Overview
Assets Under Management: $341 million
Headquarters: SAN DIEGO, CA
High-Net-Worth Clients: 81
Average Client Assets: $3 million
Services Offered
Services: Financial Planning, Portfolio Management for Individuals
Fee Structure
Primary Fee Schedule (2025 ADV PART 2 REVISED)
| Min | Max | Marginal Fee Rate |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $2,000,000 | 0.90% |
| $2,000,001 | $3,500,000 | 0.80% |
| $3,500,001 | $5,000,000 | 0.70% |
| $5,000,001 | $10,000,000 | 0.60% |
| $10,000,001 | $15,000,000 | 0.50% |
| $15,000,001 | and above | 0.30% |
Illustrative Fee Rates
| Total Assets | Annual Fees | Average Fee Rate |
|---|---|---|
| $1 million | $9,000 | 0.90% |
| $5 million | $40,500 | 0.81% |
| $10 million | $70,500 | 0.70% |
| $50 million | $200,500 | 0.40% |
| $100 million | $350,500 | 0.35% |
Clients
Number of High-Net-Worth Clients: 81
Percentage of Firm Assets Belonging to High-Net-Worth Clients: 82.81
Average High-Net-Worth Client Assets: $3 million
Total Client Accounts: 598
Discretionary Accounts: 598
Regulatory Filings
CRD Number: 297487
Last Filing Date: 2025-01-16 00:00:00
Website: https://plattwm.com
Form ADV Documents
Additional Brochure: 2025 ADV PART 2 REVISED (2025-10-28)
View Document Text
PLATT WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC
3838 Camino del Rio North, Suite 365
San Diego CA 92108
(619) 255-9554
www.plattwm.com
Form ADV Part 2A: Firm Brochure
October 7, 2025
This brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of
Platt Wealth Management, LLC (Platt Wealth Management or PWM). If you have any
questions about the contents of this brochure, please contact us at (619) 255-9554. 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 Platt Wealth Management is also available on the SEC’s
website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. The CRD# for the firm is 297487.
Please note that the use of the term “registered investment adviser” and description of
Platt Wealth Management and/or our associates as “registered” does not imply a certain
level of skill or training. You are encouraged to review this Brochure and Brochure
Supplements for our firm’s associates who advise you for more information on the
qualifications of our firm and its employees.
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Item 2 – Material Changes
This brochure dated October 7, 2025 is the revised Brochure for Platt Wealth
Management. There have been the following material changes to this Brochure since
the last filing and update on January 1, 2025.
Item 5: Updates to specifically disclose how investment management fees are calculated
on real estate private placements.
All clients will receive a copy of this Brochure prior to, or at the time of, becoming a
client.
Clients will be provided with a new Brochure, as necessary, based on changes or new
information, at any time, without charge.
Currently, the Brochure may be requested by contacting (619) 255-9554 and/or
info@plattwm.com.
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Item 3 – Table of Contents
Item 1 – CoverPage………………………..….…………………………………………………………………….…1
Item 2 – Material Changes ............................................................................................... 2
Item 3 – Table of Contents .............................................................................................. 3
Item 4 –Advisory Business ............................................................................................... 4
Item 5 –Fees and Compensation ...................................................................................... 8
Item 6 –Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management ............................... 12
Item 7 –Types of Clients and Account Requirements .................................................... 13
Item 8 –Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss .......................... 14
Item 9 –Disciplinary Information ................................................................................... 17
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 ....................................................................................... 21
Item 13 –Review of Accounts or Financial Plans ........................................................... 27
Item 14 –Client Referrals and Other Compensation ...................................................... 28
Item 15 –Custody ........................................................................................................... 29
Item 16 –Investment Discretion .................................................................................... 30
Item 17 –Voting Client Securities .................................................................................. 31
Item 18 –Financial Information ...................................................................................... 32
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Item 4 –Advisory Business
Platt Wealth Management is dedicated to providing individuals with a wide array of
investment advisory and financial planning services on a fee-only basis. Jeffrey S. Platt
started the firm in 2018 and is the sole owner of PWM.
This narrative brochure contains information regarding PWM and the qualifications,
business practices, and nature of advisory services that the firm provides. This
information should be carefully considered before becoming an advisory client of PWM.
Prior to engaging PWM to provide services, clients are generally required to enter into
an agreement with PWM setting the terms and conditions of the engagement (including
termination), describing the scope of the services to be provided, and specifying the
portion of the fee, if any, that is due from the client prior to PWM beginning services.
Types of Advisory Services
Investment Management
PWM primarily allocates investment management assets of its client accounts among
various asset classes using mutual funds (and to a much lesser extent, among various
individual debt and equity securities) on a discretionary basis, in accordance with the
investment objectives of the client as set forth in an Investment Policy Statement
prepared by PWM for review and acceptance by the client.
After consultation with PWM, clients may impose restrictions on investing in certain
securities or types of securities. Other restrictions may be imposed by clients with
respect to the maturity or credit quality of fixed income investments. In either case, all
restrictions must be in writing.
