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130 Old Town Blvd. South
Suite 100
Argyle, TX 76226
Telephone: 940-464-4104
Fax: 940-464-4107
https://www.RFGWealthAdvisory.com
February 27, 2026
FORM ADV
PART 2A BROCHURE
This brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of RFG Wealth
Advisory. If you have any questions about the contents of this brochure, contact us at 940-464-4104.
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.
information about RFG Wealth Advisory
is available on
the SEC's website at
Additional
www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. RFG Wealth Advisory 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.
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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 annual updating amendment dated February 20, 2025, we have made no material
changes to our firm’s brochure.
If you have any questions or would like a copy of our firm’s brochure, please contact us at
940.464.4104.
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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 ...................................................... 8
Item 7 Types of Clients ......................................................................................................................... 8
Item 8 Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss ................................................. 8
Item 9 Disciplinary Information ........................................................................................................... 15
Item 10 Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations ................................................................ 15
Item 11 Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and Personal Trading ........ 15
Item 12 Brokerage Practices .............................................................................................................. 16
Item 13 Review of Accounts ............................................................................................................... 17
Item 14 Client Referrals and Other Compensation ............................................................................ 17
Item 15 Custody ................................................................................................................................. 18
Item 16 Investment Discretion ............................................................................................................ 18
Item 17 Voting Client Securities ......................................................................................................... 19
Item 18 Financial Information ............................................................................................................. 19
Additional Information ......................................................................................................................... 19
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Item 4 Advisory Business
Description of Firm
RFG Holdings Inc. doing business as RFG Wealth Advisory is a registered investment adviser based
in Argyle, TX. We are organized as an S-Corporation under the laws of the State of Texas. We have
been providing investment advisory services since 2015. Christopher Todd Robinson is our firm's
President, Chief Compliance Officer, and sole owner of our firm.
The following paragraphs describe our services and fees. Please 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 "we", "our" and "us" refer to RFG
Wealth Advisory and the words "you", "your" and "client" refer to you as either a client or prospective
client of our firm.
Wealth Management Services
Our firm offers wealth management services where we manage our clients’ investments within the
larger context of the client’s overall portfolio management and planning process. Wealth management
services consist of ongoing financial & retirement consulting and/or planning services and discretionary
or non-discretionary management services.
Our services include an initial consultation along with follow up consultations, as may be agreed,
to discuss your unique investment objectives, time horizon, risk tolerance, tax circumstances, and
various other financial factors. We will ask that you assist us in gathering information about your
financial needs and circumstances. Based on our evaluation of the foregoing factors, we will use the
information we gather to develop a strategy that enables our firm to give you continuous and focused
investment advice and/or to make investments on your behalf.
As part of our wealth management services, we will customize an investment portfolio for you in
accordance with your risk tolerance and investing objectives. Once we construct an investment
portfolio for you, we will monitor your portfolio's performance on an ongoing basis, and will periodically
rebalance the portfolio as required by, among other things, changes in market conditions and in your
financial circumstances. We will also deliver an initial financial plan that we prepare for you, which will
be delivered to you within 90 days from the inception of our relationship depending on the availability of
your financial records and related plan. For subsequent years beyond year 1, we provide periodic
updates and ongoing financial planning and retirement consulting services to meet the client’s needs.
If you participate in our discretionary management services, we require you to grant our firm
discretionary authority to manage your account. Discretionary authorization will allow us to determine
the specific securities, and the number of securities, to be purchased or sold for your account without
your approval prior to each transaction. Discretionary authority is typically granted by the investment
advisory agreement you sign with our firm and the appropriate custodial trading authorization forms. In
our sole discretion, we may allow you to limit our discretionary authority (for example, limiting the types
of securities that can be purchased for your account) by providing our firm with your restrictions and
guidelines in writing. If you enter into non-discretionary arrangements with our firm, we must obtain
your approval prior to executing any transactions on behalf of your account.
In some instances, 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. We may pay a portion of our advisory
fee to the sub-adviser(s) we use; however, you will not pay our firm a higher advisory fee as a result of
any sub-advisory relationships.
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Financial Planning Services
We offer stand-alone 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.
Financial plans are based on your financial situation at the time we present our recommendations
and/or 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, and you may act on our recommendations by placing securities transactions with any
brokerage firm.
