Overview
- Headquarters
- Summit, NJ
- Average Client Assets
- $5.8 million
- SEC CRD Number
- 147984
Fee Structure
Primary Fee Schedule (ADV PART 2A)
| Min | Max | Marginal Fee Rate |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $10,000,000 | 1.00% |
| $10,000,001 | $20,000,000 | 0.75% |
| $20,000,001 | and above | 0.50% |
Minimum Annual Fee: $50,000
Illustrative Fee Rates
| Total Assets | Annual Fees | Average Fee Rate |
|---|---|---|
| $1 million | $50,000 | 5.00% |
| $5 million | $50,000 | 1.00% |
| $10 million | $100,000 | 1.00% |
| $50 million | $325,000 | 0.65% |
| $100 million | $575,000 | 0.58% |
Clients
- HNW Share of Firm Assets
- 96.84%
- Total Client Accounts
- 335
- Discretionary Accounts
- 335
Services Offered
Services: Financial Planning, Portfolio Management for Individuals
Regulatory Filings
Primary Brochure: ADV PART 2A (2026-03-17)
View Document Text
Item 1
Cover Page
Summit Place Financial Advisors, LLC
ADV Part 2A, Firm Brochure
Dated: March 17, 2026
Contact: Elizabeth Miller, Chief Compliance Officer
18 Bank Street, Suite 202
Summit, New Jersey 07901
www.summitplacefinancial.com
This brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of Summit
Place Financial Advisors, LLC. If you have any questions about the contents of this brochure,
please contact us at (908) 517-5881 or advisors@summitplacefinancial.com. The information in this
brochure has not been approved or verified by the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission or by any state securities authority.
Additional information about Summit Place Financial Advisors, LLC also is available on the SEC’s
website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
References herein to Summit Place Financial Advisors, LLC as a “registered investment adviser”
or any reference to being “registered” does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
Item 2
Material Changes
There have been no material changes made to this brochure since Summit Place Financial Advisors, LLC
last filed its Annual Amendment on February 20, 2025.
Summit Place Financial Advisors’ Chief Compliance Officer, Elizabeth Miller, remains available to
address any questions that an existing or prospective client may have regarding this Brochure.
Item 3
Table of Contents
Item 1 Cover Page .................................................................................................................................... 1
Item 2 Material Changes .......................................................................................................................... 2
Item 3
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................... 2
Item 4 Advisory Business ........................................................................................................................ 3
Fees and Compensation ................................................................................................................ 8
Item 5
Performance-Based Fees and Side-by-Side Management .......................................................... 10
Item 6
Item 7
Types of Clients .......................................................................................................................... 10
Item 8 Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss ................................................... 10
Item 9 Disciplinary Information ............................................................................................................ 12
Item 10 Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations .................................................................. 12
Item 11 Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and Personal Trading.............. 13
Item 12 Brokerage Practices .................................................................................................................... 14
Item 13 Review of Accounts .................................................................................................................... 16
Item 14 Client Referrals and Other Compensation .................................................................................. 16
Item 15 Custody ....................................................................................................................................... 16
Investment Discretion ................................................................................................................. 17
Item 16
Item 17 Voting Client Securities .............................................................................................................. 17
Item 18 Financial Information ................................................................................................................. 17
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Item 4
Advisory Business
A. Summit Place Financial Advisors, LLC (the “Registrant”) is a limited liability company
formed on October 6, 2008, in the state of Delaware. The Registrant became registered as
an Investment Adviser Firm in October 2008. The Registrant is owned by Elizabeth
Miller, the Registrant’s Principal.
B. As discussed below, the Registrant offers to its clients (individuals, high net worth
individuals, etc.) investment advisory services, and, to the extent specifically requested
by the client, financial planning and consulting services.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES
The Registrant provides discretionary investment advisory services on a fee-only basis.
Registrant's annual investment advisory fee shall include both discretionary investment
advisory services and financial planning and consulting services. In the event that the
client requires extraordinary planning and/or consultation services (to be determined in
the sole discretion of the Registrant), the Registrant may determine to charge for such
additional services, the dollar amount of which shall be set forth in a separate written
notice to the client.
MISCELLANEOUS
Limitations of Financial Planning and Non-Investment Consulting/Implementation
Services. As indicated above, to the extent requested by a client, Registrant generally
provides financial planning and consulting services inclusive of its advisory fee, as set
forth at Item 5 below (exceptions may occur based upon assets under management,
special projects, etc. for which Registrant may charge a separate fee).
Neither the Registrant nor its investment adviser representatives assist clients with the
implementation of any financial plan, unless they have agreed to do so in writing. The
Registrant does not monitor a client’s financial plan, and it is the client’s responsibility to
revisit the financial plan with the Registrant, if desired.
Furthermore, although the Registrant may provide recommendations regarding non-
investment related matters, such as estate planning, tax planning, and insurance, etc., the
Registrant does not serve as a law firm, accounting firm, or insurance agency, and no
portion of Registrant’s services should be construed as legal, accounting, or insurance
implementation services. Accordingly, the Registrant does not prepare estate planning
documents, tax returns, or sell insurance products.
