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The GenWealth Group, Inc.
6 Inwood Place
Maplewood, NJ 07040
Telephone: 973-761-0400
Facsimile: 973-761-1558
www.thegenwealthgroup.com
March 20, 2025
FORM ADV PART 2A
BROCHURE
This brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of The GenWealth
Group, Inc. If you have any questions about the contents of this brochure, contact us at 973-761-0400
or by email at michael@thegenwealthgroup.com. The information in this brochure has not been
approved or verified by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or by any state
securities authority.
Additional information about The GenWealth Group, Inc. is available on the SEC's website at
www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
The GenWealth Group, Inc. is a registered investment adviser. Registration with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities authority does not imply a certain level of
skill or training.
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Item 2 Summary of Material Changes
Form ADV Part 2 requires registered investment advisers to amend their brochure when information
becomes materially inaccurate. If there are any material changes to an adviser's disclosure brochure,
the adviser is required to notify you and provide you with a description of the material changes.
Since our last annual updating amendment, dated February 29, 2024, we have no material changes to
report.
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Item 3 Table of Contents
Item 1 Cover Page
Item 2 Summary of Material Changes
Item 3 Table of Contents
Item 4 Advisory Business
Item 5 Fees and Compensation
Item 6 Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management
Item 7 Types of Clients
Item 8 Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss
Item 9 Disciplinary Information
Item 10 Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations
Item 11 Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and Personal Trading
Item 12 Brokerage Practices
Item 13 Review of Accounts
Item 14 Client Referrals and Other Compensation
Item 15 Custody
Item 16 Investment Discretion
Item 17 Voting Client Securities
Item 18 Financial Information
Item 19 Requirements for State-Registered Advisers
Item 20 Additional Information
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Item 4 Advisory Business
Description of Firm
The GenWealth Group, Inc. is a registered investment adviser based in Maplewood, NJ. We are
organized as a corporation under the laws of the State of New Jersey. We have been providing
investment advisory services since February 2008. The firm is owned 50% by Michael P. Leanza and
50% Cherie Leanza.
The following paragraphs describe our services and fees. Refer to the description of each investment
advisory service listed below for information on how we tailor our advisory services to your individual
needs. As used in this brochure, the words "we," "our," and "us" refer to The GenWealth Group,
Inc. and the words "you," "your," and "client" refer to you as either a client or prospective client of our
firm.
Portfolio Management Services
We offer discretionary portfolio management services. Our investment advice is tailored to meet our
clients' needs and investment objectives.
If you participate in our discretionary portfolio management services, we require you to grant us
discretionary authority to manage your account. Subject to a grant of discretionary authorization, we
have the authority and responsibility to formulate investment strategies on your behalf. Discretionary
authorization will allow us to determine the specific securities, and the amount of securities, to be
purchased or sold for your account without obtaining your approval prior to each transaction. We will
also have discretion over the broker or dealer to be used for securities transactions in your account.
Discretionary authority is typically granted by the investment advisory agreement you sign with our
firm, a power of attorney, or trading authorization forms.
You may limit our discretionary authority (for example, limiting the types of securities that can be
purchased or sold for your account) by providing our firm with your restrictions and guidelines in
writing.
Financial Planning Services
We offer financial planning services which typically involve providing a variety of advisory services to
clients regarding the management of their financial resources based upon an analysis of their
individual needs. These services can range from broad-based financial planning to consultative or
single subject planning. If you retain our firm for financial planning services, we will meet with you to
gather information about your financial circumstances and objectives. We may also use financial
planning software to determine your current financial position and to define and quantify your long-term
goals and objectives. Once we specify those long-term objectives (both financial and non-financial), we
will develop shorter-term, targeted objectives. Once we review and analyze the information you provide
to our firm and the data derived from our financial planning software, we will deliver a written plan to
you, designed to help you achieve your stated financial goals and objectives.
Financial plans are based on your financial situation at the time we present the plan to you, and on the
financial information you provide to us. You must promptly notify our firm if your financial situation,
goals, objectives, or needs change.