Subject to any written guidelines, which the client may provide, PWM will be granted
discretion and authority to manage the client’s investment account(s). Accordingly,
PWM is authorized to perform various functions, at the client’s expense, without further
approval from the client. Such functions include making all investment decisions on
the (a) securities purchased/sold and (b) the amount of securities to be purchased/sold.
Once the portfolio is constructed, PWM provides ongoing supervision and rebalancing
of the portfolio as changes in market conditions and client circumstances may require.
Financial Planning
PWM provides a range of financial planning services, which may include a
comprehensive evaluation of a client’s goals and objectives, current financial and tax
status, and projections of future financial state under various scenarios. PWM gathers
information through the use of meetings, questionnaires, and the review of account
statements and other documents provided by the client. Clients purchasing this service
receive a written report designed to assist the client in achieving his or her financial goals
and objectives.
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From time to time PWM is asked to provide specific consulting services to clients. This
may include advice on only an isolated area of concern such as estate planning,
retirement planning, Social Security, real estate matters, reviewing a client's existing
portfolio, or any other specific topic. Additionally, PWM provides advice on non-
securities matters such as insurance or annuity evaluations.
In general, the financial plan can address any or all of the following areas:
• PERSONAL: Review of family records, budgeting, personal liability, estate
information, and financial goals.
• TAX & CASH FLOW: Analyze the client’s income tax and spending and planning
for past, current and future years and illustrate the impact of various investments
on the client's current income tax and future tax liability.
•
INVESTMENTS: Analyze portfolio allocation and the specific investments in the
portfolio and their effect on the client's portfolio.
• RETIREMENT: Analyze current strategies and investment plans to help the client
achieve his or her retirement goals.
• RISK MANAGEMENT: Discuss existing policies for appropriate coverage, which
may include life, health, disability, liability, property and casualty, and long-term
care coverage.
• DEATH & DISABILITY: Review the client’s cash needs at death, income needs of
surviving dependents, estate planning, and disability income.
• ESTATE: Assist the client in assessing and developing long-term strategies,
including as appropriate, living trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and potential
estate taxes.
Retirement Rollovers-No Obligation/Conflict of Interest
A client leaving an employer typically has four options (and may engage in a combination
of these options): 1) leave the money in his former employer’s plan, if permitted, 2) roll
over the assets to his/her new employer’s plan, if one is available and rollovers are
permitted, 3) rollover to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), or 4) cash out the account
value (which could, depending upon the client’s age, result in adverse tax consequences).
PWM may recommend an investor roll over plan assets to an IRA managed by PWM. As
a result, PWM may earn an asset-based fee; however, a recommendation that a client or
prospective client leave their plan assets with their old employer will result in no
compensation. PWM has an economic incentive to encourage an investor to roll plan
assets into an IRA that PWM will manage.
When we provide investment advice to you regarding your retirement plan account or
individual retirement account, we are fiduciaries within the meaning of Title I of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act and/or the Internal Revenue Code, as
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applicable, which are laws governing retirement accounts. The way we make money
creates some conflicts with your interests, so we operate under a special rule that
requires us to act in your best interest and not put our interests ahead of yours.
Under this special rule’s provisions, we must:
• Meet a professional standard of care when making investment recommendations
(give prudent advice);
• Never put our financial interests ahead of yours when making recommendations
(give loyal advice);
• Avoid misleading statements about conflicts of interest, fees, and investments;
• Follow policies and procedures designed to ensure that we give advice that is in
your best interest;
• Charge no more than is reasonable for our services; and
• Give you basic information about conflicts of interest.
There are various factors that PWM may consider before recommending a rollover,
including but not limited to: i) the investment options available in the plan versus the
investment options available in an IRA, ii) fees and expenses in the plan versus the fees
and expenses in an IRA, iii) the services and responsiveness of the plan’s investment
professionals versus those of PWM, iv) required minimum distributions and age
considerations, and vi) employer stock tax consequences, if any. No client is under any
obligation to roll over plan assets to an IRA managed by PWM.
Client Obligations
In performing its services, PWM is not required to verify any information received from
the client or from the client’s other professionals. Moreover, each client is advised that
it remains his or her responsibility to promptly notify PWM if there is ever any change in
the client’s financial situation or investment objectives during the client engagement.
Our Policy on Class Action Lawsuits
From time to time, securities held in the accounts of clients will be the subject of class
action lawsuits. PWM has no obligation to determine if securities held by the client are
subject to a pending or resolved class action lawsuit. It also has no duty to evaluate a
client’s eligibility or to submit a claim to participate in the proceeds of a securities class
action settlement or verdict. Furthermore, PWM has no obligation or responsibility to
initiate litigation to recover damages on behalf of clients who may have been injured as a
result of actions, misconduct, or negligence by corporate management of issuers whose
securities are held by clients.
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Where PWM receives written or electronic notice of a class action lawsuit, settlement,
or verdict affecting securities owned by a client, it will forward all notices, proof of claim
forms, and other materials, to the client. Electronic mail is acceptable where appropriate
if the client has authorized contact in this manner.