To the extent requested by a client, the Registrant may recommend the services of other
professionals for certain non-investment implementation purposes (i.e., attorneys,
accountants, insurance, etc.). The client is under no obligation to engage the services of
any such recommended professional. The client retains absolute discretion over all such
implementation decisions and is free to accept or reject any recommendation from
Registrant and/or its representatives.
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If the client engages any recommended unaffiliated professional, and a dispute arises
thereafter relative to such engagement, the client agrees to seek recourse exclusively from
and against the engaged professional. At all times, the engaged licensed professional(s)
(i.e., attorney, accountant, insurance agent, etc.), and not the Registrant, shall be
responsible for the quality and competency of the services provided.
Retirement Rollovers-Potential for Conflict of Interest: A client or prospective client
leaving an employer typically has four options regarding an existing retirement plan (and
may engage in a combination of these options): (i) leave the money in the former
employer’s plan, if permitted, (ii) roll over the assets to the new employer’s plan, if one is
available and rollovers are permitted, (iii) roll over to an Individual Retirement Account
(“IRA”), or (iv) cash out the account value (which could, depending upon the client’s
age, result in adverse tax consequences). The Registrant does not make recommendations
regarding client rollovers. To the extent requested, Registrant may provide clients with
certain educational information to assist the client with making a decision regarding a
potential rollover. No client is under any obligation to roll over retirement plan assets to
an account managed by the Registrant, whether it is from an employer’s plan or an
existing IRA.
Account Aggregator Services. Registrant, in conjunction with the services provided by
ByAllAccounts, Inc., may provide its clients with access to an online platform of account
aggregation. Account aggregation services allow clients to view their complete asset
allocation, including those assets that Registrant does not manage (the “Excluded
Assets”). Registrant does not provide
investment management, monitoring, or
implementation services for the Excluded Assets. Therefore, Registrant shall not be
responsible for the investment performance of the Excluded Assets. The client may
choose to engage Registrant to manage some or all of the Excluded Assets pursuant to the
terms and conditions of an Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and the
client.
Unaffiliated Private Investment Funds. Registrant may recommend that certain
qualified clients consider an investment in unaffiliated private investment funds.
Registrant’s role relative to the private investment funds shall be limited to its initial and
ongoing due diligence and investment monitoring services. Registrant’s clients are under
absolutely no obligation to consider or make an investment in a private investment
fund(s).
Risk Factors: Private investment funds generally involve various risk factors, including,
but not limited to, potential for complete loss of principal, liquidity constraints and lack
of transparency, a complete discussion of which is set forth in each fund’s offering
documents, which will be provided to each client for review and consideration. Unlike
liquid investments that a client may own, private investment funds do not provide daily
liquidity or pricing. Each prospective client investor will be required to complete a
Subscription Agreement, pursuant to which the client shall establish that he/she is
qualified for investment in the fund, and acknowledges and accepts the various risk
factors that are associated with such an investment.
Valuation: If Registrant bills an investment advisory fee based upon the value of private
investment funds or otherwise references private investment funds owned by the client on
any supplemental account reports prepared by Registrant, the value for all private
investment funds owned by the client will reflect the most recent valuation provided by
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the fund sponsor. The current value of any private investment fund could be significantly
more or less than the original purchase price or the price reflected in any supplemental
account report.
Use of Mutual and Exchange Traded Funds. Most mutual funds and exchange traded
funds are available directly to the public. Therefore, a prospective client can obtain many
of the funds that may be utilized by Registrant independent of engaging Registrant as an
investment advisor. However, if a prospective client determines to do so, they will not
receive Registrant’s initial and ongoing investment advisory services.
In addition to Registrant’s investment advisory fee described below, and transaction
and/or custodial fees discussed below, clients will also incur, relative to all mutual fund
and exchange traded fund purchases, charges imposed at the fund level (e.g.,
management fees and other fund expenses).
Socially Responsible (ESG) Investing Limitations. Registrant does not maintain or
advocate an ESG investment strategy but will seek to employ ESG if directed by a client
to do so. If implemented, Registrant shall rely upon the assessments undertaken by the
unaffiliated mutual fund, exchange traded fund or separate account portfolio manager to
determine that the fund’s or portfolio’s underlying company securities meet a socially
responsible mandate.
Socially Responsible Investing involves the incorporation of Environmental, Social and
Governance (“ESG”) considerations into the investment due diligence process. ESG
investing incorporates a set of criteria/factors used in evaluating potential investments:
Environmental (i.e., considers how a company safeguards the environment); Social (i.e.,
the manner in which a company manages relationships with its employees, customers,
and the communities in which it operates); and Governance (i.e., company management
considerations). The number of companies that meet an acceptable ESG mandate can be
limited when compared to those that do not and could underperform broad market
indices.
Investors must accept these limitations, including potential for underperformance.
