Overview
Assets Under Management: $177 million
High-Net-Worth Clients: 29
Average Client Assets: $6 million
Services Offered
Services: Portfolio Management for Individuals
Fee Structure
Primary Fee Schedule (2025 RCWM FORM ADV PART 2A)
| Min | Max | Marginal Fee Rate |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $500,000 | 1.50% |
| $500,001 | $1,000,000 | 1.25% |
| $1,000,001 | $10,000,000 | Negotiable |
| $10,000,001 | and above | Negotiable |
Illustrative Fee Rates
| Total Assets | Annual Fees | Average Fee Rate |
|---|---|---|
| $1 million | $13,750 | 1.38% |
| $5 million | Negotiable | Negotiable |
| $10 million | Negotiable | Negotiable |
| $50 million | Negotiable | Negotiable |
| $100 million | Negotiable | Negotiable |
Clients
Number of High-Net-Worth Clients: 29
Percentage of Firm Assets Belonging to High-Net-Worth Clients: 94.30
Average High-Net-Worth Client Assets: $6 million
Total Client Accounts: 286
Discretionary Accounts: 286
Regulatory Filings
CRD Number: 292217
Last Filing Date: 2024-03-29 00:00:00
Website: https://rcwmllc.com
Form ADV Documents
Primary Brochure: 2025 RCWM FORM ADV PART 2A (2025-03-30)
View Document Text
ITEM 1: COVER SHEET
FORM ADV PART 2A INFORMATIONAL BROCHURE
ROYAL CAPITAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT LLC
1299 CLAY SPRING DRIVE
CARMEL, IN 46032
Thomas Johnson
(866) 729-6552
March 30, 2025
This brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of Royal Capital Wealth
Management LLC. If you have any questions about the contents of this brochure, please contact us at (866)
729-6552. 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. Our registration does not imply a certain
level of skill or training.
Additional information about Royal Capital Wealth Management LLC (CRD# 292217) is also available on
the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
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ITEM 2:
STATEMENT OF MATERIAL CHANGES
Royal Capital Wealth Management LLC is required to disclose any material changes to this ADV Part 2A here in Item
2. Since the most recent Brochure there are no changes to report.
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ITEM 3: TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Item 1: Cover Sheet................................................................................................................................................... 1
Item 2: Statement of Material Changes ................................................................................................................... 2
Item 3: Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................ 3
Item 4: Advisory Business ........................................................................................................................................ 4
Item 5: Fees and Compensation .............................................................................................................................. 5
Item 6: Performance-Based Fees ............................................................................................................................. 6
Item 7: Types of Clients ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Item 8: Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss ................................................................ 7
Item 9: Disciplinary Information ........................................................................................................................... 10
Item 10: Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations ............................................................................... 10
Item 11: Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and Personal Trading ..................... 11
Item 12: Brokerage Practices .................................................................................................................................... 11
Item 13: Review of Accounts ................................................................................................................................... 14
Item 14: Client Referrals and Other Compensation .............................................................................................. 14
Item 15: Custody ....................................................................................................................................................... 14
Item 16: Investment Discretion ............................................................................................................................... 14
Item 17: Voting Client Securities ............................................................................................................................. 15
Item 18: Financial Information ................................................................................................................................ 15
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INFORMATIONAL BROCHURE
ROYAL CAPITAL WEALTH MANAGEMENTLLC
ITEM 4: ADVISORY BUSINESS
A. Royal Capital Wealth Management LLC (“RCWM”) has been in business since January of 2018.
However, Thomas Johnson and Andrew Johnson have been working in the financial services industry
for over 30 years helping clients reach their financial goals and objectives.
B. At RCWM we take the time to educate ourselves in multiple facets of what goes into constructing an
investment portfolio and how to successfully implement it. We believe our extensive knowledge of the
industry and what it takes to create investment strategies provides a unique approach to managing our
clients’ financial lives.
Asset Management
When we perform asset management services, we will do so on a discretionary basis. In most cases,
RCWM will have had multiple discussions with clients to guide these decisions to ensure they are within
the client’s investment objectives. This means that while we will continue an ongoing relationship with
each client, being involved in various stages of their lives and decisions to be made, we will not seek
specific approval of changes to client accounts. Because we take discretion when managing accounts,
clients engaging us will be asked to execute a Limited Power of Attorney (granting us the discretionary
authority over the client accounts) as well as an agreement that outlines the responsibilities of both the
client and RCWM.
