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ITEM 1 - COVER PAGE
ADV Part 2A, Firm Brochure of
APELLA CAPITAL, LLC
DBA APELLA WEALTH
65 MEMORIAL DRIVE, SUITE 340
WEST HARTFORD, CT 06107
P/ 860.785.2260
F/ 860.748.4961
WWW.APELLAWEALTH.COM
October 28, 2025
This brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of Apella Capital, LLC
(“Apella”). If you have any questions about the contents of this brochure, please contact us at 860.785.2260.
The information in this brochure has not been approved or verified by the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission or by any state securities authority, nor does registration imply a certain level of skill
or training. Additional information about Apella Capital, LLC (“Apella)” also is available on the SEC’s website
at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. You can search this site by the firm’s unique identifying IARD number. The IARD
number for Apella Capital, LLC is 171106.
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ITEM 2 - MATERIAL CHANGES
Since the last annual amendment filing on March 27, 2024, this brochure includes the following material
changes:
•
Item 4.a. Regulatory Assets Under Management have increased approximately 40% since the prior
annual ADV update filed on March 27, 2024, with AUM increasing from $4.7 billion on 12/31/24 to
$7.95 billion as of 09/30/2025.
This brochure may be updated periodically for non-material changes to clarify and provide additional
information.
QUESTIONS & CONCERNS
We encourage you to read this document in its entirety. Our Chief Compliance Officer,
Timothy Richards, remains available to address any questions or concerns regarding this
Part 2A Brochure, including any material change disclosure or information described below.
APELLA CAPITAL, LLC
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ITEM 3 - TABLE OF CONTENTS
ITEM 1 - COVER PAGE .................................................................................................................................................... 1
ITEM 2 - MATERIAL CHANGES ........................................................................................................................................ 2
ITEM 3 - TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................................ 3
ITEM 4 - ADVISORY BUSINESS ........................................................................................................................................ 5
A. ABOUT OUR FIRM ...........................................................................................................................................................5
B. TYPES OF ADVISORY SERVICES WE OFFER .......................................................................................................................5
C. CLIENT TAILORED SERVICES AND CLIENT IMPOSED RESTRICTIONS ...............................................................................11
D. WRAP FEE PROGRAM ...................................................................................................................................................12
E. REGULATORY ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT ..............................................................................................................12
ITEM 5 - FEES AND COMPENSATION ............................................................................................................................. 12
A. FEE SCHEDULE ...............................................................................................................................................................12
B. PAYMENT OF FEES .........................................................................................................................................................14
C. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIRD PARTY FEES ...........................................................................................................16
D. PREPAYMENT OF FEES ..................................................................................................................................................18
E. OUTSIDE COMPENSATION FOR THE SALES OF SECURITIES TO CLIENTS.........................................................................18
ITEM 6 - PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES & SIDE-BY-SIDE MANAGEMENT .......................................................................... 18
ITEM 7 - TYPES OF CLIENTS ........................................................................................................................................... 18
ITEM 8 - METHODS OF ANALYSIS, STRATEGIES, & RISK OF LOSS ................................................................................... 20
A. METHODS OF ANALYSIS & INVESTMENT STRATEGIES...................................................................................................20
B. MATERIAL RISKS INVOLVED ..........................................................................................................................................25
C. RISKS OF SPECIFIC SECURITIES UTILIZED .......................................................................................................................27
D. DESCRIPTION OF OTHER MATERIAL, SIGNIFICANT OR UNUSUAL RISKS ........................................................................32
ITEM 9 - DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION ......................................................................................................................... 35
A. CRIMINAL OR CIVIL ACTIONS ........................................................................................................................................35
B. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS ..................................................................................................................................35
C. SELF-REGULATORY ORGANIZATION (SRO) PROCEEDINGS ............................................................................................35
ITEM 10 - OTHER FINANCIAL INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES & AFFILIATIONS ............................................................................ 35
A. REGISTRATION AS A BROKER/DEALER OR BROKER/DEALER REPRESENTATIVE.............................................................35
B. REGISTRATION AS A FUTURES COMMISSION MERCHANT, COMMODITY POOL OPERATOR, OR COMMODITY TRADING
ADVISOR ...........................................................................................................................................................................35
C. REGISTRATION RELATIONSHIPS MATERIAL TO THIS ADVISORY BUSINESS AND POSSIBLE CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS ...35
D. SELECTION OF OTHER ADVISERS OR MANAGERS AND HOW THIS ADVISER IS COMPENSATED FOR THOSE SELECTIONS
..........................................................................................................................................................................................35
ITEM 11 - CODE OF ETHICS, PARTICIPATION & INTEREST IN CLIENT TRANSACTIONS, & PERSONAL TRADING ............... 36
A. CODE OF ETHICS ............................................................................................................................................................36
B. RECOMMENDATIONS INVOLVING MATERIAL FINANCIAL INTERESTS ...........................................................................36
C. INVESTING PERSONAL MONEY IN THE SAME SECURITIES AS CLIENTS...........................................................................36
D. TRADING SECURITIES AT/AROUND THE SAME TIME AS CLIENTS’ SECURITIES ..............................................................37
ITEM 12 - BROKERAGE PRACTICES ................................................................................................................................ 37
A. FACTORS USED TO SELECT CUSTODIANS AND/OR BROKER/DEALERS............................................................................37
B. AGGREGATING (BLOCK) TRADING FOR MULTIPLE CLIENT ACCOUNTS ..........................................................................40
ITEM 13 - REVIEW OF ACCOUNTS .................................................................................................................................. 40
A. FREQUENCY AND NATURE OF PERIODIC REVIEWS AND WHO MAKES THOSE REVIEWS ...............................................40
B. FACTORS THAT WILL TRIGGER A NON-PERIODIC REVIEW OF CLIENT ACCOUNTS .........................................................40
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C. CONTENT AND FREQUENCY OF REGULAR REPORTS PROVIDED TO CLIENTS .................................................................40
ITEM 14 - CLIENT REFERRALS & OTHER COMPENSATION .............................................................................................. 40
A. ECONOMIC BENEFITS PROVIDED BY THIRD PARTIES FOR ADVICE RENDERED TO CLIENTS (INCLUDES SALES AWARDS
OR OTHER PRIZES) .............................................................................................................................................................41
B. COMPENSATION TO NON – ADVISORY PERSONNEL FOR CLIENT REFERRALS .................................................................41
ITEM 15 - CUSTODY ....................................................................................................................................................... 42
ITEM 16 - INVESTMENT DISCRETION ............................................................................................................................. 42
ITEM 17 - VOTING CLIENT SECURITIES ........................................................................................................................... 43
ITEM 18 - FINANCIAL INFORMATION ............................................................................................................................ 43
A. PREPAYMENT OF FEES ..................................................................................................................................................43
B. DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY AND PREPAYMENT OF FEES ............................................................................................43
C. BANKRUPTCY ................................................................................................................................................................43
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ITEM 4 - ADVISORY BUSINESS
A. ABOUT OUR FIRM
Apella Capital, LLC has been in business since 2013 and became registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission ("SEC") in April of 2014 as an investment adviser, with its principal place of business located in
Connecticut. Apella Capital, LLC is owned by Patrick A. Sweeny, CEO and James J. Scanlan, President. In
addition to Apella’s main office in Hartford, CT, our Firm currently has offices located in various locations
throughout the United States.
This brochure is designed to provide detailed and precise information about each item noted in the table of
contents. Certain disclosures are repeated in one or more items, and other disclosures are referred
throughout to be as comprehensive as possible on the broad subject matters discussed.
Apella acknowledges that it is a fiduciary with respect to any investment advice. Apella strives to ensure high
standards of ethical conduct among its employees to protect the Firm’s clients and Firm reputation.
Within this brochure, specific terms in either are used as follows:
• Apella refers to Apella Capital, LLC.
•
•
“Firm,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Apella Capital, LLC.
“Adviser,” “Investment Adviser Representative,” and “IAR” refers to our professional representatives
who provide investment recommendations or advice on behalf of Apella Capital, LLC.
“You,” “yours,” and “Client” refers to Clients of Apella Capital, LLC and its advisers.
“Code” refers to our Firm’s Code of Ethics.
“CCO” refers to our Chief Compliance Officer.
•
•
•
B. TYPES OF ADVISORY SERVICES WE OFFER
Our Firm offers a variety of advisory services, which include discretionary and non-discretionary investment
management (with or without the use of third party asset managers, please see Item 10.C within this brochure
for further information), held away portfolio advice, independent sub-advisory and third-party money
management services, and various financial planning & consulting services.. Apella also offers an automated
investment platform (“Automated Advisory Service”) called Apella Ascent, offered through Betterment, a
third-party custodial and technology solution. Before rendering any advisory services, Clients must enter
into one or more written Investment Advisory Agreements (“Agreements”), setting forth the relevant terms
and conditions of the advisory relationship.
We do not provide tax or legal advice. Tax services may be provided through the firm’s affiliated entity,
Apella Services, LLC. Clients are under no obligation to engage with Apella Services, LLC for tax services.
Apella Capital, LLC provides investment advisory services to certain broker-dealers’ customers (“Brokerage
Customers”) who provide written consent requesting to receive the firm’s advisory services. Brokerage
Customers have entered into a written advisory agreement with Apella Capital, LLC.
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES
The Firm’s advisory services may include the following: reviewing the client’s investment portfolio at
the commencement of the Apella advisory relationship; assessing the client’s investment needs and
objectives; investment policy planning and suitability; developing an asset allocation strategy
designed to meet client objectives; ongoing monitoring of the performance of the accounts;
implementation of asset allocation strategy; reviewing accounts to ensure adherence to policy
guidelines and rebalancing asset allocations when Apella, deems such re-balancing appropriate for
the client; answering client inquiries; updating client information; and interviewing the client at least
annually to identify changes in the client’s financial situation. The client should notify Apella promptly
if the client’s financial situation or investment objectives change.
With our discretionary relationship, we will change the portfolio as appropriate to help meet your
financial objectives. We trade Client portfolios based on our Firm’s market views and the Client’s
financial goals.
With our non-discretionary relationship, we will provide recommendations to help meet your
financial objectives, but we must obtain your approval before making any transactions in your
account.
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APELLA SELECT
Apella Select services includes two distinct separately managed account (SMA) options. The
Investable Index Series targets popular equity indexes, while the Multi-Factor Strategies are
designed to capture multi-factor strategies comprised of individual stocks and ADRs.
INVESTABLE INDEX SERIES
Our Investable Index Series was designed to provide Apella clients with Model options that
behave in a manner similar to a broad-market index while, at the same time, allowing for
customization and active overlay management techniques through individual security
ownership.
MULTI-FACTOR STRATEGIES
Our Multi-Factor Strategies are comprised of broadly diversified investment solutions that
include individual stocks and ADRs. These portfolios are constructed based on quantitative
rules-based methods that seek to capture specific factor premiums, such as Value,
Momentum and Profitability, and will rebalance on a regular basis to maintain intended
diversification and factor exposures. Portfolios of individual securities may be the
appropriate solution for clients with tastes and preferences or needs that are better met by
these portfolios. The current offering includes strategies that cover the United States,
International, and Global geographies and can include factors such as Value, Momentum,
and Profitability (or Quality).
Your Financial Advisor may utilize either of these Models to serve several construction
objectives inside your portfolios. Your Financial Advisor may wish to use these Models as a
core module inside of a larger core/satellite portfolio. These Models may also be suitable
as a starting point to express your preferences for lifestyle- or religious- specific
customizations that could otherwise not be expressed through a pooled vehicle such as an
ETF or Mutual Fund. Finally, these Models may be utilized as a tax-aware module within
your portfolio where specific tax lots of individual securities may be loss-harvested (see Tax
Overlay Management Services) while at the same time demonstrating index-like tracking
characteristics. While the Models themselves are not managed in a tax sensitive fashion, the
structure does help facilitate more effective tax management from the dispersion among a
sample of the constituents securities of an index as well as the potential for various tax lots
for these securities.
COMPLETION PORTFOLIOS
As noted above, the Investable Index Series offers investment solutions that closely track
the performance of indices. In some cases, those solutions may not represent the entirety
of a client’s appropriate investment solution. As such, Apella may offer model portfolios of
mutual funds or ETFs that are intended to be paired with various solutions offered in the
Investable Index Series in order to achieve a total portfolio solution consistent with a client’s
needs. Examples of what may be included in Completion Portfolios include Emerging
Market equity, small and micro-cap equity, high-turnover factor strategies like momentum,
and other sub-strategies of a portfolio that may not be offered in the Invest- able Index
Series.
TAX OVERLAY MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Apella can provide Tax Overlay Management services to Apella Select accounts. In
providing Tax Overlay Management services, we consider the tax consequences of
transactions in your account and will adjust our services accordingly. We attempt to
accomplish tax-aware investment management through gain-loss matching, harvesting
losses and/ or gains, deferring gains until securities reach preferential tax status, and
avoiding imprudent wash sale transactions to improve the after- tax return while staying as
consistent as possible with the risk/return characteristics of your account’s Strategy.
Our ability to improve your after-tax return depends on various factors beyond our control
including economic and market conditions, regulatory changes, actions taken by
your custodian broker-dealer, the specifics of your account’s strategy, the starting portfolio
in your account, your tax circumstances, and mandates as communicated by your Financial
APELLA CAPITAL, LLC
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Advisor. Tax Overlay Management may cause the actual performance in your account to
vary from the "stated" performance of the Strategy’s Manager.
Tax Overlay Management services are provided in connection with the Apella Select
Program and to financial planning clients who receive services from one of Apella’s
appropriately credentialed IARs. We do not provide general tax planning advice or services
outside of these types of client engagements unless the client has hired the Firm for
comprehensive financial planning. To provide Tax Overlay Management services, we rely
solely on the information provided by you and your custodian broker-dealer. If that
information is inaccurate, incomplete, or not timely, our ability to provide Tax Overlay
Management may be adversely affected. We make no guaranty that taxes in your account
will be reduced. If an account contains mutual funds and/or exchange traded funds (“ETFs”),
our Tax Overlay Management services are generally applied on the portion of your account
containing equity securities and not to the portion that consists predominantly of mutual
funds and/or ETFs.
By default, accounts are managed without Tax Overlay Management Services unless
specifically selected by your Financial Advisor. Please note that with Apella Select there are
minimum investment levels.
TURNKEY ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (“TAMP”) SERVICES
Our Firm will make their initial recommendation of the appropriate portfolio based on the Client’s risk
tolerance, time horizon and Client profile. On an ongoing basis, our Firm will review the portfolio
selection and will make recommendations to modify the portfolio based on the Client’s changing
circumstances.
Our Firm is compensated by advisory fees deducted quarterly in advance from the Client’s account
by the custodian and paid to Betterment LLC who in turn pays our Firm their stated advisory fee.
HELD AWAY PORTFOLIO ADVICE
Our held away portfolio services are designed to meet our Client’s financial goals, needs, and
objectives involving analysis of a Client’s investments, such as variable life insurance and annuity
contracts, assets held in employer-sponsored retirement plans, and/or qualified tuition plans (i.e.,
529 plans) held externally from our Firm. In these situations, our Firm may direct or recommend
allocating assets among the various investment options available within the product.
Our Firm is engaged with unaffiliated third-party service providers, for Client accounts not directly
held with our recommended Custodian; but where our team has discretion and leverages an Order
Management System to implement asset allocation or rebalancing strategies on behalf of the Client.
These are primarily 401(k) accounts, 403(b) accounts, 529 plans, variable annuities, and other assets
not held with the recommended Custodian. We regularly review the current holdings and available
investment options in these accounts, monitor the account, rebalance, and implement our Firm’s
strategies, as necessary.
