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Blue Water Asset Management, LLC
d/b/a: Blue Water Asset Management
4120 E. Beltline Ave.
Suite 100
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
Telephone: 616-447-1600
Facsimile: 616-447-1616
March 17, 2026
FORM ADV PART 2A
BROCHURE
This brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of Blue
Water Asset Management. If you have any questions about the contents of this brochure,
contact us at 616-4471600. 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.
Additional information about Blue Water Asset Management is available on the SEC's
website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. The firm's searchable CRD number is 175362.
Blue Water Asset Management is a registered investment adviser. Registration with the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities authority does not imply a
certain level of skill or training.
Item 2 Summary of Material Changes
Form ADV Part 2 requires registered investment advisers to amend their brochure when
information becomes materially inaccurate. If there are any material changes to an adviser's
disclosure brochure, the adviser is required to notify you and provide you with a description of
the material changes.
Since our last updating amendment dated March 19, 2025, we have not made any material
changes to this brochure.
Item 3 Table of Contents
Item 2 Summary of Material Changes ............................................................................................ 2
Item 3 Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ 3
Item 4 Advisory Business ............................................................................................................... 4
Item 5 Fees and Compensation ..................................................................................................... 6
Item 6 Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management.............................................. 10
Item 7 Types of Clients ................................................................................................................. 10
Item 8 Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss ......................................... 11
Item 9 Disciplinary Information ..................................................................................................... 18
Item 10 Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations .......................................................... 18
Item 11 Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and Personal Trading . 19
Item 12 Brokerage Practices ........................................................................................................ 20
Item 13 Review of Accounts ......................................................................................................... 24
Item 14 Client Referrals and Other Compensation ...................................................................... 25
Item 15 Custody ............................................................................................................................ 26
Item 16 Investment Discretion ...................................................................................................... 26
Item 17 Voting Client Securities ................................................................................................... 27
Item 18 Financial Information ....................................................................................................... 27
Item 4 Advisory Business
Description of Firm
Blue Water Asset Management, LLC d/b/a Blue Water Asset Management is a registered
investment adviser primarily based in Grand Rapids, MI. Our advisory firm was organized as
a Limited Liability Company under the laws of the State of Michigan in 2015. Mark S. Redfield
is our Managing Member and Andrew Armstrong is our Chief Compliance Officer.
Investment Adviser Representatives of Blue Water Asset Management, LLC may offer our
services along with other financial services under the marketing/business names (DBA’s) of
Capitol Income Consultants, Jay Greer & Co., and Redfield Financial Group.
The following paragraphs describe our services and fees. Refer to the description of each
investment advisory service listed below for information on how we tailor our advisory services
to your individual needs. As used in this brochure, the words "BWAM", "we", "our" and "us" refer
to Blue Water Asset Management and the words "you", "your" and "client" refer to you as either
a client or prospective client of our firm.
Portfolio Management Services
We offer discretionary portfolio management services. Our investment advice is tailored to meet
our clients' needs and investment objectives.
If you participate in our discretionary portfolio management services, we require you to grant
us discretionary authority to manage your account. Subject to a grant of discretionary
authorization, we have the authority and responsibility to formulate investment strategies on
your behalf. Discretionary authorization will allow us to determine the specific securities, and
the amount of securities, to be purchased or sold for your account without obtaining your
approval prior to each transaction. Discretionary authority is typically granted by the
investment advisory agreement you sign with our firm, a power of attorney, or trading
authorization forms.
In limited circumstances, we may consider accommodating client restrictions (for example,
limiting the types of securities or specific securities that can be purchased or sold for your
account). However, we are unable to accommodate client restrictions in accounts that utilize
model portfolios or program strategies.
As part of our portfolio management services, we may use one or more sub-advisers to
manage a portion of your account on a discretionary basis. The sub-adviser(s) may use one or
more of their model portfolios to manage your account. We will regularly monitor the
performance of your accounts managed by sub-adviser(s), and may hire and fire any sub-
adviser without your prior approval.
In providing account management services, we generally do not accept client restrictions
on the specific securities or the types of securities that may be held in your account.
Financial Planning Services
We offer financial planning services which typically involve providing a variety of advisory
services to clients regarding the management of their financial resources based upon an
analysis of their individual needs. These services can range from broad-based financial planning
to consultative or single subject planning. If you retain our firm for financial planning services, we
will meet with you to gather information about your financial circumstances and objectives. We
may also use financial planning software to determine your current financial position and to
define and quantify your long-term goals and objectives. Once we specify those long-term
objectives (both financial and non-financial), we will develop shorter-term, targeted objectives.
Once we review and analyze the information you provide to our firm and the data derived from
our financial planning software, we will deliver a written plan to you, designed to help you achieve
your stated financial goals and objectives.
Financial plans are based on your financial situation at the time we present the plan to you,
and on the financial information you provide to us. You must promptly notify our firm if your
financial situation, goals, objectives, or needs change.
You are under no obligation to act on our financial planning recommendations. Should you
choose to act on any of our recommendations, you are not obligated to implement the financial
plan through any of our other investment advisory services. Moreover, you may act on our
recommendations by placing securities transactions with any brokerage firm.
Advisory Consulting Services
We offer consulting services that primarily involves advising clients on specific financial-related
topics. The topics we address may include, but are not limited to, risk
assessment/management, investment planning, financial organization, or financial decision
making/negotiation.
Selection of Other Advisers
We may recommend that you use the services of a third party money manager ("MM") to
manage all, or a portion of, your investment portfolio. After gathering information about your
financial situation and objectives, we may recommend that you engage a specif ic MM or
investment program. Factors that we take into consideration when making our
recommendation(s) include, but are not limited to, the following: the MM's performance,
methods of analysis, fees, your financial needs, investment goals, risk tolerance, and
investment objectives. We will monitor the MM(s)' performance to ensure its management and
investment style remains aligned with your investment goals and objectives.
The MM(s) will actively manage your portfolio and will assume discretionary investment
authority over your account. We will assume discretionary authority to hire and fire MM(s)
and/or reallocate your assets to other MM(s) where we deem such action appropriate.
Pension Consulting Services
We offer pension consulting services to employee benefit plans and their fiduciaries based upon
the needs of the plan and the services requested by the plan sponsor or named fiduciary. In
general, these services may include an existing plan review and analysis, plan-level advice
regarding fund selection and investment options, education services to plan participants,
investment performance monitoring, and/or ongoing consulting. These pension consulting
services will generally be non-discretionary and advisory in nature. The ultimate decision to act
on behalf of the plan shall remain with the plan sponsor or other named fiduciary.
We may also assist with participant enrollment meetings and provide investment-related
education to plan participants on such topics as:
• Diversification
• Asset allocation
• Risk tolerance
• Time horizon
We may also provide additional types of pension consulting services to plans on an individually
negotiated basis. All services, whether discussed above or customized for the plan based upon
requirements from the plan fiduciaries (which may include additional plan-level or participant-
level services) shall be detailed in a written agreement and be consistent with the parameters
set forth in the plan documents.
Either party to the pension consulting agreement may terminate the agreement upon written
notice to the other party in accordance with the terms of the agreement for services. The
pension consulting fees will be prorated for the quarter in which the termination notice is given,
and any unearned fees will be refunded to the client.
Wrap Fee Programs
We do not participate in any wrap fee program.
Types of Investments
We primarily offer advice on equity securities, ETFs, warrants, corporate debt securities
(other than commercial paper), commercial paper, certificates of deposit, municipal securities,
variable annuities, structured notes, mutual fund shares, United States government securities,
options contracts on securities, options contracts on commodities, futures contracts on
tangibles, futures contracts on intangibles, interests in partnerships investing in real estate
and interests in partnerships investing in oil and gas interests.