Correspondingly, the number of ESG mutual funds and exchange-traded funds are
limited when compared to those that do not maintain such a mandate. As with any type of
investment (including any investment and/or investment strategies recommended and/or
undertaken by Registrant), there can be no assurance that investment in ESG securities or
funds will be profitable or prove successful.
Cash Positions. Registrant continues to treat cash as an asset class. As such, unless
determined to the contrary by Registrant, all cash positions (money markets, etc.) shall
continue to be included as part of assets under management for purposes of calculating
Registrant’s advisory fee. At any specific point in time, depending upon perceived or
anticipated market conditions/events (there being no guarantee that such anticipated
market conditions/events will occur), Registrant may maintain cash positions for
defensive purposes. In addition, while assets are maintained in cash, such amounts could
miss market advances. Depending upon current yields, at any point in time, Registrant’s
advisory fee could exceed the interest paid by the client’s money market fund.
Cash Sweep Accounts. Certain account custodians can require that cash proceeds from
account transactions or new deposits, be swept to and/or initially maintained in a
5
specific custodian designated sweep account. The yield on the sweep account will
generally be lower than those available for other money market accounts. When this
occurs, to help mitigate the corresponding yield dispersion Registrant shall (usually
within 30 days thereafter) generally (with exceptions) purchase a higher yielding money
market fund (or other type security) available on the custodian’s platform, unless
Registrant reasonably anticipates that it will utilize the cash proceeds during the
subsequent 30-day period to purchase additional investments for the client’s account.
Exceptions and/or modifications can and will occur with respect to all or a portion of the
cash balances for various reasons, including, but not limited to the amount of dispersion
between the sweep account and a money market fund, the size of the cash balance, an
indication from the client of an imminent need for such cash, or the client has a
demonstrated history of writing checks from the account.
The above does not apply to the cash component maintained within a Registrant actively
managed investment strategy (the cash balances for which shall generally remain in the
custodian designated cash sweep account), an indication from the client of a need for
access to such cash, assets allocated to an unaffiliated investment manager and cash
balances maintained for fee billing purposes.
The client shall remain exclusively responsible for yield dispersion/cash balance
decisions and corresponding transactions for cash balances maintained in any Registrant
unmanaged accounts.
Portfolio Activity. Registrant has a fiduciary duty to provide services consistent with the
client’s best interest. As part of its investment advisory services, Registrant will review
client portfolios on an ongoing basis to determine if any changes are necessary based
upon various factors, including, but not limited to, investment performance, fund
manager tenure, style drift, account additions/withdrawals, and/or a change in the client’s
investment objective. Based upon these factors, there may be extended periods of time
when Registrant determines that changes to a client’s portfolio are neither necessary nor
prudent. Clients nonetheless remain subject to the fees described in Item 5 below during
periods of account inactivity.
Client Obligations. In performing its services, Registrant shall not be required to verify
any information received from the client or from the client’s other professionals, and is
expressly authorized to rely thereon. Moreover, each client is advised that it remains their
responsibility to promptly notify the Registrant if there is ever any change in their
financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing, evaluating or
revising Registrant’s previous recommendations and/or services.
Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency, and Digital Assets. The Registrant does not recommend or
advocate for the purchase of, or investment in, Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, or digital assets.
Such investments are considered speculative and carry significant risk. For clients who
want exposure to Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, or digital assets, the Registrant, may advise
the client to consider a potential investment in corresponding exchange traded securities,
or an allocation to separate account managers and/or private funds that provide
cryptocurrency exposure.
Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are digital assets that can be used for various purposes,
including transactions, decentralized applications, and speculative investments. Most
digital assets use blockchain technology, an advanced cryptographic digital ledger to
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secure transactions and validate asset ownership. Unlike conventional currencies issued
and regulated by monetary authorities, cryptocurrencies generally operate without
centralized control, and their value is determined by market supply and demand. While
regulatory oversight of digital assets has evolved significantly since their inception, they
remain subject to variable regulatory treatment globally, which may impact their risk
profile and liquidity.
Given that cryptocurrency investments are speculative and subject to extreme price
volatility, liquidity constraints, and the potential for total loss of principal, the Registrant
does not exercise discretionary authority to purchase cryptocurrency investments for
client accounts. Any investment in cryptocurrencies must be expressly authorized by the
client. Clients who authorize the purchase of a cryptocurrency investment must be
prepared for the potential for liquidity constraints, extreme price volatility, regulatory
risk, technological risk, security and custody risk, and complete loss of principal.
Artificial Intelligence. The Registrant may use certain Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) tools
in connection with its investment advisory services. The Registrant has adopted an AI
Policy that governs the appropriate use of AI tools to ensure that the Registrant and its
employees abide by their fiduciary duty and comply with all applicable regulations. AI
tools are not used by the Registrant as a substitute for professional judgment by the
Registrant or its employees, and all AI generated output is reviewed by the Registrant for
accuracy. All investment decisions and recommendations are made and approved by the
Registrant. The use of AI tools does not guarantee the accuracy of analyses or the success
of any investment strategy. Clients should not assume that reliance on AI tools results in
better performance or reduces risk. AI tools involve limitations and risks that the
Registrant monitors and manages. These risks include, but are not limited to, data
security concerns, potential inaccuracies, and possible algorithmic biases. To mitigate
these risks, the Registrant has implemented controls such as pre-approval requirements
for AI tools, restrictions on providing nonpublic personal information to public AI
systems, vendor due diligence, review of AI-generated materials, and employee training
on appropriate AI usage.