As part of our financial planning services, we offer estate planning coordination services to Clients in
need of basic estate planning assistance. In order to provide the estate planning coordination services,
we have contracted with an unaffiliated third-party service provider that provides an online platform to
help coordinate the creation of estate planning documents based on information provided by the Client.
For Clients engaging in financial planning services, there is no separate fee payable to the third-party
service provider for estate planning services. However, the Client’s financial planning fees will be
higher if estate planning services are included in the financial planning arrangement.
Important Note: Information related to tax and legal consequences that is provided as part of our
services is for informative purposes only. Clients are instructed to contact their tax or legal advisers for
personalized advice. In providing the contracted services, we are not required to verify any information
we receive from you or from your other professionals (e.g., attorney, accountant, etc.) and we are
expressly authorized to rely on the information you provide. You must promptly notify our firm of any
changes in your financial circumstances or investment objectives that might affect the manner in which
your accounts should be managed.
Portfolio Consulting
We provide portfolio consulting services where the investment advice provided is custom tailored to
meet your needs and investment objectives. Such services typically involve the review of your
investment portfolio where we may recommend an investment allocation model and/or provide
recommendations for rebalancing the investment portfolio in efforts to achieve your target allocation
based on your investment profile. Services may also consist of a risk tolerance assessment, asset
allocation recommendations, monitoring your account. We will not cause any transactions in
conjunction with the advice and/or recommendations given as you will be responsible for implementing
our investment recommendations. To the extent we have access to your closing quarterly account
statements, we will monitor your account on a quarterly basis to ensure the account remains aligned
with your stated financial objectives. Under no circumstances do we maintain your account log-in
credentials on file. You are free at all times to accept or reject any of our investment recommendation.
You are under no obligation to act on our recommendations. Should you choose to act on any of our
recommendations, you are not obligated to implement such recommendations through any of our other
investment advisory services. Portfolio consulting services are based on your financial situation at the
time we deliver the services 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.
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Types of Investments
We primarily offer advice on equity securities, corporate debt securities, mutual fund shares, and
exchange-traded funds. 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 approximately
$476,667,101 in client assets managed on a discretionary basis.
Item 5 Fees and Compensation
Wealth Management Services
Our fee for wealth management services, which consist of ongoing investment management and
financial planning & retirement consulting services, is based on a percentage of the assets in your
account(s) and is set forth in the following annual tiered (non-blended) fee schedule**:
Assets Under Management
$0 - $500,000
$500,000 - $1,000,000
$1,000,000 - $3,000,000
$3,000,000 - $5,000,000
Over $5,000,000
Annual Maximum Fee
1.75%
1.50%
1.35%
1.10%
0.90%
*Our annual minimum fee is $7,500. This annual fee requirement is based on a minimum monthly
payment of $625, resulting in a total of $7,500 in advisory fees over a 12-month period.
**For clients desiring only investment management services with no ongoing financial planning and/or
retirement consulting services, we charge an annual fee of 1.50% of assets under management.
Our annual portfolio management fee is billed and payable, monthly in arrears, based on the average
daily balance of the portfolio value. In limited circumstances, we may negotiate other fee-paying
arrangements. In all circumstances the advisory fee and payment terms will be clearly stated in the
advisory agreement executed with our firm. 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. Combining
account values may increase the asset total, which may result in your paying a reduced advisory fee.
Unless we invoice you directly, 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. We encourage you to reconcile the
statement(s) you receive from the qualified custodian. If you find any inconsistent information in the
statement(s) you receive from the qualified custodian, please call our main office number located on
the cover page of this Brochure.
You may terminate the wealth management agreement upon written notice. You will incur fees for
services rendered prior to the termination of the wealth management agreement.
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Financial Planning Services
For stand-alone financial planning services, we charge a fixed fee for financial planning services that
may range up to $5,000 depending on the scope of services requested by the client. This fee is due
50% in advance with the remaining 50% due upon delivery of the financial plan. Our financial planning
fee is negotiable depending on the scope and complexity of the plan, your situation, and your financial
objectives. You may terminate the financial planning agreement by providing written notice to our firm.
You will incur a pro rata charge for services rendered prior to the termination of the agreement. Once
the financial plan has been delivered pursuant to the terms of our agreement, any additional reviews
and/or updates to the financial plan will require the client to engage of our firm for additional services
by entering into a new, separate agreement. All financial planning services will be rendered within 6
months from the date of engagement.
