Overview
- Headquarters
- New York, NY
- Total Firm Assets
- $8.9 billion
- Average High-Net-Worth Client Portfolio Size
- $4.5 million
- Stated Minimum Account Size
- $100,000
Recent Rankings
Forbes 2025: 90
Forbes 2024: 94
Barron's 2025:
56
Barron's 2024:
48
Fee Disclosure
2026-08-18 APPENDIX 1 - WRAP FEE BROCHURE
| Min | Max | Disclosed Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | and above | 3.00% |
Estimated Annual Advisory Fees
| Portfolio Value | Estimated Annual Fee | Effective Fee Rate |
|---|---|---|
| $1 million | $30,000 | 3.00% |
| $5 million | $150,000 | 3.00% |
| $10 million | $300,000 | 3.00% |
| $50 million | $1,500,000 | 3.00% |
| $100 million | $3,000,000 | 3.00% |
Actual fees may vary; other investment costs may apply.
Clients
- High-Net-Worth Share of Firm Assets
- 79.81%
- Number of High-Net-Worth Clients
- 1,580
- Total Client Accounts
- 10,260
- Discretionary Accounts
- 8,886
- Non-Discretionary Accounts
- 1,374
Services Offered
Services: Financial Planning, Portfolio Management for Individuals, Portfolio Management for Institutional Clients, Pension Consulting, Investment Advisor Selection, Educational Seminars
Regulatory Filings
- SEC CRD Number
- 157299
Additional Brochure: 2026-08-18 APPENDIX 1 - WRAP FEE BROCHURE (2026-08-18)
View Document Text
Snowden Capital Advisors LLC
540 Madison Avenue, 9th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Phone: (646) 218-9760
Fax: (646) 218-9778
www.snowdenlane.com
Form ADV Part 2A Appendix 1
Wrap Fee Program Brochure
August 18, 2026
This wrap fee program brochure (“Wrap Fee Brochure”) provides information about the
qualifications and business practices of Snowden Capital Advisors LLC (“SCA”). If you have
any questions about the contents of this Wrap Fee Brochure, please contact us at (646) 218-
9760 and/or compliance@snowdenlane.com.
The information in this Wrap Fee Brochure has not been approved or verified by the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or by any state securities authority.
Additional information about SCA is also available on the SEC’s website at
www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
SCA is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Such registration does not imply a certain level
of skill or training.
Item 2 Material Changes
Snowden Capital Advisors LLC (“SCA”) filed its last update of its wrap brochure on March 27,
2026. This brochure (the “Brochure”) includes information regarding certain material changes
made since SCA’s last filing. For additional details, please reference the section listed.
Item 4 Services, Fees, and Compensation
• Since our last annual updating amendment dated March 27, 2026, we have updated
this Wrap Fee Brochure to revise disclosures concerning our ownership, custodial
arrangements, use of unaffiliated sub-advisers, money market funds and bank deposit
sweep products, and related conflicts of interest. We have also made clarifying
revisions for consistency with our Form ADV Part 2A.
Item 3 Table of Contents
Item 2 Material Changes .................................................................................................... 2
Item 3 Table of Contents .................................................................................................... 3
Item 4 Services, Fees, and Compensation ......................................................................... 4
Item 5 Account Requirements and Types of Clients ......................................................... 13
Item 6 Portfolio Manager Selection and Evaluation .......................................................... 13
Item 7 Client Information Provided to Portfolio Managers ................................................. 14
Item 8 Client Contact with Portfolio Managers .................................................................. 14
Item 9 Additional Information ........................................................................................... 14
Item 4 Services, Fees, and Compensation
Introduction
Snowden Capital Advisors LLC (“SCA,” “we,” or the “Firm”), a Delaware limited liability company
that was formed and began operating in 2011, is an investment adviser registered with the
SEC. Such registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
This Wrap Fee Brochure is offered to potential and existing clients to provide an understanding
of the services we provide to clients with wrap fee accounts and our conflicts of interest. The
information in this Wrap Fee Brochure has not been approved or verified by any governmental
or regulatory authority. The advisory services described in this Wrap Fee Brochure are not
insured or otherwise protected by the U.S. government, the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other governmental agency and involve risk,
including the possible loss of principal.
SCA is wholly owned by SCP Intermediate Holdings LLC (“SCP Holdings”), a Delaware limited
liability company.
Clients are advised that the same or similar programs or services as those described herein
may be available from other investment advisors for an annual fee lesser or greater than set
forth herein, and that the programs described in this Wrap Fee Brochure may cost the client
more or less than purchasing the different services within each program separately depending
upon such factors as trading activity, account size, portfolio management fees, mutual fund no-
load or load charges, and other relevant factors.
SCA provides services to clients through individuals registered as investment adviser
representatives, generally referred to internally as “Financial Advisors.” Financial Advisors who
recommend Snowden Wealth Advisory Program services receive a portion of the advisory fee
and any other compensation derived by SCA from such services. The amount of this
compensation may be more than what the Financial Advisor would receive if the client
participated in other programs or paid separately for investment advice, brokerage, and other
services, and therefore, the Financial Advisor may have a financial incentive to recommend the
Snowden Wealth Advisory Program over other programs or services. All fees are negotiable at
SCA's discretion.
Snowden Wealth Advisory Program Services Offered on a Wrap Fee Basis (the “Wrap
Fee Programs”)
The Wrap Fee Programs consist of the following programs:
• Discretionary Wealth Advisory Account Program (“DWA”);
• Personal Wealth Advisory Account Program (“PWA”);
• Brinker Capital Programs ("Brinker Programs");
• Independent Manager Portfolio Program (“IMP”) administered by Envestnet Asset
Management, Inc. ("Envestnet") and
• Snowden Capital Advisor Portfolios ("SCA Portfolios")
The terms of the advisory services that SCA provides for each client are set forth in the advisory
agreement between SCA and such client (the “Advisory Agreement”). In some cases, a third-
party manager or Wrap Fee Program sponsor may also be a party to the Advisory
Agreement. Some platforms and programs may also require an additional advisory agreement
with clients in addition to the Advisory Agreement clients sign with SCA. Each Wrap Fee
Program relies on a third party to custody all securities and other assets held for the client’s
advisory account and execute transactions for such account under the program.
For all accounts, client assets are primarily custodied with Pershing LLC, member FINRA,
NYSE, SIPC, a BNY Mellon company. Some accounts are held at another custodian as agreed
to by SCA and client (each, as applicable, the “Custodian”). Other custodial platforms available
include Pershing Advisor Solutions LLC ("PAS"), member FINRA/SIPC, Charles Schwab & Co.
(“Schwab”), JP Morgan, Morningstar Direct, J. Safra Sarasin, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley,
UBS, and Goldman Sachs Advisor Solutions.1 The Custodian provides execution, clearance,
and administrative services for clients. Clients whose assets are custodied with Pershing, LLC
will enter into either (i) an account agreement with Snowden Account Services LLC (“SAS”),
SCA’s affiliated broker-dealer, pursuant to which SAS will act as introducing broker for client’s
account and introduce transactions in client’s account to Pershing, LLC for execution,
clearance, and custody or (ii) an account agreement with Pershing Advisor Solutions LLC
(“PAS” and together with SAS, the “Introducing Brokers” and each an “Introducing Broker”),
Pershing, LLC’s affiliated introducing broker, pursuant to which PAS will act as introducing
broker for client’s account and introduce transactions in client’s account to Pershing for
execution, clearance, and custody. Clients with accounts held at the other Custodian(s) will
sign an account agreement with such Custodian(s) and with SCA.
Discretionary Wealth Advisory Account Program Description
This section describes the DWA Program offered by SCA. Clients who wish to participate in the
DWA Program will enter into an Advisory Agreement with SCA that sets forth the services that
SCA will provide the client and the fee that the client will pay. Clients must deposit a minimum
of at least $100,000 in order to participate in the DWA Program, subject to waiver by SCA,
including in situations where the client maintains a high minimum balance in other SCA
accounts.
Clients in the DWA Program grant SCA authority to manage their accounts on a discretionary
basis in accordance with the client’s investment objectives, liquidity needs, risk tolerance, and
investment time horizon, subject to any reasonable restrictions that the client has provided to
SCA in writing and that SCA confirms that it is able to implement. The client’s Financial Advisor
will be responsible for making investment decisions for the account as attorney in fact and
discretionary adviser for the client. Pursuant to this grant of discretion, clients authorize SCA,
acting through the Financial Advisor, to invest in securities and other investments of any nature
whatsoever, at the time and in the manner that the Financial Advisor determines, and to act on
the client’s behalf in all other matters necessary or incidental to the handling of the account,
without discussing these transactions or actions with the client in advance, consistent with the
client’s investment objectives, liquidity needs, risk tolerance and investment time horizon. The
specific terms of the investment advisory relationship between each client, SCA, and the
Financial Advisor are set forth in the Advisory Agreement. Each Financial Advisor manages his
or her clients’ accounts utilizing a model developed by the Financial Advisor or a team of
Financial Advisors. The model is customized to the client’s individual investment style and
strategy in accordance with each client’s description of its financial situation, liquidity needs,
risk tolerance, and investment objective for the DWA Program account provided in writing by the
client, as amended from time to time.
1 SCA has also initiated custodial arrangements at Fidelity and AssetMark, where assets are currently de
minimis.
Transactions in DWA Program accounts generally are executed through the Custodian.
In connection with the DWA Program, Financial Advisors will collect information about the
client’s financial circumstances, including investment objectives, risk tolerance, liquidity needs,
and investment time horizon for the account (collectively “financial information”), and any
reasonable restrictions that the client wishes to impose on the management of the account in
writing. Clients are responsible for providing complete information regarding their particular
financial circumstances in writing to SCA and for notifying SCA promptly, in writing, of any
material changes to the information provided to SCA and for providing SCA with additional
information as SCA may request from time to time to assist it in providing services under the
DWA Program. Clients are also responsible for providing to SCA in writing any investment
policies or other guidelines applicable to the client’s DWA Program account. Such investment
policies and guidelines are subject to acceptance by SCA in its sole discretion. Any restrictions
on the management of the DWA Program account imposed by the client or by such written
investment policies or guidelines may cause SCA or any underlying portfolio manager to deviate
from the investment decisions it otherwise would make in providing services under the DWA
Program. SCA will have no liability for a client’s failure to provide SCA with accurate or
complete information or to inform SCA promptly of any change in the information previously
provided.
Financial Advisors will be reasonably available for consultation with clients regarding the
management of their account.
DWA Program Fee Schedule
Clients in the DWA Program pay a fee that covers, among other things, services provided by the
Custodian and other platform services. Clients also pay advisory fees to SCA for the services it
provides. The program fee and the SCA advisory fee are bundled into one fee (the “Wrap
Fee”). The Wrap Fee covers investment advisory services, execution of transactions through
the Custodian, custody with the Custodian, and reporting. The Wrap Fee does not cover fees
charged by third-party brokers if SAS elects to execute the transactions for the clients with a
third-party broker-dealer other than the Custodian or SAS. "Trade away" fees are typically
charged by the Custodian for transactions executed with a third-party broker-dealer.
For the services provided by SCA and as described in the Advisory Agreement, each account in
the DWA Program will be charged an annual Wrap Fee at the rate set forth in the Discretionary
Wealth Advisory Account Agreement, payable in advance at the beginning of each month, on
the total net fair market value of the assets (including all cash) in the client’s account as of the
last day of the preceding month or a flat monthly fee. The maximum Wrap Fee, expressed as an
annual rate, that may be charged to new clients is 3.00%. Fees at the higher end of this range
are generally associated with smaller account sizes or highly customized advisory services and
are subject to negotiation. The advisory fee is negotiable by the Financial Advisor and will
generally vary depending upon the asset class or classes managed in the account.
PWA Program Description
This section describes the PWA Program offered by SCA. Clients who wish to participate in the
PWA Program will enter into an Advisory Agreement with SCA that sets forth the services that
SCA will provide the client and the fee that the client will pay. The minimum amount of assets
required to participate in the PWA Program is $100,000, subject to waiver by SCA. Each client
participating in the PWA Program enters into an agreement with the Custodian, the clearing and
custodial firm selected by SCA. SCA has an agreement with the Custodian that sets forth the
services that SCA will provide the client and the fee the client will pay. The Custodian provides
execution, custody, and administrative services to SCA. Securities and/or cash designated by
the client for inclusion in the PWA Program are maintained in one or more brokerage accounts
held at the Custodian.
PWA Program accounts will be managed on a non-discretionary basis in which case the client’s
Financial Advisor will purchase, sell, or otherwise trade securities or other investments for the
client’s account only after the client has been notified of and approves the transaction. This
approval may be verbal or written. Financial Advisors are responsible for the management and
review of these types of client accounts on an ongoing basis. Additional periodic reviews are
performed by the SCA compliance department.
In connection with the PWA Program, Financial Advisors will collect information about the
client’s financial circumstances, which may include investment objectives, risk tolerance, and
investment time horizon for the account (collectively “financial information”), and any reasonable
restrictions that the client wishes to impose on the management of the account in
writing. Clients are responsible for notifying SCA promptly, in writing, of any changes to the
information provided to SCA and for providing SCA with additional information as SCA may
request from time to time to assist it in providing services under the PWA Program. Clients are
also responsible for providing to SCA in writing any investment policies or other guidelines
applicable to the client’s PWA Program account. Such investment policies and guidelines are
subject to acceptance by SCA in its sole discretion. Any restrictions on the management of the
PWA Program account imposed by the client or by such written investment policies or
guidelines may cause SCA to deviate from the investment decisions it otherwise would make in
providing services under the PWA Program. SCA will have no liability for a client’s failure to
provide SCA with accurate or complete information or to inform SCA promptly of any change in
the information previously provided.
Financial Advisors will be reasonably available for consultation with clients regarding the
management of their account.
Clients may need to complete a brokerage account application for their brokerage account at
the custodian as well as an SCA Advisory Agreement.
PWA Program Fee Schedule
Clients in the PWA Program pay a fee that covers, among other things, services provided by the
custodian. Clients also pay advisory fees to SCA for the services it provides. The program fee
and the SCA advisory fee are bundled into one fee (the “Wrap Fee”). The Wrap Fee covers
investment advisory services, execution of transactions through SCA or its affiliates, custody
with Custodian, and reporting.
For the services provided by SCA and as described in the PWA Program Agreement, each
account in the PWA Program will be charged a Wrap Fee monthly in advance, based on the
total net fair market value of the assets, including cash, in the account as of the last day of the
preceding month, or a flat monthly fee. The maximum Wrap Fee, expressed as an annual rate,
which may be charged to new clients is 3.00%. The advisory fee is negotiable by Financial
Advisor and by asset class.
IMP Program Description
This section describes the IMP Program offered by SCA. Clients who wish to participate in the
IMP Program will enter into an Advisory Agreement with SCA that sets forth the services that
SCA will provide the client and the fee that the client will pay. The minimum amount of assets
required to participate in the IMP Program is $100,000, subject to waiver by SCA. In addition,
certain portfolio managers may impose minimum account size requirements. Each client
participating in the IMP Program enters into an agreement with Custodian, the clearing and
custodial firms selected by SCA. SCA has an agreement with the Custodian that sets forth the
services that SCA will provide the client and the fee the client will pay. SCA also has
agreements with the money managers chosen to participate in the IMP Program (“Money
Managers”). The Custodian provides execution, custody, and administrative services to
SCA. Securities and/or cash designated by the client for inclusion in the IMP Program are
maintained in one or more brokerage accounts held at a Custodian.
IMP Program accounts are managed by the Financial Advisor on a discretionary
basis. Financial Advisors will recommend discretionary Money Managers to the client and
subscribe or redeem funds from these Money Managers for the client’s account only after the
client has been notified of and approves the transaction. This approval may be verbal or
written. The selection of managers will be guided by an asset allocation process in accordance
with the client’s risk profile and investment objectives. Financial Advisors are responsible for
the management and review of these types of client accounts on an ongoing basis. Additional
periodic reviews are performed by the SCA compliance department. Performance information
provided by third-party managers is obtained from those managers and has not been
independently verified by SCA.
Transactions in IMP Program accounts are generally transacted through unaffiliated broker-
dealers Pershing. Money Managers must meet certain requirements as established by SCA
and as determined through SCA’s due diligence through the New Product Committee.
In connection with the IMP Program, Financial Advisors will collect information about the client’s
financial circumstances, which may include investment objectives, risk tolerance, and
investment time horizon for the account (collectively “financial information”), and any reasonable
restrictions that the client wishes to impose on the management of the account in
writing. Clients are responsible for notifying SCA promptly, in writing, of any changes to the
information provided to SCA and for providing SCA with additional information as SCA may
request from time to time to assist it in providing services under the IMP Program. Clients are
also responsible for providing to SCA in writing any investment policies or other guidelines
applicable to the client’s IMP Program account. Such investment policies and guidelines are
subject to acceptance by SCA in its sole discretion. Any restrictions on the management of the
IMP Program account imposed by the client or by such written investment policies or guidelines
may cause SCA or the Money Manager to deviate from the investment decisions it otherwise
would make in providing services under the IMP Program. SCA will have no liability for a
client’s failure to provide SCA with accurate or complete information or to inform SCA promptly
of any change in the information previously provided.
Financial Advisors and Money Managers will be reasonably available for consultation with
clients regarding the management of their accounts. SCA will provide necessary financial
information to the Money Manager including material changes as notified by the client as
needed.
Clients may need to complete a brokerage account application for their brokerage account at
the custodian as well as an SCA Advisory Agreement. Some Money Managers may also
require the completion of a client agreement between the Money Manager and the client.
