personal Trading
Code of Ethics
Acorn Creek has implemented a Code of Ethics (the “Code”) that defines the Advisor’s fiduciary commitment to
each Client. This Code applies to all persons associated with Acorn Creek (“Supervised Persons”). The Code was
developed to provide general ethical guidelines and specific instructions regarding the Advisor’s duties to each
Client. Acorn Creek and its Supervised Persons owe a duty of loyalty, fairness and good faith towards each Client.
It is the obligation of Acorn Creek’s Supervised Persons to adhere not only to the specific provisions of the Code,
but also to the general principles that guide the Code. The Code covers a range of topics that address employee
ethics and conflicts of interest. In all business relationships, conflicts of interest are a possibility. Acorn Creek
Capital LLC is committed, above all else, to acting in the best interest of the Client first, then the best interest of the
company. To request a copy of the Code, please contact Acorn Creek Capital at (970) 818-4820.
Personal Trading with Material Interest
Acorn Creek allows Supervised Persons to purchase or sell the same securities that may be recommended to and
purchased on behalf of Clients. Acorn Creek does not act as principal in any transactions. In addition, the Advisor
does not act as the general partner of a fund, or advise an investment company. Acorn Creek does not have a
material interest in any securities traded in Client accounts.
Personal Trading in Same Securities as Clients
Acorn Creek allows Supervised Persons to purchase or sell the same securities that may be recommended to and
purchased on behalf of Clients. Owning the same securities that are recommended (purchase or sell) to Clients
presents a conflict of interest that, as fiduciaries, must be disclosed to Clients and mitigated through policies and
procedures. As noted above, the Advisor has adopted the Code to address insider trading (material non-public
information controls); gifts and entertainment; outside business activities and personal securities reporting. When
trading for personal accounts, Supervised Persons have a conflict of interest if trading in the same securities. The
fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of its Clients can be violated if personal trades are made with more
advantageous terms than Client trades, or by trading based on material non-public information. This risk is
mitigated by Acorn Creek requiring reporting of personal securities trades by its Supervised Persons for review by
the Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) or delegate. The Advisor has also adopted written policies and procedures to
detect the misuse of material, non-public information.
Personal Trading at Same Time as Client
While Acorn Creek allows Supervised Persons to purchase or sell the same securities that may be recommended
to and purchased on behalf of Clients, such trades are typically aggregated with Client orders or traded afterwards.
At no time will Acorn Creek, or any Supervised Person of Acorn Creek, transact in any security to the
detriment of any Client.
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 15
Item 12 – Brokerage Practices
Selecting a Brokerage Firm
While our firm does not maintain physical custody of client assets, we are deemed to have custody of certain client
assets if given the authority to withdraw assets from client accounts (see Item 15 Custody, below). Client assets
must be maintained by a qualified custodian. Our firm seeks to recommend a custodian who will hold client assets
and execute transactions on terms that are overall most advantageous when compared to other available providers
and their services. The factors considered, among others, are these:
• Timeliness of execution
• Timeliness and accuracy of trade confirmations
• Research services provided
• Ability to provide investment ideas
• Execution facilitation services provided
• Record keeping services provided
• Custody services provided
• Frequency and correction of trading errors
• Ability to access a variety of market venues
• Expertise as it relates to specific securities
• Financial condition
• Business reputation
• Quality of services
Acorn Creek does not have discretionary authority to select the broker-dealer/custodian for custody and execution
services. The Client will engage the broker-dealer/custodian (herein the "Custodian") to safeguard Client assets
and authorize Acorn Creek to direct trades to the Custodian as agreed upon in the investment advisory agreement.
Typically, Acorn Creek will recommend that Clients establish their account[s] with Fidelity Clearing & Custody
Solutions and related entities of Fidelity Investments, Inc. (collectively “Fidelity”), a FINRA-registered broker-dealer
and member SIPC. Acorn Creek established the institutional relationship with Fidelity to serve as the Client’s
“qualified custodian” and assist the Advisor in managing Client account[s]. Clients are not obligated to use the
recommended Custodian and will not incur any extra fee or cost from the Advisor associated with using a custodian
not recommended by Acorn Creek.
Fidelity’s platform includes brokerage, custody, administrative support, record keeping, technology and related
services designed to support registered investment advisors like Acorn Creek in serving Clients. These services are
intended to serve the best interests of Acorn Creek’s Clients.