RCWM will gather client investment objectives and information through both a risk assessment
questionnaire and client dialogue and from there provide a deliverable to the client recapping the
information gathered for investment purposes. Advisory services are tailored to the specific needs of an
individual client. Clients may place reasonable restrictions on the management of assets, including
specific securities or types of securities. However, clients should understand that significant restrictions
cannot only decrease the ability of RCWM to meet the client’s goals, but also increase the costs associated
with managing the client’s portfolio.
Retirement Plan Investment Services
RCWM offers retirement plan investment advisory consulting services to assist plan fiduciaries to meet
ERISA fiduciary responsibilities under section 404(c). RCWM consulting services include assistance in
documenting a plan's Investment Policy Statement, providing an investment manager research and
selection process, non-discretionary recommendations to maintain, remove or replace investment
options, preparing periodic reports measuring investment performance, periodically meeting with plan
fiduciaries, and providing periodic educational services to plan participants to both increase participant
enrollment and promote general investment knowledge. Educational sessions will not consider the
individual circumstances of plan participants and will be general in nature. RCWM shall provide
consulting services within the meaning of ERISA section 3(21) and as such RCWM will act as the advisor
making investment recommendations, but it is ultimately up to the plan sponsor to decide whether and
how to implement recommendations. The details of the consulting service will be agreed upon in writing
between RCWM and the plan fiduciary. Also, under ERISA section 3(21), the plan participants are
responsible for any individual investment selections made under the plan. Plan participants will not
receive specific individual advice unless the participant has engaged RCWM separately for such individual
service.
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C. Royal Capital Wealth Management neither participates in, nor sponsors a wrap fee program.
D. Assets under Management
As of March 24, 2024, RCWM provides services to approximately $186,556,907 in assets under
management all on a discretionary basis.
ITEM 5: FEES AND COMPENSATION
A. Fees Charged
All investment management clients will be required to execute an Investment Management Agreement
that will describe the type of management services to be provided and the fees, among other items.
Clients are advised that they may pay fees that are higher or lower than fees they may pay another advisor
for the same services. Clients are under no obligation at any time to engage or to continue to engage
RCWM for investment services. If you do not receive a copy of this brochure at least 48 hours prior to
the execution of an Agreement, you may terminate the agreement within the first five (5) business days
without penalty.
Asset Management
Generally, fees vary from 0.01% to 1.50% per annum of the market value of a client’s assets managed by
RCWM. Please Refer to the Fee Schedule below. Fees are negotiable, and the fee range stated is a guide.
Some accounts may pay fees lower than the stated fee range. The fee chosen within that range is
determined in part by the nature of the account, including the size of the account, complexity of asset
structures, the nature of the ongoing financial analysis needed for that particular client, the complexity of
the portfolio, and other factors that would be dependent upon the specific client.
Assets Under Management
0 - $500,000
$500,001 - $999,999
$1,000,000 – $9,999,999
$10,000,000 and above
Annual Rate
1.50%
1.25%
1.00% - 0.50%
0.50% -0.01%
Retirement Plan Investment Services
RCWM charges an annual fee of 0.2% of plan assets. The fees can be paid directly by the Plan Sponsor or
deducted from the plan assets as indicated under the Non-Discretionary Retirement Plan Agreement.
B. Fee Payment
Asset Management:
For clients whose assets are managed by the firm, investment advisory fees will be debited directly from
each client’s account. The advisory fee is paid quarterly in advance, and the value used for the fee
calculation is the last business day of the previous quarter. This means that if your annual fee is 1.00%,
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we will take the previous quarter’s ending value, multiply the value by 1.00%, and then divide by 4 to
calculate our fee. To the extent there is cash in your account, it will be included in the value for the
purpose of calculating fees only if the cash is part of an investment strategy. Once the calculation is
made, we will instruct your account custodian via written notice to deduct the fee from your account and
remit it to RCWM.
Clients whose fees are directly debited will provide written authorization to debit advisory fees from their
accounts held by a qualified custodian chosen by the client. Each month, the client will receive a
statement from their account custodian showing all transactions in their account, including the fee.
