View Document Text
Independent Advisor Solutions by SEI
SEI Investments Management Corporation
One Freedom Valley Drive Oaks, PA 19456
1-800-DIAL-SEI
www.seic.com
March 31, 2025
This Brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of SEI Investments
Management Corporation (“SIMC”). If you have any questions about the contents of this Brochure, please
contact us at 1-800-DIAL-SEI. The information in this Brochure has not been approved or verified by the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or by any state securities authority.
SIMC is a registered investment advisor. Registration of an investment advisor does not imply any level
of skill or training.
Additional information about SIMC is available on the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
1
Item 2 – Material Changes
We have not made any material changes to this brochure since the September 30, 2024 filing. This
March 31, 2025 amendment includes non-material changes to the disclosures provided under Item 4 (SEI
Mutual Funds and Fund Models-based Program), Item 5 (Firm Model Portfolio Fees), Item 8 (Philosophy and Material
Risks), Item 10 (Hiring of Managers and Sub-Advisors) and Item 17 (Voting).
Currently, our Brochure may be requested by contacting the SIMC Compliance Team at 610-676-3482 or
SIMCCompliance@seic.com.
Additional information about SIMC is also available via the SEC’s web site www.advisorinfo.sec.gov. The
SEC’s web site also provides information about any persons affiliated with SIMC who are registered, or
are required to be registered, as investment advisor representatives of SIMC.
2
Item 3 – Table of Contents
Contents
Item 2 – Material Changes .............................................................................................. 2
Item 3 – Table of Contents ............................................................................................. 3
Item 4 – Advisory Business ............................................................................................. 4
Item 5 – Fees and Compensation ..................................................................................... 15
Item 6 – Performance Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management ............................................... 21
Item 7 – Types of Clients .............................................................................................. 22
Item 8 – Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss .......................................... 23
Item 9 – Disciplinary Information ..................................................................................... 38
Item 10 – Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations .................................................... 39
Item 11 – Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and Personal Trading ........... 44
Item 12 – Brokerage Practices ........................................................................................ 46
Item 13 – Review of Accounts ........................................................................................ 50
Item 14 – Client Referrals and Other Compensation .............................................................. 51
Item 15 – Custody ...................................................................................................... 56
Item 16 – Investment Discretion ...................................................................................... 57
Item 17 – Voting Client Securities .................................................................................... 58
Item 18 – Financial Information ...................................................................................... 60
3
Item 4 – Advisory Business
SIMC is an investment advisor registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”) with
the SEC. It is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of SEI Investments Company (“SEIC”), a publicly traded
diversified financial services firm (NASDAQ: SEIC) headquartered in Oaks, Pennsylvania, a suburb of
Philadelphia. SIMC and its predecessor entities were originally incorporated in 1969.
SIMC is investment advisor to various types of investors, including but not limited to, corporate and union
sponsored pension plans, public plans, defined contribution plans (including 401(k) plans), endowments,
charitable foundations, hospital organizations, banks, trust departments, registered investment advisors,
trusts, corporations, high net worth individuals and retail investors. SIMC also serves as the investment
advisor to a number of pooled investment vehicles, including mutual funds, ETFs, exchanged traded
funds, hedge funds, private equity funds, alternative funds, collective investment trusts and offshore
investment funds (together, the “Pooled Investment Vehicles”). Additionally, SIMC serves as the sponsor
of, and advisor to, managed accounts.
SIMC’s total assets under management as of December 31, 2024 were $198,143,431,156, $
190,210,309,485 of which it manages on a discretionary basis and $7,933,121,671 on a non-discretionary
basis.
Independent Advisor Solutions by SEI
Independent Advisor Solutions by SEI (“IAS”), a core business unit of SEIC, provides investment
management and investment processing platforms to affluent investors through a network of
independent registered investment advisors, financial planners, and other investment professionals
(“Independent Advisors”) in the United States. In addition to the integrated platform of services, IAS
also provides Independent Advisors with access to SIMC’s investment products and managed account
program for use with their end clients (each, a “Client” and together, the “Clients”).
As further described in this section, Independent Advisors serve as investment advisor to their Clients,
act as the sole contact and are responsible for analyzing each of their Client’s current financial situation,
return expectations, risk tolerance, time horizon and asset class preference. The Independent Advisor is
also responsible for meeting with Clients at least annually to determine any material changes to the
Client’s financial circumstances or investment objectives that may affect the manner in which such
Client’s assets are invested.
SIMC’s affiliate, SEI Private Trust Company (“SPTC”), a limited purpose federal thrift that custodies IAS
Client accounts, requires accounts to participate in the SPTC SEI Integrated Cash Program (“Integrated
Cash Program”). As described in detail in Item 10, the Integrated Cash Program sweeps Client cash held
in accounts at SPTC into deposit accounts eligible for insurance by the FDIC (“FDIC Sweep”) and, in most
cases, accounts are required to retain a minimum allocation to the Integrated Cash Program (generally
1% of account value). This program results in financial benefits to SPTC and SIMC. Please see Item 10 and
15 below for more information about SPTC, its custodial services provided to Clients and the Integrated
Cash Program.
The various SIMC services and investment programs offered by Independent Advisors to their Clients
through IAS are explained below and in a separate “Wrap Brochure” describing SIMC’s managed account
solutions offering, the Independent Advisor Solutions by SEI-Managed Account Solutions Wrap Fee
Program Brochure.
SEI Pooled Investment Vehicles
SEI Mutual Funds
SIMC serves as the investment advisor to (i) the SEI mutual funds, which are a family of SEC-registered
mutual funds and (ii) the SEI interval fund, a closed-end management investment company (“SEI Funds”).
Most of the SEI Funds are manager-of-managers funds, which means that SIMC (i) hires one or more sub-
advisors to manage all or a portion of the SEI Funds’ assets on a day-to-day basis; (ii) monitors the sub-
advisors; (iii) allocates, on a continuous basis, assets of a SEI Fund among the sub-advisors (to the
4
extent a fund has more than one sub-advisor); and (iv) when necessary, replaces sub-advisors. Each
sub-advisor makes investment decisions for the assets it manages and continuously reviews, supervises
and administers its investment program. SIMC is generally responsible for establishing, monitoring, and
administering the investment program of each SEI Fund. With respect to many of the SEI Funds,
including, as applicable, in combination with the manager-of-managers structure, SIMC directly
manages all or a substantial portion, of the SEI Funds’ assets directly. Please see Item 8 for additional
information on the sub- advisor selection process.
SEI Exchange Traded Funds
SIMC serves as the investment advisor to the SEI exchange traded funds, a registered series of SIMC-
managed funds (“SEI ETFs”). As investment advisor, SIMC has overall responsibility for the general
management and administration of the SEI ETFs. SIMC manages all of the assets of SEI ETFs, or a
substantial portion of the assets of SEI ETFs in combination with the manager-of-manager structure
discussed in the section above.
When managing SEI ETFs’ assets directly SIMC may draw upon the research and expertise of its
affiliates with respect to certain portfolio securities. In seeking to achieve the SEI ETFs’ investment
objective, SIMC uses teams of portfolio managers, investment strategists and other investment
specialists. This team approach brings together many disciplines and leverages SIMC’s extensive
resources. SIMC develops various SEI Funds and SEI ETFs, each of which seeks to achieve particular
investment goals. The SEI Funds and SEI ETFs are not tailored to accommodate the needs or objectives
of specific individuals, but rather the program is designed to enable an Independent Advisor to match
its Clients with SEI Funds and SEI ETFs that are consistent with the Client’s investment goals and
objectives. Additionally, Clients invested in the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs may not impose restrictions on
investing in certain securities or types of securities within each SEI Fund and SEI ETFs. The Independent
Advisor is solely responsible for determining the suitability of the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs for its Clients.
Fund Models-Based Program
IAS offers Independent Advisors the ability to invest Client assets into model portfolios of mutual funds
and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”). SIMC currently offers investment models that consist: (i) solely of
allocations to SEI Funds and SEI ETFs (“SEI Asset Allocation Model(s)”); and (ii) allocation to third-party
branded investment model portfolios of certain families of third-party mutual funds or ETFs managed
by well-established fund sponsors working with IAS to promote and distribute the IAS solution
(“Independent Funds Model(s)”). In each models-based program Clients of Independent Advisors, in
consultation and on the recommendation of their Independent Advisor, are able to purchase funds in a
manner intended to follow SIMC-developed model investment portfolios.
Under both the SEI Asset Allocation Models and Independent Funds Models programs SIMC provides non-
discretionary services to the Independent Advisor through the publication of investment models
consisting of allocations to these different funds. Specifically, SIMC: (1) makes available the models,
developed and periodically updated by SIMC designed to achieve the model’s stated investment objective
or goal based upon SIMC’s capital market assumptions and any other criteria that SIMC, in its sole
discretion, determines is relevant; and (2) periodically publishes for consideration by Independent
Advisors revisions to a model’s percentage asset allocations among the underlying SEI Funds, SEI ETFs,
ETFs or third party mutual funds, or adds, removes, or otherwise changes the individual SEI Funds’, SEI
ETFs’, ETFs’ or third party mutual funds’ (or other assets) underlying an existing model.
As SIMC is not managing Client accounts invested in the SEI Asset Allocation Models and Independent
Funds Models programs SIMC does not conduct an independent investigation of the Independent Advisor’s
Client or the Client’s financial condition. Instead, the Independent Advisor serves as the sole investment
advisor to its Client, responsible for analyzing its Client’s current financial situation, risk tolerance, time
horizon, and asset class preference and determining whether a particular model (and its underlying
SEI Funds, SEI ETFs or third party funds, as applicable) is suitable for that Client. Based upon the
Independent Advisor’s consideration of its Client’s objectives and goals, the Independent Advisor can
recommend and the Client can select an SEI Asset Allocation Model or Independent Funds Model. The
Independent Advisor can use tools made available by SIMC, including SIMC’s proprietary proposal tool
5
(“SEI Proposal Tool”), to assist the Independent Advisor in developing an appropriate asset allocation
strategy for the Client and recommending model portfolios to the Independent Advisor for consideration
for use with the Client.
Each model seeks to achieve a particular investment goal or to meet particular risk and return
characteristics. These models are not tailored to accommodate the needs or objectives of specific
investors, but rather the program is designed to enable an Independent Advisor to match its Clients to
investment models that are consistent with the Clients’ investment goals and objectives. Clients may not
impose reasonable restrictions on investing in certain securities or types of securities within each model.
As described in more detail in the specific program descriptions below, how SIMC and its affiliates earn
fees when making available the SEI Asset Allocation Models and Independent Funds Models differs. In the
SEI Asset Allocation Models program, SIMC and its affiliates earns fees from the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs,
which costs are indirectly borne by Clients invested in these models. As a result, SIMC does not charge
Independent Advisors or Clients a direct fee for the use of the SEI Asset Allocation Models, although
SPTC, the custodian to the Client and an affiliate of SIMC, may charge a custodial platform fee on the
portion of Client assets invested in SEI ETFs as, for certain SEI ETFs, SPTC does not earn fees from
these funds (e.g., shareholder servicing fees, etc.) on the SEI ETFs held in SPTC accounts. In the
Independent Funds Model Program SIMC and its affiliates (including SPTC) charge direct fees that will
be assessed to Clients. The level of total fees incurred by a Client directly and/or through the product
level fees between these two programs may differ significantly. SIMC may, in its sole discretion, waive
one or more of these fees, in whole or part based on SEI’s relationship with the firm. SIMC may end any
such fee waiver at any time, after which time affected accounts will be assessed the applicable fees
SIMC manages this conflict through the disclosures we make about the fees we earn. Clients are
encouraged to consult with their Independent Advisors before investing in these programs to consider the
fee structures and costs the Client will incur directly and indirectly through their investment in these
programs.
As the Independent Funds Model Program is only available to a limited number of Independent Advisors,
most Independent Advisors only have access to SEI Asset Allocation Models. Specific information
applicable to each of our models-based programs is discussed below.
SEI Asset Allocation Models
In this models-based program, Clients of Independent Advisors are able to purchase SEI Funds and SEI
ETFs in a manner intended to follow SIMC-developed model investment portfolios. SIMC acts a non-
discretionary advisor to Independent Advisors in this program by developing the investment models and
providing the models and their underlying asset allocations to Independent Advisors for their
consideration, but SIMC does not have an investment advisory relationship with the Independent Advisor’s
Clients in this program. Within the SEI Asset Allocation Program, SIMC periodically adjusts the target
allocations among the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs or may add or subtract SEI Funds or SEI ETFs from a
model. SIMC also may create new models within the Asset Allocation Program. SIMC may allocate to
newly registered SEI Funds or SEI ETFs within existing or new models. Such allocations may assist in
capitalizing or “seeding” these new funds and in turn assist in their promotion as initial or additional
assets may make such funds more attractive to potential investors. A conflict exists in that SIMC and its
affiliates receive compensation from the SEI Funds or SEI ETFs for the various services they provide, and
an allocation to an SEI Fund or SEI ETF could increase such compensation. And, as the SEI ETFs are
relatively new investment products and SIMC expects to launch additional SEI ETFs from time to time,
the inclusion of these funds in a model further benefits SIMC as it allows those ETFs to become
commercially viable and more attractive in the market without SIMC having to invest its own capital in
those SEI ETFs. Clients should be aware that similar products may offer better performance and/or
longer track records than SEI ETFs. Independent Advisors independently determine whether to follow
SIMC’s adjusted model for their Clients by instructing (or not instructing) the custodian to allocate the
Clients’ assets in accordance with the revised SEI Asset Allocation Model’s parameters and/or by
selecting a different model for use with its Clients.
As SIMC is the investment advisor to the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs, and SIMC’s affiliates provide services to
the SEI Fund and SEI ETFs for which they receive fees, including distribution, administrative and
shareholder services, SIMC has a conflict of interest in recommending the SEI Asset Allocation Models to
6
Independent Advisors. SIMC believes this conflict of interest is managed through the disclosures we make
about the program and, importantly, as a result of the fact that the Independent Advisor, and not
SIMC, is solely responsible for recommending and selecting the use of an SEI Asset Allocation Model
with its Clients. In addition, SIMC does not charge the Independent Advisor for the non- discretionary
advice it provides through the development, maintenance and publication of the SEI Asset Allocation
Models or the tools made available for use by Independent Advisors with their Clients within this
program, which fees are assessed in the Independent Funds Model Program.
Since a large portion of the assets in the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs are comprised of Clients following
these Asset Allocation Models (or other asset allocation models for which SIMC either determines or
influences the allocation), model reallocation activity could result in significant purchase or
redemption activity in the SEI Funds or SEI ETFs. While reallocations are intended to benefit Clients
that invest in the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs through the SEI Asset Allocation Models, they could in certain
cases have a detrimental effect on the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs that are being materially reallocated,
including by increasing portfolio turnover (and related transaction costs), disrupting portfolio
management strategy, and causing a SEI Fund or SEI ETF to incur taxable gains. Further, Clients
following the Asset Allocation Models may experience transaction costs due to the purchase and
redemption of SEI Fund or SEI ETF shares, including capital gains. SIMC seeks to manage the impact to
the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs resulting from reallocations.
For temporary defensive or liquidity purposes during unusual economic or market conditions, SIMC may
change the allocations of the SEI Asset Allocation Model in a manner that would not ordinarily be
consistent with a portfolio’s strategy. SIMC will only do so only if it believes that the risk of loss
outweighs the opportunity for capital gains or higher income. During such time, a portfolio may not
achieve its investment goal.
Independent Funds Model Program
The Independent Funds Model Program is closed to new Clients, although it remains available to Clients
that currently invest in the program. In this program, Independent Advisors and their Clients desire to
use SIMC’s non-discretionary asset allocation advice, as discussed above for the SEI Asset Allocation
Models, but implemented through branded investment models allocated to funds of well-known mutual
fund/ETF sponsors with established records managing retail assets through traditional pooled
investment products (e.g., mutual funds and ETFs). To use this program, Independent Advisors execute
a non-discretionary advisory agreement with SIMC in order for SIMC to receive an advisory fee for its
services provided to the Independent Advisor. In most cases SIMC expects that Independent Advisors
will pass the fees charged by SIMC in this program directly to its Clients invested in an Independent
Funds Model and the IAS account opening paperwork allows Clients to authorize SPTC, as custodian to
their account, to deduct these fees directly from their SPTC custodial accounts.
As set forth in the applicable account application executed by a Client, SPTC will also charge accounts
invested in the Independent Funds Models Program a custodial platform fee. This fee is not charged to
Independent Advisors or Clients when investing in SEI Funds as part of the SEI Asset Allocation Models as
SPTC earns fees from the SEI Funds. SIMC believes the conflict of interest in the differing fee structures
between the models-based programs is managed through the disclosures we make about the program
and, importantly, as a result of the fact that the Independent Advisor, and not SIMC, is solely responsible
for recommending and selecting the use of the Independent Funds Models with its Clients.
SIMC does not research the entire market of available mutual funds/ETFs when selecting third party
funds for use in this program. Instead, IAS develops strategic business relationships with the sponsors of
a limited number of third party mutual fund/ETF families that meet specific business and investment
criteria established by SIMC and develops branded investment models promoting the third party’s
investment brand.
These business criteria include willingness to engage in joint marketing, sales support, event support and
other mutually beneficial marketing and sales arrangements with SEI. As a result, SIMC has a conflict of
interest when making these funds available because SIMC relies on these firms to help market and support
IAS solutions. Another criteria SIMC takes into consideration is whether the mutual fund/ETF families are
well established and well known “brands” in the Independent Advisor channel. This reliance on these
firms creates a disincentive for SIMC to discontinue the availability of the third party funds they sponsor,
7
even if their funds do not compare favorably to other available funds on objective factors such as
performance or cost. Investment criteria SIMC uses to select third party funds varies as will the percent
of a model’ allocation to third party funds. In some cases SIMC selects mutual fund/ETF sponsors whose
fund line-up spans from a majority of to a full range of asset classes necessary to meet SIMC’s range of
the models’ asset allocations. In other cases, the third party fund sponsor has a more limited range of
funds that SIMC uses to populate a model, which may be as low as 10% of a model’s total investment
allocation. In those cases where the mutual fund/ETF sponsor does not have a mutual fund or ETF
meeting SIMC’s requirements for a specific asset class within a model strategy, SIMC will select SEI ETFs
or other third party ETFs or mutual funds to complete a Third Party Fund program strategy. SIMC will
first determine if an SEI ETF meets the asset class requirement and, if so, will use the SEI ETF as part
of the model. This determination is based on the SEI ETF’s stated investment strategy and its alignment
with the asset call requirement, as determined in SIMC’s discretion. SEI then selects from third party
ETFs and mutual funds to complete the model allocation. In some instances, SIMC may periodically rely
on information and models supplied by a third party sponsor as an input into SIMC’s portfolio
optimization. Although SIMC may incorporate such inputs, SIMC’s strategy is expected to differ from
such third party sponsor models, at times materially, including with respect to security selection,
weighting, and performance. SIMC’s ability to offer strategies may be constrained by the type or
number of third party sponsor funds. Certain strategies may not be a complete investment program and
should be considered only as one part of an investment portfolio.
The business and other criteria listed in the preceding paragraph are the primary factors SIMC takes
into consideration when selecting any third party fund sponsor for participation in the Independent
Funds Model Program. Moreover, there are other business-related criteria that SIMC takes into
consideration. In particular, SIMC and its affiliates provide a wide range of financial services to
institutional firms, including through the provision of technology solutions, middle and back office
platform solutions, turn- key pooled product solutions and other financial services unrelated to the IAS
offering. The revenue SIMC and its affiliates earn from these relationships often is significant. When
selecting mutual fund/ETF sponsors for inclusion in the Independent Funds Model Program, SIMC will
take these other SEI relationships into account and, accordingly, IAS may select a mutual fund/ETF
sponsor that is a client of SEI for other purposes and we have a conflict of interest when doing so. We
mitigate this conflict through the requirement that in all cases the firm meet our above noted criteria
at the time of initial inclusion in the program and also on an ongoing basis. In addition, SIMC believes
the conflict of interest associated with the business criteria described above is managed through the
disclosures we make about the program and, importantly, as a result of the fact that the Independent
Advisor has multiple options available when determining how to access SIMC’s asset allocation advice,
both through the availability of multiple Independent Funds Model Program models and the programs
available outside of the Independent Funds Model Program, and that the Independent Advisors, and not
SIMC, is solely responsible for recommending and selecting the use of any Independent Funds Model
Program model with its Clients.
SIMC has conflicts of interest when the SEI ETFs are used to fulfill an Independent Funds Model Program
model’s asset allocation. SIMC is the investment advisor to the SEI ETFs, and earns advisory fees for
providing services to them, which revenue SIMC does not earn when selecting third party funds. In
addition, SIMC’s affiliates provide services to the SEI ETFs (e.g., administrative, distribution, transfer
agency, etc.) and receive fees from the funds for these services. SIMC’s affiliates would not typically
receive these custodial, shareholder servicing and administrative fees in connection with direct
investments or investments in unaffiliated mutual funds. The inclusion of these funds in a model
further benefits SIMC as it allows those ETFs to become commercially viable and more attractive in the
market without SIMC having to invest its own capital in those SEI ETFs. Clients should be aware that
similar products may offer better performance and/or longer track records than SEI ETFs. SIMC believes
the conflict of interest associated described above is managed through the disclosures we make about
the program and, importantly, as a result of the fact that the Independent Advisor has multiple options
available when determining how to access SIMC’s asset allocation advice, and that the Independent
Advisors, and not SIMC, is solely responsible for recommending and selecting the use of any
Independent Funds Model Program model with its Clients. In connection with the allocations to the
Integrated Cash Program SIMC does not charge the SIMC fee on amounts allocated to FDIC Sweep.
8
Managed Account Solutions
Managed Account Solutions (“MAS”) is a wrap fee program available to Independent Advisors within IAS.
SIMC charges a bundled fee that includes advisory, brokerage and custody services. SIMC sponsors and is
advisor to MAS, which is offered to Independent Advisors for investment by their Clients. SIMC enters
into a tri-party investment management agreement with the Independent Advisor and its Client to
provide MAS. In the MAS Program, the Client appoints the Independent Advisor as its investment advisor
to assist the Client in selecting an appropriate investment strategy. The Client appoints SIMC to
manage the assets in each portfolio in accordance with the strategy recommended by the Independent
Advisor and selected by the Client.