The platform allows us to avoid being considered to have custody of Client funds since we do not
have direct access to Client log-in credentials to affect trades. We are not affiliated with the platform
in any way and receive no compensation from them for using their platform. A link will be provided
to the Client, allowing them to connect an account(s) to the platform. Once the Client account(s) is
connected to the platform, the Adviser will review the current account allocations and investment
options. When we are authorized with discretionary management, we will rebalance the account,
considering Client investment goals and risk tolerance, and any change in allocations will consider
current economic and market trends. The goal is to improve account performance over time,
minimize losses during complex markets, and manage internal fees that harm account performance.
Client account(s) will be reviewed quarterly, and allocation changes will be made, as necessary.
PONTERA
As part of our portfolio management services, we may utilize Pontera, a third-party
technology platform, to securely access and manage “Held Away Accounts” (such as
401(k)s, 403(b)s, and other employer-sponsored retirement plans) on behalf of our clients.
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We regularly review the available investment options in these accounts, monitor them, and
rebalance and implement our strategies in the same way we do other accounts, though
using different tools, as necessary.
The platform allows us to avoid being considered to have custody of Client funds since we
do not have direct access to Client log-in credentials to affect trades. We are not affiliated
with the platform in any way and receive no compensation from them for using their
platform.
Apella will bill on Held Away Accounts in a manner and frequency as described in the
Client’s Investment Advisory Agreement.
INDEPENDENT SUB-ADVISORY AND THIRD-PARTY MANAGER SERVICES
If deemed appropriate, our Firm will utilize the services of a Sub-Adviser (“SMA” or “Manager”) or
Independent Third-Party Manager (“ITPM” or “Manager”) to manage your accounts. Investment
recommendations and securities trading will only be offered by or through the chosen SMA or ITPM.
Our Firm will not advise on any specific securities concerning this service.
Before referring you, our Firm will provide initial due diligence on SMA and ITPMs and ongoing
reviews of their management of your accounts. To assist in selecting an SMA or ITPM, our Firm will
gather information about the Client’s financial situation, investment objectives, and reasonable
restrictions to be imposed upon the account management.
Our Firm will periodically review the Manager reports provided to the Client. We will periodically
contact the Client to review their financial situation and objectives, communicate information to the
Manager as warranted, and assist you in understanding and evaluating the services provided. The
Client 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.
By executing an Investment Advisory Agreement with our Firm, the Client gives our Firm the
discretionary authority to hire or fire the Manager and to allocate assets among Managers without
obtaining consent.
The services provided by the SMA and ITPM include:
Implementation of an asset allocation
• Assessment of your investment needs and objectives
•
• Delivery of suitable style allocations (e.g., Income, Large Cap, Small Cap, Growth, Value,
etc.)
• Facilitation of portfolio transactions
• Ongoing monitoring of investment vehicles’ performance
• Review of accounts for adherence to policy guidelines and asset allocation
• Reporting of your portfolio activity.
Each Manager has minimum account requirements that will vary between Managers. Account
minimums are typically higher for fixed-income accounts than for equity-based accounts. A
complete description of the Manager’s services, fee schedules, and account minimums will be
disclosed in the Manager’s disclosure brochure, which will be provided to you before or when an
agreement for services is executed, and the account is established. Further information about
Apella’s engagement with third-party investment advisory firms can be found in Item 10.D within this
brochure.
FINANCIAL PLANNING & CONSULTING SERVICES
Our Firm offers financial planning & consulting services, which involve preparing a full written
financial plan, which may address one or several topics: Investment Planning, Retirement Planning,
Tax Planning, Education Planning, Portfolios, and Allocation Review. An advisory client of Apella may
receive these services as part of the bundled services offered under the established advisory
agreement.
Alternatively, clients who are seeking financial planning or consulting services only may receive
these services on a standalone basis for a fixed fee. Certain clients may require extensive and
ongoing financial planning and consulting services, which may extend beyond one year.
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Financial planning clients may pay an on-going financial planning fee for the services provided. All
financial planning clients receive a written financial plan, providing the client with a detailed financial
plan designed to achieve the client’s stated financial goals and objectives. Implementation of
financial plan recommendations is entirely at the client’s discretion.
In order to develop a comprehensive plan, the Apella IAR will:
• Determine and prioritize personal and financial goals, needs, and objectives.
• Gather the pertinent data and documents and conduct personal interviews with the client
and professional advisers.
• Analyze and evaluate a client’s overall financial situation.
• Develop and present investment and financial planning recommendations both verbally and
in writing.
Implement all investment and financial plans as directed by the client.
•
• Monitor and adjust plans as needed and directed on an ongoing basis.
Depending on a client’s objectives, the resulting formal written plan will cover general financial
planning, estate planning, educational fund planning, individual tax planning, retirement planning,
risk management, and insurance planning.
Financial Planning services provided to clients may include services such as:
• Analyze and evaluate the Client’s financial status – conduct interviews with client and
professional advisers.
• Develop and present investment and financial planning recommendations both verbally and
in writing, to include:
o Evaluating Cash flow and advise on budgeting and debt management.
o Evaluating and advising on tax, estate, and charitable giving.
o Evaluating and advising on retirement and college planning.
o Evaluating and advising on investment strategies and portfolio construction.
o Evaluating and advising on risk management and insurance planning.
o Developing and presenting divorce planning recommendations.
o Providing other financial planning services, as needed.
Unless otherwise agreed to in writing, the Client is solely responsible for determining whether to
implement our financial planning recommendations. Our financial planning and consulting services
do not involve implementing transactions on your behalf nor include active and ongoing monitoring
or management of your investments or accounts.
The Client must execute a separate written agreement for investment management services if the
Client elects to implement any of our investment recommendations through our Firm or retain our
Firm to monitor and manage investments actively.
DPL FINANCIAL PARTNERS PLATFORM
As part of our comprehensive financial planning and investment advisory services, we may
recommend or facilitate the use of commission-free insurance and annuity products
available through DPL Financial Partners (“DPL”). DPL is a third-party platform that provides
access to a curated marketplace of low-cost, no-commission insurance solutions from a
variety of carriers. These products are designed to align with fiduciary standards and
support client-focused planning.
QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLAN SERVICES
When providing any non-discretionary investment advisory services, we will solely be
making investment recommendations to the Sponsor, and the Sponsor retains full
discretionary authority or control over assets of the retirement plan. We agree to perform
any non-discretionary investment advisory services to the retirement plan as a fiduciary, as
defined in ERISA Section 3(21)(A)(ii). We will act in good faith and with the degree of
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OCTOBER 2025 | PAGE 9 OF 43
diligence, care, and skill that a prudent person rendering similar services would exercise
under similar circumstances.
When providing administrative services, we may support the Sponsor with plan governance
and committee education; vendor management and service provider selection and review;
investment education; or plan participant non-fiduciary education services. We agree to
perform any administrative services solely in a capacity that would not be considered a
fiduciary under ERISA or any other applicable law.
When offering investment models to plan sponsors, under certain circumstances, we will
act as a “fiduciary” as defined under Section 3(21) of ERISA and Section 4975I (3) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
WRITTEN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FIDUCIARY STATUS
Our Firm is considered a fiduciary under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. When we
provide investment advice to you regarding your retirement plan account or individual
retirement account, we are also fiduciaries within the meaning of Title I of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code, as applicable, which are
laws governing retirement accounts. We must act in your best interest and not put our
interests ahead of yours. At the same time, how we make money conflicts with Client
interests.
A Client leaving an employer typically has four options regarding an existing retirement plan
(and may engage in a combination of these options):
•
•
leave the money in the former employer’s plan, if permitted,
roll over the assets to the new employer’s plan, if one is available and rollovers are
permitted,
rollover to an Individual Retirement Account (“IRA”), or
•
• cash out the account value (which depending upon the Client’s age, could result in
adverse tax consequences).
Our Firm may recommend a Client rollover plan assets to an IRA for which our Firm provides
investment advisory services. As a result, our Firm and its advisers may earn an asset-based
fee on the rolled assets. In contrast, a recommendation that a Client leave their plan assets
with their previous employer or rollover the assets to a plan sponsored by a new employer
will result in no compensation to our Firm. Therefore, our Firm has an economic incentive to
encourage a Client to roll plan assets into an IRA that our Firm will manage, which presents
a conflict of interest. To mitigate the conflict of interest, there are numerous factors that our
Firm will consider before recommending a rollover, including but not limited to:
•
•
•
the investment options available in the plan versus the investment options
available in an IRA,
fees and expenses in the plan versus the fees and expenses in an IRA,
the services and responsiveness of the plan’s investment professionals versus
those of our Firm,
required minimum distributions and age considerations, and
• protection of assets from creditors and legal judgments,
•
• employer stock tax consequences, if any.
The Chief Compliance Officer remains available to address client questions regarding the
supervision and oversight of rollover and transfer assets.
TAX PLANNING SERVICES
Tax planning services offered through Apella Services, LLC. Apella Capital, LLC will assist
you in the development of a multi-year income tax plan after careful consideration of your
objectives and present financial situation. This process begins with the preparation of a
comprehensive financial plan. Based on this analysis, we will recommend strategies to
implement today that can have a positive impact on taxes due in future years, especially
during retirement. Tax return preparation is not included in this service but can be obtained
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through Apella Services, LLC, a separate entity from Apella Capital at an additional cost.
Clients are under no obligation to use Apella Services for tax return preparation.
SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS
Apella has entered into a Joint Marketing Agreement with CFS Financial, LLC, an investment adviser
registered in the state of MA (Referring Firm”), whereby Apella co-sponsors college planning
seminars with Referring Firm. The purpose of the seminars is to educate participants regarding
college funding options and, for a planning fee, to guide individuals (“College Planning Clients”)
through the college funding process. Certain College Planning Clients have financial planning or
investment advisory needs beyond the scope of services provided by Referring Firm.
Referring Firm may refer such College Planning Clients to Apella for broader scope financial
planning and/or for ongoing investment advisory services. Referring Firm receives fees for services
it provides and additional compensation from Apella for referrals of clients for investment advisory
services.
APELLA ASCENT
Apella offers investment advisory services through an automated investment platform (“Automated
Advisory Service”) called Apella Ascent. The Automated Advisory Service, delivered through a third-
party custodial and technology solution (described below, “Betterment”), utilizes proprietary
algorithms to construct, allocate, and rebalance client portfolios based on information provided by
the client, including but not limited to investment objectives, risk tolerance, time horizon, and
financial situation.
By enrolling in Apella Ascent, the client acknowledges and agrees that:
1.
Investment recommendations and portfolio management decisions are generated based
on algorithmic models and do not rely exclusively on direct human intervention for all
investment activities.
2. The client is responsible for providing accurate and updated financial information, and the
effectiveness of the Automated Advisory Service is contingent upon the accuracy of such
information.
3. The Firm periodically reviews the algorithm’s effectiveness, but it does not provide ongoing
individualized investment advice outside of the automated framework.
4. Market conditions, economic factors, and unforeseen events may impact the performance
of automated investment strategies, and past performance does not guarantee future
results.
Apella reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the Automated Advisory Services at its
discretion, with reasonable notice to clients, in accordance with applicable regulations.
C. CLIENT TAILORED SERVICES AND CLIENT IMPOSED RESTRICTIONS
Our Firm tailors our investment management and advisory services continuously to meet the needs of our
Clients. We seek to ensure Client portfolios are managed consistently with those needs and objectives in
mind. We meet with Clients on an initial and ongoing basis to assess their specific risk tolerance, time horizon,
liquidity constraints, and other related factors relevant to managing their portfolios. Acting as a client’s
investment adviser, the Apella IAR builds custom investment programs. The IAR collaborates with the client
to develop objectives within suitable risk/reward parameters relative to the client’s financial circumstances
and then develop an appropriate asset allocation strategy. The Apella IAR begins with a model portfolio
constructed for each specific investment strategy the Firm offers, and then tailors the model for each client,
taking into account the client’s individual needs, including client requested restrictions, cash needs, tax
considerations, and other items, while generally remaining consistent with the Firm’s model for that strategy.
There may be an opportunity to employ client-requested restrictions on a case-by-case basis; any proposed
client requested restrictions should be provided to the Firm in writing in advance for its consideration. The
Firm will also consider allowing clients to impose restrictions on investing in certain securities or types of
securities.
To further fine-tune our understanding of a client’s risk tolerance, our Firm utilizes Nitrogen, a third-party
vendor tool, to assist in identifying the client’s risk tolerance.
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Nitrogen technology assists financial planners in two critical tasks: (1) measuring the risk preferences of
investors and (2) applying these preference measurements to portfolio selection. Nitrogen summarizes an
investor’s mean-variance risk aversion on a 99-point scale. In connection with this output, the Nitrogen tool
“quantifies” the client’s indicated investment risk tolerance through the illustration of expected return
(plus/minus) and investment volatility (investment variance), which uses past data to calculate expected
variance.
Our Firm may advise a Client about legacy positions or other investments in Client portfolios. Clients can limit
or restrict our trading and/or billing in these positions. Our Client must notify our Firm of any situation that
would impair our ability to manage our Client accounts properly.
D. WRAP FEE PROGRAM
Our Firm does not sponsor or participate in a Wrap Program.
E. REGULATORY ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT
As of September 30, 3025, Apella’s assets under management total for discretionary assets under
management was approximately $5,951,721,771.00 and non-discretionary assets under management of
approximately $2,001,354,916.00.
ITEM 5 - FEES AND COMPENSATION
The Client and Apella Capital, LLC ’s Investment Advisory Agreement will outline and agree upon the exact
costs and other terms related to the Client’s Accounts.
Apella Capital, LLC provides investment advisory services on a fee basis. Our standard fee is negotiable and
is typically based on a percentage of the client’s assets under management (“AUM”) and the scope and
complexity of the client’s overall advisory engagement. The maximum annual fee charged for investment
advisory services is 1.50% of AUM. Fees are generally charged quarterly in advance, based on the value of
the account as of the last business day of the preceding quarter, unless otherwise specified in the client’s
Investment Advisory Agreement.
A. FEE SCHEDULE
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FEES
Our Firm offers investment management services for an annual fee based on the amount of assets
under management. Our maximum annual fee is 1.5%, and we have a minimum account size of
$500,000. We retain the right to waive the minimum account size at our discretion.
Our annual investment advisory fee may be higher than that of other investment advisers that offer
similar services and programs. In addition to our compensation, you may incur charges imposed at
the mutual fund level (e.g., advisory fees and other fund expenses).
APELLA SELECT
Clients are charged a fee of up to 25 basis points (0.25%) for portfolio management services.
An additional fee of 0.05% applies for tax overlay services. These fees are charged in
addition to the standard Apella Advisory fee. All fees are fully disclosed in the client
agreement and may vary based on the services provided. Clients utilizing Dimensional Fund
Advisers (DFA) will pay an additional 0.18% on all sub-advised assets, while clients utilizing
Vanguard will pay an additional 0.20% on sub-advised assets. However, if DFA sub-advised
accounts are invested in DFA-managed exchange-traded funds (ETFs), the management
fees otherwise payable to DFA for sub-advisory services will be waived on those ETF assets.
TURNKEY ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (“TAMP”) FEES
Fees charged for Apella Ascent (through Betterment LLC) are .50% on assets under management.
Clients must consent in writing to have advisory fees debited directly from your investment account.
With Client input and on an on-going basis, Our Firm will make their initial recommendation of the
appropriate portfolio based on the Client’s risk tolerance, time horizon and Client profile. On an
ongoing basis, our Firm will review the portfolio selection and will make recommendations to modify
the portfolio based on the Client’s changing circumstances.
APELLA CAPITAL, LLC
OCTOBER 2025 | PAGE 12 OF 43
HELD AWAY PORTFOLIO ADVICE FEES
PONTERA
Clients are billed at their investment advisory disclosed fee on all assets including held-
away assets managed by Apella through Pontera.