C. Other Fees
There are a number of other fees that can be associated with holding and investing in securities. You will
be responsible for fees including transaction fees for the purchase or sale of a mutual fund or Exchange
Traded Fund, or commissions for the purchase or sale of a stock. Expenses of a fund will not be included
in management fees, as they are deducted from the value of the shares by the mutual fund manager.
When selecting mutual funds that have multiple share classes for recommendation to clients, RCWM will
take into account the internal fees and expenses associated with each share class, and it is RCWM policy
to choose the lowest-cost share class, absent circumstances that dictate otherwise. For complete
discussion of expenses related to each mutual fund, you should read a copy of the prospectus issued by
that fund. RCWM can provide or direct you to a copy of the prospectus for any fund that we recommend
to you. Any fees paid to third party managers are separate from, and in addition to, fees paid to RCWM.
Please make sure to read Item 12 of this informational brochure, where we discuss broker-dealer and
custodial issues.
D. Pro-rata Fees
If a client engages RCWM to provide asset management services during a billing quarter, the fees for that
quarter will be pro-rated according to the number of days left until the next quarter. Likewise, if you
terminate our relationship during a billing period you will be receive a refund for fees collected in advance
but related to services to services that would have been provided from the date of termination through
the end of the quarter. Once your notice of termination is received, we will assess fees for the number
of days between the end of the prior billing period and the date of termination to be paid in whatever
way you direct (check, wire). RCWM will cease to perform services, including processing trades and
distributions, upon termination. Assets not transferred from terminated accounts within 30 (thirty) days
of termination may be “de-linked”, meaning they will no longer be visible to RCWM and will become a
retail account with the custodian.
E. Compensation for the Sale of Securities
This item is not applicable.
ITEM 6: PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES
RCWM will not charge performance based fees.
ITEM 7: TYPES OF CLIENTS
Clients advised may include individuals, families, trusts, charitable organizations and foundations,
pensions and corporations. RCWM does not require a minimum dollar amount be placed with the firm.
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ITEM 8: METHODS OF ANALYSIS, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISK OF LOSS
It is important for you to know and remember that all investments carry risks. Investing in securities
involves risk of loss that clients should be prepared to bear.
Each client’s portfolio will be invested according to that client’s investment objectives, which are typically
ascertained through the financial planning process for those clients who were introduced to the firm and
began with such services. For other clients, information regarding investment objectives will be obtained
through client interviews and documents provided by the client. Once we ascertain your objectives for
each account, we will develop a set of asset allocation guidelines, and client assets will be invested in one
or a combination of our proprietary investment models. Using fundamental analysis, we base our
conclusions on predominantly publicly available research, such as regulatory filings, press releases,
competitor analyses, and in some cases research we receive from our custodian or other market analyses.
We may periodically recommend changes to the investment strategies and client portfolios to meet the
guidelines of the asset allocation for the program or an individual client’s objectives. It is important to
remember that because market conditions can vary greatly, your asset allocation guidelines are not
necessarily strict rules. Rather, we review accounts individually, and may deviate from the guidelines as
we believe necessary. We may utilize both active and passive portfolios depending on the client’s
objectives.
There are no limits to the types of securities that may be placed in a strategy, or that RCWM may evaluate
for a client or for inclusion in a strategy. However, investments most typically include individual securities
including both equities and fixed income.
When RCWM makes changes to an investment strategy, these changes may not be made simultaneously.
Rather, some accounts may be modified before others. This may result in accounts being traded earlier
inadvertently having an advantage over accounts traded later.
Additionally, as assets are transitioned from a client’s prior advisors to RCWM, clients may hold legacy
securities and may place restrictions on individual security types. Legacy securities are those that a client
owned prior to or separate from its RCWM portfolio. If a client transitions mutual fund shares to RCWM
that are not the lowest-cost share class, and RCWM is not recommending disposing of the security
altogether, RCWM will attempt to convert such mutual fund share classes into the lowest-cost share
classes the client is eligible for, taking into account any adverse tax consequences associated with such
conversion.
Depending on a client’s given circumstances, RCWM may recommend that a client rollover retirement
plan assets to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) managed by us. As a result, RCWM may earn fees
on those accounts. This presents a conflict of interest, as RCWM has a financial incentive to recommend
that a client roll over retirement assets into an IRA RCWM will manage. This conflict is disclosed to
clients verbally and in this brochure. Clients are also advised that they are under no obligation to
implement the recommendation to roll over retirement plan assets. RCWM attempts to mitigate this
conflict by requiring that all investment recommendations have a sound basis for the recommendation,
and by requiring advisors of RCWM to acknowledge their fiduciary responsibility toward each client.