IMP Program Fee Schedule
Clients in the IMP Program pay a fee that covers, among other things, services provided by the
custodian and services provided by applicable Money Manager(s) (a “program fee”). Clients
also pay advisory fees to SCA for the services it provides. The program fee and the SCA
advisory fee are bundled into one fee (the “Wrap Fee”). The Wrap Fee covers investment
advisory services, execution of transactions through SCA or its affiliates, custody with
Custodian, and reporting.
Additional details on the Money Managers, their fees, program details, and management style,
among other items, are included in each Money Manager’s Form ADV, Part 2A.
Wrap Fee Accounts
For the services provided by SCA and as described in the IMP Program agreement, each
account in the IMP Program will be charged a Wrap Fee monthly in advance, based on the total
net fair market value of the assets, including cash, in the account as of the last day of the
preceding month. The maximum Wrap Fee, expressed as an annual rate, which may be
charged to new clients is 3.00%. The advisory fee is negotiable by Financial Advisor and by
asset class.
Envestnet Asset Management, Inc.
Envestnet is an investment management firm providing investment management and advisory
services through independent Money Managers. Envestnet provides SCA with the ability to use
the Pershing custodial platform, or other custodial platforms, with the Money Managers
established on the Envestnet platform. Envestnet performs the initial and ongoing due diligence
on Money Managers and provides other back-office operations needed for this type of
program. Envestnet reserves the right to hire and fire Money Managers as it deems
appropriate.
SCA Portfolios Description
This section describes the SCA Portfolios program offered by SCA. SCA Portfolios are internal
model portfolios made available to SCA clients, which Financial Advisors may select within a
DWA Program advisory relationship.
Clients who wish to participate in the SCA Portfolios program will open a new account and
deposit a minimum of at least $10,000.
The costs of construction and implementation of the SCA Portfolios are borne internally, i.e., the
Clients pay no additional fees for the SCA Portfolios Program. The program fee and the SCA
advisory fee are bundled into one fee (i.e., the applicable Wrap Fee). Similarly, Financial
Advisors receive no additional compensation or other incentive to select or recommend SCA
Portfolios.
Pershing Advisor Solutions LLC
For advisory clients with accounts custodied at Pershing Advisor Solutions LLC ("PAS"), an
asset-based fee ("AB Fee") is deducted quarterly by PAS from each account. The AB Fee
ranges from 0.03% to 0.12% per year and is based on the size of the account. The AB Fee is in
lieu of transaction or commission charges to clients and is not charged to clients in the wrap
program. Instead, the AB Fee for clients in a wrap program is paid by SCA or the client's
Financial Advisor.
Prepayment of Fees
For clients participating in the Wrap Program, the fees charged by SCA, and any third-party
manager or sponsor are generally required to be paid monthly in advance, as described above.
The client’s Advisory Agreement may be terminated at any time upon written or verbal notice by
SCA, the client, or the applicable third-party manager or sponsor. . SCA will notify the
applicable third-party manager, if applicable. Receipt by the Custodian of a request to transfer
assets or other directions to close the account from the client also terminates the client's
Advisory Agreement with SCA. Upon termination, the client will receive refunds of any prepaid
and unearned advisory or wrap fees. Refunds of asset-based fees are prorated based on the
time remaining in the applicable billing period. Refunds of hourly fees are prorated based on
the number of hours paid for but not worked. If services have been provided, and are therefore
due and payable, clients will receive an invoice for the amount due. Any transactional or
custodial charges levied by the Custodian after the termination of SCA’s Advisory Agreement
will be the client’s responsibility and not the responsibility of SCA, and SCA has no obligation to
refund such fees to its clients.
Use of Unaffiliated Sub-Advisers
Our firm may engage one or more unaffiliated third-party investment managers (“Sub-Advisers”)
to provide portfolio management services for certain client accounts. When we do so, we retain
overall responsibility for the client relationship and for selecting and monitoring the Sub-
Adviser(s).
Sub-Adviser services may include ongoing investment research, portfolio construction, trade
execution, and other related portfolio management functions. We may delegate investment
discretion to the Sub-Adviser for designated accounts or account strategies. This means the
Sub-Adviser may determine, without advance notice to the client or to us, the securities to be
bought or sold for the account, the amount of securities to be bought or sold, and the timing of
those transactions, consistent with the client’s stated investment guidelines and restrictions.
To perform its responsibilities, the Sub-Adviser may be granted limited trading authority and
related account access necessary to manage the assigned strategy. Such access may include
the ability to place trade orders and receive trade confirmations and other account reports.
Sub-Advisers do not have authority to withdraw client funds or securities, change account
ownership or beneficiary designations, establish or modify standing instructions, or otherwise
obtain custody of client assets as defined under Rule 206(4)-2. All Sub-Adviser access is
subject to written agreements, custodial controls, and ongoing oversight by the Firm.
Clients will receive additional disclosures when a Sub-Adviser is used for their account,
including applicable fees, affiliated relationships, trading or custody differences, and conflicts of
interest.
Clients may pay a management fee for the services provided by the Sub-Adviser in addition to
SCA’s advisory fee. Sub-Adviser fees may be charged directly to the Client’s account by the
Custodian or may be included in SCA’s overall advisory fee, depending on the engagement.
Applicable Sub-Adviser fees will be disclosed to the client in writing before the engagement.
General Information Applicable to All Wrap Accounts
The following disclosures are applicable to all accounts in one of the Wrap Fee
Programs. SCA, in its discretion, may negotiate the fee (and the rate of any other fees charged
by SCA for services not covered by the Wrap Fee) in appropriate circumstances, based on a
number of factors including, but not limited to, the type and size of the account, the size or
number of trades anticipated to be executed for the account, services provided to the account,
the client’s other accounts with SCA, and the accounts of the client’s family, household or other
affiliation with SCA, in the sole discretion of SCA. The fees charged may be higher or lower than
the fees that SCA charges other clients in this or other programs; and they may be higher or
lower than the cost of similar services offered through other financial firms. The account may be
subject to a minimum fee specified in the Discretionary Wealth Advisory Account Agreement.
SCA may recommend changes to portfolio managers or program structures consistent with the
client’s investment objectives and restrictions. Any material change to the client’s program or
fees will require client consent as set forth in the Advisory Agreement.
For accounts owned by retirement plans subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) or retirement plans for self-employed individuals subject
to comparable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986-and managed by a SCA
Financial Advisor (and not an external portfolio manager), SCA will rely on and operate in
accordance with U.S. Department of Labor Prohibited Transaction Exemption 86-128 (“PTE 86-
128”). By relying on PTE 86-128, SCA may serve as a fiduciary to such retirement plans and
receive separate brokerage commissions and transaction charges in connection with effecting
securities transactions for those plans. One of the conditions of PTE 86-128 is that a plan’s
authorizing fiduciary be provided with a copy of PTE 86-128, a form providing an election to
terminate the plan fiduciary’s previously granted authorization to effect transactions in the
account, and instructions on the use of the form. In compliance with this condition, a copy of
PTE 86-128 and a form termination letter shall be provided separately.
In connection with a wrap program, Financial Advisors may utilize an investment strategy that
generally seeks investments that are long term in nature with a buy and hold bias. Due to the
nature of these strategies, investments in accounts could incur low turnover. For Wrap Fee
accounts, however, the client continues to pay the Wrap Fee regardless of the number of
transactions incurred in the account. Clients should also be aware that services similar or
comparable to those provided to them might be available to the client at a lower aggregate cost
elsewhere on an “unbundled” basis. Neither SCA nor the Financial Advisor will earn
commissions or other transaction-based compensation in connection with execution of
transactions for client accounts in a wrap program.
The Wrap Fee does not cover brokerage commissions or other charges resulting from
transactions not effected through the Custodian, SAS, or PAS, nor does it cover custody
services provided by any third-party custodian that is not an eligible custodian for the particular
program in which the client is participating. The Wrap Fee does not cover certain costs or
charges that may be imposed by SCA or third parties, including, but not limited to, costs
associated with exchanging foreign currencies, odd lot differentials, activity assessment fees,
transfer taxes, exchange fees, wire transfer fees, postage fees, auction fees, foreign clearing,
settlement and custodial fees, and other fees or taxes required by law. The Wrap Fee does not
cover “mark-ups” or “mark-downs” that broker-dealers other than the Custodian or SAS, may
receive or “dealer spreads” that other broker-dealers may receive when acting as principal in
certain transactions. The Wrap Fee also does not cover the annual fee that the Custodian
charges to Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRA accounts”) or certain other retirement
plans. Costs associated with using margin are also not covered in the Wrap Fee.
The Financial Advisor or a selected outside portfolio manager may invest account assets in
open-end mutual funds (including money market funds), closed-end funds, exchange traded
funds (“ETFs”), and other collective investment vehicles that have various internal fees and
expenses, which are borne by the client as an investor. SCA and/or its affiliates may provide
services to and receive compensation in connection with these mutual funds. For example,
SCA may benefit indirectly from the sales charges imposed by mutual funds through SCA. SCA
and its affiliates may receive shareholder servicing fees, revenue sharing payments, or other
compensation from custodians or product sponsors in connection with client investments in
certain mutual funds or other investment vehicles. These payments create a conflict of interest
because they provide an incentive for SCA or its affiliates to recommend investments or
custodians that provide such compensation. Clients should review fund prospectuses and
disclosures for additional details regarding these payments. The fee is in recognition of certain
shareholder servicing that registered representative affiliate(s) of Snowden perform in respect of
those assets “Shareholder Services”). Those Shareholder Services fees are often referred to as
trailers, rebates or revenue sharing arrangements and are received from various mutual fund
companies with respect to clients whose assets are invested in those mutual funds, which
typically range from 5 basis points to 50 basis points depending on the mutual fund purchased.
Because the affiliate(s) of SCA receive an economic benefit, SCA has a potential conflict of
interest in recommending to clients that they use a specific custodian and invest their assets in
certain mutual funds. These fees will not always be used to offset SCA’s fees, although in some
cases clients’ monthly fee may be lower because of the receipt of the Shareholders Services
fees. The nature of the conflict depends on the particular compensation arrangement. Financial
Advisors may have an incentive to recommend investments that generate compensation when
they share in that compensation. As described below, Financial Advisors do not receive
compensation under the money market fund and bank deposit distribution-assistance
arrangements and are not provided the applicable product-level revenue-sharing rates. Fees
debited from the wrap account(s) will appear on statements received from Pershing. Clients are
encouraged to verify the fees charged.
Besides general equities and fixed income securities, ETFs & mutual funds, Financial Advisors
may employ strategies that utilize the following types of investments: (i) American Depository
Receipts (“ADRs”), which are receipts, generally issued by a U.S. bank or trust company, that
evidence ownership of non U.S. securities and are traded on a U.S. exchange or in the over the
counter market; (ii) Global Depository Receipts (“GDRs”), which are receipts issued generally by
a non U.S. bank or trust company that evidence ownership of non U.S. securities; and
(iii)publicly-traded shares of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). Clients will bear, in addition
to the Wrap Fee, a proportionate share of any fees and expenses associated with ADRs, GDRs,
and REITs, if applicable, in which account assets are invested, and may also bear any fees and
expense associated with converting non- U.S. securities into ADRs or GDRs, if applicable.
A portion of the Wrap Fee and any other advisory fee associated with an account is paid to the
Financial Advisor. The Financial Advisor receives compensation as a result of the client’s
participation in the wrap program, and the amount of this compensation may be more or less
than what the Financial Advisor would receive if the client participated in other SCA or affiliates’
programs or paid separately for investment advice, brokerage, and other services. The
Financial Advisor may have a financial incentive to recommend a wrap program over other SCA
or affiliates’ programs and services. In some cases, clients who trade infrequently may pay
more under a wrap fee arrangement than they would if they paid separately for advisory
services and brokerage commissions. Clients should discuss with their Financial Advisor
whether a wrap fee program is appropriate given their anticipated trading activity.
Fee Calculations and Withdrawals
The Wrap Fee is an agreed upon annual fee that will be payable monthly.
SCA will calculate the initial fee as of the date it accepts the Wrap Fee Program account, which
it refers to as the effective date. The initial fee will cover the period from the effective date until
the last day of the initial month. SCA will not be responsible for managing any account before
the Effective Date of the Advisory Agreement related to such account. Any transactions
executed in an account before its effective date will be executed by the Custodian in its capacity
as broker-dealer only and will be subject to the Custodian’s customary brokerage fees or
commissions.
The fees charged will be based upon the agreed upon fee rate and will not be affected by the
services the client receives or the number of transactions actually executed during a month;
however, such factors may be taken into account in negotiating new fee rates.
Clients may make additions into an account at any time, subject to SCA’s right to terminate the
account. Additions may be in cash or marketable securities of any kind, provided that SCA and
the Custodian reserve the right to decline to accept particular securities into the account or
impose a waiting period before certain securities may be deposited. Fee adjustments will
generally not be made for client accounts with a custodian other than Custodians unless
specifically agreed to by SCA in writing.
When opening a wrap account, clients generally will authorize SCA to deduct the fee and all
other applicable charges from the account on or following the date they are payable. Clients are
responsible for ensuring that the amount of any debit is correct. Custodians may withhold any
tax to the extent required by laws and may remit such taxes to the appropriate government
authority. In appropriate circumstances, clients may instruct SCA to deduct the Wrap Fee and
other expenses from another account that the client has at SCA or to deduct the fees due with
respect to another account that the client has at SCA from the wrap account. Clients also may
elect to be billed for fees and expenses with respect to certain accounts.
The client may designate certain securities as “Excluded Securities” in an addendum to the
Advisory Agreement. Excluded Securities are held in the wrap account with the consent of
SCA, but they are not part of the portfolio managed by SCA. SCA will thus not be obligated to
provide any advice with respect to Excluded Securities and the risks presented by the Excluded
Securities. Excluded Securities are not included in fee calculations. Transactions in Excluded
Securities will be subject to commissions and other transactions charges that may or may not
be discounted from standard rates. Excluded Securities will be considered brokerage assets
and not advisory assets and as a consequence, a client’s and SCA’s duties and obligations to
the client may differ, including the scope of SCA’s fiduciary obligations.
SCA is not compensated based on a share of capital gains upon or capital appreciation of the
funds or any portion of the funds of any client.
Execution of Transactions
In the Advisory Agreement, clients generally authorize and direct SCA and SAS (or PAS, as
applicable) to execute transactions for their accounts. Transactions in the account will generally
be affected through SAS or PAS and the Custodian, unless otherwise required by applicable
law. When a transaction is executed through the Custodian, the Custodian will be entirely
responsible for the execution and clearance of the transaction. By recommending a wrap
program, SCA may be recommending its affiliated broker-dealer, SAS. Clients should
understand that this directed brokerage arrangement may cause the client to forego any savings
on execution costs that SCA otherwise might be able to negotiate with different broker-dealers,
other than SAS or the Custodian, such as reduced execution costs that may result from utilizing
alternative trading services. Clients are encouraged to consider the possible costs and
disadvantages of such directed brokerage arrangements.
All transactions are subject to any SCA internal policies or procedures. In no event is SCA
obligated to affect any transaction for an account that SCA believes would violate applicable
federal or state law or the regulations of any regulatory or self-regulatory body or would
otherwise present an unacceptable risk to SCA.
Riskless Principal Transactions
For wrap accounts, if SCA executes a riskless principal transaction as agent through an
unaffiliated dealer, SCA will not receive commission or other compensation in connection with
the trade.
Item 5 Account Requirements and Types of Clients
SCA intends to serve high net worth clients (U.S. $1.0 million or more in investable assets), both
individual and institutional, including family offices, individuals, companies and business entities,
foundations, charitable organizations, trusts, governmental agencies and endowments. SCA
may also serve clients with a lower level of investable assets, at the discretion of SCA.
The minimum amount of assets required to participate in the Snowden Wealth Advisory
Program accounts is $100,000, subject to waiver by SCA.
Item 6 Portfolio Manager Selection and Evaluation
The selection of portfolio managers typically begins with a client or Financial Advisor-generated
request. If a Financial Advisor wants to invest client assets with a certain manager, that
particular portfolio manager would first have to be approved.
All portfolio managers are approved by one of the following:
• SCA’s New Product Committee;
• Envestnet; or
• a custodian (e.g., Pershing)
SCA relies on Envestnet and the custodians for the first approval of a majority of the portfolio
managers. If a portfolio manager is not approved by one of these third parties, SCA’s New
Product Committee will perform its own independent due diligence on the manager.
SCA does not approve portfolio managers on performance alone. SCA reviews many factors of
a portfolio manager before approval, including:
• Operational functionality
• Safety of client assets
• Investment Review
• Infrastructure
• Portfolio Manager capabilities
• Track Record
Selection of Sub-Advisers
Our firm maintains responsibility for selecting the Sub-Adviser and conducting initial and
ongoing due diligence on each Sub-Adviser, including a review of its investment processes,
regulatory history, cybersecurity controls, and adherence to client-imposed limitations. We
retain the right to terminate a Sub-Adviser at any time and will notify affected clients if a
termination or material change to Sub-Adviser arrangements occurs.
Once all these areas have been reviewed, the New Product Committee votes on whether to
approve the manager or not based on the results of the reviews. SCA does not have a uniform
and consistent basis to calculate performance.
No related person is a portfolio manager of one of wrap fee programs described above.
All of SCA’s Financial Advisor teams act, in some fashion, as portfolio managers. Some
advisory teams are one hundred percent portfolio managers and run their own models, while
some teams only manage a portion of their client’s assets as a portfolio manager, with the
remainder going to other money managers or mutual funds.
The advisory business offered when SCA is acting as portfolio manager is no different than any
other advisory business offered as described in the Advisory Business section of Form ADV
Part 2A. The advisory team will obtain the necessary client information to make an informed
decision on the asset allocation for the client.