Disclosure Statement
A copy of PWM’s written brochure as set forth on Part 2A of Form ADV shall be
provided to each client prior to, or at the same time as, the execution of the Advisory
Agreement. Any client who has not received a copy of PWM’s written brochure at
least 48 hours prior to executing the Advisory Agreement shall have five business days
subsequent to executing the agreement to terminate PWM’s services without penalty.
Non-Participation in Wrap Fee Programs
PWM, as a matter of policy and practice, does not sponsor any wrap fee program. A
wrap fee program is defined as any advisory program under which a specified fee or fees
not based directly upon transactions in a client’s account is charged for investment
supervisory services (which may include portfolio management or advice concerning the
selection of other investment advisers) and the execution of client transactions.
Amount of Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2024, PWM manages approximately $341,385,721 in client assets
on a discretionary basis.
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Item 5 –Fees and Compensation
Investment management fees are paid quarterly in arrears pursuant to the terms of the
Investment Management Agreement. Investment management fees are based on the
market value of assets under management at the end of each calendar quarter. Fees
range from 0.90% to 0.30% based on the following schedule:
Assets
Annual Rate
Up to $2,000,000
0.90%
Next $1,500,000 (up to $3,500,000)
0.80%
Next $1,500,000 (up to $5,000,000)
0.70%
Next $5,000,000 (up to $10,000,000)
0.60%
Next $5,000,000 (up to $15,000,000)
0.50%
Over $15,000,000
0.30%
PWM generally requires a minimum account size of $500,000 for investment
management services. However, PWM, in its sole discretion, may reduce its minimum
account size, charge a minimum quarterly fee, charge fees in arrears annually instead of
quarterly, and/or charge a lesser investment management fee for bundled and
unbundled services based upon certain criteria (i.e. anticipated future earning capacity,
or additional assets, dollar amount of assets to be managed, related accounts, or account
composition).
The annual fee for investment management services provided are based upon a
percentage (%) of the market value of the Assets under management in accordance with
the fee schedule in the Agreement signed by the client. PWM considers cash to be an
asset class and part of Assets under management and subject to the same fee calculation
as the client’s non-cash investments. However, fees for real estate private placements
are calculated as described below in the Real Estate Investment section.
Payment for management fees will be made by the qualified custodian holding the
client’s funds and securities provided the client provides written authorization permitting
the fees to be paid directly from the client’s account. PWM will not have access to client
funds for payment of fees without client consent in writing. Furthermore, the qualified
custodian agrees to deliver a quarterly account statement directly to the client showing
all disbursements from the account. The client is encouraged to review their account
statements for accuracy. PWM will receive a duplicate copy of the statement that was
delivered to the client. Alternatively, PWM may invoice clients directly for portfolio
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management fees. When clients are billed directly, payment is due upon receipt of
PWM’s invoice.
Real Estate Investments
PWM charges an ongoing management fee on investments in Platt Wealth Management
facilitated real estate partnerships for qualified investors.
Fees range from 0.90% to 0.30% based on the following schedule:
Assets
Annual Rate
Up to $2,000,000
0.90%
Next $1,500,000 (up to $3,500,000)
0.80%
Next $1,500,000 (up to $5,000,000)
0.70%
Next $5,000,000 (up to $10,000,000)
0.60%
Next $5,000,000 (up to $15,000,000)
0.50%
Over $15,000,000
0.30%
Fees are valued by the real estate private placement firms semi-annually. Platt Wealth
Management receives these valuations in February and August each year. These values
are as of December 31 and June 30, respectively. Therefore, fees for these investments,
billed for the first quarter (March 31st) and second quarter (June 30th), will reflect the
value of the holdings received in February of that year. Fees billed for the third quarter
(September 30th) and the fourth quarter (December 31st) will reflect the value of the
holdings received in August of that year.
As real estate private placements are not valued quarterly, there is a potential conflict of
interest that the property value could have declined since the last valuation.
Financial Planning
Platt Wealth Management’s financial planning fee is determined based on the nature of
the services being provided and the complexity of each client’s circumstances.
Financial planning fees are calculated and charged on a fixed fee basis and typically
start at $3,000.
PWM will typically waive all or a portion of the financial planning fees based upon the
value pf the client’s assets under management. All fees are agreed upon prior to
entering into a contract with any client. A retainer may be requested upon completion
of the initial fact-finding session with the client; however, advance payment will never
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exceed $1,200 for work that will not be completed within six months. The balance is
due upon completion of the plan.
For special projects and/or consulting on issues outside the typical wealth planning and
investment management, fees are based on the expected service time and the
professionals rendering the service. Hourly fees are generally at a minimum rate of $350
per hour.
Client relationships exist where the fees are lower than the fee schedule above. Fees
may be less for larger client relationships and for non-profit and long-term clients. PWM
in its sole discretion, may waive its minimum fee and/or charge a lesser investment
advisory fee based upon certain criteria (e.g., non-profit clients, length of relationship,
type of assets, dollar amounts of assets to be managed, related accounts, account
composition).