Additionally, we may advise you on various types of investments based on your stated goals
and objectives. We may also provide advice on any type of investment held in your portfolio at
the inception of our advisory relationship.
Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2025, we provide continuous management services for $428,466,781 in
client assets on a discretionary basis.
Item 5 Fees and Compensation
Wealth Management Services
Our fee for wealth management services is based on a percentage of your assets we manage.
You will pay an annual management fee of up to 1.50%. This fee does not include transaction
fees, or other fees/expenses charged by brokers, custodians, or mutual funds. Mutual fund
purchases will be made at NAV (net asset value). Pre-existing client relationships may be
subject to fee that differs from the current fee disclosed in this brochure. In limited
circumstances, we may charge a flat fee. Our advisory fee is negotiable, depending on
individual client circumstances.
At our discretion, we may combine the account values of family members living in the same
household to determine the applicable advisory fee. For example, we may combine account
values for you and your minor children, joint accounts with your spouse, and other types of
related accounts.
The annual fee is billed quarterly, in advance, based on the asset value on the last day of the
previous calendar quarter as reported by the custodian. Fees will be assessed pro rata in the
event the advisory agreement is executed at any time other than the first day of a billing period.
For any deposits or withdrawals in excess of $25,000, the client will receive a prorated fee.
We will either send you an invoice for the payment of our advisory fee, or we will deduct our fee
directly from your account through the qualified custodian holding your funds and securities. We
will deduct our advisory fee only when you have given our firm written authorization permitting
the fees to be paid directly from your account. Further, the qualified custodian will deliver an
account statement to you at least quarterly. These account statements will show all
disbursements from your account. You should review all statements for accuracy.
You may terminate the wealth management agreement upon written notice to our firm. You will
incur a pro rata charge for services rendered prior to the termination of the wealth
management agreement, which means you will incur advisory fees only in proportion to the
number of days in the quarter for which you are a client. If you have pre-paid advisory fees
that we have not yet earned, you will receive a prorated refund of those fees.
Financial Planning and Consulting Services
We may charge a fixed fee for financial planning services, which ranges between $500 -
$5,000. The fee is negotiable depending upon the complexity and scope of the plan or
project, your financial situation, and your objectives. Payment terms will be set forth in the
agreement for services.
Should the engagement last longer than six months between acceptance of financial
planning agreement and delivery of the financial plan, any prepaid unearned fees will be
promptly returned to you less a pro rata charge for bona fide financial planning services
rendered to date.
In certain situations, we may enter into an hourly engagement. Our hourly fees range from
$165 - $275 per hour for planning and consulting services, which is negotiable depending on
the scope and complexity of the project, your situation, and other factors. An estimate of the
total time/cost will be determined at the start of the advisory relationship. In limited
circumstances, the cost/time could potentially exceed the initial estimate. In such cases, we
will notify you and request that you approve the additional fee.
We will not require prepayment of a fee more than six months in advance and in excess of
$1,200. At our discretion, we may offset our financial planning fees to the extent you
implement the financial plan through our Portfolio Management Service.
Selection of Other Advisers
For MM’s, clients should review each manager’s Form ADV 2A disclosure brochure and any
contract they sign with the MM (in a dual relationship). The client is responsible for all such
additional fees and expenses by the MM.
The advisory fee you pay to the MM is established and payable in accordance with the
brochure provided by each MM to whom you are referred. These fees may or may not be
negotiable. Our compensation may differ depending upon the individual agreement we have
with each MM. As such, a conflict of interest exists where our firm or persons associated with
our firm has an incentive to recommend one MM over another MM with whom we have more
favorable compensation arrangements or other advisory programs offered by MMs with whom
we have less or no compensation arrangements.
You may be required to sign an agreement directly with the recommended MM(s). You may
terminate your advisory relationship with the MM according to the terms of your agreement
with the MM. You should review each MM's brochure for specific information on how you may
terminate your advisory relationship with the MM and how you may receive a refund, if
applicable. You should contact the MM directly for questions regarding your advisory
agreement with the MM.
Pension Consulting Services
Our advisory fees for these customized services will be negotiated with the plan sponsor or
named fiduciary on a case-by-case basis.
You may terminate the pension consulting services agreement upon 7 days written notice to
our firm. You will incur a pro rata charge for services rendered prior to the termination of the
agreement, which means you will incur advisory fees only in proportion to the number of days
in the quarter for which you are a client. If you have pre-paid advisory fees that we have not yet
earned, you will receive a prorated refund of those fees.
Additional Fees and Expenses
As part of our investment advisory services to you, we may invest, or recommend that you
invest, in mutual funds and exchange traded funds. The fees that you pay to our firm for
investment advisory services are separate and distinct from the fees and expenses charged by
mutual funds or exchange traded funds (described in each fund's prospectus) to their
shareholders. These fees will generally include a management fee and other fund expenses.
You will also incur transaction charges and/or brokerage fees when purchasing or selling
securities. These charges and fees are typically imposed by the broker-dealer or custodian
through whom your account transactions are executed. We do not share in any portion of the
brokerage fees/transaction charges imposed by the broker-dealer or custodian. To fully
understand the total cost you will incur, you should review all the fees charged by mutual funds,
exchange traded funds, our firm, and others. For information on our brokerage practices, refer
to the Brokerage Practices section of this brochure.
Compensation for the Sale of Securities or Other Investment Products
Certain investment adviser representatives of our firm are also associated with Silver Oak
Securities, Inc. ("Silver Oak") as broker-dealer registered representatives (“Dually Registered
Persons”). In their capacity as registered representatives of Silver Oak, certain Dually
Registered Persons may earn commissions for the sale of securities or investment products
that they recommend for brokerage clients. They do not earn commissions on the sale of
securities or investment products recommended or purchased in advisory accounts through
BWAM. Clients have the option of purchasing many of the securities and investment products
we make available to you through another broker-dealer or investment adviser. However,
when purchasing these securities and investment products away from BWAM, you may not
receive the benefit of the advice and other services we provide.
Similarly, certain investment adviser representatives of BWAM are licensed as independent
insurance agents. These persons will earn commission-based compensation for selling
insurance products, including insurance products they sell to you. Insurance commissions
earned by these persons are separate and in addition to our advisory fees.
These arrangements described above present a conflict of interest because such persons
have an incentive to recommend securities or insurance products to you for the purpose of
generating commissions rather than solely based on your needs. You are under no
obligation, contractually or otherwise, to purchase insurance products through any person
affiliated with our firm.
IRA Rollover Considerations
As part of our investment advisory services to you, we may recommend that you withdraw the
assets from your employer's retirement plan and roll the assets over to an individual retirement
account ("IRA") that we will manage on your behalf. If you elect to roll the assets to an IRA that
is subject to our management, we will charge you an asset based fee as set forth in the
agreement you executed with our firm. This practice presents a conflict of interest because
persons providing investment advice on our behalf have an incentive to recommend a rollover
to you for the purpose of generating fee based compensation rather than solely based on your
needs. You are under no obligation, contractually or otherwise, to complete the rollover.
Moreover, if you do complete the rollover, you are under no obligation to have the assets in an
IRA managed by our firm.