Cybersecurity Risk. The information technology systems and networks that Registrant
and its third-party service providers use to provide services to Registrant’s clients employ
various controls that are designed to prevent cybersecurity incidents stemming from
intentional or unintentional actions that could cause significant interruptions in
Registrant’s operations and/or result in the unauthorized acquisition or use of clients’
confidential or non-public personal information. Clients and Registrant are nonetheless
subject to the risk of cybersecurity incidents that could ultimately cause them to incur
financial losses and/or other adverse consequences. Although the Registrant has
established processes to reduce the risk of cybersecurity incidents, there is no guarantee
that these efforts will always be successful, especially considering that the Registrant
does not control the cybersecurity measures and policies employed by third-party service
providers, issuers of securities, broker-dealers, qualified custodians, governmental and
other regulatory authorities, exchanges and other financial market operators and
providers.
Client Privacy and Confidentiality. The Registrant maintains policies and procedures
designed to help protect the confidentiality and security of client nonpublic personal
information (“NPPI”). NPPI includes, but is not limited to, social security numbers, credit
or debit card numbers, state identification card numbers, driver’s license number and
7
account numbers. The Registrant maintains administrative, technical, and physical
safeguards designed to protect such information from unauthorized access, use, loss, or
destruction. These safeguards include controls relating to data access, information
security, and incident response, and are reviewed to address changes in risk and business.
Client information may be disclosed in response to regulatory requests, legal obligations,
or as otherwise permitted by law, and any such disclosure is made in accordance with
applicable privacy and confidentiality requirements.
The Registrant may engage non-affiliated service providers in connection with providing
advisory services, and such providers may have access to client NPPI, as necessary, to
perform their functions. The Registrant confirms that service providers maintain
safeguards designed to protect client information from unauthorized access or use and
provide notice to the Registrant in the event of a cybersecurity incident involving client
information maintained by the service provider. While the Registrant maintains policies
and procedures designed to protect client information, such measures cannot eliminate all
risk. The Registrant will notify clients in the event of a data breach involving their NPPI
as may be required by applicable state and federal laws.
Disclosure Statement. A copy of the Registrant’s written Brochure and Client
Relationship Summary, as set forth on Part 2A of Form ADV and Form CRS
respectively, shall be provided to each client prior to, or contemporaneously with, the
execution of the Investment Advisory Agreement.
to providing
investment advisory services, an
C. The Registrant shall provide investment advisory services specific to the needs of each
investment adviser
client. Prior
representative will ascertain each client’s investment objective(s). Thereafter, the
Registrant shall allocate and/or recommend that the client allocate investment assets
consistent with the designated investment objective(s). The client may, at any time,
impose reasonable restrictions, in writing, on the Registrant’s services.
D. The Registrant does not participate in a wrap fee program.
E. As of December 31, 2025, the Registrant had $300,404,815 in assets under management
on a discretionary basis.
Item 5
Fees and Compensation
A.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES
The Registrant provides discretionary investment advisory services on a negotiable
fee-only basis. The Registrant’s annual investment advisory fee shall generally be based
upon a percentage (%) of the market value and type of assets placed under the
Registrant’s management (between 0.50% and 1.00%) as follows:
Market Value of Portfolio % of Assets
First$10 million
Next $10 million
Over $20 million
1.00%
0.75%
0.50%
8
Registrant's annual investment advisory fee shall include both discretionary investment
advisory services and financial planning and consulting services. In the event that the
client requires extraordinary planning and/or consultation services (to be determined in
the sole discretion of the Registrant), the Registrant may determine to charge for such
additional services, the dollar amount of which shall be set forth in a separate written
notice to the client.
The Registrant’s investment advisory fee is negotiable at Registrant’s discretion. As a
result of these factors, similarly situated clients could pay different fees, the services to be
provided by the Registrant to any particular client could be available from other advisers
at lower fees, and certain clients may have fees different than those specifically set forth
above.
B. Clients may elect to have the Registrant’s advisory fees deducted from their custodial
account. Both Registrant's Investment Advisory Agreement and the custodial/clearing
agreement may authorize the custodian to debit the account for the amount of the
Registrant's investment advisory fee and to directly remit that management fee to the
Registrant in compliance with regulatory procedures. In the limited event that the
Registrant bills the client directly, payment is due upon receipt of the Registrant’s
invoice.
C. As discussed below, unless the client directs otherwise or an individual client’s
circumstances require, the Registrant shall generally recommend that Charles Schwab
and Co., Inc. (“Schwab”) serve as the broker-dealer/custodian for client investment
management assets.