General Information
Termination of the Advisory Relationship: An advisory client will have a period of five (5)
business days from the date of signing the investment advisory agreement to
unconditionally rescind the advisory agreement and receive a full refund of all fees.
Thereafter, either party may terminate the investment advisory agreement with written
notice. Upon termination, fees will be prorated to the date of termination. Any
unearned fees will be refunded to the client.
Mutual Fund Fees: All fees paid to PWM for investment advisory services are separate
and distinct from the fees and expenses charged by mutual funds, sub-advisors, and/or
ETFs to their shareholders. These fees and expenses are described in each fund's
prospectus. These fees will generally include a management fee, other fund expenses,
and a possible distribution fee. A client could invest in a mutual fund directly, without
our services. In that case, the client would not receive the services provided by PWM
which are designed, among other things, to assist the client in determining which mutual
fund or funds are most appropriate to each client's financial condition and objectives.
Accordingly, the client should review both the fees charged by the funds and PWM fees
to fully understand the total amount of fees to be paid by the client and to thereby
evaluate the advisory services being provided.
Additional Fees and Expenses: In addition to PWM’s advisory fees, clients are also
responsible for the fees and expenses charged by custodians and imposed by broker
dealers, including, but not limited to, any transaction charges imposed by a qualified
custodian/broker dealer with which an independent investment manager effects
transactions for the client's account(s). Please refer to the "Brokerage Practices"
section (Item 12) of this Form ADV for additional information.
Custodian Fees: The account Custodian may charge fees, which are in addition to and
separate from the investment advisory service fee. Custodian may charge accounts for
various transaction costs, retirement plan and administration fees.
ERISA Accounts: PWM is deemed to be a fiduciary to advisory clients that are employee
benefit plans or IRAs pursuant to the Employee Retirement Income and Securities Act
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("ERISA"), and regulations under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Code"),
respectively. As such, PWM is subject to specific duties and obligations under ERISA
and the Internal Revenue Code that include among other things, restrictions concerning
certain forms of compensation.
Advisory Fees in General: Clients should note that similar advisory services may (or may
not) be available from other registered (or unregistered) investment advisers for similar
or lower fees.
Limited Prepayment of Fees: Under no circumstances do we require or solicit payment
of fees in excess of $1,200 more than six months in advance of services rendered.
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Item 6 –Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management
Item 6 is not applicable to PWM as the firm does not charge any performance-based
fees (fees based on a share of capital gains on or capital appreciation of the assets of a
client). Such acceptance or management would pose a significant conflict of interest to
clients because performance-based fees may provide an incentive to make investment
decisions that pose excessive or inappropriate risk to the client’s financial situation.
PWM considers avoidance of such conflict a paramount policy in maintaining their
fiduciary duty to their clients.
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Item 7 –Types of Clients and Account Requirements
PWM offers personalized investment supervisory services to a variety of client types.
Clients may include:
Individuals
•
• High Net Worth individuals
• Corporations
• Pension and Profit Sharing plans.
Client relationships vary in scope and length of service.
Required Minimum Client Accounts
PWM requires a minimum of $500,000 to establish a new client advisory account;
however, the minimum may be waived at the sole discretion of the firm.
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Item 8 –Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss
Before designing investment plans for clients, PWM will evaluate the client’s current
investments to determine whether the client’s goals harmonize with the client’s financial
objectives. In designing investment plans for clients, PWM relies upon the information
supplied by the client and client’s other professional advisors. Such information may
pertain to the client’s financial situation, estate planning, tax planning, risk management,
short-term and long-term lifetime financial goals and objectives, investment time
horizon, and perceived current tolerance for risk. PWM will design and propose a
portfolio to help clients attain the client’s financial goals.
This information will become the basis for the strategic asset allocation plan which PWM
believes will best meet the client’s stated personal financial goals. The strategic asset
allocation provides for investments in those asset classes which PWM believes will
possess attractive combinations of return, risk, and correlation over the long term.
The philosophy and strategy implemented rests upon the body of academic research
known as Modern Portfolio Theory. It focuses on maintaining a long-term perspective
and capturing the returns offered by the financial capital markets.
The investment advice provided rests on four principles:
1. Financial markets are efficient, but investor behavior is not always rational.
2. Risk and return are related.
3. Global portfolio diversification can reduce risk and increase return over longer
time periods.
4. Appropriate asset allocation is critical to investor discipline.
Risk of Loss
Investing in securities involves risk of loss that clients should be prepared to bear.
PWM’s investment approach constantly keeps the risk of loss in mind. Investors face
the following investment risks:
Interest-rate Risk: The risk that investment returns will be affected by changes in the
level of interest rates. When interest rates increase, the prices and values of bonds
decrease. When interest rates decrease, the prices and values of bonds increase.
Market Risk: The risk that investment returns will be affected by changes in the overall
level of the stock market. When the stock market as a whole increases or decreases,
virtually all stocks are affected to some degree.