Portfolio Consulting
Our annual fee for portfolio consulting services is based on a percentage of your portfolio value, which
may range up to 1.00% of your portfolio assets. The portfolio consulting fee is based on the value of
your portfolio at the time you retain our services, which is negotiable depending on individual client
circumstances. In certain circumstances, we may negotiate a fixed annual fee ranging up to $5,000.
The annual fee - whether a percentage of your portfolio assets or a fixed fee - is billed in quarterly
installments, and we will send you an invoice for the payment of our fee each quarter after we review
your investments. Payment is due on a quarterly basis within 15 days from each quarter's invoice date.
In lieu of invoicing you for our portfolio consulting fee and where you have also engaged our firm for
portfolio management services, you may authorize the portfolio consulting fee to be deducted directly
from your designated account through the qualified custodian holding your funds and securities. We
may also negotiate other fee payment arrangements upon client request. In all cases, applicable fees,
fee payment arrangements, and the terms of the engagement will be clearly set forth in the advisory
agreement executed between our firm and you prior to services being rendered. You may terminate
the portfolio consulting agreement upon written notice to our firm.
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 may 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,
please refer to the Brokerage Practices section of this brochure.
Compensation for the Sale of Securities or Other Investment Products
Our firm's financial professionals are also licensed as independent insurance agents, and will earn
commission-based compensation for selling insurance products to you.
Compensation earned by these persons in their separate capacities as licensed insurance agents is
separate and in addition to our advisory fees. The sale of insurance instruments and other
commissionable products offered by our firm’s financial professionals in their separate capacities as
insurance agents are intended to complement our advisory services. However, this practice presents a
conflict of interest because insurance agents have a financial incentive to sell insurance products to
you. We address this conflict of interest by recommending insurance products only where we, in good
faith, believe that it is appropriate for the client’s particular needs and circumstances and only after a
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full presentation of the recommended insurance product to our client. In addition, we explain the
insurance underwriting process to our clients to illustrate how the insurer also reviews the client’s
application and disclosures prior to the issuance of a resulting insuring agreement. Clients to whom the
firm offers advisory services are informed that they are under no obligation to purchase insurance
services. Clients who do choose to purchase insurance services are under no obligation to use our
licensed Associated Persons and may use the insurance brokerage firm and agent of their choice.
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) and high
net worth individuals.
Generally, we impose a minimum annual fee of $7,500 for wealth management services, which consist
of ongoing investment management, financial planning, and retirement consulting services.
Item 8 Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss
Our Methods of Analysis and Investment Strategies
We may use one or more of the following methods of analysis or investment strategies when providing
investment advice to you:
Charting Analysis - involves the gathering and processing of price and volume pattern information for a
particular security, sector, broad index, or commodity. This price and volume pattern information is
analyzed. The resulting pattern and correlation data is used to detect departures from expected
performance and diversification and predict future price movements and trends.
Risk: Our charting analysis may not accurately detect anomalies or predict future price movements.
Current prices of securities may reflect all information known about the security and day-to-day
changes in market prices of securities may follow random patterns and may not be predictable with
any reliable degree of accuracy.
Technical Analysis - involves studying past price patterns, trends, and interrelationships in the financial
markets to assess risk-adjusted performance and predict the direction of both the overall market and
specific securities.
Risk: The risk of market timing based on technical analysis is that our analysis may not accurately
detect anomalies or predict future price movements. Current prices of securities may reflect all
information known about the security and day-to-day changes in market prices of securities may follow
random patterns and may not be predictable with any reliable degree of accuracy.
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Fundamental Analysis - involves analyzing individual companies and their industry groups, such as a
company's financial statements, details regarding the company's product line, the experience and
expertise of the company's management, and the outlook for the company and its industry. The
resulting data is used to measure the true value of the company's stock compared to the current
market value.
Risk: The risk of fundamental analysis is that information obtained may be incorrect and the analysis
may not provide an accurate estimate of earnings, which may be the basis for a stock's value. If
securities prices adjust rapidly to new information, utilizing fundamental analysis may not result in
favorable performance.
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.
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. The seller pays the buyer a premium (the market price of the
option at a particular time) in exchange for writing 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.
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 horizon, financial information, liquidity needs, and other various
suitability factors. Your restrictions and guidelines may affect the composition of your portfolio.