Many employers permit former employees to keep their retirement assets in their company
plan. Also, current employees can sometimes move assets out of their company plan before
they retire or change jobs. In determining whether to complete the rollover to an IRA, and to
the extent the following options are available, you should consider the costs and benefits of:
An employee will typically have four options:
1. Leaving the funds in your employer's (former employer's) plan.
2. Moving the funds to a new employer’s retirement plan.
3. Cashing out and taking a taxable distribution from the plan.
4. Rolling the funds into an IRA rollover account.
Each of these options has advantages and disadvantages and before making a change we
encourage you to speak with your CPA and/or tax attorney.
If you are considering rolling over your retirement funds to an IRA for us to manage here
are a few points to consider before you do so:
1. Determine whether the investment options in your employer's retirement plan
address your needs or whether you might want to consider other types of
investments.
a. Employer retirement plans generally have a more limited investment menu than
IRAs.
b. Employer retirement plans may have unique investment options not
available to the public such as employer securities, or previously closed
funds.
2. Your current plan may have lower fees than our fees.
a. If you are interested in investing only in mutual funds, you should understand
the cost structure of the share classes available in your employer's retirement
plan and how the costs of those share classes compare with those available in
an IRA.
b. You should understand the various products and services you might take
advantage of at an IRA provider and the potential costs of those products and
services.
3. Our strategy may have higher risk than the option(s) provided to you in your plan.
4. Your current plan may also offer financial advice.
5. If you keep your assets titled in a 401k or retirement account, you could potentially
delay your required minimum distribution beyond age 73.
6. Your 401k may offer more liability protection than a rollover IRA; each state may vary.
a. Generally, federal law protects assets in qualified plans from creditors. Since
2005, IRA assets have been generally protected from creditors in bankruptcies.
However, there can be some exceptions to the general rules so you should
consult with an attorney if you are concerned about protecting your retirement
plan assets from creditors.
7. You may be able to take out a loan on your 401k, but not from an IRA.
8. IRA assets can be accessed any time; however, distributions are subject to ordinary
income tax and may also be subject to a 10% early distribution penalty unless they
qualify for an exception such as disability, higher education expenses or the purchase
of a home.
9. If you own company stock in your plan, you may be able to liquidate those shares at
a lower capital gains tax rate.
10.
Your plan may allow you to hire us as the manager and keep the assets titled in
the plan name.
It is important that you understand the differences between these types of accounts and to
decide whether a rollover is best for you. Prior to proceeding, if you have questions contact
your investment adviser representative, or call our main number as listed on the cover page of
this brochure.
Item 6 Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management
We do not accept performance-based fees or participate in side-by-side management.
Performance-based fees are fees that are based on a share of a capital gains or capital
appreciation of a client's account. Side-by-side management refers to the practice of managing
accounts that are charged performance-based fees while at the same time managing accounts
that are not charged performance-based fees. Our fees are calculated as described in the Fees
and Compensation section above, and are not charged on the basis of a share of capital gains
upon, or capital appreciation of, the funds in your advisory account.
Item 7 Types of Clients
We offer investment advisory services to individuals (other than high net worth individuals),
high net worth individuals, banking or thrift institutions, investment companies, business
development companies, pooled investment vehicles (other than investment companies),
pension and profit sharing plans (but not the plan participants), charitable organizations,
corporations or other businesses not listed above, state or municipal government entities,
other investment advisers and insurance companies. However, we do reserve the right to
accept or decline a potential client for any reason in its sole discretion.
In general, we do not require a minimum dollar amount to open and maintain an advisory
account; however, we have the right to terminate your Account if it falls below a minimum size
which, in our sole opinion, is too small to manage effectively.
We may also combine account values for you and your minor children, joint accounts
with your spouse, and other types of related accounts to meet the stated minimum.
Item 8 Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss
Our Methods of Analysis and Investment Strategies
We will use one or more of the following methods of analysis or investment strategies when
providing
investment advice to you:
Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) - a theory of investment which attempts to maximize
portfolio expected return for a given amount of portfolio risk, or equivalently minimize risk for
a given level of expected return, by carefully diversifying the proportions of various assets.
Risk: Market risk is that part of a security's risk that is common to all securities of the same
general class (stocks and bonds) and thus cannot be eliminated by diversification.
Long-Term Purchases - securities purchased with the expectation that the value of those
securities will grow over a relatively long period of time, generally greater than one year.
Risk: Using a long-term purchase strategy generally assumes the financial markets will go up
in the long-term which may not be the case. There is also the risk that the segment of the
market that you are invested in or perhaps just your particular investment will go down over
time even if the overall financial markets advance. Purchasing investments long-term may
create an opportunity cost - "locking-up" assets that may be better utilized in the short-term in
other investments.
Short-Term Purchases - securities purchased with the expectation that they will be sold
within a relatively short period of time, generally less than one year, to take advantage of the
securities' short-term price fluctuations.
Risk: Using a short-term purchase strategy generally assumes that we can predict how
financial markets will perform in the short-term which may be very difficult and will incur a
disproportionately higher amount of transaction costs compared to long-term trading. There
are many factors that can affect financial market performance in the short-term (such as
short-term interest rate changes, cyclical earnings announcements, etc.) but may have a
smaller impact over longer periods of times.
Short Sales - securities transaction in which an investor sells securities that were borrowed
in anticipation of a price decline. The investor is then required to return an equal number of
shares at some point in the future.
Risk: A short seller will profit if the stock goes down in price, but if the price of the shares
increase, the potential losses are unlimited.
Option Writing - a securities transaction that involves selling an option. An option is the right,
but not the obligation, to buy or sell a particular security at a specified price before the
expiration date of the option. When an investor sells an option, he or she must deliver to the
buyer a specified number of shares if the buyer exercises the option.
Risk: Options are complex investments and can be very risky, especially if the investor does
not own the underlying stock. In certain situations, an investor's risk can be unlimited.
We may use short-term trading (in general, selling securities within 30 days of purchasing the
same securities) as an investment strategy when managing your account(s). Short-term trading
is not a fundamental part of our overall investment strategy, but we may use this strategy
occasionally when we determine that it is suitable given your stated investment objectives and
tolerance for risk. This may include buying and selling securities frequently in an effort to capture
significant market gains and avoid significant losses. However, there is a risk that frequent
trading can negatively affect investment performance, particularly through increased brokerage
and other transactional costs and taxes.
Our investment strategies and advice may vary depending upon each client's specific
financial situation. As such, we determine investments and allocations based upon your
predefined objectives, risk tolerance, time horizon, financial information, liquidity needs and
other various suitability factors. Your restrictions and guidelines may affect the composition of
your portfolio.
We will not perform quantitative or qualitative analysis of individual securities. Instead, we will
advise you on how to allocate your assets among various classes of securities or third party
money managers. We primarily rely on investment model portfolios and strategies developed
by the third party money managers and their portfolio managers. We may replace/recommend
replacing a third party money manager if there is a significant deviation in characteristics or
performance from the stated strategy and/or benchmark.
Tax Considerations
Our strategies and investments may have unique and significant tax implications. However,
unless we specifically agree otherwise, and in writing, tax efficiency is not our primary
consideration in the management of your assets. Regardless of your account size or any other
factors, we strongly recommend that you consult with a tax professional regarding the investing
of your assets.
Moreover, custodians and broker-dealers must report the cost basis of equities acquired in client
accounts on or after January 1, 2011. Your custodian will default to the FIFO (First-In First-Out)
accounting method for calculating the cost basis of your investments. You are responsible for
contacting your tax advisor to determine if this accounting method is the right choice for you. If
your tax advisor believes another accounting method is more advantageous, provide written
notice to our firm immediately and we will alert your account custodian of your individually
selected accounting method. Decisions about cost basis accounting methods will need to be
made before trades settle, as the cost basis method cannot be changed after settlement.