Fidelity may charge brokerage commissions (securities transaction fees) for effecting certain securities
transactions. Fidelity enables Acorn Creek to obtain certain no-load mutual funds without securities transaction fees
and other no-load funds at nominal transaction charges. Fidelity’s commission rates are generally considered
discounted from customary retail commission rates. However, the commissions and transaction fees charged by
Fidelity may be higher or lower than those charged by other custodians and broker-dealers.
In seeking best execution, the determinative factor is not the lowest possible cost, but whether the transaction
represents the best qualitative execution, taking into consideration the full range of a broker-dealer’s services,
including the value of research provided, execution capability, commission rates, and responsiveness. Although our
firm will seek competitive rates, to the benefit of all clients, our firm may not necessarily obtain the lowest possible
commission rates for specific client account transactions.
Following are additional details regarding the brokerage practices of Acorn Creek:
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 16
Soft Dollars
Soft dollars are revenue programs offered by broker-dealers/custodians whereby an advisor enters into an
agreement to place security trades with the broker-dealer/custodian in exchange for research and other services.
Acorn Creek does not participate in soft dollar programs sponsored or offered by any broker-dealer. However,
Acorn Creek does receive certain economic benefits from Fidelity. Please see Item 14 below.
Client Brokerage Commissions
Fidelity does not make client brokerage commissions generated by client transactions available for our firm’s use.
Client Transactions in Return for Soft Dollars
Our firm does not direct client transactions to a particular broker-dealer in return for soft dollar benefits.
Brokerage for Client Referrals
Our firm does not receive brokerage for client referrals.
Directed Brokerage
Neither our firm nor any of our firm’s representatives have discretionary authority in making the determination of the
brokers-dealers and/or custodians with whom orders for the purchase or sale of securities are placed for execution,
and the commission rates at which such securities transactions are effected. Our firm routinely recommends that
clients direct us to execute through a specified broker-dealer. Our firm recommends the use of Fidelity. Each client
will be recommended to establish their account(s) with Fidelity if not already done. Please note that not all advisers
have this requirement.
Special Considerations for ERISA Clients
A retirement or ERISA plan client may direct all or part of portfolio transactions for its account through a specific
broker or dealer in order to obtain goods or services on behalf of the plan. Such direction is permitted provided that
the goods and services provided are reasonable expenses of the plan incurred in the ordinary course of its
business for which it otherwise would be obligated and empowered to pay. ERISA prohibits directed brokerage
arrangements when the goods or services purchased are not for the exclusive benefit of the plan. Consequently,
our firm will request that plan sponsors who direct plan brokerage provide us with a letter documenting that this
arrangement will be for the exclusive benefit of the plan.
Client-Directed Brokerage
Our firm does not allow client-directed brokerage outside our recommendations.
Aggregation of Purchase or Sale
Our firm provides investment management services for various clients. There are occasions on which portfolio
transactions may be executed as part of concurrent authorizations to purchase or sell the same security for
numerous accounts served by our firm, which involve accounts with similar investment objectives. Although such
concurrent authorizations potentially could be either advantageous or disadvantageous to any one or more
particular accounts, they are affected only when our firm believes that to do so will be in the best interest of the
effected accounts. When such concurrent authorizations occur, the objective is to allocate the executions in a
manner which is deemed equitable to the accounts involved. In any given situation, our firm attempts to allocate
trade executions in the most equitable manner possible, taking into consideration client objectives, current asset
allocation and availability of funds using price averaging, proration and consistently non-arbitrary methods of
allocation.
Item 13 – Review of Accounts
Our management personnel or financial advisors review accounts on at least an annual basis for our Asset
Management, Comprehensive Portfolio Management, and Third Party Money Management clients. The nature of
these reviews is to learn whether client accounts are in line with their investment objectives, appropriately
positioned based on market conditions, and investment policies, if applicable. Our firm does not provide written
reports to clients, unless asked to do so. Verbal reports to clients take place on at least an annual basis when our
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 17
Asset Management, Comprehensive Portfolio Management, and Third-Party Money Management clients are
contacted.
Our firm may review client accounts more frequently than described above. Among the factors which may trigger an
off-cycle review are major market or economic events, the client’s life events, requests by the client, etc.
Financial Planning clients do not receive reviews of their written plans unless they take action to schedule a
financial consultation with us. Our firm does not provide ongoing services to financial planning clients, but are
willing to meet with such clients upon their request to discuss updates to their plans, changes in their
circumstances, etc. Financial Planning clients do not receive written or verbal updated reports regarding their
financial plans unless they separately engage our firm for a post-financial plan meeting or update to their initial
written financial plan.