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Reinvestment Rate Risk: The risk incurred when an investment’s income is reinvested at
a lower rate than the rate that existed at the time the original investment was made.
This risk is most prevalent when interest rates fall.
Purchasing Power Risk (Inflation Risk): The risk that inflation will affect the return of an
investment in real dollars. In other words, the amount of goods that one dollar will
purchase decreases with time. Investments that have low returns, such as savings
accounts, are not likely to keep up with inflation. Investments with fixed returns, such as
bonds, will decrease in value because their purchasing value will decrease with inflation.
Business Risk: The risk associated with a particular industry or firm. These are factors
that affect the industry or firm, but do not affect the whole market. They include
government regulations, management competency, or local or regional economic factors.
Financial Risk: The risk associated with the mix of debt and equity used to finance a firm.
The greater the financial leverage, the greater the financial risk.
Currency Risk (Exchange Rate Risk): The risk that a change in the value of a foreign
currency relative to the U.S. dollar will negatively affect a U.S. investor’s return.
Liquidity Risk: Liquidity is the ability to readily convert an investment into cash.
Generally, assets are more liquid if many traders are interested in a standardized
product. For example, Treasury Bills are highly liquid, while real estate properties are
not.
In general, cash equivalents provide liquidity with minimum income, and a return of
principal with no capital appreciation. Cash equivalents, however, are subject to
purchasing power risk.
Fixed income investments provide current income. Usually, the longer the maturity of
the security, the higher the income it will generate. Also, with longer maturities, fixed
income investments will have greater price volatility and greater opportunity for capital
gains or capital losses. Fixed income investments are subject to interest rate risk,
reinvestment rate risk, and purchasing power risk. In addition, foreign bonds would be
subject to currency rate risk and junk bonds would be subject to business risk and
financial risk.
The return of principal for bond funds and funds with significant underlying bond
holdings is not guaranteed. Mutual fund shares are subject to the same interest rate,
inflation and credit risks associated with the underlying bond holdings. Lower rated
bonds are subject to greater fluctuations in value and risk of loss of income and principal
than higher rated bonds.
Equity investments are subject to greater volatility, thus providing a greater opportunity
for capital gains, and a greater opportunity for capital losses. Equity investments offer
little or no current income. Equity investments are subject to market risk and interest
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rate risk, while providing an opportunity to protect against purchasing power risk. Also,
stock mutual funds, rather than individual equities, may limit the exposure to business
risk and financial risk.
Investing outside the United States involves additional risks, such as currency
fluctuations, periods of illiquidity, and price volatility. These risks may be heightened in
connection with investments in developing countries. Small-company stocks entail
additional risks, and they can fluctuate in price more than larger company stocks.
Investments are not FDIC-insured, nor are they deposits of or guaranteed by a bank or
any other entity, so they may lose value.
Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and the client should not
assume that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy
(including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended by PWM) will be
profitable or equal to any specific performance level(s).
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Item 9 –Disciplinary Information
PWM has not been subject to any such legal or disciplinary event, and thus has no
information to disclose with respect to this Item.
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Item 10 –Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations
Neither PWM nor its representatives are registered or have an application pending to
register as a broker-dealer or a registered representative of a broker-dealer.
Neither PWM nor its representatives are registered or have an application pending to
register as a futures commission merchant, a commodity pool operator, a commodity
trading advisor, or a representative of the foregoing.
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Item 11 – Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and
Personal Trading
PWM has adopted a Code of Ethics for all employees of the firm describing its high
standard of business conduct and fiduciary duty to its clients. The Code of Ethics
includes provisions relating to the confidentiality of client information, a prohibition on
insider trading, and personal securities trading procedures, among other things. All
employees are required to accept in writing the terms of the Code of Ethics upon
employment, on amendment of the Code of Ethics, and annually. Any employee who
becomes aware of an apparent violation of the Code of Ethics is required to promptly
report such apparent violation to the Chief Compliance Officer
PWM’s clients or prospective clients may request a copy of the firm's Code of Ethics by
sending a request to:
Platt Wealth Management
Attn: Compliance
3838 Camino del Rio North, Suite 365
San Diego, CA 92108
info@plattwm.com
Client Transactions
Neither PWM or any related person of PWM recommends, buys, or sells for client
accounts, securities in which PWM or any related person of PWM has a material
financial interest.
It is PWM’s policy that they will not affect any principal or agency cross securities
transactions for client accounts. PWM believes that such transactions would pose a
significant conflict of interest to PWM’s clients. PWM considers avoidance of such
conflict a paramount policy in maintaining its fiduciary duty to its clients.
Personal Trading Practices
PWM and/or representatives of PWM may buy or sell securities that are also
recommended to clients. This practice may create a situation where PWM and/or
representatives of the firm are in a position to materially benefit from the sale or
purchase of those securities. Therefore, this situation creates a potential conflict of
interest. In addition, PWM has policies in place to help detect insider trading, “front-
running” (i.e., personal trades executed prior to those of PWM’s clients) and other
potentially abusive practices.