MAS consists of distinct investment programs administered by SIMC, each program encompassing various
investment strategies (each strategy, a “Managed Account Strategy”), available for use by Independent
Advisors with their Clients. The two programs currently available under MAS are: (1) our “Individual
Manager Strategies” which are individual investment strategies (or model investment portfolios)
constructed by third party investment managers selected and overseen by SIMC (“Portfolio Managers”)
or, in certain cases, constructed and directly managed by SIMC, covering a broad spectrum of
investment styles; and (2) our ”Models-Based Strategies” consisting of investment strategy models
managed directly by SIMC comprised of either (i) SEI Funds and SEI ETFs, (ii) third party exchange
traded funds (“ETFs”) and/or SEI ETFs, or (iii) third party branded investment strategies investing in
families of third-party mutual funds or ETFs managed by well-established fund/ETF sponsors working
with IAS to promote and distribute our MAS program. A detailed description of MAS, including the
services provided, available SIMC Managed Account Strategies and the related fees, can be found in the
Wrap Brochure.
As specified in the applicable MAS program materials, SIMC constructs and directly manages certain
Individual Manager Strategies instead of hiring Portfolio Managers to do so. The strategies SIMC
manages directly include various fixed income strategies, index-replication strategies, and factor-based
strategies. Generally, these investment management services are not tailored to accommodate the
needs or objectives of specific individuals, but rather this program is designed to enable Clients to be
matched with a portfolio that is consistent with the Client’s investment goals and objectives. Within
MAS SIMC does also offer customized fixed income portfolios, where SIMC, at the Independent Advisor’s
instruction and with the Independent Advisor’s review and approval, customizes a fixed income
portfolio for a Client based on the information provided to SIMC from the Client’s Independent Advisor.
In all cases, a Client may, at any time, impose reasonable restrictions on the management of its
account.
SIMC Sub-Advised Program
The SIMC Sub-Advised Program (“Sub-Advised Program”) is made available to Independent Advisors who
may allocate their Clients’ assets for investment into this program. SIMC is hired by the Independent
Advisor as sub-adviser to the Independent Advisor in order to provide certain non-discretionary and
discretionary sub-advisory services to the Independent Advisor in connection with the Independent
Advisor’s services provided to its Clients. SIMC makes available to the Independent Advisor the same
SIMC Managed Account Strategies under this program as those made available in MAS. However, in this
program only the Independent Advisor and SIMC (and not the Independent Advisor’s Client) enter into an
agreement (“SIMC Sub-Advisory Program Agreement”) which provides that SIMC’s will provide services
solely to the Independent Advisor through the management of assets allocated to the Sub-Advised
Program. Additionally, within the Sub- Advised Program SIMC may, at the request of an Independent
Advisor, develop customized investment strategies (each, a “Custom Strategy”) that SIMC will make
available for use by the Independent Advisor with its Clients in the same manner that SIMC makes
available and manages the MAS strategies under the Sub-Advised Program. Each Custom Strategy is
developed by SIMC based on strategy criteria and characteristics requested by the Independent Advisor.
At any time SIMC may elect to make a Custom Strategy developed for one Independent Advisor
available to other advisors within the Sub-Advised Program and/or make a strategy generally available
in the MAS program. The fees for a Custom Strategy will be agreed upon with the Independent Advisor at
the time of development, but in all cases will range between 0.14% and 0.30%.
Rather, the Sub-Advised Program is designed to enable the Independent Advisor to match its Clients with
9
one or more SIMC Managed Account Strategies and Custom Strategies that are consistent with the
Client’s investment goals and objectives (as determined by the Independent Advisor).
SIMC does not have an investment advisory relationship with the Independent Advisor’s Clients in the
Sub-Advised Program. As established in the Sub-Advised Program Agreement, the Independent Advisor is
solely responsible for advisory services provided to Clients, including determining that the SIMC Managed
Account Strategies and Custom Strategies selected by the Independent Advisor are suitable for its Clients.
Once the Independent Advisor allocates Client assets to one or more SIMC Managed Account Strategies
or Custom Strategies, those assets will be invested by SIMC in accordance with the applicable strategies,
as updated by SIMC (or the applicable Portfolio Manager) from time to time. The Independent Advisor
may select one or more SIMC Managed Account Strategies or Custom Strategies for an account.
In many cases, including Distribution-Focused Strategies and most equity-based SIMC Managed Account
Strategies and Custom Strategies, SIMC is provided with the Portfolio Manager’s investment strategy
model (each a “Model Manager”) and SIMC will generally execute all equity trades using SEI Investments
Distribution Co. (“SIDCO”), SIMC’s affiliated broker-dealer, consistent with the duty to seek best
execution. SIMC manages assets allocated to the Sub-Advised Program in the same manner that it
manages assets allocated to its MAS program. Accordingly, a portion of the SIMC sub-advisory fees charged
to the Independent Advisor covers equity trading costs of Sub-Advised Program asset trades executed
through SIDCO (See Items 5 and 12 below for more information on SIMC’s brokerage practices.
Additionally, SIMC and certain Portfolio Managers (each, a “Trading Manager”) also execute trades
directly through third party broker dealers in certain cases (i.e., for most fixed income strategies). See
Item 12 – Brokerage Practices, and the Quarterly Execution Quality Review Report made available to the
Independent Advisor and Clients invested in MAS for additional information. The Sub-Advised Program
offers a “tax management” feature pursuant to which SIMC, at the direction of the Independent Advisor,
appoints or acts as an overlay manager for the equity portion of the Independent Advisor’s Client’s assets
invested in the Sub-Advised Program. The various Model Managers whose equity strategies are allocated
to Client accounts by the Independent Advisor provide buy/sell lists (i.e., model portfolios) to the overlay
manager, who is responsible for executing transactions across the account within certain performance
parameters and security weighting variances from the underlying model portfolios, with the goal of
increased coordination across the equity portion of the account, increased tax efficiency and
minimization of wash sales. In certain cases, at the Independent Advisor’s request, SIMC will apply tax
management to Individual Manager Strategies. Clients should consult with their Independent Advisor and
tax advisors as to the suitability of the tax management feature for their accounts. Neither the overlay
manager nor SIMC offers tax advice.
The Independent Advisor may also authorize SIMC to provide ad-hoc tax loss harvesting to its Clients’
accounts invested in the Sub-Advised Program by selling certain securities and substituting appropriate
securities, generally broad based ETFs, when seeking to achieve the estimated tax benefits. SIMC will
engage in tax loss harvesting transactions up to the amount authorized by the Independent Advisor for a
Client to the extent the tax savings may be reasonably achieved while still maintaining the selected
investment strategy. Ad-hoc tax loss harvesting can cause a variance in the performance of a SIMC
Managed Account Strategy or Custom Strategy. The Independent Advisor may, at any time, impose
reasonable restrictions on the management of its Clients’ assets allocated to the Sub-Advised Program.
SIMC discloses its investment management fees (“SIMC Fees”) to the Independent Advisor at or prior to the
time the SIMC Sub-Advised Program Agreement is signed and the Independent Advisor agrees to the SIMC
Fees by executing the agreement. Independent Advisors are responsible for the payment of the SIMC Fees
under this program. In most cases, SIMC expects that the Independent Advisor will instruct the Clients’
Custodian to deduct the applicable SIMC Fees payable by the Independent Advisor directly from its Client
accounts invested in the Sub-Advised Program and pay such amounts to SIMC. Those instructions also
allow for SIMC to seek out cash to deduct the financial intermediary fee across portfolios within an
account in order to reduce the number of trades needed to be placed to cover fees and to ensure that
fees are deducted in a tax efficient manner. In some cases, SEI Funds and SEI ETFs are included within
SIMC Managed Account Strategies and Custom Strategies for which SIMC also serves as an investment
manager and SIMC affiliates provide services, including administrative, transfer agency, distribution,
and shareholder services. Depending on the specific Managed Account Strategies or Custom Strategies
implementation, SIMC either waives its SIMC Fees on those assets or rebates against the SIMC Fee an
amount equal to the fee SIMC earns as manager to the selected SEI Funds or SEI ETFs. Participation in
10
the Sub-Advised Program may cost the Independent Advisor (and its Clients) more or less than if the
Independent Advisor (or its Clients) paid separately for investment advice, brokerage, and other services. In
addition, the fees may be higher or lower than that charged by other comparable programs. Additional
information about SIMC’s use of proprietary funds in Managed Account Strategies and Custom Strategies
and how SIMC addresses the conflict this presents through its fee waiver and rebating process may be
found in the Wrap Brochure. Clients’ assets allocated to SIMC Managed Account Strategies and Custom
Strategies in the Sub-Advisory Program are subject to the risk that performance may deviate from the
performance of similarly managed accounts (including within MAS) and other proprietary or client
accounts over which the Portfolio Manager or SIMC retains trading authority (“Other Accounts”). In
addition, a Portfolio Manager running a model portfolio may implement that model portfolio for its
Other Accounts prior to submitting its model to SIMC. In these circumstances, trades may be subject to
price movements that result in the Independent Advisor’s Clients’ assets receiving prices that are
different from the prices obtained by the Portfolio Manager for its Other Accounts, including less
favorable prices. The risk of such price deviations may increase for large orders or where securities are
thinly traded.
Gateway Manager Program (available to certain Independent Advisors that also participate in the
SIMC Sub-Advised Program)
Through SIMC’s affiliates, IAS offers certain Independent Advisors that also participate in the Sub-Advised
Program access to the “Gateway Manager Program”. Under the Gateway Manager Program, Independent
Advisors have access to certain third party investment managers’ (“Gateway Managers”) equity strategies
(generally in the form of non-discretionary model portfolios) and fixed income strategies (generally in
the form of discretionary separately managed accounts). In the Gateway Manager Program, SIMC’s
affiliate, SEI Global Services, Inc. (“SGS”) provides operational support in connection with the
Independent Advisors’ use of these Gateway Managers’ strategies with their Clients. Independent
Advisors also have access to portfolio construction and rebalancing functionality and tools they may use
to allocate Clients’ assets among the Gateway Managers and their strategies and determine the
appropriateness of such asset allocations for Clients. Unlike SIMC’s role within MAS, in this program SIMC
does not select, oversee or contract with these Gateway Managers and, accordingly, SIMC does not act
in a fiduciary capacity in connection with the selection, retention or oversight of the Gateway Managers
or their investment strategies. In addition, SIMC’s affiliates who provide access and operational support
in connection with this program also do not provide any services regarding the selection, retention or
oversight of the Gateway Managers. The Independent Advisor is solely responsible for the
recommendation, selection and ongoing monitoring of Gateway Managers and their investment strategies
for Clients, any allocation among them, ensuring that any recommendation or selection it makes is based
on its own evaluation of what is in the best interests of each Client and consistent with its fiduciary
obligation to each Client, and conducting appropriate initial and on-going due diligence when
recommending, selecting and monitoring a Gateway Manager and its investment strategy for any such
Client.
When an Independent Advisor selects a Gateway Manager equity model portfolio for its Client, in most
cases the Gateway Manager will provide its equity model to SIMC (“Gateway Models”) who will generally
execute all equity trades using SIDCO, consistent with the duty to seek best execution. SIMC’s role in the
Gateway Manager Program is limited to implementing the Gateway Models equity portfolios provided,
applying any reasonable restrictions on securities held in the Client’s account and which are invested in
a Gateway Model equity strategy, and voting proxies for equity securities held in connection with an
equity strategy (see Item 17 for SIMC’s proxy voting process). The Independent Advisor is solely
responsible to supervise Client accounts invested in the applicable Gateway Manager model and for
determining that the model and its underlying investment components are and remain in the Client’s
best interest over time. A portion of the fee SIMC earns for providing these limited services covers equity
trading costs of the trades executed through SIDCO (See Items 5 and 12 below for more information on
SIMC’s brokerage practices).
When an Independent Advisor selects a Gateway Manager implementing its strategy through a
discretionary managed account, generally fixed income strategies and certain equity strategies, the
Gateway Manager will be solely responsible for executing trades consistent with its duty to seek best
execution, applying any reasonable restrictions on securities held in the Client’s account, and voting
proxies for securities held in these discretionary managed accounts. Gateway Managers of discretionary
11
managed accounts have full discretion over the selection of brokers for equity trade execution, including
in connection with equity strategies the ability to select SIDCO for trading equity securities. To the extent
the Gateway Manager selects SIDCO for trade execution, SIDCO will execute those trades in a zero
commission account consistent with trades placed in Gateway Models by SIMC (as described in Items 5
and 12 below). SIMC will not play any role (whether investment advisory in nature or otherwise) in
connection with fixed income strategies available in the Gateway Manager Program or discretionary
managed equity strategies, although SGS does provide the operational support described above in
connection with these strategies.
As an additional service and for a separate fee, at the Independent Advisor’s instruction, SIMC will
provide tax management overlay services (in the same manner as described in the Sub-Advised program
services section of this Brochure) for the equity portion of accounts allocated to the Gateway Manager
Program by the Independent Advisor. A more detailed description of the roles and responsibilities of
SIMC, SIMC’s affiliates and the Independent Advisor are set forth in the agreement each Independent
Advisor is required to execute to participate in the Gateway Manager Program and the documentation
IAS makes available to Independent Advisors and their Clients about the program. It is important for
Clients to be aware that (i) certain Gateway Managers of equity strategies manage accounts outside of
the Gateway Program on a discretionary basis and pursuant to investments strategies similar to their
respective equity strategies available in the Gateway Manager Program, (ii) those outside discretionary
accounts may trade ahead of the accounts of Clients invested in equity strategies in the Gateway Manager
Program. This conflict is managed through the Independent Advisor’s responsibility for determining that
it is in the best interests of its Client to invest in a Gateway Manager’s equity strategy notwithstanding
this practice and any conflicts of interest created by it.
SIMC Fees for Gateway Manager Program services
The fee an Independent Advisor is charged when investing Client assets through the Gateway Manager
Program is a bundled fee charged by SIMC’s affiliate, SGS, providing access to the Gateway Manager
Program, inclusive of the operational, technology and custodial services provided by SIMC’s affiliates and
fees paid to the participating Gateway Managers. And, as applicable, a portion of this bundled fee is paid
to SIMC by its affiliate for its equity model implementation and related services described above.
Independent Advisors are responsible for the payment of the Gateway Manager program fees. In most
cases, SIMC expects that the Independent Advisor will instruct SPTC, the Clients’ Custodian, to deduct
the applicable fees payable by the Independent Advisor directly from its Client accounts invested in the
program and pay such amounts to SGS. The Gateway Manager Program fees are listed in the agreement
the Independent Advisor executes to participate in the program and are also made available to
Independent Advisor and their Clients through the various materials IAS makes available about the
Gateway Manager Program. The amounts SGS charges and pays to Gateway Managers is subject to
negotiation, meaning it can charge and pay Gateway Managers with substantially similar strategies
different amounts, which will result in different levels of profitability to SGS based on the Gateway
Manager that is selected. Client should be aware that these practices involve material conflicts of
interest on the part of SGS, as SGS will benefit economically if the Gateway Managers that are charged
relatively more and/or paid relatively less money by SGS are selected by Independent Advisors and their
Clients. However, because none of SGS, SIMC or any of their affiliates play any role in selecting or
recommending Gateway Managers or their strategies to Clients, they have no ability to influence which
Gateway Managers or strategies are used by Clients and their Independent Advisors. In this respect, SGS
does not share the details of the economic arrangements it has with the Gateway Managers with any
Independent Advisor or Client, only the total fee that the Client will incur as a result of utilizing a
particular Gateway Manager or strategy.
If an Independent Advisor elects for SIMC to provide tax management overlay services over the equity
portion of a Client’s account allocated to the SEI Gateway Manager Program, SIMC will charge the
Independent Advisor a separate management fee, which fee we expect the Independent Advisor will
generally pass through to its Client, of 0.10% on assets allocated by the Independent Advisor for tax
management overlay services.
The fees a Client will pay to participate in the Gateway Manager Program are separate and apart from
any advisory or other fees the Independent Advisor charges to its Client for its services in connection
with the Gateway Manager Program. None of SIMC, SGS or any of their affiliates receive any portion of
12
the fee the Independent Advisor charges to its Client for its services. Such fee is negotiated between the
Independent Advisor and its Client.
In addition to the fees charged by SGS and the Independent Advisor, Clients will be subject to the
following fees and charges, as applicable: the internal operating expenses and fees of mutual funds,
ETFs, or other pooled investment vehicles, such as management fees, service fees, redemption fees
and 12b-1 fees; fees related to brokerage and clearing services for account assets invested in fixed
income strategies, such as brokerage commissions, dealer markups/markdowns, and administrative
expenses such as wire transfer fees.
Firm Model Portfolio Program (available to certain Independent Advisors that also participate in the
SIMC Sub-Advised Program)
Independent Advisors participating in the Sub-Advised Program may, with SIMC’s prior approval, elect
to participate in the IAS Firm Model Portfolio Program. Under this program, the Independent Advisor
develops and manages its own model equity strategies (“Firm Model Portfolios”) that the Independent
Advisor, in its sole discretion, may elect to use with the Independent Advisor’s Clients. SIMC does not
act in a fiduciary capacity in connection with the selection, retention or oversight of the Independent
Advisor in connection with its management of Firm Model Portfolios or the use of a Firm Model Portfolio
with Clients. SIMC provides the Independent Advisor with non-discretionary advice in connection with
the Independent Advisor’s construction and/or maintenance of Firm Model Portfolios, based on the
Independent Advisor’s specific criteria provided to SIMC. SIMC or its affiliates provide additional
support services in connection with Independent Advisor’s use of Firm Model Portfolios with Clients,
including integration with the SEI Wealth PlatformSM. The Independent Advisor is solely responsible for
the recommendation, selection and ongoing monitoring of Firm Model Portfolios used with Clients and
ensuring that any recommendation or selection it makes is based on its own evaluation of what is in the
best interests of each Client and consistent with its fiduciary obligation to each Client.
Once an Independent Advisor has established a Firm Model Portfolio, the Independent Advisor will
appoint SIMC to provide investment overlay services to the Independent Advisor in connection with
Firm Model Portfolios assigned by the Independent Advisor to Client accounts. Pursuant to this
appointment, the Independent Advisor will provide its Firm Model Portfolio (e.g., buy/sell lists) to SIMC
who will execute all equity trades using SIDCO consistent with the duty to seek best execution. SIMC’s
role is limited to implementing the Firm Model Portfolio provided, applying any reasonable restrictions
on securities held in the Client’s account and which are invested in a Firm Model Portfolio, and voting
proxies for equity securities held in connection with an equity strategy (see Item 17 for SIMC’s proxy
voting process). At the Independent Advisor’s request, SIMC may also provide tax management overlay
services to accounts invested in a Firm Model Portfolio (in the same manner as described above in the
Gateway manager Program section of the Sub-Advised program services). A more detailed description
of the roles and responsibilities of SIMC are set forth in the agreement each Independent Advisor is
required to execute to participate in the Firm Model Portfolio Program and the documentation IAS
makes available to Independent Advisors and their Clients about the program. The Independent Advisor
is solely responsible to supervise Client accounts invested in a Firm Model Portfolio and for determining
that the model and its underlying investment components are and remain in the Client’s best interest
over time. A portion of the fee SIMC earns for providing these limited services covers equity trading
costs of the trades executed through SIDCO (See Items 5 and 12 below for more information on SIMC’s
brokerage practices).
SIMC’s fee for its investment overlay services is agreed to with each Independent Advisor. In most
cases, SIMC expects that the Independent Advisor will instruct SPTC, the Clients’ custodian, to deduct
the applicable fees payable by the Independent Advisor directly from its Clients’ accounts invested in
Firm Model Portfolios and pay such amounts to SIMC. The Firm Model Portfolio fees are listed in the
agreement the Independent Advisor executes to participate in the program and are also made available
to Independent Advisor and their Clients through the various materials IAS makes available about the
Firm Model Portfolio Program. The Independent Advisor, in its sole discretion, may elect to use SEI
Funds or SEI ETFs within its Firm Mode Portfolios. SIMC earns additional revenue when the SEI Funds or
SEI ETFs are so selected, as SIMC is the investment advisor to the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs and earns
advisory fees for providing services to them, which revenue SIMC does not earn when the Independent
Advisor selects third party funds. In addition, SIMC’s affiliates provide services to the funds (e.g.,
administrative, distribution, transfer agency, etc.) and receive fees from the funds for these services.
SIMC’s affiliates would not typically receive these custodial, shareholder servicing and administrative
13
fees in connection with direct investments or investments in unaffiliated mutual funds. SIMC believes
this conflict of interest is mitigated by the fact the Independent Advisor is solely responsible to select
the securities allocated to a Firm Model Portfolio. The fees a Client will pay to SIMC to participate in
the Firm Model Portfolio Program are separate and apart from any advisory or other fees the
Independent Advisor charges to its Client for its services in connection with the program. SIMC does not
receive any portion of the fee the Independent Advisor charges to its Client for its services. Such fee is
negotiated between the Independent Advisor and its Client.
Strategist Program
SIMC offers a “Strategist Program” to Independent Advisors managing client assets held on third party
custody platforms. Under the Strategist Program SIMC creates and periodically publishes updates various
asset allocation portfolios or investment consisting of allocation to SEI Funds, SEI ETFs and Exchange
Traded Funds and, in some cases, other assets types (“Strategist Models”). In many cases the Strategist
Models are the same or similar to models that SIMC makes available under the SEI Asset Allocation
Program or MAS Models-Based Strategies. In the Strategist Program the Independent Advisor serves as
its Clients’ contact and sole advisor to its Clients, and is responsible for analyzing each of its Client’s
current financial situation, return expectations, risk tolerance, time horizon, asset class preference
and for recommending an appropriate Sub-Advisory Model. The Independent Advisor is responsible for
determining a Client’s initial and ongoing suitability to invest in the appropriate Strategist Model,
including the suitability of the particular asset allocation strategy selected for the Client. The
Independent Advisor is also responsible for meeting with Clients periodically to determine any material
changes to a Client’s financial circumstances or investment objectives that may affect the manner in
which such Client’s assets are invested. The Strategist Models are not tailored to accommodate the
needs or objectives of specific individuals, but rather designed to enable the Independent Advisor’s’
Clients to be matched with a Strategist Model that is consistent with a Client’s investment goals and
objectives.
In the Strategist Program, SIMC will generally provide a third party technology or custodial platform
selected by the Independent Advisor with a proposed buy/sell list of recommended Strategist Model
allocations and will periodically communicate changes to these Strategist Models that SIMC may also
implement in part or whole for its discretionary Client accounts and/or communicate to Independent
Advisors using the SEI Asset Allocation or Independent Fund Models Programs. SIMC will implement these
buy/sell list recommendations for its discretionary Client accounts prior to submitting its buy/sell list to
its non-discretionary Clients and may provide proposed changes to one non-discretionary Client prior to
another, but will seek to ensure that Strategist Model changes are distributed to non-discretionary
Clients in a fair and equitable manner over time. In these circumstances, trades ultimately placed by an
Independent Advisor for its Clients may be subject to price movements particularly with large orders or
where securities are thinly traded, that may result in the Independent Advisor’s Clients receiving prices
that are less favorable than the prices obtained by SIMC (or SIMC’s other clients) for its proprietary or
discretionary accounts.