INDEPENDENT SUB-ADVISORY AND THIRD-PARTY MANAGER SERVICE FEES
A complete description of the SMA and ITPM’s services, fee schedules, and account minimums will
be disclosed in Manager's disclosure brochure, which will be provided to you before or when an
agreement for services is executed, and the account is established. Each third-party investment
adviser is required under federal securities laws to provide their clients, including SMA and ITPM
Clients, with a Form ADV Part 2A (“Adviser Brochure” or “this Brochure”) that includes disclosures, and
among other things, the fees charged to their clients.
The actual fee charged to the Client will vary depending on SMA or ITPM. All fees are calculated and
collected by the Manager, who will be responsible for delivering our Firm’s portion of the fee paid by
the Client. With SMA and ITPMs, you may incur additional charges, including mutual fund sales loads,
12b-1 fees and surrender charges, and IRA and qualified retirement plan fees.
There is a potential conflict of interest in using independent Managers if they pay us a portion of their
advisory fee and have met the conditions of our Firm’s due diligence review. Our Firm is committed
to always working in the Client's best interest. There may be other Managers not affiliated with our
Firm that may be suitable for a Client or may be more or less costly. As with any Adviser, no
guarantees can be made that the SMA or ITPM will achieve your financial goals or objectives. Further,
no guarantees of performance can be offered.
Clients should review the SMA or ITPM’s Brochure in its entirety, along with this Brochure, to fully
understand the services, fees, agreements, and risks surrounding these arrangements and fully
understand that these types of arrangements have layers of fees that may or may not be apparent
without reading the SMA or ITPM’s Brochure and this Brochure, along with the offering
document/prospectus for underlining investments.
FINANCIAL PLANNING AND CONSULTING SERVICE FEES
Our Firm provides financial planning services under a fixed fee or an hourly fee arrangement. This
arrangement charges a mutually agreed-upon fee for financial planning services, ranging from
$1,000 to $25,000, depending upon the complexity of the services for which the Client engages
Apella. This ongoing financial planning & consulting is also provided at a fixed fee annually. The fixed
fee is negotiable depending on the services provided and is typically a one-time fee unless the
client requests the services to continue beyond the first year.
Fees may vary from the above depending on the time frame the client was introduced to Apella, or
which office location is servicing the client. In all cases, the fee for your engagement is specified in
your financial planning agreement with us. At our sole discretion, the Client may be required to pay
the fee at the time the agreement is executed with our Firm; however, our Firm does not require or
solicit prepayment of more than $1,200 in fees per Client, six months or more in advance. The fee is
considered earned upon delivery of the financial plan, and any unpaid amount is immediately due.
If the Client terminates the financial planning services after entering into an agreement with our Firm,
the Client will be invoiced and responsible for immediate payment of any hourly financial planning
services performed by us before receiving notice of termination. For financial planning services that
our Firm performs under a fixed or hourly fee arrangement, the Client will be responsible for paying
a pro-rated fixed fee equivalent to the percentage of work that our Firm completed. If there is a
remaining balance of any fees paid in advance after deducting fees from the final invoice, those
remaining proceeds will be refunded to the Client.
DPL FINANCIAL PARTNERS PLATFORM
We do not receive commissions or compensation from DPL or any insurance carriers for
recommending or implementing insurance products. Our compensation is derived solely
from the advisory fees you pay us, as outlined in your advisory agreement. However, DPL
may charge a platform or access fee to our firm, which is not passed on to clients unless
explicitly disclosed.
APELLA CAPITAL, LLC
OCTOBER 2025 | PAGE 13 OF 43
If an insurance product is implemented through DPL, the cost of the product itself (e.g.,
premiums, internal expenses) is determined by the issuing insurance carrier and disclosed
in the product documentation. We will review all costs with you prior to implementation and
ensure that any recommendation is in your best interest
QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLAN FEES
Apella IARs charge an annual fee for accounts in a retirement program. The fee is
negotiable, but will not be over the maximum fee allowed, which is 0.80%.
In addition, Apella IARs charge a separate fee on assets in the Apella Select Program. The
standard fee is 0.25% on assets under management within the program. This fee is in
addition to the standard advisory fees described above.
For Retirement Plan Advisory Services compensation, we charge an advisory fee as
negotiated with the Plan Sponsor and as disclosed in the Employer-Sponsored Retirement
Plans Consulting Agreement (“Plan Sponsor Agreement”).
Typically, the billing period for these fees is paid quarterly. This fee is negotiable, but the
terms and the advisory fee are agreed upon in advance and acknowledged by the Plan
Sponsor Agreement or Plan Provider’s account agreement. Fee billing methods vary
depending on the Plan Provider.
Our Firm or the Plan Sponsor may terminate the Agreement upon 30 days written notice to
the other party. The Plan Sponsor is responsible for paying for the services rendered until
the termination of the Agreement.
TAX PLANNING SERVICE FEES
The fee for tax planning services is negotiated and is dependent on the complexity and
work involved in the tax planning. The fee for a custom tax analysis will be determined
based on the complexity of the client situation. A fee will be quoted and agreed upon before
work commences. The fee is collected ½ up front and ½ upon delivery and review of the
plan.
The fee for tax return preparation is based on time spent preparing the client returns and
will be submitted to the client for payment when the tax return is complete.
B. PAYMENT OF FEES
BILLING IN ADVANCE
Certain Apella clients are billed quarterly in advance, based on the quarter-end values of a client’s
account on the last trading day of the previous quarter. Advance-billed clients will be charged a
partial fee for the first quarter calculated in arrears. The first quarter fee will be based on the client’s
initial assets under management (discretionary) or advisement (non-discretionary) and pro- rated
from the latter to occur of 1) the date the assets are transferred into the custodial account or 2) the
date of the Investment Advisory Agreement. In the event non-discretionary assets are not held with
an Apella-approved custodian, such pro-rated billing will begin on the date of the Investment
Advisory Agreement. Accounts closed mid-quarter will receive a pro-rated rebate. For clients billed
based on prior period-end account values, there is no adjustment made to Apella’s fee as a result of
increases or decreases in account values during the billing period. Fees payable upon
establishment or termination of the account will be prorated for the portion of the billing period
during which the account is managed. A prorated refund will be given to the client if the relationship
is terminated after fee payment and prior to the end of the billing period. Investments in pooled
investments made in client accounts, whether in mutual funds, exchange traded funds, limited
partnerships, or other structures, will include their own fees and expenses, including management
and fund administration fees, among others (as more fully described below). A complete
explanation of all fees and expenses charged by commingled funds is contained in each fund’s
offering documents, which should be read carefully.
As explained above, Apella has clients whose fees are deducted in advance. The first full quarter is
calculated in advance based on the quarter-end values of a client’s account on the last trading day
of the previous quarter. The first quarter fee will be based on the client’s initial assets under
management and pro-rated from the date the assets are traded in the account. The clients will be
APELLA CAPITAL, LLC
OCTOBER 2025 | PAGE 14 OF 43
charged a partial fee for the first quarter calculated in arrears. Accounts closed mid-quarter will
receive a pro-rated rebate.
BILLING IN ARREARS
Certain other Apella clients are billed quarterly in arrears, based on the quarter-end values of a
client’s account on the last trading day of the quarter. The first quarter’s fee will be based on the
client’s initial assets under management and pro-rated from the date the assets are traded in the
account. Should an account be terminated, the fee will be calculated based on the ending value of
the previous day market value. Per the advisory contract, the client directs the Firm to direct the
custodian to deduct fees from the account.
BILLING BASED ON AVERAGE DAILY BALANCE
Certain Apella clients are billed based on average daily balance. An account’s “average daily
balance” is determined by combining each day’s account balance for the prior billing period and
then dividing that total by the number of days in the period. For purposes of billing, the average daily
balance is used as the account value on which the advisory fee is based. Whether billed in advance
or arrears, the average daily balance is calculated over the period preceding the billing date.
The client, depending on the custodian, may request that related accounts be combined in order to
meet fee break points and reduce the advisory fee charged. Apella will evaluate such requests on
a case-by-case basis. Apella reserves the right to waive the advisory fee for certain accounts, such
as but not limited to, employee accounts. The standard fee schedules and minimum account sizes
indicated for the investment management services are negotiable and as a result, clients with similar
assets may have differing fee schedules and pay different fees. Clients who negotiate a flat fee
schedule may or may not pay a higher fee than those who pay under a tiered schedule, depending
on asset levels. Clients will be charged a fee on all assets (securities, cash, and cash equivalents), in
the account unless otherwise agreed upon between parties.
In the event multiple related accounts are managed by Apella, the Firm may designate specific
account(s) to deduct advisory fees for the client relationship.
Cash and cash equivalents, including money market funds, are subject to the agreed-upon advisory
fee. Clients should understand that the advisory fees charged on these balances may exceed the
returns provided by cash, cash equivalents, or money market funds, especially in low-interest rate
environments.
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FEE PAYMENT
Our Firm retains complete discretion to negotiate fees and may waive or impose different fees on
any Client. The investment advisory fees will be deducted from your account and paid directly to our
Firm by the qualified Custodian(s) of your account. The Client will authorize the account's qualified
Custodian(s) to deduct fees from the account and pay such fees directly to our Firm. All account
assets, transactions, and advisory fees will be shown on the monthly or quarterly statements
provided by the Custodian. You should review your account statements received from the qualified
Custodian(s) and verify that appropriate investment advisory fees are being deducted. The qualified
Custodian(s) will not verify the accuracy of the investment advisory fees deducted. We may
aggregate related Client accounts to calculate the advisory fee applicable to the Client. The
investment management agreement will outline the fee charged to a Client and any breakpoints
based on the level of assets managed. The fees are subject to change with prior written notice to
the Client.
APELLA SELECT FEE PAYMENT
Clients are charged a fee of up to 25 basis points (0.25%) for portfolio management services. In
addition, there is an extra fee of 0.05% for tax overlay services. These fees are charged in addition
to the standard Apella Advisory fee. All fees are fully disclosed in the client agreement and may
vary based on the services provided.
TURNKEY ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (“TAMP”) FEE PAYMENT
The total fee for Betterment and our Firm will be deducted quarterly in advance from the Client’s
account by the custodian and paid to Betterment. Betterment will retain its portion of the fee and
then send the remainder of the advisory fee to our Firm.
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OCTOBER 2025 | PAGE 15 OF 43
HELD AWAY PORTFOLIO ADVICE FEE PAYMENT
PONTERA
Apella will bill on Held Away Accounts in a manner and frequency as described in the
Client’s Investment Advisory Agreement. Typically, fees for advisory services on Held Away
Accounts will be billed to one or more of Clients managed accounts. In the alternative,
Client may arrange for invoicing and payment via Adviser Pay.
INDEPENDENT SUB-ADVISORY AND THIRD-PARTY MANAGER SERVICE FEE PAYMENT
Fees for sub-advisory services are typically billed to Client’s managed account(s) and remitted to
the respective sub-advisor.
FINANCIAL PLANNING AND CONSULTING SERVICE FEE PAYMENT
The Client may pay the fees owed for the financial planning services by submitting payment directly
via Adviser Pay, Check, or by deducting the fee from an existing investment account. If the Client
elects to pay by automatic deduction from an existing investment account, they will provide written
authorization to our Firm for such a charge.
BETTERMENT
Clients engaging with the Firm through Betterment for Advisors will have their assets held
at Betterment Securities and may be subject to additional terms and disclosures provided
by Betterment. The Firm does not receive compensation from Betterment for
recommending their services.
Clients utilizing Betterment for Advisors will pay an advisory fee to the Firm, as disclosed in
their client agreement. In addition, Betterment charges a platform fee for its services, which
is separate from and in addition to the Firm’s advisory fee. These fees are typically deducted
accounts.
directly
from
client
The Firm’s fee schedule and Betterment’s platform fees are fully disclosed in the client
agreement and may vary depending on the level of assets under management.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES PROVIDED BY ORION ADVISER SERVICES, LLC
Our Firm has contracted with Orion Adviser Services, LLC (referred to as “Orion”) to utilize its
technology platforms to support data reconciliation, performance reporting, fee calculation and
billing, research, client database maintenance, quarterly performance evaluations, payable reports,
web site administration, models, trading platforms, and other functions related to the administrative
tasks of managing client accounts. Due to this arrangement, Orion will have access to client
accounts, but Orion will not serve as an investment adviser to our clients. Modern Wealth
Management and ORION are non-affiliated companies. Orion charges our Firm an annual fee for
each account administered by Orion. Please note that the advisory fee charged to the client will not
increase due to the annual fee our Firm pays to Orion. The annual fee is paid from the portion of the
management fee retained by our Firm.
C. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIRD PARTY FEES
ADDITIONAL FEES & EXPENSES
In addition to the advisory fees paid to our Firm, Clients also incur certain charges imposed by other
third parties, such as broker-dealers, Custodians, trust companies, banks, and other financial
institutions. These additional charges include securities, transaction fees, custodial fees, fees
charged by the SMA, ITPM, and Manager charges imposed by a mutual fund or ETF (Exchange
Traded Funds) in a Client’s account, as disclosed in the fund’s prospectus (e.g., fund management
fees and other fund expenses), deferred sales charges, odd-lot differentials, transfer taxes, wire
transfer and electronic fund fees, and other fees and taxes on brokerage accounts and securities
transactions. Our brokerage practices are described at length in Item 12 below. Neither our Firm nor
its supervised persons accept commission compensation for selling securities or other investment
products. Further, we do not share any additional fees and expenses outlined above.
APELLA CAPITAL, LLC
OCTOBER 2025 | PAGE 16 OF 43
Our Firm’s investment strategies may include mutual and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). Our policy
is to purchase institutional share classes of those mutual funds selected for the Client’s portfolio. The
institutional share class generally has the lowest expense ratio. The expense ratio is the annual fee
that all mutual funds or ETFs charge their shareholders. It expresses the percentage of assets
deducted each fiscal year for funds expenses,
including 12b-1 fees, management fees,
administrative fees, operating costs, and all other asset-based costs incurred by the fund. Some
fund families offer different classes of the same fund, and one share class may have a lower expense
ratio than another. Mutual fund expense ratios are in addition to our fees; we do not receive any
portion of these charges. If an institutional share class is not available for the mutual fund selected,
the adviser will purchase the least expensive share class available for the mutual fund. As share
classes with lower expense ratios become available, we may use them in the Client’s portfolio or
convert the existing mutual fund position to the lower-cost share class. Clients who transfer mutual
funds into their accounts with our Firm would bear the expense of any contingent or deferred sales
loads incurred upon selling the product. If a mutual fund has a frequent trading policy, the policy
can limit a Client’s transactions in fund shares (e.g., for rebalancing, liquidations, deposits, or tax
harvesting). All mutual fund expenses and fees are disclosed in the respective mutual fund
prospectus.
When selecting investments for our Clients’ portfolios, we might choose mutual funds on your
account Custodian’s Non-Transaction Fee (NTF) list. This means that your account Custodian will not
charge a transaction fee or commission associated with the purchase or sale of the mutual fund.
The mutual fund companies that choose to participate in the Client’s Custodial NTF fund program
pay a fee to the Custodian to be included in the NTF program. The mutual fund owners bear the fee
that a company pays to participate in the program, as captured in the fund’s expense ratio. When
choosing a fund from the Client’s Custodial NTF list, our Firm considers the expected holding period,
position size, and expense ratio versus alternative funds. Depending on our Firm’s analysis and future
events, NTF funds might not always be in the Client’s best interest.
POOLED INVESTMENT FEES/EXPENSES
Fees paid to Apella for investment advisory services are separate and distinct from the fees and
expenses charged by underlying pooled investments such as mutual funds and exchange traded
funds. In the case of mutual funds, these fees and expenses are described in each fund’s prospectus.
These fees will generally include a management fee, other fund expense, and possible distribution
fee. As a general rule, Apella does not use mutual funds that charge sales charges or distribution
fees. Expenses of a fund, including management fees payable to the mutual fund manager and
other expenses, will not appear as transaction fees on a client’s Apella statement, as they are
deducted from the value of the fund shares by the mutual fund service provider.