SCA, as a matter of policy and practice, has no authority to vote proxies on behalf of clients.
Clients may elect to delegate proxy voting authority to the investment managers that the client
engages to provide investment advisory services to such client. Clients will receive their proxies
or other solicitations directly from their custodian or a transfer agent rather than from SCA.
Clients are free to contact their primary Advisor with questions concerning a particular
solicitation.
Item 7 Client Information Provided to Portfolio Managers
Initially, SCA will interview prospective clients to determine their financial position, investment
goals and objectives (e.g., risk tolerance and time horizon), investment limitations, reasonable
investment restrictions and risk tolerance (collectively “Investor Profile”). The Investor Profile is
used to help determine which portfolio manager(s) fits clients’ investment needs. At least
annually, Financial Advisors will contact clients to determine whether they have had any
changes to their Investor Profile. Should changes occur to a client’s Investor Profile before the
annual conference call or meeting, it is the client’s responsibility to contact SCA as soon as
possible.
Information Provided to Sub-Advisers
To perform its responsibilities, the Sub-Adviser may be granted limited trading authority and
related account access necessary to manage the assigned strategy. Such access may include
the ability to place trade orders and receive trade confirmations and other account reports.
Sub-Advisers do not have authority to withdraw client funds or securities, change account
ownership or beneficiary designations, establish or modify standing instructions, or otherwise
obtain custody of client assets as defined under Rule 206(4)-2. All Sub-Adviser access is
subject to written agreements, custodial controls, and ongoing oversight by the Firm.
Item 8 Client Contact with Portfolio Managers
SCA does not place restrictions on contact between a client and a selected/appointed portfolio
manager. SCA does attempt to coordinate all client communication through each client’s
Financial Advisor to ensure one point of contact is aware of all aspects of the client’s
relationship with SCA. SCA will attempt to facilitate access for the client to any appointed
portfolio manager if requested by the client.
Item 9 Additional Information
Disciplinary Information
In the past ten years, neither SCA nor any of its management persons have been involved in
any reportable legal or disciplinary events. For the purpose of this item, a “management person”
includes anyone with the power to exercise, directly or indirectly, a controlling influence over
SCA’s management or policies, or to determine the general investment advice given to its
clients. Generally, management persons include (a) a firm’s principal executive officers, such as
its chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief operations officer, chief legal officer, and
chief compliance officer; its directors, general partners, or trustees; and other individuals with
similar status or performing similar functions and (b) members of its investment committee or
group that determines general investment advice to be given to clients.
Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations
Certain of SCA’s representatives are also registered representatives of SAS, a FINRA
registered broker-dealer. SCA and SAS are both wholly-owned by SCP Holdings and are,
therefore, under common control. Neither SCA, nor its representatives, are registered or have
an application pending to register as a futures commission merchant, commodity pool operator,
a commodity trading advisor, or a representative of the foregoing.
Persons providing investment advice on behalf of our firm are sometimes licensed as insurance
professionals. Financial Advisors will earn commission-based compensation for selling
insurance products, including insurance products they sell to you. Insurance commissions
earned by a Financial Advisor are separate from and in addition to SCA's advisory fees. This
practice presents a conflict of interest as a Financial Advisor may have an incentive to
recommend insurance products for the purpose of generating commissions rather than solely
based on Client needs. Clients are under no obligation, contractually or otherwise, to purchase
insurance products through any person affiliated with SCA. Insurance products are not included
in your advisory billing if a commission was paid on the product. Insurance products are sold
through an affiliate of SCA, Snowden Insurance Services LLC ("SIS") while variable products
are sold through our affiliated broker-dealer, SAS. Additional details are provided in Item 10 of
SCA’s Form ADV Part 2A.
Code of Ethics
At SCA, we take great pride in our integrity and our commitment to serving clients’ needs. SCA
has adopted a Code of Ethics (the “Code”) that sets forth the standards of conduct expected of
SCA personnel. The Code is based on the principle that all employees and supervised persons
of SCA have a fiduciary duty to place the interest of clients ahead of their own and SCA's. We
have developed it as a means of memorializing our vision of appropriate and professional
conduct in servicing our clients. Persons associated with our firm are also required to report
any violations of our Code of Ethics. Each of SCA's supervised persons has been furnished with
a copy of this Code and has acknowledged and accepted its terms. The Code contains policies
specific to the safeguarding of non-public personal information of clients and the avoidance of
conflicts of interest. The Code also prohibits manipulative trading practices and insider trading.
In addition, the Code restricts personnel from giving or receiving gifts whose value exceeds
$100 to or from persons that do business with or on behalf of SCA.
Financial Interest in Recommended or Purchased and Sold Securities
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.
Investment in Recommended Securities
SCA and its related persons may buy or sell securities that are also recommended to
clients. This gives rise to a potential conflict of interest in that SCA representatives may benefit
from the purchase or sale of those securities. SCA maintains policies and procedures to
prohibit and detect “front-running,” i.e., trading ahead of client orders, and other potentially
abusive practices.
Trades in the Same Securities at the Same Time as a Client
SCA representatives may buy or sell securities at or around the same time as those securities
are sold to clients. This creates a potential conflict of interest and, per C. above, SCA maintains
policies and procedures designed to prohibit and detect potentially abusive trading practices.
Review of Accounts
Investment performance and investment objectives and guidelines are reviewed by SCA
Advisors on at least an annual basis with the client. Clients are encouraged to consult with their
Advisors periodically to discuss their portfolios and account information and to report promptly
any changes to their investment objectives, restrictions and guidelines.
Each client also receives written detailed quarterly reports from SCA. An account must be open
for a complete calendar quarter in order for a performance report to cover that quarter, and the
advisory fees will not be reduced if performance reporting is not provided with respect to the
account that was not open during such complete calendar quarter.
A. Economic Benefits for Providing Services to Clients
Economic benefits received by SCA for providing services to clients are disclosed elsewhere
throughout this Brochure.
B. Compensation to Non-Supervised Persons for Client Referrals
SCA may directly or indirectly compensate third parties for client referrals. Such referrals are
compensated in accordance with Rule 206(4)-1 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The
compensation generally consists of a cash payment computed as a percentage of SCA’s
advisory fee, but other computation methods may be used as well. The costs of any such
referral fees are paid entirely by SCA and, therefore, do not result in any additional charges to
the client.
Other Compensation
Recruiting (Business Development) Compensation
Recruiting financial advisors from other firms creates a conflict of interest for SCA because
compensation received as a result of clients following their financial advisor to SCA induces
SAS and SCA to recruit financial advisors without regard to the comparative benefits clients
receive at other financial firms. Your Financial Advisor may be eligible for incentive
compensation based on the amount of revenue your Financial Advisor generates for SAS and
its affiliates, including SCA. This is a conflict of interest because it incents your Financial
Advisor to induce you to engage in more investment transactions in order to qualify for incentive
compensation based on business development. Pursuant to the fully disclosed clearing
agreement with Pershing LLC ("FDCA"), our broker-dealer affiliate, SAS, receives financial
incentives from Pershing LLC.
Forgivable Promissory Notes
SCA offers financial incentives to prospective Financial Advisors who join SCA from other
firms. These financial incentives include promissory notes for a specified time frame and
amount. SCA will forgive the principal and interest of the note over the term of the note. This
forgiveness is income to the Financial Advisor. If the Financial Advisor terminates their
employment with SCA before the note is fully forgiven, the Financial Advisor will be required to
pay back the outstanding amount. The Financial Advisor may be eligible for additional financial
incentives including additional promissory notes and/or equity interests in SCA’s ultimate parent
company, Snowden Capital Partners LLC, based on revenue generated and/or assets under
management after a specified period. These financial incentives are a conflict of interest
because they give your Financial Advisor an incentive to enter employment with SCA regardless
of the benefit you as a client may receive from SCA.
Net New Assets
Pershing LLC provides compensation to SAS for net new assets greater than $1 billion during
any 12-month period beginning July 1st of each year. SAS is required to repay any
compensation SAS received under this calculation to Pershing LLC if SAS terminates its
FDCA. This repayment requirement incentivizes SCA to continue requiring Pershing LLC to
serve as the client custodian for its advisory accounts and creates a conflict of interest.
Renewal Bonus
When SAS renewed its FDCA with Pershing LLC in 2017, SAS received a one-time payment as
a renewal bonus. This created an additional incentive for SCA to continue using Pershing LLC
as a custodian for its advisory accounts and created a conflict of interest.
Third-Party Compensation
SAS receives compensation from third parties in several forms including investment products
with annual 12b-1 fees, sales charges, and shareholder servicing fees creating an incentive to
recommend the products offered by the third party. Compensation from product sponsors is
based on aggregate client holdings.
Margin Balance Compensation
The use of margin is permitted in some fee-based investment advisory programs, including
those offered by SCA. A margin debit balance is created by borrowing against your account
which gives you access to cash and/or the ability to purchase additional securities. Using
margin increases the market value of your account's billable account value, which in turn
increases the amount of the advisory fees you pay and the amount of compensation SCA and
your financial advisor earn. It is a conflict of interest for SCA or your financial advisor to
recommend that you borrow on margin in your account for any reason because SCA and your
financial advisor receives greater compensation from the increased account value. It is also a
conflict of interest if you borrow on margin in your account because SCA or its affiliate, SAS (but
not your financial advisor) receives compensation on the interest you pay on your margin debit
balance. Specifically, SAS marks up the interest rate that you pay on margin balances over and
above the base interest rate charged by Pershing LLC on margin debits. This additional interest
is retained by SAS as compensation. You are encouraged to evaluate the interest rates you
pay by borrowing on margin and compare those interest rates to other available sources of
credit (or lenders) from which you can borrow, as the interest you might be charged by
borrowing on margin may be greater than loans available to you elsewhere.
Pershing LLC
Pursuant to the FDCA, our broker-dealer affiliate, SAS, receives payments from Pershing LLC
in connection with the following:
1. Improved custodial services pricing in the form of a credit via cash payment as a
percentage of new assets in excess of $1 billion introduced by SAS in given time
periods.
2. Compensation in the form of cash payment in fixed amounts related to annual
maintenance fees for certain types of retirement accounts.
3. Compensation in the form of cash payment in fixed amounts contemporaneous with
renewal of the FDCA or Schedule A thereto.
The assets include assets in SCA's advisory programs or accounts custodied at Pershing LLC.
This additional compensation or improved custodial services pricing received by SAS creates a
conflict of interest with SCA's clients because the compensation received by SAS increases as
our assets under management increase on the Pershing LLC platform. This financial incentive
is not available to SAS with our other custodial platforms.
Money Market Funds and Bank Deposit Sweep Products
SAS, SCA’s affiliated broker-dealer, receives distribution assistance from Pershing LLC based
on aggregate assets held in certain money market funds and bank deposit sweep products,
including Pershing's Retirement Money Fund, Cash Management Choice Money Market Funds,
and other bank deposit sweep products (collectively, “Cash Products”). The amount of
compensation varies among Cash Products and generally depends on the average aggregate
balance held in each product or product group across SCA advisory and SAS brokerage
accounts. Certain available Cash Products pay SAS no compensation, while others pay SAS
between 0 and 30 basis points. SAS may receive higher rates as aggregate balances increase
and may receive different rates on different Cash Products.
This compensation creates a financial incentive for SCA and SAS to make available,
recommend or select Cash Products that pay compensation rather than Cash Products that pay
less or no compensation. The compensation is part of the overall revenue SAS receives in
connection with the brokerage, custody-related and cash-management services it provides and
supports the costs associated with offering those services. It is not credited directly against the
advisory fees paid by clients.
Financial Advisors do not receive any portion of this compensation, their compensation does not
vary based on the Cash Product selected, and they are not provided the revenue-sharing rates
applicable to individual Cash Products. SCA periodically evaluates available Cash Products
based on factors including net yield, liquidity, credit quality, expenses, operational functionality
and client needs. SCA does not necessarily select the Cash Product that pays the least
compensation to SCA or its affiliates, and a client may therefore hold a Cash Product that
compensates SAS when another available Cash Product pays SAS less or no compensation.
Pledging Assets: Non-Purpose Loans
As a service to eligible customers, SAS provides access to securities-backed non-purpose
lending programs offered by Pershing LLC and TriState Capital Bank (each, a “Lender”)
("Program"). Customers are not required to participate in the program, but if you choose to do
so, you should be aware of the possible risks. A non-purpose loan allows borrowers to use the
securities in their brokerage or advisory accounts as collateral for an extension of credit, the
proceeds of which cannot be used for purchasing or trading securities. The customer’s accounts
must meet certain requirements, such as a minimum market value of assets in the account
before the Bank approves the non-purpose loan. The requirements and approval or denial of
credit is controlled by the Lender and SAS is not a decision-maker.
SAS has certain conflicts of interest in offering this service to customers:
• Referral Fees. As part of this Program, the Lender compensates SAS in the form of a
Referral Fee, which is up to 75 basis points (0.75%) of the average principal amount of
all outstanding Program loans that SAS customers have through the program. This
Referral Fee is paid from the interest you pay on your Program loans and, were SAS to
agree to receive a lower Referral Fee, customers’ interest rate would decline by that
same amount. Were customers to take a loan from a different institution outside of this
Program, SAS would not receive a Referral Fee. Accordingly, the Referral Fee creates a
conflict of interest between us and you. SAS does not share any portion of the Referral
Fee with SCA but does share a portion with Financial Advisors.
• Program Loans Secured by Investment Advisory Accounts. When a customer takes
a loan secured by securities in their advisory account, the securities remain in the
advisory account, which means that SCA continues to receive advisory fees based on
the full value of the securities that are eligible for billing purposes, with no reduction or
offset for the value of securities that secure the loan. In contrast, if the customer were to
liquidate the securities rather than borrow against them, SCA would no longer receive
advisory fees based on the value of those securities and SAS would not receive a
Referral Fee on the loan amount. Therefore, the payment of a Referral Fee and the lack
of any reduction or offset against the total billable assets in the customer’s investment
advisory account incentivizes us to make this program available to
customers. Furthermore, it is a conflict of interest for SCA to recommend that customers
take a loan under this program rather than liquidate securities in their investment
accounts.
Referral Arrangements and Fees
We have entered into agreements with unaffiliated third-party investment managers. There is a
conflict of interest where we and our financial advisors recommend that you participate in such a
separate third-party advisory arrangement. The costs associated with the services provided by
an unaffiliated third-party investment manager to you, including any management fees paid to
the manager or commissions or fees paid to us in connection with the transactions executed in
an account, results in additional compensation to us and our Financial Advisors.
Rollovers and Transfers
Your financial advisor has an incentive to recommend that you rollover or transfer your assets
from an employer-sponsored plan and/or another brokerage firm or investment adviser,
because these actions generate advisory compensation. We maintain supervisory and
compliance policies and procedures designed to ensure that rollover recommendations are
suitable, in your best interest, and are in alignment with your financial investing and retirement
goals.
Financial Information
SCA is not required to include a balance sheet for our most recent fiscal year end because we
do not require or solicit more than $1,200 in fees per client, six months or more in advance. In
this Item, we are required to disclose that SCA has no financial commitment that impairs its
ability to meet contractual and fiduciary commitments to clients. Additionally, SCA has not been
the subject of a bankruptcy petition during the past ten years.
Additional Brochure: 2026-08-18 PART 2A (2026-08-18)
View Document Text
Snowden Capital Advisors LLC
540 Madison Avenue, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Phone: (646) 218-9760
Fax: (646) 218-9778
www.snowdenlane.com
FORM ADV PART 2A FIRM BROCHURE
August 18, 2026
This brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of Snowden
Capital Advisors LLC. If you have any questions about the contents of this brochure, please
contact us at (646) 218-9760 and/or compliance@snowdenlane.com.
The information in this brochure has not been approved or verified by the U. S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or by any state securities authority. Additional information
about Snowden Capital Advisors LLC also is available on the SEC’s website at
www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
Snowden Capital Advisors LLC is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission. Such registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
Item 2 Summary of Material Changes
Form ADV Part 2 requires registered investment advisers to amend their brochure when
information becomes materially inaccurate. If there are any material changes to an adviser's
disclosure brochure, the adviser is required to notify you and provide you with a description of
the material changes.
Since the filing of our last annual updating amendment, dated April 9, 2026, we have made the
following material changes:
We expanded our disclosures regarding the advisory services provided through the Assets Held
Away Advisory Program and our use and oversight of unaffiliated sub-advisers, including related
fees and conflicts of interest, and compensation and conflicts associated with money market
funds and bank deposit sweep products.
Additional information regarding these changes is provided in the relevant sections of this
Brochure.
Item 3 Table of Contents
Item 2 Summary of Material Changes ......................................................................................... 2
Item 3 Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. 3
Item 4 Advisory Business ............................................................................................................ 4
Item 5 Fees and Compensation ................................................................................................ 12
Item 6 Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management ............................................ 17
Item 7 Types of Clients ............................................................................................................. 17
Item 8 Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss ........................................ 17
Item 9 Disciplinary Information .................................................................................................. 23
Item 10 Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations ........................................................ 23
Item 11 Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and Personal Trading .. 24
Item 12 Brokerage Practices ..................................................................................................... 25
Item 13 Review of Accounts ...................................................................................................... 31
Item 14 Client Referrals and Other Compensation .................................................................... 31
Item 15 Custody ........................................................................................................................ 34
Item 16 Investment Discretion ................................................................................................... 35
Item 17 Voting Client Securities ................................................................................................ 35
Item 18 Financial Information .................................................................................................... 36
Item 19 Additional Information ................................................................................................... 36
Item 4 Advisory Business
A. Description of SCA; Ownership Structure
Snowden Capital Advisors LLC (“SCA,” “we,” or the “Firm”), a Delaware limited liability company
which was formed and began operating in 2011, is an investment adviser registered with the
SEC. Such registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
This Brochure is offered to potential and existing clients to provide an understanding of the
services we provide and our conflicts of interest. The information in this Brochure has not been
approved or verified by any governmental or regulatory authority. The advisory services
described in this Brochure are not insured or otherwise protected by the U.S. government, the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other governmental
agency and involve risk, including the possible loss of principal.