Certain Strategist Models consist solely of allocation to SEI Funds and/or SEI ETFs. As SIMC is the
investment advisor to each of the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs and SIMC’s affiliates provide other services to
the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs (e.g., distributor, fund administrator, shareholder services, etc.), SIMC and
its affiliates earn fees for providing services to the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs when an Independent Advisor
invests its Clients into SEI Funds and SEI ETFs through Strategist Models. In order to address the conflict
of interest this presents, SIMC does not generally charge the Independent Advisor or third party
platform hosting the Strategist Models a fee on strategies consisting of allocations to SEI Funds, but
instead is compensated through the fees earned within the SEI Funds (which fees are charged to Client
accounts investing in such shares). However, to the extent SEI ETFs are allocated to Strategist Models,
SIMC will generally charge the Independent Advisor or the third party hosting platform a fee and SIMC
will earn both this compensation and indirectly amounts earned on fees from the SEI ETFs. SIMC
believes our conflicts of interest in using SEI Funds and SEI ETFs is mitigated because the Independent
Advisor, and not SIMC, is solely responsible for recommending and selecting use of a Strategist Model
allocated to SEI Funds with Clients.
Use of Affiliates
14
For each of the programs and products described in this Brochure, SIMC hires one or more of its affiliate(s)
to perform various services, including transition management services when transitioning Client assets
to SIMC from its previous service providers, sub-advisory services, administrative services, custodial
services (which custodial services includes the required use of the Integrated Cash Program), brokerage
and/or other services and such affiliates receive compensation for providing such services. Please refer
to Item 10 for additional information.
Item 5 – Fees and Compensation
Below are the fees for SIMC’s investment programs offered to Independent Advisors for use with their
Clients. In certain cases SIMC will apply discounts to the contracted sub-advisory fee rates (listed below).
These discounts may be substantial and vary materially based on a variety of factors, including SEI’s
business relationship and individual arrangements with the Client’s Independent Advisor. These discounts
are typically at SIMC’s discretion and may be terminated at any time, after which time contracted fee
rates will apply.
Independent Advisors charge Clients additional fees for their investment advisory services, and SIMC does
not establish, review or approve those fees. As discussed in this Brochure, many of the programs available
to Independent Advisors for use with Clients include allocation to SEI Funds. Clients will be invested in
the SEI Fund share class for which they are eligible, as set forth in the SEI Funds’ prospectuses, generally
F Class shares. Independent Advisors that direct substantial Client assets in the aggregate to SEI Fund
shares are eligible to invest Client assets into other SEI Fund share classes, generally with lower fees
than F Class.
Fund Models-Based Program - SEI Funds and SEI Asset Allocation Program
Each SEI Fund and SEI ETF pays an advisory fee to SIMC that is based on a percentage of the portfolio's
average daily net assets, as described in the applicable fund’s prospectus. From such amount, SIMC pays
a portion of the advisory fee to the sub-advisor(s) to the SEI Funds, if any. SIMC’s fund advisory fee
varies, but it typically ranges from 0.03% - 1.50% of the portfolio's average daily net assets for its
advisory services. Affiliates of SIMC provide administrative, distribution and transfer agency services to
all of the SEI Funds, as noted above and as described in the SEI Funds’ registration statements and are
paid a fee from the SEI Funds for such services. However, in connection with the SEI ETFs, SIMC pays all
fund expenses, except for the fees paid to SIMC for advisory services, interest expenses, dividend and
other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition and
disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portfolio transactions (including brokerage
commissions), acquired fund fees and expenses, distribution fees or expenses.
These fees and expenses are paid by the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs but ultimately are borne by each
shareholder of the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs. If a Client invests in a model available through the SEI Asset
Allocation Program, the Client will be charged the expense ratios of each of the applicable SEI funds
included in the applicable model. Clients may have the option to purchase certain SIMC investment
products, including the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs, that SIMC recommends through other brokers or agents
not affiliated with SIMC.
Clients also pay custody fees to SPTC on their Asset Allocation Program assets custodied at SPTC (which
is generally a requirement of the program), although SPTC may waive its fee on models invested in SEI
Funds or SEI ETFs. SPTC’s custody fees range from 0.02% - 0.15%. These fees will vary depending on the
account balance and trade activity in the account. Clients can refer to their account application for
specific information on SPTC custody fees.
Funds Models-Based Program – Independent Funds Model Program
The advisory fee charged by SIMC to the Independent Advisor using the Independent Funds Model
program, which, in almost all cases, will be paid by the Client pursuant to instructions provided to SPTC
in the account application, range from 0.08% - 0.30%. SPTC will also charge accounts invested in the
Independent Funds Model program a custodial platform fee on the assets held in a model that ranges from
0.02% - 0.15%, including on assets invested in SEI ETFs. In addition, Clients will incur the expense ratios
15
of the underlying mutual funds, ETFs and SEI ETFs allocated to a model and held in a Client’s accounts
as noted in each fund’s prospectus. Clients should discuss the Independent Funds Models Program with
their Independent Advisor to understand the fees and expenses the Client will incur when investing in
this program.
Fee in Similar Programs available in MAS
Through MAS, which is described generally in this Brochure (and in detailed in SIMC’s separate “Wrap
Brochure”), SIMC directly manages portfolios that are similar to the model portfolios SIMC makes
available on a non-discretionary basis within our Fund Models-Based Program. A Client’s participation in
the Fund Models-Based Program may cost the Client more or less than if the Client invested through MAS
(which has a bundled fee), and the services provided by SIMC within MAS differs that our role within the
Fund Models-Based Program based on our level of responsibility as the MAS sponsor. The difference in
fees SIMC and its affiliates earn in MAS versus our Funds-Based Models Program could cause SIMC to
recommend one program over the other. SIMC believes that this conflicts of interest of interest is
mitigated through our disclosure about each investment program, including the different fees and
services. SIMC also believes that our conflict of interest is further mitigated by the Independent Advisor’s
fiduciary responsibilities to its Clients, who has sole discretion to recommend a Fund Models-Based
Program investment model to its Client. The degree of such mitigation may be affected if the
Independent Advisor does not have access to SIMC’s MAS program. Clients are encouraged to speak with
their Independent Advisors regarding whether they have access to MAS. In addition, the fees SIMC charges
for its models-based program may be higher or lower than that charged by other firms offering
comparable programs.
Strategist Models Program
Since these models may invest in SEI Funds and SEI ETFs, SIMC and its affiliates will earn fund- level
fees on assets as noted above and as set forth in the applicable Funds’ prospectuses, including for
providing distribution, administrative and shareholder services, and, accordingly, SIMC has a conflict of
interest in recommending the use of Strategist Models comprised of SEI Funds and SEI ETFs. Clients may
also be charged custody or other fees by their third party custodian.
Managed Account Solutions
For a description of the fees applicable to Clients invested through the MAS Program, please refer to the
Wrap Brochure.
Sub-Advised Program Fees
In the Sub-Advised Program the Independent Advisor pays a fee to SIMC for (i) its advisory services, (ii) the
equity trade execution provided by SIMC’s affiliate SIDCO (see Item 12 for additional information), and (iii)
the advisory services of Portfolio Managers. An Independent Advisor may instruct the Custodian to deduct
this fee directly from its Clients’ accounts and pay such amounts to SIMC on the Independent Advisor’s
behalf. SIMC’s fees are a percentage of the daily market value of the Independent Advisor’s Client’ assets
allocated to the SIMC Managed Account Strategies. SIMC’s Fees are calculated and payable quarterly in
arrears and net of any income, withholding or other taxes. SIMC may discount the fees, which may be higher
or lower than those charged by other investment advisors for similar services.
When SEI Funds are used in SIMC Managed Account Strategies, SIMC waives its MAS Program fee on those
SEI Fund assets, but Clients will pay the SEI Funds product fees for the funds in each model as specified
in the funds’ prospectus. And, when SIMC selects an SEI ETF within a Managed Account Strategy, SIMC will
charge Clients the MAS Program fee on those ETF assets, but will rebate against the MAS Program fee an
amount equal to the fee SIMC earns as manager to the selected SEI ETFs. Please see our Wrap Brochure
for more information.
Sub-Advised Program fees do not cover certain costs, charges or compensation associated with transactions
effected in the program, including but not limited to, broker-dealer spreads, certain broker-dealer mark-
ups or mark-downs on principal transactions; auction fees; fees charged by exchanges on a per transaction
basis; certain odd-lot differentials; transfer taxes; electronic fund and wire transfer fees; fees on NASDAQ
transactions; certain costs associated with trading in foreign securities; and any other charges mandated by
16
law. In addition, Sub-Advised Program fees do not cover execution charges (such as commissions, commission
equivalents, mark-ups, mark-downs or spreads) on transactions SIMC or a Portfolio Manager places with
broker-dealers other than SIDCO or its affiliates or agents (third-party broker-dealers), or mark-ups or
markdowns by third-party broker-dealers. SIMC and Portfolio Managers execute trades for fixed income
securities through third-party broker-dealers and the spread, mark-up or markdown on such a transaction is
borne by the Independent Advisor’s Clients assets invested in the Sub-Advised Program. SIMC makes
available to Independent Advisors a quarterly report listing trading activity conducted with third party
broker dealers along with certain cost information associated therewith. To the extent that transactions
are executed through a third-party broker-dealer, any associated execution costs are incurred by the Client
separate from the Sub-Advised Program fees.
The value of Sub-Advised Program assets invested in shares of unaffiliated investment companies (e.g.,
exchange traded funds, closed-end or mutual fund companies, and unit investment trusts) are included in
calculating the SIMC fee to the extent permitted by law. These shares are also subject to investment
advisory, administration, transfer agency, distribution, shareholder service and other fund-level expenses
(some of which are paid to SIMC or its affiliates or to Portfolio Managers) that are paid by the fund and,
indirectly, by the Independent Advisors’ Clients’ assets invested in such funds as a fund shareholder. The
SIMC Fees will not be reduced by any of these unaffiliated fund-level fees, unless required by law. Please
refer to Item 12 for additional information on SIDCO.
Additionally, for the DFS Strategies Portfolios, SIMC charges Independent Advisors a maximum DFS
Program Fee of 0.20% for providing administrative and recordkeeping services and other services to
Independent Advisors’ Client accounts invested in DFS. The fee is calculated at the account level and
paid to SIMC quarterly in arrears. Independent Advisors may instruct the Custodian to deduct this fee
directly from Clients’ accounts and pay such amounts to SIMC.
Gateway Manager Program Fees
Independent Advisor pays a bundled fee charged by SIMC’s affiliate, SGS, to gain access to the Gateway
Manager Program that includes operational, technology and custodial services provided by SIMC’s
affiliates and fees paid to the participating Gateway Managers. A portion of this bundled fee is paid to
SIMC by its affiliate for its equity model implementation and related services. If the Independent Advisor
selects tax management services for a Client account, SIMC will charge a separate management fee of
0.10% for the tax management overlay services.
Firm Model Portfolio Fees
Independent Advisors pay SIMC a basis point fee for the investment overlay services provided to Client
Accounts. SIMC’s fee is negotiated with each participating Independent Advisor but will not exceed
0.30% of the average daily net assets invested in the program.
17
Sub-Advised Program Fees
Investment Styles or Models:
All Cap, Equity Income, Global Equity, International
Developed Markets, International Equity, Large Cap,
Managed Volatility, Mid Cap, Sustainable Investing
PM Model Description
1
Y
R
O
G
E
T
A
C
Breakpoints
First $500,000
Next $500,000
Next $1 million
Next $3 million
Next $5 million
Over $10 million
SIMC Fee*
0.80%
0.75%
0.70%
0.65%
0.60%
0.55%
International Emerging Markets, Small Cap, Small-Mid Cap,
REIT
PM Model Description
2
Y
R
O
G
E
T
A
C
Breakpoints
First $500,000
Next $500,000
Next $1 million
Next $3 million
Next $5 million
Over $10 million
SIMC Fee*
1.00%
0.95%
0.90%
0.85%
0.80%
0.75%
Breakpoints
First $500,000
Next $500,000
Next $1 million
Next $3 million
SIMC Fee*
0.60%
0.55%
0.51%
0.49%
PM Model Description
Alternative-Income, Alternative-Tax Advantage Income,
Core Aggregate, Core Aggregate Plus, Corporate Bond,
Government/Corporate Bond, Government Securities,
Municipal Fixed Income, Multi-Sector Fixed Income, Preferred
Securities
3
Y
R
O
G
E
T
A
C
Next $5 million
Over $10 million
0.45%
0.40%
PM Model Description
4
Y
R
O
G
E
T
A
C
Breakpoints
SEI Dynamic ETF Strategies, SEI Dynamic ETF Income
First $250,000
Strategies, SEI Stability ETF Strategies, SEI Tax-Managed ETF Next $250,000
Strategies, SEI Tax-Managed ETF Income Strategies, SEI Tax- Next $500,000
Next $1 million
Managed Stability ETF Strategies,
Next $3 million
Next $5 million
Over $10 million
SIMC Fee*
0.40%
0.35%
0.30%
0.25%
0.20%
0.17%
0.15%
SEI Fixed Income Strategies
PM Model Description
5
Y
R
O
G
E
T
A
C
Breakpoints
First $500,000
Next $500,000
Next $1 million
Next $3 million
Next $5 million
Over $10 million
SIMC Fee*
0.30%
0.27%
0.25%
0.20%
0.19%
0.18%
SEI Factor Based Strategies
PM Model Description
6
Y
R
O
G
E
T
A
C
Breakpoints
First $500,000
Next $500,000
Next $1 million
Next $3 million
Next $5 million
Over $10 million
SIMC Fee*
0.45%
0.30%
0.27%
0.22%
0.20%
0.18%
Breakpoints
First $500,000
SIMC Fee*
0.30%
PM Model Description
SEI ETF Strategies, SEI ETF Current Income Strategies, SEI U.S.
Focused ETF Strategies
7
Y
R
O
G
E
T
A
C
Next $500,000
Next $1 million
Next $3 million
Next $5 million
Over $10 million
0.27%
0.25%
0.20%
0.19%
0.18%
18
PM Model Description
Custom HNW Portfolios
8
Y
R
O
G
E
T
A
C
Breakpoints
First $500,000
Next $500,000
Next $2 million
Next $2 million
Next $5 million
Next $5 million
Next $10 million
Over $25 million
SIMC Fee**
1.05%
1.00%
0.95%
0.90%
0.85%
0.75%
0.65%
0.55%
Third Party Fund Models, SEI Multi-Asset Income Strategies,
SEI Sustainable ETF Strategies
PM Model Description
9
Y
R
O
G
E
T
A
C
Breakpoints
First $250,000
Next $250,000
Next $500,000
Next $1 million
Next $1 million
Next $2 million
Over $5 million
SIMC Fee*
0.40%
0.30%
0.27%
0.25%
0.20%
0.19%
0.18%
SEI Systematic Core 1
PM Model Description
0
1
Y
R
O
G
E
T
A
C
Breakpoints
First $500,000
Next $500,000
Next $1 million
Next $3 million
Next $5 million
Over $10 million
SIMC Fee*
0.35%
0.25%
0.22%
0.20%
0.19%
0.18%
SIMC Fee*
0.10% in addition to the SIMC Fee described above
0.05% in addition to the SIMC Fee described above
Tax Management
Tax Management
Factor Tilts
1 Factor Tilts
applicable to fees identified in Category 10 above only
*SIMC Fee breakpoint levels are determined based on an Independent Advisor’s Client’s total account assets
invested in Sub-Advised Models categorized within the same strategy description groupings/fee rate schedules
listed above. By way of example only, if an account is invested in two SIMC Sub-Advised Strategies, the first
being a model classified as a Small Cap Growth strategy and a second model classified as a Small-Mid Cap Value
strategy, the account assets invested in those two SIMC Sub-Advised Strategies will be combined for purposes
of determining the applicable breakpoint levels for purposes of calculating the fees payable to SIMC. Breakpoints
are not applied across the strategy description groupings/fee rate schedules. By way of example only, if an
account is invested in a SIMC Sub-Advised Strategy classified as a Small Cap Growth strategy as well as in second
SIMC Sub-Advised Strategy classified as an Alternative Income strategy, those account assets will not be
combined for purposes of determining the applicable breakpoint level for calculating SIMC Fees, but assets
allocated to each such SIMC Sub-Advised Strategy will be considered individually in determining fees payable
to SIMC. SIMC may, in its sole discretion, waive one or more of these fees, in whole or part based on SIMC's
relationship with the Independent Advisor. SIMC may end any such fee waiver at any time, after which time
affected accounts will be assessed the applicable fees. **Fee breakpoint levels are determined based on the
Independent Advisor’s Client’s total account assets invested in the Custom HNW Portfolios listed above. SIMC
may, in its sole discretion, waive one or more of these fees, in whole or part based on SIMC's relationship with
the Independent Advisor. SIMC may end any such fee waiver at any time, after which time affected accounts
will be assessed the applicable fees.
19
Distribution Focused Strategies DFS Program Fee
0.20% (20 bps) paid to SIMC for providing administrative and recordkeeping services to the Independent
Advisor’s Clients’ accounts invested in the DFS portfolio. This fee is pro-rated for an account invested in
DFS portfolio for less than a quarter.
Breakpoints
First $250,000
Next $250,000
Next $500,000
Next $1 million
Next $3 million
Next $5 million
Over $10 million
SIMC Fee*
0.40%
0.35%
0.30%
0.25%
0.20%
0.17%
0.15%
DFS Strategies Portfolios – Mutual Funds
Please reference the product fees listed in the SEI Funds prospectus.
*Fee breakpoint levels are determined based on the Independent Advisor’s Client’s total account assets invested in the DFS Strategies– ETF
Models. SIMC may, in its sole discretion, waive one or more of these fees, in whole or part based on SIMC's relationship with the Independent
Advisor. SIMC may end any such fee waiver at any time, after which time affected accounts will be assessed the applicable fees.
Additional Compensation
IAS sales personnel’ compensation includes a base salary plus variable sales compensation (which may include
equity awards) earned based on achieving annual sales goals which are calculated using several components,
including the number of advisors signed as new Independent Advisors during the year and net cash flow
attributable to new and existing Independent Advisors during a calendar year, as well as other factors. The amount
of sales compensation IAS sales personnel can earn based on net cash flow varies by investment product and/or
solution type. IAS sales personnel generally will earn more when SIMC and its affiliates realize a higher net revenue
rate, meaning that in most cases our sales personnel will earn greater compensation on net cash flow invested
in SEI Funds, SEI ETFs and MAS, although certain MAS investments are compensated at lower rates than others.
And, net cash flow attributable to assets invested into third party products and “Platform Only” assets held in
custody at SPTC are compensated at lower rates than assets held in SEI Funds, SEI ETFs and MAS.
IAS sales personnel working with Independent Advisors will also receive event compensation and sales awards
based on SIMC’s receipt of new assets through Client referrals to other products, services and solutions. Examples
include referrals to SEI’s Institutional business, SEI’s Private Wealth Management business, SEI’s Sphere®
cybersecurity business, or Securities-Based Lending (SBL) accounts. This compensation model creates a conflict
of interest because IAS sales personnel are incented to recommend investment products and services to
Independent Advisors based on the sales compensation they can receive rather than on the Independent Advisor’s
Client’s needs. However, SIMC believe this conflict is mitigated by the fact that SIMC employees do not
recommend specific investment products to Clients, the fact that all programs are optional that an Advisor and/or
Client may elect to use in their sole discretion, as well as other disclosures made specifically and explicitly
regarding each program.
Please see Item 14 for additional information concerning services and benefits SIMC and its affiliates provide to
Independent Advisors. The IAS sales personnel who recommended the SBLOC Program to the Independent Advisor
will receive a fixed one-time payment of $75 dollars for each new SBLOC opened in the quarter and an additional
$250 for every fifth SBLOC opened in the same quarter as a result of the efforts of any single IAS sales personnel.
The receipt of this compensation is a conflict of interest for the IAS sales personnel recommending the SBLOC
Program. However, SIMC believe this conflict is mitigated as a result of the disclosures made about the Program,
the nature of the payment (not based on success of an application) and the nominal amount of the fee paid as
well as the fact that the program is an optional service that an Advisor and Client may elect to use in their sole
discretion.
20
Item 6 – Performance Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management
SIMC does not charge any performance-based fees (fees based on a share of capital gains on or capital
appreciation of the assets of a Client) to Clients of IAS.
21
Item 7 – Types of Clients
Please refer to Item 4 for a description of the types of Clients to whom SIMC and IAS generally provide
investment advice and services.
SIMC does not require a minimum account size for the services described in this Brochure, however,
third-party sub-advisors and products available through our programs may require minimum investments,
which vary. Please refer to the Wrap Brochure for additional detail on account size requirements.
22
Item 8 – Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss
SIMC’s Overall Investment Philosophy
SIMC’s philosophy is based on four key components: asset allocation, portfolio design, implementation,
and risk management. SIMC’s philosophy and process offers clients personalization, diversification,
coordination and management and represents a strategy geared toward achieving long-term investment
goals in various financial climates.
Asset Allocation. SIMC’s approach to asset allocation takes clients’ goals into account, along with more
traditional inputs such as asset class risk and return expectations. We believe that acknowledging and
accounting for common behavioral biases while simultaneously harnessing the power of efficient portfolio
construction can help investors maximize the chances of achieving their financial objectives. We also
believe that constructing portfolios according to investors’ major financial goals (such as retirement,
education or lifestyle) and aligned with the risk tolerance associated with each of those objectives
provides a greater understanding of how the goals and investments align. This should allow for a higher
level of comfort with the overall investment strategy—thereby increasing the odds that investors will
remain invested in the financial markets and focused on achieving their goals rather than making portfolio
changes as a reaction to short-term market volatility. We believe that maintaining consistent exposure
to the markets over time is the surest way to earn attractive returns, and that doing so with a goals-
based approach should help investors achieve their financial goals. In constructing portfolios that
correspond with a particular objective, we seek to deliver the maximum expected return available given
the goal’s risk tolerance. SIMC constructs multiple model portfolios to address a wide variety of client
goals and dedicates considerable resources to evolving our investment offerings to help keep pace with
an ever-changing market.
Portfolio Design. In terms of portfolio design, SIMC generally attempts to identify alpha source(s), or
opportunities for returns in excess of the benchmark, across equity, fixed-income and alternative-
investment portfolios. SIMC looks for potential sources of excess return that have demonstrated staying
power over the long term across multiple markets in a given geographic region. Alpha sources are
classified into broad categories; categorizing them in this manner allows us to create portfolios that are
not simply diversified between asset classes (e.g., equity and fixed-income strategies), but also
diversified across the underlying drivers of alpha.