Risk of Loss
Investing in securities involves risk of loss that you should be prepared to bear. We do not
represent or guarantee that our services or methods of analysis can or will predict future
results, successfully identify market tops or bottoms, or insulate clients from losses due to
market corrections or declines. We cannot offer any guarantees or promises that your financial
goals and objectives will be met. Past performance is in no way an indication of future
performance.
Recommendation of Particular Types of Securities
We primarily recommend mutual funds and exchange traded funds ("ETFs"). However, we may
advise on other types of investments as appropriate for you since each client has different
needs and different tolerance for risk. Each type of security has its own unique set of risks
associated with it and it would not be possible to list here all of the specific risks of every type
of investment. Even within the same type of investment, risks can vary widely. However, in very
general terms, the higher the anticipated return of an investment, the higher the risk of loss
associated with the investment.
Money Market Funds: A money market fund is technically a security. The fund managers
attempt to keep the share price constant at $1/share. However, there is no guarantee that the
share price will stay at $1/share. If the share price goes down, you can lose some of your
principal. The US Securities and Exchange Commission notes that "While investor losses in
money market funds have been rare, they are possible." In return for this risk, you should earn
a greater return on your cash than you would expect from an FDIC insured savings account
(money market funds are not FDIC insured). Next, money market fund rates are variable. In
other words, you do not know how much you will earn on your investment next month. The rate
could go up or go down. If it goes up, that may be a good thing. However, if it goes down and
you earn less than you expected to earn, you can end up needing more cash. A final risk you
are taking with money market funds has to do with inflation. Because money market funds are
considered to be safer than other investments like stocks, long-term average returns on money
market funds tends to be less than long term average returns on riskier investments. Over long
periods of time, inflation can eat away at your returns.
Certificates of Deposit: Certificates of deposit are generally the safest type of investment
since they are insured by the federal government up to a certain amount. However, because
the returns are generally very low, it is possible for inflation to outpace the return. Likewise, US
Government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government
but it is also possible for the rate of inflation to exceed the returns.
Municipal Securities: Municipal securities, while generally thought of as safe, can have
significant risks associated with them including, but not limited to: the credit worthiness of the
governmental entity that issues the bond; the stability of the revenue stream that is used to pay
the interest to the bondholders; when the bond is due to mature; and, whether or not the bond
can be "called" prior to maturity. When a bond is called, it may not be possible to replace it with
a bond of equal character paying the same amount of interest or yield to maturity.
Bonds: Corporate debt securities (or "bonds") are typically safer investments than equity
securities, but their risk can also vary widely based on: the financial health of the issuer; the
risk that the issuer might default; when the bond is set to mature; and, whether or not the
bond can be "called" prior to maturity. When a bond is called, it may not be possible to
replace it with a bond of equal character paying the same rate of return.
Structured Products: In very general terms, structured products are securities whose value is
derived from, or based on, a reference asset, market measure or investment strategy. Reference
assets and market measures may include single equity or debt securities, indexes, commodities,
interest rates and/or foreign currencies, as well as baskets of these reference assets or market
measures. Like other well-known market instruments such as convertible bonds, many structured
products are hybrid securities. Structured products typically have two components — a note and
a derivative, which is often an option. The note, in some instances, may pay interest at a
specified rate and interval. The derivative component establishes payment at maturity, which may
give the issuer the right to buy from you, or sell you, the referenced security or securities at a
predetermined price. For example, structured products may combine characteristics of debt and
equity or of debt and commodities. Most structured products have a fixed maturity and may pay
an interest rate or a coupon rate. Structured products also frequently cap or limit the upside
participation in the referenced asset, particularly if the security offers principal protection or an
enhanced rate of interest. Structured products are usually created to meet specific needs that
cannot be met from the standardized financial instruments available in the
markets. They can be used as:
• an alternative to a direct investment
• a part of the overall asset allocation
• a risk-reduction strategy in a portfolio
Structured products can be issued in various forms, including publicly offered and privately
placed debt securities, publicly offered and privately placed pooled investments (such as
closed end-funds and trusts), and certificates of deposit. Some structured products are listed
on securities exchanges, while others trade in over-the-counter secondary markets.
Investors need to be aware of the risks of an investment in structured products. You should
evaluate your individual financial condition and your ability to tolerate risk before investing in
structured products. Set out below are some of the most significant risks associated with
investing in structured products. The list is not exhaustive. Particular structured products
may involve other risks, which will be disclosed in the offering documents for those products.
Potential Loss of Principal. An investor may lose money investing in structured products.
Structured products are typically medium-term investments (terms ranging from 1 to 10 years)
and, with limited exceptions, are suitable only for clients who are able to hold the investment
until maturity. Some structured products are principal protected at maturity; others are not. For
fully principal-protected structured products, an investor will be entitled to the return of the full
principal amount only if the investor holds the structured product to maturity (or the call date if
the structured product is callable at par or higher). Between purchase date and maturity, the
market value (that is, the amount an investor would receive if he or she sold or redeemed the
investment) of a structured product may fluctuate substantially. If an investor sells a structured
product before maturity, the price may be less than the original invested amount, regardless of
whether the structured product is principal protected or not.
Market Prices May Fluctuate Based on Unpredictable Factors. The market value of structured
products will be affected by unpredictable factors that interrelate in complex ways. These factors
may include, but are not limited to, the price or level of the underlying asset, the volatility of the
underlying asset, interest rates, dividend rates, the issuer’s creditworthiness, time remaining to
maturity and geopolitical conditions. Apart from these, there are many other factors that may
affect the market value of structured products. The past performance of any of these factors is
not indicative of future results.
Credit Risk. Many structured products are issued in the form of unsecured debt. Therefore,
investors are subject to the credit risk and default risk of the issuer. If the issuer of a
structured product defaults on its obligation, investors will receive significantly less than the
principal amount of the structured product, even if the product is principal-protected.
Appreciation Potential May Be Limited. The appreciation potential of certain structured
products may be limited by an issuer’s call right, a pre-defined maximum payment or a capped
value at maturity.
Call Rights May Affect Value. Some structured products allow the issuer to redeem or “call” the
structured product at its sole discretion. These structured products are referred to as being
“callable.” On predetermined dates, the issuer can choose to redeem the structured product prior
to maturity and pay a stated call price. The call price may be above, below or equal to the par
amount of the structured product, and may or may not include accrued but unpaid interest, if any.
Typically, the issuer will call a structured product when it is economically advantageous — for
example, because the issuer can borrow at a lower rate or because an underlying asset has
appreciated sufficiently. If a structured product is called, investors may not be able to reinvest
their money at the same rate as the rate of return provided by the structured product that was
called. This risk is referred to as “reinvestment risk.” Non-callable structured products may not be
called by the issuer prior to maturity.
Value at Maturity/Call Date. In many structured products, the value paid to the investor at
maturity or the specified call date is based on the market value of the underlying asset or
market measure as of the valuation date, as detailed in the offering documentation. There may
be significant fluctuations of the market value between the trade date and the specified
valuation date; however, it is the value as of the valuation date that will determine the payout to
the investor at maturity/call date.
Buffer ETFs: A type of structured product investment seeks to provide investors with the upside
of the underlying index, market benchmark or assets returns (generally up to a capped
percentage stated in the ETFs prospectus and prospectus supplement) while also providing
downside protection on the first predetermined percentage of losses. Similar to other ETFs, a
buffer ETF will be designed to track a stated index, market benchmark, or asset. However, the
buffer ETF will also use a portfolio of options and derivatives in order to achieve the stated
capped return (“cap”) and limitation of losses (“buffer”).