You are under no obligation to act on our financial planning recommendations. Should you choose to
act on any of our recommendations, you are not obligated to implement the financial plan through any
of our other investment advisory services. Moreover, you may act on our recommendations by placing
securities transactions with any brokerage firm.
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Automated Investment Program
Institutional Intelligent Portfolios® ("IIP") is a technology and service platform made available by
Schwab Performance Technologies® ("SPT") to independent investment advisors ("Advisors") who
maintain a business relationship with Schwab Advisor Services™, a division of Charles Schwab & Co.,
Inc. We offer this automated investment program (the "Program") through which clients are invested in
a range of investment strategies we have constructed and manage, each consisting of a portfolio of
exchange-traded funds ("Funds") and a cash allocation. The client's portfolio is held in a brokerage
account opened by the client at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. ("CS&Co;"). We are independent of and
not owned by, affiliated with, or sponsored or supervised by SPT, CS&Co.;, or their affiliates (together,
"Schwab"). We, and not Schwab, are the client's investment advisor and primary point of contact with
respect to the Program. We are solely responsible, and Schwab is not responsible, for determining
the appropriateness of the Program for the client, choosing a suitable investment strategy and portfolio
for the client's investment needs and goals, and managing that portfolio on an ongoing basis. We have
contracted with SPT to provide us with the Platform, which consists of technology and related trading
and account management services for the Program. The Platform enables us to make the Program
available to clients online and includes a system that automates certain key parts of our investment
process (the "System").
The System includes an online questionnaire that can help us determine the client's investment
objectives and risk tolerance and select an appropriate investment strategy and portfolio. Clients
should note that, if we use the online questionnaire, we will recommend a portfolio via the System in
response to the client's answers to the online questionnaire.
We charge clients a fee for our services as described below under Item 5 Fees and Compensation.
Our fees are not set or supervised by Schwab. Clients do not pay brokerage commissions or any other
fees to CS&Co.; as part of the Program. Schwab does receive other revenues in connection with the
Program.
We do not pay SPT fees for the Platform so long as we maintain $100 million in client assets in
accounts at CS&Co.; that are not enrolled in the Program. If we do not meet this condition, then we
pay SPT an annual licensing fee of 0.10% (10 basis points) on the value of our clients' assets in the
Program. This fee arrangement gives us an incentive to recommend or require that our clients with
accounts not enrolled in the Program be maintained with CS&Co.
We use a third-party technology to facilitate management of assets held away from the custodians that
we recommend (e.g., defined contribution plan participant accounts). We are not affiliated with the
company that provides the technology and do not receive compensation from them for using their
technology. A link is provided to clients allowing them to connect an account(s) to the technology.
Once a client account(s) is connected with the platform, we review the current account allocations and
investment choices on the specific investment platform. When deemed necessary, we rebalance the
account considering the client's investment goals, risk tolerance, and financial situation. Assets held
away limit our ability to select the investments we feel are best and are purchased for other accounts.
Assets held away are limited to the investment choices of the investment platform for which they are
held. Client account(s) are reviewed at least quarterly and allocation changes are made as deemed
necessary.
Types of Investments
We primarily offer advice on ETFs. Refer to the Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk
of Loss below for additional disclosures on this topic. We also use insurance products for certain client
where we believe that it is our clients best interest.
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Additionally, we may advise you on various types of investments based on your stated goals and
objectives. We may also provide advice on any type of investment held in your portfolio at the inception
of our advisory relationship.
IRA Rollover Recommendations
Effective December 20, 2021 (or such later date as the US Department of Labor ("DOL") Field
Assistance Bulletin 2018-02 ceases to be in effect), for purposes of complying with the DOL's
Prohibited Transaction Exemption 2020-02 ("PTE 2020-02") where applicable, we are providing the
following acknowledgment to you.
When we provide investment advice to you regarding your retirement plan account or individual
retirement account, we are fiduciaries within the meaning of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act and/or the Internal Revenue Code, as applicable, which are laws governing retirement
accounts. We operate under a special rule that requires us to act in your best interest and not put our
interest ahead of yours. Under this special rule's provisions, we must:
• Meet a professional standard of care when making investment recommendations (give prudent
advice);
• Never put our financial interests ahead of yours when making recommendations (give loyal
advice);
• Avoid misleading statements about conflicts of interest, fees, and investments;
• Follow policies and procedures designed to ensure that we give advice that is in your best
interest;
• Charge no more than is reasonable for our services; and
• Give you basic information about conflicts of interest.