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);
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• 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.
Risk of Loss
There are always risks to investing. Clients should be aware that all investments carry various types
of risk including the potential loss of principal that clients should be prepared to bear. It is
impossible to name all possible types of risks. Among the risks are the following:
• Political Risks. Most investments have a global component, even domestic stocks. Political events
anywhere in the world may have unforeseen consequences to markets around the world.
• General Market Risks. Markets can, as a whole, go up or down on various news releases or for no
understandable reason at all. This sometimes means that the price of specific securities could go up or
down without real reason, and may take some time to recover any lost value. Adding additional securities
does not help to minimize this risk since all securities may be affected by market fluctuations.
• Currency Risk. When investing in another country using another currency, the changes in the value
of the currency can change the value of your security value in your portfolio.
• Regulatory Risk. Changes in laws and regulations from any government can change the value of a
given company and its accompanying securities. Certain industries are more susceptible to government
regulation. Changes in zoning, tax structure or laws impact the return on these investments.
• Tax Risks Related to Short Term Trading: Clients should note that RCWM may engage in short-
term trading transactions. These transactions may result in short term gains or losses for federal and state
tax purposes, which may be taxed at a higher rate than long term strategies. RCWM endeavors to invest
client assets in a tax efficient manner, but all clients are advised to consult with their tax professionals
regarding the transactions in client accounts.
• Purchasing Power Risk. Purchasing power risk is the risk that your investment’s value will decline
as the price of goods rises (inflation). The investment’s value itself does not decline, but its relative value
does, which is the same thing. Inflation can happen for a variety of complex reasons, including a growing
economy and a rising money supply.
• Business Risk. This can be thought of as certainty or uncertainty of income. Management comes
under business risk. Cyclical companies (like automobile companies) have more business risk because of
the less steady income stream. On the other hand, fast food chains tend to have steadier income streams
and therefore, less business risk.
• Financial Risk. The amount of debt or leverage determines the financial risk of a company.
• Default Risk. This risk pertains to the ability of a company to service their debt. Ratings provided
by several rating services help to identify those companies with more risk. Obligations of the U.S.
government are said to be free of default risk.
• Margin Risk. “Margin” is a tool used to maximize returns on a given investment by using securities
in a client account as collateral for a loan from the custodian to the client. The proceeds of that loan are
then used to buy more securities. Margin carries a higher degree of risk than investing without margin.
• Risks specific to private placements, sub-advisors and other managers. If we invest some of
your assets with another advisor, including a private placement, there are additional risks. These include
risks that the other manager is not as qualified as we believe them to be, that the investments they use are
not as liquid as we would normally use in your portfolio, or that their risk management guidelines are
more liberal than we would normally employ.
•
Information Risk. All investment professionals rely on research in order to make conclusions about
investment options. This research is always a mix of both internal (proprietary) and external (provided
by third parties) data and analyses. Even an adviser who says they rely solely on proprietary research
must still collect data from third parties. This data, or outside research is chosen for its perceived
reliability, but there is no guarantee that the data or research will be completely accurate. Failure in data
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accuracy or research will translate to a compromised ability by the adviser to reach satisfactory investment
conclusions.
• Small Companies. Some investment opportunities in the marketplace involve smaller issuers.
These companies may be starting up, or are historically small. While these companies sometimes have
potential for outsized returns, they also have the potential for losses because the reasons the company is
small are also risks to the company’s future. For example, a company’s management may lack experience,
or the company’s capital for growth may be restricted. These small companies also tend to trade less
frequently that larger companies, which can add to the risks associated with their securities because the
ability to sell them at an appropriate price may be limited as compared to the markets as a whole. Not
only do these companies have investment risk, if a client is invested in such small companies and requests
immediate or short term liquidity, these securities may require a significant discount to value in order to
be sold in a shorter time frame.
• Concentration Risk. While RCWM selects individual securities, including mutual funds, for client
portfolios based on an individualized assessment of each security, this evaluation comes without an
overlay of general economic or sector specific issue analysis. This means that a client’s equity portfolio
may be concentrated in a specific sector, geography, or sub-sector (among other types of potential
concentrations), so that if an unexpected event occurs that affects that specific sector or geography, for
example, the client’s equity portfolio may be affected negatively, including significant losses.