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Options Contracts: 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 two types of options are calls and puts:
A call gives the holder the right to buy an asset at a certain price within a specific period of time. Calls
are similar to having a long position on a stock. Buyers of calls hope that the stock will increase
substantially before the option expires.
A put gives the holder the right to sell an asset at a certain price within a specific period of time. Puts
are very similar to having a short position on a stock. Buyers of puts hope that the price of the stock
will fall before the option expires.
Selling options is more complicated and can be even riskier.
The option trading risks pertaining to options buyers are:
• Risk of losing your entire investment in a relatively short period of time.
• The risk of losing your entire investment increases if, as expiration nears, the stock is below the
strike price of the call (for a call option) or if the stock is higher than the strike price of the put
(for a put option).
• European style options which do not have secondary markets on which to sell the options prior
to expiration can only realize its value upon expiration.
• Specific exercise provisions of a specific option contract may create risks.
• Regulatory agencies may impose exercise restrictions, which stops you from realizing value.
The option trading risks pertaining to options sellers are:
• Options sold may be exercised at any time before expiration.
• Covered Call traders forgo the right to profit when the underlying stock rises above the strike
price of the call options sold and continues to risk a loss due to a decline in the underlying
stock.
• Writers of Naked Calls risk unlimited losses if the underlying stock rises.
• Writers of Naked Puts risk unlimited losses if the underlying stock drops.
• Writers of naked positions run margin risks if the position goes into significant losses. Such
risks may include liquidation by the broker.
• Writers of call options could lose more money than a short seller of that stock could on the
same rise on that underlying stock. This is an example of how the leverage in options can work
against the option trader.
• Writers of Naked Calls are obligated to deliver shares of the underlying stock if those call
options are exercised.
• Call options can be exercised outside of market hours such that effective remedy actions
cannot be performed by the writer of those options.
• Writers of stock options are obligated under the options that they sold even if a trading market
is not available or that they are unable to perform a closing transaction.
• The value of the underlying stock may surge or ditch unexpectedly, leading to automatic
exercises.
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Other option trading risks are:
• The complexity of some option strategies is a significant risk on its own.
• Option trading exchanges or markets and option contracts themselves are open to changes at
all times.
• Options markets have the right to halt the trading of any options, thus preventing investors from
realizing value.
• Risk of erroneous reporting of exercise value.
• If an options brokerage firm goes insolvent, investors trading through that firm may be affected.
• Internationally traded options have special risks due to timing across borders.
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.
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 offer advice on equity securities, corporate debt securities, mutual fund shares, and
exchange-traded funds. We may also recommend other types of securities since each client may
have different needs and/or risk tolerances. 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 it.
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 many 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.
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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.
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.
Other Risk Considerations
When evaluating risk, financial loss may be viewed differently by each client and may depend on many
different risks, each of which may affect the probability and magnitude of any potential loses. The
following risks may not be all-inclusive but should be considered carefully by a prospective client
before retaining our services.
Liquidity Risk: The risk of being unable to sell your investment at a fair price at a given time due to high
volatility or lack of active liquid markets. You may receive a lower price, or it may not be possible to sell
the investment at all.
Credit Risk: Credit risk typically applies to debt investments such as corporate, municipal, and
sovereign fixed income or bonds. A bond issuing entity can experience a credit event that could impair
or erase the value of an issuer’s securities held by a client.
Inflation and Interest Rate Risk: Security prices and portfolio returns will likely vary in response to
changes in inflation and interest rates. Inflation causes the value of future dollars to be worth less and
may reduce the purchasing power of a client’s future interest payments and principal. Inflation also
generally leads to higher interest rates, which may cause the value of many types of fixed-income
investments to decline.
Horizon and Longevity Risk: The risk that your investment horizon is shortened because of an
unforeseen event, for example, the loss of your job. This may force you to sell investments that you
were expecting to hold for the long term. If you must sell at a time that the markets are down, you may
lose money. Longevity Risk is the risk of outliving your savings. This risk is particularly relevant for
people who are retired or are nearing retirement.
Tax Risk: Our investment strategy is designed to buy and sell to fulfill absolute return objective; the
program is not ‘tax efficient’; profits will likely result in capital gains or income taxes.