SCA is wholly owned by SCP Intermediate Holdings LLC (“SCP Holdings”), a Delaware limited
liability company.
B. Description of SCA’s Advisory Services
SCA provides fee-based discretionary and non-discretionary investment advice, consulting, and
related wealth advisory services that are targeted primarily at high-net-worth clients, including
family offices, individuals (and their investment vehicles), companies, foundations, pension
plans, and endowments, through experienced investment advisors and pension consultants
(“Financial Advisors”). As requested by clients, SCA consultants may also provide financial
planning services. Fees charged to clients vary depending upon the services provided by SCA.
Clients select from a variety of investment management services, including portfolio
management (implemented by SCA or an independent, third-party money manager), investment
consulting, financial planning, and estate planning. SCA’s Financial Advisors may be specialists
in areas such as wealth management, investment consulting, portfolio management, asset
allocation, cash management, and/or financial and estate planning. Financial plans are not
limited to products or services provided by any particular company; provided that, in general,
only products and services that SCA is able to provide will be included in a financial plan.
The terms of the advisory services that SCA provides for each client are set forth in the advisory
agreement between SCA and such client (the “Advisory Agreement”). In some cases, a third-
party manager or program sponsor may also be a party to the Advisory Agreement. Some
platforms and programs also require an additional advisory agreement with clients in addition to
the Advisory Agreement clients sign with SCA. Clients are able to impose restrictions on
investing in certain securities or types of securities unless otherwise stated in the Advisory
Agreement or a third-party advisory agreement.
For all accounts, client assets are primarily custodied with Pershing LLC, member FINRA,
NYSE, SIPC, a BNY Mellon company. Some accounts are held at another custodian as agreed
to by SCA and client (each, as applicable, the “Custodian”). Other custodial platforms available
include Pershing Advisor Solutions LLC ("PAS"), member FINRA/SIPC, Charles Schwab & Co.
(“Schwab”), JP Morgan, Morningstar Direct, J. Safra Sarasin, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley,
UBS, and Goldman Sachs Advisor Solutions1.
1 We have initiated custodial arrangements at Fidelity and AssetMark, where assets are de minimis.
The Custodian provides execution, clearance, and administrative services for clients. Clients
whose assets are custodied with Pershing, LLC will enter into either (i) an account agreement
with SAS, pursuant to which SAS will act as introducing broker for client’s account and introduce
transactions in client’s account to Pershing, LLC for execution, clearance, and custody or (ii) an
account agreement with Pershing Advisor Solutions LLC (“PAS” and together with SAS, the
“Introducing Brokers” and each an “Introducing Broker”), Pershing, LLC’s affiliated introducing
broker, pursuant to which PAS will act as introducing broker for client’s account and introduce
transactions in client’s account to Pershing for execution, clearance, and custody. Clients with
accounts held at other Custodian(s) will sign an account agreement with such Custodian(s) and
with SCA.
SCA offers both wrap fee and non-wrap advisory programs. Certain programs may be offered
on either a wrap or non-wrap basis depending on client circumstances, custodial arrangements,
and negotiated fee structures, as disclosed in the applicable advisory agreement.
Many of SCA’s advisory services are offered as part of a “wrap fee” program, which is an
investment program where clients pay SCA or a third-party sponsor an all-inclusive fee that
covers investment management fees, trade execution, custodial services, and other
administrative fees. SCA maintains a separate wrap fee program brochure on Appendix 1 to
Form ADV Part 2A (“Wrap Fee Brochure”) that is provided to clients who open wrap fee
accounts.
1. SCA Managed Account Programs
SCA offers a program or programs in which clients grant SCA authority to manage their
accounts on a discretionary basis in accordance with the client’s investment objectives, liquidity
needs, risk tolerance, and investment time horizon, subject to any reasonable restrictions that
the client has provided to SCA in writing and that SCA confirms it is able to implement. In these
accounts, a client’s Financial Advisor is responsible for making investment decisions for the
account as attorney in fact and discretionary adviser for the client. Each Financial Advisor
typically manages his or her clients’ accounts utilizing a model developed by the Financial
Advisor or a team of Financial Advisors that has been customized to the client’s individual
investment style and strategy in accordance with each client’s description of its investment
objectives, liquidity needs, risk tolerance, and investment time horizon. SCA’s managed
account programs include the Discretionary Wealth Advisory Account Program (“DWA
Program”).
The programs listed below generally are offered on a wrap fee basis. Whether SCA provides
services on a discretionary or non-discretionary basis depends on the particular program and
the applicable Advisory Agreement. The other Managed Account Programs are:
• Discretionary Wealth Advisory Program ("DWA");
• Brinker Capital Programs ("Brinker Programs");
•
Independent Manager Portfolio Program ("IMP") administered by Envestnet Asset
Management, Inc. ("Envestnet");
• PAS’ ManagedConnect (“ManagedConnect”); and
• SCA Portfolios
SCA's non-wrap and non-discretionary program is the Assets Held Away Program ("AHA").
These programs are described in more detail below. Wrap programs are described in more
detail in the SCA Part 2A, Appendix 1 Wrap Fee Brochure ("Wrap Fee Brochure").
2. Advice on Selecting Third-Party Investment Advisers and Programs
Manager Selection
SCA offers a program or programs in which SCA is engaged to provide advice to clients, on a
non-discretionary basis, regarding the selection of third-party investment managers who, if
suitable, will manage client accounts on a discretionary basis. These programs allow clients to
obtain portfolio management services that typically have higher minimum account sizes off the
platform or outside of the program. The third-party investment managers selected under these
programs will have discretion to determine the securities they will buy and sell within the
account(s), subject to restrictions imposed by the client.
Each third-party investment manager maintains a separate disclosure brochure on Form ADV
Part 2A (“Third-Party Brochure”), which will be provided to clients by their Financial
Advisor. Clients should carefully review any Third-Party Brochure for important and specific
details including, among other things, fees, experience, investment objectives and risk
guidelines, and disclosure of the third-party investment manager's potential conflicts of interest.
Depending upon the platform or program, SCA will:
• Assist clients in the identification of investment needs and objectives.
• Develop an investment policy and/or asset allocation strategy designed to meet the
client’s objectives.
• Recommend specific investment styles and asset allocation strategies.
• Evaluate third-party investment managers and investment vehicles meeting style and
allocation criteria.
• Negotiate fees to be paid to third-party investment managers.
• Assist in identifying appropriate third-party investment managers and investment
vehicles suitable to the client’s goals.
• Perform ongoing monitoring and due diligence of individual third-party investment
managers’ performance and management.
• Review the client’s account for adherence to objectives, policy guidelines, and/or asset
allocation on a periodic basis.
• Recommend reallocation among third-party investment managers or styles within the
program.
• Report to the client regarding the performance of their account.
The nature of the services that will be performed by the third-party manager for each client is set
forth in the manager’s Third-Party Brochure.
SCA’s third-party managed account programs currently include the Independent Manager
Portfolio program (“IMP Program”) administered by Envestnet Asset Management, Inc.
(“Envestnet”)
Brinker Capital Program Selection
SCA participates in an investment advisory program with Brinker Capital, Inc. (“Brinker”), a
registered investment adviser, through which SCA may recommend, on a non-discretionary
basis, programs sponsored by Brinker (the “Brinker Programs”) to its clients. SCA is
responsible for initial and ongoing client contact and acts as a non-discretionary investment
adviser in recommending the Brinker Programs. If a client selects one of the Brinker Programs,
Brinker will act as a discretionary or non-discretionary investment adviser (depending upon the
specific Brinker Program).
With respect to both the IMP Program and the Brinker program, access to certain third-party
investment managers, platforms, and programs may be limited to certain types of accounts and
may be subject to account minimums, which will vary and may be negotiable depending upon
the third-party investment managers, platforms, and programs selected.
3. SCA Non-Discretionary Programs
SCA offers programs in which it provides investment advice to clients on a non-discretionary
basis in accordance with the client’s investment objectives, liquidity needs, risk tolerance, and
investment time horizon, subject to any reasonable restrictions that the client has provided to
SCA in writing. In these accounts, the client’s Financial Advisor will recommend transactions for
the purchase or sale of securities or other investments for the client’s account. Under the
Personal Wealth Advisory Account Program (“PWA Program”), SCA will then arrange for
execution of the purchase or sale of the securities or other investments for the client’s account
only after the client requests that SCA arrange for a broker-dealer to affect the transaction.
Under the Assets Held Away Advisory Program (“AHA Program”), SCA provides ongoing, non-
discretionary investment advice with respect to assets not custodied at the Firm. While SCA
does not execute transactions for these assets, SCA provides asset-level recommendations,
including portfolio construction guidance, investment selection, reallocation strategies, and
performance evaluation.
SCA incorporates AHA assets into the client’s overall investment strategy, including asset
allocation, financial planning, and risk management. SCA conducts periodic reviews of AHA
assets and provides recommendations as appropriate based on market conditions and client
objectives.
Clients are responsible for implementing SCA’s recommendations through their Custodian or
another broker-dealer. SCA monitors AHA assets on an ongoing basis, and Financial Advisors
follow up with clients regarding material recommendations and portfolio changes. The level and
frequency of advice may vary based on client engagement, data availability, and the nature of
the assets. SCA’s ability to provide advice on AHA assets is subject to certain limitations,
including reliance on client-provided or third-party data, lack of trading authority, and potential
delays in receiving information. As a result, SCA may not have complete or real-time visibility
into all AHA holdings.
4. Financial Planning and Asset Allocation Services
SCA offers general financial planning and asset allocation advice to clients. These services
may be offered on a comprehensive or à la carte (limited focus) basis. Financial plans may
encompass all or some of the following areas of financial concern to the client: estate planning
goals; retirement planning; education planning; insurance planning; and risk management
investments. To prepare a financial plan for a client, SCA will obtain appropriate information
from the client through personal interviews or questionnaires (which include questions regarding
client’s current financial status, future goals, attitude towards risk and other relevant information)
and the review of related documents and data supplied by the client. A written financial plan
may be prepared and provided. The implementation of financial plan recommendations is
entirely at the discretion of the client. Financial plans are not limited in any way to products or
services provided by any particular company. However, in general, only products and services
that SCA can provide will be included and discussed in the plan prepared by SCA.
5. Consulting Services for ERISA Clients
SCA provides the following services to clients who are subject to the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”):
• Limited education and enrollment assistance.
• Draft, review, and refine the Investment Policy Statement (“IPS”) until the client (the plan
sponsor and/or trustee) believes objectives and risk tolerances have been met.
• Work with the trustees of the plan to determine the appropriate mutual funds and/or
securities for plan participant investments to meet the criteria outlined by the plan.
• Advise the trustees, on a non-discretionary basis, regarding the selection, supervision, and
retention of external managers based on the plan’s investment policy and asset allocation.
• Meet with the trustees of the plan to review the performance of the mutual funds and other
securities selected by the trustees. Make recommendations to the trustees, who then have
the sole authority to determine the course of action to take on behalf of the plan.
• Provide periodic reports as agreed.
When SCA provides consulting services for ERISA clients, it typically does not have control over
plan assets or control over the administration of the plan. The consulting services provided are
limited to those assets specifically identified in the Advisory Agreement.
SCA may, on a case-by-case basis, choose to offer discretionary investment advisory services
to select ERISA clients.
6. Insurance and Brokerage Products for Advisory Clients
Financial Advisors affiliated with SCA are usually registered as representatives with SAS, our
affiliated broker-dealer, and as insurance agents with SCA's affiliate insurance
agency, Snowden Insurance Services LLC ("SIS"). In their role as registered representatives or
producing agents, as applicable, they will earn commissions on brokerage products sold to you
through SAS or insurance commissions through SIS. These commissions are separate and
distinct from advisory fees they earn on your advisory accounts and present a conflict of
interest. In most cases, investments or insurance products that paid a commission to SAS or
SIS, which is shared with the Financial Advisor, are not included in your advisory assets
when we calculate your advisory fees. In other words, neither the Financial Advisor nor SCA or
SAS earn both advisory fees and commissions on the same investment or insurance
product. There are often cases where a brokerage or non-advisory account is in the best
interests of a client even if some of their assets are also in advisory accounts. You and your
Financial Advisor will decide this together, and we only make such recommendations that we
believe are in your best interest.
C. Availability of Customized Services for Individual Clients
Financial Advisors collect financial and additional relevant information from each client to
identify the client’s investment objectives and financial situation. Financial Advisors provide
ongoing investment advisory services to each client based on the services the client selected
and the written information provided by each client to SCA regarding the client’s financial
situation, investment objectives, risk tolerances, and investment experience, as well as other
pertinent information. SCA clients may impose restrictions in writing on the management of
their accounts. SCA reserves the right not to accept such restrictions or to terminate an account
if SCA believes the restrictions imposed are not reasonable or prohibit effective management of
the account by SCA. SCA is not obligated to implement any investment selections and will not
do so if it believes such investments are inconsistent with a client’s risk tolerance or SCA’s
management style. SCA will notify a client if it elects not to implement an investment selection
made by the client.
A client’s Financial Advisor uses written information provided by the client to identify an
appropriate investment strategy and to comply with any client-imposed investment
restrictions. Clients are responsible for updating all written information about their financial
situation, risk tolerance, and investment goals periodically.
SCA manages most clients’ advisory accounts with discretion. This allows SCA to determine
the specific individual securities and other financial instruments to buy, hold, or sell without
obtaining clients’ prior consent. SCA may also manage advisory accounts without discretion
(non-discretionary accounts), meaning clients retain the authority to make investment decisions
but SCA provides recommendations. Clients have an unrestricted right to decline to implement
any advice issued on a non-discretionary basis. Based on clients’ needs, portfolios are
designed and managed using a mix of investments, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds
(stock funds, bond funds, and other asset classes), options, warrants, real estate investment
trusts (“REITs”), exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), alternative investments, and other securities
and financial instruments as selected by SCA or third-party investment managers.
For some clients, it may be determined that an investment portfolio consisting primarily or
exclusively of mutual funds is most appropriate given the size of the client’s portfolio and the
client’s investment goals and financial situation. Investments in mutual funds by a client will
require payment of management fees to each mutual fund adviser in addition to the
management fees that the client pays to SCA. In these situations, a portfolio of no-load or load-
waived mutual funds will be created by SCA and client assets will be allocated among various
mutual funds while taking into consideration the goals and objectives of the client and the
appropriate overall management style of the funds.
D. Portfolio Management Services to Wrap Fee Programs
SCA provides portfolio management services to clients under the DWA Program, which is a
wrap fee program that SCA sponsors. In general, SCA manages wrap fee accounts in a
comparable manner to the other accounts that it manages. Under the DWA Program, SCA
serves as the sponsor and portfolio manager and receives the full amount of the wrap fee
charged to the client’s account. A portion of the wrap fee is attributable to the portfolio
management services provided by SCA.
E. Held Away Retirement Plan Program
The Held Away Retirement Plan Program is a discretionary program that provides participating
clients with fee-based asset management in an employer sponsored retirement plan. We
provide an additional service for certain accounts not directly held in our custody, but where we
do have discretion, and may leverage an order management system to implement tax-efficient
asset location and opportunistic rebalancing strategies on behalf of the client. These are
primarily 401(k) accounts, HSA’s, and other assets we do not custody. We regularly review the
available investment options in these accounts, monitor them, and rebalance and implement our
strategies in the same way we do other accounts, though using different tools, as necessary.
F. 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. Where applicable, we comply with the Department of Labor’s Prohibited
Transaction Exemption 2020-02. 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.
G. Use of Unaffiliated Sub-Advisers
Our firm may engage one or more unaffiliated third-party investment managers (“Sub-Advisers”)
to provide portfolio management services for certain client accounts. When we do so, we retain
overall responsibility for the client relationship and for selecting and monitoring the Sub-
Adviser(s).
Sub-Adviser services may include ongoing investment research, portfolio construction, trade
execution, and other related portfolio management functions. We may delegate investment
discretion to the Sub-Adviser for designated accounts or account strategies, which means the
Sub-Adviser may determine, without advance notice to the client or to us, the securities to be
bought or sold for the account, the amount of securities to be bought or sold, and the timing of
those transactions, consistent with the client’s stated investment guidelines and restrictions.
To perform its responsibilities, the Sub-Adviser may be granted limited trading authority and
related account access necessary to manage the assigned strategy. Such access may include
the ability to place trade orders and receive trade confirmations and other account reports.
Sub-Advisers do not have authority to withdraw client funds or securities, change account
ownership or beneficiary designations, establish or modify standing instructions, or otherwise
obtain custody of client assets as defined under Rule 206(4)-2. All Sub-Adviser access is
subject to written agreements, custodial controls, and ongoing oversight by the Firm.
Clients will receive additional disclosures when a Sub-Adviser is utilized for their mandate,
including applicable fees, potential conflicts of interest, and any differences in required custodial
arrangements.
H. Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2025, SCA had $8,869,615,945 in assets under management,
$7,427,258,209 of which it managed on a discretionary basis and $1,442,357,736 of which it
managed on a non-discretionary basis. Assets under management are reported for regulatory
purposes in accordance with Form ADV instructions and do not include assets under
advisement, brokerage assets, or other client assets serviced through affiliated or unaffiliated
platforms.