Shareholder fees are fees charged directly to mutual fund investors in connection with trans- actions
such as buying, selling, or exchanging shares, or on a periodic basis with respect to account fees. An
investor can find these fees and charges listed in the “Fee Table” section of a mutual fund’s
prospectus or summary prospectus under the heading “Shareholder Fees.” ETFs don’t charge these
fees directly to investors, but they may have several types of trans- action fees and costs.
Operating expenses are ongoing mutual fund and ETF costs such as investment advisory fees for
managing the fund’s holdings, marketing, and distribution expenses, as well as custodial, transfer
agency, legal and accountant’s fees. Operating expenses are regular and recur- ring fund-wide
expenses that are typically paid out of fund assets, which means that investors indirectly pay these
costs. These expenses are identified in the “Fee Table” section of a mutual fund’s or ETF’s prospectus
or summary prospectus under the heading “Annual Fund Operating Expenses.”
Certain mutual funds charge an early redemption fee if fund shares are sold prior the particular
fund’s required holding period. Clients should refer to each fund’s prospectus for specific information
regarding early redemption fees.
CUSTODIAL AND TRANSACTION FEES AND EXPENSES
Clients will incur certain charges imposed by financial institutions and other third parties such as
custodial fees, transfer taxes, wire transfer and electronic fund fees, and other fees and taxes on
broker- age accounts and securities transactions. Additionally, clients may incur brokerage
APELLA CAPITAL, LLC
OCTOBER 2025 | PAGE 17 OF 43
commissions and transaction fees. Such charges, fees and commissions are exclusive of and in
addition to the Apella asset-based fee. Please refer to the charts below for custodian fee information.
*The custodian’s fee information presented is based on sources deemed to be reliable and accurate
at the time of publication. Readers are advised to verify any information before making any financial
decisions. Apella Wealth is not affiliated with any custodian.
Charles Schwab Fees
Fidelity Fees
AXOS Fees
Asset Based Pricing:
• 3.5 bls quarterly, based on average
daily balance, billed in arrear
Custodian
Fees per
Account
Asset-Based
Pricing Only:
• 3 bps per
account
Asset-Based Pricing:
$0 to $50,000 – 7 bps
$50,001 to $100,000 – 6 bps
$100,001 to $250,000 – 5 bps
$250,001 to $500,000 - 4 bps
Over $500,000- 3 bps
$5 minimum monthly fee
Transaction Based Pricing:
• Mutual Funds: $30 per trade
• Equities/ETFs: $0 (+$0.01/share if trade
is over 10,000 shares) if household is
$1M+ and signed up for eDelivery of
statements and confirms;
• $4.95 per trade (+$0.01/share if trade is
Transaction-Based Pricing:
• Mutual Fund Trade $9.99 for DFA
funds; $20.00 or $30.00 for other
mutual funds
• Equity/ETF Trade $0 /trade
over 10,000 shares) if under $1M
household and no eDelivery
Distribution
Fees
• ACH: No Fee
• Wire: $15.00
• Overnight Delivery of Check: $8.00
• ACH: No fee
• Wire: No fee
• Overnight
• Check – No Fee
• Overnight Check Delivery - $8.50
• Wire - $25.00
• MoneyLink (ACH) - No Fee
Delivery of
Check: $20.00
• $75.00 per
account
Termination
Fees
• Proceeds Sent to Client – No Fee*
• Full Transfer Out - $50.00
• Partial Transfer Out – No Fee
• IRA and Fidelity Retirement Plans:
$125.00
• Nonretirement accounts: $75.00
• HSA: $25.00
Delivery charge may apply (i.e., wire or
overnight fee)
Depending on the custodian, employees of Apella may benefit from lower transaction and custodial
fees relative to those fees paid by clients.
D. PREPAYMENT OF FEES
Accounts initiated or terminated during a calendar quarter will be charged a prorated fee based on the days
the Client account was open during that quarter. Any prepaid, unearned fees will be refunded upon
termination of any account. Effective April 1, 2023, Apella and its IARs will no longer participate in insurance
referrals.
While certain Apella IARs are licensed insurance agents, Apella does not sell any transaction-based
securities or insurance products. Nor does Apella receive any asset-based sales charges or service fees
from the sales of mutual funds that are in addition to the investment management asset-based fee described
above.
E. OUTSIDE COMPENSATION FOR THE SALES OF SECURITIES TO CLIENTS
There is nothing to disclose related to this item.
ITEM 6 - PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES & SIDE-BY-SIDE MANAGEMENT
Performance-based fees are based on a share of capital gains on or appreciation of the assets in a Client’s
account. Our Firm does not charge performance-based or other fees based on a share of capital gains or
appreciation of a Client's assets.
ITEM 7 - TYPES OF CLIENTS
Our Firm manages portfolios for individuals, high-net-worth individuals and families, estates, trusts,
foundations, endowments and charitable foundations, retirement plans, corporations, and other business
APELLA CAPITAL, LLC
OCTOBER 2025 | PAGE 18 OF 43
entities, pension plans, 401k, 403b and similar account structures, among other types of clients. We provide
investment management and advisory services to multi-generational families using separately managed
accounts under a custodial relationship with an independent brokerage firm. The model strategies utilized
by Apella IARs cover a range of investment strategies that include equity and fixed income allocations in
varying percentages. The various model strategies are generally composed of pooled investments including
mutual funds, exchange traded funds, and other similar registered products.
Apella requires a minimum initial account value of $500,000 to engage us for services discussed in this
brochure. However, sometimes, at our sole discretion, we may accept smaller accounts based on various
criteria, such as anticipated future assets, related accounts, and other individual Client circumstances.
GENERAL INFORMATION ON PORTFOLIOS
There is typically a cash position in each portfolio. The cash positions will be invested in a money
market fund, which will vary depending on the custodian.
Changes to portfolio holdings which comprise the portfolios may have tax consequences. If a client
sells assets in a taxable account, they may have to pay tax on any gain. While Apella seeks to mitigate
tax exposure, when possible, clients may incur a taxable event in connection with Apella’s
management of their portfolios.
MUTUAL FUND PORTFOLIOS
Clients’ investments may not match exactly the target allocations for the applicable model portfolio
due to a variety of implementation factors, including but not limited to:
the custodian or trading platform’s own trading algorithm;
•
• any changes in price from the time the positions are calculated to the time they are actually
traded;
• certain custodians may eliminate positions with small allocations; and, Apella may determine
not to implement, for a given client, changes made to the applicable model portfolio due to
client-specific factors, such as the desire to avoid realizing capital gains or otherwise.
The holdings comprising the model portfolios and the allocations to those holdings have changed
over time and may change in the future.
Please be advised that a Mutual Fund Portfolio which utilizes Vanguard mutual funds would subject
investors to the funds’ frequent trading limitations.
ETF PORTFOLIOS
Clients’ investments may not match exactly the target allocations for the applicable model portfolio
due to a variety of implementation factors, including but not limited to:
the custodian or trading platform’s own trading algorithm;
•
• any changes in price from the time the positions are calculated to the time they are actually
traded;
the fact that ETFs can only be purchased in whole shares:
•
• certain custodians may eliminate positions with small allocations entirely and Apella may
also determine not to implement, for a given client, changes made to the applicable model
portfolio due to client-specific factors, such as the desire to avoid realizing capital gains or
otherwise.
The holdings comprising the model portfolios and the allocations to those holdings have changed
over time and may change in the future.
OPERATIONAL REQUESTS
Apella has adopted the following operational protocols which may affect the processing of a client’s
account and requests.
Some requests, including, but not limited to, distributions and liquidations, will ordinarily be
processed on the same day if received by Apella, in good order, by 12 noon EST. All requests received
after 12 noon EST will be handled on a best-efforts basis.
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Please note that Apella will use its best efforts to invest deposits and process model change
requests within 5 business days of receipt. Distributions from accounts may take up to 10 business
days from receipt of request due to settlement dates, administrative duties, and other involved
institutions’ various timelines. Please note that distributions or transfers related to the closing of an
account may take up to 30 business days.
Upon termination of an account, the custodian and/or Firm to which the client is transferring their
account to may not be able to hold the funds in which the client is currently invested.
ITEM 8 - METHODS OF ANALYSIS, STRATEGIES, & RISK OF LOSS
A. METHODS OF ANALYSIS & INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Firm uses a variety of investment approaches and techniques in managing client portfolios, with an
emphasis on the use of quantitative research and proprietary models to manage accounts, and to monitor
selected investments and performance against internal parameters. The Firm primarily utilizes model
strategies designed internally and in collaboration with external partners to cover a wide range of investment
objectives, risk tolerances, and time horizons, while individually providing managed investment allocations
more closely tailored to a particular investor profile. The strategies vary in their equity and fixed income
exposures – and, within the equity allocations, further variance with respect to market capitalization and style
– and, within the fixed income allocations, further variance in credit quality and duration.
Apella IARs manage the assets in client accounts and may invest a portion or all of a client’s assets in
accordance with model strategies. IARs may also customize portfolios to better address the client’s stated
investment objective, including but not limited to, tax sensitivity, allocation criteria, and liquidity
requirements. In some cases, when a client account is transitioned to Apella through one of Apella’s office
location locations, the client may remain in their legacy portfolio and continue to have that portfolio managed
by Apella. The Firm may use other funds and/or other investments vehicles apart from those mentioned in
this section based on the client’s unique circumstances. However, the primary investment vehicles utilized
by Apella are mutual funds or exchange traded funds and the primary methodology is model based. Risks
associated with these various vehicles are identified in Item 8.B, below.
Our Investment Advisory Representatives will generally use the following analysis methods to formulate
investment advice and manage Client assets. However, each IAR can manage its Client’s account as
necessary, and their specific analysis method may vary from below. Clients should acknowledge that
investing in securities involves the risk of loss, regardless of the strategies, that Clients should be prepared
to bear.
METHODS OF ANALYSIS
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
Technical analysis is a form of security analysis that uses price and volume data, typically
displayed graphically in charts. The charts are analyzed using various indicators to make
Technical analysis has three main principles and
investment recommendations.
assumptions: (1) The market discounts everything, (2) prices move in trends and
countertrends, and (3) price action is repetitive, with specific patterns recurring.
CYCLICAL ANALYSIS
In this type of technical analysis, we measure the movements of a particular stock against
the overall market to predict the security price movement.
CHARTING ANALYSIS
In this type of technical analysis, we review market and security activity charts 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.
FUNDAMENTAL ANALYSIS
Fundamental analysis attempts to identify stocks offering sturdy growth potential at a
competitive price by examining the underlying company's business and conditions within
its industry or the broader economy. Investors have traditionally used fundamental analysis
for longer-term trades, relying on metrics such as earnings per share, price-to-earnings
ratio, price-to-earnings growth, and dividend yield.
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QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
Our Firm uses a proprietary optimization model that takes historical price performance,
quantitative risk metrics, and several other data points as inputs and attempts to
recommend securities that will enhance the overall risk-reward characteristic of the whole
portfolio.
MUTUAL FUND OR ETF ANALYSIS
Our Firm examines the experience and track record of the Manager of the mutual fund or
ETF to determine if that Manager has demonstrated an ability to invest over a period of time
and in different economic conditions.
Our Firm also looks at the underlying assets in a mutual fund or ETF to determine if there is
a significant overlap in the underlying investments held in other funds in the Client’s
portfolio. Our Firm also monitors the funds or ETFs to determine if they continue to follow
their stated investment strategy.
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Model portfolios incorporate multiple factors, or sources of an expected return premium, which are
relevant to multiple asset classes and all geographic regions. These model portfolios are comprised
of open-end mutual funds and/or ETFs offered by unaffiliated investment companies.
Apella’s equity strategies are primarily factor-based, broadly diversified across global markets, and
do not engage in market timing, or stock picking outside of what is entailed in the factor orientation
of the portfolios.
Apella’s fixed income strategies are primarily focused on investment grade securities, but could
include below investment grade, or High Yield, allocations up to approximately its share of the
overall market in higher equity allocation portfolios.
The degree of interest rate risk, diversification among credit qualities, and inclusion of foreign bond
issues (whose foreign currency risk is largely hedged back to the U.S. dollar) increases across the
asset allocation spectrum as investor’s risk tolerance increases. Apella’s fixed income allocations for
tax-sensitive investors typically include a large proportion of municipal bonds due to the largely tax-
exempt nature income from these securities.
The Firm does overweight or underweight at the asset class level in an effort to capture factor
premiums that academic research has shown have historically been available.
The methods of analysis and investment strategies are based on academic research into optimal
investing, with an emphasis on Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) and Quantitative Methods of Analysis
that extend from MPT. The analysis methods may include the use of MPT metrics such as return,
standard deviation, and Sharpe Ratio, etc. Please see definitions of these terms below. Apella’s
investment strategies consist of equity, fixed income components (or one or the other), and possibly
also alternatives, and are comprised of open-end mutual funds, exchange traded funds, and sub-
advised accounts.
Our Firm may use any of the following investment strategies when managing Client assets and
providing investment advice:
MODERN PORTFOLIO THEORY
Modern Portfolio Theory is a method for investing assets in such a way as to maximize the
amount of return offered by the investment per unit of risk taken.
MPT Metrics: Modern Portfolio Theory metrics include return, standard deviation, and
Sharpe Ratio.
Return: A measure of the amount the investment has earned as a percentage of the amount
that was invested.
Standard Deviation: A measure of volatility or the dispersion of returns that the investment
has experienced. A high standard deviation indicates a wide dispersion, which is considered
to indicate a higher risk than an investment with a low standard deviation.
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Sharpe Ratio: A measure that combines return and standard deviation in an attempt to show
the client the amount of return the investment offered for the level of risk that was taken.
Specifically, Sharpe ratio measures the return of the investment over and above the return
that could have been obtained in a relatively risk-free investment instrument (such as
Treasury Bills), divided by the standard deviation of that additional return.
QUANTITATIVE METHODS OF ANALYSIS
Apella employs quantitative investment analysis techniques to both make its asset allocation
decisions and to assess ex post-performance of these asset allocation models. Regression
analysis and holdings-based analysis are the quantitative analysis methods used by Apella
that are significant.
Regression Analysis: A statistical measure that attempts to determine whether there is a
relationship between two or more variables. Regression analysis is often used to determine
whether the behavior of one investment asset is dependent upon the behavior of one or
more other assets, by quantitatively analyzing their returns. For example, whether the
performance of a certain mutual fund is dependent upon the performance of the stock
market in general.
Holdings-Based Analysis: An analysis of fund holdings that allocates underlying securities
to various segments based on chosen characteristics and measures how different the
weight of the fund’s allocation to that segment is from the benchmark’s weight to that
segment.
APELLA SELECT
Apella Select services includes two distinct separately managed account (SMA) options.
The Investable Index Series targets popular equity indexes, while the Multi-Factor
Strategies are designed to capture multi-factor strategies comprised of individual stocks
and ADRs.
INVESTABLE INDEX SERIES
Our Investable Index Series was designed to provide Apella clients with Model
options that behave in a manner similar to a broad-market index while, at the same
time, allowing for customization and active overlay management techniques
through individual security ownership.
MULTI-FACTOR STRATEGIES
Our Multi-Factor Strategies are comprised of broadly diversified investment
solutions that include individual stocks and ADRs. These portfolios are constructed
based on quantitative rules-based methods that seek to capture specific factor
premiums, such as Value, Momentum and Profitability, and will rebalance on a
regular basis to maintain intended diversification and factor exposures. Portfolios of
individual securities may be the appropriate solution for clients with tastes and
preferences or needs that are better met by these portfolios. The current offering
International, and Global
includes strategies that cover the United States,
geographies and can include factors such as Value, Momentum, and Profitability (or
Quality).