Market Risk: Market risk is the possibility of an investor experiencing losses due to factors that affect
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risk," cannot be eliminated
through diversification. Sources of market
the overall performance of the financial markets in which he or she is involved. Market risk also called
risk
"systematic
include recessions, political turmoil, changes in interest rates, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks.
Position Risk: Security declines due to an issue with the company, its sector, or the market as a whole.
System/Strategy Risk: Risk that the strategy does not work as intended.
Behavioral Risk: Investors actions and behavior prohibits them from sticking to a strategy; investor
should be committed the strategy at least 4-5 years.
Sector Risk: That a specific industry or sector is adversely affected by adverse economic conditions.
Concentration Risk: Portfolio becomes concentrated in securities that have been benefiting from some
positive factor, then that factor is no longer present.
Artificial Intelligence ("AI") Risk: We may rely on programs and systems that utilize AI, machine
learning, probabilistic modeling, and other data science technologies ("AI Tools") when delivering our
services. AI Tools are also used to record and transcribe client meetings. Clients should note that AI
Tools are highly complex, and are known to have been flawed, hallucinate, reflect biases included in
the data on which such tools are trained, be of poor quality, or be otherwise harmful. AI Tools present
Cybersecurity Risk. The U.S. and global legal and regulatory environment relating to the use of AI
Tools is uncertain and rapidly evolving, and could require changes in the firm’s implementation of AI
Tools and increase compliance costs and the risk of non-compliance. Further, the firm may rely on AI
Tools developed by third parties, and the firm has limited control over the accuracy and completeness
of such AI Tools. Clients who do not want us to record their meetings have the option to opt out.
Cryptocurrency Risk*: Cryptocurrency (e.g., bitcoin and ether), often referred to as “virtual currency”,
“digital currency,” or “digital assets,” is designed to act as a medium of exchange. Cryptocurrency is an
emerging asset class. There are thousands of cryptocurrencies, the most well-known of which is
bitcoin. Certain of the firm’s clients may have exposure to bitcoin or another cryptocurrency, directly or
indirectly through an investment such as an ETF or other investment vehicles. Cryptocurrency
operates without central authority or banks and is not backed by any government. Cryptocurrencies
may experience very high volatility and related investment vehicles may be affected by such volatility.
As a result of holding cryptocurrency, certain of the firm’s clients may also trade at a significant
premium or discount to NAV. Cryptocurrency is also not legal tender. Federal, state or foreign
governments may restrict the use and exchange of cryptocurrency, and regulation in the U.S. is still
developing. The market price of many cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, has been subject to extreme
fluctuations. If cryptocurrency markets continue to be subject to sharp fluctuations, investors may
experience losses if the value of the client’s investments decline. Similar to fiat currencies (i.e., a
currency that is backed by a central bank or a national, supra-national or quasi-national organization),
cryptocurrencies are susceptible to theft, loss and destruction. Cryptocurrency exchanges and other
trading venues on which cryptocurrencies trade are relatively new and, in most cases, largely
unregulated and may therefore be more exposed to fraud and failure than established, regulated
exchanges for securities, derivatives and other currencies. The SEC has issued a public report stating
U.S. federal securities laws require treating some digital assets as securities.
Cryptocurrency exchanges may stop operating or permanently shut down due to fraud, technical
glitches, hackers or malware. Due to relatively recent launches, most cryptocurrencies have a limited
trading history, making it difficult for investors to evaluate investments. Generally, cryptocurrency
transactions are irreversible such that an improper transfer can only be undone by the receiver of the
cryptocurrency agreeing to return the cryptocurrency to the original sender. Digital assets are highly
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dependent on their developers and there is no guarantee that development will continue or that
developers will not abandon a project with little or no notice. Third parties may assert intellectual
property claims relating to the holding and transfer of digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, and
their source code. Any threatened action that reduces confidence in a network’s long-term ability to
hold and transfer cryptocurrency may affect investments in cryptocurrencies.
Many significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax treatment of investments in cryptocurrency are
uncertain and an investment in cryptocurrency may produce income that is not treated as qualifying
income for purposes of the income test applicable to regulated investment companies. Certain
cryptocurrency investments may be treated as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes,
and an investment by the firm’s clients in such a vehicle will generally be treated as a direct investment
in cryptocurrency for tax purposes and “flow-through” to the underlying investors.