Item 5 Fees and Compensation
A. Compensation for Advisory Services
SCA typically provides investment advisory services on a fee basis, based on a percentage of
the client’s assets under management, except for financial planning and asset allocation
services, which are typically charged on an hourly or fixed fee basis. SCA does not maintain a
fee schedule for its programs and negotiates fees on a client-by-client basis, but certain third-
party programs in which clients participate through SCA maintain fee schedules for certain
services or programs. The pricing model for SCA’s services is adjusted based upon client asset
size and the complexity of the Financial Advisor-client relationship. The exact fee charged will
be stipulated in the client’s Advisory Agreement and all fees are negotiable.
SCA may choose to charge a minimum annual fee for SCA accounts, in accordance with the
investment advisory contract ("Advisory Agreement") and negotiated in advance with the
client. If agreed to, the minimum fee is stated in your agreement. Under limited circumstances,
SCA has the option of aggregating the accounts of immediate family members to calculate the
amount of assets under management for purposes of determining the applicable fee for the
selected service. Each account is then charged a prorated portion of the advisory fee. In
addition, in certain circumstances and upon negotiation with the client, SCA may aggregate
related accounts for fee calculation purposes and a pro rata portion of the total fee will be
charged to each such account or, upon negotiation with the client, is charged to one or more of
the client's accounts. Depending upon the selected platform, there is not always an option for
"householding" clients’ accounts for fee discounts.
In all cases, clients should carefully review their Advisory Agreement, any Third-Party Brochure
maintained by a third-party investment manager that has been selected to manage their assets
(if applicable), and the Wrap Fee Brochure for each wrap fee program in which they participate
(if applicable) for complete details on the charges and fees clients will incur. Such additional
disclosure documents, as applicable, will be provided to clients by their Financial Advisor.
Additional information regarding the compensation and fee arrangements for specific SCA
services and programs are provided below.
1. SCA Managed Accounts
SCA’s managed accounts, including accounts in the DWA Program, are offered on a wrap fee
basis on which clients are charged an asset-based wrap fee that covers the investment advisory
services provided by SCA, execution of transactions through the Custodian on an introduced
basis from SCA’s affiliate, SAS (as well as PAS), custody with the Custodian, and
reporting. The wrap fee is negotiated between SCA and its clients and typically ranges from
0.20% to 2.50% of the market value of the assets in the account, subject to negotiation with the
client. The wrap fee does not cover certain costs, charges or compensation described in Item
5.C below.
PWA Program Non-Wrap Fee Accounts (Management Fee only)
In limited circumstances and if certain conditions are met, some clients may pay an unbundled
advisory fee, separate brokerage commissions, and transaction charges. The advisory fee is
charged at the rate of up to 3.00% per annum of net assets in the PWA Program account. The
advisory fee covers the investment advisory services provided by SCA, but does not cover
transaction charges, including brokerage commissions, “markups,” “mark downs,” “dealer
spreads,” or other charges resulting from transactions effected through a Custodian, its
affiliates, or any other broker-dealer.
Fees at the higher end of these ranges are generally charged only in limited circumstances
involving highly customized services, complex client needs, or smaller account sizes, and are
subject to negotiation.
2. Advice on Selecting Third-Party Investment Advisers and Programs
Manager Selection
Under the IMP Program offered through Envestnet, in which SCA provides advice to clients on a
discretionary basis regarding the selection of third-party investment managers, clients pay an
asset-based wrap fee to Envestnet that covers the investment advisory services provided by
SCA and any third-party managers, execution of transactions through the Custodian, custody
with the Custodian, and reporting. The wrap fee that is payable to Envestnet consists of a
program fee charged by Envestnet plus the advisory fee charged by SCA. Envestnet’s program
fee is generally calculated based on a fee schedule that varies depending on the type of
portfolio(s) that a client’s account is invested in and the amount of assets in the program but
may in certain cases be negotiated. Envestnet’s fee schedule is available in Envestnet’s Wrap
Fee Brochure, which will be provided to clients participating in the IMP Program. The portion of
the wrap fee that is attributable to SCA’s advisory fee is negotiated between SCA and
clients. The wrap fee does not cover certain costs, charges or compensation described in Item
5.C below.
Program Selection
For the program with Brinker in which SCA provides advice to clients on a non-discretionary
basis on the selection of Brinker Programs, clients pay an asset-based wrap fee to Brinker that
covers the investment advisory services provided by SCA and Brinker, execution of transactions
through the Custodian, custody with the Custodian, and reporting. The wrap fee that is payable
to Brinker consists of a program fee charged by Brinker plus the advisory fee charged by
SCA. Brinker’s program fee is generally calculated based on a fee schedule that varies
depending on the type of program that a client participates in and the amount of assets in the
program but may in certain cases be negotiated. Brinker’s fee schedule is available in Brinker’s
Wrap Fee Brochure, which will be provided to clients participating in a Brinker Program. The
portion of the wrap fee that is attributable to SCA’s advisory fee is negotiated between SCA and
clients. The wrap fee does not cover certain costs, charges or compensation described in Item
5.C below.
3. SCA Non-Discretionary Programs
Accounts in the PWA Program are typically offered on a wrap fee basis in which clients are
charged an asset-based wrap fee that covers the investment advisory services provided by
SCA, execution of transactions through the Custodian on an introduced basis from SCA’s
affiliate, SAS, custody with the Custodian, and reporting. The wrap fee is negotiated between
SCA and its clients and typically ranges from 0.20% to 2.50% of the market value of the assets
in the account. The wrap fee does not cover certain costs, charges or compensation described
in Item 5.C below.
The advisory fee charged on AHA assets reflects the ongoing advisory services provided by
SCA, including investment recommendations, performance monitoring, portfolio integration, and
financial planning considerations. Clients should consider whether the services provided are
appropriate in light of their needs and the nature of the assets. The advisory fee is negotiated
between SCA and its clients and typically ranges from 0.20% to 2.50% of the market value of
the assets. The Advisory Fee does not cover certain costs, charges, or compensation
described in Item 5.C below.
4. Financial Planning and Asset Allocation Services
Fees for financial planning services are negotiated on a case-by-case basis and may be
charged on an hourly or fixed-fee basis. Once determined, the exact fee arrangement is set
forth in the Advisory Agreement. Hourly rates range from $60 to $500 per hour based upon the
knowledge and experience of the individual providing the work. Fees are billed in 15-minute
increments. Fees are typically determined by estimating the number of hours to be spent
preparing the plan and then quoting a fixed price. If additional work is requested (that goes
beyond the original scope of the project), it may be billed on an hourly basis, or on a fixed price
basis as negotiated. In addition, some or all of the financial planning fees may be included in
the investment management fees agreed upon by clients and their Financial Advisor. Financial
planning is not always billed separately.
Total costs for financial plans, whether per hour or on a fixed basis, may range from as little as
$500 to as much as $50,000 or more. There is no "typical" plan, as services are customized to
the particular needs of the client; thus, there is a wide range of fees that may be imposed.
5. Consulting Services for ERISA Clients
When SCA provides consulting services for ERISA clients, SCA negotiates an asset-based
advisory fee with the client that typically ranges from 0.20% to 2.50% of the market value of the
assets specifically identified in the client’s Advisory Agreement. This advisory fee typically only
covers SCA’s advisory services, and not the cost of custody, the execution of transactions and
certain other costs, charges or compensation described in Item 5.C below.
B. Payment of Fees
For clients participating in the DWA Program, PWA Program, AHA Program, IMP Program, and
any Brinker Program, fees are generally payable monthly in advance based on the total net fair
market value of the assets in client’s account as of either the last day of the preceding month
(for the DWA Program, AHA Program, PWA Program, and IMP Program) or the first day of the
current quarter (for the Brinker Programs). Fees are deducted, or directly debited, from client
accounts by or at the instruction of SCA, Envestnet, Brinker, or the Custodian, as
applicable. The fees that clients are charged by SCA and/or a third-party manager or sponsor
may be shown on clients’ account statements as one gross fee or in some cases, may be listed
as separate fees. For certain programs, if agreed to by SCA or the applicable third-party
sponsor or manager, clients may request that their fees be broken out to show manager and
adviser's fees.
Fees are either (i) a percentage of the total net fair market value of the assets (including all
cash) in the account as of the last day of the preceding month or (ii) a flat monthly fee. With
respect to percentage-based fees, in calculating compensation, fair market value of assets
under management will be determined, to the extent practicable, by the portfolio accounting
system used by the Custodian.
Cash and cash equivalent (together "cash") balances are included in your advisory fee
calculations. Depending on the interest you earn on your cash balances, our fees may exceed
your returns. Thus, if our advisory fee rate is higher than the yield on the cash held in your
account, you will have a negative rate of return on the cash in your account(s). This creates a
conflict of interest because SCA and its Financial Advisors earn money even on balances that
are only invested in cash. To address this conflict, the Firm maintains policies and procedures
to identify and review accounts with elevated cash balances, including periodic exception
reports.. Where appropriate, Financial Advisors discuss cash levels with clients and document
the rationale for maintaining such balances in light of the client’s objectives, liquidity needs, and
market conditions.
The margin balance is included in the advisory fee calculations but fees attributable to margin
debit are netted out (i.e., deducted).
Hourly fees for financial planning and asset allocation services that are billed separately are
billed monthly in arrears as the work is provided. Fixed fees for financial planning services that
are billed separately are invoiced monthly or quarterly depending upon the negotiated Advisory
Agreement with the client and the anticipated delivery of the plan. Other limited planning
services are billed monthly.
The billing method for ERISA clients who receive consulting services is determined on a case-
by-case basis.
C. Other Fees and Expenses
Client portfolios may be subject to other fees and charges in connection with investments in
their account that are in addition to the advisory or wrap fees charged by SCA or third-party
managers or sponsors, which are described above.
Clients invested in mutual funds, alternative funds, and other pooled investment vehicles
(“Funds”) will indirectly pay management fees and other expenses of those Funds that are
separate and in addition to the advisory or wrap fees paid to SCA or a third-party manager or
sponsor. These fees and expenses are described in each Fund's prospectus, private
placement memorandum, offering memorandum, or other offering documents. These fees will
generally include a management fee, other fund expenses, and a possible distribution
fee. Clients should review such additional Fund fees, and the fees charged by SCA or any
third-party manager or sponsor to understand the total amount of fees paid. Although SCA's
Financial Advisors generally recommend and purchase only no-load or load-waived mutual
funds for client advisory accounts, some mutual funds may impose an initial or deferred sales
charge that is paid by the clients. 12b-1 fees paid by the Fund are automatically refunded to the
Clients' accounts by the Custodian. These fees are not paid to SCA. Clients may also own
such funds when they transfer their assets to SCA upon opening an account. Clients that own a
share class other than the lowest cost share class that is available to them will pay additional
internal fees to the mutual fund sponsor, thus reducing their returns over time.
For clients participating in wrap fee programs sponsored by SCA or a third party, including
accounts in the DWA Program, PWA Program, IMP Program, and any Brinker Program, the
wrap fee does not cover certain costs, charges, or compensation associated with transactions
effected in the client’s account, including but not limited to, broker-dealer spreads; certain
broker-dealer mark-ups or mark-downs on principal transactions; auction fees; fees charged by
exchanges on a per transaction basis; debit balances and margin interest; certain odd-lot
differentials; transfer taxes; electronic fund and wire transfer fees; fees in connection with
trustee and other services; fees on NASDAQ transactions; certain costs associated with trading
in foreign securities; and any other charges mandated by law. In addition, the wrap fee does not
cover execution charges (such as commissions, commission equivalents, mark-ups, mark-
downs, or spreads) on transactions executed by a broker other than SAS or the broker-dealer
specified in the advisory agreement documentation for the specific program. Additional
information regarding SCA’s brokerage practices is provided in Item 12 below.
Persons providing investment advice on behalf of our firm are sometimes licensed as insurance
professionals. Financial Advisors will earn commission-based compensation for selling
insurance products, including insurance products they sell to you. Insurance commissions
earned by a Financial Advisor are separate from and in addition to SCA's advisory fees. This
practice presents a conflict of interest as a Financial Advisor may have an incentive to
recommend insurance products for the purpose of generating commissions rather than solely
based on Client needs. Clients are under no obligation, contractually or otherwise, to purchase
insurance products through any person affiliated with SCA. Insurance products are not included
in your advisory billing if a commission was paid on the product. Insurance products are sold
through an affiliate of SCA, Snowden Insurance Services LLC ("SIS") while variable products
are sold through our affiliated broker-dealer, SAS. Additional details are provided under Item
10, Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations.
Pershing Advisor Solutions LLC
For advisory clients with accounts custodied at Pershing Advisor Solutions LLC ("PAS"), an
asset-based fee ("AB Fee") is deducted quarterly by PAS from each account. The AB Fee
ranges from 0.03% to 0.12% per year and is based on the size of the account. The AB Fee is in
lieu of transaction or commission charges to clients and is not charged to clients in the wrap
program. Instead, the AB Fee for clients in a wrap program is paid by SCA or the client's
Financial Advisor.
Sub-Advisory Services
In certain cases, we may engage one or more independent sub-advisers to manage all or a
portion of your account, and you may pay a management fee for the services provided by the
sub-adviser in addition to our advisory fee. Sub-Adviser fees may be charged directly to your
account by the custodian or may be included in our overall advisory fee, depending on the
specific engagement.
When your account is invested in mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), you will also
indirectly bear the internal expenses of those funds, which are in addition to our advisory fee
and any sub-adviser fee. Certain sub-adviser strategies may invest in mutual funds or ETFs
that are affiliated with the sub-adviser, which presents a conflict of interest because the
sub-adviser may receive additional compensation from the affiliated fund and may result in
additional indirect fees and expenses to you.
Our firm’s use of Sub-Advisers creates a conflict of interest because we may have an incentive
to select or retain a Sub-Adviser that charges lower sub-advisory fees or offers other benefits to
us, rather than a Sub-Adviser that may be the most appropriate for the client.
The Firm seeks to mitigate these conflicts through its manager due diligence and oversight
process, which includes evaluating Sub-Adviser qualifications, performance, fees, trading
practices, and conflicts of interest on an initial and ongoing basis. The Firm does not receive
revenue sharing or other compensation from unaffiliated Sub-Advisers in connection with these
arrangements unless otherwise disclosed to clients.
D. Prepayment of Fees
For clients participating in the DWA Program, PWA Program, AHA Program, and IMP Program,
the fees charged by SCA, and any third-party manager or sponsor are generally required to be
paid monthly in advance, as further described in Item 5.B above.
The client’s Advisory Agreement may be terminated upon written notification by SCA, the client,
or the third-party manager (if applicable), at any time. Upon termination, the client will receive
refunds of any prepaid and unearned advisory or wrap fees. Refunds of asset-based fees are
prorated based on the time remaining in the applicable billing period. Refunds of hourly fees
are prorated based on the number of hours paid for but not worked. If services have been
provided, and are therefore due and payable, clients will receive an invoice for the amount
due. Any transactional or custodial charges levied by the Custodian after the termination of
SCA’s Advisory Agreement will be the client’s responsibility and not the responsibility of SCA,
and SCA has no obligation to refund such fees to its clients.
E. Additional Compensation and Conflicts of Interest
Certain of the securities and other investments that SCA recommends or selects for client
advisory accounts may be available for purchase through an SAS brokerage account or an
unaffiliated financial institution. Clients who purchase securities and investments outside of
their SCA advisory accounts do not incur the advisory or wrap fees described in this Brochure,
and any other fees and expenses may differ from those SCA charges to advisory accounts. In
those circumstances, however, such clients do not receive the investment advice and other
services that SCA provides to clients with advisory accounts. Certain third-party platforms and
programs made available to clients by SCA may also be available through other independent
investment advisors, and in certain instances, directly via the third-party administering the
platform or program. In addition, clients may be able to access certain third-party investment
managers directly. As such, clients may be able to access such third-party investment
managers, platforms, and programs at a lower cost through other channels. Further, it may be
possible for a client to access third-party investment managers directly or through other
platforms or programs for an “unbundled” fee that may be lower than any bundled or wrap fee
available through SCA.
Commissions do not provide SCA’s primary source of income from advisory accounts.
Some Financial Advisors received recruiting and retention payments that subject the Financial
Advisor to certain ongoing responsibilities. These payments take the form of an upfront
loan. As each loan repayment obligation arises, the Financial Advisor is eligible for a continuing
service bonus contingent on the Financial Advisor's continued employment and maintenance of
a certain minimum level of assets serviced by the Financial Advisor, and that continuing service
bonus is used by the Financial Advisor to offset the current repayment obligation each
year. The amount paid to Financial Advisors under these arrangements generally is based to a
large extent on the size of the business serviced by the Financial Advisor either at Snowden or
at a prior firm. In addition, the Financial Advisor is eligible for future bonus payments based on
the total assets in accounts that the Financial Advisor services at Snowden and/or the revenue
generated from those accounts at some defined point in the future. These bonuses are in
addition to the incentive compensation to which the Financial Advisor is otherwise entitled as a
Snowden Financial Advisor.
These arrangements do not alter the standard of care owed to clients, and investment
recommendations are not influenced by recruiting or retention compensation.
Item 6 Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management
Neither SCA nor any of its officers, directors, employees, or persons providing advice on SCA’s
behalf and subject to SCA’s supervision and control accepts performance-based
fees. However, such fees may be agreed on an exception basis with clients who are “qualified
clients” as defined in Rule 205-3 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, subject to the
requirements of such rule.
Item 7 Types of Clients
SCA’s clients include family offices, individuals (and their investment vehicles), companies and
business entities, foundations, charitable organizations, trusts, governmental agencies, pension
plans, endowments, and other entities. SCA focuses on providing services to clients who are
high net worth individuals.