We benefit financially from the rollover of your assets from a retirement account to an account that we
manage or provide investment advice, because the assets increase our assets under management
and, in turn, our advisory fees. As a fiduciary, we only recommend a rollover when we believe it is in
your best interest.
Assets Under Management.
As of December 31, 2024, we provide continuous management services for $483,883,490 in client
assets on a discretionary basis.
Item 5 Fees and Compensation
Portfolio Management Services
Our fee for portfolio management services is based on a percentage of the assets in your account and
is set forth in the following annual fee schedule:
Annual Fee Schedule
Assets Under Management
Up to the first $500,000
Up to the next $500,000
Up to the next $2,000,000
Up to the next $7,000,000
In Excess of $10,000,000
Annnual Fee
1.25%
1.00%
0.75%
0.50%
0.25%
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For existing accounts, the advisory fee shall be calculated as a percentage of the fair market value of
all billable assets in the Account on the last trading day of the previous calendar quarter. The advisory
fee shall be paid quarterly in advance. For all new accounts, the advisory fee shall be billed in
arrears. This initial fee is calculated based on the average value of billable assets in the account on
the last day of each month in that calendar quarter.
Fees on non-cash assets deposited after the beginning of a billing period will be prorated based on the
remaining number of days in the billing period and billed in arrears in the quarter following the deposit
of the assets. Fees for non-cash assets withdrawn after the beginning of a billing period will be
prorated based on the remaining number of days in the billing period and credited in arrears in the
quarter following the withdrawal of assets. In the event the value of the portfolio is less than $500,000
we reserve the right to charge a minimum annual fee. However, we reserve the right to waive or
reduce the minimum fee at our discretion.
At our discretion, we may combine the account values of family members living in the same household
to determine the applicable advisory fee. For example, we may combine account values for you and
your minor children, joint accounts with your spouse, and other types of related accounts. Combining
account values may increase the asset total, which may result in your paying a reduced advisory fee
based on the fee schedule stated above.
We will deduct our fee directly from your account through the qualified custodian holding your funds
and securities. We will deduct our advisory fee only when you have given our firm written authorization
permitting the fees to be paid directly from your account. Further, the qualified custodian will deliver an
account statement to you at least quarterly. These account statements will show all disbursements
from your account. You should review all statements for accuracy.
You may terminate the portfolio management agreement upon written notice. You will incur a pro rata
charge for services rendered prior to the termination of the portfolio management agreement, which
means you will incur advisory fees only in proportion to the number of days in the quarter for which you
are a client. If you have pre-paid advisory fees that we have not yet earned, you will receive a prorated
refund of those fees.
Seton Hall Alumni who engage with the Company for investment advisory services with assets of
$500,000 or more receive a 10% discount on their first year advisory fee.
Automated Investment Program
As described in Item 4 - Advisory Business, clients receiving Portfolio Management Services within the
Program do not pay fees to SPT or brokerage commissions or other fees to Charles Schwab as part of
the Program. Schwab does receive other revenues in connection with the Program. The fees charged
for this service follow the standard fee schedule noted above, with the exception that clients on this
platform are not subject to our minimum fee requirement ($6250 minimum). Brokerage arrangements
are further described below in Item 12 Brokerage Practices.
Financial Planning Services
At our discretion, we may offset our financial planning fees to the extent you implement the financial
plan through our Portfolio Management Service. We will not require prepayment of a fee more than six
months in advance and in excess of $1,200. Financial planning services are typically provided as part
of the our investment management services. However, financial planning services may be provided
separately when a client has a specific need or does not contract with the Company for the
management of the client's account(s). Fees for financial services are negaotiated on a case-by-case
basis depending on the complexity of the client's situation when they are not provided as part of
investment management services.