• Transition Risk. As assets are transitioned from a client’s prior advisers to RCWM there may be
securities and other investments that do not fit within the asset allocation strategy selected for the client.
Accordingly, these investments will need to be sold in order to reposition the portfolio into the asset
allocation strategy selected by RCWM. However, this transition process may take some time to
accomplish. Some investments may not be unwound for a lengthy period of time for a variety of reasons
that may include unwarranted low share prices, restrictions on trading, contractual restrictions on
liquidity, or market-related liquidity concerns. In some cases, there may be securities or investments that
are never able to be sold. The inability to transition a client's holdings into recommendations of RCWM
may adversely affect the client's account values, as RCWM’s recommendations may not be able to be fully
implemented.
• Restriction Risk: Clients may at all times place reasonable restrictions on the management of their
accounts. However, placing these restrictions may make managing the accounts more difficult, thus
lowering the potential for returns.
• Risks Related to Investment Term & Liquidity: Securities do not follow a straight line up in
value. All securities will have periods of time when the current price of the security is not an accurate
measure of its value. If you require us to liquidate your portfolio during one of these periods, you will
not realize as much value as you would have had the investment had the opportunity to regain its value.
Further, some investments are made with the intention of the investment appreciating over an extended
period of time. Liquidating these investments prior to their intended time horizon may result in losses.
• REITs: In limited circumstances, RCWM may recommend that portions of client portfolios be
allocated to real estate investment trusts, otherwise known as “REITs”. A REIT is an entity, typically a
trust or corporation, that accepts investments from a number of investors, pools the money, and then
uses that money to invest in real estate through either actual property purchases or mortgage loans. While
there are some benefits to owning REITs, which include potential tax benefits, income and the relatively
low barrier to invest in real estate as compared to directly investing in real estate, REITs also have some
increased risks as compared to more traditional investments such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.
First, real estate investing can be highly volatile. Second, the specific REIT chosen may have a focus
such as commercial real estate or real estate in a given location. Such investment focus can be beneficial
if the properties are successful, but lose significant principal if the properties are not successful. REITs
may also employ significant leverage for the purpose of purchasing more investments with fewer
investment dollars, which can enhance returns but also enhances the risk of loss. The success of a REIT
is highly dependent upon the manager of the REIT. Clients should ensure they understand the role of
the REIT in their portfolio.
• MLPs: RCWM may recommend that portions of client portfolios be allocated to master limited
partnerships, otherwise known as “MLPs”. An MLP is a publicly traded entity that is designed to provide
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tax benefits for the investor. In order to preserve these benefits, the MLP must derive most, if not all,
of its income from real estate, natural resources and commodities. While MLPs may add diversification
and tax favored treatment to a client’s portfolio, they also carry significant risks beyond more traditional
investments such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds. One such risk is management risk-the success of
the MLP is dependent upon the manager’s experience and judgment in selecting investments for the
MLP. Another risk is the governance structure, which means the rules under which the entity is run. The
investors are the limited partners of the MLP, with an affiliate of the manager typically the general partner.
This means the manager has all of the control in running the entity, as opposed to an equity investment
where shareholders vote on such matters as board composition. There is also a significant amount of
risk with the underlying real estate, resources or commodities investments.
•
International Investing: Investing outside of the United States, especially in emerging markets, can
have special or enhanced risks. The most obvious are political risk (changes in local politics can have a
vast impact on the markets in that country as well as regulations affecting given issuers) and currency risk
(changes in exchange rates between the dollar and the local denominations can materially affect the value
of the security even if the underlying fundamentals and market price are stagnant). There are other risks,
including enhanced liquidity risk, meaning that while domestic equities and mutual funds are generally
easily liquidated (though there may be a risk of loss due to the timing of the sale), equities in other
jurisdictions may be subject to the circumstances of lower overall market volume and fewer companies
on an emerging exchange. In addition, there may be less information and less transparency in a foreign
market or from a foreign company.
• Market Disruption, Health Crisis, Terrorism and Geopolitical Risk. Investments are subject to
the risk that war, terrorism, global health crises or similar pandemics, and other related geopolitical events
increase short-term market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on world economics and
markets generally. These risks have previously led and may lead in the future to adverse effects on the
value of client’s investments.