Most buffer ETFs have a stated outcome or holding period (typically a 3 month or 12-month
period), in order to realize the benefits of the hedge or limitation on losses. These limited
outcome periods or holding periods mean that only those investors who purchase at the
beginning of the outcome period (e.g., on the first date of rebalancing) and hold the ETF
throughout the entire outcome period will be provided with the level of return/protection stated by
the prospectus. Investors who invest in these ETFs at any time after the beginning of the
outcome or holding period or who liquidate their investments in these ETFs before the end of the
holding or outcome period, will receive different caps and buffers on gains and losses than those
stated in the ETF prospectus or prospectus supplement. Fund sponsors often post the
anticipated cap on returns, buffers, and days remaining in the outcome period on the funds’
websites. The updated caps, buffers, and days remaining should be considered and analyzed
by an investor before investing in the buffer ETF at any time other than the beginning of the
outcome period and should further be reviewed prior to liquidating any investment in such ETFs
prior to the conclusion of the applicable holding or outcome period. At the end of an outcome
period, the buffer ETF will roll into a new set of option contracts with the same buffer level and
term length, but a new upside cap. This upside cap may be higher or lower than the preceding
period and will depend on market conditions at the time. Additionally, the expenses associated
with the new options contracts may impact the caps at the anniversary for the new outcome
period. Investors should understand that buffer ETFs are complex products with complicated
and layered strategies. There are unique risks and considerations that investors must understand
and acceptbefore purchasing a buffer ETF. Investors should consider the following implications
before purchasing a buffer ETF:
1. Exposure to the index is likely limited to price returns. Dividends and income are not
included.
2. Downside protection is not eliminated and is only “buffered”. Accordingly, if a given
buffer ETF has a stated buffer of 10% and the underlying reference index falls 25%
during the outcome period, that investor will experience a roughly 15% loss. This loss
will be further increased once management fees are subtracted from the portfolio.
3. The buffer ETFs upside return is capped. Investors will not be compensated if the
underlying reference index experiences a higher return that the stated cap. This cap is
established to offset the costs of purchasing options to create the downside buffer,
therefore the cap and buffer are inversely related. Thus, if investors require more
downside protection, the trade-off is a lower upside cap (meaning a lower upside
return). Conversely, if an investor requires a higher upside return it will result in less
downside protection.
4. Due to the strategies employed these funds will generally exhibit a greater potential
for loss than the potential for gain. In other words, by capping the upside, investors
miss out on gains that exceed the upside cap, but they still participate in all downside
losses beyond the stated buffer.
5. Because these buffered ETFs trade in options that are volatile in price, investors who
invest in these ETFs should expect to hold these securities for the full duration of the
holding period to receive the defined return dynamics established at the beginning of
the holding period, and be aware they may suffer higher losses, or receive less than the
defined outcome return than owning the underlying index outright if sold prior to the end
of the holding period.
Investors should also be aware that in addition to these risks unique to buffer ETFs, these
products also face the same general risks associated with any ETF product. Please see the
“ETF Risks, including Net Asset Valuations and Tracking Error” paragraph in this section
above for more information regarding risks associated with ETFs.
Stocks: There are numerous ways of measuring the risk of equity securities (also known
simply as "equities" or "stock"). In very broad terms, the value of a stock depends on the
financial health of the company issuing it. However, stock prices can be affected by m any
other factors including, but not limited to the class of stock (for example, preferred or
common); the health of the market sector of the issuing company; and, the overall health of
the economy. In general, larger, better established companies ("large cap") tend to be safer
than smaller start-up companies ("small cap") are but the mere size of an issuer is not, by
itself, an indicator of the safety of the investment.
Mutual Funds and ETFs: Mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs) are professionally
managed collective investment systems that pool money from many investors and invest in
stocks, bonds, short-term money market instruments, other mutual funds, other securities, or any
combination thereof. The fund will have a manager that trades the fund's investments in
accordance with the fund's investment objective. While mutual funds and ETFs generally provide
diversification, risks can be significantly increased if the fund is concentrated in a particular sector
of the market, primarily invests in small cap or speculative companies, uses leverage (i.e.,
borrows money) to a significant degree, or concentrates in a particular type of security (i.e.,
equities) rather than balancing the fund with different types of securities. Exchange traded funds
differ from mutual funds since they can be bought and sold throughout the day like stock and their
price can fluctuate throughout the day. The returns on mutual funds and ETFs can be reduced by
the costs to manage the funds. Also, while some mutual funds are "no load" and charge no fee to
buy into, or sell out of, the fund, other types of mutual funds do charge
such fees which can also reduce returns. Mutual funds can also be "closed end" or "open
end". So-called "open end" mutual funds continue to allow in new investors indefinitely
whereas "closed end" funds have a fixed number of shares to sell which can limit their
availability to new investors.
Variable Annuities: A variable annuity is a form of insurance where the seller or issuer (typically
an insurance company) makes a series of future payments to a buyer (annuitant) in exchange for
the immediate payment of a lump sum ( single-payment annuity ) or a series of regular payments
(regular-payment annuity). The payment stream from the issuer to the annuitant has an unknown
duration based principally upon the date of death of the annuitant. At this point, the contract will
terminate and the remainder of the funds accumulated forfeited unless there are other annuitants
or beneficiaries in the contract. Annuities can be purchased to provide an income during
retirement. Unlike fixed annuities that make payments in fixed amounts or in amounts that
increase by a fixed percentage, variable annuities, pay amounts that vary according to the
performance of a specified set of investments, typically bond and equity mutual funds. Many
variable annuities typically impose asset-based sales charges or surrender charges for
withdrawals within a specified period. Variable annuities may impose a variety of fees and
expenses, in addition to sales and surrender charges, such as mortality and expense risk
charges; administrative fees; underlying fund expenses; and charges f or special features, all of
which can reduce the return. Earnings in a variable annuity do not provide all the tax advantages
of 401(k)s and other before-tax retirement plans. Once the investor starts withdrawing money
from their variable annuity, earnings are taxed at the ordinary income rate, rather than at the
lower capital gains rates applied to other non-tax-deferred vehicles which are held for more than
one year. Proceeds of most variable annuities do not receive a "step-up" in cost basis when the
owner dies like stocks, bonds and mutual funds do. Some variable annuities offer "bonus
credits." These are usually not free. In order to fund them, insurance companies typically impose
mortality and expense charges and surrender charge periods. In an exchange of an existing
annuity for a new annuity (so-called 1035 exchanges), the new variable annuity may have a
lower contract value and a smaller death benefit; may impose new surrender charges or increase
the period of time for which the surrender charge applies; may have higher annual fees; and
provide another commission for the broker.
Real Estate: Real estate is increasingly being used as part of a long-term core strategy due to
increased market efficiency and increasing concerns about the future long-term variability of
stock and bond returns. In fact, real estate is known for its ability to serve as a portfolio
diversifier and inflation hedge. However, the asset class still bears a considerable amount of
market risk. Real estate has shown itself to be very cyclical, somewhat mirroring the ups and
downs of the overall economy. In addition to employment and demographic changes, real
estate is also influenced by changes in interest rates and the credit markets, which affect the
demand and supply of capital and thus real estate values. Along with changes in market
fundamentals, investors wishing to add real estate as part of their core investment portfolios
need to look for property concentrations by area or by property type. Because property returns
are directly affected by local market basics, real estate portfolios that are too heavily
concentrated in one area or property type can lose their risk mitigation attributes and bear
additional risk by being too influenced by local or sector market changes.