Implementation. When building portfolios, SIMC seeks to identify, analyze, select, and monitor
investment strategies with characteristics that can be expected to outperform the portfolio’s
benchmark in the future— through both external investment managers and internally managed
portfolios.
SIMC may use a multi-manager implementation, which means that SIMC hires sub-advisors (third- party
and affiliated) to select individual securities. As a multi-manager, SIMC aims to identify, classify and
validate manager skill when choosing sub-advisors. Differentiating manager skill from market-
generated returns is one of SIMC’s primary objectives, as it seeks to identify sub-advisors that it
believes can deliver superior results over time. SIMC develops forward-looking expectations regarding
how a manager will execute a given investment mandate, environments in which the strategy should
outperform and environments in which the strategy might underperform.
SIMC selects sub-advisors based on SIMC's manager research process. SIMC uses proprietary databases
and software, supplemented by data from various third parties, to perform a qualitative and
quantitative analysis of sub-advisors. The qualitative analysis focuses on a manager's investment
philosophy, process, personnel, portfolio construction and performance. Quantitative analysis identifies
the sources of a manager's return relative to a benchmark. SIMC typically uses performance attribution
models from providers such as Axioma, BlackRock and others in this process. SIMC typically appoints
several sub-advisors within a stated asset class. For instance, SIMC will generally have more than one
sub-advisor assigned to the large-cap growth asset class.
After identifying the investment strategy, factors, and investment managers, we implement a portfolio
23
construction process that seeks to build the optimal portfolio to achieve the stated investment
objectives. Strategically, we need to ensure that the portfolio is sufficiently exposed to targeted
factors and an appropriate level of risk (in absolute or benchmark-relative terms, depending on the
objective), while remaining suitably diversified. We make adjustments to the portfolio as needed in
order to maintain the balance between sources of risk and return. Tactically, we also adjust the
portfolio throughout the market cycle—leaning more heavily into factors that are expected to
outperform in the years ahead and downplaying those expected to underperform.
Risk Management. SIMC relies on a risk management group to focus on common risks across and within
asset classes. Daily monitoring of assigned portfolio tolerances and deviations result in an active risk
mitigation program. We employ a multi-asset risk-management system to provide a consistent view of
risk across asset classes—while preserving a distinct separation between risk oversight and portfolio
management in order to preserve objectivity. The Investment Risk Management team is responsible for
determining whether the risks of SEI’s investment strategies are consistent with their mandates. It
reports directly to SEI’s Chief Risk Officer, which helps maintain impartiality and allows for direct
access and support from senior management.
Governance. In an effort to remain unbiased, our governance structure is independent of portfolio
management. It includes various oversight committees, which are each chaired by the head of Risk
Management.
Manager Research Services
SIMC offers various manager research services both within SIMC’s MAS program and outside of such
program as a stand-alone service. We discuss these services below.
1. Research Fundamental to SIMC’s Investment Management Services (Within SIMC’s MAS
program). As a pioneer in the manager-of managers investment approach, a fundamental
component of SIMC’s core investment services is researching the available universe of
third-party sub-advisor strategies and hiring only those sub-advisors meeting SIMC’s
criteria for specific asset classes as sub-advisors within SIMC’s various managed account
types, including as sub-advisors to the SEI Funds and foreign pooled funds, as well as
making these manager strategies available in SIMC’s sponsored MAS program (both U.S.
and global). For the MAS program, SIMC conducts research on the universe of available
sub-advisor strategies in order to select and retain sub- advisors SIMC believes are
appropriate (or terminate if inappropriate) for the MAS program when SIMC is acting in a
fiduciary capacity. And, on occasion SIMC may provide our manager research analysis to
certain of our clients investing in this program when requested as part of the investment
management services provided.
2. Stand-Alone Research (Outside of SIMC’s MAS program). As an outgrowth of SIMC’s
competency in vetting sub-advisor strategies (as noted above), SIMC provides a service
in which institutional clients (e.g., banks, large financial service providers, etc.) hire
SIMC to conduct research on third-party investment manager strategies as requested by
the institutional client. When providing “Stand-Alone Research Services,” SIMC is not
hired to act as a discretionary manager to the client, but rather to conduct investment
research on any third-party investment manager strategy as directed by the client and in
accordance with the research agreement outlining the services provided. Generally,
when providing Stand-Alone Research Services:
its associated
a. The levels of research SIMC conducts on a manager and the manager’s
investment strategy will vary based on the contracted level of services, but
generally involves either a quantitative and/or qualitative review of the
manager and
strategy, with written documentation
commensurate with the level of service providing insights and, in all cases,
summarizing SIMC’s point of view on the manager strategy. Service levels
24
generally differ as to the extent (or depth) of the research SIMC will conduct
initially and on-going on the manager strategies selected for research by a
client as set forth in the applicable research agreement.
b. On occasion, as part of the Stand-Alone Research Services, a client may request
SIMC to provide research on a manager investment strategy that is currently used
by SIMC within one or more of SIMC’s managed investment programs where SIMC
has hired the manager as a sub-advisor (e.g., the manager is a sub-advisor to an
SEI Fund or available in MAS) (each, a “SIMC Contracted Strategy”). While the
research output provided to the client about a SIMC Contracted Strategy may be
the same as the output provided on a third- party manager strategy under the
Stand-Alone Research Services, SIMC has conducted its deepest level of analysis
on the SIMC Contracted Strategies because of its inclusion in SIMC’s MAS program
(or as sub-advisor to an SEI Fund) and a result of SIMC’s familiarity with such SIMC
Contracted Strategies. This research includes in depth initial and ongoing reviews
of the manager’s investment strategy and methodologies, investment personnel,
business structure and compliance program. Accordingly, SIMC generally charges
Stand- Alone Research Service clients a different fee (generally under a basis point
fee schedule) when providing research on SIMC Contracted Strategies. As a result
of the pricing model, such fees may be more (or less in some cases) than what SIMC
charges clients for research on third-party manager strategies, regardless of the
level of research output requested. This differentiated fee schedule is intended
to reflect the additional initial and on-going research and due diligence
conducted on SIMC Contracted Strategies, including services not generally
provided in connection with the Stand-Alone Research Services. If our view of a
SIMC Contracted Strategy changes (i.e., downgraded), this change may be
reflected in our investment programs (e.g., manager termination/changes) prior
to the time we notify research clients of the change in SIMC’s view of the
strategy.
c. The level of research we conduct on third-party managers depends on client
contracted service levels. As a result, if clients with different service levels
request research on the same manager investment strategy, clients may receive
different levels of analysis output, such as a more detailed manager reports
versus shorter analysis summaries. However, in all cases research output includes
SIMC’s point of view of the strategy and changes by SIMC in this regard are
communicated to all research clients at the same time.
d. As part of the Stand-Alone Research Services a client may request SIMC to
recommend investment strategies for specified asset classes when the client is
adding an additional asset class to its investment program or the client is
replacing a current manager’s investment strategy (each, a “Recommended
Strategy”). In many cases a Recommend Strategy may be available through
several delivery methods, such as through separately managed accounts or
through pooled vehicles, such as mutual funds sponsored or managed by the
applicable investment manager. While SIMC does not normally consider an
investment strategy’s various delivery methods as part of the Research Services,
if a client has informed SIMC that it prefers a pooled fund implementation, SIMC
will limit its research universe to investment strategies available through a fund
implementation. And, SIMC will also provide limited research on the available
pooled vehicles. In some cases SIMC may not recommend an investment strategy
that it would have otherwise recommended as a result of this product-level
25
review, and will instead recommend a different investment manger’s strategy
available through a fund implementation.
e. When recommending investment strategies as part of the Stand-Alone Research
Services, to the extent an investment strategy meeting the client’s requested
asset class/investment style criteria is available, SIMC will first recommend a
SIMC Contracted Strategy since SIMC has conducted its deepest level of analysis
on the SIMC Contracted Strategies. If a Contracted Strategy does not meet the
client’s requested criteria, SIMC will then recommend a third party investment
strategy based on SIMC’s research of available investment strategies. In certain
situations that vary based on how the customer chooses to implement a
recommended Contracted Strategy, SIMC will earn compensation that it would
not earn by recommending an investment strategy not available within SIMC’s
current investment programs. For instance, if the customer uses MAS or an SEI
Fund to access the recommended Contracted Strategy, SIMC, and it some cases,
SIMC’s affiliates, would earn fees in addition to the Stand-Alone Research Service
fees. Any additional compensation SIMC (or its affiliates) would earn as a result
of any such recommendation is disclosed to the client at the time of the
recommendation and any use of such recommend investment strategy remains
solely with the client.
3. Affiliates Model Platform Services. SIMC’s affiliates provide a technology and
operational service platform to deliver to these institutional customers’ manager
strategy model data for manager strategies selected by such customers. While these
investment models are selected by client independently, and not by SIMC, in many cases
SIMC may have provided research on the investment strategies selected by the client
under a research contract. In certain cases, SIMC and its affiliate may jointly contract
with an institutional client to provide both Stand Alone Research and model delivery
services. To the extent that a model platform client selects a SIMC Contracted Strategy
for model, SIMC’s affiliate providing model delivery services may agree to reduce or
waive its model delivery platform service fee otherwise payable, as SIMC is already
receiving model delivery information in connection with its own managed investment
programs and, as noted above, generally charges clients more for research on SIMC
manager strategies. This fee waiver may create an incentive for SIMC’s client to select a
SIMC Contracted Strategy over a non-SIMC Contracted Strategy as a result of the lower
model platform delivery fee. SIMC informs clients, which are typically sophisticated
financial intermediaries, of this fee structure when contracting with the client for model
delivery services.
4. SIMC’s Affiliates Service Sub-Advisors. SIMC’s affiliates provide technology, operational
and administrative services to a wide variety of financial service intermediaries,
including sub- advisors that may be subject to research ratings by SIMC. While this
business relationship could cause a potential conflict of interest by SIMC when rating a
manager strategy, to mitigate any conflicts, each sub-advisor, regardless of whether it
provides or receives the affiliated services noted above, is subject to SIMC’s standard
manager due diligence and selection process for the applicable SEIC program and/or
strategy offering.
Implementation Through Investment Products
The foregoing discusses SIMC’s investment philosophy in designing diversified investment portfolios for
SIMC’s clients. In most cases, implementation of a client’s investment portfolio is accomplished through
26
investing in a range of investment products, which may include mutual funds, ETFs, hedge funds, closed-
end funds, including interval funds, private equity funds, collective investment trusts, or managed
accounts.
In order to provide clients with sufficient diversification and flexibility, SIMC manages products across a
very wide range of investment strategies. These would include, to varying degrees, large and small
capitalization U.S. equities, foreign developed markets equities, foreign emerging markets equity, real
estate securities, U.S. investment grade fixed income securities, U.S. high yield (below investment grade)
fixed income securities, foreign developed market fixed income securities, emerging markets debt, U.S.
and foreign government securities, currencies, structured or asset-backed fixed income securities
(including mortgage-backed), municipal bonds and other types of asset classes. SIMC also manages
Collateralized Debt Obligations (“CDOs”) investments and Collateralized Loan Obligations (“CLO”)
investments within certain investment products. CDOs and CLOs are securities backed by an underlying
portfolio of debt and loan obligations, respectively. SIMC may also seek to achieve a product’s investment
objectives by investing in derivative instruments, such as futures, forwards, options, swaps or other types
of derivative instruments. Additionally, SIMC may also seek to achieve an investment product’s objective
by investing some or all of its assets in affiliated and unaffiliated mutual funds, including money market
funds. Within a mutual fund product, SIMC may also seek to gain exposure to the commodity markets, in
whole or in part, through investments in a wholly owned subsidiary of the mutual fund organized under
the laws of the Cayman Islands. Certain of SIMC’s product strategies may also attempt to utilize tax-
management techniques to manage the impact of taxes.
Further, SIMC may invest SIMC’s alternative funds in third-party hedge funds or private equity funds that
engage in a wide variety of investment techniques and strategies that carry varying degrees of risks. This
may include long-short equity strategies, equity market neutral, merger arbitrage, credit hedging,
distressed debt, sovereign debt, real estate, private equity investments, derivatives, currencies or other
types of investments.
While SIMC’s investment strategies are normally implemented through pooled investment products,
certain clients’ assets are invested directly in the target investments through a managed account or
other means. The strategies that SIMC implements in such accounts is currently more limited than the
breadth of strategies contained in SIMC’s funds, and generally covers U.S. large and small capitalization
equity securities, international and emerging market ADRs, REITs, and U.S. fixed income securities,
including government securities and municipal bonds. SIMC may also implement strategies involving
derivative securities directly within a client’s accounts.
Investment Product Strategies
Since SIMC implements such a broad range of strategies within its investment products, it would not be
practical to set forth in detail each strategy that SIMC has developed for use across its products. The
disclosure in this Brochure is not intended to supplant any product-specific disclosure documents. Clients
should refer to the prospectus or other offering materials that it receives in conjunction with investing
in a SIMC investment product for a detailed discussion of the strategy and risks associated with such
product. Moreover, this Form ADV disclosure addresses strategies designed and implemented by SIMC
and does not address strategies that are implemented by third parties (e.g., unaffiliated investment
advisors, banks, institutions or other intermediaries) through the use of SIMC products.
A strategy’s exposure to the foregoing asset classes, including the degree of exposure, is subject to
change at any time due to evolving investment philosophies and market conditions. The risks associated
with such strategies are also therefore subject to change at any time.
Material Risks
All strategies implemented by SIMC involve a risk of loss that clients should understand, accept and be
prepared to bear.
Given the very wide range of investments in which a client’s assets may be invested, either directly by
investing in individual securities and/or through one or more pooled investment vehicles or funds, there
is similarly a very wide range of risks to which a client’s assets may be exposed. This Brochure does not
include every potential risk associated with an investment strategy, or all of the risks applicable to a
27
particular advisory account. Rather, it is a general description of the nature and risks of the strategies
and securities and other financial instruments in which advisory accounts may invest. The particular
risks to which a specific client might be exposed will depend on the specific investment strategies
incorporated into that client’s portfolio. As such, for a detailed description of the material risks of
investing in a particular product, the client should, on or prior to investing, also refer to such product’s
prospectus or other offering materials.
Set forth below are certain material risks to which a client might be exposed in connection with SIMC’s
implementation of a strategy for client accounts:
Absolute Return – A portfolio that seeks to achieve an absolute return with reduced correlation to stock
and bond markets may not achieve positive returns over short or long term periods. Investment strategies
that have historically been non-correlated or have demonstrated low correlations to one another or to
stock and bond markets may become correlated at certain times and, as a result, may cease to function
as anticipated over either short or long term periods.
Artificial Intelligence Technology—The rapid development and increasingly widespread use of certain
artificial intelligence technologies, including machine learning models and generative artificial
intelligence (collectively “AI”), may adversely impact markets, the overall performance of a Fund’s
investments, or the services provided to a Fund. To the extent a Fund invests in companies that are
involved in various aspects of AI, the Fund will be affected by the risks of those types of companies,
including changes in business cycles, world economic growth, technological progress, and changes in
government regulation. Rapid change to technologies that affect a company’s products could have a
material adverse effect on such company’s operating results. Companies that are extensively involved
in AI also may rely heavily on a combination of patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secret laws
to establish and protect their proprietary rights in their products and technologies. There can be no
assurance that the steps taken by these companies to protect their proprietary rights will be adequate
to prevent the misappropriation of their technology or that competitors will not independently develop
technologies that are substantially equivalent or superior to such companies’ technology. Further,
because of the innovative nature of the AI market, outpaced advancement by one company or
increasing market share by one company could result in rapid and substantial declines in the value of
competing companies. In addition, market reaction to the potential impact of AI could result in excess
demand for access to AI-related investments, thereby resulting in accelerated growth in the market
value of such companies, which may then be subject to sharp resets in the wake of news or other
information that tempers expectations of AI or of particular AI-related companies, thus potentially
resulting in periods of high volatility in the price of such securities, which could negatively affect the
Funds’ performance.
Asset Allocation Risk – The risk that an investment advisor’s decisions regarding a portfolio’s allocation
to asset classes or underlying funds will not anticipate market trends successfully.
Asset-Backed Securities Risk – Payment of principal and interest on asset-backed securities is dependent
largely on the cash flows generated by the assets backing the securities. Securitization trusts generally
do not have any assets or sources of funds other than the receivables and related property they own,
and asset-backed securities are generally not insured or guaranteed by the related sponsor or any other
entity. Asset-backed securities may be more illiquid than more conventional types of fixed-income
securities that the portfolio may acquire.
Below Investment Grade Securities (Junk Bonds) Risk – Fixed income securities rated below investment
grade (junk bonds) involve greater risks of default or downgrade and are generally more volatile than
investment grade securities because the prospect for repayment of principal and interest of many of
these securities is speculative. Because these securities typically offer a higher rate of return to
compensate investors for these risks, they are sometimes referred to as “high yield bonds,” but there is
no guarantee that an investment in these securities will result in a high rate of return. These risks may
be increased in foreign and emerging markets.
Call Risk — Issuers of callable bonds may call (redeem) securities with higher coupons or interest rates
before their maturity dates. A portfolio may be forced to reinvest the unanticipated proceeds at lower
interest rates, resulting in a decline in the portfolio’s income. Bonds may be called due to falling interest
28
rates or non-economic circumstances.
Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDOs) and Collateralized Loan Obligations (CLOs) Risk – CDOs and CLOs
are securities backed by an underlying portfolio of debt and loan obligations, respectively. CDOs and
CLOs issue classes or “tranches” that vary in risk and yield and may experience substantial losses due to
actual defaults, decrease in market value due to collateral defaults and removal of subordinate tranches,
market anticipation of defaults and investor aversion to CDO and CLO securities as a class. The risks of
investing in CDOs and CLOs depend largely on the tranche invested in and the type of the underlying
debts and loans in the tranche of the CDO or CLO, respectively, in which the portfolio invests. CDOs and
CLOs also carry risks including, but not limited to, interest rate risk and credit risk, which are described
below. For example, a liquidity crisis in the global credit markets could cause substantial fluctuations in
prices for leveraged loans and high-yield debt securities and limited liquidity for such instruments. When
a portfolio invests in CDOs or CLOs, in addition to directly bearing the expenses associated with its own
operations, it may bear a pro rata portion of the CDO’s or CLO’s expenses. The impact of expenses is
especially relevant when a portfolio invests in the lowest tranche (the “equity tranche”) of a CDO or
CLO. At the equity tranche level, expenses of a CDO or CLO may reduce distributions available to the
portfolio before impacting distributions available to investors above the equity tranche and thereby
disproportionately impact the portfolio’s investment in such CDO or CLO.
Convertible and Preferred Securities Risk – Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred
stock or other securities that may be converted into or exercised for a prescribed amount of common
stock at a specified time and price. The value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest
rates, with investment value typically declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates
decline, and the credit standing of the issuer. The price of a convertible security will also normally vary
in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying common stock because of the conversion or
exercise feature. Convertible securities may also be rated below investment grade (junk bonds) or may
not be rated and are subject to credit risk and prepayment risk. Preferred stocks are nonvoting equity
securities that pay a stated fixed or variable rate dividend. Due to their fixed income features, preferred
stocks provide higher income potential than issuers’ common stocks, but are typically more sensitive to
interest rate changes than an underlying common stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to equity
market risk. The rights of preferred stocks on the distribution of a corporation’s assets in the event of a
liquidation are generally subordinate to the rights associated with a corporation’s debt securities.
Preferred stock may also be subject to prepayment risk.
Corporate Fixed Income Securities Risk – Corporate fixed income securities respond to economic
developments, especially changes in interest rates, as well as to perceptions of the creditworthiness and
business prospects of individual issuers.
Credit Risk – The risk that the issuer of a security, or the counterparty to a contract, will default or
otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation.
Currency Risk – As a result of investments in securities or other investments denominated in, and/or
receiving revenues in, foreign currencies a portfolio will be subject to currency risk. Currency risk is the
risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, or, in the case of hedging
positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency hedged. In either event, the
dollar value of an investment in the portfolio would be adversely affected. To the extent that a portfolio
takes active or passive positions in securities denominated in foreign currencies it will be subject to the
risk that currency exchange rates may fluctuate in response to, among other things, changes in interest
rates, intervention (or failure to intervene) by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks or
supranational entities, or by the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the
United States or abroad.
Depositary Receipts Risk – Depositary receipts, such as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), are
certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer that are issued by depositary banks and
generally trade on an established market. Depositary receipts are subject to many of the risks associated
with investing directly in foreign securities, including among other things, political, social and economic
developments abroad, currency movements, and different legal, regulatory, tax, accounting and audit
environments.
29
Current Market Conditions Risk — Current market conditions risk is the risk that a particular investment,
or the market value of a portfolio’s investments in general, may fall in value due to current market
conditions. Although interest rates were unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, in 2022,
the Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks raised interest rates as part of their efforts to
address rising inflation. The Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks recently began to lower
interest rates, though economic or other factors, such as inflation, could stop such changes. It is
difficult to accurately predict the pace at which interest rates might change, the timing, frequency or
magnitude of any such changes in interest rates, or when such changes might stop or again reverse
course. Unexpected changes in interest rates could lead to significant market volatility or reduce
liquidity in certain sectors of the market. The ongoing adversarial political climate in the United States,
as well as political and diplomatic events both domestic and abroad, have and may continue to have an
adverse impact on the U.S. regulatory landscape, markets and investor behavior, which could have a
negative impact on a portfolio’s investments and operations. Other unexpected political, regulatory
and diplomatic events within the U.S. and abroad may affect investor and consumer confidence and
may affect investor and consumer confidence and may adversely impact financial markets and the
broader economy. The economies of the United States and its trading partners, as well as the financial
markets generally, may be adversely impacted by trade disputes and other matters. If any geopolitical
conflicts develop or worsen, economies, markets and individual securities may be adversely affected,
and the value of a portfolio’s assets may go down. The COVID-19 global pandemic, or any future public
health crisis, and the ensuing policies enacted by governments and central banks have caused and may
continue to cause significant volatility and uncertainty in global financial markets, negatively impacting
global growth prospects. Advancements in technology may also adversely impact markets and the
overall performance of a portfolio. These events, and any other future events, may adversely affect
the prices and liquidity of a portfolio’s investments and could result in disruptions in the trading
markets.
Depositary Receipts Risk – Depositary receipts, such as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), are
certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer that are issued by depositary banks and
generally trade on an established market. Depositary receipts are subject to many of the risks associated
with investing directly in foreign securities, including among other things, political, social and economic
developments abroad, currency movements, and different legal, regulatory, tax, accounting and audit
environments.