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PWM maintains and enforces written policies reasonably designed to prevent the misuse
of material non-public information by PWM or any person associated with PWM.
PWM has a personal securities transaction policy in place to monitor the personal
securities transactions and securities holdings of each of PWM’s “Access Persons”.
PWM’s securities transaction policy requires that Access Persons must provide the Chief
Compliance Officer with a written report of the current reportable securities holdings
within ten (10) days after becoming an Access Person. Additionally, each Access Person
must provide the Chief Compliance Officer with a written report of the Access Person’s
current reportable securities holdings at least once each twelve (12) month period
thereafter.
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Item 12 – Brokerage Practices
PWM does not maintain custody of client assets, although PWM may be deemed to
have custody of client assets if the client gives them the authority to withdraw assets
from the client account (see “Item 15: Custody”). Client assets must be maintained in an
account at a “qualified custodian,” generally a broker/dealer or bank.
In the event the client requests that PWM recommend a broker dealer/custodian for
custody and brokerage services (exclusive of those clients that may direct PWM to use a
specific broker-dealer/custodian), PWM generally recommends Charles Schwab and Co.,
Inc. (“Schwab”) Institutional Services (“Custodian”), FINRA-registered broker-dealers,
members of SIPC, as their qualified custodian. Although PWM makes this
recommendation, it is the client’s decision to custody assets with a particular
broker/dealer/custodian.
PWM is independently owned and operated and is not affiliated with Custodian. The
Custodian will hold client assets in a brokerage account and buy and sell securities when
PWM instructs them to. While PWM recommends that the client use Custodian as
custodian/broker, the client will decide whether to do so and will open the account with
Custodian by entering into an account agreement directly with them. PWM does not
open the account for the client, although they may assist the client in doing so.
Factors that PWM considers in recommending a brokerage firm to clients include
(i) historical relationship with PWM, (ii) financial strength, (iii) reputation, (iv)execution
capabilities, (v) pricing, (vi) research, and (vii) service.
How PWM Selects Brokers/Custodians
PWM seeks to recommend a custodian/broker who will hold client assets and execute
transactions on terms that are, overall, most advantageous when compared to other
available providers and their services. PWM consider a wide range of factors, including,
among others:
• 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.)
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• 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, and stability
• Prior service to PWM and their other clients
• Availability of other products and services that benefit PWM, as discussed
below (see “Products and Services Available to PWM from Custodians”)
Brokerage and Custody Costs
For clients’ accounts that Custodian maintains, Custodian generally does not charge the
client separately for custody services but is compensated by charging the client
commissions or other fees on trades that it executes or that settle into the client’s
account. In addition to commissions, Custodian can charge the client a flat dollar amount
as a “prime broker” or “trade away” fee for each trade that PWM has executed by a
different broker-dealer but where the securities bought or the funds from the securities
sold are deposited (settled) into the client’s account. These fees are in addition to the
commissions or other compensation the client pays the executing broker-dealer.
Because of this, in order to minimize your trading costs, PWM has Custodian execute
most trades for client accounts. PWM has determined that having Custodian execute
most trades is consistent with the firm’s duty to seek “best execution” of client trades.
Best execution means the most favorable terms for a transaction based on all relevant
factors, including those listed above (see “How PWM Selects Brokers/Custodians”).
Products and Services Available to PWM from Custodians
Custodian provides PWM and their clients with access to its institutional brokerage —
trading, custody, reporting, and related services — many of which are not typically
available to retail customers. Custodian also makes available various support services.
Some of those services help PWM manage or administer client accounts, while others
help the firm manage and grow the business. These support services generally are
available on an unsolicited basis(they do not have to be requested) and at no charge to
PWM. The availability of these products and services is not based on PWM giving
particular investment advice, such as buying particular securities for their clients. Following
is a more detailed description of these support services:
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Services That Benefit The Client
Custodian brokerage services include access to a broad range of investment products,
execution of securities transactions, and custody of client assets. The investment
products include some to which PWM might not otherwise have access or that would
require a significantly higher minimum initial investment by our clients.
Services That May Not Directly Benefit The Client
Custodian makes available to PWM other products and services that benefit the firm but
may not directly benefit the client or client account. These products and services assist
PWM in managing and administering client accounts. They include investment research,
both Custodian’s own and that of third-parties. PWM may use this research to service
all or a substantial number of our clients’ accounts, including accounts not maintained at
Custodian. In addition to investment research, Custodian 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 PWM fees from our clients’ accounts
• Assist with back-office functions, recordkeeping, and client reporting
Services That Generally Benefit Only PWM
Custodian also offers other services intended to help PWM manage and further develop
the firm’s 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
Custodian may provide some of these services itself. In other cases, it will arrange for
third-party vendors to provide the services to PWM. Custodian may also discount or
waive its fees for some of these services or pay all or a part of a third-party’s fees.
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Custodian may also provide PWM with other benefits, such as occasional business
entertainment of firm personnel.