Your Financial Advisor may utilize either of these Models to serve several construction
objectives inside your portfolios. Your Financial Advisor may wish to use these Models as a
core module inside of a larger core/satellite portfolio. These Models may also be suitable
as a starting point to express your preferences for lifestyle- or religious- specific
customizations that could otherwise not be expressed through a pooled vehicle such as an
ETF or Mutual Fund. Finally, these Models may be utilized as a tax-aware module within your
portfolio where specific tax lots of individual securities may be loss-harvested (see Tax
Overlay Management Services) while at the same time demonstrating index-like tracking
characteristics. While the Models themselves are not managed in a tax sensitive fashion, the
structure does help facilitate more effective tax management from the dispersion among a
sample of the constituents securities of an index as well as the potential for various tax lots
for these securities.
COMPLETION PORTFOLIOS
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As noted above, the Investable Index Series offers investment solutions that closely
track the performance of indices. In some cases, those solutions may not represent
the entirety of a client’s appropriate investment solution. As such, Apella may offer
model portfolios of mutual funds or ETFs that are intended to be paired with various
solutions offered in the Investable Index Series in order to achieve a total portfolio
solution consistent with a client’s needs. Examples of what may be included in
Completion Portfolios include Emerging Market equity, small and micro-cap equity,
high-turnover factor strategies like momentum, and other sub-strategies of a
portfolio that may not be offered in the Investable Index Series.
TAX OVERLAY MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Apella can provide Tax Overlay Management services to Apella Select accounts. In
providing Tax Overlay Management services, we consider the tax consequences of
transactions in your account and will adjust our services accordingly. We attempt to
accomplish tax-aware
investment management through gain-loss matching,
harvesting losses and/ or gains, deferring gains until securities reach preferential tax
status, and avoiding imprudent wash sale transactions to improve the after- tax
return while staying as consistent as possible with the risk/return characteristics of
your account’s Strategy.
Our ability to improve your after-tax return depends on various factors beyond our
control including economic and market conditions, regulatory changes, actions
taken by your custodian broker-dealer, the specifics of your account’s strategy, the
starting portfolio in your account, your tax circumstances, and mandates as
communicated by your Financial Advisor. Tax Overlay Management may cause the
actual performance in your account to vary from the "stated" performance of the
Strategy’s Manager.
Tax Overlay Management services are provided in connection with the Apella Select
Program and to financial planning clients who receive services from one of Apella’s
appropriately credentialed IARs. We do not provide general tax planning advice or
services outside of these types of client engagements unless the client has hired
the Firm for comprehensive financial planning. To provide Tax Overlay Management
services, we rely solely on the information provided by you and your custodian
broker-dealer. If that information is inaccurate, incomplete, or not timely, our ability
to provide Tax Overlay Management may be adversely affected. We make no
guaranty that taxes in your account will be reduced. If an account contains mutual
funds and/or exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), our Tax Overlay Management services
are generally applied on the portion of your account containing equity securities and
not to the portion that consists predominantly of mutual funds and/or ETFs.
By default, accounts are managed without Tax Overlay Management Services
unless specifically selected by your Financial Advisor. Please note that with Apella
Select there are minimum investment levels.
investment options for
investors seeking diversification and
WASMER SCHRODER
Wasmer Schroeder Strategies, offered by Schwab Asset Management, provide a range of
income
fixed-income
generation. These strategies are actively managed through separately managed accounts
(SMAs) and include both taxable and tax-exempt options.
Key Features:
• Actively Managed: Experienced portfolio managers make investment decisions
based on market analysis and research.
• Separately Managed Accounts (SMAs): Portfolios are tailored to individual
investor needs and goals.
• Taxable and Tax-Exempt Options: Choose strategies based on your tax situation.
• Diverse Investment Styles: Options span the duration, credit, and liquidity
spectrums.
Taxable Strategies:
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• Short Duration Bond: Invests in short-term bonds for stability and liquidity.
•
Intermediate Bond: Focuses on intermediate-term bonds for a balance of
income and risk.
• Core Investment Grade Credit: Targets high-quality corporate bonds for a stable
income stream.
• Positive Impact Intermediate Bond: Invests in bonds that align with
environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors.
QUANTINNO:
Quantinno is a registered investment adviser and financial technology company that
specializes in tax-loss harvesting and portfolio management strategies. One of their key
offerings is a long/short extension strategy designed to enhance traditional tax-loss
harvesting approaches.
Tax-Loss Harvesting:
• This is a strategy where investors sell assets that have lost value to offset capital
gains taxes on assets that have gained value.
It helps reduce your overall tax burden and potentially improve after-tax returns.
•
Long/Short Extension:
• Quantinno’ s approach involves adding a long/short component to a traditional
long-only portfolio.
• Long positions: These are stocks that Quantinno believes will increase in value.
• Short positions: These are stocks that Quantinno believes will decrease in value.
By selling these stocks short, they profit if the price goes down
MODEL MANAGER
Our Firm examines the Manager's experience, expertise, investment philosophies, and past
performance to determine if that Manager has demonstrated an ability to invest overtime
and in different economic conditions. Our Firm monitors the Manager’s underlying holdings,
strategies, concentrations, and leverage as part of our Firm’s periodic risk assessment.
Additionally, as part of our due diligence process, our Firm surveys the Manager’s
compliance and business enterprise risks.
LONG-TERM HOLDING
Our Firm purchases securities with the intent to hold them in the Client's account long-term
(longer than one year). In extreme circumstances, we may be forced to sell a fund
completely within a year of buying it. An example would be a fund Manager resigns, and we
do not have confidence in the new management. Also, fund positions may be trimmed
occasionally to rebalance the portfolio.
STRATEGIC ASSET ALLOCATION
The primary investment strategy used by our Firm is based on the diversification of the
Client's assets among various investment vehicles and asset classes, popularly termed
"Asset Allocation." Our Firm's recommendations focus primarily on achieving a diversified
portfolio of investment assets with desirable risk and return characteristics. We meet
regularly to evaluate new and reevaluate existing investment opportunities. During these
meetings, we deliberate on issues regarding the proper allocation of Client assets based on
current conditions.
TACTICAL ASSET ALLOCATION
Tactical asset allocation is an active management portfolio strategy that shifts the
percentage of assets held
in various categories to take advantage of market
pricing anomalies or strong market sectors. This strategy allows portfolio Managers to
create extra value by taking advantage of certain situations in the marketplace. It is a
moderately active strategy since Managers return to the portfolio's original asset mix once
reaching the desired short-term profits.
VALUE INVESTING
Value investing is buying stocks that trade at a significant discount to their intrinsic value.
Value investors achieve this by looking for companies on cheap valuation metrics, typically
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low multiples of their profits or assets, for reasons not justified over the longer term. This
approach requires a contrarian mindset and a long-term investment horizon.
Value investing seeks to exploit the irrational behavior of emotional investors. Emotion is a
constant feature of investment markets through time. While the companies available to
stock market investors change from decade to decade, the human nature of the investors
does not. Fear and greed remain ever-present and frequently lead to poor investment
decisions based on perception and emotion rather than reality. Periodically these miss
pricings can become extreme (e.g., the tech bubble of the 1990s or, conversely, the great
depression of the 1930s); however, they exist to a greater or lesser extent in most markets.
This creates an opportunity for long-term value investors.
B. MATERIAL RISKS INVOLVED
RISKS FOR ALL FORMS OF ANALYSIS
Our Firm’s securities analysis method relies on the assumption that the companies whose securities
we purchase and sell, the rating agencies that review these securities, and other publicly available
sources of information about these securities, are providing accurate and unbiased data. While we
are alert to indications that data may be incorrect, there is always a risk that the analysis may be
compromised by inaccurate or misleading information.
METHODS OF ANALYSIS
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS RISKS
Technical analysis does not consider the underlying financial condition of a company. This
presents a risk because a poorly managed or financially unsound company may
underperform regardless of market movement.
FUNDAMENTAL ANALYSIS RISKS
Fundamental analysis concentrates on factors that determine a company’s value and
expected future earnings. This strategy would normally encourage equity purchases in
stocks that are undervalued or priced below their perceived value. The risk assumed is that
the market will fail to reach expectations of perceived value.
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS RISKS
Investment strategies using quantitative models risk that the investments may perform
differently than expected as a result of, among other things, the factors used in the models,
the weight placed on each factor, changes from the factors’ historical trends, and technical
issues in the construction and implementation of the models.
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
MODEL MANAGER RISKS
Our Firm examines the Manager's experience, expertise, investment philosophies, and past
performance to determine if that Manager has demonstrated an ability to invest overtime
and in different economic conditions. Our Firm monitors the Manager’s underlying holdings,
strategies, concentrations, and leverage as part of our Firm’s periodic risk assessment.
Additionally, as part of our due diligence process, our Firm surveys the Manager’s
compliance and business enterprise risks.
LONG-TERM HOLDING RISKS
A risk in a long-term purchase strategy is that holding the security for this length of time
may decline in value before we decide to sell. We do not guarantee the future performance
of the account or any specific level of performance, the success of any investment decision
or strategy we may use, or the success of the overall management of the account. The
Client understands that the investment decisions our Firm makes for the Client’s account
are subject to various market, currency, economic, political, and business risks and that
those investment decisions will not always be profitable. Clients are reminded that investing
in any security entails the risk of loss, which they should be willing to bear.
STRATEGIC ASSET ALLOCATION RISK
The primary investment strategy used by our Firm is based on the diversification of the
Client's assets among various investment vehicles and asset classes, popularly termed
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"Asset Allocation." Our Firm's recommendations focus primarily on achieving a diversified
portfolio of investment assets with desirable risk and return characteristics. We meet
regularly to evaluate new and reevaluate existing investment opportunities. During these
meetings, we deliberate on issues regarding the proper allocation of Client assets based on
current conditions.
TACTICAL ASSET ALLOCATION RISK
Tactical asset allocation is an active management portfolio strategy that shifts the
percentage of assets held
in various categories to take advantage of market
pricing anomalies or strong market sectors. This strategy allows portfolio Managers to
create extra value by taking advantage of certain situations in the marketplace. It is a
moderately active strategy since Managers return to the portfolio's original asset mix once
reaching the desired short-term profits.
VALUE INVESTING RISK
Value investing is buying stocks that trade at a significant discount to their intrinsic value.
Value investors achieve this by looking for companies on cheap valuation metrics, typically
low multiples of their profits or assets, for reasons not justified over the longer term. This
approach requires a contrarian mindset and a long-term investment horizon.
Value investing seeks to exploit the irrational behavior of emotional investors. Emotion is a
constant feature of investment markets through time. While the companies available to
stock market investors change from decade to decade, the human nature of the investors
does not. Fear and greed remain ever-present and frequently lead to poor investment
decisions based on perception and emotion rather than reality. Periodically these miss
pricings can become extreme (e.g., the tech bubble of the 1990s or, conversely, the great
depression of the 1930s); however, they exist to a greater or lesser extent in most markets.
This creates an opportunity for long-term value investors.
RISK OF LOSS
A Client’s investment portfolio is affected by general economic and market conditions, such
as interest rates, availability of credit, inflation rates, economic conditions, changes in laws,
and national and international political circumstances.
Investing in securities involves certain investment risks. Securities may fluctuate in value or
lose value. Clients should be prepared to bear the potential risk of loss. Our Firm will assist
Clients in determining an appropriate strategy based on their tolerance for risk.
While we are alert to indications that data may be incorrect, there is always a risk that our
analysis may be compromised by inaccurate or misleading information.
ACTIVE MANAGEMENT RISK
Due to its active management, a portfolio could underperform other portfolios with similar
investment objectives or strategies.
ALLOCATION RISK
A portfolio may use an asset allocation strategy to pursue its investment objective. There is
a risk that a portfolio’s allocation among asset classes or investments will cause a portfolio
to lose value or cause it to underperform other portfolios with a similar investment objective
or strategy or that the investments themselves will not produce the returns expected.
CONCENTRATION RISK
Strategies concentrated in only a few securities, sectors or industries, regions or countries,
or asset classes could expose a portfolio to greater risk. They may cause the portfolio value
to fluctuate more widely than a diversified portfolio. Overexposure to certain sectors or
asset classes (e.g., MLPs, REITs, etc.) may be detrimental to an investor if there is a negative
sector move.
MANAGEMENT RISK
An account is subject to the risk that judgments about the attractiveness, value, or potential
appreciation of the account’s investments may prove to be incorrect. If the selection of
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securities or strategies fails to produce the intended results, the account could
underperform other accounts with similar objectives and investment strategies.
PERFORMANCE OF UNDERLYING MANAGER RISK
We select the mutual funds and ETFs in the asset allocation portfolios. However, we depend
on the Manager of such funds to select individual investments in accordance with their
stated investment strategy.
SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTING & ESG RISK
Clients utilizing responsible investing strategies and environmental, social responsibility,
and corporate governance (ESG) factors may underperform strategies that do not utilize
responsible investing and ESG considerations. Responsible investing and ESG strategies
may operate by excluding certain issuers' investments or by selecting investments based
on compliance with factors such as ESG. This strategy may exclude certain sectors or
industries from a Client’s portfolio, potentially negatively affecting the Client’s investment
performance if the excluded sector or industry outperforms. Responsible investing and ESG
are subjective by nature. Our Firm may rely on analysis and ‘scores’ provided by third parties
in determining whether an issuer meets our Firm’s standards for inclusion or exclusion. A
Client’s perception may differ from our Firm or a third party on how to judge an issuer's
adherence to responsible investing principles.
VALUE INVESTING RISK
Value investing risk is the risk that value stocks do not increase in price, not issue the
anticipated stock dividends, or decline in price, either because the market fails to recognize
the stock’s intrinsic value or because the expected value was misgauged. If the market does
not recognize that the securities are undervalued, the prices of those securities might not
appreciate as anticipated. They also may decline in price even though they are already
undervalued in theory. Value stocks are typically less volatile than growth stocks but may
lag behind growth stocks in an up market.
C. RISKS OF SPECIFIC SECURITIES UTILIZED
Apella primarily recommends open-ended mutual funds and exchange traded funds. In addition, within the
Apella Select Program, Apella builds individual security portfolios using index-based screening. The
following are risks involved with these investments. As stated in Item 4, when a client is transitioned to Apella,
through one of its office locations, the client may remain in their legacy portfolio and is managed accordingly.
As such, Apella may use other investment vehicles. The risks associated with these vehicles are also listed
below.
USE OF ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS
If deemed appropriate for your portfolio, our Firm may recommend "alternative investments.”
Alternative investments may include a broad range of underlying assets including hedge funds,
private equity, venture capital, registered, publicly traded securities, structured notes, and private
real estate investment trusts. Alternative investments are speculative, not suitable for all Clients, and
intended for only experienced and sophisticated investors who are willing to bear the high risk of
the investment, which can include: loss of all or a substantial portion of the investment due to
leveraging, short-selling, or other speculative investment practices; lack of liquidity in that there may
be no secondary market for the fund and none expected to develop; volatility of returns; potential
for restrictions on transferring an interest in the fund; potential lack of diversification and resulting
higher risk due to concentration of trading authority with a single adviser; absence of information
regarding valuations and pricing; potential for delays in tax reporting; less regulation and often higher
fees than other investment options such as mutual funds. The SEC requires investors to be
accredited to invest in these more speculative alternative investments. Investing in a fund
concentrating on a few holdings may involve heightened risk and greater price volatility.
ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT RISK
Alternative investments include other additional risks. Lock-up periods and other terms
obligate Clients to commit their capital investment for a minimum period, typically no less
than one or two years and sometimes up to 10 or more years. Illiquidity is considered a
substantial risk and will restrict the ability of a Client to liquidate an investment early,
regardless of the success of the investment. Alternative investments are difficult to value
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within a Client’s total portfolio. There may be limited availability of suitable benchmarks for
performance comparison; historical performance data may also be limited.
