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Item 1
Cover Page
WATERSTONE WEALTH ADVISORS, LLC
CRD # 139265
ADV Part 2A, Brochure
Dated: February 14, 2026
Contact: John Moynihan, Chief Compliance Officer
P.O. Box 5370
Somerset, NJ 08875
Phone: 732-873-0433
732-362-7833
Fax:
Website: www.wwallc.net
E-Mail: john.moynihan@wwallc.net
This Brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of Waterstone
Wealth Advisors, LLC. If you have any questions about the contents of this Brochure, please
contact us at 732-873-0433. 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 Waterstone Wealth Advisors, LLC also is available on the SEC’s
website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
References herein to Waterstone Wealth 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 to Waterstone Wealth Advisors, LLC’s ADV Part 2A Brochure
since its last Annual Amendment filing made on February 19, 2025.
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.............. 12
Item 12 Brokerage Practices .................................................................................................................... 13
Item 13 Review of Accounts .................................................................................................................... 15
Item 14 Client Referrals and Other Compensation .................................................................................. 15
Item 15 Custody ....................................................................................................................................... 16
Item 16
Investment Discretion ................................................................................................................. 16
Item 17 Voting Client Securities .............................................................................................................. 17
Item 18 Financial Information ................................................................................................................. 17
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Item 4
Advisory Business
A. Waterstone Wealth Advisors, LLC, (the “Registrant”) is a limited liability company
formed in the state of New Jersey on October 5, 2005 which became a registered
Investment Adviser Firm in April 2006. The Registrant is principally owned by John
Moynihan, who is the Registrant’s Managing Member and Chief Compliance Officer.
B.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES
The Registrant provides discretionary or non-discretionary investment advisory services
on a fee-only basis. The Registrant’s annual investment advisory fee is based upon a
percentage (%) of the market value of the assets placed under the Registrant’s
management. Before engaging the Registrant to provide investment advisory services,
clients are required to enter into an Investment Advisory Agreement with Registrant
setting forth the terms and conditions of the engagement (including termination),
describing the scope of the services to be provided, and the fee that is due from the client.
Registrant’s annual investment advisory fee includes investment advisory services, and,
to the extent specifically requested by the client, 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 pursuant to a stand-alone Financial
Planning Agreement (see below).
To commence the investment advisory process, the Registrant will ascertain each client’s
investment objective(s) and allocate or recommend that the client allocate investment
assets consistent with the client’s designated investment objective(s). Once allocated, the
Registrant provides ongoing monitoring and review of account performance and asset
allocation as compared to client investment objectives, and may periodically execute or
recommend execution of account transactions based upon such reviews.
FINANCIAL PLANNING AND CONSULTING SERVICES
The Registrant may provide financial planning and/or consulting services (including
investment and non-investment related matters, including estate planning, insurance
planning, etc.) on a stand-alone separate fee basis.
Prior to engaging the Registrant to provide planning or consulting services, clients are
required to enter into a Financial Planning and Consulting Agreement with Registrant
setting forth the terms and conditions of the engagement (including termination),
describing the scope of the services to be provided, and the portion of the fee that is due
from the client prior to Registrant commencing services. If requested by the client,
Registrant may recommend the services of other professionals for implementation
purposes. 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 the
Registrant.
If the client engages any such recommended 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.,
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attorney, accountant, insurance agent, etc.), and not the Registrant, shall be responsible
for the quality and competency of the services provided.
It remains the client’s 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.
MISCELLANEOUS
Limitations of Financial Planning and Non-Investment Consulting/Implementation
Services. As indicated above, to the extent requested by a client, Registrant may provide
financial planning and related consulting services. 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, 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, Registrant may recommend the services of other
professionals for certain non-investment implementation purposes (i.e., attorneys,
accountants, insurance agents, etc.). Clients are reminded that they are 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 made by Registrant or its representatives.
If the client engages any unaffiliated recommended 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.
Non-Discretionary Service Limitations. Clients that determine to engage Registrant on
a non-discretionary investment advisory basis must be willing to accept that Registrant
cannot affect any account transactions without obtaining prior consent to such
transaction(s) from the client. Therefore, in the event that Registrant would like to make a
transaction for a client’s account (including in the event of an individual holding or
general market correction), and the client is unavailable, the Registrant will be unable to
effect the account transaction(s) (as it would for its discretionary clients) without first
obtaining the client’s consent.
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
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age, result in adverse tax consequences). If Registrant recommends that a client roll over
their retirement plan assets into an account to be managed by Registrant, such a
recommendation creates a conflict of interest if Registrant will earn new (or increase its
current) compensation as a result of
the rollover. If Registrant provides a
recommendation as to whether a client should engage in a rollover or not, Registrant is
acting as a fiduciary 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. No client is under any obligation to roll over retirement plan assets
to an account managed by Registrant.
Use of Mutual Funds: While the Registrant may recommend allocating investment
assets to mutual funds that are not available directly to the public, the Registrant may also
recommend that clients allocate investment assets to publicly available mutual funds that
the client could obtain without engaging Registrant as an investment adviser. However, if
a client or prospective client determines to allocate investment assets to publicly available
mutual funds without engaging Registrant as an investment adviser, the client or
prospective client would not receive the benefit of Registrant’s initial and ongoing
investment advisory services.