PWM’s Interest in Custodian’s Services
The availability of these services from Custodian benefits PWM because they do not
have to produce or purchase them. PWM does not have to pay for these services, and
they are not contingent upon us committing any specific amount of business to
Custodian in trading commissions or assets in custody. In light of PWM’s arrangements
with Custodian, PWM may have an incentive to recommend that clients maintain their
accounts with Custodian based on their interest in receiving the best value in custody
services and the most favorable execution of transactions. This is a potential conflict
of interest. PWM believes, however, that the selection of Custodian as custodian and
broker is in the best interest of their clients. It is primarily supported by the scope,
quality, and price of services and not the services that benefit only PWM.
Research and Additional Benefits
PWM may receive from Custodian without cost (and/or at a discount) compliance,
marketing, technology, and practice management products or services, certain of which
assist PWM to better monitor and service client accounts maintained at such
institutions. These support services and/or products that may be received may assist
PWM in managing and administering client accounts. Others do not directly provide
such assistance, but rather assist PWM to manage and further develop its business
enterprise.
There is no corresponding commitment made by PWM or its associated persons to
Custodian, or any other entity to invest any specific amount or percentage of client
assets in any specific mutual funds, securities or other investment products as result of
the above arrangement. Clients should be aware, however, that the receipt of economic
benefits by PWM or its related persons in and of itself creates a potential conflict of
interest and may indirectly influence PWM’s choice of Custodian for custody and
brokerage services. In addition, PWM may have a conflict of interest in recommending
to its clients that their assets be held in custody with Custodian and in placing
transactions for client accounts with Custodian, because Custodian considers the
amount and profitability to Custodian of the assets in, and trades placed for, PWM’s
client accounts when determining whether to provide or continue providing additional
services to PWM. PWM’s receipt of any additional services does not diminish PWM’s
duty to act in the best interest of clients, including to seek best execution of trades for
client accounts.
PWM also receives from Custodian certain additional economic benefits that may or
may not be offered to any other independent investment Advisors participating in the
program.
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The additional services are provided to PWM at the sole discretion of Custodian and at
its own expense, and PWM does not pay any fees for the additional services.
Best Execution
Although the commissions and/or transaction fees paid by PWM's clients shall comply
with PWM's duty to obtain best execution, a client may pay a transaction fee that is
higher than another qualified broker-dealer might charge to affect the same transaction.
If this occurs, it is because PWM determines, in good faith, that the transaction fee is
reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services received. In
seeking best execution, the determinative factor is not the lowest possible cost, but
whether the transaction represents the best qualitative execution, taking into
consideration the full range of broker-dealer services, including the value of research
provided, execution capability, commission rates, and responsiveness. Accordingly,
although PWM will seek competitive rates, it may not necessarily obtain the lowest
possible transaction rates for client account transactions. The brokerage commissions or
transaction fees charged by the designated custodian are exclusive of, and in addition to,
PWM's investment management fee. PWM’s best execution responsibility is qualified if
securities that it purchases for client accounts are mutual funds that trade at net asset
value as determined at the daily market close.
When beneficial to the client, transactions may be affected through broker-dealers with
whom PWM or the client have entered into arrangements for prime brokerage clearing
services (in which event, the client shall incur both the transaction fee charged by the
executing broker-dealer and a “tradeaway” fee charged by Custodian).
Even though the client account is maintained at Custodian, PWM can still use other
brokers to execute trades for the client account as described below (see “Your
Brokerage and Custody Costs”).
Directed Brokerage
Some clients may instruct PWM to use one or more particular brokers for the
transactions in their accounts. Clients who may want to direct PWM to use a particular
broker should understand that this may prevent PWM from effectively negotiating
brokerage compensation on their behalf. This arrangement may also prevent PWM from
obtaining the most favorable net price and execution. Thus, when directing brokerage
business, clients should consider whether the commission expenses and execution,
clearance and settlement capabilities that they will obtain through their broker are
adequately favorable in comparison to those that PWM would otherwise obtain for its
clients. Clients are encouraged to discuss available alternatives with their advisory
representative.
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Aggregation of Client Trades
To the extent that PWM provides investment management services to its clients, the
transactions for each client account generally will be affected independently, unless
PWM decides to purchase or sell the same securities for several clients at approximately
the same time. PWM may (but is not obligated to) combine or “bunch” such orders to
obtain best execution, to negotiate more favorable commission rates or to allocate
equitably among PWM’s clients differences in prices and commissions or other
transaction costs that might have been obtained had such orders been placed
independently. Under this procedure, transactions will be averaged as to price and will
be allocated among clients in proportion to the purchase and sale orders placed for each
client account on any given day. PWM shall not receive any additional compensation or
remuneration as a result of such aggregation.
PWM’s employees are not registered representatives of Custodian or any other
custodian/broker-dealer and do not receive any commissions or fees from
recommending these services.