SCA generally requires clients to deposit a minimum of $100,000 with the Custodian in order to
open an account and has the option to impose a minimum annual fee of up to $2,000. If a
minimum fee is imposed, it will be stated in your investment advisory contract.
SCA may, in its sole discretion, also serve clients with a lower level of investable assets or initial
account sizes.
Item 8 Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss
A. Methods of Analysis and Investment Strategies
Various analysis methods may be utilized by SCA Financial Advisors in vetting potential
investments for clients, including, but not limited to, conducting operational due diligence on
third-party investment managers and unaffiliated pooled investment vehicles.
Investment strategies may be chosen by a client in consultation with the Financial Advisor or
third-party investment manager based on the Financial Advisor’s assessment of a client’s
particular financial needs, risk profile, and overall investment strategy. Cash management and
some treasury services may also be offered.
Clients should understand that all investment strategies and the investments made when
implementing those investment strategies involve the risk of losing some or all of their
investment and should be prepared to bear the risk of such potential losses. The investment
performance and the success of any investment strategy or particular investment can never be
predicted or guaranteed, and the value of a client’s investments fluctuates due to market
conditions and other factors. Past performance of a client’s advisory account is not indicative of
future performance.
B. Material, Significant, or Unusual Risks Relating to Investment Strategies
While we have not attempted to describe every potential risk associated with the investment
strategies and advisory services that SCA provides, client should understand that all of the
services involve risks. We have summarized below some of the most material risks that may
apply to strategies managed by SCA, its Financial Advisors and the third-party managers
selected by clients to manage client assets under SCA’s advisory programs. From a general
perspective, the advisory services provided by SCA raise the following risks:
• Market/Volatility Risk –The risk that the value of the assets in the client’s account
advised by SCA may decrease in value due to the operating results or prospects of
individual companies, particular industry sectors or governments, changes in interest
rates and national and international political and economic events due to increasingly
interconnected global economies and financial markets.
• Liquidity Risk – The risk that a client may not be able to monetize investments for the
client’s discretionary or non-discretionary account and may have to hold investments to
maturity or, if the assets are liquidated, the client obtains a lower price for investments
due to illiquidity, market developments, adverse investor perceptions or otherwise. Less
liquid instruments are more difficult to value, which makes it more difficult for a client to
evaluate its net worth.
• Concentration Risk – The increased risk of loss associated with having assets
concentrated in a particular industry, geographic region, sector, or issuer.
• Operational Risk – The risk of loss arising from shortcomings or failures in internal
processes or systems of the custodian or administrator assisting in servicing the client’s
account.
• Legal, Tax and Regulatory Risk. Regulatory changes may adversely affect investments
made in advisory portfolios. For example, the regulatory environment for alternative
investment funds is evolving and changes in the regulations will affect investors.
• Global Economic Conditions. The risk that investment performance will be materially
adversely affected by conditions in the global financial markets and economic conditions
generally. Many parts of the global markets have experienced volatility, lack of liquidity,
general uncertainty about economic activity levels, and an overall reduction of investor
and consumer confidence over the past several years. There can be no assurance that
conditions will improve. The stability and sustainability of growth in global economies,
which is an important factor in many types of portfolios in driving profits, may be
adversely impacted by extrinsic factors such as risks inherent in different countries’
financial systems, economic intervention by governments, terrorism, and acts of war.
In addition, advisory services and the investment strategies offered through SCA’s
advisory services may, depending upon which services are selected by the client,
present the following risks:
• Valuation. SCA ordinarily relies on valuations provided by publicly available sources to
value instruments. Certain securities may not have a readily ascertainable market price
and, thus, will be valued based on SCA’s fair valuation process. In this regard, SCA
may face a conflict of interest in valuing the securities, as their value will affect SCA’s
compensation.
• Third-Party Manager Risk. Clients may invest through third-party managers in respect to
several of the products offered through SCA. These managers may not manage the
operations prudently, may fail to follow the stated investment strategies or may engage
in other misconduct.
• Credit/Default Risk. Clients face a risk of loss due to insolvency of a counterparty or the
default by an issuer of debt or other securities purchased for or by the client.
• Margin. Financial Advisors may recommend that advisory clients engage in margin
transactions or, if managing a portfolio, may use leverage in their investing. This may be
the case, for example, when a Financial Advisor recommends use of covered call
options to generate yield or uses margin borrowing to enhance returns. Purchasing
securities on margin and selling options amplify both potential returns and actual
losses. As such, purchasing securities on margin and entering into other types of
leverage transactions may increase the magnitude of losses experienced in a portfolio
and may result in losses greater than a client’s original principal.
C. Risks Associated with Particular Types of Securities
In addition to the risks applicable to all strategies, clients must consider and evaluate the
specific risks presented by each investment strategy offered through SCA, including those
relating to strategies managed by third-party managers. The following is a high-level summary
of risks associated with particular types of instruments used in the different strategies.
• Fixed Income. SCA as well as third-party managers operating under the advisory
programs offered by SCA provide investment strategies dedicated to or strategies that
invest in fixed income instruments. These may include taxable fixed income bonds and
municipal bonds. Taxable fixed income portfolios are composed of individual treasury,
agency, sovereign/supranational and/or corporate securities. The primary objectives of
the taxable fixed income and municipal bond strategies are seeking relative value,
capital preservation, and current income. Municipal bond strategies are customized
portfolios of high credit quality municipal bonds with varying maturities, usually issued by
an issuer in the client's state of residence for clients that reside in states with high
income taxes. However, SCA and third-party managers operating through SCA’s
platform may invest for clients in or recommend to clients for investment out-of-state
bonds as well.
Fixed income investments may also include non-U.S. dollar denominated
instruments. Some of the material risks associated with fixed income strategies
investing in non-US dollar denominated bonds may include:
o Currency Risk – The risk of loss due to changes in currency exchange rates and
exchange control regulations.
o Counterparty Risk – The risk of loss associated with a counterparty’s inability to fulfill
its contractual obligations.
SCA and third-party managers may invest in high-yield debt and distressed debt. High-yield
bonds, which are often referred to as “junk bonds,” as well as distressed debt will typically be
junior to the obligations of senior creditors, trade creditors, and employees in a bankruptcy of
the issuer. The lower rating of high-yield debt reflects a greater possibility that adverse
changes in the financial condition of the issuer or in general economic, financial, competitive,
regulatory, or other conditions may impair the ability of the issuer to make payments of
principal and/or interest. High-yield debt and distressed securities have historically
experienced greater default rates than investment grade securities.
All fixed income securities are subject to risk that interest rates may change and, thus, the value
of the instrument will change. Fixed income instruments may also not be traded in minimum
denominations and increments that allow for ready investment by smaller investors or may be
significantly less liquid when traded in odd-lots. Thus, advisory accounts investing in fixed
income securities accounts may have difficulty rebalancing the portfolio or liquidating fixed
income instruments quickly.
• Equities. SCA and third-party managers offered through SCA’s program may invest in
publicly traded equity securities. The value of the stocks and other securities may
decline over short or extended periods. Certain types of equities present particular risks
as follows:
Small capitalization companies and recently organized companies have typically more
volatile and less liquid than those of larger, more highly capitalized, established
companies and, therefore, pose great investment risks. Small capitalization companies
often are highly leveraged. There may also be less publicly available information
available concerning these issuers, which will make the securities more difficult to value.
SCA and certain third-party managers invest in “growth” stocks. Securities of growth
companies are often more volatile since the companies usually reinvest a high portion of
their earnings in their businesses. In addition, these issuers typically do not pay
dividends and, thus, there is no cushion for investors against a fall in stock price.
SCA and third-party managers invest in “value” stocks. Value investing runs the risk that
some holdings will not provide capital growth anticipated for a stock that is judged to be
undervalued. Because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more
closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more
sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in interest rates, corporate
earnings, and industrial production.
• Derivatives. Swaps, and certain options and other custom derivative or synthetic
instruments are subject to the risk of nonperformance by the counterparty to such
instrument, including risks relating to the financial soundness and creditworthiness of the
counterparty. In addition, investments in derivative instruments may require a high
degree of leverage, meaning the overall contract value (and, accordingly, the potential
for profits or losses in that value) is much greater than the modest deposit used to buy
the position in the derivative contract. Derivative securities can also be highly volatile.
The prices of derivative instruments and the investments underlying the derivative
instruments may fluctuate rapidly and over wide ranges and may reflect unforeseeable
events or changes in conditions, none of which can be controlled by the Client or the
Adviser. Further, transactions in derivative instruments may not be undertaken on
recognized exchanges and may expose the Client’s account to greater risks than
regulated exchange transactions that may provide greater liquidity and more accurate
valuation of securities.
• Emerging Market Securities. SCA and third-party managers may invest in both equity
and fixed income instruments of corporate or sovereign issuers from emerging
countries. These investments entail certain risks and special considerations not
associated with investing in the U.S. and other developed markets. Some emerging
countries have laws and regulations that currently preclude direct foreign investment in
the securities of their companies. To gain exposure to such markets, SCA may
recommend that clients invest in or, if acting with discretion, may invest client assets in
investment funds rather than in the foreign securities themselves. In addition, SCA may
invest client assets in investment funds that invest in securities that SCA can purchase
directly. In these cases, clients will pay both the fees associated with the underlying
funds and those of SCA.
• ETFs. SCA and third-party managers utilize ETFs to a significant degree in both
discretionary and non-discretionary products. Although ETFs are listed, many ETFs lack
liquidity that may cause the shares to trade at a premium or discount to its net asset
value. In addition, an ETF may suspend new share issuances, which is likely to result in
a difference between the ETF’s publicly available share price and the value of its
holdings. Although most ETFs, like mutual funds, are registered investment companies
regulated under the Investment Company Act of 1940, some ETFS, such as those
investing in physical commodities or futures, may not be. Thus, these ETFs will not be
subject to prohibitions on trading with affiliates, may not have an independent board of
trustees and are not subject to requirements regarding diversification on the prohibition
on the suspension of redemptions.
• Leveraged Exchange Traded Funds. Leveraged Exchange Traded Funds (“Leveraged
ETFs” or “L-ETF”) seeks investment results for a single day only, not for longer
periods. A “single day” is measured from the time the L-ETF calculates its net asset
value (“NAV”) to the time of the L-ETF’s next NAV calculation. The return of the L-ETF
for periods longer than a single day will be the result of each day’s returns compounded
over the period, which will likely differ from multiplying the return by the stated leverage
for that period. For periods longer than a single day, the L-ETF will lose money when
the level of the Index is flat, and it is possible that the L-ETF will lose money even if the
level of the Index rises. Longer holding periods, higher index volatility and greater
leverage both exacerbate the impact of compounding on an investor’s returns. During
periods of higher Index volatility, the volatility of the Index may affect the L-ETF’s return
as much as or more than the return of the Index. Leveraged ETFs are different from
most exchange-traded funds in that they seek leveraged returns relative to the
applicable index and only on a daily basis. The L-ETF also is riskier than similarly
benchmarked exchange-traded funds that do not use leverage. Accordingly, the L-ETF
may not be suitable for all investors and should be used only by knowledgeable
investors who understand the potential consequences of seeking daily leveraged
investment results.
• Leveraged ETF Leveraged Risk. The L-ETF obtains investment exposure in excess of
its assets in seeking to achieve its investment objective — a form of leverage — and will
lose more money in market environments adverse to its daily objective than a similar
fund that does not employ such leverage. The use of such leverage could result in the
total loss of an investor’s investment. For example: a 2X fund will have a multiplier of
two times (2x) the Index. A single day movement in the Index approaching 50% at any
point in the day could result in the total loss of a shareholder’s investment if that
movement is contrary to the investment objective of the L-ETF, even if the Index
subsequently moves in an opposite direction, eliminating all or a portion of the earlier
movement. This would be the case with any such single day movements in the Index,
even if the Index maintains a level greater than zero at all times.
• Leveraged ETF Compounding Risk. Compounding affects all investments but has a
more significant impact on a leveraged fund. Particularly during periods of higher Index
volatility, compounding will cause results for periods longer than a single day to vary
from the stated multiplier of the return of the Index. This effect becomes more
pronounced as volatility increases.
• Leveraged ETF Use of Derivatives. The L-ETF obtains investment exposure through
derivatives. Investing in derivatives may be considered aggressive and may expose the
L-ETF to greater risks than investing directly in the reference asset(s) underlying those
derivatives. These risks include counterparty risk, liquidity risk, and increased
correlation risk (each as discussed below). When the L-ETF uses derivatives, there may
be imperfect correlation between the value of the reference asset(s) and the derivative,
which may prevent the L-ETF from achieving its investment objective. Because
derivatives often require only a limited initial investment, the use of derivatives may also
expose the L-ETF to losses in excess of those amounts initially invested. The L-ETF
may use a combination of swaps on the Index and swaps on an ETF that is designed to
track the performance of the Index. The performance of an ETF may not track the
performance of the Index due to embedded costs and other factors. Thus, to the extent
the L-ETF invests in swaps that use an ETF as the reference asset, the L-ETF may be
subject to greater correlation risk and may not achieve as high a degree of correlation
with the Index as it would if the L-ETF only used swaps on the Index. Moreover, with
respect to the use of swap agreements, if the Index has a dramatic intraday move that
causes a material decline in the L-ETF’s net assets, the terms of a swap agreement
between the L-ETF and its counterparty may permit the counterparty to immediately
close out the transaction with the L-ETF. In that event, the L-ETF may be unable to
enter into another swap agreement or invest in other derivatives to achieve the desired
exposure consistent with the L-ETF’s investment objective. This, in turn, may prevent
the L-ETF from achieving its investment objective, even if the Index reverses all or a
portion of its intraday move by the end of the day. Any costs associated with using
derivatives will also have the effect of lowering the L-ETF’s return.
• Mutual Funds and Exchange Traded Funds. 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. ETFs 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.
• ETFs may have tracking error risks. For example, the ETF investment adviser may not
be able to cause the ETF’s performance to match that of its underlying Index or other
benchmark, which may negatively affect the ETF's performance. In addition, for
leveraged and inverse ETFs that seek to track the performance of their underlying
Indices or benchmarks on a daily basis, mathematical compounding may prevent the
ETF from correlating with performance of its benchmark. In addition, an ETF may not
have investment exposure to all of the securities included in its underlying Index, or its
weighting of investment exposure to such securities may vary from that of the underlying
Index. Some ETFs may invest in securities or financial instruments that are not included
in the underlying Index, but which are expected to yield similar performance.
• Digital Assets. The term “digital asset” refers to cryptocurrencies and other virtual coins
and tokens (including virtual coins and tokens offered in an initial coin offering (ICO) or
pre-ICO), and any other asset that consists of, or is represented by, records in a
blockchain or distributed ledger (including any securities, commodities, software,
contracts, accounts, rights, intangible property, personal property, real estate or other
assets that are “tokenized,” “virtualized” or otherwise represented by records in a
blockchain or distributed ledger). Digital assets are speculative and highly volatile, can
become illiquid at any time, and are for investors with a high-risk tolerance. Buying and
selling digital assets can be very risky. Digital asset values can fluctuate substantially
and unexpectedly with little or no warning, which may result in a substantial or total loss
of an investment. Digital assets have been and continue to be subject to substantial
market, security, legal, and regulatory uncertainty. Any use of digital assets is subject
to firm approval, enhanced due diligence, and supervisory oversight, and generally
limited to clients with a high risk tolerance, specific investment objectives, and the
financial capacity to bear a complete loss of the investment.
Item 9 Disciplinary Information
In the past ten years, neither SCA nor any of its management persons have been involved in
any reportable legal or disciplinary events. For the purpose of this item, a “management
person” includes anyone with the power to exercise, directly or indirectly, a controlling influence
over SCA’s management or policies, or to determine the general investment advice given to its
clients. Generally, management persons include (i) a firm’s principal executive officers, such as
its chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief operating officer, chief legal officer, and
chief compliance officer; its directors, general partners, or trustees; and other individuals with
similar status or performing similar functions and (ii) members of its investment committee or
group that determines general investment advice to be given to clients.
Item 10 Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations
A. Broker-Dealer Registration Status
Certain of SCA’s Financial Advisors and management personnel are also registered
representatives of SAS, SCA’s affiliated broker-dealer. SCA and SAS are both wholly owned by
SCP Holdings and are, therefore, under common control.
SCA’s affiliated broker-dealer, SAS, receives compensation from Pershing LLC as described in
Item 14, Client Referrals and Other Compensation.
B. Other Financial Industry Activities
SCA is not registered as, nor do they have any application pending to register as a futures
commission merchant, commodity pool operator, or a commodity trading advisor.
The Firm has entered into a strategic collaboration with Karta Inc. pursuant to which the Firm
may introduce certain eligible clients to a co-branded charge card program administered by
Karta and issued by an unaffiliated financial institution.
Under this arrangement, the Firm’s role is limited to introducing clients and facilitating the
application process. Karta and the issuing financial institution are solely responsible for
evaluating applications, determining creditworthiness, establishing credit limits, issuing the card,
and servicing the card account.
Clients who elect to participate in this program will establish a separate relationship with Karta
and the issuing financial institution, and such relationship is governed by separate agreements
between the client and those parties.
C. Relationships that are Material to Our Advisory Business
Estancia Capital Partners, L.P., a private equity fund, indirectly owns a majority interest in SCA
through its majority ownership interest in SCP Holdings’ ultimate parent, SCP. SCA does not
recommend or purchase any private securities or other private investments owned by Estancia
Capital Partners, L.P. for SCA client accounts.
D. Use of Sub-Advisers
If a Sub-Adviser directs trades through a preferred broker-dealer or receives research or other
benefits in connection with its brokerage practices, this may create a conflict of interest
regarding execution quality and cost. We seek to mitigate these conflicts through periodic
review of each Sub-Adviser’s execution practices and through our overall supervision of the
Sub-Adviser’s services.