Other mutual funds, such as those issued by Dimensional Fund Advisors (“DFA”), are
generally only available through registered investment advisers. Registrant may allocate
client investment assets to DFA mutual funds. Therefore, upon the termination of
Registrant’s services to a client, restrictions regarding transferability and/or additional
purchases of, or reallocation among DFA funds will apply.
Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency, and Digital Assets. For clients who want exposure to Bitcoin,
cryptocurrencies, or digital assets, the Registrant will 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
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.
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. 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.
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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
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.
Account Aggregation Reporting Services. Registrant uses account aggregation
software, which can incorporate client investment assets that are not part of the assets that
Registrant manages (the “Excluded Assets”). Unless agreed to otherwise, in writing, the
client and/or their other advisors that maintain trading authority, and not Registrant, shall
be exclusively responsible for the investment performance of the Excluded Assets.
Unless also agreed to otherwise, in writing, Registrant does not provide investment
management, monitoring or implementation services for the Excluded Assets. The client
can engage Registrant to provide investment management services for the Excluded
Assets pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Investment Advisory Agreement
between Registrant and the client.
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, mutual fund
manager tenure, style drift, and/or a change in the client’s investment objective. Based
6
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.
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
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. Copies of the Registrant’s written disclosure statement and client
relationship summary, as set forth on Part 2 of Form ADV and Form CRS respectively,
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shall be provided to each client prior to the execution of the Investment Advisory
Agreement or Financial Planning and Consulting Agreement.
investment advisory services, an
C. The Registrant shall provide investment advisory services specific to the needs of each
investment adviser
client. Before providing
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 $152,382,153 in client assets under
management on a discretionary basis and $12,472,258 in client assets under management
on a non-discretionary basis.
Item 5
Fees and Compensation
A.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES
In general, Registrant’s annual investment advisory fee shall be based upon a percentage
(%) of the market value and type of assets placed under the Registrant’s management
between 0.25% and 1.00% as follows:
Assets Under Management
First $1,000,000
Next $1,000,000
Next $2,000,000
Next $2,000,000
Amount over $6,000,000
Annual Fee %
1.00%
0.75%
0.45%
0.30%
0.25%
Before engaging the Registrant to provide investment advisory services, clients are
required to enter into a discretionary or non-discretionary Investment Advisory
Agreement, setting forth the terms and conditions of the engagement (including
termination), which describes the fees and services to be provided.
As indicated above, Registrant shall receive an investment advisory fee based upon a
percentage (%) of the market value of the assets placed under management. However,
fees may vary depending upon various objective and subjective factors. As a result,
similar clients could pay different fees, which will correspondingly impact a client’s net
account performance. Moreover, the services to be provided by the Registrant to any
particular client could be available from other advisers at lower fees.
The Registrant generally requires a minimum asset level of $300,000, which computes to
a minimum annual fee of $3,000. However, the Registrant may, in its sole discretion,
require or charge a lesser minimum asset level or fee based upon certain criteria including
but not limited to: anticipated future earning capacity, anticipated future additional assets,
dollar amount of assets to be managed, related accounts, account composition,
negotiations with client, etc.
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If the client maintains less than $300,000 of assets under Registrant’s management, and is
subject to the $3,000 annual minimum fee, the client will pay a higher percentage fee
than the 1.00% referenced in the above fee schedule.
FINANCIAL PLANNING AND CONSULTING SERVICES (STAND-ALONE)
The Registrant’s planning and consulting fees are negotiable, but are generally $350 on
an hourly basis and generally range between $5,000 and $25,000 on a fixed fee basis,
depending upon the level, complexity, and scope of the service(s) required.
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.
The Registrant shall deduct fees and/or bill clients quarterly in advance, based upon
either: the prorated market value of the assets on the last business day of the previous
quarter; or, the quarterly portion of a pre-determined and agreed-upon annual retainer
amount.
To the extent that a client’s fee is based upon assets under management, the Registrant
shall adjust its fees for inflows and outflows in excess of $10,000 during the billing
period. These adjustments well be debited or credited as part of the next quarter’s billing.
C. As discussed below, unless the client directs otherwise or an individual client’s
circumstances require, the Registrant shall generally recommend that Charles Schwab &
Co. Inc., member FINRA/SIPC (“Schwab”) and/or Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC,
member FINRA/SIPC (“Fidelity”) serve as the broker-dealer/custodian for client
investment management assets. Broker-dealers such as Schwab and Fidelity 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 and Fidelity, 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 and Fidelity will not change their transaction fee
pricing in the future.
Schwab and Fidelity may also assess fees to clients who elect to receive trade
confirmations and account statements by regular mail rather than electronically.
In addition to Registrant’s investment management fee, brokerage commissions and/or
transaction fees, clients will also incur, relative to all mutual fund and exchange traded
9
fund (“ETF”) purchases, charges imposed at the fund level (e.g., management fees and
other fund expenses).