Retirement Plan Consulting clients receive reviews of their retirement plans for the duration of the service. Our firm
also provides ongoing services where clients are met with upon their request to discuss updates to their plans,
changes in their circumstances, etc. Retirement Plan Consulting clients do not receive written or verbal updated
reports regarding their plans unless they choose to engage our firm for ongoing services.
Item 14 – Client Referrals and Other Compensation
Compensation Received by Acorn Creek
Participation in Institutional Advisor Platform
As noted in item 12, Acorn Creek has established an institutional relationship with Fidelity to assist Acorn Creek in
managing Client account[s].
Fidelity's institutional platform services that assist us in managing and administering clients' accounts include
software and other technology that (i) provide access to client account data (such as trade confirmations and
account statements); (ii) facilitate trade execution and allocate aggregated trade orders for multiple client accounts;
(iii) provide research, pricing and other market data; (iv) facilitate payment of fees from its clients' accounts; and (v)
assist with back-office functions, recordkeeping and client reporting.
As part of the arrangement, Fidelity also makes available to Acorn Creek, at no additional charge, certain research
and brokerage services, including research services obtained by Fidelity directly from independent research
companies. Acorn Creek may also receive additional services and support from Fidelity. As a result of receiving
such services for no additional cost, Acorn Creek has an incentive to continue to use or expand the use of
Fidelity's services. Acorn Creek examined this potential conflict of interest when it chose to enter into the
relationship with Fidelity and has determined that the relationship with Fidelity remains in the best interests of Acorn
Creek’s Clients in connection with its fiduciary obligations, including its duty to seek best execution. Please see
Item 12 above.
Acorn Creek receives access to software, vendors, and related support without cost or at a discount because Acorn
Creek renders wealth management services to Clients that maintain assets at Fidelity. The software and related
systems support benefit Acorn Creek and indirectly benefit the Clients. However, all services provided may not be
utilized for all Clients.
Further, Fidelity provided Acorn Creek with financial support in connection with the initial launch and early
operations of the business. This financial support was provided due to the level of Client assets that were expected
to be transitioned to the Fidelity custodial platform at the time of Acorn Creek’s launch. Acorn Creek is authorized to
use this financial support from Fidelity for start-up and transition costs. For instance, the financial support was
utilized to cover account transfer fees charged by the Client’s former custodian, and to obtain technology and other
support services. Further details of the financial support that was received will be provided upon request.
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 18
Compensation for Client Referrals
The Advisor does not compensate, either directly or indirectly, any persons who are not supervised persons, for
Client referrals.
Item 15 – Custody
The Advisor is authorized to deduct its fees from the Client’s account[s] at the Custodian. The Client must place all
assets with a “qualified custodian”. The Client is required to engage the Custodian to retain all funds and securities
and direct the Advisor to utilize that Custodian for security transactions in the account[s]. The Client should review
statements provided by the Custodian, as the Custodian does not perform this review. For more information about
custodians and brokerage practices, see Item 12 – Brokerage Practices.
Item 16 – Investment Discretion
Acorn Creek generally has discretion over the selection and amount of securities to be bought or sold in Client
accounts without obtaining prior consent or approval from the Client. However, these purchases or sales may be
subject to specified investment objectives, guidelines, or limitations previously set forth by the Client and agreed to
by Acorn Creek. Discretionary authority will only be authorized upon full disclosure to the Client. The granting of
such authority will be evidenced by the Client's execution of an investment advisory agreement containing all
applicable limitations to such authority. All discretionary trades made by Acorn Creek will be in accordance with
each Client's investment objectives and goals.
In instances where Acorn Creek does not have discretion over the selection and amount of securities to be bought or
sold in Client accounts without obtaining prior approval from the Client. The Advisor will contact the Client and obtain
approval prior to executing trades or allocating investment assets.
Item 17 – Voting Client Securities
Acorn Creek does not accept proxy-voting responsibility for any Client. Clients will receive proxy statements directly
from the Custodian. The Advisor will assist in answering questions relating to proxies, however, the Client retains
the sole responsibility for proxy decisions and voting.
Item 18 – Financial Information
Neither Acorn Creek, nor its management, have any adverse financial situations that would reasonably impair the
ability of Acorn Creek to meet all obligations to its Clients. Neither Acorn Creek, nor any of its Advisory Persons,
have been subject to a bankruptcy or financial compromise. Acorn Creek is not required to deliver a balance sheet
along with this Disclosure Brochure as the Advisor does not collect advance fees of $1,200 or more for services to
be performed six months or more in the future.