ITEM 9: DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION
For all of the disciplinary information regarding Thomas and Andrew Johnson, we encourage you to
independently view their background on the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website at
www.adviserinfo.sec.gov and FINRA’s BrokerCheck website at www.finra.org/brokercheck. For the
IAPD website, select Investment Adviser Search from the left navigation menu, then select the option
for Investment Adviser Representative and enter 1215434 or 837948 in the field labeled “Individual
CRD Number”.
Thomas Johnson has been charged with violations of FINRA Rules 2010 and 8210 regarding conversion
and making of false statements for actions that occurred during his previous association with RBC. He
is currently barred from association with a FINRA firm member.
ITEM 10: OTHER FINANCIAL INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES AND AFFILIATIONS
A. Broker-dealer
None of the principals of RCWM, nor any related persons are registered, or have an application pending
to register, as a broker dealer or as an associated person of the foregoing entities.
B. Futures Commission Merchant/Commodity Trading Advisor
Neither the principals of RCWM, nor any related persons are registered, or have an application pending
to register, as a futures commission merchant, commodity pool operator, a commodity trading advisor,
or an associated person of the foregoing entities.
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C. Relationship with Related Persons
Neither the principals of RCWM, nor any related persons maintain a relationship with any broker-dealer,
municipal securities dealer, or government securities dealer or broker, investment company or other
pooled investment vehicle (including a mutual fund, closed-end investment company, unit investment
trust, private investment company or “hedge fund,” and offshore fund), other investment adviser or
financial planner, futures commission merchant, commodity pool operator, or commodity trading
advisor, banking or thrift institution, accountant or accounting firm, lawyer or law firm, insurance
company or agency, pension consultant, real estate broker or dealer, or sponsor or syndicator of limited
partnerships.
D. Recommendations of other Advisers
RCWM does not recommend other advisers, and in no event will RCWM receive any compensation,
directly or indirectly from other advisors.
ITEM 11: CODE OF ETHICS, PARTICIPATION OR INTEREST IN CLIENT TRANSACTIONS AND
PERSONAL TRADING
A. A copy of our Code of Ethics is available upon request. Our Code of Ethics includes discussions of our
fiduciary duty to clients, political contributions, gifts, entertainment, and trading guidelines.
B. RCWM does not recommend to clients that they invest in any security in which RCWM or any principal
thereof has any financial interest.
C. On occasion, an employee of RCWM may purchase for his or her own account securities which are also
recommended for clients. Our Code of Ethics details rules for employees regarding personal trading and
avoiding conflicts of interest related to trading in one’s own account. To avoid placing a trade before a
client (in the case of a purchase) or after a client (in the case of a sale), all employee trades are reviewed
by the Compliance Officer. All employee trades must either take place in the same block as a client trade
or sufficiently apart in time from the client trade so the employee receives no added benefit. Employee
statements are reviewed to confirm compliance with the trading procedures.
D. On occasion, an employee of RCWM may purchase for his or her own account securities which are also
recommended for clients at the same time the clients purchase the securities. Our Code of Ethics details
rules for employees regarding personal trading and avoiding conflicts of interest related to trading in one’s
own account. To avoid placing a trade before a client (in the case of a purchase) or after a client (in the
case of a sale), all employee trades are reviewed by the Compliance Officer. All employee trades must
either take place in the same block as a client trade or sufficiently apart in time from the client trade so
the employee receives no added benefit. Employee statements are reviewed to confirm compliance with
the trading procedures.
ITEM 12: BROKERAGE PRACTICES
A. Recommendation of Broker-Dealer
RCWM does not maintain physical custody of client assets, though RCWM may be deemed to have
custody if a client grants RCWM authority to debit fees directly from their account or through Standing
Letters of Authorization(SLOAs)(see Item 15 below). Assets will be held with a qualified custodian,
which is typically a bank or broker-dealer. RCWM recommends that investment accounts be held in
custody by Schwab Advisor Services (“Schwab”), which is a qualified custodian. RCWM is independently
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owned and operated and is not affiliated with Schwab. Schwab will hold your assets in a brokerage
account and buy and sell securities when RCWM instructs them to, which RCWM does in accordance
with its agreement with you. While RCWM recommends that you use Schwab as custodian/broker, you
will decide whether to do so and will open your account with Schwab by entering into an account
agreement directly with them. RCWM does not open the account for you, although RCWM may assist
you in doing so.