REITs: A real estate investment trust or REIT is a corporate entity which invests in real estate
and/or engages in real estate financing. A REIT reduces or eliminates corporate income taxes.
REITs can be publicly or privately held. Public REITs may be listed on public stock exchanges.
REITs are required to declare 90% of their taxable income as dividends, but they actually pay
dividends out of funds from operations, so cash flow has to be strong or the REIT must either dip
into reserves, borrow to pay dividends, or distribute them in stock (which causes dilution). After
2012, the IRS stopped permitting stock dividends. Most REITs must refinance or erase large
balloon debts this year and next. The credit markets are no longer frozen, but banks are
demanding, and getting, harsher terms to re-extend REIT debt. Some REITs may be forced to
make secondary stock offerings to repay debt, which will lead to additional dilution of the
stockholders. Fluctuations in the real estate market can affect the REIT's value and dividends.
Limited Partnerships: A limited partnership is a financial affiliation that includes at least one
general partner and a number of limited partners. The partnership invests in a venture, such as
real estate development or oil exploration, for financial gain. The general partner does not
usually invest any capital, but has management authority and unlimited liability. That is, the
general partner runs the business and, in the event of bankruptcy, is responsible for all debts
not paid or discharged. The limited partners have no management authority and confine their
participation to their capital investment. That is, limited partners invest a certain amount of
money and have nothing else to do with the business. However, their liability is limited to the
amount of the investment. In the worst-case scenario for a limited partner, he/she loses what
he/she invested. Profits are divided between general and limited partners according to an
arrangement formed at the creation of the partnership.
Options and Warrants: Options are complex securities that involve risks and are not suitable
for everyone. Option trading can be speculative in nature and carry substantial risk of loss. It is
generally recommended that you only invest in options with risk capital. An option is a contract
that gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an underlying asset at a
specific price on or before a certain date (the "expiration date"). The main difference between
warrants and call options is that warrants are issued and guaranteed by the issuing company,
whereas options are traded on an exchange and are not issued by the company. Also, the
lifetime of a warrant is often measured in years, while the lifetime of a typical option is
measured in months.
Risks that are not specific to options trading include market risk, sector risk and individual
stock risk. Option trading risks are closely related to stock risks, as stock options are a
derivative of stocks.
Item 9 Disciplinary Information
We are required to disclose the facts of any legal or disciplinary events that are material to a
client's evaluation of our advisory business or the integrity of our management. We do not
have any required disclosures under this item.
Item 10 Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations
Registrations with Broker-Dealer
Certain employees of BWAM are Dually Registered Persons. Silver Oak Securities, Inc. ("Silver
Oak") is a broker-dealer that is independently owned and operated and is not affiliated with
BWAM. As discussed previously, certain associated persons of BWAM are registered
representatives of Silver Oak. As a result of this relationship, Silver Oak may have access to
certain confidential information (e.g., financial information, investment objectives, transactions
and holdings) about BWAM's clients, even if client does not establish any account through
Silver Oak. If you would like a copy of the Silver Oak's privacy policy, please contact us.
Please refer to Item 12 for additional information regarding the benefits BWAM may receive
from Silver Oak and the conflicts of interest associated with receipt of such benefits.
Arrangements with Affiliated Entities/Insurance Agency
Our firm is affiliated through common control and ownership with two licensed insurance
agencies, Redfield Financial Group, LLC and Blue Water Group Agency, LLC. Therefore,
persons providing investment advice on behalf of our firm may be licensed as insurance agents.
These persons will earn commission-based compensation for selling insurance products,
including insurance products they sell to you. Insurance commissions earned by these persons
are separate from our advisory fees. See the Fees and Compensation section in this brochure
for more information on the compensation received by insurance agents who are affiliated with
our firm.
These referral arrangements we have with our affiliated entities present a conflict of interest
because we may have a financial incentive to recommend our affiliates' services. While we
believe that compensation charged by our affiliates are competitive, such compensation may
be higher than fees charged by other firms providing the same or similar services. You are
under no obligation to use our affiliates' services and may obtain comparable services and/or
lower fees through other firms.
Recommendation of Other Advisers
We may recommend that you use a third party adviser ("MM") based on your needs and best
interest. We are not in any way compensated by these MMs.
Item 11 Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions
and Personal Trading
Description of Our Code of Ethics
We strive to comply with applicable laws and regulations governing our practices. Therefore,
our Code of Ethics includes guidelines for professional standards of conduct for persons
associated with our firm. Our goal is to protect your interests at all times and to demonstrate
our commitment to our fiduciary duties of honesty, good faith, and fair dealing with you. All
persons associated with our firm are expected to adhere strictly to these guidelines. Persons
associated with our firm are also required to report any violations of our Code of Ethics.
Additionally, we maintain and enforce written policies reasonably designed to prevent the
misuse or dissemination of material, non-public information about you or your account holdings
by persons associated with our firm.
Clients or prospective clients may obtain a copy of our Code of Ethics by contacting
us at the telephone number on the cover page of this brochure.
Participation or Interest in Client Transactions
Neither our firm nor any persons associated with our firm has any material financial interest in
client transactions beyond the provision of investment advisory services as disclosed in this
brochure.
Personal Trading Practices
Our firm or persons associated with our firm may buy or sell the same securities that we
recommend to you or securities in which you are already invested. A conflict of interest exists in
such cases because we have the ability to trade ahead of you and potentially receive more
favorable prices than you will receive. To mitigate this conflict of interest, it is our policy that
neither our firm nor persons associated with our firm shall have priority over your account in the
purchase or sale of securities.
Block Trading
Our firm or persons associated with our firm may buy or sell securities for you at the same time
we or persons associated with our firm buy or sell such securities for our own account. We may
also combine our orders to purchase securities with your orders to purchase securities ("block
trading"). Refer to the Brokerage Practices section in this brochure for information on our block
trading practices.
A conflict of interest exists in such cases because we have the ability to trade ahead of you and
potentially receive more favorable prices than you will receive. To eliminate this conflict of
interest, it is our policy that neither our firm nor persons associated with our firm shall have
priority over your account in the purchase or sale of securities.
Item 12 Brokerage Practices
We recommend the brokerage and custodial services of Charles Schwab & Co., (whether one
or more "Custodian"). In all cases, the recommended Custodian is a securities broker-dealer
and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the Securities Investor
Protection Corporation. We believe that the recommended Custodian provides quality
execution services for you at competitive prices. Price is not the sole factor we consider in
evaluating best execution. We also consider the quality of the brokerage services provided by
the Custodian, including the value of the Custodian's reputation, execution capabilities,
commission rates, and responsiveness to our clients and our firm. In recognition of the value
of the services the Custodian provides, you may pay higher commissions and/or trading costs
than those that may be available elsewhere.
Research and Other Soft Dollar Benefits
We do not have any current soft dollar arrangements in place. Our firm and/or some of our
investment adviser representatives may receive reimbursements and/or compensation from
product sponsors for expenses arising from conducting/sponsoring client seminars,
presentations and workshops that provide information regarding certain investment products.
Economic Benefits
As a registered investment adviser, we have access to the institutional platform of your
account custodian. As such, we will also have access to research products and services from
your account custodian and/or other brokerage firm. These products may include financial
publications, information about particular companies and industries, research software, and
other products or services that provide lawful and appropriate assistance to our firm in the
performance of our investment decision-making responsibilities. Such research products and
services are provided to all investment advisers that utilize the institutional services platforms
of these firms, and are not considered to be paid for with soft dollars. However, you should be
aware that the commissions charged by a particular broker for a particular transaction or set of
transactions may be greater than the amounts another broker who did not provide research
services or products might charge.