D. 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 any of 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 generally include: individuals, high net worth individuals,
pension and profit sharing plans, charitable organizations, and business entities.
Item 8
Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss
A. Registrant may utilize the following methods of security analysis:
Fundamental - (analysis performed on historical and present data, with the goal
of making financial forecasts)
Technical – (analysis performed on historical and present data, focusing on price
and trade volume, to forecast the direction of prices)
Cyclical – (analysis performed on historical relationships between price and
market trends, 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)
Trading (securities sold within thirty (30) days)
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
strategy (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or
undertaken by the Registrant) will be profitable or equal any specific performance
level(s). Investing in securities involves risk of loss that clients should be prepared to
bear.
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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 method of analysis and investment strategy does 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, Short Term
Purchases, and Trading - 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 develop but, as a result of more frequent trading, may incur higher
transactional costs when compared to a longer term investment strategy. Trading, an
investment strategy that requires the purchase and sale of securities within a thirty (30)
day investment time period, involves a very short investment time period but will incur
higher transaction costs when compared to a short term investment strategy and
substantially higher transaction costs than a longer term investment strategy.
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C. Currently, the Registrant allocates client investment assets primarily among various
open-end mutual funds with the remainder allocated among ETFs and other individual
equity securities on a discretionary or non-discretionary basis in accordance with the
client’s designated investment objective(s).
Item 9
Disciplinary Information
The Registrant has not been the subject of a disciplinary action.
Item 10
Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations
A. Neither 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.
B. Neither 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. Registrant has no other relationship or arrangement with a related person that is material
to its advisory business.
D. Registrant does not recommend or select other investment advisors for its clients for
which it receives a fee.
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
12
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
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 11C, 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 and/or
Fidelity. Before 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.
the Registrant
determines,
in
good
faith,
that
Factors that the Registrant considers in recommending Schwab, Fidelity, 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
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 broker-dealer 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-
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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
Although not a material consideration when determining whether to recommend that
a client utilize the services of Schwab, Fidelity or another broker-dealer/custodian,
investment platform, unaffiliated
investment manager, vendor, unaffiliated
product/fund sponsor, or vendor, Registrant receives from Schwab and Fidelity,
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
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 a broker-dealer 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. Directed Brokerage.
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
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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.
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 John Moynihan, who is the Registrant’s
Managing Member and Chief Compliance Officer. 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, at least quarterly, with 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 economic benefits from
Schwab and Fidelity, without cost (and/or at a discount), including support services
and/or products.
There is no corresponding commitment made by the Registrant to Schwab, Fidelity, 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.
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Schwab and/or Fidelity may also have paid for business consulting and professional
services received by Registrant’s related persons. Some of the products and services
made available by Schwab and/or similar benefits received from Fidelity, may benefit
Registrant but may not benefit its client accounts. These products or services may assist
Registrant in managing and administering client accounts, including accounts not
maintained at Schwab and/or Fidelity. Other services made available by Schwab and/or
Fidelity are intended to help Registrant manage and further develop its business
enterprise.
As part of its fiduciary duties to clients, Registrant endeavors at all times to put the
interests of its clients first. Clients should be aware, however, that the receipt of
economic benefits by Registrant or its related persons in and of itself creates a conflict of
interest and may indirectly influence the Registrant’s choice of Schwab and/or Fidelity
for custody and brokerage services.
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, at least quarterly, with 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.
To the extent that the Registrant provides clients with periodic account statements or
reports, the client is urged to compare any statement or report provided by the Registrant
with the account statements received from the account custodian.
The account custodian does not verify the accuracy of the Registrant’s advisory fee
calculation.
Item 16
Investment Discretion
The client can determine to engage the Registrant to provide investment advisory services
on a discretionary or non-discretionary basis. Prior to the Registrant assuming
discretionary authority over a client’s account, client shall be required to execute an
Investment Advisory Agreement, naming the Registrant as 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.).
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Item 17
Voting Client Securities
A. Except as specifically stated in Fidelity Clients section immediately below, the Registrant
does not vote client proxies. Clients maintain exclusive responsibility for: (1) directing
the manner in which proxies solicited by issuers of securities owned by the client shall be
voted, and (2) making all elections relative to any mergers, acquisitions, tender offers,
bankruptcy proceedings or other type events pertaining to the client’s investment assets.
Fidelity Clients
For certain legacy client accounts maintained with Fidelity, 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 a review of recommendations
from issuer management, shareholder proposals, cost effects of such proposals, effect on
employees and executive and director compensation. 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
involving social 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, John Moynihan.
B. Except as specifically stated above with respect to clients whose funds are maintained
with Fidelity, Clients will receive their proxies or other solicitations directly from their
custodian. Clients may contact the Registrant to discuss any questions they may have
with a particular solicitation.
Item 18
Financial Information
A. The Registrant does not solicit fees of more than $1,200 per client, six months or more in
advance.
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, John Moynihan, remains available to address
any questions that a client or prospective client may have regarding the above disclosures
and arrangements.
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