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Financial Planning fees are billed in advance. You may terminate the financial planning agreement
upon written notice to our firm. Financial planning fees are non-refundable.
Educational Seminars
We provide educational seminars for a fixed fee. Seminar registrants may bring a guest at no
additional charge. Seminar proceeds are donated to Seton Hall University as a charitable contribution
when held at the University. The cost of other educational seminars are negotiated on a case-by-case
basis and may cost more or less than the Seton Hall seminars, and the proceeds may not be donated
to charity.
Additional Fees and Expenses
As part of our investment advisory services to you, we may invest, or recommend that you invest, in
mutual funds and exchange traded funds. The fees that you pay to our firm for investment advisory
services are separate and distinct from the fees and expenses charged by mutual funds or exchange
traded funds (described in each fund's prospectus) to their shareholders. These fees will generally
include a management fee and other fund expenses. You will also incur transaction charges and/or
brokerage fees when purchasing or selling securities. These charges and fees are typically imposed by
the broker-dealer or custodian through whom your account transactions are executed. We do not
share in any portion of the brokerage fees/transaction charges imposed by the broker-dealer or
custodian. To fully understand the total cost you will incur, you should review all the fees charged by
mutual funds, exchange traded funds, our firm, and others. For information on our brokerage practices,
refer to the Brokerage Practices section of this brochure.
Compensation for the Sale of Securities or Other Investment Products
Persons providing investment advice on behalf of our firm are licensed as independent insurance
agents. These persons will earn commission-based compensation for selling insurance products,
including insurance products they sell to you. Insurance commissions earned by these persons are
separate and in addition to our advisory fees. This practice presents a conflict of interest because
persons providing investment advice on behalf of our firm who are insurance agents have an incentive
to recommend insurance products to you for the purpose of generating commissions rather than solely
based on your needs. You are under no obligation, contractually or otherwise, to purchase insurance
products through any person affiliated with our firm.
For insurance based products held as part of an advised account and included in the asset
management fee, we do not receive a commission nor other deferred fees from the insurance
company.
Cash Balances
We do not charge advisory fees for cash balances. This presents a conflict of interest since this
creates an incentive to keep clients fully invested. However, we believe this practice to be in the
client's overall best interest.
Loans
Upon request The GenWealth Group may help assist clients in obtaining loans (typically short term
bridge loans) with third party banks. The GenWealth Group does not receive direct compensation for
assisting with the facilitation of these loans. While The GenWealth Group does not actively solicit such
borrowings from clients, The GenWealth Group has a conflict of interest since the account retains a
higher value than would otherwise if the client were to sell securities to finance their personal needs.
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Item 6 Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management
We do not accept performance-based fees or participate in side-by-side management. Performance-
based fees are fees that are based on a share of a capital gains or capital appreciation of a client's
account. Side-by-side management refers to the practice of managing accounts that are charged
performance-based fees while at the same time managing accounts that are not charged performance-
based fees. Our fees are calculated as described in the Fees and Compensation section above, and
are not charged on the basis of a share of capital gains upon, or capital appreciation of, the funds in
your advisory account.
Item 7 Types of Clients
We offer investment advisory services to individuals (other than high net worth individuals) and high
net worth individuals. Our investment management and comprehensive planning services are best
suited for clients who have between $1,000,000 and $3,000,000 in investable assets.
In general, we require a minimum of $500,000 to open and maintain an advisory account. At our
discretion, we may waive this minimum account size. For example, we may waive the minimum if you
appear to have significant potential for increasing your assets under our management. The minimum
investment required to open an account in our Automated Investment Program is $5,000. The
minimum account balance to enroll in the tax-loss harvesting feature is $50,000.
We charge a minimum fee in the amount of $6,250 per household per year to open and maintain an
advisory account receiving our Portfolio Management services. For Schwab Intelligent Portfolios the
minimum fee will be waived.
At our discretion we may waive the minimum fee.
We may also combine account values for you and your minor children, joint accounts with your
spouse, and other types of related accounts to meet the stated minimum.