Derivatives Risk – A portfolio’s use of futures contracts, forward contracts, options and swaps is subject
to market risk, leverage risk, correlation risk and liquidity risk. Leverage risk, liquidity risk and market
risk are described below. Many over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives instruments will not have liquidity
beyond the counterparty to the instrument. Correlation risk is the risk that changes in the value of the
derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset, rate or index. A portfolio’s use of
forward contracts and swap agreements is also subject to credit risk and valuation risk. Valuation risk is
the risk that the derivative may be difficult to value and/or valued incorrectly. Credit risk is described
above. Each of these risks could cause a portfolio to lose more than the principal amount invested in a
derivative instrument. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of
the portfolio’s initial investment. The other parties to certain derivative contracts present the same
types of credit risk as issuers of fixed income securities. The portfolio’s use of derivatives may also
increase the amount of taxes payable by investors. Both U.S. and non-U.S. regulators have adopted and
implemented regulations governing derivatives markets, the ultimate impact of which remains unclear.
Duration Risk – Longer-term securities in which a portfolio may invest tend to be more volatile than
shorter term securities. A portfolio with a longer average portfolio duration is more sensitive to changes
in interest rates than a portfolio with a shorter average portfolio duration.
Equity Market Risk – The risk that the market value of a security may move up and down, sometimes
rapidly and unpredictably. Equity market risk may affect a single issuer, an industry, a sector or the
equity or bond market as a whole. Equity markets may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer,
political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market
value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity.
Similarly, environmental and public health risks, such as natural disasters, epidemics, pandemics or
widespread fear that such events may occur, may impact markets adversely and cause market volatility
in both the short- and long-term.
30
Environment, Social and Governance Investment Criteria Risk – If a portfolio is subject to certain
environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment criteria it may avoid purchasing certain securities
for ESG reasons when it is otherwise economically advantageous to purchase those securities, or may sell
certain securities for ESG reasons when it is otherwise economically advantageous to hold those
securities. In general, the application of portfolio’s ESG investment criteria may affect the portfolio’s
exposure to certain issuers, industries, sectors and geographic areas, which may affect the financial
performance of the portfolio, positively or negatively, depending on whether these issuers, industries,
sectors or geographic areas are in or out of favor. An adviser or vendor can vary materially from other
ESG advisers and vendors with respect to its methodology for constructing ESG portfolios or screens,
including with respect to the factors and data that it collects and evaluates as part of its process. As a
result, an adviser’s or vendor’s ESG portfolio or screen may materially differ from or contradict the
conclusions reached by other ESG advisers or vendors with respect to the same issuers. Further, ESG
criteria is dependent on data and is subject to the risk that such data reported by issuers or received
from third party sources may be subjective, or may be objective in principal but not verified or reliable.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) Risk (including leveraged ETFs) – The risks of owning shares of an ETF
generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities or other instruments the ETF is designed
to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its value being more volatile than the
underlying portfolio securities. Leveraged ETFs contain all of the risks that non-leveraged ETFs present.
Additionally, to the extent the portfolio invests in ETFs that achieve leveraged exposure to their
underlying indexes through the use of derivative instruments, the portfolio will indirectly be subject to
leverage risk, described below. Leveraged Inverse ETFs seek to provide investment results that match a
negative multiple of the performance of an underlying index. To the extent that the portfolio invests in
Leveraged Inverse ETFs, the portfolio will indirectly be subject to the risk that the performance of such
ETF will fall as the performance of that ETF’s benchmark rises. Leveraged and Leveraged Inverse ETFs
often “reset” daily, meaning that they are designed to achieve their stated objectives on a daily basis.
Due to the effect of compounding, their performance over longer periods of time can differ significantly
from the performance (or inverse of the performance) of their underlying index or benchmark during the
same period of time. These investment vehicles may be extremely volatile and can potentially expose a
portfolio to significant losses. When a portfolio invests in an ETF, in addition to directly bearing the
expenses associated with its own operations, it will bear a pro rata portion of the ETF’s expenses. See
also, “Exchange-Traded Products Risk”, below.
Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs) Risk — The risks of owning interests of an ETP, such as an ETF, ETN or
exchange-traded commodity pool, generally reflect the same risks as owning the underlying securities or
other instruments that the ETP is designed to track. The shares of certain ETPs may trade at a premium
or discount to their intrinsic value (i.e., the market value may differ from the net asset value of an ETP’s
shares). For example, supply and demand for shares of an ETF or market disruptions may cause the
market price of the ETF to deviate from the value of the ETF’s investments, which may be emphasized
in less liquid markets. The value of an ETN may also differ from the valuation of its reference market or
instrument due to changes in the issuer’s credit rating. By investing in an ETP, in addition to directly
bearing the expenses associated with its own operations, the portfolio indirectly bears the proportionate
share of any fees and expenses of the ETP. Because certain ETPs may have a significant portion of their
assets exposed directly or indirectly to commodities or commodity-linked securities, developments
affecting commodities may have a disproportionate impact on such ETPs and may subject the ETPs to
greater volatility than investments in traditional securities.
Extension Risk – The risk that rising interest rates may extend the duration of a fixed income security,
typically reducing the security’s value.
Fixed Income Market Risk —The prices of fixed income securities respond to economic developments,
particularly interest rate changes, as well as to perceptions about the creditworthiness of individual
issuers, including governments and their agencies. Generally, fixed income securities will decrease in
value if interest rates rise and vice versa. In a low interest rate environment, risks associated with rising
rates are heightened. Declines in dealer market-making capacity as a result of structural or regulatory
changes could decrease liquidity and/or increase volatility in the fixed income markets. Markets for fixed
income securities may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market,
31
economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions
concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Similarly, environmental
and public health risks, such as natural disasters, epidemics, pandemics or widespread fear that such
events may occur, may impact markets adversely and cause market volatility in both the short- and long-
term. In response to these events, a portfolio’s value may fluctuate.
Foreign Investment/Emerging Markets Risk – The risk that non-U.S. securities may be subject to additional
risks due to, among other things, political, social and economic developments abroad, currency
movements and different legal, regulatory, tax, accounting and audit environments. These additional
risks may be heightened with respect to emerging market countries because political turmoil and rapid
changes in economic conditions are more likely to occur in these countries. Investments in emerging
markets are subject to the added risk that information in emerging market investments may be unreliable
or outdated due to differences in regulatory, accounting or auditing and financial record keeping
standards, or because less information about emerging market investments is publicly available. In
addition, the rights and remedies associated with emerging market investments may be different than
investments in developed markets. A lack of reliable information, rights and remedies increase the risks
of investing in emerging markets in comparison to more developed markets. In addition, periodic U.S.
Government restrictions on investments in issuers from certain foreign countries may require the
portfolio to sell such investments at inopportune times, which could result in losses to the portfolio.
Foreign Sovereign Debt Securities Risk — The risks that: (i) the governmental entity that controls the
repayment of sovereign debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or interest when it
becomes due because of factors such as debt service burden, political constraints, cash flow problems
and other national economic factors; (ii) governments may default on their debt securities, which may
require holders of such securities to participate in debt rescheduling or additional lending to defaulting
governments; and (iii) there is no bankruptcy proceeding by which defaulted sovereign debt may be
collected in whole or in part.
Income Risk – The possibility that a portfolio’s yield will decline due to falling interest rates.
Inflation Protected Securities Risk – The value of inflation protected securities, including TIPS, generally
will fluctuate in response to changes in “real” interest rates, generally decreasing when real interest
rates rise and increasing when real interest rates fall. Real interest rates represent nominal (or stated)
interest rates reduced by the expected impact of inflation. In addition, interest payments on inflation-
indexed securities will generally vary up or down along with the rate of inflation.
Interest Rate Risk – The risk that a change in interest rates will cause a fall in the value of fixed income
securities, including U.S. Government securities in which the portfolio invests. Generally, the value of a
portfolio’s fixed income securities will vary inversely with the direction of prevailing interest rates.
Changing interest rates may have unpredictable effects on the markets and may affect the value and
liquidity of instruments held by a portfolio. Although U.S. Government securities are considered to be
among the safest investments, they are not guaranteed against price movements due to changing interest
rates.
Interval Fund Risk – See also, “Investment Company Risk” below. Unlike many closed-end funds, which
typically list their shares on a securities exchange, an interval fund typically does not intend to list its
shares for trading on any securities exchange and does not expect any secondary market to develop for
the shares in the foreseeable future. Therefore, an investment in an interval fund, unlike an investment
in a typical closed-end fund, is not a liquid investment. An interval fund is designed primarily for long-
term investors and not as a trading vehicle. An interval fund will, subject to applicable law, conduct
quarterly repurchase offers of a portion of its outstanding shares at net asset value. It is possible that a
repurchase offer may be oversubscribed, with the result that shareholders may only be able to have a
portion of their Shares repurchased. Even though an interval fund will make quarterly repurchase offers,
you should consider the Shares to be illiquid.
Investment Company Risk – When a portfolio invests in an investment company, in addition to directly
bearing the expenses associated with its own operations, it will bear a pro rata portion of the investment
company’s expenses. In addition, while the risks of owning shares of an investment company generally
32
reflect the risks of owning the underlying investments of the investment company, a portfolio may be
subject to additional or different risks than if the portfolio had invested directly in the underlying
investments. For example, the lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its value being more volatile
than the underlying portfolio securities. Closed-end investment companies issue a fixed number of shares
that trade on a stock exchange or over-the-counter at a premium or a discount to their net asset value.
As a result, a closed-end fund’s share price fluctuates based on what another investor is willing to pay
rather than on the market value of the securities in the fund. See also, “Exchange Traded Products (ETPs)
Risk” and “Interval Fund Risk” above.
Investment Style Risk – The risk that the portfolio’s strategy may underperform other segments of the
markets or the markets as a whole.
Large Capitalization Risk – The risk that larger, more established companies may be unable to respond
quickly to new competitive challenges such as changes in technology and consumer tastes. Larger
companies also may not be able to attain the high growth rates of successful smaller companies.
Leverage Risk – A portfolio’s use of derivatives may result in the portfolio’s total investment exposure
substantially exceeding the value of its securities and the portfolio’s investment returns depending
substantially on the performance of securities that the portfolio may not directly own. The use of
leverage can amplify the effects of market volatility on the portfolio's value and may also cause the
portfolio to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy
its obligations. The portfolio’s use of leverage may result in a heightened risk of investment loss.
Liquidity Risk – The risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the
price that the portfolio would like. The portfolio may have to lower the price of the security, sell other
securities instead or forego an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on
portfolio management or performance.
Master Limited Partnership (MLP) Risk – Investments in units of master limited partnerships involve risks
that differ from an investment in common stock. Holders of the units of master limited partnerships have
more limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the partnership. There are also
certain tax risks associated with an investment in units of master limited partnerships. In addition,
conflicts of interest may exist between common unit holders, subordinated unit holders and the general
partner of a master limited partnership, including a conflict arising as a result of incentive distribution
payments. The benefit the portfolio derives from investment in MLP units is largely dependent on the
MLPs being treated as partnerships and not as corporations for federal income tax purposes. If an MLP
were classified as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, there would be reduction in the after-
tax return to the portfolio of distributions from the MLP, likely causing a reduction in the value of the
portfolio. MLP entities are typically focused in the energy, natural resources and real estate sectors of
the economy. A downturn in the energy, natural resources or real estate sectors of the economy could
have an adverse impact on the portfolio. At times, the performance of securities of companies in the
energy, natural resources and real estate sectors of the economy may lag the performance of other
sectors or the broader market as a whole.
Money Market Funds – With respect to an investment in money market funds, an investment in the money
market fund is not a bank deposit nor is it insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or any other government agency. Although a money market fund may seek to maintain a
constant price per share of $1.00, you may lose money by investing in the money market fund. A money
market fund may experience periods of heavy redemptions that could cause the fund to liquidate its
assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value, particularly during periods of declining or
illiquid markets. This could have a significant adverse effect on the money market fund’s ability to
maintain a stable $1.00 share price, and, in extreme circumstances, could cause the fund liquidate
completely.
Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk – Mortgage-backed securities are affected significantly by the rate of
prepayments and modifications of the mortgage loans backing those securities, as well as by other factors
such as borrower defaults, delinquencies, realized or liquidation losses and other shortfalls. Mortgage-
backed securities are particularly sensitive to prepayment risk, which is described below, given that the
term to maturity for mortgage loans is generally substantially longer than the expected lives of those
33
securities; however, the timing and amount of prepayments cannot be accurately predicted. The timing
of changes in the rate of prepayments of the mortgage loans may significantly affect the portfolio’s
actual yield to maturity on any mortgage-backed securities, even if the average rate of principal
payments is consistent with the portfolio’s expectation. Along with prepayment risk, mortgage-backed
securities are significantly affected by interest rate risk, which is described above. In a low interest rate
environment, mortgage loan prepayments would generally be expected to increase due to factors such
as refinancing and loan modifications at lower interest rates. In contrast, if prevailing interest rates rise,
prepayments of mortgage loans would generally be expected to decline and therefore extend the
weighted average lives of mortgage-backed securities held or acquired by the portfolio.
Municipal Securities Risk – Municipal securities, like other fixed income securities, rise and fall in value
in response to economic and market factors, primarily changes in interest rates, and actual or perceived
credit quality. Rising interest rates will generally cause municipal securities to decline in value. Longer-
term securities usually respond more sharply to interest rate changes than do shorter-term securities. A
municipal security will also lose value if, due to rating downgrades or other factors, there are concerns
about the issuer’s current or future ability to make principal or interest payments. State and local
governments rely on taxes and, to some extent, revenues from private projects financed by municipal
securities, to pay interest and principal on municipal debt. Poor statewide or local economic results or
changing political sentiments may reduce tax revenues and increase the expenses of municipal issuers,
making it more difficult for them to repay principal and to make interest payments on securities owned
by a portfolio. Actual or perceived erosion of the creditworthiness of municipal issuers may reduce the
value of a portfolio’s holdings. As a result, a portfolio will be more susceptible to factors that adversely
affect issuers of municipal obligations than a portfolio that does not have as great a concentration in
municipal obligations. Municipal obligations may be underwritten or guaranteed by a relatively small
number of financial services firms, so changes in the municipal securities market that affect those firms
may decrease the availability of municipal instruments in the market, thereby making it difficult to
identify and obtain appropriate investments for the portfolio. Also, there may be economic or political
changes that impact the ability of issuers of municipal securities to repay principal and to make interest
payments on securities owned by the portfolio. Any changes in the financial condition of municipal issuers
also may adversely affect the value of the portfolio’s securities.
Non-Diversified Risk – To the extent that a portfolio is non-diversified, which means that it may invest in
the securities of relatively few issuers. The portfolio may be more susceptible to a single adverse
economic, political, or regulatory occurrence affecting one or more of these issuers, and may
experience increased volatility due to its investments in those securities.
Opportunity Risk – The risk of missing out on an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to
take advantage of it are tied up in other investments.
Options — An option is a contract between two parties for the purchase and sale of a financial instrument
for a specified price at any time during the option period. Unlike a futures contract, an option grants the
purchaser, in exchange for a premium payment, a right (not an obligation) to buy or sell a financial
instrument. An option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in exchange for a premium, to
assume a position in a futures contract at a specified exercise price during the term of the option. The
seller of an uncovered call (buy) option assumes the risk of a theoretically unlimited increase in the
market price of the underlying security above the exercise price of the option. The securities necessary
to satisfy the exercise of the call option may be unavailable for purchase except at much higher prices.
Purchasing securities to satisfy the exercise of the call option can itself cause the price of the securities
to rise further, sometimes by a significant amount, thereby exacerbating the loss. The buyer of a call
option assumes the risk of paying an entire premium in the call option without ever getting the
opportunity to execute the option. The seller (writer) of a covered put (sell) option (e.g., the writer has
a short position in the underlying security) will suffer a loss if the increase in the market price of the
underlying security is greater than the premium received from the buyer of the option. The seller of an
uncovered put option assumes the risk of a decline in the market price of the underlying security below
the exercise price of the option. The buyer of a put option assumes the risk of paying an entire premium
in the put option without ever getting the opportunity to exercise the option. An option’s time value
(i.e., the component of the option’s value that exceeds the in-the-money amount) tends to diminish over
time. Even though an option may be in-the-money to the buyer at various times prior to its expiration
date, the buyer’s ability to realize the value of an option depends on when and how the option may be
34
exercised. For example, the terms of a transaction may provide for the option to be exercised
automatically if it is in-the-money on the expiration date. Conversely, the terms may require timely
delivery of a notice of exercise, and exercise may be subject to other conditions (such as the occurrence
or non-occurrence of certain events, such as knock-in, knock-out or other barrier events) and timing
requirements, including the “style” of the option. Risks associated with options transactions include: (i)
the success of a hedging strategy may depend on an ability to predict movements in the prices of
individual securities, fluctuations in markets and movements in interest rates; (ii) there may be an
imperfect correlation between the movement in prices of options and the securities underlying them;
(iii) there may not be a liquid secondary market for options; and (iv) though a portfolio will receive a
premium when it writes covered call options, it may not participate fully in a rise in the market value of
the underlying security.
Overlay Risk – To the extent that a client’s portfolio is implemented through an overlay manager, it is
subject to the risk that its performance may deviate from the performance of a sub-advisor’s model or
the performance of other proprietary or client accounts over which the sub-advisor retains trading
authority (“Other Accounts”). The overlay manager’s variation from the sub-advisor’s model portfolio
may contribute to performance deviations, including under performance. The overlay manager will vary
from a model portfolio to, among other reasons, implement tax management strategies, as applicable,
and security restrictions. The overlay manager is restricted from purchasing certain securities due to the
issuer’s affiliation with SEI or the overlay manager, or due to the overlay manager’s compliance with
laws, regulations, and policies that apply to the business activities of its affiliates. In addition, a sub-
advisor may implement its model portfolio for its Other Accounts prior to submitting its model to the
overlay manager. In these circumstances, trades placed by the overlay manager pursuant to a model
portfolio may be subject to price movements that result in the client’s portfolio receiving prices that are
different from the prices obtained by the sub-advisor for its Other Accounts, including less favorable
prices. The risk of such price deviations may increase for large orders or where securities are thinly
traded.
Portfolio Turnover Risk – To the extent that a portfolio buys and sells securities frequently, such activity
may result in higher transaction costs and taxes subject to ordinary income tax rates as opposed to more
favorable capital gains rates, which may affect the portfolio’s performance. To the extent that a
portfolio invests in an underlying fund the portfolio will have no control over the turnover of the
underlying fund.
Prepayment Risk – The risk that, in a declining interest rate environment, fixed income securities with
stated interest rates may have the principal paid earlier than expected, requiring a portfolio to invest
the proceeds at generally lower interest rates.
Private Placements Risk – Investment in privately placed securities, including interests in private equity
and hedge funds, may be less liquid than in publicly traded securities. Although these securities may be
resold in privately negotiated transactions, the prices realized from these sales could be less than those
originally paid by the portfolio, the carrying value of such securities or less than what may be considered
the fair value of such securities. Furthermore, companies whose securities are not publicly traded may
not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements that might be applicable if
their securities were publicly traded.
Quantitative Investing – A quantitative investment style generally involves the use of computers to
implement a systematic or rules-based approach to selecting investments based on specific measurable
factors. Due to the significant role technology plays in such strategies, they carry the risk of unintended
or unrecognized issues or flaws in the design, coding, implementation or maintenance of the computer
programs or technology used in the development and implementation of the quantitative strategy. These
issues or flaws, which can be difficult to identify, may result in the implementation of a portfolio that is
different from that which was intended, and could negatively impact investment returns. Such risks
should be viewed as an inherent element of investing in an investment strategy that relies heavily upon
quantitative models and computerization. Utility interruptions or other key systems outages also can
impair the performance of quantitative investment strategies.
Reallocation Risk – SIMC constructs and maintains global asset allocation strategies for certain clients,
and the SEI funds are designed in part to implement those Strategies. Within the Strategies, SIMC
35
periodically adjusts the target allocations among the mutual funds to ensure that the appropriate mix of
assets is in place. SIMC also may create new Strategies that reflect significant changes in allocation
among the mutual funds. Because a significant portion of the assets in the mutual funds may be
attributable to investors in Strategies controlled or influenced by SIMC, this reallocation activity could
result in significant purchase or redemption activity in the mutual funds. Although reallocations are
intended to benefit investors that invest in the mutual funds through the Strategies, they could, in certain
cases, have a detrimental effect on the mutual funds. Such detrimental effects could include: transaction
costs, capital gains and other expenses resulting from an increase in portfolio turnover; and disruptions
to the portfolio management strategy, such as foregone investment opportunities or the inopportune
sale of securities to facilitate redemptions.
Real Estate Industry Risk – Securities of companies principally engaged in the real estate industry may be
subject to the risks associated with direct ownership of real estate. Risks commonly associated with the
direct ownership of real estate include fluctuations in the value of underlying properties, defaults by
borrowers or tenants, changes in interest rates and risks related to general or local economic conditions.
If a portfolio’s investments are concentrated in issuers conducting business in the real estate industry,
the portfolio may be is subject to risks associated with legislative or regulatory changes, adverse market
conditions and/or increased competition affecting that industry.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) – REITs are trusts that invest primarily in commercial real estate
or real estate-related loans. Investments in REITs are subject to the risks associated with the direct
ownership of real estate which is discussed above. Some REITs may have limited diversification and may
be subject to risks inherent in financing a limited number of properties.
Sampling Risk – With respect to investments in index funds or a portfolio designed to track the
performance of an index, a fund or portfolio may not fully replicate a benchmark index and may hold
securities not included in the index. As a result, a fund or portfolio may not track the return of its
benchmark index as well as it would have if the fund or portfolio purchased all of the securities in its
benchmark index.
Small and Medium Capitalization Risk – Small and medium capitalization companies may be more
vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies. In
particular, small and medium capitalization companies may have limited product lines, markets and
financial resources, and may depend upon a relatively small management group. Therefore, small
capitalization and medium capitalization stocks may be more volatile than those of larger companies.
Small capitalization and medium capitalization stocks may be traded over the counter (OTC). OTC stocks
may trade less frequently and in smaller volume than exchange-listed stocks and may have more price
volatility than that of exchange-listed stocks.