Direct Indexing: Direct indexing strategies seek to replicate the performance of a market index by
directly holding the individual securities, or a representative sample of the individual securities, that
make up the index. Direct indexing can provide a more tax efficient means of investing, and allows for
more customized investment allocations, than investing in a fund or other commingled product that
seeks to replicate the index. The potential benefits of direct indexing, however, will not necessarily be
realized if a client does not take advantage of tax planning or impose account restrictions, such as
account level security or sector-based restrictions or customizations based on specific tax,
Environmental, Social, and Governance or other preferences. Fees and expenses for the direct
indexing strategy in some cases will be higher than the fees and expenses associated with alternative
index products. Higher fees and expenses could adversely impact account performance. The size of
the account and the number of securities in the index the account seeks to replicate also limit the
ability of the account to replicate the index. As a result, the direct indexing strategy introduces the risk
of tracking error relative to the index and can cause a portfolio to underperform the index, including as
a result of customization.
Securities Backed Lines of Credit (SBLOCs): SBLOCs are non-purpose loans where you pledge
assets in your account as collateral in return for a loan. The loan proceeds can be used for purposes
other than to purchase or trade securities. Depending on your objectives, we can help you apply for a
SBLOC. This can be a strategic alternative to liquidating assets to pay for unexpected expenses, a
business opportunity, or a personal goal, any of which could trigger capital gain taxes. While we do not
receive a fee for arranging these loans, our assistance in this process presents a conflict of interest, as
we have an incentive for you to maintain these assets in your account instead of liquidating them, as
liquidation could decrease the asset-based fees that we earn for managing your account. To address
this conflict, we only make recommendations to obtain such loans when we believe obtaining a SBLOC
is in the best interests of clients. Clients should note that they retain the ultimate decision to obtain
such loans. The following are some of the primary risks associated with obtaining a SBLOC:
•
Interest rate payments on the principal balance of the loan are not fixed and may increase;
•
If the value of the securities pledged as collateral decrease, you will be liable for any deficiency;
• The lender can force the sale or liquidation of securities held as collateral without contacting
you in advance to meet collateral requirements and you are not entitled to choose which
securities are liquidated or sold;
• You are only entitled to draw on the line to the extent there is credit availability; and
• There may be additional risks when money funds or similar investments may produce less
interest income or other yield than the interest you are paying on the loan.
We urge our clients to carefully read all disclosures and agreements prior to entering into an SBLOC or
non-purpose loan. While we can assist in the application process, we are not involved in the approval
process.
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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
Our firm's financial professionals are also licensed as independent insurance agents, and will earn
commission-based compensation for selling insurance products to you.
Compensation earned by these persons in their separate capacities as licensed insurance agents is
separate and in addition to our advisory fees. The sale of insurance instruments and other
commissionable products offered by our firm’s financial professionals in their separate capacities as
insurance agents are intended to complement our advisory services. However, this practice presents a
conflict of interest because insurance agents have a financial incentive to sell insurance products to
you. We address this conflict of interest by recommending insurance products only where we, in good
faith, believe that it is appropriate for the client’s particular needs and circumstances and only after a
full presentation of the recommended insurance product to our client. In addition, we explain the
insurance underwriting process to our clients to illustrate how the insurer also reviews the client’s
application and disclosures prior to the issuance of a resulting insuring agreement. Clients to whom the
firm offers advisory services are informed that they are under no obligation to purchase insurance
services. Clients who do choose to purchase insurance services are under no obligation to use our
licensed Associated Persons and may use the insurance brokerage firm and agent of their choice.
Recommendation of Other Advisers
We may recommend that you use a third-party asset managers ("TPAMs") based on your needs and
suitability. We do not receive compensation from the TPAM for recommending that you use their
services. You are not obligated, contractually or otherwise, to use the services of any TPAM we
recommend. Our firm will only recommend TPAMs that are appropriately registered and/or notice filed
with the appropriate regulator or state jurisdiction.
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.
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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 firm's strict policy that neither our firm nor persons
associated with our firm shall have priority over your account in the purchase or sale of securities. As a
fiduciary, it is our firm's obligation to act in our client's best interest.
Item 12 Brokerage Practices
Recommended Brokerage
For clients engaging our firm for wealth management services, we require clients to open one or more
custodial accounts in their own name at a qualified custodian with whom we already have an existing
relationship, such as Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., among others. We may also require that clients
grant us limited power of attorney to execute client transactions through their custodial account. Our
firm is independently owned and operated, and unaffiliated with any broker-dealer/custodian.