Item 8 Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss
Our Methods of Analysis and Investment Strategies
We may use one or more of the following methods of analysis or investment strategies when providing
investment advice to you:
Long-Term Purchases - securities purchased with the expectation that the value of those securities
will grow over a relatively long period of time, generally greater than one year.
Risk: Using a long-term purchase strategy generally assumes the financial markets will go up in
the long-term which may not be the case. There is also the risk that the segment of the market
that you are invested in or perhaps just your particular investment will go down over time even if
the overall financial markets advance. Purchasing investments long-term may create an
opportunity cost - "locking-up" assets that may be better utilized in the short-term in other
investments.
Short-Term Purchases - securities purchased with the expectation that they will be sold within a
relatively short period of time, generally less than one year, to take advantage of the securities' short-
term price fluctuations.
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Risk: Using a short-term purchase strategy generally assumes that we can predict how financial
markets will perform in the short-term which may be very difficult. There are many factors that can
affect financial market performance in the short-term (such as short-term interest rate changes,
cyclical earnings announcements, etc.) but may have a smaller impact over longer periods of
times.
Trading - We may use frequent trading (in general, selling securities within 30 days of purchasing the
same securities) as an investment strategy when managing your account(s). Frequent trading is not a
fundamental part of our overall investment strategy, but we may use this strategy occasionally when
we determine that it is suitable given your stated investment objectives and tolerance for risk. This may
include buying and selling securities frequently in an effort to capture significant market gains and
avoid significant losses.
Risk: When a frequent trading policy is in effect, there is a risk that investment performance within
your account may be negatively affected, for example through potentially increased taxes.
Our investment strategies and advice may vary depending upon each client's specific financial
situation. As such, we determine investments and allocations based upon your predefined objectives,
risk tolerance, time horizon, financial information, liquidity needs and other various suitability factors.
Your restrictions and guidelines may affect the composition of your portfolio. It is important that you
notify us immediately with respect to any material changes to your financial circumstances,
including for example, a change in your current or expected income level, tax circumstances, or
employment status.
ESG Criteria: An additional level of scrutiny is added to The Genwealth Socially Responsibility
Investing strategy which includes Environmental, Social, and Governance ("ESG") criteria. All
investments are screened using ESG criteria as vetted by the issuing ETF companies. The purpose is
to provide an additional level of risk management and long-term value by investing in companies that
provide a positive impact in the world and avoid companies that don't take responsibility and care of all
stakeholders including shareholders, communities, environment, and the supply chain.
ESG screening has risks including that it may not encompass all environmental, social or governance
issues and that such an approach may not lead to greater portfolio performance.
Tax Considerations
Our strategies and investments may have unique and significant tax implications. However, unless we
specifically agree otherwise, and in writing, tax efficiency is not our primary consideration in the
management of your assets. Regardless of your account size or any other factors, we strongly
recommend that you consult with a tax professional regarding the investing of your assets.
Moreover, custodians and broker-dealers must report the cost basis of equities acquired in client
accounts on or after January 1, 2011. Your custodian will default to the First-In First-Out ("FIFO")
accounting method for calculating the cost basis of your investments. You are responsible for
contacting your tax advisor to determine if this accounting method is the right choice for you. If your tax
advisor believes another accounting method is more advantageous, provide written notice to our firm
immediately and we will alert your account custodian of your individually selected accounting method.
Decisions about cost basis accounting methods will need to be made before trades settle, as the cost
basis method cannot be changed after settlement.
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Risk of Loss
Investing in securities involves risk of loss that you should be prepared to bear. We do not represent or
guarantee that our services or methods of analysis can or will predict future results, successfully
identify market tops or bottoms, or insulate clients from losses due to market corrections or declines.
We cannot offer any guarantees or promises that your financial goals and objectives will be met. Past
performance is in no way an indication of future performance.
Other Risk Considerations
When evaluating risk, financial loss may be viewed differently by each client and may depend on many
different risks, each of which may affect the probability and magnitude of any potential loses. The
following risks may not be all-inclusive, but should be considered carefully by a prospective client
before retaining our services.
Liquidity Risk: The risk of being unable to sell your investment at a fair price at a given time due to high
volatility or lack of active liquid markets. You may receive a lower price or it may not be possible to sell
the investment at all.