Clients will receive additional disclosures when a Sub-Adviser is used for their account,
including Sub-Adviser fees, any affiliated relationships, trading or custody differences, and
applicable conflicts of interest. Sub-Adviser fees may be charged directly to the client’s account
by the custodian or may be included in our overall advisory fee, depending on the engagement.
Item 11 Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions
and Personal Trading
A. Code of Ethics
SCA has adopted a Code of Ethics (the “Code”) that sets forth the standards of conduct
expected of SCA personnel. All personnel are required annually to acknowledge in writing that
they have received and will comply with the Code. The Code requires all personnel to comply
with federal securities laws and to report all violations of the Code to SCA’s Chief Compliance
Officer (“CCO”). The Code states that SCA’s personnel owe a fiduciary duty to SCA’s clients
requiring them to act in the best interests of SCA’s clients. SCA personnel must avoid conflicts
of interest with clients and actions or activities that allow (or appear to allow) them or their family
members to profit or benefit from their relationships with SCA at the expense of clients. The
Code contains policies specific to the safeguarding of non-public personal information of clients
and the avoidance of conflicts of interest. The Code also prohibits manipulative trading
practices and insider trading. Persons associated with our firm are also required to report any
violations of our Code of Ethics. In addition, the Code restricts personnel from giving or
receiving gifts whose value exceeds $100 to or from persons that do business with or on behalf
of SCA.
The Code also contains provisions specific to certain personnel called “Access Persons.” These
provisions are intended to guard against front-running, insider trading, and other trading
improprieties by Access Persons. SCA defines Access Persons to include the following
personnel: any officer or employee who directly or indirectly (i) has access to nonpublic
information regarding clients’ purchases or sales of securities prior to, or within 48 hours after,
the completion of such purchases or sales, or (ii) has access to nonpublic securities
recommendations, whether discretionary or non-discretionary, prior to, or within 48 hours after,
the making of such recommendations. Access Persons are required to provide SCA’s CCO
with annual personal securities holdings reports and quarterly securities transaction reports (or
brokerage statements in lieu of such reports). In addition, Access Person investments in initial
public offerings and private placements must be pre-approved by SCA’s CCO or his
designee. SCA’s CCO is required to report issues that arise under the Code to senior
management at least annually. SCA will provide a copy of its Code of Ethics to any client upon
request.
B. Financial Interest in Recommended or Purchased and Sold Securities
Neither our firm nor any of its related persons recommends to clients, or buys or sells for client
accounts, securities in which SCA or the related person has a material financial interest.
C. Investment in Recommended Securities
SCA and its related persons may buy or sell securities that are also recommended to
clients. This gives rise to a potential conflict of interest in that SCA representatives may benefit
from the purchase or sale of those securities. SCA maintains policies and procedures to
prohibit and detect “front-running,” i.e., trading ahead of client orders, and other potentially
abusive practices.
D. Trades in the Same Securities at the Same Time as a Client
SCA representatives may buy or sell securities at or around the same time as those securities
are sold to clients. This creates a potential conflict of interest and, per C. above, SCA maintains
policies and procedures designed to prohibit and detect potentially abusive trading practices.
Item 12 Brokerage Practices
A. Factors Considered in Selecting or Recommending Broker-Dealers for Client
Transactions
For wrap fee accounts managed by SCA under the DWA Program and PWA Program, SCA
routes brokerage transactions for clients’ accounts through an Introducing Broker, as agent, and
authorizes Introducing Broker to execute such trades as agent or execute trades through the
Custodian or other third-party brokers in a manner that complies with applicable law. SCA
generally directs execution of transactions through an Introducing Broker and the Custodian,
consistent with SCA’s obligation to seek to obtain best execution of Client’s transactions. SCA’s
decision to direct execution of transactions through Introducing Broker and the Custodian is
based on SCA’s assessment of the overall quality of the execution capabilities of Introducing
Broker and the Custodian, considering that commissions charged by Introducing Broker and the
Custodian are included in the wrap fee paid by clients. SCA may also, in certain circumstances,
route trades for execution through a third-party broker in accordance with its obligation to seek
to obtain best execution. Clients may be charged a separate commission, spread, mark-up or
mark-down for transactions that SCA or Introducing Broker routes to a third-party broker for
execution that will be payable by the client in addition to the wrap fee. Clients should be aware
that not all investment advisers require arrangements in which transactions are executed by a
single broker.
We maintain relationships with several broker-dealers. While you are free to choose any
broker-dealer or other service provider as your custodian, we recommend that you establish an
account with a brokerage firm with which we have an existing relationship. Such relationships
include benefits provided to our firm, including but not limited to market information and
administrative services that help our firm manage your account(s). We believe that the
recommended broker-dealers provide quality execution services for our clients at competitive
prices. Price is not the sole factor we consider in evaluating best execution. We also consider
the quality of the brokerage services provided by recommended broker-dealers, including the
value of the firm's reputation, execution capabilities, commission rates, and responsiveness to
our clients and our firm. In recognition of the value of the services recommended broker-
dealers provide, you may pay higher commissions and/or trading costs than those that may be
available elsewhere.
As a registered investment adviser, we have access to the institutional platform of your account
custodian. As such, we will also have access to research products and services from your
account custodian and/or other brokerage firms. These products may include financial
publications, information about particular companies and industries, research software, and
other products or services that provide lawful and appropriate assistance to our firm in the
performance of our investment decision-making responsibilities. Such research products and
services are provided to all investment advisers that utilize the institutional services platforms of
these firms and are not considered to be paid for with soft dollars. However, you should be
aware that the commissions charged by a particular broker for a particular transaction or set of
transactions may be greater than the amounts another broker who did not provide research
services or products might charge.
For programs in which clients’ accounts are managed by a third-party manager, including the
IMP Program and the Brinker Programs, the third-party manager is responsible for selecting the
broker-dealers that will execute clients’ transactions. Information regarding the brokerage
practices of such third-party managers is available in the applicable Third-Party Brochure, which
will be provided to clients. SCA does not select or recommend broker-dealers for clients who
are enrolled in the AHA Program. Clients in the AHA Program are responsible for arranging
execution of recommended transactions through their current account custodian.
Soft Dollars
SCA has no soft dollar or research arrangements or agreement to receive client referrals with
any other broker-dealer.
We seek to recommend a custodian/broker that will hold your assets and execute transactions.
When considering whether the terms that a custodian provides are, overall, most advantageous
to you when compared with other available providers and their services, we consider a wide
range of factors, including:
• Combination of transaction execution services and asset custody services (generally
without a separate fee for custody)
• Capability to execute, clear, and settle trades (buy and sell securities for your account)
• Capability to facilitate transfers and payments to and from accounts (wire transfers,
check requests, bill payment, etc.)
• Breadth of available investment products (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded
funds, etc.)
• Availability of investment research and tools that assist us in making investment
decisions.
• Quality of services
• Competitiveness of the price of those services (commission rates, margin interest rates,
other fees, etc.) and willingness to negotiate the prices
• Reputation, financial strength, security, and stability
• Prior service to us and our clients
• Availability of other products and services that benefit us, as discussed below
Charles Schwab & Co.
One of the qualified custodians we recommend that our clients use is Charles Schwab & Co.,
Inc. (“Schwab”), a registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.
We are independently owned and operated and are not affiliated with Schwab. Schwab will
hold your assets in a brokerage account and buy and sell securities when we instruct them to.
While we may recommend that you use Schwab as your custodian/broker, you will decide
whether to do so and will open your account with Schwab by entering into an account
agreement directly with them. Conflicts of interest associated with this arrangement are
described below as well as in Item 14, Client Referrals and Other Compensation. You should
consider these conflicts of interest when selecting your custodian.
We do not open the Schwab account for you, although we assist you in doing so. Even though
your account is maintained at Schwab, we can still use other brokers to execute trades for your
account as described below (see “Your brokerage and custody costs”).
For our clients’ accounts that Schwab maintains, Schwab generally does not charge you
separately for custody services but is compensated by charging you commissions or other fees
on trades that it executes or that settle into your Schwab account. Certain trades (for example,
many mutual funds, U.S. exchange-listed equities, and ETFs) do not incur Schwab
commissions or transaction fee. Schwab is also compensated by earning interest on the
uninvested cash in your account in Schwab’s Cash Features Program. For some types of
accounts and upon our request, Schwab will charge you a percentage of the dollar amount of
assets in the account in lieu of commissions, where we have determined that this pricing
structure is appropriate for your account. To minimize your trading costs, we have Schwab
execute most trades for accounts custodied at Schwab.
We are not required to select the broker or dealer that charges the lowest transaction cost, even
if that broker provides execution quality comparable to other brokers or dealers. Although we
are not required to execute all trades through Schwab, we have determined that having Schwab
execute most trades where Schwab is the Custodian is consistent with our duty to seek “best
execution” of your trades. Best execution means the most favorable terms for a transaction
based on all relevant factors, including those listed above (see “How we select brokers/
custodians”). By using another broker or dealer you may pay lower transaction costs.
Products and services available to us from Schwab
Schwab Advisor Services™ is Schwab’s business serving independent investment advisory
firms like ours. They provide us and our clients with access to their institutional brokerage
services (trading, custody, reporting, and related services), many of which are not typically
available to Schwab retail customers. However, certain retail investors may be able to get
institutional brokerage services from Schwab without going through our firm. Schwab also
makes available various support services. Some of those services help us manage or
administer our clients’ accounts, while others help us manage and grow our business.
Schwab’s support services are generally available at no charge to us. Following is a more
detailed description of Schwab’s support services:
Services that benefit you. Schwab’s institutional brokerage services include access to a
broad range of investment products, execution of securities transactions, and custody of client
assets. The investment products available through Schwab include some to which we might not
otherwise have access or that would require a significantly higher minimum initial investment by
our clients. Schwab’s services described in this paragraph generally benefit you and your
account.
Services that do not directly benefit you. Schwab also makes available to us other products
and services that benefit us but do not directly benefit you or your account. These products and
services assist us in managing and administering our clients’ accounts and operating our firm.
They include investment research, both Schwab’s own and that of third parties. We use this
research to service all or a substantial number of our clients’ accounts, including accounts not
maintained at Schwab. In addition to investment research, Schwab also makes available
software and other technology that:
• Provide access to client account data (such as duplicate trade confirmations and
account statements)
• Facilitate trade execution and allocate aggregated trade orders for multiple client
accounts
• Provide pricing and other market data
• Facilitate payment of our fees from our clients’ accounts
• Assist with back-office functions, record keeping, and client reporting
Services that generally benefit only us. Schwab also offers other services intended to help
us manage and further develop our business enterprise. These services include:
• Educational conferences and events
• Consulting on technology and business needs
• Publications and conferences on practice management and business succession
• Access to employee benefits providers, human capital consultants, and insurance
providers
• Marketing consulting and support
Schwab provides some of these services itself. In other cases, it will arrange for third-party
vendors to provide the services to us. Schwab also discounts or waives its fees for some of
these services or pays all or a part of a third party’s fees. Schwab also provides us with other
benefits, such as occasional business entertainment for our personnel. If you did not maintain
your account with Schwab, we would be required to pay for these services from our own
resources.
Our interest in Schwab’s services
The availability of these services from Schwab benefits us because we do not have to produce
or purchase them. We do not 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 (unless outlined above). The fact that we receive these
benefits from Schwab is an incentive for us to recommend the use of Schwab rather than
making such decision based exclusively on your interest in receiving the best value in custody
services and the most favorable execution of your transactions. This is a conflict of interest. In
some cases, the services that Schwab pays for are provided by an affiliate of ours or by another
party that has some pecuniary, financial, or other interests in us (or in which we have such an
interest). This creates an additional conflict of interest. We believe, however, that taken in the
aggregate, when we recommend Schwab as custodian and broker, it 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.
In some cases, Schwab reimburses us for certain fees associated with transferring customer
accounts to Schwab from another custodian or investment adviser.
Envestnet Asset Management
If you participate in the Envestnet programs, you will be required to open a brokerage account
with a qualified custodian that has a relationship with Envestnet. Envestnet maintains
relationships with several broker/dealers and qualified custodians. Since the approved
custodians are dictated by Envestnet and not our firm you will be required to use one of their
custodians. We will not be able to offer our advisory services to you if you wish to use a
custodian not included on Envestnet's approved list.
B. Order Aggregation
Transactions for each client generally will be affected independently unless we decide to
purchase or sell the same securities for several clients at approximately the same time. We
may, but are not obligated to, combine multiple orders for shares of the same securities
purchased for advisory accounts we manage (this practice is commonly referred to as
"aggregated trading"). We will then distribute a portion of the shares to participating accounts in
a fair and equitable manner. Generally, participating accounts will pay a fixed transaction cost
regardless of the number of shares transacted. In certain cases, each participating account
pays an average price per share for all transactions and pays a proportionate share of all
transaction costs on any given day. In the event an order is only partially filled, the shares will
be allocated to participating accounts in a fair and equitable manner, typically in proportion to
the size of each client’s order. Accounts owned by our firm or persons associated with our firm
may participate in aggregated 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.
SCA or Introducing Broker may aggregate client transactions for client accounts that are
enrolled in wrap fee programs in accordance with the trading practices described below. The
aggregation or blocking of client transactions allows SCA or Introducing Broker to route or
execute transactions in a more timely, equitable, and efficient manner.
Under the DWA Program, client accounts are generally linked to a model or models and, thus,
trades are generally executed across all clients in a similar model, accounting for client
restrictions and other distinctions among accounts. Exceptions to this aggregating practice
occur when new accounts are funded or additional assets are added or subtracted from current
clients, giving rise to individual account trading. Clients are grouped together and traded to the
model for rebalances and changes in the model. Aggregated trades are executed through the
Custodian’s block trading tool.
SCA’s PWA Program is a non-discretionary program in which clients retain discretion over the
accounts. Thus, SCA and its Financial Advisors do not have ultimate discretion over timing of
trades and generally do not have the ability to aggregate trades for PWA Program clients to the
same extent as for clients in discretionary, model-based programs. Trades for PWA Program
clients are generally executed on a non-aggregated basis but may be aggregated when timing
of re-allocations allows and when reasonably determined to be beneficial to clients by SCA.
When aggregated, trades are executed through the Custodian’s block trading tool and
completed simultaneously.
For programs in which clients’ accounts are managed by a third-party manager, including the
IMP Program and the Brinker Programs, the third-party manager is responsible for the
execution of transactions and the decision of whether to aggregate orders. Information
regarding the order aggregation practices of such third-party managers is available in the
applicable Third-Party Brochure, which will be provided to clients in such programs. Clients in
the AHA Program are responsible for arranging execution of recommended transactions
through their Custodian or another broker-dealer, who are responsible for the decision of
whether to aggregate orders.
Affiliated Broker-Dealers
Persons providing investment advice on behalf of our firm who are registered representatives of
Snowden Account Services LLC (“SAS”) would normally be required to recommend SAS to you
for brokerage services. These individuals are subject to applicable industry rules that restrict
them from conducting securities transactions away from SAS unless SAS provides the
representatives with written authorization to do so, which SAS has done in this case. Therefore,
although these individuals would generally be limited to conducting securities transactions
through SAS, in this instance, as noted above, they will generally recommend Pershing, PAS, or
Schwab. It may be the case that SAS charges higher transaction costs and/or custodial fees
than another broker charges for the same types of services. However, if transactions were
executed though SAS, these individuals (in their separate capacities as registered
representatives of SAS) could earn commission-based compensation as a result of placing the
recommended securities transactions through SAS. This practice would present a conflict of
interest because these registered representatives would have an incentive to effect securities
transactions for the purpose of generating commissions rather than solely based on your needs.
You may utilize the broker-dealer of your choice and have no obligation to purchase or sell
securities through the broker we recommend. However, if you do not use the recommended
broker, we may not be able to accept your account. See the Fees and Compensation section in
this brochure for more information on the compensation received by registered representatives
who are affiliated with our firm.
Best Execution
We recommend the brokerage and custodial services of Pershing, PAS or Schwab (whether
one or more "Custodian"). Your assets must be maintained in an account at a “qualified
custodian,” generally a broker-dealer or bank. In recognition of the value of the services the
Custodian provides, you may pay higher commissions and/or trading costs than those that are
available elsewhere. Our selection of custodians is based on many factors, including the level
of services provided, the custodian’s financial stability, and the cost of services provided by the
custodian to our clients, which includes the yield on cash sweep choices, commissions, custody
fees and other fees or expenses.
We seek to recommend a custodian/broker that will hold your assets and execute transactions
on terms that are, overall, the most favorable compared to other available providers and their
services.
We consider various factors, including:
• Capability to buy and sell securities for your account itself or to facilitate such services.
• The likelihood that your trades will be executed.
• Availability of investment research and tools.
• Overall quality of services.
• Competitiveness of price.
• Reputation, financial strength, and stability.
• Existing relationship with our firm and our other clients.
We maintain relationships with several broker-dealers. While you are free to choose any
broker-dealer or other service provider as your custodian, we recommend that you establish an
account with a brokerage firm with which we have an existing relationship. Such relationships
include benefits provided to our firm, including but not limited to market information and
administrative services that help our firm manage your account(s). We believe that the
recommended broker-dealers provide quality execution services for our clients at competitive
prices. Price is not the sole factor we consider in evaluating best execution. We also consider
the quality of the brokerage services provided by recommended broker-dealers, including the
value of the firm's reputation, execution capabilities, commission rates, and responsiveness to
our clients and our firm. In recognition of the value of the services recommended broker-
dealers provide, you may pay higher commissions and/or trading costs than those that may be
available elsewhere.