How we select brokers/custodians
We seek to recommend a custodian/broker that will hold your assets and execute transactions on terms
that are, overall, most advantageous when compared with other available providers and their services.
We consider a wide range of factors, including both quantitative (ex: costs) and qualitative (execution,
reputation, service) factors. We do not consider whether Schwab or any other broker-dealer/custodian,
refers clients to RCWM as part of our evaluation of these broker-dealers.
Your brokerage and custody costs
For our clients’ accounts that Schwab maintains, Schwab generally does not charge you separately for
custody services but is compensated by charging you commissions or other fees on trades that it executes
or that settle into your Schwab account. In addition to commissions, Schwab charges you a flat dollar
amount as a “prime broker” or “trade away” fee for each trade that we have executed by a different
broker-dealer but where the securities bought or the funds from the securities sold are deposited (settled)
into your Schwab account. These fees are in addition to the commissions or other compensation you pay
the executing broker-dealer. Because of this, in order to minimize your trading costs, we have Schwab
execute most trades for your account. We have determined that having Schwab execute most trades is
consistent with our duty to seek “best execution” of your trades. Best execution means the most
favorable terms for a transaction based on all relevant factors, including those listed above (see “How we
select brokers/custodians”).
Products and services available to us from Schwab
Schwab Advisor Services™ (formerly called Schwab Institutional®) is Schwab’s business serving
independent investment advisory firms like RCWM. They provide RCWM and our clients with access to
its institutional brokerage services (trading, custody, reporting, and related services), many of which are
not typically available to Schwab retail customers. Schwab also makes available various support services.
Some of those services help RCWM manage or administer our clients’ accounts, while others help RCWM
manage and grow our business. Schwab’s support services are generally available on an unsolicited basis
(we don’t have to request them) and at no charge to RCWM. Following is a more detailed description of
Schwab’s support services:
Services that benefit you.
Schwab’s institutional brokerage services include access to a broad range of investment products,
execution of securities transactions, and custody of client assets. The investment products available
through Schwab include some to which we might not otherwise have access or that would require a
significantly higher minimum initial investment by our clients. Schwab’s services described in this
paragraph generally benefit you and your account.
Services that may not directly benefit you.
Schwab also makes available to us other products and services that benefit us but may not directly benefit
you or your account. These products and services assist us in managing and administering our clients’
accounts. They include investment research, both Schwab’s own and that of third parties. We may use
this research to service all or a substantial number of our clients’ accounts, including accounts not
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maintained at Schwab. In addition to investment research, Schwab also makes available software and
other technology that:
• Provide access to client account data (such as duplicate trade confirmations and account statements)
• Facilitate trade execution and allocate aggregated trade orders for multiple client accounts
• Provide pricing and other market data
• Facilitate payment of our fees from our clients’ accounts
• Assist with back-office functions, recordkeeping, and client reporting
Services that generally benefit only us.
Schwab also offers other services intended to help us manage and further develop our business enterprise.
These services include:
• Educational conferences and events
• Consulting on technology, compliance, legal, and business needs
• Publications and conferences on practice management and business succession
• Access to employee benefits providers, human capital consultants, and insurance providers
Schwab may provide some of these services itself. In other cases, it will arrange for third-party vendors
to provide the services to us. Schwab may also discount or waive its fees for some of these services or
pay all or a part of a third party’s fees. Schwab may also provide us with other benefits, such as occasional
business entertainment of our personnel.
Our interest in Schwab’s services
The availability of these services from Schwab benefits us because we do not have to produce or purchase
them. We don’t have to pay for Schwab’s services. These services are not contingent upon us committing
any specific amount of business to Schwab in trading commissions or assets in custody. We may have an
incentive to recommend that you maintain your account with Schwab, based on our interest in receiving
Schwab’s services that benefit our business rather than based on your interest in receiving the best value
in custody services and the most favorable execution of your transactions. This is a potential conflict of
interest. We believe, however, that our selection of Schwab as custodian and broker is in the best interests
of our clients. Our selection is primarily supported by the scope, quality, and price of Schwab’s services
(see “How we select brokers/ custodians”) and not Schwab’s services that benefit only us.