Special Considerations for ERISA Clients
A retirement or ERISA plan client may direct all or part of portfolio transactions for its
account through a specific broker or dealer in order to obtain goods or services on behalf
of the plan. Such direction is permitted provided that the goods and services provided
are reasonable expenses of the plan incurred in the ordinary course of its business for
which it otherwise would be obligated and empowered to pay. ERISA prohibits directed
brokerage arrangements when the goods or services purchased are not for the exclusive
benefit of the plan. Consequently, we will request that plan sponsors who direct plan
brokerage provide us with a letter documenting that this arrangement will be for the
exclusive benefit of the plan.
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Item 13 –Review of Accounts or Financial Plans
For those clients to whom PWM provides investment advisory or wealth management
services, account reviews will be conducted on an ongoing basis by Investment Advisors.
All investment supervisory clients are advised that it remains their responsibility to
advise PWM in writing of any changes in the client’s investment objectives and/or
financial situation, or if they wish to impose any reasonable restrictions on PWM’s
discretionary management services. All clients (in person or electronically) are
encouraged to review investment objectives and account performance with PWM on an
annual basis.
PWM may conduct account reviews on an other-than-periodic basis upon the
occurrence of a triggering event such as a market correction, large deposits or
withdrawals from an account, substantial changes in the value of a client’s portfolio,
change in the client’s investment objectives, and client request.
Reports to Clients
The account custodian provides trade confirmations and statements to clients on at least
a quarterly basis. For those clients to whom PWM provides investment supervisory
services, performance reports are provided as part of each client review meeting.
Additional reports are available and will be provided on an ad hoc basis.
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Item 14 –Client Referrals and Other Compensation
PWM may receive an indirect economic benefit from Custodian. PWM, without cost
(and/or at a discount) may receive support services and/or products from Custodian.
PWM receives an economic benefit from Custodian in the form of the support products
and services it makes available to the firm and other independent investment advisors
whose clients maintain their accounts at Custodian. These products and services, how
they benefit the firm, and the related conflicts of interest are described above (see “Item
12: Brokerage Practices”). The availability of Custodian’s products and services to PWM
is not based on PWM giving particular investment advice, such as buying particular
securities for PWM clients.
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Item 15 –Custody
It is PWM’s policy to not accept custody of a client’s securities. In other words, PWM is
not granted access to the clients’ accounts which would enable PWM to withdraw or
transfer or otherwise move funds or cash from any client account to PWM’s accounts or
the account of any third party (other than for purposes of fee deductions, as explained
below). All client assets are maintained at a qualified custodian. This is for the safety of
the clients’ assets.
We previously disclosed in the "Fees and Compensation" section (Item 5) of this
Brochure that PWM directly debits advisory fees from client accounts in cases where
clients have given permission to do so.
As part of this billing process, the client's custodian is advised of the amount of the fee
to be deducted from that client's account. On at least a quarterly basis, the custodian is
required to send to the client a statement showing all transactions within the account
during the reporting period.
All PWM clients receive account statements, at least quarterly, directly from qualified
custodians, such as a bank or broker dealer that maintains those assets. The client
should carefully review and compare these statements to the quarterly or other reports
provided by PWM. Statements provided by PWM may vary from custodial statements
based on accounting procedures, reporting dates, or valuation methodologies of certain
securities. Clients should contact PWM with any questions or if they are not receiving
quarterly custodial statements.
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Item 16 –Investment Discretion
PWM typically receives discretionary authority from the client at the beginning of an
advisory relationship to select the identity and amount of securities to be bought or sold.
Prior to assuming discretionary authority over a client’s account, the client shall be
required to execute an Investment Management Agreement granting authority to buy,
sell, or otherwise effect investment transactions. In addition, any investment discretion
is obtained in writing through a limited power of attorney signed by the client prior to
opening an account with the Custodian. In all cases, however, such discretion is to be
exercised in a manner consistent with the stated investment objectives for the particular
client account.
Discretionary authority allows PWM to perform trades in the client’s account without
further approval from the client. This includes decisions on the following:
• Securities purchased or sold
• The amount of securities to be purchased or sold
Once the portfolio is constructed, PWM provides ongoing supervision and rebalancing
of the portfolio as changes in market conditions and client circumstances may require.
Clients may, at any time, impose restrictions, in writing, on PWM’s discretionary
authority (i.e., limit the types/amounts of particular securities purchased for their
account, exclude the ability to purchase securities with an inverse relationship to the
market, limit or proscribe use of margin, etc.).
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Item 17 –Voting Client Securities
PWM will not vote proxies on behalf of advisory clients’ accounts, although, on rare
occasions and only at the client’s request, PWM may offer clients advice regarding
corporate actions and the exercise of proxy voting rights.
Clients will receive their proxies or other solicitations directly from their broker-
dealer/custodian.
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Item 18 –Financial Information
PWM is not required to provide a balance sheet as it does not serve as custodian for
clients’ funds or securities, and does not require prepayment of fees of more than
$1,200 per client, six months or more in advance. PWM accepts limited forms of
discretion over clients’ accounts, as described in Item 16 of the Brochure. PWM is
unaware of any financial condition that is reasonably likely to impair our ability to meet
contractual commitments to clients. PWM has never been the subject of a bankruptcy
proceeding.
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