Broker-dealers such as Schwab charge brokerage commissions, transaction, and/or other
type fees for effecting certain types of securities transactions (i.e., including transaction
fees for certain mutual funds, and mark-ups and mark-downs charged for fixed income
transactions, etc.). The types of securities for which transaction fees, commissions, and/or
other type fees (as well as the amount of those fees) shall differ depending upon the
broker-dealer/custodian. While certain custodians, including Schwab, generally (with the
potential exception for large orders) do not currently charge fees on individual equity
transactions (including ETFs), others do.
There can be no assurance that Schwab will not change their transaction fee pricing in the
future. Schwab may also assess fees to clients who elect to receive trade confirmations
and account statements by regular mail rather than electronically.
Clients will incur, in addition to Registrant’s investment management fee, brokerage
commissions and/or transaction fees, and, relative to all mutual fund and exchange traded
fund purchases, charges imposed at the fund level (e.g., management fees and other fund
expenses).
Tradeaway/Prime Broker Fees. Relative to its discretionary investment management
services, when beneficial to the client, individual equity and/or fixed income transactions
may be effected through broker-dealers other than the account custodian, in which event,
the client generally will incur both the fee (commission, mark-up/mark-down) charged by
the executing broker-dealer and a separate “tradeaway” and/or prime broker fee charged
by the account custodian (Schwab).
9
D. Registrant's annual investment advisory fee shall be prorated and paid quarterly, in
advance, based upon the market value of the assets on the last business day of the
previous quarter.
The Registrant generally requires an aggregate annual minimum fee of $50,000 for
investment advisory services. The Registrant, in its sole discretion, may charge a lesser
investment management fee and/or waive or reduce its annual minimum fee based upon
certain criteria (i.e., anticipated future earning capacity, anticipated future additional
assets, dollar amount of assets to be managed, related accounts, account composition,
negotiations with client, etc.).
The Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and the client will continue
in effect until terminated by either party by written notice in accordance with the terms of
the Investment Advisory Agreement. Upon termination, the Registrant shall refund the
pro-rated portion of the advanced advisory fee paid based upon the number of days
remaining in the billing quarter.
E. Neither the Registrant, nor its representatives accept compensation from the sale of
securities or other investment products.
Item 6
Performance-Based Fees and Side-by-Side Management
Neither the Registrant nor any supervised person of the Registrant accepts performance-
based fees.
Item 7
Types of Clients
The Registrant’s clients shall generally include individuals and high net worth
individuals.
Item 8
Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss
A. The Registrant may utilize the following methods of security analysis:
Fundamental - (analysis performed on historical and present data, with the goal
of making financial forecasts)
Charting - (analysis performed using patterns to identify current trends and trend
reversals to forecast the direction of prices)
Technical – (analysis performed on historical and present data, focusing on price
and trade volume, to forecast the direction of prices)
The Registrant may utilize the following investment strategies when implementing
investment advice given to clients:
Long Term Purchases (securities held at least a year)
Short Term Purchases (securities sold within a year)
Investment Risk. Investing in securities involves risk of loss that clients should be
prepared to bear. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it
should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment
10
strategy (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or
undertaken by the Registrant) will be profitable or equal any specific performance
level(s).
Investors generally face the following types of investment risks:
Interest-rate Risk: Fluctuations in interest rates may cause investment prices to
fluctuate. For example, when interest rates rise, yields on existing bonds become less
attractive, causing their market values to decline.
Market Risk: The price of a security, bond, or mutual fund may drop in reaction to
tangible and intangible events and conditions. This type of risk may be caused by
external factors independent of the fund’s specific investments as well as due to the
fund’s specific investments. Additionally, each security’s price will fluctuate based on
market movement and emotion, which may, or may not be due to the security’s
operations or changes in its true value. For example, political, economic and social
conditions may trigger market events which are temporarily negative, or temporarily
positive.
Inflation Risk: When any type of inflation is present, a dollar today will not buy as
much as a dollar next year, because purchasing power is eroding at the rate of inflation.
Reinvestment Risk: This is the risk that future proceeds from investments may have to
be reinvested at a potentially lower rate of return (i.e., interest rate). This primarily
relates to fixed income securities.
Liquidity Risk: Liquidity is the ability to readily convert an investment into cash.
Generally, assets are more liquid if many traders are interested in a standardized
product. For example, Treasury Bills are highly liquid, while real estate properties are
not.
Financial Risk: Excessive borrowing to finance a business’ operations increases the
risk of profitability, because the company must meet the terms of its obligations in
good times and bad. During periods of financial stress, the inability to meet loan
obligations may result in bankruptcy and/or a declining market value.
B. The Registrant’s methods of analysis and investment strategies do not present any
significant or unusual risks.