Schwab Advisor Services
We do not maintain custody of your assets that we manage, although we may be deemed to
have custody of your assets if you give us authority to withdraw assets from your account
(see Item 15— Custody, below). Your assets must be maintained in an account at a “qualified
custodian,” generally a broker-dealer or bank. We recommend that our clients use Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc. (Schwab), a registered broker-dealer, member SIPC, as the qualified
custodian.
We are independently owned and operated and are not affiliated with Schwab. Schwab will
hold your assets in a brokerage account and buy and sell securities when we instruct them to.
While we recommend that you use Schwab as custodian/broker, you will decide whether to
do so and will open your account with Schwab by entering into an account agreement directly
with them. Conflicts of interest associated with these arrangement are described below as
well as in Item 14 (Client referrals and other compensation). You should consider these
conflicts of interest when selecting your custodian.
We do not open the account for you, although we may assist you in doing so. If you do not
wish to place your assets with Schwab, then we cannot manage your account. Not all
advisors require their clients to use a particular broker-dealer or other custodian selected by
the advisor. Even though your account is maintained at Schwab, and we anticipate that
most trades will be executed through Schwab, we can still use other brokers to execute
trades for your account as described below (see “Your brokerage and custody costs”).
How we select brokers/custodians
We seek to recommend Schwab, a custodian/broker that will hold your assets and execute
transactions. When considering whether the terms that Schwab provides are, overall, most
advantageous to you when compared with other available providers and their services, we
take into account a wide range of factors, including:
• Combination of transaction execution services and asset custody services (generally
without a separate fee for custody)
• Capability to execute, clear, and settle trades (buy and sell securities for your account)
• Capability to facilitate transfers and payments to and from accounts (wire
transfers, check requests, bill payment, etc.)
• 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, margin interest
rates, other fees, etc.) and willingness to negotiate the prices
• Reputation, financial strength, security and stability
• Prior service to us and our clients
• Services delivered or paid for by Schwab
• Availability of other products and services that benefit us, as discussed below (see
“Products and services available to us from Schwab”)
Your brokerage and custody costs
For our clients’ accounts that Schwab maintains, Schwab generally does not charge you
separately for custody services but is compensated by charging you commissions or other fees
on trades that it executes or that settle into your Schwab account. Certain trades (for example,
many mutual funds and ETFs) may not incur Schwab commissions or transaction fees. Schwab
is also compensated by earning interest on the uninvested cash in your account in Schwab’s
Cash Features Program. For some accounts, Schwab charges you a percentage of the dollar
amount of assets in the account in lieu of commissions. Schwab’s commission rates and asset-
based fees applicable to our client accounts were negotiated. This commitment benefits you
because the overall commission rates and asset-based fees you pay are lower than they would
be otherwise. In addition to commissions and asset-based fees, Schwab charges you a flat
dollar amount as a “prime broker” or “trade away” fee for each trade that we have executed by a
different broker-dealer but where the securities bought or the funds from the securities sold are
deposited (settled) into your Schwab account. These fees are in addition to the commissions or
other compensation you pay the executing broker-dealer. Because of this, in order to minimize
your trading costs, we have Schwab execute most trades for your account.
We are not required to select the broker or dealer that charges the lowest transaction cost,
even if that broker provides execution quality comparable to other brokers or dealers.
Although we are not required to execute all trades through Schwab, we have determined that
having Schwab execute most trades is consistent with our duty to seek “best execution” of your
trades. Best execution means the most favorable terms for a transaction based on all relevant
factors, including those listed above (see “How we select brokers/custodians”). By using another
broker or dealer you may pay lower transaction costs.
Products and services available to us from Schwab
Schwab Advisor Services™ is Schwab’s business serving independent investment advisory
firms like us. They provide us and our clients with access to their institutional brokerage
services (trading, custody, reporting, and related services), many of which are not typically
available to Schwab retail customers. However, certain retail investors may be able to get
institutional brokerage services from Schwab without going through us.
Schwab also makes available various support services. Some of those services help us
manage or administer our clients’ accounts, while others help us manage and grow our
business. Schwab’s support services are generally available on an unsolicited basis (we don’t
have to request them) and at no charge to us. Following is a more detailed description of
Schwab’s support services:
Services that benefit you. 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 to which we might not
otherwise have access or that would require a significantly higher minimum initial investment by
our clients. Schwab’s services described in this paragraph generally benefit you and your
account.
Services that do not directly benefit you. Schwab also makes available to us other
products and services that benefit us but do not directly benefit you or your account. These
products and services assist us in managing and administering our clients’ accounts and
operating our firm. They include investment research, both Schwab’s own and that of third
parties. We use this research to service all or a substantial number of our clients’ accounts,
including accounts not maintained at Schwab. In addition to investment research, Schwab
also makes available software and other technology that:
• Provide 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. Schwab also offers other services intended to help us
manage and further develop our business enterprise. These services include:
• Educational conferences and events
• Consulting on technology and business needs
• Consulting on legal and related compliance needs
• Publications and conferences on practice management and business succession
• Access to employee benefits providers, human capital consultants, and insurance
providers
• Marketing consulting and support
Schwab provides some of these services itself. In other cases, it will arrange for third-party
vendors to provide the services to us. Schwab also discounts or waives its fees for some of
these services or pays all or a part of a third party’s fees. Schwab also provides us with other
benefits, such as occasional business entertainment of our personnel. If you did not maintain
your account with Schwab, we would be required to pay for these services from our own
resources.
Our Interest in Schwab’s Services
The availability of these services from Schwab benefits us because we do not have to produce
or purchase them. We don’t have to pay for Schwab’s services. These services are not
contingent upon us committing any specific amount of business to Schwab in trading
commissions or assets in custody. The fact that we receive these benefits from Schwab is an
incentive for us to recommend the use of Schwab rather than making such a decision based
exclusively on your interest in receiving the best value in custody services and the most
favorable execution of your transactions. This is a conflict of interest. We believe, however, that
taken in the aggregate, our recommendation of Schwab as custodian and broker is in the best
interests of our clients. Our selection is primarily supported by the scope, quality, and price of
Schwab’s services (see “How we select brokers/ custodians”) and not Schwab’s services that
benefit only us.
Brokerage for Client Referrals
We do not receive client referrals from broker-dealers in exchange for cash or other
compensation, such as brokerage services or research.
Directed Brokerage
We routinely require that you open an account with and that we execute transactions through
Charles Schwab & Co. As such, we may be unable to achieve the most favorable execution of
your transactions and you may pay higher brokerage commissions than you might otherwise
pay through another broker-dealer that offers the same types of services. Not all advisers
require directed brokerage.
Persons providing investment advice on behalf of our firm who are registered representatives of
Silver Oak Securities, Inc. would normally be required to recommend Silver Oak Securities, Inc.
to you for brokerage services. These individuals are subject to applicable industry rules that
restrict them from conducting securities transactions away from Silver Oak Securities, Inc.
unless Silver Oak Securities, Inc. provides the representatives with written authorization to do
so, which Silver Oak Securities, Inc. has done in this case. Therefore, although these individuals
would generally be limited to conducting securities transactions through Silver Oak Securities,
Inc., in this instance, as noted above, they will generally recommend Silver Oak Securities, Inc.
has given permission for dual representatives to write business at Schwab under the RIA. It may
be the case that Silver Oak Securities, Inc. has given permission for dual reps to write business
at Schwab under the RIA. charges higher transaction costs and/or custodial fees than another
broker charges for the same types of services. However, if transactions were executed through
Silver Oak Securities, Inc. these individuals (in their separate capacities as registered
representatives of Silver Oak Securities, Inc.) could earn commission-based compensation as a
result of placing the recommended securities transactions through Silver Oak Securities, Inc.