In some cases, there may be a lack of transparency and regulation, providing an additional
layer of risk. Some alternative investments may involve the use of leverage and other
speculative techniques. As a result, some alternative investments may carry substantial
additional risks, resulting in the loss of some or all the investment. Using leverage and
certain other strategies will result in adverse tax consequences for tax-exempt investors,
such as the possibility of unrelated business taxable income, as defined under the U.S.
Internal Revenue Code.
LIQUIDITY RISK
Low trading volume, large positions, or legal restrictions are some conditions that could limit
or prevent a portfolio from selling securities or closing positions at desirable prices.
Securities that are relatively liquid when acquired could become illiquid over time. The sale
of any such illiquid investment might be possible only at substantial discounts or might not
be possible at all. Further, such investments may take more work to value.
ISSUER RISK
The risk is that an issuer of a security may perform poorly, and therefore, the value of its
securities may decline. Poor management decisions, competitive pressures, technological
breakthroughs, reliance on suppliers, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings,
fraudulent disclosures, natural disasters, or other events, conditions, or factors may cause
inferior performance.
NON-LIQUID ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT RISK
From time to time, our Firm will recommend to certain qualifying Clients that a portion of
such Clients’ assets be invested in private funds, private fund-of-funds, or other alternative
investments (collectively, “Non-liquid Alternative Investments”). Non-liquid Alternative
Investments are not suitable for all our Firm’s Clients. They are offered only to those
qualifying Clients for whom our Firm believes such an investment is suitable and in line with
their overall investment strategy. Non-liquid Alternative Investments typically are available
to only a limited number of sophisticated investors who meet the definition of “accredited
investor” under Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”),
or “qualified Client” under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 or “qualified purchaser” under
the Investment Company Act of 1940. Non-liquid Alternative Investments present special
risks for our Firm’s Clients, including, without limitation, limited liquidity, higher fees and
expenses, volatile performance, no assurance of investment returns, heightened risk of loss,
limited transparency, additional reliance on underlying management of the investment,
special tax considerations, subjective valuations, use of leverage and limited regulatory
oversight. When a Non-liquid Alternative Investment invests part or all of its assets in real
estate properties, there are additional risks that are unique to real estate investing, including
but not limited to: limitations of the appraisal value, the borrower’s financial conditions (if a
loan has obtained the underlying property), including the risk of foreclosures on the
property; neighborhood values; the supply of and demand for properties of like kind; and
certain city, state or federal regulations.
Additionally, real estate investing is also subject to possible loss due to uninsured losses
from natural and artificial disasters. The above list is not exhaustive of all risks related to an
investment in Non-liquid Alternative Investments. A more comprehensive discussion of the
risks associated with a particular Non-liquid Investment is set forth in that fund’s offering
documents, which will be provided to each Client subscribing to a Non-liquid Alternative
Investment for review and consideration. It is important that each potential, qualified
investor carefully read each offering or private placement memorandum before investing.
COMMODITY RISK
The fluctuation in the prices of commodities causes uncertainties about future market values and
the size of future income. These commodities may be grains, metals, gas, electricity, etc.
Investing in commodities is often through futures trading, where the risk of loss in these contracts
can be substantial. A client and a client’s advisor should carefully consider whether such trading is
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suitable depending on a client’s financial situation. Apella does not invest directly in commodities in
client accounts or in any of its Model Strategies, though commodities may be held in various mutual
funds and ETFs, as well as in the Panoramic Mutual Funds. Investments in commodities may have
greater volatility than investments in traditional securities, particularly if the instruments involve
leverage. The value of commodity-linked derivative instruments may be affected by charges in
overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates, or factors affecting
a particular industry or commodity, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes,
tariffs, international economic, political, and regulatory developments. Use of leveraged commodity-
linked derivatives creates the possibility for greater loss.
DERIVATIVES
Derivatives may be riskier than other types of investments because they may be more sensitive to
changes in economic or market conditions than other types of investments and could result in losses
that significantly exceed the original investment. The use of derivatives may not be successful,
resulting in investment losses, and the cost of such strategies may reduce investment returns. Apella
does not invest directly in derivatives in client accounts or Model Strategies. Certain model funds
and ETFs, as well as several Panoramic Mutual Funds, do invest in derivatives.
EQUITY RISK
Equity instruments are subject to equity market risk, the risk that common stock prices fluctuate
over short or extended periods. Equity securities have greater price volatility than fixed-income
securities. The market price of equity securities may increase or decrease, sometimes rapidly or
unpredictably. Equity securities may decline in value due to factors affecting markets, industries,
sectors or geographic regions represented in those markets, or individual security concerns.
CAPITALIZATION RISK
Small-cap and mid-cap companies may be hindered due to limited resources or less
diverse products or services. Their stocks have historically been more volatile than the
stocks of larger, more established companies.
INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS
When offered through the account Custodian, we may have the ability to request shares of
initial public offerings (“IPOs”) and secondary offerings for our Clients. These are short-term,
speculative investments which are generally high risk in nature.
At this time, we will only request shares of an IPO (Initial Public Offerings) for a Client that
has specifically requested those shares.
If several Clients request the shares of an IPO, and we receive fewer shares than were
requested, we must allocate those shares among the participating Clients. The allocations
are typically equal or proportionate to the number of shares requested. Investing in
securities involves the risk of loss that Clients should be prepared to bear. See Item 8 for
more detail on the risk associated with investing.
ETF & ETN RISK
ETFs and ETNs are, by definition, portfolios of securities. Although the unsystematic risk associated
with investments in ETFs and ETNs may be low relative to investments in securities of individual
issuers, some events can trigger sharp, and sometimes adverse, price movements in ETFs and ETNs
unrelated to the markets' general activities. These events include unexpected dividends, changes
to regular dividend amounts, announcements of rights offerings, and possible unexpected revisions
to the net asset values of the ETF and ETN. ETFs are subject to market risk, whereas ETNs are subject
to both market risk and the credit risk of the issuer of the ETN.
Further, certain Client accounts may hold (or short-sell) positions in volatility-related ETFs and ETNs.
Leveraged ETFs and mutual funds, sometimes labeled “ultra” or “2x,” for example, are designed to
provide a multiple of the underlying index’s return, typically daily. Inverse products are designed to
provide the opposite of the underlying index's return, typically daily. These products differ and can
be riskier than traditional ETFs and mutual funds. Although these products are designed to provide
returns that correspond to the underlying index, they may not be able to exactly replicate the
performance of the index because of fund expenses and other factors. This is referred to as a
tracking error. Continual re-setting of returns within the product may add to the underlying costs and
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increase the tracking error. As a result, this may prevent these products from achieving their
investment objective. In addition, compounding of the returns can produce a divergence from the
underlying index over time, particularly for leveraged products. Return distortions may be magnified
in highly volatile markets with significant positive and negative swings. Some deviations from the
stated objectives to the positive or negative are possible and may or may not correct themselves
over time. These products use various strategies to accomplish their objectives, including swaps,
futures contracts, and other derivatives. These products may not be diversified and can be based on
commodities or currencies. These products may have higher expense ratios and be less tax-efficient
than more traditional ETFs and mutual funds.
ETFs do not sell individual shares directly to investors and only issue their shares in large blocks.
Exchange traded funds are subject to risks similar to those of stocks. Investment returns will
fluctuate and are subject to market volatility, so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed or sold,
may be worth more or less than their original cost. ETF shares are bought and sold at market price
(which may be higher or lower than NAV) and are not individually redeemable from the fund.
Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. An investor should consider investment objectives,
risks, charges, and expenses before investing. A description of these risks can be found in each ETF’s
prospectus.
FIXED INCOME & DEBT RISK (BONDS)
Debt securities are affected by changes in interest rates. When interest rates rise, the value of debt
securities is likely to decrease. Conversely, when interest rates fall, the values of debt securities are
likely to increase. The values of debt securities may also be affected by changes in the issuing
entities' credit rating or financial condition.
CALL RISK
Some bonds allow the issuer to redeem the bond before its maturity date. If an issuer
exercises this option during declining interest rates, the proceeds from the bond may have
to be reinvested in an investment offering a lower yield and may not benefit from an
increase in value due to declining rates. Callable bonds are also subject to increased price
fluctuations during market illiquidity or rising interest rates. Finally, the capital appreciation
potential of a bond will be reduced because the price of a callable bond may not rise much
above the price at which the issuer may call the bond.
CREDIT RISK
The credit rating of an issuer of a security is based on, among other things, the issuer’s
historical financial condition and the rating agencies’ investment analyses at the time of
rating. An actual or perceived deterioration of the ability of an issuer to meet its obligations
would harm the value of the issuer’s securities.
INTEREST RATE RISK
When interest rates increase, the value of the account’s investments may decline, and the
account’s share value may decrease. This effect is typically more pronounced for
intermediate and longer-term obligations. This effect is also typically more pronounced for
mortgages and other asset-backed securities since the value may fluctuate more
significantly in response to interest rate changes. When interest rates decrease, the
account’s current income may decline.
MUNICIPAL BOND RISK
Investments in municipal bonds are affected by the municipal market and the factors in the
cities, states, or regions where the strategy invests. Issues such as legislative changes,
litigation, business and political conditions relating to a particular municipal project,
municipality, state, or territory, and fiscal challenges can impact the value of municipal
bonds. These matters can also impact the ability of the issuer to make payments. Also, the
public information about municipal bonds is less than that for corporate equities or bonds.
Additionally, supply and demand imbalances in the municipal bond market can cause
deterioration in liquidity and a lack of price transparency.
FOREIGN INVESTING RISK
Investments in securities of foreign issuers may involve risks, including adverse fluctuations in
currency exchange rates, political instability, confiscations, taxes, restrictions on currency exchange,
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difficulty in selling foreign investments, and reduced legal protection. These risks may be more
pronounced for investments in developing countries.
EMERGING MARKETS RISK
The risks of foreign investing are heightened for securities of companies in emerging market
countries. In most cases, emerging market countries' economic and political structures do
not compare favorably with the U.S. or other developed countries regarding wealth and
stability. Their financial markets often lack liquidity. In addition to all the risks of investing in
foreign developed markets, emerging market securities are susceptible to governmental
interference, local taxes on investments, restrictions on gaining access to sales proceeds,
and less efficient trading markets. These factors can make emerging market investments
more volatile and less liquid than investments in developed markets.
CURRENCY RISK
If an account invests directly in non-U.S. currencies or in securities that trade in and receive
revenues in non-U.S. currencies or in derivatives that provide exposure to non-U.S.
currencies, it will be subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to
the U.S. dollar. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short
periods for several reasons, including changes in interest rates, intervention (or the failure
to intervene) by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities such
as the International Monetary Fund, or by the imposition of currency controls or other
political developments in the United States or abroad. As a result, an account’s investments
in non-U.S. currency-denominated securities may reduce the account's returns. Foreign
currency exchange transactions are conducted on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate
prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market or through entering forward contracts
to purchase or sell the currency.
MUTUAL FUND OR ETF RISK
Our models and accounts may use certain ETFs and mutual funds to invest primarily in alternative
investments or strategies. Investing in these alternative investments and strategies may only be
suitable for some of our Clients. These include special risks, such as those associated with
commodities, real estate, and leverage, selling securities short, use of derivatives, potential adverse
market forces, regulatory changes, and potential ill-liquidity. Special risks are associated with ETFs
that invest principally in real estate securities, such as sensitivity to changes in real estate values or
changes in interest rates and price volatility due to the ETF’s concentration in the real estate market.
The risks with mutual funds include the costs and expenses within the fund that can impact
performance, change of Managers, and the fund straying from its objective (i.e., style drift). Mutual
funds have certain costs associated with underlying transactions and operating costs, such as
marketing and distribution expenses and advisory fees. Mutual fund costs and expenses vary from
fund to fund and will impact a mutual fund’s performance. Additionally, mutual funds typically have
different share classes, as further discussed below, that trade at different Net Asset Values (“NAV”)
as determined at the daily market close and have different fees and expenses.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of a
mutual fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less
than their original cost. Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, and charges and
expenses of the investment company carefully before investing. A description of these items can be
found in each fund’s prospectus.
ALTERNATIVE MUTUAL FUNDS
Alternative Mutual Funds may employ the following strategies to create performance characteristics
that have low or no correlation to long-only investment options.
LONG/SHORT
Long/short investment strategies utilize short selling, which involves selling a security not
owned in anticipation that the security’s price will decline or to offset a similar long position
in an attempt to either hedge risk and/or capture a spread in return. Generally, both long
and short trades are paired together in an attempt to capture a performance spread, while
reducing the systematic exposure to the underlying asset class. This strategy could result
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in losses if the value of the securities held long decrease, and the value of the securities sold
short increase or if the spread in performance is other than expected.
COMMODITIES
Investing in commodities is often through futures trading, where the risk of loss in these
contracts can be substantial. The client and advisor should carefully consider whether such
trading is suitable depending on the client’s financial situation.
Investments in commodities may have greater volatility than investments in traditional
securities, particularly if the instruments involve leverage. The value of commodity-linked
derivative instruments may be affected by charges in overall market movements,
commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates, or factors affecting a particular industry
or commodity, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs,
international economic, political, and regulatory developments. Use of
leveraged
commodity-linked derivatives creates the possibility for greater loss.
DERIVATIVES
Derivatives may be riskier than other types of investments because they may be more
sensitive to changes in economic or market conditions than other types of investments and
could result in losses that significantly exceed the original investment. The use of derivatives
may not be successful, resulting in investment losses, and the cost of such strategies may
reduce investment returns.
OPTIONS RISK
Transactions in options carry a high degree of risk. A small market movement will have a
proportionately larger impact, which may work for or against the investor. The placing of certain
orders, which are intended to limit losses to certain amounts, may not be effective because market
conditions may make it impossible to execute such orders. Selling ("writing" or "granting") an option
entails greater risk than purchasing options. Although the premium received by the seller is fixed,
the seller may sustain a loss well more than that amount. The seller will also be exposed to the risk
of the purchaser exercising the option and will be obliged to settle it in cash or to acquire or deliver
the underlying investment. The risk may be reduced if the option is "covered" by the seller holding a
corresponding position in the underlying investment or a future on another option.
REAL ESTATE SECURITIES AND RELATED DERIVATIVES RISK
The Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in real estate-linked derivatives,
REITs, and common, preferred, and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries.
Each of these types of investments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct
ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and
operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased
competition, variations in market value, and possible environmental liabilities.
REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses, and so the Fund, when investing in REITs,
will bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs’ operations. An investment in a REIT or a
real estate-linked derivative instrument that is linked to the value of a REIT is subject to additional
risks, such as inferior performance by the manager of the REIT, adverse changes to the tax laws or
failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Code. In addition, some
REITs have limited diversification because they invest in a limited number of properties, a narrow
geographic area, or a single type of property. Furthermore, REITs are not diversified because they
only operate in the real estate business and are heavily dependent on cash flow. Also, the
organizational documents of a REIT may contain provisions that make changes in control of the REIT
difficult and time-consuming.
D. DESCRIPTION OF OTHER 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
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may debit advisory fees for our services related to our Asset Management and Comprehensive Portfolio
Management services, as applicable.
COMPANY RISK
The risk related to a Firm’s business plans, stock valuation, profitability, accounting practices, growth
strategy, and other factors particular to a company rather than the overall market. Some of these
risks cannot be predicted, such as the retirement or death of a senior executive, which may lead to
negative performance in the future.
CYBERSECURITY RISK
Increased Internet use makes a portfolio susceptible to operational and informational security risks.
In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyberattacks
include but are not limited to infection by computer viruses or other malicious software code, gaining
unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices through “hacking” or other means to
misappropriate assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption.