However, every method of analysis has its own inherent risks. To perform an accurate
market analysis the Registrant must have access to current/new market information. The
Registrant has no control over the dissemination rate of market information; therefore,
unbeknownst to the Registrant, certain analyses may be compiled with outdated market
information, severely limiting the value of the Registrant’s analysis. Furthermore, an
accurate market analysis can only produce a forecast of the direction of market values.
There can be no assurances that a forecasted change in market value will materialize into
actionable and/or profitable investment opportunities.
The Registrant’s primary investment strategies - Long Term Purchases and Short Term
Purchases are fundamental investment strategies. However, every investment strategy has
its own inherent risks and limitations. For example, longer term investment strategies
require a longer investment time period to allow for the strategy to potentially develop.
Shorter term investment strategies require a shorter investment time period to potentially
11
develop but, as a result of more frequent trading, may incur higher transactional costs
when compared to a longer term investment strategy.
Borrowing Against Assets/Risks. A client who has a need to borrow money could determine to
do so by using:
Margin-The account custodian or broker-dealer lends money to the client. The custodian
charges the client interest for the right to borrow money, and uses the assets in the client’s
brokerage account as collateral; and,
Pledged Assets Loan- In consideration for a lender (i.e., a bank, etc.) to make a loan to the
client, the client pledges investment assets held at the account custodian as collateral.
These above-described collateralized loans are generally utilized because they typically provide
more favorable interest rates than standard commercial loans. These types of collateralized loans
can assist with a pending home purchase, permit the retirement of more expensive debt, or enable
borrowing in lieu of liquidating existing account positions and incurring capital gains taxes.
However, such loans are not without potential material risk to the client’s investment assets. The
lender (i.e., custodian, bank, etc.) will have recourse against the client’s investment assets in the
event of loan default or if the assets fall below a certain level. For this reason, Registrant does not
recommend such borrowing unless it is for specific short-term purposes (i.e., a bridge loan to
purchase a new residence). Registrant does not recommend such borrowing for investment
purposes (i.e., to invest borrowed funds in the market). Regardless, if the client was to determine
to utilize margin or a pledged assets loan, the following economic benefits would inure to
Registrant:
by taking the loan rather than liquidating assets in the client’s account, Registrant continues
to earn a fee on such Account assets; and,
if the client invests any portion of the loan proceeds in an account to be managed by
Registrant, Registrant will receive an advisory fee on the invested amount; and,
if Registrant’s advisory fee is based upon the higher margined account value, Registrant will
earn a correspondingly higher advisory fee. This could provide Registrant with a disincentive
to encourage the client to discontinue the use of margin.
The Client must accept the above risks and potential corresponding consequences
associated with the use of margin or a pledged assets loan.
C. Currently, the Registrant primarily allocates client investment assets among various
individual equity and fixed income securities (and to a lesser extent, may also allocate
among exchange traded funds and mutual funds) on a discretionary basis in accordance
with the client’s designated investment objective(s).
Item 9
Disciplinary Information
The Registrant has not been the subject of any disciplinary actions.
Item 10
Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations
A. Neither the Registrant, nor its representatives, are registered or have an application
pending to register, as a broker-dealer or a registered representative of a broker-dealer.
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B. Neither the Registrant, 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.
C. The Registrant has no other relationship or arrangement with a related person that is
material to its advisory business.
D. The Registrant does not receive, directly or indirectly, compensation from investment
advisors that it recommends or selects for its clients.
Item 11
Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and
Personal Trading
A. The Registrant maintains an investment policy relative to personal securities transactions.
This investment policy is part of Registrant’s overall Code of Ethics, which serves to
establish a standard of business conduct for all of Registrant’s representatives that is
based upon fundamental principles of openness, integrity, honesty and trust, a copy of
which is available upon request.
In accordance with Section 204A of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the Registrant
also maintains and enforces written policies reasonably designed to prevent the misuse of
material non-public information by the Registrant or any person associated with the
Registrant.
B. Neither the Registrant nor any related person of Registrant recommends, buys, or sells for
client accounts, securities in which the Registrant or any related person of Registrant has
a material financial interest.
C. The Registrant and/or representatives of the Registrant may buy or sell securities that are
also recommended to clients. This practice may create a situation where the Registrant
and/or representatives of the Registrant are in a position to materially benefit from the
sale or purchase of those securities. Therefore, this situation creates a conflict of interest.
Practices such as “scalping” (i.e., a practice whereby the owner of shares of a security
recommends that security for investment and then immediately sells it at a profit upon the
rise in the market price which follows the recommendation) could take place if the
Registrant did not have adequate policies in place to detect such activities. In addition,
this requirement can help detect insider trading, “front-running” (i.e., personal trades
executed prior to those of the Registrant’s clients) and other potentially abusive practices.
The Registrant has a personal securities transaction policy in place to monitor the
personal securities transactions and securities holdings of each of the Registrant’s
“Access Persons”. The Registrant’s securities transaction policy requires that an Access
Person of the Registrant must provide the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee
with a written report of their current securities holdings within ten (10) days after
becoming an Access Person. Additionally, each Access Person must provide or make
available to the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee a list of reportable
transactions each calendar quarter as well as a written annual report of the Access
Person’s securities holdings; provided, however that at any time that the Registrant has
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only one Access Person, he or she shall not be required to submit any securities report
described above.