Taxation Risk – SIMC does not represent in any manner that the tax consequences described as part of its
tax-management techniques and strategies will be achieved or that any of SIMC's tax-management
techniques, or any of its products and/or services, will result in any particular tax consequence. Unless
otherwise disclosed, tax-management techniques are limited to, and take into consideration only, the
securities held within the individual client account managed by SIMC. The impact of such tax management
techniques and strategies may be reduced or eliminated as a result of securities and trading activities in
other accounts owned by client, including other client accounts managed by SIMC. The tax consequences
of the tax-management techniques, including those intended to harvest tax losses, and other strategies
that SIMC may pursue are complex and uncertain and may be challenged by the IRS. A portfolio that is
managed to reduce tax consequences to Clients will likely still earn taxable income and gains from time
to time, including income subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax. In certain instances, when harvesting
losses from the sale of an ETF or mutual fund (Original Fund), SIMC may seek to avoid a wash sale while
maintaining exposure to the desired asset class. SIMC may do so through the purchase of another ETF or
mutual fund (Secondary Fund). Certain strategies may require SIMC to sell the Secondary Fund upon the
expiration of the wash-sale period and return to the Original Fund, which may result in a short-term gain.
Such gain may exceed harvested losses. Certain strategies may also require SIMC to redeem from an
Original Fund when a suitable fund becomes available from a specified fund family, which may result in
short- or long-term gains. In order to pay tax-exempt interest, tax-exempt securities must meet certain
legal requirements. Failure to meet such requirements may cause the interest received and distributed
by the portfolio to shareholders to be taxable. Changes or proposed changes in federal tax laws may
36
cause the prices of tax-exempt securities to fall. The federal income tax treatment on payments with
respect to certain derivative contracts is unclear. Consequently, a portfolio may receive payments that
are treated as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. To the extent a portfolio invests in ETFs,
mutual funds or other pooled products, you should review the applicable prospectus or offering document
for additional tax disclosure, including relevant risks. Neither SIMC nor its affiliates provide tax advice.
Tracking Error Risk – The risk that the performance of a portfolio designed to track an index may vary
substantially from the performance of the benchmark index it tracks as a result of cash flows, portfolio
expenses, imperfect correlation between the portfolio's investments and the components of the index
and other factors.
Underlying Funds Risk – With respect to portfolios that invest in underlying funds, additional investment
risk exists because the value of such investments is based primarily on the performance of the underlying
funds. Specifically with respect to alternative funds, the entity’s sponsors will make investment and
management decisions. Therefore, an underlying fund’s returns are dependent on the investment
decisions made by its management and the portfolio will not participate in the management or control
the investment decisions of the alternative fund. Further, the returns on a portfolio may be negatively
impacted by liquidity restrictions imposed by the governing documents of an alternative fund such as
“lock-up” periods, gates, redemption fees and management’s ability to suspend redemptions (in certain
cases). Such lock-up periods, gates or suspensions may restrict the portfolio’s ability to exit from an
alternative fund in accordance with the intended business plan and prevent the portfolio from liquidating
its position upon favorable terms. All of these factors may limit the portfolio’s return under certain
circumstances.
U.S. Government Securities Risk – Although U.S. Government securities are considered to be among the
safest investments, they are still subject to the credit risk of the U.S. Government and are not guaranteed
against price movements due to changing interest rates. Obligations issued by some U.S. Government
agencies are backed by the U.S. Treasury, while others are backed solely by the ability of the agency to
borrow from the U.S. Treasury or by the agency's own resources. No assurance can be given that the U.S.
Government will provide financial support to its agencies and instrumentalities if it is not obligated by
law to do so.
Warrants Risk - Warrants are instruments that entitle the holder to buy an equity security at a specific
price for a specific period of time. Warrants may be more speculative than other types of investments.
The price of a warrant may be more volatile than the price of its underlying security, and a warrant may
offer greater potential for capital appreciation as well as capital loss. A warrant ceases to have value if
it is not exercised prior to its expiration date.
37
Item 9 – Disciplinary Information
Registered investment advisors are required to disclose all material facts regarding any legal or
disciplinary events that would be material to your evaluation of SIMC or the integrity of SIMC’s
management. SIMC has no information applicable to this Item.
38
Item 10 – Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations
SIMC, which is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of SEIC, hires affiliates and third parties to perform
services for SIMC and its clients. And, as part of the IAS service offering SIMC’s affiliates also provide
services to Independent Advisors and their Clients and are compensated for those services. Some of
these relationships create conflicts of interest. These relationships are described below.
Hiring of Managers and Sub-Advisors
As a manager-of-managers, SIMC hires sub-advisors to provide day-to-day securities selection for many
of its investment products. SIMC has hired an affiliated advisor, LSV Asset Management (“LSV”), to serve
as sub-advisor to some of SIMC’s investment products. Specifically, SIMC’s parent company, SEIC,
maintains a minority ownership interest (approximately 39% as of December 31, 2024) in LSV, which is a
sub-advisor in the Funds and MAS. SIMC is incentivized to hire and recommend LSV as a sub-advisor to
increase its earnings with respect to its ownership interest. SIMC is incentivized to hire and
recommend LSV as a sub-advisor to increase its earnings with respect to its ownership interest. To
mitigate this conflict of interest, each sub-advisor, regardless of whether it is affiliated or
unaffiliated, is subject to SIMC’s standard manager due diligence and selection process for the
applicable program and/or strategy offering. Additionally, to the extent LSV is managing SEI Fund
assets, it is subject to the same Board of Trustees approval process as non-affiliated sub-advisors and
the affiliation is disclosed in the SEI Fund prospectuses.
SIMC also hires sub-advisors for its investment products who may also be investment advisors/sub-advisors
to other investment products offered by SIMC’s affiliates and partners. Therefore, SIMC has an incentive
to recommend a firm for sub-advisory services for its investment products because they are also providing
services to SIMC’s affiliates and partners. To address this conflict, SIMC conducts the same due diligence
on all sub-advisors regardless of whether they provide other services to SIMC’s affiliates and partners.
Additionally, some of the sub-advisors that SIMC selects for its Funds and MAS, and some of the managers
reviewed for our Manager Research Services described in Item 8, are also customers of SEIC for other
services and products (e.g., technology solutions, middle and back office platform solutions, turn-key
pooled product solutions) for which SIMC’s affiliates are compensated, which could influence SIMC’s
decisions when recommending or retaining sub-advisors. To mitigate these conflicts of interest, each
sub-advisor, regardless of whether it provides or receives the affiliated services noted above, is subject
to SIMC’s standard manager due diligence and selection process for the applicable SEI program and/or
strategy offering. Also, potential conflicts identified are raised to the Board of Trustees of the SEI Funds
or to SIMC’s compliance team prior to the sub-advisor being hired by SIMC.
Investment Products
SIMC not only provides investment management and advisory services to individuals and institutions, it
also serves as the investment advisor to its investment products, including the SEI Funds (including
subsidiaries of such Funds), SEI ETFs, SEI Interval Fund, SEI Alternative Funds, and collective
investment funds (each of which is offered to clients through a separate market unit). Additionally, SIMC
is the sponsor to, and the advisor of managed accounts, including MAS. SIMC may invest its Clients into
these products. Therefore, the Client may pay SIMC investment advisory fees which are agreed to in the
Client’s investment advisory agreement and pay SIMC investment advisory fees through the underlying
investment products. However, SIMC generally, and to the extent required by the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) and other applicable law, will offset or credit any advisory fees
earned by SIMC with respect to a client’s investment in an underlying investment product against that
Client’s account level fee.
SEI Proprietary Funds
Other affiliates of SIMC provide various services to the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs (including subsidiaries of
such funds), for which they receive compensation. Specifically, SEI Investments Global Funds Services
(“SGFS”) serves as administrator, SEI Institutional Transfer Agent, Inc. (“SITA”) serves as transfer
agent, and SIDCO serves as the distributor of the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs. SIDCO and SPTC also provide
39
shareholder services with respect to the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs. SIMC, SGFS, SIDCO and SPTC receive
fees from the SEI Funds determined as a percentage of the SEI Fund's total assets and, SIMC receive fees
from the SEI ETFs determined as a percentage of the SEI Fund's total assets and out of these assets
pays the fees of the funds’ other service providers, including to SIMC affiliates. Therefore, to the
extent that SIMC recommends that a client invests in the SEI Funds or SEI ETFs, SIMC’s affiliates
benefit from the investment in the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs. To the extent that a particular investment
is suitable for a Client, if applicable, such investments will be allocated in a manner which SIMC
determines is fair and equitable under the circumstances in respect to all of its other clients.
Some SEI Funds are “funds-of-funds,” meaning that an SEI Fund will invest in underlying funds, which in
most cases will be other SEI Funds. When an SEI Fund invests in underlying SEI Funds, SIMC is advisor to
both the fund-of-funds and the underlying SEI Funds and is paid an advisory fee by both Funds. As a
result, SIMC could select those underlying SEI Funds that pay higher advisory fees to SIMC. To mitigate
this risk, the SEI Funds are overseen by the SEI Funds’ Board of Trustees, which ensures that SIMC does
not factor in the level of fees in its decision in the allocation of underlying SEI Funds in the fund-of-
funds.
SEI Alternative Funds
Affiliates of SIMC (SEI Funds, Inc. and SEI Investment Strategies, LLC) serve as the general partner or
director to several of the SEI Alternative Funds. SEI Global Services, Inc. or SEI Investments Global
(Cayman) Limited also serves as administrator and transfer agent to certain SEI Alternative Funds.
Collective Trust Funds
SEI Trust Company (”STC”), a Pennsylvania chartered trust company, serves as trustee and investment
manager to various collective trust funds in which SIMC invests certain client’s assets (to the extent they
are eligible). SIMC also acts as an investment advisor to STC, and SITA as transfer agent, with respect to
the various collective trust funds offered by STC.
Non-U.S. Investors
SIMC serves as investment advisor to proprietary Irish-regulated UCITS Funds (and other alternative
funds), which are sold to non-U.S. investors. SIMC also serves as sub-advisor to several proprietary
Canadian-registered mutual funds to which SIMC’s affiliates serve as advisor.
Affiliated Custodian and Cash Management Services
In almost all cases IAS Clients are required to custody their accounts at SIMC’s affiliate, SPTC, a limited
purpose federal savings association. SPTC charges the Client a fee for these services as set forth in SPTC’s
custodial agreement with the Client. SPTC’s services may be provided to Clients at a discounted rate or
without additional charge and such discounts may be based on IAS’s relationship with the Independent
Advisor. In connection with providing shareholder services to Clients invested in the SEI Funds, SPTC
generally receives a shareholder service fee from the SEI Funds for providing those services, although
SPTC may reduce or waive its custodial fees on Client’s holding of these funds. To the extent that SIMC
serves as investment adviser in connection with strategies investing in SEI Funds, SPTC’s receipt of these
shareholder service fees represents a conflict of interest for SIMC in that due to SPTC’s receipt of such
fees SIMC has an incentive to select SEI Funds over non-proprietary funds.
SEI Integrated Cash Program and Conflicts of Interest. IAS Client accounts custodied at SPTC must
participate in the SEI Integrated Cash Program. No other cash management programs are available to
Client accounts custodied at SPTC. Under the SEI Integrated Cash Program, SPTC will transfer or “sweep”
all (i) required Integrated Cash Program amounts (described below) and (ii) uninvested or unallocated
cash in clients’ SPTC accounts into deposit accounts eligible for insurance by the FDIC (“FDIC Sweep”).
FDIC Sweep amounts are deposited through a network of individual “Sweep Banks.” These deposits are
eligible for FDIC insurance up to the maximum amount permitted by the FDIC, currently $250,000 for all
deposits held in the same ownership category at each Sweep Bank.
Client participation in the Integrated Cash Program results in significant financial benefits for SPTC and
its affiliates. SPTC receives compensation from the Sweep Banks in connection with maintaining the
40
FDIC Sweep (the “Bank Sweep Fee”). The Bank Sweep Fee charged by SPTC is not based on SPTC’s costs
in connection with maintaining the Program and is in addition to other compensation received by SPTC
(and its affiliates) with respect to your account. A committee made up of SEIC-employed individuals
that serve as SPTC and SIMC employees or officers (the “Interest Rate Committee”) has sole discretion
to set the Bank Sweep Fee, and thus SPTC and SIMC directly determine how much of the interest the
banks pay on FDIC Sweep to Clients and how much SPTC retains as Bank Sweep Fee compensation. This
discretion in setting the Bank Sweep Fee creates a conflict between the interests of Clients and the
interests of SPTC and SIMC, in that the Interest Rate Committee’s determination of the Bank Sweep Fee
affects the interest Clients earn on their FDIC Sweep. The higher the Bank Sweep Fee paid to SPTC, the
lower the interest paid by the Sweep Banks to Clients; the lower the Bank Sweep Fee paid to SPTC, the
higher the interest paid by the Sweep Banks to Clients.
In connection with servicing accounts, for most account types SPTC requires a minimum of 1% of a Client’s
account to be invested in the SEI Integrated Cash Program. Clients cannot opt out of this requirement
when custodying assets at SPTC. As a result, a Client whose account is custodied at SPTC will have a
minimum of 1% of their account invested in FDIC Sweep. In most cases, SIMC’s model allocations,
including all accounts invested in Fund Model and MAS portfolios, reflect this cash requirement. This 1%
minimum investment requirement results in conflicts of interest for SPTC and SIMC. In particular,
because the amount of the Bank Sweep Fee SPTC receives is based on the amount of Client assets
invested in FDIC Sweep, SPTC and SIMC have an incentive to set the minimum cash requirement at a level
that maximizes revenue for SPTC. Furthermore, because the Integrated Cash Program does not offer
other cash sweep options, such as money market funds, Clients and Independent Advisors will not be
able to use the program to programmatically invest cash allocations held in Client Accounts above the
1% required FDIC Sweep in cash sweep vehicles that generate less revenue for SPTC and/or return higher
investment yields to Clients. Therefore, in general, any cash balances in excess of the 1% SEI Integrated
Cash Program requirement will also generally be held in the FDIC Sweep, creating additional revenue
for SPTC and another conflict of interest. To mitigate this conflict of interest, to the extent an account
holds cash balances in excess of the 1% required Integrated Cash Program requirement, SPTC offers
Advisors the ability to invest such “excess cash balances” in SIMC- and certain third party-advised money
market funds, many of which that have historically offered higher yields and result in less compensation
for SPTC than the SEI Integrated Cash Program. Furthermore, to the extent a Client has a wrap account
holding such excess cash balances, such excess cash balances will automatically be invested in the SEI
Daily Income Trust Government II Fund, a SIMC-managed money market fund unless the Client’s Portfolio
Manager instructs otherwise. The use of the SEI money market fund is subject to certain conflicts of
interest due to the revenue it generates for SPTC, SIMC and their affiliates. SPTC, SIMC and their
affiliates receive economic benefits in connection with shares held in the SEI money market fund. The
fee paid to SPTC is for shareholder servicing and other services with respect to amounts invested in the
Program. SIMC (and its affiliates) receive advisory, administrative and other fees from (and with respect
to) investments in the Money Market Sweep. SPTC, SIMC and their affiliates would not typically receive
these fees in connection with direct investments or investments in unaffiliated mutual funds, and as a
result, these fees create an incentive to select the Money Market Sweep instead of other money market
funds that do not pay these fees. Clients holding excess cash should discuss available cash management
options with their Advisors, particularly if they plan to hold significant cash positions for longer periods
of time.
The Bank Sweep Fee is in addition to the fees earned by SPTC (and its affiliates) with respect to other
SEI Funds. It is also in addition to any advisory or wrap fees earned by SIMC in connection with IAS.
The Bank Sweep Fee may be up to a maximum of the Federal Funds Target Rate (as can be found online
at https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DFEDTARU) plus 0.25% as determined by the total deposit balances
at all of the Sweep Banks over a 12-month rolling period. Additionally, the third-party administrator of
the FDIC Sweep (the “FDIC Sweep Administrator”) is paid fees by: (1) SPTC on a portion of the FDIC
Sweep balances; and (2) Sweep Banks on the remaining portion of FDIC Sweep balances. SPTC also pays
the bank maintaining the deposit account that initially settles deposits to the deposit accounts (the
“Settlement Bank”) for the banking services it provides. Absent unusual circumstances, SPTC receives
the majority of the amount paid by the Sweep Banks with respect to FDIC Sweep. Depending on interest
rates and other factors, the interest to your account from the FDIC Sweep may be lower than the
aggregate fees received by SPTC for your participation in the FDIC Sweep. This can result in your account
experiencing negative overall investment return with respect to your FDIC Sweep investments.
41
The Bank Sweep Fee is an important and significant source of revenue to SPTC and, indirectly, to SEIC.
SPTC can raise and reduce its Bank Sweep Fee in its discretion. The amount of interest and fees the
Sweep Banks are willing to pay varies, and is expected to continue to vary, from participating Sweep
Bank to Sweep Bank. This creates a conflict for SPTC when selecting participating Sweep Banks in that it
incentivizes SPTC (and the FDIC Sweep Administrator) to select and allocate FDIC Sweep to Sweep Banks
that pay higher all-in rates. Participating Sweep Banks may also be clients of SPTC, creating an incentive
to favor those banks over banks that are not clients of SPTC, resulting in a conflict of interest.
The Bank Sweep Fee paid to SPTC can be greater or less than compensation paid to other platform
custodians (who provide similar account-type services) with regard to cash sweep vehicles. The interest
rate your FDIC Sweep cash earns can be lower than interest rates available to depositors making deposits
directly with the same bank or with other depository institutions. Banks have a conflict of interest with
respect to setting interest rates and do not have a duty to provide the highest rates available on the
market and may instead seek to pay a low rate; lower rates are more financially beneficial to a bank.
There is no necessary linkage between the FDIC Sweep’s rate of interest and other rates available in the
market, including money market mutual fund rates.
SPTC expects the Bank Sweep Fee it receives from Sweep Banks to be at a significantly higher rate than
any service fee it will receive from money market mutual funds (or their service providers). In addition,
in most interest rate environments, it is expected that deposits held as part of the FDIC Sweep will pay a
significantly lower interest rate to you than other cash equivalent products that your Independent Advisor
may choose in investing other portions of your account. This is a conflict of interest for SPTC in that SPTC
expects to receive significantly greater compensation on Clients’ FDIC Sweep cash than it would on
equivalent amounts held in other available investments. This conflict influences SPTC to require that a
portion of Clients’ accounts be invested in the SEI Integrated Cash Program.
For accounts not subject to a wrap fee, all applicable account-level advisory fees (including your
Independent Advisor’s advisory fee) are assessed on 100% of the value of account assets on an ongoing
basis, even though the amounts held in the SEI Integrated Cash Program do not receive any investment
advisory or brokerage services. (They do receive administrative and custodial services.) In addition,
accounts not subject to a wrap fee are not assessed SPTC’s custody fee with respect to amounts allocated
to FDIC Sweep. Nevertheless, when looked at jointly, SIMC and SPTC may receive more compensation in
connection with IAS Client assets invested in the SEI Integrated Cash Program than client assets invested
in the advisory program strategies discussed in this Brochure. For accounts subject to a wrap fee,
amounts held in FDIC Sweep are not assessed the wrap fee. In most interest-rate environments, applicable
fees earned by SPTC in the Integrated Cash Program will exceed the amount of interest paid to accounts on
the amounts held in the SEI Integrated Cash Program.
Limited FDIC Sweep Exclusions. In limited cases certain custodial accounts are not eligible for FDIC
Sweep with the Integrated Cash Program (e.g., accounts established under Internal Revenue Code Section
403(b)(7)). In these cases the Integrated Cash Program will sweep cash, including any required 1%
minimums as discussed above, into shares of the Money Market Sweep. It is important for Clients to
understand that cash balances in the Money Market Sweep are not eligible for FDIC insurance. SPTC, SIMC
and their affiliates receive economic benefits for shares held in the Money Market Sweep. The fee paid
to SPTC is for shareholder servicing and other services with respect to amounts invested in the Program.
SIMC (and its affiliates) receive advisory, administrative and other fees from (and with respect to)
investments in the Money Market Sweep. SPTC, SIMC and their affiliates would not typically receive these
fees in connection with direct investments or investments in unaffiliated mutual funds, and as a result,
these fees create an incentive to select the Money Market Sweep instead of other money market funds
that do not pay these fees. As a result of the fees SPTC, SIMC and their affiliates receive in connection
with Money Market Sweep, there is an incentive for SPTC and SIMC to require that available cash balances
are swept into the Money Market Sweep. Due to these fees, SPTC and SIMC realize more benefits as more
of the assets in your Account are allocated Money Market Sweep. Furthermore, the longer client assets
are held in Money Market Sweep, the greater the fee revenue SPTC, SIMC and its affiliates receive.
Additional information on the SEI Integrated Cash Program, including current interest rates associated
with FDIC Sweep and the SEI Integrated Cash Program Disclosure Document, can be found at
seic.com/InsuredDepositCash. SPTC delivers the SEI Integrated Cash Program Disclosure Document to
Clients at or prior to the time they begin participating in the SEI Integrated Cash Program and Clients
42
should refer to that document for more information on the program and how it operates. Additional
copies can be obtained from your Independent Advisor upon request.
SPTC may also provide trust, custody and/or record-keeping services to SIMC’s other clients, including
some of the Pooled Investment Vehicles. Please see Item 5 for additional information on fees.
IAS, through SPTC and/or its affiliates’ arrangements with participating third party financial and lending
institutions and technical interfaces available through the SEI Wealth Platform, offers the SBLOC Program
to Independent Advisors for use with their Clients. The SBLOC Program allows Independent Advisors
working with their Clients to submit a Client’s SBLOC application directly to one of the SBLOC Program’s
participating financial and lending institutions where, if approved by the participating financial and
lending institution, the SBLOC is secured by assets held in the applicable Client’s custodial account at
SPTC. SBLOC Program functionality and processes are incorporated into the SWP Platform and provide
operational and administrative efficiencies to Independent Advisors and their Clients that are not
available when an Independent Advisor and its Clients works with a third party financial and lending
institution not participating in the SBLOC Program. SPTC and/or its affiliates do not provide lending
services and each SBLOC Program participating financial and lending institution independently
establishes criteria for loan approval and loan terms (e.g., loan amount, lending rates, other loan terms,
etc.). Each participating financial and lending institution contracts directly with an Independent
Advisor’s Client once approved by such financial and lending institution for an SBLOC. SPTC and/or its
affiliates receive compensation from the SBLOC Program participating financial and lending institutions
based on funded SBLOC loans, which payments create a conflict of interest for IAS and SIMC personnel to
promote the SBLOC Program to Independent Advisors. SPTC and/or its affiliates do not receive these fees
when a Client works with a third party financial and lending institution outside of the SBLOC Program for
similar services. SIMC believe this conflict is mitigated by the fact that the SBLOC Program is an optional
service that an Independent Advisor working directly with its Clients may determine to use in their sole
discretion; (ii) Independent Advisors are not compensated by SIMC, SPTC, or their affiliates when Clients
participate in the SBLOC Program,(iii) Independent Advisors and their Clients may elect to work with
third party financial and lending institutions to receive similar services outside of the program (but
without the operational and technical support provided by IAS within the program); and (iv) SPTC requires
participating financial and lending institution SBLOC application materials to include disclosures about
the payments made to SPTC.