Cybersecurity failures or breaches of third-party service providers may cause disruptions at third-
party service providers and impact our business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses;
the inability to transact business; violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, or
penalties; reputational damage; unanticipated expenses or other compensation costs; or additional
compliance costs. Our Firm has an established business continuity and disaster recovery plan and
related cybersecurity procedures designed to prevent or reduce the impact of such risks; there are
inherent limitations in such plans and systems due in part to the evolving nature of technology and
cyberattack tactics.
DEFLATION RISK
When inflation or expectations are low, the value and income of an account’s investments in inflation-
linked securities could fall, resulting in losses.
DEFAULT RISK
Default risk refers to the risk that a company will be unable to repay its debts and can result in the
loss of an investor’s entire investment in a Firm. Should a company default and go into bankruptcy,
equity holders are at the highest risk as they are residual claimants and are the last in line to be repaid,
with no requirements on the issuing company to, if at all, repay shareholders their investment.
Uncollateralized bond holders also bear a significant likelihood of sustaining significant losses
should the company fail as they also have no guaranteed claims on the company’s remaining assets.
Asset backed bonds are bonds that are backed by a company’s assets should default occur. These
bonds offer lower rates of return due to the decrease in potential losses should default occur.
EVENT RISK
The possibility is that an unforeseen event will negatively affect a company or industry and, thus,
increase security volatility.
FREQUENT TRADING RISK
A portfolio Manager may actively and frequently trade investments in a portfolio to carry out its
investment strategies. Frequent trading of investments increases the possibility that a portfolio, as
relevant, will realize taxable capital gains (including short-term capital gains, which are typically
taxable at higher rates than long-term capital gains for U.S. federal income tax purposes), which
could reduce a portfolio's after-tax return. Frequent trading can also mean higher brokerage and
other transaction costs, which could reduce a portfolio's return. The trading costs and tax effects of
portfolio turnover can adversely affect its performance.
GEOGRAPHIC CONCENTRATION RISK
If an account concentrates its investments in a particular geographic region or country, its
performance is closely tied to the market, currency, social, political, economic, environmental, and
regulatory conditions within that country or region. These conditions include anticipated or actual
government budget deficits or other financial difficulties, levels of inflation and unemployment, fiscal
and monetary controls, and political and social instability in such countries and regions. As a result,
the account is likely to be more volatile than an account with more geographically diverse
investments.
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INDUSTRY OR SECTOR RISK
An account that focuses its investments in specific industries or sectors is more susceptible to
developments affecting those industries and sectors than a more broadly diversified fund. Issuers in
a single industry can react similarly to market, economic, industry, social, political, regulatory, and
other conditions. For example, suppose an account has significant investments in technology
companies. In that case, the account may perform poorly during a downturn in one or more
industries or sectors that heavily impact technology companies.
LEGACY HOLDING RISK
Investment advice may be offered on any investment a Client holds at the start of the advisory
relationship. Depending on tax considerations and Client sentiment, these investments will be sold
over time, and the assets invested in the appropriate strategy. As with any investment decision, there
is the risk that timing with respect to the sale and reinvestment of these assets will be less than ideal
or even result in a loss to the Client.
LIQUIDITY RISK
Liquidity risk is the risk that thinly traded securities will not be able to be traded at a fair market value
when the investor desires to make the trade. Although liquidity risk may be relatively small for large
cap, highly traded, securities, it does impact the risk associated with small cap securities. Negative
events surrounding smaller cap Firms with already thin trading markets can decrease the ability for
investors to sell their holdings at a fair market value. If an investor seeks to sell a security that suffers
from high levels of liquidity risk, it is possible that he will have to accept a price significantly lower
than its fair market value.
MARKET RISK
Even a long-term investment approach cannot guarantee a profit. Economic, political, and issuer-
specific events will cause the value of securities to rise or fall. Because the value of investment
portfolios will fluctuate, there is the risk that you will lose money, and your investment may be worth
less upon liquidation. Due to a lack of demand in the marketplace or other factors, an account may
only be able to sell some or all the investments promptly or may only be able to sell assets at desired
prices.
PREPAYMENT RISK
Like call risk, this risk is associated with the early unscheduled principal repayment on a fixed-
income security. When the principal is returned early, future interest payments will not be paid. The
proceeds from the repayment may be reinvested in securities at a lower prevailing rate.
REINVESTMENT RISK
The possibility of investing a bond’s cash flows at a rate lower than the expected rate of return
assumed at the time of buying the bond. Reinvestment risk is high for bonds with long maturities
and high coupons.
SECTOR RISK
The danger is that the stocks of many companies in one sector (like health care or technology) will
fall in price simultaneously because of an event that affects the entire industry.
SECURITIES LENDING RISK
Securities lending involves the risk that the fund loses money because the borrower fails to return
the securities promptly. The fund could also lose money if the value of the collateral provided for
loaned securities, or the value of the investments made with the cash collateral, falls. These events
could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the fund.
SHORT SALE RISK
A short sale is affected by selling a security that the seller does not own or selling a security that the
seller owns but which it does not deliver upon consummation of the sale. To make delivery to the
buyer of a security sold short, the prime broker or Custodian must borrow the security on behalf of
the seller. In so doing, it incurs the obligation to replace that security, whatever its price may be, at
the time it is required to deliver it to the lender. The seller must also pay to the lender of the security
any dividends or interest payable on the security during the borrowing period and may have to pay
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a premium to borrow the security. This obligation must, unless the seller then owns or has the right
to obtain, without payment, securities identical to those sold short, be collateralized by a deposit of
cash or marketable securities with the lender. Short selling is subject to the theoretically unlimited
risk of loss because there is no limit on how much the price of a security may appreciate before the
“short” position is closed out.
Further, short sales of securities involve a form of investment leverage, and the amount of the
portfolio’s potential loss is theoretically unlimited. See Borrowing and Leverage Risk.
TIMING RISK
The risk is that the investment needs to perform better after its purchase or sale. Moreover, if the
Client requires redemption, the Client may face a loss due to poor overall market performance or
security performance at that time.
The foregoing list of risk factors does not purport to be a complete enumeration or explanation of the risks
involved in an investment managed by Apella.
ITEM 9 - DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION
Registered investment advisers are required to provide information about all disciplinary information that
would be material to a Client’s evaluation of our Firm or the integrity of its management. Clients should refer
to the Adviser’s Form ADV Part 2B Brochure Supplement. If the Client did not receive the Adviser’s Form ADV
Part 2B Brochure Supplement, the Client should contact the Chief Compliance Officer using the information
provided on the cover page of this Brochure. Our Chief Compliance Officer is available to address any
questions a Client or prospective client may have regarding the above or any information outlined in this
Brochure.
A. CRIMINAL OR CIVIL ACTIONS
Apella has nothing to report for this item.
B. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS
Apella has nothing to report for this item.
C. SELF-REGULATORY ORGANIZATION (SRO) PROCEEDINGS
Apella has nothing to report for this item.
ITEM 10 - OTHER FINANCIAL INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES & AFFILIATIONS
A. REGISTRATION AS A BROKER/DEALER OR BROKER/DEALER REPRESENTATIVE
Neither Apella nor its investment adviser representatives are registered as, or have pending applications to become, a
broker/dealer or a representative of a broker/dealer.
B. REGISTRATION AS A FUTURES COMMISSION MERCHANT, COMMODITY POOL
OPERATOR, OR COMMODITY TRADING ADVISOR
Neither Apella nor its representatives are registered as or have pending applications to become either a Pool
Operator, or Commodity Trading Advisor or an associated person of the foregoing entities.
C. REGISTRATION RELATIONSHIPS MATERIAL TO THIS ADVISORY BUSINESS AND
POSSIBLE CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS
Certain members of Apella, are also the members of Symmetry Partners, LLC. (an affiliated investment
advisory Firm). As of 12/31/2024, Apella no longer engages Symmetry Partners as a vendor for any services.
D. SELECTION OF OTHER ADVISERS OR MANAGERS AND HOW THIS ADVISER IS
COMPENSATED FOR THOSE SELECTIONS
Apella may manage portfolios directly or may select third-party investment advisory firms (“External
Managers”) to manage specific portions of the allocation consistent with the overall asset allocation strategy
developed by Apella. External Managers are selected by Apella’s Investment Committee (the “Investment
Committee”) based on an evaluation of the investment advisory organization, including the organization’s
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performance against selected benchmarks, investment style within a particular asset class, expenses, and
related factors.
The Investment Committee monitors the performance of External Managers, including managers’ adherence
to investment style and continuing suitability with respect to model strategies and overall asset allocation
strategy, as well as overall expense levels. As part of this monitoring process, the Investment Committee
employs the services of various outside consulting and research providers to obtain performance
measurement, including index and peer group comparisons, and/or other services. The Investment
Committee continually monitors the capital markets and various asset classes. Periodically, the Investment
Committee may recommend adjustments to model strategies in seeking to avoid risk or gain exposures
associated with investment opportunities.
All External Manager (“sub-adviser”) fees are paid by the client and are disclosed on a separate fee
addendum and/or direct agreement with the sub-adviser.
Apella is not affiliated with DPL Financial Partners or any of the insurance carriers whose products are
available through the platform. Our use of DPL is solely to enhance our ability to deliver fiduciary-aligned
insurance solutions to our clients.
ITEM 11 - CODE OF ETHICS, PARTICIPATION & INTEREST IN CLIENT
TRANSACTIONS, & PERSONAL TRADING
A. CODE OF ETHICS
Our Firm maintains a Code of Ethics to reinforce the fiduciary principles governing our Firm and its
employees. The Code, among other things, requires all employees to act with integrity and ethics, and
professionalism.
Policies against overreaching, self-dealing, insider trading, and conflicts of interest are outlined in our Code.
Our Code forbids employees from trading, either personally or on behalf of others, based on non-public
material information or communicating non-public material information to others violating the law.
Additionally, our Code sets forth restrictions and quarterly attestations on receiving gifts, outside business
activities, personal trading activity, maintenance of personal brokerage accounts, and other matters. The
Code is appropriately designed and implemented to prevent or eliminate potential conflicts of interest
between our Firm, our employees and IARs, Clients, and investors. We always strive to make decisions in our
Client's best interest should a conflict of interest arise.
Clients should be aware that no set of rules, policies, or procedures can anticipate, avoid, or address all
potential conflicts of interest. Any exceptions to the Code require the prior approval of the CCO. We will
provide a copy of the Code to any Client or prospective client upon such written or verbal request. Such
requests should be directed to our Firm’s CCO at the contact information listed in Item 1 - Cover Page of this
Brochure.
B. RECOMMENDATIONS INVOLVING MATERIAL FINANCIAL INTERESTS
Neither Apella nor its employees have any material financial interest in the securities it recommends to its
clients. Several Apella clients own shares of the Symmetry Panoramic Mutual Funds (“Panoramic Funds”),
managed by Symmetry Partners, LLC (an Apella affiliate). As of 12/31/24, Apella removed Panoramic Funds
from its approved investment list. As a result, Panoramic Fund shares may no longer be purchased in client
portfolios, must be sold in qualified accounts, and may only be held if disposing would generate capital gains
taxes beyond a client’s capital gains target. Apella IARs are neither incentivized (compensated) or evaluated
in any way based on holdings in the Panoramic Funds.
C. INVESTING PERSONAL MONEY IN THE SAME SECURITIES AS CLIENTS
Apella’s employees are allowed to invest in same securities that are recommended to clients. The securities
recommended by Apella are primarily shares of mutual funds and ETFs. They are generally not “reportable
securities,” and as such the Apella Code of Ethics does not ordinarily limit the ability of Apella’s employees
to invest in the same open-end mutual funds and ETFs that are recommended to clients. All employees of
Apella are prohibited from profiting at the expense of clients and competing with clients with respect to
transactions in “reportable securities” as defined in Rule 204A-1(e) (10) under the Investment Advisers Act of
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1940. Apella employees’ personal transactions in reportable securities are reviewed on a quarterly basis to
assure compliance with all personal security transaction policies..
D. TRADING SECURITIES AT/AROUND THE SAME TIME AS CLIENTS’ SECURITIES
Apella does not participate in these types of transactions.
If the Company is purchasing/selling or considering for purchase/sale any Covered Security on behalf of a
client account, no Associated Person may effect a transaction in that Covered Security prior to the client
purchase/sale having been completed by the Company, or until a decision has been made not to
purchase/sell the Covered Security on behalf of the client account and in accordance with the Company’s
pre-clearance policy and restricted list, if any.
ITEM 12 - BROKERAGE PRACTICES
A. FACTORS USED TO SELECT CUSTODIANS AND/OR BROKER/DEALERS
At present, Apella has relationships with two primary custodians, Charles Schwab, and Fidelity, which are
operationally set up to maintain client accounts, and each client selects his or her own custodian. In selecting
its custodian, each client will be deemed to have directed Apella to affect any transactions in ETF shares and
other individual securities through such broker as the client’s custodian may from time to time direct. It should
be noted that on occasion clients may have their assets held by TIAA-CREF. TIAA CREF is limited to clients
that are participants in employee sponsored retirement plans who utilize TIAA–CREF’s services.
Our Firm seeks to recommend a Custodian-Broker who will hold Client assets and execute the transactions
on terms that are, overall, most advantageous compared to other available providers and their services. Our
Firm considers a wide range of factors, including, among others:
• Combination of transaction execution and asset custody services (without a separate fee for
custody).
• Capability to execute, clear, and settle trades (buy and sell securities for Client accounts).
• Capability to facilitate transfers and payments to and from accounts (wire transfers, check requests,
bill payments, etc.).
• The breadth of available investment products (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds
[ETFs], etc.).
• Availability of investment research and tools that assist us in making investment decisions.
• Quality of services.
• Competitiveness of the price of those services (commission rates, other fees, etc.) and willingness
to negotiate the prices.
• Reputation, financial strength, and stability.
• Prior service to our Firm and our other Clients.
Availability of other products and services that benefit our Firm, as discussed below (see “Products and
Services Available to Us from Schwab”).
We typically recommend that our Clients utilize Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Adviser Services ("Schwab"), a
registered broker-dealer (Member SIPC) as the qualified Custodian. Our Firm is independently owned,
operated and unaffiliated with Schwab. Schwab will hold Client assets in a brokerage account and buy and
sell securities when our Firm instructs them.
Betterment
As part of our investment management services, we utilize the Betterment for Advisors platform, a service
provided by Betterment LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser.
Betterment for Advisors provides automated investment management, portfolio construction, tax-loss
harvesting, and rebalancing services. While the Firm retains discretion over client accounts, Betterment
executes trades and provides custodial services through Betterment Securities, an SEC-registered broker-
dealer and member of FINRA/SIPC.
The Firm requires clients using Betterment for Advisors to custody their assets with Betterment Securities.
This arrangement may limit the Firm’s ability to seek best execution or aggregate trades across custodians.
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However, the Firm believes Betterment’s services provide value through automation, tax efficiency, and
low-cost investment options.
While our Firm recommends that Clients use Schwab as a Custodian, Clients must decide whether to do so
and open accounts with Schwab by entering into account agreements directly with them. The Client opens
the accounts with Schwab. The accounts will always be held in the Client's name and never in our Firm’s.
1. RESEARCH AND OTHER SOFT DOLLAR BENEFITS
Apella has access to research, products, or other services from its broker/dealer in connection with
client securities transactions (“soft dollar benefits”) consistent with (and not outside of) the safe
harbor contained in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and may
consider these benefits in recommending brokers. There can be no assurance that any particular
client will benefit from any particular soft dollar research or other benefits. Apella benefits by not
having to produce or pay for the research, products or services, and Apella will have an incentive to
recommend a broker dealer based on receiving research or services. Clients should be aware that
Apella ‘s acceptance of soft dollar benefits may result in higher commissions charged to the client.