We consider several factors in establishing a relationship with a broker-dealer/custodian. Factors that
we consider may include ease of use, reputation, service execution, pricing and financial strength. We
may also take into consideration the availability of the products and services received or offered by the
acting broker-dealer/custodian. We believe that the broker-dealer/custodian(s) with whom we have an
established relationship provide quality execution services 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, including the value of the custodian's reputation, execution capabilities, commission rates,
and responsiveness to our clients and our firm. If you open an account with a broker-dealer/custodian
that we have an established relationship with, you may pay higher commissions and/or trading costs
than those that may be available elsewhere.
Research and Other Soft Dollar Benefits
As a registered investment adviser, we may 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 benefits
provided to all investment advisers that utilize the service platforms of these firms, and are not
considered to have been paid with soft dollar. 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.
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 direct our firm to execute transactions through a qualified custodian
approved by our firm. 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 their clients to
direct brokerage.
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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. If you enter into non-discretionary
arrangements with our firm, we may not be able to buy and sell the same quantities of securities for
you and you may pay higher commissions, fees, and/or transaction costs than clients who enter into
discretionary arrangements with our firm.
Trade Errors
In the event a trading error occurs in your account, our policy is to restore your account to the position
it should have been in had the trading error not occurred. Depending on the circumstances, corrective
actions may include canceling the trade, adjusting an allocation, and/or reimbursing the account.
Item 13 Review of Accounts
The Investment Adviser Representative assigned to your account will monitor your accounts on an
ongoing basis and will conduct account reviews for existing clients at least annually and/or at your
request in efforts 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. In-person meetings are
encouraged and available upon client request.
Clients will receive trade confirmations and at least quarterly statements from their account custodian.
In addition to the custodial statements, our firm typically provides written monthly performance reports
consisting of various information, such as account performance, portfolio holdings, asset allocation,
capital flows, among other information.
Item 14 Client Referrals and Other Compensation
As disclosed under the Fees and Compensation section in this brochure, persons providing investment
advice on behalf of our firm may be registered representatives of a broker-dealer and/or licensed
insurance agents. For information on the conflicts of interest this presents, and how we address these
conflicts, please refer to the Fees and Compensation section.
We may directly compensate individuals and/or entities (Promoters / Solicitors) for client referrals. In
order to receive a cash referral fee from our firm, Solicitors must comply with the requirements of the
jurisdictions in which they operate. If you were referred to our firm by a Solicitor, you should have
received a copy of this brochure along with the Solicitor's disclosure statement at the time of the
referral. If you become a client, the Solicitor that referred you to our firm will receive a percentage of
the advisory fee you pay our firm for as long as you are a client with our firm, or until such time as our
agreement with the Solicitor expires. You will not pay additional fees because of this referral
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arrangement. Referral fees paid to a Solicitor are contingent upon your entering into an advisory
agreement with our firm. Therefore, a Solicitor has a financial incentive to recommend our firm to you
for advisory services. This creates a conflict of interest; however, you are not obligated to retain our
firm for advisory services. Comparable services and/or lower fees may be available through other
firms.
Please 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
Fee Payment
For wealth management services, unless we invoice you directly, 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 and the account custodian written authorization
permitting the fees to be paid directly from your account. 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
acting qualified custodian. You will receive account statements from the acting 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. If you have a question regarding your account
statement, or if you did not receive a statement from your custodian, contact us immediately at the
telephone number on the cover page of this Brochure.
Standing Letters of Authorization
We may assist clients with the transfer of their assets between two or more of the client's accounts
maintained at the client's custodian, or maintained with multiple custodians. This ability to transfer a
client's assets between the client's accounts causes our firm to exercise limited custody over your
funds or securities.
Pursuant to Rule 206(4)-2 (the "Custody Rule"), we have taken steps to implement controls and
oversight in place to support the no-action letter issued by the SEC on February 21, 2017 (the "SEC
no-action letter"). With respect to third party standing letters of authorization ("SLOA") where a client
may grant our firm the authority to direct custodians to disburse funds to one or more third party
accounts, we are deemed to have limited custody. However, we are not required to comply with the
surprise examination requirement of the Custody Rule if we are in compliance with the seven
representations noted in the February 21, 2017 no-action letter.