Affiliated Broker-Dealer
SIMC or sub-advisors will execute certain brokerage transactions using SIMC’s affiliated broker-dealer,
SIDCO and, as noted in the Wrap Brochure. SIDCO also receives shareholder service, administration
service and/or distribution fees from the SEI Funds, portions of which are paid by SIDCO to affiliates or
third parties that provide such services. SIDCO also receives distribution or creation unit servicer fees
from certain third-party ETFs and their sponsors when providing services to those firms under services
agreements between SIDCO and such firms. A conflict of interest exists because SIDCO may earn
additional fees to the extent that such ETFs are purchased by an SEI Fund or as part of MAS. SIMC
anticipates that any resultant increase in fees payable to SIDCO would be immaterial. In addition, certain
SIMC employees are also registered representatives of SIDCO. Such individuals do not receive additional
compensation by virtue of their role with SIDCO. See Items 4 and 12 for additional information on SIMC’s
use of broker-dealers, including SIDCO.
Commodity Pool Operator and SWAP Firm
SIMC is registered as a Commodity Pool Operator (“CPO”) and SWAP Firm with the Commodities Futures
Trading Commission (“CFTC”), and certain SIMC employees are registered with the CFTC as Principals
and/or Associated Persons.
43
Item 11 – Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions
and Personal Trading
Code of Ethics and Personal Trading
When SIMC employees have access to nonpublic information, conflicts may arise between the interests
of the employee and those of a client. For example, a SIMC employee could gain information on the
purchase or sale of securities by a SIMC client, or portfolio holdings information for a particular client.
The SIMC employee could use this information to take advantage of available investment opportunities,
take an investment opportunity from a client for the employee’s own portfolio, or front-run (which occurs
when an employee trades in his or her personal account before making client transactions). As a fiduciary,
SIMC owes a duty of loyalty to clients, which requires that a SIMC employee must always place the
interests of clients first and foremost and shall not take inappropriate advantage of his/her position.
Thus SIMC personnel must conduct themselves and their personal securities transactions in a manner that
does not create conflicts with the firm.
SIMC has adopted a Code of Ethics to reinforce to its employees SIMC’s principles of integrity and ethics,
and to enforce compliance with applicable regulations and best practices. Under the SIMC Code of Ethics,
SIMC employees that are characterized as Access Persons and their family members with whom they
reside must disclose personal securities holdings and personal securities transactions. Access Persons are
SIMC employees that have access to non-public information regarding any client’s purchase or sale of
securities or who are involved in making, or have non-public access to, securities recommendations to
clients. Access Persons are also subject to certain trade pre-clearance and reporting standards for their
personal securities transactions. Additionally, certain Access Persons may not purchase or sell, directly
or indirectly, any “Covered Security” (which is defined in the Code of Ethics) within 24 hours before or
after the time that the same Covered Security is being purchased or sold in any SIMC Investment
Vehicle. Some Access Persons may not purchase or sell such securities within seven days of a
transaction for a SIMC Investment Vehicle. Certain Access Persons also may not profit from the
purchase and sale or sale and purchase of a Covered Security within 60 days of acquiring or disposing of
beneficial ownership of that Covered Security. Finally, Access Persons may not acquire securities as
part of an initial public offering or a private placement transaction without the prior consent of SIMC
Compliance. The Code of Ethics also includes provisions relating to the confidentiality of client
information and market timing, and also incorporates SEIC’s insider trading policy by reference. All
supervised persons at SIMC are trained on the Code of Ethics and must acknowledge the terms of the
Code of Ethics upon hire and annually.
SIMC anticipates that, in appropriate circumstances, consistent with clients’ investment objectives, it
will cause accounts over which SIMC has management authority to effect and will recommend to
investment advisory clients or prospective clients, the purchase or sale of securities in which SIMC, its
affiliates and/or clients, directly or indirectly, have a position or interest. SIMC’s employees and persons
associated with SIMC are required to follow SIMC’s Code of Ethics. Subject to satisfying this policy and
applicable laws, officers, directors and employees of SIMC and its affiliates may trade for their own
accounts in securities which are recommended to and/or purchased for SIMC’s clients. The Code of Ethics
is designed to ensure that the personal securities transactions, activities and interests of the employees
of SIMC will not interfere with (i) making decisions in the best interest of advisory clients and (ii)
implementing such decisions while, at the same time, allowing employees to invest for their own
accounts. Nonetheless, because the Code of Ethics in some circumstances would permit employees to
invest in the same securities as clients, there is a possibility that employees might benefit from market
activity by a client in a security held by an employee. Employee trading is monitored under the Code of
Ethics, to seek to prevent conflicts of interest between SIMC and its clients.
Clients and prospects may request a copy of SIMC’s Code of Ethics by e-mailing SIMCCompliance@seic.com
or sending a request to: SEI Investments Management Corporation, Attn: SIMC Compliance, One Freedom
Valley Drive, Oaks, PA 19456.
Participation or Interest in Client Transactions
As explained above, among its other recommendations, SIMC recommends its Clients invest in Pooled
Investment Vehicles to which SIMC also serves as investment advisor and its affiliates may provide other
44
services when SIMC believes such recommendation is appropriate for the Client. For example, SIMC, as
investment manager to a Client, may recommend that they invest in the SEI Funds, SEI ETFs, SEI
Alternative Funds, or a managed account, where SIMC also serves as investment advisor and receives a
fee for those services. This creates a conflict of interest whereby SIMC has a financial incentive to
recommend an unsuitable SIMC investment product to a SIMC client in order for SIMC and its affiliates to
receive additional fees. SIMC discloses its fees in the offering documents for each Pooled Investment
Vehicle.
In addition, when SIMC and/or its affiliates have a material pecuniary interest in either the SEI Funds or
SEI Alternative Funds (“Interested Vehicle”), a conflict of interest may exist whereby SIMC has an
additional financial incentive to ensure that such Interested Vehicle performs well to increase its return
on investment. Furthermore, SIMC and its portfolio managers have an incentive to allocate investment
opportunities to such Interested Vehicle in a way that favors SIMC and its affiliates over the interest of
its clients and other investors. Notwithstanding these conflicts of interest, SIMC may aggregate
transactions of an Interested Vehicle with other SEI Pooled Investment Vehicles as long as SIMC has
determined pursuant to its allocation procedures that participation by such SEI Pooled Investment
Vehicles is fair and equitable.
Further, SIMC may aggregate transactions for an Interested Vehicle and an SEI Fund involving private
placement securities as long as the only negotiated term for such private placement securities is price.
SIMC has adopted trade aggregation procedures (“Aggregation Procedures”) designed to ensure that
aggregated transactions are made in a manner that is fair and equitable to, and in the best interests of,
the SEI Fund and any other participating SEI Pooled Investment Vehicles. The Aggregation Procedures
require the portfolio manager of each participating SEI Pooled Investment Vehicle to review the Vehicle's
investment objectives, investment restrictions, cash position, need for liquidity, sector concentration,
and other objective criteria and to determine whether a purchase or sale of a private placement security
is an appropriate transaction. The Aggregation Procedures require that each participating SEI Pooled
Investment Vehicle receive individualized investment advice and treatment. The portfolio manager will
document how private placement securities or proceeds from an aggregated sale of such securities will
be allocated among participating Vehicles (“Allocation Statement”). If there is a sufficient amount of
private placement securities, in the case of a purchase, or proceeds, in the case of a sale, to satisfy all
participants, the securities or proceeds will be allocated among the participants as documented by the
portfolio manager. If there is an insufficient amount of private placement securities or sale proceeds to
satisfy all participants, the securities or proceeds will be allocated pro rata, based on the allocation that
each of the participants would have received if there was a sufficient amount of securities or proceeds
and such distribution of securities or proceeds may only be allocated on a basis different from that
specified in the Allocation Statement if all participants receive fair and equitable treatment.
SIMC and its affiliates in some instances advise one client or take actions for a client, for itself, for its
affiliates, or for their related persons that are different from the advice given or actions taken for other
clients. SIMC, its affiliates, and their related persons are not obligated to buy or sell for a client any
investment that they may buy, sell, or recommend for any other client or for their own accounts. Persons
associated with SIMC or its affiliates have investments in the SEI Funds.
It is SIMC’s policy that the firm will not affect any principal securities transactions for client accounts.
Principal transactions are generally defined as transactions where SIMC, acting as principal for its own
account or the account of an affiliate (i.e., SIDCO), buys from or sells any security to any advisory client.
In limited circumstances, SIMC affects cross-transactions in which SIMC affects transactions between two
of its managed client accounts (i.e., arranging for the clients' securities trades by "crossing" these trades
when SIMC believes that such transactions are beneficial to its clients). To the extent permitted by law,
SIDCO may act as a broker, and may receive a commission. The client may revoke SIMC's cross-
transaction authority at any time upon written notice to SIMC.
45
Item 12 – Brokerage Practices
Broker Selection
SIMC has a duty to seek best execution of the transactions executed by SIMC for its clients’ accounts.
Although commission rates are an important consideration in determining whether “best execution” is
being obtained, they are not determinative, as many other factors also are relevant in determining
whether SIMC has achieved the best result for clients under the circumstances. As the SEC has
acknowledged, there is no precise definition for “best execution,” since it is a facts and circumstances
determination. SIMC may consider numerous factors in arranging for the purchase and sale of clients’
portfolio securities. These include any legal restrictions, such as those imposed under the securities laws
and ERISA, and any client-imposed restrictions. Within these constraints, SIMC shall employ or deal with
members of securities exchanges and other brokers and dealers or banks as SIMC approves and that will,
in the portfolio manager’s judgment, provide “best execution” (i.e., prompt and reliable execution at
the most favorable price obtainable under the prevailing market conditions) for a particular transaction
for the client’s account. SIMC periodically evaluates the quality of these brokerage services as provided
by various firms.
In determining the abilities of a broker-dealer or bank to obtain best execution of portfolio transactions,
SIMC will consider all relevant factors, including:
• The execution capabilities the transactions require;
• Electronic routing capabilities to underlying brokers;
• The ability and willingness of the broker-dealer or bank to facilitate the
accounts’ portfolio transactions by participating for its own account;
• The importance to the account of speed, efficiency, and confidentiality;
• The apparent familiarity of the broker-dealer or bank with sources from or to
whom particular securities might be purchased or sold;
• The reputation and perceived soundness of the broker-dealer or bank; and
• Other matters relevant to the selection of a broker-dealer or bank for portfolio
transactions for any account.
SIMC will not seek in advance competitive bidding for the most favorable commission rate applicable to
any particular portfolio transaction or select any broker-dealer or bank on the basis of its purported or
“posted” commission rate structure. Certain types of trades, such as most fixed income securities
transactions, do not involve the payment of a commission.
Affiliated Brokerage
SIMC and SIMC appointed sub-advisors use SIMC’s affiliated broker-dealer, SIDCO, for various services for
its clients, which are described below. Other than trading in the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs, MAS, the Sub-
Advised Program (including Gateway Models) or other accounts where SIMC has investment discretion,
it is the applicable portfolio manager’s decision whether to execute a particular securities transaction
using SIDCO. SIMC discloses the use of its affiliated broker-dealer in the investment management
agreement that clients sign with SIMC for services. By directing brokerage to SIDCO, SIMC may be
unable to achieve most favorable execution of client transactions and this practice may cost clients
more money.
SEI Proprietary Funds
Generally, portfolio transactions in the SEI Funds are effected by sub-advisors pursuant to each sub-
advisor’s own brokerage policies and practices and may elect to execute trades through SIDCO. SIMC
effects trades in the SEI ETFs and, in certain situations, the SEI Funds. SIMC, and sub-advisors electing
to do so, execute trades through SIDCO for the SEI Funds and SEI ETFs, subject to the duty to obtain
best execution and to applicable law. Generally, under these provisions, SIDCO is permitted to receive
and retain compensation for effecting portfolio transactions if such compensation does not exceed
“usual and customary” brokerage commissions. SIMC's brokerage discretion practices with respect to
the SEI Funds are reviewed at least annually by the SEI Funds' Board of Trustees and in
46
compliance with Section 17(e) (1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The following
are examples of situations where portfolio trades in the SEI Funds may be executed through SIDCO.
Manager Transitions
SIMC executes transactions through SIDCO in connection with portfolio transitions that accompany
SIMC’s reallocation of assets due to the hiring or termination of sub-advisors. Assets may be
reallocated to existing sub-advisors. SIDCO serves as an introducing broker-dealer for these
transactions, which means that SIDCO will introduce the transaction to one or more clearing
brokers. SIDCO and the applicable clearing brokers will receive and retain compensation (i.e.,
commissions) for executing such transactions. Since SIDCO earns fees in connection with these
transactions, SIMC has an incentive to change sub- advisors more frequently than necessary in
order for its affiliate to earn additional fees. This risk is mitigated by SIMC’s robust manager due
diligence process and oversight structure, and the fact that manager changes require approval
by the Funds’ Board of Trustees. Additionally, the use of SIDCO in manager transitions is reviewed
by the SEI Funds Board of Trustees.
Trading for SEI ETFs and SEI Funds’ Internally Managed Equity Portfolios
In connection with internally managed equity portfolios and all trading in the SEI ETFs, SIMC
executes those trades through SIDCO as introducing broker, using one of the executing brokers
that are available through SIDCO. As with the transition management trades, SIMC generally
expects that SIDCO will serve as introducing broker on all such equity trades. There is an
inherent conflict of interest in SIMC’s use of SIDCO for trading. SIMC may be motivated to pay a
higher commission for trades involving SIDCO compared to a third party broker. This conflict is
mitigated by SIMC’s duty to seek best execution.
Sub-Advisor Trading Through SIDCO
Sub-advisors to certain SEI Funds may execute a portion of an SEI Fund’s portfolio transactions
through SIDCO. These relationships may involve soft dollar trading or execution only
arrangements. The commission rate is negotiated between the sub-advisor and SIDCO. SIMC
neither encourages nor discourages sub-advisors from trading through SIDCO, and does not take
such trading into consideration in determining whether to recommend that a manager be hired
or terminated. All such trading is, of course, subject to the sub-advisor’s duty to achieve best
execution. Further, each sub-advisor that trades through SIDCO is required to report such trades
on a quarterly basis to the Funds’ chief compliance officer.
Client Transitions
SIMC, in some instances, uses SIDCO to liquidate a client’s securities portfolio. SIMC typically undertakes
such liquidations to make cash and/or in-kind securities investments in one or more of the SEI Funds.
SIDCO serves as an introducing broker-dealer for these transactions, which means that SIDCO will
introduce the transaction to one or more clearing brokers. SIDCO and the applicable clearing brokers will
receive and retain compensation (i.e., commissions) for executing such transactions. Information
regarding the relationship between SIMC and SIDCO are disclosed to the client in the investment
management agreement. In the case of clients subject to ERISA, SIMC’s use of SIDCO for transition
services will be in accordance with applicable law and regulation. In order to comply with applicable
law, the client is permitted to withdraw its consent to the use of SIDCO for client transactions by sending
a written notice to SIMC.
Managed Account Solutions
MAS is a “Wrap Fee Programs,” meaning the client pays one fee for investment advisory and brokerage
services) is structured such that the equity managers in the program generally execute all trades in the
Program using SIDCO, consistent with the equity manager’s duty to seek best execution. SIDCO will
receive and retain compensation for this trading activity. In many cases, Model Managers in MAS will
provide SIMC with the Portfolio Manager’s investment model for a particular investment strategy and
SIMC will implement that model and execute all transactions allocated to that strategy. There may be
47
instances where an equity manager responsible for trading its own investment strategy has determined
not to execute certain orders through SIDCO, consistent with such manager’s duty to seek best execution.
Also, a significant percentage of trades in closed-end fund and master limited partnership strategies
managed by Parametric are executed through third-party broker-dealers, on the basis that Parametric
believes doing so results in the best combination of price and execution cost. Further, the wrap fee
program’s Trading Managers select and utilize brokers as required by their firm’s own policies and
procedures. Trading Managers of fixed income strategies will generally execute trades through third-
party broker-dealers. The SIMC fees do not cover execution charges (such as commissions, commission
equivalents, mark-ups, mark-downs or spreads) where SIMC or a Portfolio Manager executes transactions
with broker-dealers other than SIDCO or its affiliates. Any such execution charges will be separately
charged to the Independent Advisor’s Clients assets. SIMC’s internal governance structure oversees SIMC’s
use of SIDCO in the wrap fee program to ensure that its use of SIDCO for the wrap fee program is suitable.
Please refer to the Wrap Brochure for information on brokerage services applicable to the assets managed
through MAS.
Sub-Advised Program and Gateway Manager Program
The Sub-Advised Program is structured such that the sub-advisors in this program generally execute
transactions in the same manner as set forth in the previous section for MAS. SIDCO does not charge
commissions on the equity orders it executes for this program (including on Gateway Models) and will
instead receive and retain compensation from SIMC for this trading activity. The SIMC Fees do not cover
execution charges (such as commissions, commission equivalents, mark-ups, mark-downs or spreads)
where SIMC or a Portfolio Manager executes transactions with broker-dealers other than SIDCO or its
affiliates. Any such execution charges will be separately charged to the Independent Advisor’s Clients
assets. SIMC’s internal governance structure oversees SIMC’s use of SIDCO in the program to ensure that
its use of SIDCO for this program is suitable.
Soft Dollar Practices
SIMC does not intend to cause an account to pay more in commissions in return for research products
and/or services provided to SIMC. However, brokers with which SIMC trades may provide proprietary
research materials or technology to SIMC. While SIMC does not necessarily consider receipt of such
information, or access to such technology, to constitute soft dollar arrangements, it does present a
conflict of interest for SIMC in connection with the selection of brokers for the execution of trades to
the extent that SIMC considers such research or technology to be valuable. Sub-advisors to the SEI Funds
may engage in soft dollar transactions pursuant to the sub-advisors’ own policies and procedures.
Client Referrals
SIMC does not consider, in selecting or recommending broker-dealers, whether SIMC or a related person
receives client referrals from a broker-dealer or third-party and the conflicts this creates.
Directed Brokerage
In limited circumstances, a client may direct SIMC to use a particular broker-dealer (subject to SIMC’s
right to decline and/or terminate the engagement) to execute some or all transactions for the client’s
account. In such event, the client will negotiate terms and arrangements for the account with that
broker-dealer, and SIMC 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 SIMC. 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.
Trade Aggregation
SIMC is permitted to aggregate or “batch” orders placed at the same time for the accounts of two or
more clients if it is in the best interests of its clients. By batching trade orders, SIMC seeks to obtain
more favorable executions and net prices for the combined order, and ensure that no participating client
is favored over any other client. Typically, SIMC will affect block orders for the purchase and sale for the
48
same security for client accounts to facilitate best execution and to reduce transaction costs. When an
aggregated order is filled in its entirety, each participating client account generally will receive the block
price obtained on all such purchases or sales with respect to such order. The portfolio manager for each
account must determine that the purchase or sale of the particular security involved is appropriate for
the client and consistent with the client’s investment objectives and with any investment guidelines or
restrictions applicable to the client’s account. The portfolio manager for each account must reasonably
believe that the block trading will benefit, and will enable SIMC to seek best execution for each client
participating in the block order. This requires a reasonable good faith judgment at the time the order is
placed for execution.
49
Item 13 – Review of Accounts
For those clients to whom SIMC provides investment advisory services through MAS or DFS, the
Independent Advisor is responsible for reviewing accounts with its Clients and determining the ongoing
suitability of the Client’s investment strategy and asset allocation in light of the Client’s objectives.
Additionally, SIMC will contact the Independent Advisor for confirmation that the investment strategy
for the Client does not need to be changed in light of the client’s current investment objectives and risk
tolerance. SIMC will rely on Client information submitted by the Client’s Independent Advisor annually,
or more frequently if the Client changes the account’s investment strategy, to determine whether the
strategy selected for the account is still suitable for the Client’s investment objectives. All investment
advisory Clients are advised that it remains their responsibility to ensure that SIMC is advised, directly
by them or through the Independent Advisor, of any changes in their investment objectives and/or
financial situation. Additionally, the Independent Advisor designated by the Client may conduct periodic
reviews and provide the Client with certain reports.
With respect to the Sub-Advisory programs, the Independent Advisor is responsible for reviewing accounts
with Clients and determining the ongoing suitability of the Client’s investment strategy and asset
allocation in light of the Client’s objectives.
50
Item 14 – Client Referrals and Other Compensation
SIMC’s investment solutions, including the Pooled Investment Vehicles, are offered to Independent
Advisors for their use in providing advisory services to their Clients. SIMC and its affiliates receive fees
from the Pooled Investment Vehicles, which are determined as a percentage of the applicable Pooled
Investment Vehicle’s total assets. Therefore, to the extent that SIMC recommends to an Independent
Advisor that its clients invest in Pooled Investment Vehicles, SIMC and its affiliates benefit from the
investment in the Pooled Investment Vehicles. Please see Items 4 and 12 for additional information.
In connection with an Independent Advisor’s use of SIMC’s investment solutions, SIMC and its affiliates
provide the Independent Advisor with a range of services and other benefits, which in some cases include
financial compensation, to help it conduct its business and serve its Clients. These benefits and services,
discussed below, may be made available to Independent Advisors at no fee or at a discounted fee, and
the terms may vary among Independent Advisors depending on the business they and their Clients conduct
with SIMC and other factors. These benefits and services do not necessarily benefit the Independent
Advisor’s Clients.
Technology Platform
SIMC and its affiliates provide Independent Advisors with technical and operational solutions including a
technology and operational platform referred to as the “SEI Wealth Platform”sm. The SEI Wealth Platform
is provided to Independent Advisors and generally supports the management of their Clients’ accounts
held at SPTC. The SEI Wealth Platform provides a view of the Independent Advisors’ Client’s accounts at
SPTC and gives Independent Advisors the ability to submit instructions to SPTC on behalf of their Clients,
such as transactions, strategy changes, and general servicing of Client accounts, as well as other tools
that allow Advisors to develop, select, and evaluate investment strategies for its Clients. The SEI Wealth
Platform also supports the processing of advisory fees for the Independent Advisors. The fact that
Independent Advisors may not incur any cost for the SEI Wealth Platform could create an incentive for
the Independent Advisor to recommend SIMC and SPTC over any other third party managers and
custodians that do charge a cost for access to a similar platform. For additional information on the
material facts relating to this conflict of interest for your Independent Advisor, if applicable, please see
your Independent Advisor’s Form ADV Part 2A Firm Brochure or discuss it with your Independent Advisor.