D. The Registrant and/or representatives of the Registrant may buy or sell securities, at or
around the same time as those securities are recommended to clients. This practice
creates a situation where the Registrant and/or representatives of the Registrant are in a
position to materially benefit from the sale or purchase of those securities. Therefore, this
situation creates a conflict of interest. As indicated above in Item 11.C, the Registrant has
a personal securities transaction policy in place to monitor the personal securities
transaction and securities holdings of each of Registrant’s Access Persons.
Item 12
Brokerage Practices
A. In the event that the client requests that the Registrant recommend a broker-
dealer/custodian for execution and/or custodial services (exclusive of those clients that
may direct the Registrant to use a specific broker-dealer/custodian), Registrant generally
recommends that investment management accounts be maintained at Schwab. Prior to
engaging Registrant to provide investment management services, the client will be
required to enter into a formal Investment Advisory Agreement with Registrant setting
forth the terms and conditions under which Registrant shall manage the client's assets,
and a
separate custodial/clearing agreement with each designated broker-
dealer/custodian.
Factors that the Registrant considers in recommending Schwab (or any other broker-
dealer/custodian to clients) include historical relationship with the Registrant, financial
strength, reputation, execution capabilities, pricing, research, and service. Although the
commissions and/or transaction fees paid by Registrant's clients shall comply with the
Registrant's duty to seek best execution, a client may pay a commission that is higher
than another qualified broker-dealer might charge to effect the same transaction where
the Registrant determines, in good faith, that the commission/transaction fee is
reasonable. In seeking best execution, the determinative factor is not the lowest possible
cost, but whether the transaction represents the best qualitative execution, taking into
consideration the full range of a broker-dealer’s services, including the value of research
provided, execution capability, commission rates, and responsiveness. Accordingly,
although Registrant will seek competitive rates, it may not necessarily obtain the lowest
possible commission rates for client account transactions. The brokerage commissions or
transaction fees charged by the designated broker-dealer/custodian are exclusive of, and
in addition to, Registrant's investment management fee. The Registrant’s best execution
responsibility is qualified if securities that it purchases for client accounts are mutual
funds that trade at net asset value as determined at the daily market close.
1. Research and Additional Benefits
Registrant receives from Schwab (or another broker-dealer/custodian, investment
platform, unaffiliated investment manager, vendor, and/or product/fund sponsor)
without cost (and/or at a discount) support services and/or products, certain of which
assist the Registrant to better monitor and service client accounts maintained at such
institutions. Included within the support services that may be obtained by the
Registrant may be investment-related research, pricing information and market data,
software and other technology that provide access to client account data, compliance
and/or practice management-related publications, discounted or gratis consulting
services, discounted and/or gratis attendance at conferences, meetings, and other
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educational and/or social events, marketing support, computer hardware and/or
software and/or other products used by Registrant in furtherance of its investment
advisory business operations.
As indicated above, certain of the support services and/or products received may
assist the Registrant in managing and administering client accounts. Others do not
directly provide such assistance, but rather assist the Registrant to manage and further
develop its business enterprise.
There is no corresponding commitment made by the Registrant to Schwab or any
other entity to invest any specific amount or percentage of client assets in any
specific mutual funds, securities or other investment products as a result of the above
arrangement
2. The Registrant does not receive referrals from broker-dealers.
3. The Registrant does not generally accept directed brokerage arrangements (when a
client requires that account transactions be effected through a specific broker-dealer).
In such client directed arrangements, the client will negotiate terms and arrangements
for their account with that broker-dealer, and Registrant will not seek better execution
services or prices from other broker-dealers or be able to "batch" the client's
transactions for execution through other broker-dealers with orders for other accounts
managed by Registrant. As a result, client may pay higher commissions or other
transaction costs or greater spreads, or receive less favorable net prices, on
transactions for the account than would otherwise be the case.
In the event that the client directs Registrant to effect securities transactions for the
client's accounts through a specific broker-dealer, the client correspondingly
acknowledges that such direction may cause the accounts to incur higher
commissions or transaction costs than the accounts would otherwise incur had the
client determined to effect account transactions through alternative clearing
arrangements that may be available through Registrant. Higher transaction costs
adversely impact account performance. Transactions for directed accounts will
generally be executed following the execution of portfolio transactions for non-
directed accounts.
B. To the extent that the Registrant provides investment management services to its clients,
the transactions for each client account generally will be effected independently, unless
the Registrant decides to purchase or sell the same securities for several clients at
approximately the same time. The Registrant may (but is not obligated to) combine or
“bunch” such orders to seek best execution, to negotiate more favorable commission
rates or to allocate equitably among the Registrant’s clients differences in prices and
commissions or other transaction costs that might have been obtained had such orders
been placed independently. Under this procedure, transactions will be averaged as to
price and will be allocated among clients in proportion to the purchase and sale orders
placed for each client account on any given day. The Registrant shall not receive any
additional compensation or remuneration as a result of such aggregation.