Where we act pursuant to a SLOA, we believe we are making a good faith effort to comply with the
representations noted in the SEC's no-action letter. Additionally, since many of those representations
involve the qualified custodian’s operations, we will collaborate closely with our clients' acting
custodian(s) in efforts to ensure that the representations are being satisfied.
Item 16 Investment Discretion
If you engage us to perform discretionary management services, you must first sign our discretionary
management agreement before we can buy or sell securities on your behalf. Discretionary
authorization enables our firm to exercise discretion over the selection and number of securities to be
purchased or sold for your account(s) without obtaining your consent or approval prior to each
transaction. You may specify investment objectives, guidelines, and/or impose certain conditions or
investment parameters for your account(s). For example, you may specify that the investment in any
particular stock or industry should not exceed specified percentages of the value of the portfolio and/or
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restrictions or prohibitions of transactions in the securities of a specific industry or security.
If you enter into non-discretionary arrangements with our firm, we will obtain your approval prior to the
execution of any transactions for your account(s). You have an unrestricted right to decline to
implement any advice provided by our firm on a non-discretionary basis.
Item 17 Voting Client Securities
Proxy Voting
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 or impairment that would prevent us from meeting our
contractual commitments to you. We do not serve as trustee or signatory for client accounts, and, we
do not require the prepayment of more than $1,200 in fees six or more months in advance nor have we
filed a bankruptcy petition at any time in the past ten years.
Additional Information
Your Privacy
We view protecting your private information as a top priority. Pursuant to applicable privacy
requirements, we have instituted policies and procedures to ensure that we keep your personal
information private and secure. We do not disclose any non-public personal information about you to
any non-affiliated third parties, except as permitted by law. In the course of servicing your account, we
may share some information with our service providers, such as transfer agents, custodians, broker-
dealers, accountants, consultants, and attorneys. We restrict internal access to non-public personal
information about you to employees, who need that information in order to provide products or services
to you. We maintain physical and procedural safeguards that comply with regulatory standards to
guard your non-public personal information and to ensure our integrity and confidentiality. We will not
sell information about you or your accounts to anyone. We do not share your information unless it is
required to process a transaction, at your request, or required by law.
You will receive a copy of our privacy notice prior to or at the time you sign an advisory agreement with
our firm. Thereafter, we will deliver a copy of the current privacy policy notice to you on an annual
basis. Contact our main office at the telephone number on the cover page of this brochure if you have
any questions regarding this policy.
General - Advisory Services to Retirement Plans and Plan Participants
Our firm offers various levels of advisory and consulting services to employee benefit plans ("Plan")
and to the participants of such plans (“Participants”). Pursuant to adopted regulations of the U.S.
Department of Labor, we are required to provide the Plan's responsible plan fiduciary (the person
who has the authority to engage us as an investment adviser to the Plan) with a description of the
services we provide to the Plan, the compensation we receive for providing those services, and our
status (which is described below).
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The services we provide to your Plan and the compensation that we receive for such services are
described above, and in the service agreement that you sign with our firm. We do not reasonably
expect to receive any other compensation, direct or indirect, for the services we provide to the Plan
or Participants unless we are retained under a separate engagement. If we receive any other
compensation for such services, we will (i) offset the compensation against our stated fees, and (ii) we
will promptly disclose the amount of such compensation, the services rendered for such compensation
and the payer of such compensation to you.
In providing services to the Plan and Participants, our status is that of a registered investment adviser
registered, and we are not subject to any disqualifications under Section 411 of ERISA. To the extent
we perform fiduciary services, we are acting as a fiduciary of the Plan as defined in either Section
3(21) and/or Section 3(38) under ERISA.
Class Action Lawsuits
We do not determine if securities held by you are the subject of a class action lawsuit or whether you
are eligible to participate in class action settlements or litigation nor do we initiate or participate in
litigation to recover damages on your behalf for injuries as a result of actions, misconduct, or
negligence by issuers of securities held by you.
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:
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.
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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 a certain age.
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.
IRA Rollover Recommendations
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 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 interest 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.
We benefit financially from the rollover of your assets from a retirement account to an account that we
manage or provide investment advice, because the assets increase our assets under management
and, in turn, our advisory fees. As a fiduciary, we only recommend a rollover when we believe it is in
your best interest.
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