SIMC supports various third-party software systems used by Independent Advisors to manage Client assets
and automated workflows provided by or paid for by SIMC that supports the integration of these systems
into the SEI Wealth Platform or to streamline Independent Advisors’ interaction with the SEI Wealth
Platform and SIMC’s or SPTC’s other systems. SIMC also provides personnel for operational support to
facilitate the integration of third-party software/systems that Independent Advisors use with the SEI
Wealth Platform to help to streamline operations. The maximum payment payable to, or benefit received
by, an Independent Advisor for internal software systems during a calendar year is $5,000.00. An
Independent Advisor is eligible for this third-party software/systems-related benefit only if it maintains
a certain level of Client assets invested in SEI Funds, SEI ETFs, MAS, or Sub-Advised Program (together,
“assets under management with SIMC”) or is actively engaged with SIMC and its investment,
administrative and operational services. This creates an incentive for an Independent Advisor to
recommend SIMC over other third-party managers that do not offer this benefit. For additional
information on the material facts relating to this conflict of interest for your Independent Advisor, please
see your Independent Advisor’s Form ADV Part 2A Firm Brochure or discuss it with your financial
professional.
In rare instances we have entered into contractual arrangements with Independent Advisors to reimburse
them amounts for third party software and technology support. Payment of these amounts are subject
to the terms of a contract with the Independent Advisor which, among other things, require the advisor
to determine that the acceptance of the benefit is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations
and to disclose the nature of the arrangement and any conflicts raised by such arrangement with their
clients. This benefit creates an incentive for an Independent Advisor to recommend SIMC and its
investment solutions over other third-party managers that do not provide similar benefits. For additional
information on the material facts relating to this conflict of interest for your Independent Advisor, please
see your Independent Advisor’s Form ADV Part 2A Firm Brochure or discuss it with your Independent
Advisor.
51
SIMC also supports Independent Advisor’s use of non-integrated third-party software/systems.
Independent Advisors receive the software directly from the third-party at a reduced cost through SIMC
or its affiliate’s arrangement with the software provider to provide discounted rates to Independent
Advisors. Discounts available to Independent Advisors vary by third-party software providers, but are
generally a certain percentage off of the software provider’s standard fees. This creates an incentive for
an Independent Advisor to recommend SIMC over other third-party managers that do not offer this
benefit. For additional information on the material facts relating to this conflict of interest for your
Independent Advisor, please see your Independent Advisor’s Form ADV Part 2A Firm Brochure or discuss
it with your Independent Advisor.
Conversion Services
When the Independent Advisors undertake a conversion of its Clients’ accounts to SPTC from other
custodial platforms, Independent Advisors receive clerical support from SIMC personnel to streamline the
conversion process (e.g., SIMC personnel populate SIMC’s and SPTC’s end client paperwork for client
signature necessary for clients to move accounts to SPTC) and other administrative services. The
maximum payment or benefit payable to an Independent Advisor for clerical support from SIMC personnel
to streamline the conversion of Clients’ accounts to SPTC is $2,000 per 100 accounts that are converted.
In certain circumstances SIMC pays the costs that the Independent Advisor’s Clients would otherwise
incur when transferring Clients’ assets to SPTC from another custodian (for instance, paying account
closing fees charged by the Client’s old custodian). SIMC may either pay the custodian directly the
amount it would have otherwise charged each converting Client to close its account with the custodian
or reimburse the Client’s account at SPTC by the amount of the transfer costs incurred. In certain limited
cases, SIMC may also pay compensation of up to ten (10) basis points on Independent Advisors’ Clients
assets transferred to SPTC to offset transition costs incurred by the Independent Advisors. An
Independent Advisor is eligible for this conversion services benefit only if it commits to move a certain
level of client assets over to IAS. This creates an incentive for an Independent Advisor to recommend
SIMC over other third-party managers that do not offer this benefit. For additional information on the
material facts relating to this conflict of interest for your Independent Advisor, please see your
Independent Advisor’s Form ADV Part 2A Firm Brochure or discuss it with your financial professional.
Other Research Investment Services
investment research to assist
Independent Advisors
in making
investment
SIMC provides
recommendations/decisions for its Clients’ accounts. This service generally consists of SIMC’s investment
professionals reviewing an Independent Advisors Client’s current investment portfolio, future goals and
potential tax impact of an investment reallocation, as provided by the Independent Advisors to SIMC,
and designing an investment portfolio intended to meet the Clients’ goals constructed using SIMC’s
proprietary investment solutions. The proposed investment portfolio is provided by SIMC to Independent
Advisors. Independent Advisors independently review any investment proposal designed by SIMC and
determines whether to recommend/use the investment portfolio with its Client(s) and/or to implement
the portfolio at SIMC. This benefit creates an incentive for an Independent Advisor to recommend SIMC
and its investment solutions over other third-party managers that do not offer a similar service. For
additional information on the material facts relating to this conflict of interest for your Independent
Advisor, please see your Independent Advisor’s Form ADV Part 2A Firm Brochure or discuss it with your
financial professional.
Marketing Benefits
In circumstances where SIMC determines that an Independent Advisor is actively engaged with SIMC and
its investment, administrative and operational services, an Independent Advisor receives assistance from
SIMC for marketing activities, including, but not limited to, creating and providing marketing toolkits and
other forms of marketing materials to be adapted by the Independent Advisors to use with its Clients and
prospects and assistance with joint marketing (e.g., co-branded) initiatives. This benefit creates an
incentive for an Independent Advisor to recommend SIMC over other third party managers that do not
offer it, or to otherwise favor SIMC in the Independent Advisor’s communications and marketing efforts.
For additional information on the material facts relating to this conflict of interest for your Independent
Advisor, please see your Independent Advisor’s Form ADV Part 2A Firm Brochure or discuss it with your
Independent Advisor.
SEI Advisor Benefits Program (“ABP”)
As discussed below, SIMC categorizes certain Independent Advisors as eligible to participate in the ABP
52
and certain benefits are typically only available to Independent Advisors that either have reached or
agreed to reach a certain level of assets on the SEI Wealth Platform, including in SEI Programs (including
SIMC).
Advisor Benefits Program (“ABP”) Benefits
Within SEI’s Advisor Benefits Program, Advisors are encouraged to utilize SEI’s tools, templates and best
practices, or to engage with SEI to receive business and investment consulting, and/or education and
guidance for implementing a growth plan for their businesses.
Certain Advisors can receive an allowance or “Growth Budget” from SIMC for reimbursement of qualified
expenses incurred by the Advisor based on their participation in SEI-sponsored events, marketing
initiatives, practice initiatives, growth initiatives, or use of technology resources and tools. The Growth
Budget from SIMC is intended to promote an Advisor’s use of IAS and SEI Programs (including SIMC) with
its Clients. Growth Budgets are based on the total assets under management invested in SIMC’s
proprietary investment solutions and/or the total assets under management on the SEI Wealth Platform
(“Total Platform Assets”), meaning that marketing budgets allotments generally increase as an
Investment Advisor’s assets under management invested at SEI increases. The maximum payment or
benefit payable to an Independent Advisor for its marketing efforts (either through direct payments to a
vendor or in the provision of materials) in addition to the costs connected to the IAS-sponsored
educational and informational events noted below during a calendar year is $25,000.
In addition to the benefits identified above, Independent Advisors eligible for the ABP participate in IAS-
sponsored national and/or regional events, webinars, seminars, practice management services and other
educational and informational events where SIMC pays for part or all of the costs, to educate Independent
Advisors about SEI Programs (including SIMC), to promote the success of the Financial Advisory Firm
and/or Independent Advisors, to support Independent Advisors’ use of the SEI Wealth Platform (including
SIMC), to provide practice management support, and to help Independent Advisors manage their business.
Costs covered by SIMC to attend national and/or regional events include the costs of conference
attendance (including hotel expenses) and may include some costs of third-party presenters.
These benefits create an incentive for an Independent Advisor to recommend and invest through SEI
Programs (including SIMC) over other third party managers and investment sponsors that do not offer it,
or to otherwise favor SIMC’s proprietary investments in the Independent Advisor’s communications and
marketing efforts. For additional information on the material facts relating to this conflict of interest
for your Independent Advisor, please see your Independent Advisor’s Form ADV Part 2A Firm Brochure or
discuss it with your Independent Advisor.
Advisor Benefits Program Benefits – Client Discounts
The Clients of Independent Advisors in the ABP will receive discounts to the Client’s contractually agreed
upon MAS pricing, Sub-Advised Program pricing and SPTC’s custodial services pricing. The maximum
discount that SIMC makes available is a 10% discount from SIMC’s contractual fee rates for certain equity
strategies, certain Strategist Portfolio strategies, and certain SEI ETF Strategies. The maximum discount
that SPTC makes available is a 33% discount from its stated fees on third-party assets held outside of
SIMC proprietary programs and the waiver of SPTC’s annual $60 custody Small Account Fee for Client
accounts opened after the Independent Advisor joins ABP and retains the above threshold. Because these
discounted fees are available only through certain Independent Advisors, Clients are encouraged to
discuss the availability of these discounts with their Independent Advisors. These discounts are at SIMC’s
discretion and may be terminated at any time, after which time contracted fee rates will apply. When
an Independent Advisor is no longer eligible to participate in ABP, Client discounts may be terminated.
Direct and Indirect Support for Advisors
IAS sponsors national and/or regional events for participating Firms and/or Independent Advisors
designed to promote the success of the Financial Advisory Firm and/or Independent Advisors, to support
Independent Advisors’ use of the SEI Wealth Platform (including SIMC), to provide practice management
support, and to help Independent Advisors manage their business. SEI offers Investment Management
Firms, Technology Firms, and other strategic alliances, who in some cases also are Sub-Advisors for SIMC,
the opportunity to contribute to the costs of IAS sponsored conferences and be identified as a sponsor.
In addition to and outside of the ABP, SIMC covers costs (including hotel expenses) for certain Advisors
to attend national and/or regional events.
Certain Independent Advisors are eligible to receive additional benefits, including a dedicated service
and processing team with SPTC, priority access to investment research to assist Independent Advisors in
53
making investment recommendations/decisions for its Clients’ accounts and priority access to new SIMC
programs, technology and services. The criteria for benefits may change from time to time.
In rare instances we have entered into contractual arrangements with Independent Advisors to reimburse
them amounts for marketing related, practice-related, and/or growth-related expenses that significantly
exceeds the benefit amounts listed above. Payment of these amounts are subject to the terms of a
contract with the Independent Advisor which, among other things, requires the advisor to determine that
the acceptance of the benefit is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and to disclose the
nature of the arrangement and any conflicts raised by such arrangement with their clients. This benefit
creates an incentive for an Independent Advisor to recommend and invest through SEI Programs (including
SIMC). For additional information on the material facts relating to this conflict of interest for your
Independent Advisor, please see your Independent Advisor’s Form ADV Part 2A Firm Brochure or discuss
it with your Independent Advisor.
Custom Pricing
In certain cases, SIMC and its affiliates agree to customized pricing discounts for particular Independent
Advisors’ Client accounts at SPTC (such as MAS or Sub-Advised Program pricing discounts exceeding the
ABP discounts noted above) based on account size and/or the nature and scope of business the
Independent Advisor does with IAS, including the current and future expected amount of the Independent
Advisor’s Client assets in custody at SPTC and the types of SIMC investment products used by the
Independent Advisor. Pricing discounts may vary materially from standard pricing and include SPTC
agreeing to waive transactional charges and other fees it would normally charge the Independent
Advisor’s Clients. SIMC and its affiliates, including SPTC, may change this pricing and the services and
other benefits provided if the nature or scope of the Independent Advisor’s business changes or does not
reach certain levels, in which case pricing for the Independent Advisor’s Client accounts may increase
but will not exceed SIMC’s and its affiliate’s standard pricing for such products and services. This benefit
creates an incentive for an Independent Advisor to recommend SIMC over other third party managers.
For additional information on the material facts relating to this conflict of interest for your Independent
Advisor, please see your Independent Advisor’s Form ADV Part 2A Firm Brochure or discuss it with your
financial professional.
Revenue Sharing
Many Independent Advisors are affiliated with large regional or national financial intermediaries,
including “dual registrant” brokerage and advisory firms that provide much of the core regulatory,
compliance and operational infrastructure Independent Advisors rely upon to operate their businesses.
SIMC and its affiliates pay compensation to these firms for services such as, without limitation, providing
the SEI Funds with “shelf space” or a higher profile for the firm’s associated Independent Advisors and
their Clients, placing the SEI Funds on the firm’s preferred or recommended fund list, granting SIMC
access to the firm’s associated Independent Advisors, providing assistance in training and educating the
firms’ personnel, allowing sponsorship of seminars or information meetings and furnishing marketing
support and other specified services. SIMC also compensates these firms to support their ability to provide
administrative support services required when the firm’s affiliated Independent Advisors conduct
business with their Clients through the use of IAS services. These payments are typically based on average
net assets of SEI Funds attributable to that firm’s Independent Advisors working with IAS, a negotiated
annual lump sum payment or other similar metrics. For example, SIMC may pay either: (i) up to ten (10)
basis points on net cash flow invested in SEI Funds; and/or (ii) ten (10) basis points multiplied by the
firm’s Independent Advisors’ Clients total assets invested in SIMC sponsored investments for the
administrative services provided and to help offset the compliance service costs that the firm will incur
in overseeing their Independent Advisor’s use of SIMC managed investment solutions. Alternatively, SIMC
may pay up to ten (10) basis points multiplied by the firm’s Advisors’ Clients total assets invested in SIMC
sponsored investments for the firm’s marketing and distribution services as well as administrative
services provided and to help offset the compliance service costs that the broker-dealer will be the
subject of. The terms of these arrangements with various firms will vary. Payments are sometimes made
by SIMC or its affiliates to financial institutions to compensate or reimburse them for administrative or
other client services provided, such as sub-transfer agency services for shareholders or retirement plan
participants, omnibus accounting or sub-accounting, participation in networking arrangements, account
set-up, recordkeeping and other shareholder services. These fees may be used by the financial
institutions to offset or reduce fees that would otherwise be paid directly to them by certain account
holders, such as retirement plans. The foregoing payments may be in addition to any shareholder
54
servicing fees paid to a financial institution in accordance with the SEI Funds’ Shareholder Services Plan
or Administrative Services Plan. These payments create an incentive for an Independent Advisor to
recommend SIMC over other third party managers that do not offer similar arrangements. For additional
information on the material facts relating to this conflict of interest for your Independent Advisor, please
see your Independent Advisor’s Form ADV Part 2A Firm Brochure or discuss it with your financial
professional.
Solicitation Arrangements
SIMC enters into solicitation arrangements with third parties who will receive a solicitation fee from SIMC
for introducing prospective clients to SIMC or SIMC investment products. Additionally, SIMC compensates
SEIC employees who will receive a fee for introducing prospective clients to SIMC or SIMC investment
products. In all cases these solicitation arrangements are designed and implemented in a manner to
comply with Investment Adviser Act Rule 206(4)-1 and applicable state laws.
Independent Advisor Benefits
The benefits, services or payments made to Independent Advisors or financial institutions discussed
throughout this Item 14 and elsewhere in this Form ADV may be significant to the Independent Advisor
or financial institutions receiving them and creates an incentive for the Independent Advisor or financial
institutions to recommend or offer SIMC’s investment management products and services, including the
SEI Funds, to Clients rather than other funds or investment products. These payments are made by SIMC
and its affiliates out of its past profits or other available resources.
Although the SEI Funds uses broker-dealers that sell SEI Fund shares to effect transactions for the SEI
Funds’ portfolio, the SEI Funds, SIMC and its sub-advisors will not consider the sale of SEI Fund shares as
a factor when choosing broker-dealers to affect those transactions and will not direct brokerage
transactions to broker-dealers as compensation for the sales of SEI Fund shares.
55
Item 15 – Custody
In most cases, SPTC, an affiliate of SIMC, serves as custodian for SIMC clients (with the exception of the
SEI Funds, SEI ETFs and some of SIMC’s other Pooled Investment Vehicles). As custodian, SPTC will send
periodic account statements directly to clients. Additionally, SPTC provides SIMC clients with other
account and reporting services, including quarterly performance reports, year-end tax reports and
online account access. SPTC charges a fee for its services.
SIMC clients are encouraged to carefully review the account statements they receive from SPTC. In
addition, SIMC clients are urged to compare any statements received from SIMC to the statements
received from SPTC (or other third-party custodian). Comparing statements will allow clients to
determine whether account transactions, including deductions to pay advisory fees, are accurate.
56
Item 16 – Investment Discretion
SIMC maintains discretionary authority (1) as investment advisor to Pooled Investment Vehicles ; (2) to
determine the re-balancing allocation of a client's assets among the individual SEI Funds or other Pooled
Investment Vehicles; (3) in certain circumstances, to dispose of a client's securities in order to raise cash
to purchase SEI Funds, liquidate the account or invest in other Pooled Investment Vehicles; and (4) for
MAS and DFS, as set forth in each End Investor’s applicable agreement.
Please see Item 4 for additional information on the discretion SIMC has on Client accounts invested in
products and the reasonable restrictions Clients can place on some of these products.
57
Item 17 – Voting Client Securities
SIMC has adopted and implemented written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to
ensure that SIMC votes proxies in the best interest of its clients. SIMC has retained a third-party proxy
voting service (the “Service”), to vote proxies with respect to applicable SIMC clients in accordance with
approved guidelines (the “Guidelines”), and may deviate from voting in accordance with the Guidelines
in certain limited exception scenarios (see below). SIMC also has a proxy voting committee (the
“Committee”), comprised of SIMC employees, which approves the proxy voting guidelines or approves
how SIMC should vote in certain scenarios. So long as the Service votes proxies in accordance with the
Guidelines, SIMC maintains that there is an appropriate presumption that the manner in which SIMC voted
was not influenced by, and did not result from, a conflict of interest.
In addition to retaining the Service, SIMC has also engaged a separate third- party vendor to assist with
company engagement services (the “Engagement Service”). The Engagement Service strives to help
investors manage reputational risk and increase corporate accountability through proactive, professional
and constructive engagement. As a result of this process, the Engagement Service will at times provide
to SIMC recommendations that may conflict with the Guidelines (see below for more detail).
SIMC retains the authority to overrule the Service’s recommendation, in certain/limited scenarios and
instruct the Service to vote in a manner at variance with the Service’s recommendation. The exercise of
such right could implicate a conflict of interest. As a result, SIMC may not overrule the Service’s
recommendation with respect to a proxy unless the following steps are taken:
a. The Committee meets to consider the proposal to overrule the Service’s recommendation.
b. The Committee determines whether SIMC has a conflict of interest with respect to the issuer that is
the subject of the proxy. If the Committee determines that SIMC has a conflict of interest, the
Committee then determines whether the conflict is “material” to any specific proposal included
within the proxy. If not, then SIMC can vote the proxy as determined by the Committee.
c. For any proposal where the Committee determines that SIMC has a material conflict of interest, SIMC
may vote a proxy regarding that proposal in any of the following manners:
• Obtain Client Consent or Direction – If the Committee approves the proposal to
overrule the recommendation of the Service, SIMC must fully disclose to each
client holding the security at issue the nature of the conflict, and obtain the
client’s consent to how SIMC will vote on the proposal (or otherwise obtain
instructions from the client as to how the proxy on the proposal should be
voted).
• Use Recommendation of the Service – Vote in accordance with the Service’s
recommendation.
d. For any proposal where the Committee determines that SIMC does not have a material conflict of
interest, the Committee may overrule the Service’s recommendation if the Committee reasonably
determines that doing so is in the best interests of SIMC’s clients. If the Committee decides to
overrule the Service’s recommendation, the Committee will maintain a written record setting forth
the basis of the Committee’s decision.
Notwithstanding these policies and procedures, actual proxy voting decisions of SIMC may have the
effect of favoring the interests of other clients or businesses of SIMC and/or its affiliates, provided
that SIMC believes such voting decisions to be in accordance with its fiduciary obligations. In some
cases, the Committee may determine that it is in the best interests of SIMC’s clients to abstain
from voting certain proxies. SIMC will abstain from voting in the event any of the following
conditions are met with regard to a proxy proposal:
• Neither the Guidelines nor specific client instructions cover an issue;
• The Service does not make a recommendation on the issue;
•
In circumstances where, in SIMC’s judgment, the costs of voting the proxy exceed the
expected benefits to clients;
58
Share blocking;
•
• The Committee is unable to convene on the proxy proposal to make a determination as to
what would be in the client’s best interest; and
• Proxies in foreign jurisdictions where the requirements necessary to vote are not
practical and create an administrative hurdle that SIMC is unable to clear in the
required (usually limited) time frame.
Clients retain the responsibility for receiving and voting mutual fund proxies for any and all mutual funds
maintained in client portfolios.
With respect to proxies of an affiliated investment company or series thereof (e.g., the SEI U.S. mutual
funds) SIMC will vote such proxies in the same proportion as the vote of all other shareholders of the
investment company or series thereof (i.e., “echo vote” or “mirror vote”).
Client Directed Votes. SIMC clients who have delegated voting responsibility to SIMC with respect to their
account may from time to time contact their client representative if they would like to direct SIMC to
vote in a particular solicitation. SIMC will use its commercially reasonable efforts to vote according to
the client’s request in these circumstances, and cannot provide assurances that such voting requests will
be implemented. Clients may also direct votes with respect to securities held directly by the client. The
client may not direct votes for securities held by Pooled Investment Vehicle unless otherwise disclosed
in such products prospectus or offering documents.
As noted above, SIMC retains the authority to overrule the Service’s recommendations in certain scenarios
and instruct the Service to vote in a manner at variance with the Guidelines. In all such cases, this
requires the Committee to rule out any material conflict (as noted above) prior to overriding the
Guidelines. Areas where SIMC may consider overriding the Guidelines include:
• Requests by third-party sub-advisers within the SEI U.S. mutual funds to direct
certain votes; and
• Recommendations by the Engagement Service.
Clients may obtain a copy of SIMC’s complete proxy voting policies and procedures upon request. Clients
may also obtain information from SIMC about how SIMC voted any proxies on behalf of their account(s)
by either referring to Form N-PX (for SEI Funds) or by contacting your client service representative.
Certain SIMC clients have either retained the ability to vote proxies with respect to their account, or
have delegated that proxy voting authority to a third-party selected by the client. In those circumstances,
SIMC is not responsible for voting proxies in the account or for overseeing the voting of such proxies by
the client or its designated agent.
With respect to those clients for which SIMC does not conduct proxy voting, clients should work with
their custodians to ensure they receive their proxies and other solicitations for securities held in their
account. Clients may contact their client service representative if they have a question on particular
proxy voting matters or solicitations.
59
Item 18 – Financial Information
Registered investment advisors are required in this Item to provide you with certain financial information
or disclosures about SIMC’s financial condition. SIMC has no financial commitment that impairs its ability
to meet contractual and fiduciary commitments to clients and has not been the subject of a bankruptcy
proceeding.
60