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE TO US FROM SCHWAB
Schwab Adviser Services™ (formerly called Schwab Institutional®) provides independent
investment advisory Firms and Clients with access to its institutional brokerage, trading,
custody, reporting, and related services, many of which are not typically available to
Schwab retail customers. Schwab also makes available various support services. Some of
those services help us manage or administer our Clients’ accounts; others help us manage
and grow our business. Schwab’s support services are typically available on an unsolicited
basis and at no charge to our Firm. These are typically considered soft dollar benefits
because there is an incentive to do business with Schwab. Receiving soft dollar benefits
creates a conflict of interest. We have established policies in this regard to mitigate any
conflicts of interest. We believe our selection of Schwab as Custodian-Broker is in the
Clients' best interests. Our Firm will always act in the best interest of our Clients and act as
fiduciary in carrying out services to Clients. The following is a more detailed description of
Schwab’s support services:
SERVICES THAT BENEFIT OUR CLIENTS
Schwab's institutional brokerage services include access to a broad range of investment
products, execution of securities transactions, and custody of Client assets. The investment
products available through Schwab include some we might not otherwise have access to
or would require a significantly higher minimum initial investment by our Clients. Schwab’s
services described in this paragraph benefit our Clients and their accounts.
SERVICES THAT MAY NOT DIRECTLY BENEFIT OUR CLIENTS
Schwab also makes other products and services available that benefit our Firm but may not
directly benefit our Clients or their accounts. These products and services assist our Firm in
managing and administering our Clients’ accounts. They include investment research, both
Schwab’s own and that of third parties. Our Firm may use this research to service all or a
substantial number of our Client's accounts, including accounts not maintained at Schwab.
In addition to investment research, Schwab also makes available software and other
technology that:
• Provides access to Client account data (such as duplicate trade confirmations and
account statements).
• Facilitate trade execution and allocate aggregated trade orders for multiple Client
accounts.
• Provide pricing and other market data.
• Facilitate payment of our fees from our Clients’ accounts.
• Assist with back-office functions, recordkeeping, and Client reporting.
SERVICES THAT GENERALLY BENEFIT ONLY US
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Schwab also offers other services to help our Firm manage and further develop our
business enterprise.
These services include:
• Educational conferences and events
• Consulting on technology, compliance, legal, and business needs
Publications and conferences on practice management and business succession
• Access to employee benefits providers, human capital consultants, and insurance
providers
Schwab may provide some of these services itself. In other cases, it will arrange for third-
party vendors to provide the services to our Firm. Schwab may also discount or waive its
fees for some of these services or pay all or a part of a third party’s fees. Schwab may also
provide our Firm with other benefits, such as occasional business entertainment for our
personnel.
OUR INTEREST IN SCHWAB’S SERVICES
The availability of these services from Schwab benefits our Firm because we do not have
to produce or purchase them. These services are not contingent upon our Firm committing
any specific amount of business to Schwab in trading commissions. We believe our
selection of Schwab as Custodian and Broker is in our Client’s best interests.
• Some of the products, services, and other benefits provided by Schwab benefit our
Firm and may not benefit our Client accounts. Our recommendation or requirement
that you place assets in Schwab's custody may be based, in part, on the benefits
Schwab provides to our Firm or our Agreement to maintain certain Assets Under
Management at Schwab and not solely on the nature, cost, or quality of custody and
execution services provided by Schwab.
• Our Firm places trades for our Clients' accounts subject to its duty to seek the best
execution and other fiduciary duties. Schwab's execution quality may be different
from other broker-dealers.
• Our Firm does not routinely recommend, request, or require that the Client direct us
to execute the transactions through a specified Custodian. Additionally, our Firm
typically does not permit the Client to direct brokerage. We place trades for Client
accounts subject to our duty to seek the best execution and other fiduciary duties.
• We will aggregate trades for ourselves or our associated persons with your trades,
providing that the following conditions are met:
o Our policy for the aggregation of transactions shall be fully disclosed
separately to our existing Clients (if any) and the broker/dealer(s) through
which such transactions will be placed.
o We will only aggregate transactions if we believe that aggregation is
consistent with our duty to seek the best execution (which includes the duty
to seek the best price) for the Client and is consistent with the terms of our
investment advisory agreement.
o
o No advisory Client will be favored over any other Client; each Client that
participates in an aggregated order will participate at the average share
price for all transactions in a given security on a given business day, with
transaction costs based on each Client's participation in the transaction.
o Our Firm will prepare a written statement (“Allocation Statement”) specifying
the participating Client accounts and how to allocate the order among those
Clients.
If the aggregated order is filled in its entirety, it will be allocated among
Clients per the allocation statement; if the order is partially filled, the
accounts that did not receive the previous trade's positions should be "first
in line" to receive the next allocation.
o Notwithstanding the preceding, the order may be allocated on a basis
different from that specified if all Client accounts receive fair and equitable
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treatment. The reason for the difference in allocation will be documented
and reviewed by our Firm’s Compliance Officer. Our Firm’s books and
records will separately reflect, for each Client account, the orders which are
aggregated, and the securities held by and bought for that account.
o Our Firm will not receive additional compensation or remuneration of any
kind because of the proposed aggregation; and
Individual advice and treatment will be accorded to each advisory Client.
o
2. BROKERAGE FOR CLIENT REFERRALS
We do not receive Client referrals from any Custodian or third party in exchange for using that
broker-dealer or third party.
3. DIRECTED BROKERAGE
Each client directs its own trades with respect to ETFs and other individual securities. As a result, the
client may incur higher commissions, greater spreads, or less favorable net prices than if the client
had chosen a different custodian and thereby directed Apella to execute ETF trades through another
broker- dealer. Apella may not be able to obtain best execution for such trades.
B. AGGREGATING (BLOCK) TRADING FOR MULTIPLE CLIENT ACCOUNTS
Although Apella does not aggregate trades for execution, Apella offices transmit instructions with respect
to transactions in mutual funds and ETFs to its clients’ custodians at various times throughout the day, and
instructions with respect to transactions on behalf of multiple clients with the same custodian may be
transmitted at the same time. Client transactions in ETFs may be held for part of a trading day until the next
regular transmission to their custodians, which may adversely affect the price at which they are affected. A
client’s custodian may further aggregate such orders for execution.
Please note that trades are aggregated with each custodian separately. Depending on the number of shares
traded, the custodians may participate in a trade rotation process. The trade rotation process provides
objective preference to the custodian by submitting trades for each custodian in sequence starting with a
different custodian on each series of block trades. The starting custodian moves down one position on the
list at the start of each new trading day. The submission process for each custodian is done in an efficient
and timely manner. Axos is not part of the trade rotation process.
ITEM 13 - REVIEW OF ACCOUNTS
A. FREQUENCY AND NATURE OF PERIODIC REVIEWS AND WHO MAKES THOSE REVIEWS
Our Firm reviews Client accounts and financial plans periodically, annually and as needed. Our IARs will
monitor Client accounts regularly and perform annual reviews with each Client. All accounts are reviewed
for consistency with Client investment strategy, asset allocation, risk tolerance, and performance.
The Client receives a copy of each trade confirmation (unless the Client has authorized the Custodian to
suppress the confirmations) and the standard written account statement from the qualified account
Custodian every quarter.
B. FACTORS THAT WILL TRIGGER A NON-PERIODIC REVIEW OF CLIENT ACCOUNTS
More frequent reviews may be triggered by changes in an account holder’s employment, tax, or financial
status. A material market event could also trigger a review. Our recommendations depend on the information
provided by the Client.
C. CONTENT AND FREQUENCY OF REGULAR REPORTS PROVIDED TO CLIENTS
Clients receive either a quarterly or monthly statement from the custodian. Apella may also provide clients
with quarterly performance reports. In addition, Apella has other tools it may use in connection with the review
of client accounts which may include, without limitation, research notes, white papers, and analysis on related
market event.
ITEM 14 - CLIENT REFERRALS & OTHER COMPENSATION
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A. ECONOMIC BENEFITS PROVIDED BY THIRD PARTIES FOR ADVICE RENDERED TO
CLIENTS (INCLUDES SALES AWARDS OR OTHER PRIZES)
As disclosed under Item 12 Brokerage Practices, we participate in the Custodian’s institutional customer
programs, and we may recommend a Custodian to our Clients for custody and brokerage services. There is
no direct link between our participation in the program and the investment advice we give to our Clients.
However, we receive economic benefits through our participation in the program that is typically not
available to any other independent advisers participating in the program. These benefits include the
following products and services (provided without cost or at a discount):
• Receipt of duplicate Client statements and confirmations.
• Research-related products and tools.
• Consulting services.
• Access to a trading desk serving adviser participants.
• Access to block trading (which provides the ability to aggregate securities transactions for execution
and then allocate the appropriate shares to Client accounts);
• The ability to have advisory fees deducted directly from Client accounts.
• Access to an electronic communications network for Client order entry and account information.
• Access to mutual funds with no transaction fees and certain institutional money Managers.
• Discounts on compliance, marketing, research, technology, and practice management products or
services provided to us by third-party vendors.
Custodians may also have paid for business consulting and professional services received by some of our
IARs. Some of the products and services made available by Custodians through the program may benefit us
but may not benefit your account. These products or services may assist us in managing and administering
Client accounts, including accounts not maintained at our recommended Custodian. Other services made
available by the Custodian are intended to help us manage and further develop our business enterprise. The
benefits our Firm or our IARs receive through participation in the program do not depend on the amount of
brokerage transactions directed to the Custodian. Due to these arrangements, our Client does not pay more
for assets maintained at Schwab. As part of our fiduciary duties to Clients, we always endeavor to put our
Client's interests first. Clients should be aware, however, that receiving economic benefits from our Firm or
our IARs in and of itself creates a conflict of interest because the cost of these services would otherwise be
borne directly by us. These arrangements could indirectly influence our choice of Custodian for custody and
brokerage services. Clients should consider these conflicts of interest when selecting a Custodian. The
products and services provided by the Custodian, how they benefit us, and the related conflicts of interest
are described above.
B. COMPENSATION TO NON – ADVISORY PERSONNEL FOR CLIENT REFERRALS
Apella has entered into a Joint Marketing Agreement with CFS Financial, LLC, an investment adviser
registered in the state of MA (“Referring Firm”), whereby Apella co-sponsors college planning seminars with
Referring Firm. The purpose of the seminars is to educate participants regarding college funding options
and, for a planning fee, to guide individuals (“College Planning Clients”) through the college funding process.
Certain College Planning Clients have financial planning or investment advisory needs beyond the scope of
services provided by Referring Firm. Referring Firm may refer such College Planning Clients to Apella for
broader scope financial planning and/or for ongoing investment advisory services. This referral is considered
an endorsement under Rule 206(4)-1 of the Investment Advisers Act. Referring Firm receives fees for services
it provides and additional compensation from Apella for referrals of clients for investment advisory services.
Clients do not incur additional fees due to these arrangements.
As described above, Referral Firm receives a fee for referring College Planning Clients to Apella for
investment advisory services. Therefore, Referral Firm has a financial incentive to recommend Apella to its
College Planning Clients over similar Firms that do not compensate Referral Firm for referrals.
Clients referred by Referring Firm are subject to the same standard fee schedule as other Apella clients as
other clients serviced by the same Apella office location. A portion of the investment advisory fee earned by
Apella is then paid to Referral Firm. Given that Apella does not charge referred clients a higher fee than those
clients not referred by Referral Firm, the referral fee serves to reduce the net fee retained by Apella.
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ITEM 15 - CUSTODY
Regulators have defined custody as having access or control over Client funds or securities. As it applies to
our Firm, we do not have physical custody of funds or securities.
When it deducts fees directly from client accounts at a selected custodian, Apella will be deemed to have
limited custody of client’s assets and must have written authorization from the client to do so. Clients will
receive all account statements and billing invoices that are required in each jurisdiction, and they should
carefully review those statements for accuracy. In most cases, Clients have authorized Apella to deduct fees
from their accounts by acknowledging the fee calculation and billing processes described in their
Investment Advisory Agreement.
Additionally, our Firm is deemed to have custody of the Client’s funds or securities when you have standing
authorizations with their Custodian to move money from your account to a third-party Standing Letter of
Authorization (“SLOA”) and, under that SLOA, it authorizes us to designate the amount or timing of transfers
with the Custodian. The SEC has set forth standards to protect your assets in such situations, which we follow.
We do not have a beneficial interest in any of the accounts we are deemed to have Custody of where SLOAs
are on file. In addition, account statements reflecting all activity on the account(s) are delivered directly from
the qualified Custodian to each Client or the Client’s independent representative at least monthly. You should
carefully review those statements and are urged to compare the statements against reports received from
us. When you have questions about your account statements, contact us, your Adviser, or the qualified
Custodian preparing the statement.
Some of Apella’s employees serve as trustees on certain client accounts. Where that employee is not the
trustee due to a prior personal relationship with the client, the SEC considers Apella to have custody of the
account. These accounts are subject to an annual surprise examination by an independent accountant in
order to comply with the SEC’s rule on the custody of client assets.
When a client opens an account with Apella, the assets are held with a qualified custodian. Clients will
receive monthly or quarterly account statements, depending on the custodian. Clients should review the
statements carefully for accurate information. In addition, Apella can provide advisers with quarterly
performance reports of clients’ accounts to share with clients. When reviewing this report, clients should
note that this report does not take the place of brokerage statements, any fund company statements, or
1099 tax forms. The client is urged to compare this report with the statement received from the custodian
covering the same period.
ITEM 16 - INVESTMENT DISCRETION
Apella can manage client portfolios on a discretionary or nondiscretionary basis, as detailed in the client
agreement for services. When Apella 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 Apella. 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 Apella will be in accordance with each Client’s investment objectives and goals.
DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY
Upon receiving written authorization from the Client, our Firm provides discretionary investment
advisory services for Client accounts. For discretionary accounts, before engaging our Firm to
provide investment advisory services, you will enter into a written Investment Advisory Agreement
with us granting our Firm the authority to supervise and direct, on an ongoing basis, investments per
the Client's investment objective and guidelines. In addition, our Client will need to execute
additional documents required by the Custodian to authorize and enable our Firm, in its sole
discretion, without prior consultation with or ratification by our Client, to purchase, sell or exchange
securities in and for your accounts. We are authorized, at our discretion and without prior
consultation with the Client, to (1) buy, sell, exchange, and trade any stocks, bonds, or other securities
or assets and (2) determine the amount of securities to be bought or sold and (3) place orders with
the Custodian. Any limitations to such discretionary authority will be communicated to our Firm in
writing by you, the Client.
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The limitations on investment and brokerage discretion held by our Firm are:
• For discretionary accounts, we require that we be given the authority to determine which
securities and the amounts to be bought or sold.
• Any limitations on this discretionary authority shall be in writing as indicated in the
Investment Advisory Agreement. Clients may change or amend these limitations as
required.
ITEM 17 - VOTING CLIENT SECURITIES
Unless Apella and the client otherwise agree in writing, Apella is precluded from, and the client shall be
responsible for:
a) directing the manner in which proxies solicited by issuers of securities the client beneficially owns
shall be voted; and
b) making all elections relative to any mergers, acquisitions, tender offers, bankruptcy proceedings or
other events pertaining to the securities in the account.
The client authorizes and directs the custodian to forward to the client all proxies and shareholder
communications relating to the assets. Should a client wish to grant Apella discretion to vote proxies, the
client must do so in writing, and such voting authority will not be effective until accepted in writing by Apella.
ITEM 18 - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
A. PREPAYMENT OF FEES
Please see Item 5.D within this brochure. Apella does not require or solicit prepayment of more than $1,200
in fees per Client six months or more in advance. Therefore, we are not required to include a balance sheet
for the most recent fiscal year.
B. DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY AND PREPAYMENT OF FEES
Neither Apella, nor its management has any adverse financial situations that would reasonably impair the
ability of Apella to meet Client contractual and fiduciary obligations and has not been the subject of
bankruptcy proceedings.
C. BANKRUPTCY
Neither Apella, nor any of its supervised persons, have been subject to a bankruptcy or financial compromise.
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