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 19
Privacy Policy
Effective: January 28, 2026
Our Commitment to You
Acorn Creek Capital LLC (“Acorn Creek” or the “Advisor”) is committed to safeguarding the use of personal
information of our Clients (also referred to as “you” and “your”) that we obtain as your Investment Advisor, as
described here in our Privacy Policy (“Policy”).
Our relationship with you is our most important asset. We understand that you have entrusted us with your private
information, and we do everything that we can to maintain that trust. Acorn Creek (also referred to as "we", "our"
and "us”) protects the security and confidentiality of the personal information we have and implements controls to
ensure that such information is used for proper business purposes in connection with the management or servicing
of our relationship with you.
Acorn Creek does not sell your non-public personal information to anyone. Nor do we provide such information to
others except for discrete and reasonable business purposes in connection with the servicing and management of
our relationship with you, as discussed below.
Details of our approach to privacy and how your personal non-public information is collected and used are set forth
in this Policy.
Why you need to know?
Registered Investment Advisors (“RIAs”) must share some of your personal information in the course of servicing
your account. Federal and State laws give you the right to limit some of this sharing and require RIAs to disclose
how we collect, share, and protect your personal information.
What information do we collect from you?
Driver’s license number
Date of birth
Social security or taxpayer identification number Assets and liabilities
Name, address and phone number[s]
Income and expenses
E-mail address[es]
Investment activity
Account information (including other institutions)
Investment experience and goals
What Information do we collect from other sources?
Custody, brokerage and advisory agreements
Other advisory agreements and legal documents
Transactional information with us or others
Account applications and forms
Investment questionnaires and suitability
documents
Other information needed to service account
How do we protect your information?
To safeguard your personal information from unauthorized access and use we maintain physical, procedural and
electronic security measures. These include such safeguards as secure passwords, encrypted file storage and a
secure office environment. Our technology vendors provide security and access control over personal information
and have policies over the transmission of data. Our associates are trained on their responsibilities to protect
Client’s personal information.
We require third parties that assist in providing our services to you to protect the personal information they receive
from us.
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 20
How do we share your information?
An RIA shares Client personal information to effectively implement its services. In the section below, we list some
reasons we may share your personal information.
Basis For Sharing
Do we share?
Can you limit?
Yes
No
Servicing our Clients
We may share non-public personal information with non-affiliated third
parties (such as administrators, brokers, custodians, regulators, credit
agencies, other financial institutions) as necessary for us to provide
agreed upon services to you, consistent with applicable law, including but
not limited to: processing transactions; general account maintenance;
responding to regulators or legal investigations; and credit reporting.
No
Not Shared
Yes
Yes
No
Not Shared
Marketing Purposes
Acorn Creek does not disclose, and does not intend to disclose, personal
information with non-affiliated third parties to offer you services. Certain
laws may give us the right to share your personal information with
financial institutions where you are a customer and where Acorn Creek or
the client has a formal agreement with the financial institution. We will
only share information for purposes of servicing your accounts, not
for marketing purposes.
Authorized Users
Your non-public personal information may be disclosed to you and
persons that we believe to be your authorized agent[s] or
representative[s].
Information About Former Clients
Acorn Creek does not disclose and does not intend to disclose, non-
public personal information to non-affiliated third parties with respect to
persons who are no longer our Clients.
State-specific Regulations
California
In response to a California law, to be conservative, we assume accounts with California addresses do not want us to
disclose personal information about you to non-affiliated third parties, except as permitted by California law. We also limit
the sharing of personal information about you with our affiliates to ensure compliance with California privacy laws.
Changes to our Privacy Policy
We will send you a copy of this Policy annually for as long as you maintain an ongoing relationship with us.
Periodically we may revise this Policy and will provide you with a revised Policy if the changes materially alter the
previous Privacy Policy. We will not, however, revise our Privacy Policy to permit the sharing of non-public personal
information other than as described in this notice unless we first notify you and provide you with an opportunity to
prevent the information sharing.
Any Questions?
You may ask questions or voice any concerns, as well as obtain a copy of our current Privacy Policy by contacting
the Advisor at (970) 818-4820.
Acorn Creek Capital LLC
215 West Oak Street, 10th Floor, Ste 1000, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 818-4820
Fax: (970) 818-4835
https://www.acorncreekcapital.com/
Page 21