We do not consider whether Schwab or any other broker-dealer/custodian, refers clients to RCWM as
part of our evaluation of these broker-dealers.
B. Aggregating Trades
Commission costs per client may be lower on a particular trade if all clients in whose accounts the trade
is to be made are executed at the same time. This is called aggregating trades. Instead of placing a number
of trades for the same security for each account, we will, when appropriate, executed one trade for all
accounts and then allocate the trades to each account after execution. If an aggregate trade is not fully
executed, the securities will be allocated to client accounts on a pro rata basis, except where doing so would
create an unintended adverse consequence (For example, if a pro rata division would result in a client
receiving a fraction of a share, or a position in the account of less than 1%.)
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ITEM 13: REVIEW OF ACCOUNTS
All accounts will be managed on an ongoing basis, with formal reviews with the client by a member of
senior management, specifically the managing member, on at least an annual basis. However, it is
expected that market conditions, changes in a particular client’s account, or changes to a client’s
circumstances will trigger a review of accounts. Clients will receive statements directly from their account
custodian, as well as copies of all trade confirmations directly from their account custodian.
ITEM 14: CLIENT REFERRALS AND OTHER COMPENSATION
A. Economic Benefit Provided by Third Parties for Advice Rendered to Client.
Please refer to Item 12, where we discuss recommendation of Broker-Dealers.
B. Compensation to Non-Advisory Personnel for Client Referrals.
RCWM does not directly or indirectly compensate any person who is not advisory personnel for client
referrals.
ITEM 15: CUSTODY
There are two avenues through which RCWM has custody of client funds; by directly debiting its fees
from client accounts pursuant to applicable agreements granting such right, and potentially by permitting
clients to issue standing letters of authorization (“SLOAs”). SLOAs permit a client to issue one document
that directs RCWM to make distributions out of the client’s account(s) to third parties.
Clients whose fees are directly debited will provide written authorization to debit advisory fees from their
accounts held by a qualified custodian chosen by the client. Each quarter, clients will receive a statement
from their account custodian showing all transactions in their account, including the fee. Clients will also
receive a bill itemizing the fees to be debited, including the formula used to calculate the fee, the amount
of assets the fee is based, and the time period covered by the fee. The invoice will also state that the fee
was not independently calculated by the custodian.
We encourage clients to carefully review the statements and confirmations sent to them by their
custodian, and to compare the information on your quarterly report prepared by RCWM against the
information in the statements provided directly from their account custodian. Please alert us of any
discrepancies.
In addition to the account custodian’s custody procedures, clients issuing SLOAs will be requested to
confirm, in writing, that the accounts to which funds are distributed are parties unrelated to RCWM.
ITEM 16: INVESTMENT DISCRETION
When RCWM is engaged to provide asset management services on a discretionary basis, we will monitor
your accounts to ensure that they are meeting your asset allocation requirements. If any changes are
needed to your investments, we will make the changes. These changes may involve selling a security or
group of investments and buying others or keeping the proceeds in cash. You may at any time place
restrictions on the types of investments we may use on your behalf, or on the allocations to each security
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type. You may receive at your request written or electronic confirmations from your account custodian
after any changes are made to your account. You will also receive monthly statements from your account
custodian. Clients engaging us on a discretionary basis will be asked to execute a Limited Power of
Attorney (granting us the discretionary authority over the client accounts) as well as an Investment
Management Agreement that outlines the responsibilities of both the client and RCWM.
ITEM 17: VOTING CLIENT SECURITIES
Copies of our Proxy Voting Policies are available upon request.
From time to time, shareholders of stocks, mutual funds, exchange traded funds or other securities may
be permitted to vote on various types of corporate actions. Examples of these actions include mergers,
tender offers, or board elections. RCWM will vote proxies on behalf of its clients. For these situations,
RCWM generally utilizes independent proxy voting services. Proxies are voted directly by the
independent proxy voting services in a manner that is consistent with the agreed upon guidelines, which
have been adopted by RCWM.
ITEM 18: FINANCIAL INFORMATION
RCWM does not require the prepayment of fees more than six (6) months or more in advance and
therefore has not provided a balance sheet with this brochure.
There are no material financial circumstances or conditions that would reasonably be expected to impair
our ability to meet our contractual obligations to our clients.
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