This practice would present a conflict of interest because these registered representatives would
have an incentive to effect securities transactions for the purpose of generating commissions
rather than solely based on your needs. You may utilize the broker-dealer of your choice and
have no obligation to purchase or sell securities through such broker as we recommend.
However, if you do not use the recommended broker we may not be able to accept your
account. See the Fees and Compensation section in this brochure for more information on the
compensation received by registered representatives who are affiliated with our firm.
Block Trades
We may combine multiple orders for shares of the same securities purchased for advisory
accounts we manage (this practice is commonly referred to as "block trading"). We will then
distribute a portion of the shares to participating accounts in a fair and equitable manner.
The distribution of the shares purchased is typically proportionate to the size of the account,
but it is not based on account performance or the amount or structure of management fees.
Subject to our discretion regarding factual and market conditions, when we combine orders,
each participating account pays an average price per share for all transactions and pays a
proportionate share of all transaction costs. Accounts owned by our firm or persons
associated with our firm may participate in block trading with your accounts; however, they
will not be given preferential treatment. We combine multiple orders for shares of the same
securities purchased for discretionary accounts; however, we do not combine orders for
non-discretionary accounts. Accordingly, non-discretionary accounts may pay different costs
than discretionary accounts pay.
Item 13 Review of Accounts
The investment adviser representative on your account(s) will monitor your accounts on an
ongoing basis and the CCO will conduct account reviews at least annually, either in person
over the phone, to ensure the advisory services provided to you are consistent with your
investment needs and objectives. Additional reviews may be conducted based on various
circumstances, including, but not limited to:
• contributions and withdrawals,
• year-end tax planning,
• market moving events,
• security specific events, and/or,
• changes in your risk/return objectives.
Sometimes, we will provide you with additional written reports. You will receive trade
confirmations and monthly or quarterly statements from your account custodian(s).
Item 14 Client Referrals and Other Compensation
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
We receive an economic benefit from Schwab in the form of the support products and services
it makes available to us and other independent investment advisors whose clients maintain
their accounts at Schwab. You do not pay more for assets maintained at Schwab as a result of
these arrangements. However, we benefit from the referral arrangement because the cost of
these services would otherwise be borne directly by us. You should consider these conflicts of
interest when selecting a custodian. The products and services provided by Schwab, how they
benefit us, and the related conflicts of interest are described above (see Item 12—Brokerage
Practices).
Other Compensation and Benefits
We may receive economic benefits from third parties for providing investment advice or other
advisory services to you. Through our participation in certain programs or use of a custodian we
are entitled to receive economic benefits. As part of our fiduciary duty, we endeavor at all times
to put the interests of our clients first. Clients should be aware, however, that the receipt of
economic benefits from a non-client in and of itself creates a potential conflict of interest and
may influence our choice in providing services to your account. This arrangement does not
cause our clients to pay any additional transaction fees beyond those that are traditionally
charged by our firm and/or other service providers.
As disclosed under the Fees and Compensation section in this brochure, persons providing
investment advice on behalf of our firm may be licensed insurance agents, and may be
registered representatives with Silver Oak Securities, Inc. ("Silver Oak"), a securities broker-
dealer, and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the Securities Investor
Protection Corporation. For information on the conflicts of interest this presents, and how we
address these conflicts, refer to the Fees and Compensation section.
Silver Oak may also provide other compensation to dually registered persons, including but not
limited to, bonus payments, repayable and forgivable loans, stock awards and other benefits.
Client Referrals
Currently, we do not compensate any individual or firm for client referrals.
Refer to the Brokerage Practices section above for disclosures on research and other benefits
we may receive resulting from our relationship with your account custodian.
Item 15 Custody
Upon your written authorization, your independent custodian will directly debit your account(s)
for the payment of our advisory fees. This ability to deduct our advisory fees from your
accounts causes our firm to exercise limited custody over your funds or securities. We do not
have physical custody of any of your funds and/or securities. Your funds and securities will be
held with a bank, broker-dealer, or other qualified custodian. You will receive account
statements from the qualified custodian(s) holding your funds and securities at least quarterly.
The account statements from your custodian(s) will indicate the amount of our advisory fees
deducted from your account(s) each billing period. You should carefully review account
statements for accuracy.
Wire Transfers, Electronic Fund Transfers and/or Standing Letter of Authorization
Our firm, or persons associated with our firm, may effect wire transfers or electronic fund
transfers from client accounts to one or more third parties designated, in writing, by the client
without obtaining written client consent for each separate, individual transaction as long as the
client has provided us with written authorization to do so. Such written authorization is known
as a Standing Letter of Authorization. An adviser with authority to conduct such third party wire
transfers or electronic fund transfers has access to the client's assets, and therefore has
custody of the client's assets in any related accounts.
However, we do not have to obtain a surprise annual audit, as we otherwise would be
required to by reason of having custody, as long as we meet the following criteria:
1. You provide a written, signed instruction to the qualified custodian that includes the third
party’s name and address or account number at a custodian;
2. You authorize us in writing to direct transfers to the third party either on a specified
schedule or from time to time;
3. Your qualified custodian verifies your authorization (e.g., signature review) and
provides a transfer of funds notice to you promptly after each transfer;
4. You can terminate or change the instruction;
5. We have no authority or ability to designate or change the identity of the third
party, the address, or any other information about the third party;
6. We maintain records showing that the third party is not a related party to us nor located
at the same address as us; and
7. Your qualified custodian sends you, in writing, an initial notice confirming the instruction
and an annual notice reconfirming the instruction.
We hereby confirm that we meet the above criteria.
Item 16 Investment Discretion
Before we can buy or sell securities on your behalf, you must first sign our discretionary
management agreement and the appropriate trading authorization forms. Upon signing our
agreement, we may exercise full discretionary authority to supervise and direct the investments
of a client’s account. This authority allows us and our affiliates to implement investment
decisions without prior consultation with the client. Such investment decisions are made in the
client’s best interest and in accordance with the client’s investment objectives. Other than
agreed upon management fees due to us, this discretionary authority does not grant the Firm
the authority to have custody of any assets in the client’s account or to direct the delivery of
any securities or the payment of any funds held in the account to us. The discretionary
authority granted by the client to the Firm does not allow us to direct the disposition of such
securities or funds to anyone except the account holder.
Item 17 Voting Client Securities
We will not vote proxies on behalf of your advisory accounts. At your request, we may offer
you advice regarding corporate actions and the exercise of your proxy voting rights. If you own
shares of applicable securities, you are responsible for exercising your right to vote as a
shareholder.
In most cases, you will receive proxy materials directly from the account custodian.
However, in the event we were to receive any written or electronic proxy materials, we would
forward them directly to you by mail, unless you have authorized our firm to contact you by
electronic mail, in which case, we would forward any electronic solicitation to vote proxies.
Item 18 Financial Information
Our firm does not have any financial condition that is reasonably likely to impair our ability
to meet contractual commitments to clients.
We do not take physical custody of client funds or securities, or serve as signatory for client
accounts, and, we do not require the prepayment of more than $1,200 in fees six or more
months in advance. Therefore, we are not required to include a financial statement with this
brochure.
We have not filed a bankruptcy petition at any time in the past ten years.