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Item 13
Review of Accounts
A. For those clients to whom Registrant provides investment supervisory services, account
reviews are conducted on an ongoing basis by the Registrant's Principal and/or
representatives. All investment supervisory clients are advised that it remains their
responsibility to advise the Registrant of any changes in their investment objectives
and/or financial situation. All clients (in person or via telephone) are encouraged to
review financial planning issues (to the extent applicable), investment objectives and
account performance with the Registrant on an annual basis.
B. The Registrant may conduct account reviews on an other than periodic basis upon the
occurrence of a triggering event, such as a change in client investment objectives and/or
financial situation, market corrections and client request.
C. Clients are provided, with monthly written transaction confirmation notices and regular
written summary account statements directly from the broker-dealer/custodian and/or
program sponsor for the client accounts. The Registrant may also provide a written
periodic report summarizing account activity and performance.
Item 14
Client Referrals and Other Compensation
A. As referenced in Item 12.A.1 above, the Registrant receives an economic benefit from
Schwab.
There is no corresponding commitment made by the Registrant to Schwab or any other
entity to invest any specific amount or percentage of client assets in any specific mutual
funds, securities or other investment products as a result of the above arrangement.
B. The Registrant does not compensate, directly or indirectly, any person, other than its
representatives, for client referrals.
Item 15
Custody
The Registrant shall have the ability to have its advisory fee for each client debited by the
custodian on a quarterly basis. Clients are provided with transaction confirmation notices
and regular summary account statements directly from the broker-dealer/custodian and/or
program sponsor for the client accounts.
Custody Situations: The Registrant engages in other practices and/or services on behalf
of its clients that require disclosure at ADV Part 1, Item 9. Some of such practices and/or
services are subject to an annual surprise CPA examination in accordance with the
requirements of Rule 206(4)-2 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
In addition, certain clients have established asset transfer authorizations which permit the
qualified custodian to rely upon instructions from the Registrant to transfer client funds
or securities to third parties. These arrangements are also disclosed at ADV Part 1, Item
9, but in accordance with the guidance provided in the SEC’s February 21, 2017
Investment Adviser Association No-Action Letter, the affected accounts are not subject
to an annual surprise CPA examination.
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Item 16
Investment Discretion
The client can determine to engage the Registrant to provide investment advisory services
on a discretionary basis. Prior to the Registrant assuming discretionary authority over a
client’s account, the client shall be required to execute an Investment Advisory
Agreement, naming the Registrant as the client’s attorney and agent in fact, granting the
Registrant 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 the Registrant on a discretionary basis may, at any time, impose
restrictions, in writing, on the Registrant’s discretionary authority. (i.e., limit the
types/amounts of particular securities purchased for their account, exclude the ability to
purchase securities with an inverse relationship to the market, limit or proscribe the
Registrant’s use of margin, etc.).
Item 17
Voting Client Securities
Unless the client directs otherwise in writing, the Registrant is responsible for voting
client proxies (However, the client shall maintain exclusive responsibility for all legal
proceedings or other type events pertaining to the account assets, including, but not
limited to, class action lawsuits.). The Registrant shall vote proxies in accordance with its
Proxy Voting Policy, a copy of which is available upon request.
The Registrant shall monitor corporate actions of individual issuers and investment
companies consistent with the Registrant’s fiduciary duty to vote proxies in the best
interests of its clients. Although the factors which Registrant will consider when
determining how it will vote differ on a case-by-case basis, they may, but are not limited
to, include the following: a review of recommendations from issuer management,
shareholder proposals, cost effects of such proposals, effect on employees and executive
and director compensation.
involving social
With respect to individual issuers, the Registrant may be solicited to vote on matters
including corporate governance, adoption or amendments to compensation plans
(including stock options), and matters
issues and corporate
responsibility. With respect to investment companies (e.g., mutual funds), the Registrant
may be solicited to vote on matters including the approval of advisory contracts,
distribution plans, and mergers.
The Registrant shall maintain records pertaining to proxy voting as required pursuant to
Rule 204-2 (c)(2) under the Advisers Act. Copies of Rules 206(4)-6 and 204-2(c)(2) are
available upon written request. In addition, information pertaining to how the Registrant
voted on any specific proxy issue is also available upon written request. Requests should
be made by contacting the Registrant’s Chief Compliance Officer, Elizabeth Miller.
Item 18
Financial Information
A. The Registrant does not solicit fees of more than $1,200, per client, six months or more in
advance.
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B. The Registrant is unaware of any financial condition that is reasonably likely to impair its
ability to meet its contractual commitments relating to its discretionary authority over
certain client accounts.
C. The Registrant has not been the subject of a bankruptcy petition.
The Registrant’s Chief Compliance Officer, Elizabeth Miller, remains available to
address any questions that a client or prospective client may have regarding the above
disclosures and arrangements.
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