Mutual Fund Share Classes
Mutual funds are sold with different share classes, which carry different cost structures. Each
available share class is described in the mutual fund’s prospectus. When we purchase, or
recommend the purchase of, mutual funds for a client, we select the share class that is deemed
to be in the client’s best interest, taking into consideration the availability of advisory,
institutional or retirement plan share classes, initial and ongoing share class costs, transaction
costs (if any), tax implications, cost basis and other factors. Although SCA's Financial Advisors
generally recommend and purchase only no-load or load-waived mutual funds for client advisory
accounts, some mutual funds may impose an initial or deferred sales charge that is paid by the
clients. 12b-1 fees paid by the mutual fund are automatically refunded to the Clients' accounts
by the Custodian. These fees are not paid to SCA. Clients may also own mutual funds or ETFs
when they transfer their assets to SCA upon opening an account. Clients that own a share
class other than the lowest cost share class that is available to them will pay additional internal
fees to the mutual fund sponsor, thus reducing their returns over time.
C. Use of Sub-Advisers for Brokerage and Related Conflicts
When we engage sub-advisers to manage all or a portion of client accounts, such sub-advisers
generally have discretion to select the broker-dealers used to execute portfolio transactions and
may, in certain circumstances, execute trades through broker-dealers that are affiliated with the
sub-adviser. When affiliated broker-dealers are used, those affiliates may receive
compensation from transactions in your account, including commissions, mark-ups, or
mark-downs, which creates a conflict of interest because the sub-adviser has an incentive to
use an affiliated broker-dealer rather than an unaffiliated broker-dealer that may provide
different execution terms. In addition, certain sub-advisers may be permitted, where allowed by
applicable law, to engage in limited cross-trading activities, which present conflicts of interest
due to the sub-adviser’s role in arranging and approving both sides of the transaction.
Sub-Advisers may have discretionary trading authority and direct trade-account access so they
have the ability to influence transaction timing and liquidity in ways that benefit other clients or
strategies they manage. They can also prioritize accounts differently when allocating
investment opportunities, particularly for less-liquid securities. We attempt to mitigate this
conflict by a review of the Sub-Adviser compliance practices, including allocation and
aggregation procedures
Item 13 Review of Accounts
Investment performance and investment objectives and guidelines are reviewed by SCA
Financial Advisors on at least an annual basis with the client. Clients are encouraged to consult
with their Financial Advisors periodically to discuss their portfolios and account information and
to report promptly any changes to their investment objectives, restrictions, and guidelines.
Each client also receives written detailed quarterly reports from SCA. An account must be open
for a complete calendar quarter in order for a performance report to cover that quarter, and the
advisory fees will not be reduced if performance reporting is not provided with respect to the
account that was not open during such complete calendar quarter.
Within the Brinker Programs, Brinker prepares and provides quarterly reports on performance to
clients. These reports include information with respect to the client’s securities holdings as well
as a report on the performance of the clients account as compared to various industry indices.
These reports are sent directly to clients on a quarterly basis. SCA typically uses these reports
to review manager and account performance with the client. In addition, the client receives
monthly statements and trade confirmations from the custodian.
Item 14 Client Referrals and Other Compensation
A. Economic Benefits for Providing Services to Clients
Economic benefits received by SCA for providing services to clients are disclosed elsewhere
throughout this Brochure.
B. Compensation to Non-Supervised Persons for Client Referrals
SCA may directly or indirectly compensate third parties for client referrals. Such referrals are
compensated in accordance with Rule 206(4)-1 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The
compensation generally consists of a cash payment computed as a percentage of SCA’s
advisory fee, but other computation methods may be used as well. The costs of any such
referral fees are paid entirely by SCA and, therefore, do not result in any additional charges to
the client.
C. Recruiting and Incentive Compensation
Recruiting financial advisors from other firms creates a conflict of interest for SCA because
compensation received as a result of clients following their financial advisor to SCA induces
SAS and SCA to recruit financial advisors without regard to the comparative benefits clients
receive at other financial firms. Your Financial Advisor may be eligible for incentive
compensation based on the amount of revenue your Financial Advisor generates for SAS and
its affiliates, including SCA. This is a conflict of interest because it incents your Financial
Advisor to induce you to engage in more investment transactions in order to qualify for incentive
compensation based on business development. Pursuant to the fully disclosed clearing
agreement with Pershing LLC ("FDCA"), our broker-dealer affiliate, SAS, receives financial
incentives from Pershing LLC.
Forgivable Promissory Note
SCA offers financial incentives to prospective Financial Advisors who join SCA from other firms.
These financial incentives include promissory notes for a specified time frame and amount.
SCA will forgive the principal and interest of the note over the term of the note. This forgiveness
is income to the Financial Advisor. If the Financial Advisor terminates their employment with
SCA before the note is fully forgiven, the Financial Advisor will be required to pay back the
outstanding amount. The Financial Advisor may be eligible for additional financial incentives
including additional promissory notes and/or equity interests in SCA’s ultimate parent company,
Snowden Capital Partners LLC, based on revenue generated and/or assets under management
after a specified period. These financial incentives are a conflict of interest because they give
your Financial Advisor an incentive to enter employment with SCA regardless of the benefit you
as a client may receive from SCA.
D. Net New Assets
Pershing LLC provides compensation to SAS for net new assets greater than $1 billion during
any 12-month period beginning July 1st of each year. SAS is required to repay any
compensation SAS received under this calculation to Pershing LLC if SAS terminates its FDCA.
This repayment requirement incentivizes SCA to continue requiring Pershing LLC to serve as
the client custodian for its advisory accounts and creates a conflict of interest.
E. Renewal Bonus
When SAS renewed its FDCA with Pershing LLC in 2017, SAS received a one-time payment as
a renewal bonus. This created an additional incentive for SCA to continue using Pershing LLC
as a custodian for its advisory accounts and created a conflict of interest.
F. Third-Party Compensation
SAS receives compensation from third parties in several forms including investment products
with annual 12b-1 fees, sales charges, and shareholder servicing fees creating an incentive to
recommend the products offered by the third-party. Compensation from product sponsors is
based on aggregate client holdings.
G. Margin Balance Compensation
The use of margin is permitted in some fee-based investment advisory programs, including
those offered by SCA. A margin debit balance is created by borrowing against your account
which gives you access to cash and/or the ability to purchase additional securities. Using
margin increases the market value of your account's billable account value, which in turn
increases the amount of the advisory fees you pay and the amount of compensation SCA and
your financial advisor earn. It is a conflict of interest for SCA or your financial advisor to
recommend that you borrow on margin in your account for any reason because SCA and your
financial advisor receives greater compensation from the increased account value. It is also a
conflict of interest if you borrow on margin in your account because SCA or its affiliate, SAS (but
not your financial advisor) receives compensation on the interest you pay on your margin debit
balance. Specifically, SAS marks up the interest rate that you pay on margin balances over and
above the base interest rate charged by Pershing LLC on margin debits. This additional interest
is retained by SAS as compensation. You are encouraged to evaluate the interest rates you
pay by borrowing on margin and compare those interest rates to other available sources of
credit (or lenders) from which you can borrow, as the interest you might be charged by
borrowing on margin may be greater than loans available to you elsewhere.
H. Pershing LLC
Pursuant to the FDCA, our broker-dealer affiliate, SAS, receives payments from Pershing LLC
in connection with the following:
1. Improved custodial services pricing in the form of a credit via cash payment as a percentage
of new assets in excess of $1 billion introduced by SAS in given time periods.
2. Compensation in the form of cash payment in fixed amounts related to annual maintenance
fees for certain types of retirement accounts.
3. Compensation in the form of cash payment in fixed amounts contemporaneous with renewal
of the FDCA or Schedule A thereto.
The assets include assets in SCA's advisory programs or accounts custodied at Pershing LLC.
This additional compensation or improved custodial services pricing received by SAS creates a
conflict of interest with SCA's clients because the compensation received by SAS increases as
our assets under management increase on the Pershing LLC platform. This financial incentive
is not available to SAS with our other custodial platforms.
Money Market Funds and Bank Deposit Sweep Products
SCA and/or its affiliate, SAS, receives distribution assistance from Pershing LLC based on
aggregate assets held in certain money market funds and bank deposit sweep products,
including Pershing's Retirement Money Fund, Cash Management Choice Money Market Funds,
and other bank deposit sweep products (collectively “Cash Products”). The amount of
compensation varies among Cash Products and generally depends on the average aggregate
balance held in each product or product group across SCA advisory and SAS brokerage
accounts. Certain available Cash Products pay SAS no compensation, while others pay SAS
between 0 and 30 basis points. SAS may receive higher rates as aggregate balances increase
and may receive different rates on different Cash Products.
This compensation creates a financial incentive for SCA and SAS to make available,
recommend or select Cash Products that pay compensation rather than Cash Products that pay
less or no compensation. The compensation is part of the overall revenue SAS receives in
connection with the brokerage, custody-related, and cash-management services it provides and
supports the costs associated with offering those services. It is not credited directly against the
advisory fees paid by clients.
Financial Advisors do not receive any portion of this compensation, their compensation does not
vary based on the Cash Product selected, and they are not provided the revenue-sharing rates
applicable to individual Cash Products. SCA periodically evaluates available Cash Products
based on factors including net yield, liquidity, credit quality, expenses, operational functionality
and client needs. SCA does not necessarily select the Cash Product that pays the least
compensation to SCA or its affiliates, and a client may therefore hold a Cash Product that
compensates SAS when another available Cash Product pays SAS less or no compensation.
I. Pledging Assets: Non-Purpose Loans
As a service to eligible customers, SAS provides access to securities-backed non-purpose
lending programs offered by Pershing LLC and TriState Capital Bank (each, a “Lender”)
("Program"). Customers are not required to participate in the program, but if you choose to do
so, you should be aware of the possible risks. A non-purpose loan allows borrowers to use the
securities in their brokerage or advisory accounts as collateral for an extension of credit, the
proceeds of which cannot be used for purchasing or trading securities. The customer’s accounts
must meet certain requirements, such as a minimum market value of assets in the account
before the Bank approves the non-purpose loan. The requirements and approval or denial of
credit are controlled by the Lender and SAS is not a decision-maker.
SAS has certain conflicts of interest in offering this service to customers:
• Referral Fees. As part of this Program, the Lender compensates SAS in the form of a
Referral Fee, which is up to seventy-five basis points (0.75%) of the average principal
amount of all outstanding Program loans that SAS customers have through the program.
This Referral Fee is paid from the interest you pay on your Program loans and, were SAS to
agree to receive a lower Referral Fee, customers’ interest rate would decline by that same
amount. Were customers to take a loan from a different institution outside of this Program,
SAS would not receive a Referral Fee. Accordingly, the Referral Fee creates a conflict of
interest between us and you. SAS does not share any portion of the Referral Fee with SCA
but does share a portion with Financial Advisors.
• Program Loans Secured by Investment Advisory Accounts. When a customer takes a loan
secured by securities in their advisory account, the securities remain in the advisory
account, which means that SCA continues to receive advisory fees based on the full value
of the securities that are eligible for billing purposes, with no reduction or offset for the value
of securities that secure the loan. In contrast, if the customer were to liquidate the securities
rather than borrow against them, SCA would no longer receive advisory fees based on the
value of those securities and SAS would not receive a Referral Fee on the loan amount.
Therefore, the payment of a Referral Fee and the lack of any reduction or offset against the
total billable assets in the customer’s investment advisory account incentivizes us to make
this program available to customers. Furthermore, it is a conflict of interest for SCA to
recommend that customers take a loan under this program rather than liquidate securities in
their investment accounts.
Referral Arrangements and Fees
We have entered into agreements with unaffiliated third-party investment managers. There is a
conflict of interest where we and our financial advisors recommend that you participate in such a
separate third-party advisory arrangement. The costs associated with the services provided by
an unaffiliated third-party investment manager to you, including any management fees paid to
the manager or commissions or fees paid to us in connection with the transactions executed in
an account, results in additional compensation to us and our Financial Advisors.
J. Rollovers and Transfers
Your financial advisor has an incentive to recommend that you rollover or transfer your assets
from an employer-sponsored plan and/or another brokerage firm or investment adviser,
because these actions generate advisory compensation. We maintain supervisory and
compliance policies and procedures designed to ensure that rollover recommendations are
suitable, in your best interest, and are in alignment with your financial investing and retirement
goals.
K. Karta Card Program
The Firm receives compensation in connection with client participation in the Karta card
program described in Item 10 above.
Specifically, if a client applies for and is approved for a Karta card, the Firm will receive (i) a
one-time payment based on the establishment of a new card account; and (ii) ongoing
compensation based on a percentage of the client’s card usage.
This compensation is paid by Karta and is not charged directly to the client.
This arrangement creates a conflict of interest because the Firm has a financial incentive to
recommend or introduce clients to the Karta card program. The Firm addresses this conflict by
requiring that any such recommendation be made in the client’s best interest and by disclosing
the nature of this compensation to clients.
Participation in the Karta card program is entirely voluntary, and clients are not required to
obtain or maintain a Karta card in order to receive advisory services from the Firm.
L. Compensation from Product Sponsors, their affiliates and other business partners
We hold an annual meeting of Partners of the firm, which is sponsored in part by one or more
services providers and/or product sponsors.
Item 15 Custody
Client assets are held by the Custodian, who will provide client with transaction confirmations
and account statements with respect to securities transactions conducted for client’s account.
Clients who receive account statements from SCA as well as from the Custodian are urged to
compare the account statements received from the Custodian with those received from SCA.
If SCA has any clients with third-party Standing Letters of Authorization ("SLOAs"), SCA is
deemed to have limited custody of client assets.
2 (“Custody Rule”)
‐
‐
The SEC issued a no
action letter (“Letter”) with respect to the Rule 206(4)
under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”). The letter provided guidance on the
Custody Rule as well as clarified that an adviser who has the power to disburse Advisory Client
funds to a third party under a standing letter of instruction (“SLOA”) is deemed to have custody.
As such, our firm has adopted the following safeguards in conjunction with the Custodian:
• The client provides an instruction to the qualified custodian, in writing, which includes the
client’s signature, the third party’s name, and either the third party’s address or the third
party’s account number at a custodian to which the transfer should be directed.
• The client authorizes the investment adviser, in writing, either on the qualified
custodian’s form or separately, to direct transfers to the third party either on a specified
schedule or from time to time.
• The client’s qualified custodian performs appropriate verification of the instruction, such
as a signature review or other method to verify the client’s authorization and provides a
transfer of funds notice to the client promptly after each transfer.
• The client has the ability to terminate or change the instruction to the client’s qualified
custodian.
• The investment adviser has no authority or ability to designate or change the identity of
the third party, the address, or any other information about the third party contained in
the client’s instruction.
• The investment adviser maintains records showing that the third party is not a related
party of the investment adviser or located at the same address as the investment
adviser.
• The client’s qualified custodian sends the client, in writing, an initial notice confirming the
instruction and an annual notice reconfirming the instruction.
Item 16 Investment Discretion
Clients may determine to engage SCA to provide investment advisory services on a
discretionary basis. Before SCA assumes discretionary authority over a client’s account, the
client shall be required to execute an Advisory Agreement naming SCA as the client’s attorney
and agent in fact, granting SCA full authority to buy, sell, or otherwise effect investment
transactions involving the assets in the client’s name found in the discretionary account. Clients
who engage SCA on a discretionary basis may, at any time, impose restrictions, in writing, on
SCA’s discretionary authority (e.g., limit the type or amounts of particular securities purchased
for their account, limit or proscribe SCA’s use of margin, etc.).
As outlined under Item 4, Advisory Business, SCA also has the discretion to hire and fire
managers and to change your selected management program while staying within your risk
tolerance. If there are any changes to the fees you will be charged, your written agreement is
required first.
Item 17 Voting Client Securities
SCA, as a matter of policy and practice, does not accept authority to vote proxies on behalf of
clients. Clients may elect to delegate proxy voting authority to the third-party investment
managers that the client engages to provide investment advisory services to such client if the
client has elected to engage a third-party manager. Otherwise, clients will be solely responsible
on their own for voting proxies (and handling bankruptcy claims, class action joinders and other
corporate actions) with respect to the securities owned by them on an advisory basis when SCA
acts as an investment adviser. Clients will receive their proxies or other solicitations directly
from their custodian or a transfer agent rather than from SCA.
Item 18 Financial Information
SCA is not required to include a balance sheet for our most recent fiscal year end because we
do not require or solicit more than $1,200 in fees per client, six months or more in advance. In
this Item, we are required to disclose that SCA has no financial commitment that impairs its
ability to meet contractual and fiduciary commitments to clients. Additionally, SCA has not been
the subject of a bankruptcy petition during the past ten years.
Item 19 Additional Information
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.
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:
• Leaving the funds in your employer's (former employer's) plan.
• Moving the funds to a new employer’s retirement plan.
• Cashing out and taking a taxable distribution from the plan.
• 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:
• 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.
• Employer retirement plans generally have a more limited investment menu than IRAs.
• Employer retirement plans may have unique investment options not available to the
public such as employer securities, or previously closed funds.
• Your current plan may have lower fees than our fees.
•
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.
• 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.
• Our strategy may have higher risk than the option(s) provided to you in your plan.
• Your current plan may also offer financial advice.
•
If you keep your assets titled in a 401k or retirement account, you could potentially delay
your required minimum distribution beyond age 73.
• Your 401k may offer more liability protection than a rollover IRA; each state may vary.
• 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.
• You may be able to take out a loan on your 401k, but not from an IRA.
•
•
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.
If you own company stock in your plan, you may be able to liquidate those shares at a
lower capital gains tax rate.
• 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.