Credit Risk: Credit risk typically applies to debt investments such as corporate, municipal, and
sovereign fixed income or bonds. A bond issuing entity can experience a credit event that could impair
or erase the value of an issuer's securities held by a client.
Inflation and Interest Rate Risk: Security prices and portfolio returns will likely vary in response to
changes in inflation and interest rates. Inflation causes the value of future dollars to be worth less and
may reduce the purchasing power of a client's future interest payments and principal. Inflation also
generally leads to higher interest rates which may cause the value of many types of fixed income
investments to decline.
Horizon and Longevity Risk: The risk that your investment horizon is shortened because of an
unforeseen event, for example, the loss of your job. This may force you to sell investments that you
were expecting to hold for the long term. If you must sell at a time that the markets are down, you may
lose money. Longevity Risk is the risk of outliving your savings. This risk is particularly relevant for
people who are retired, or are nearing retirement.
Recommendation of Particular Types of Securities
We primarily recommend ETFs. However, we may advise on other types of investments as appropriate
for you since each client has different needs and different tolerance for risk. Each type of security has
its own unique set of risks associated with it and it would not be possible to list here all of the specific
risks of every type of investment. Even within the same type of investment, risks can vary widely.
However, in very general terms, the higher the anticipated return of an investment, the higher the risk
of loss associated with the investment.
Money Market Funds: A money market fund is technically a security. The fund managers attempt to
keep the share price constant at $1/share. However, there is no guarantee that the share price will stay
at $1/share. If the share price goes down, you can lose some or all of your principal. The U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") notes that "While investor losses in money market
funds have been rare, they are possible." In return for this risk, you should earn a greater return on
your cash than you would expect from a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") insured
savings account (money market funds are not FDIC insured). Next, money market fund rates are
variable. In other words, you do not know how much you will earn on your investment next month. The
rate could go up or go down. If it goes up, that may result in a positive outcome. However, if it goes
down and you earn less than you expected to earn, you may end up needing more cash. A final risk
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you are taking with money market funds has to do with inflation. Because money market funds are
considered to be safer than other investments like stocks, long-term average returns on money market
funds tends to be less than long term average returns on riskier investments. Over long periods of
time, inflation can diminish your purchasing power.
Bonds: Corporate debt securities (or "bonds") are typically safer investments than equity securities,
but their risk can also vary widely based on: the financial health of the issuer; the risk that the issuer
might default; when the bond is set to mature; and, whether or not the bond can be "called" prior to
maturity. When a bond is called, it may not be possible to replace it with a bond of equal character
paying the same rate of return.
Inflation and Interest Rate:
Security prices and portfolio returns will likely vary in response to changes in inflation and interest
rates. Inflation causes the value of future dollars to be worth less and may reduce the purchasing
power of a client's future interest payments and principal. Inflation also generally leads to higher
interest rates which may cause the value of many types of fixed income investments to decline.
Stocks: There are numerous ways of measuring the risk of equity securities (also known simply as
"equities" or "stock"). In very broad terms, the value of a stock depends on the financial health of the
company issuing it. However, stock prices can be affected by many other factors including, but not
limited to the class of stock (for example, preferred or common); the health of the market sector of the
issuing company; and, the overall health of the economy. In general, larger, better established
companies ("large cap") tend to be safer than smaller start-up companies ("small cap") are but the
mere size of an issuer is not, by itself, an indicator of the safety of the investment.
Mutual Funds and Exchange Traded Funds: Mutual funds and exchange traded funds ("ETF") are
professionally managed collective investment systems that pool money from many investors and invest
in stocks, bonds, short-term money market instruments, other mutual funds, other securities, or any
combination thereof. The fund will have a manager that trades the fund's investments in accordance
with the fund's investment objective. While mutual funds and ETFs generally provide diversification,
risks can be significantly increased if the fund is concentrated in a particular sector of the market,
primarily invests in small cap or speculative companies, uses leverage (i.e., borrows money) to a
significant degree, or concentrates in a particular type of security (i.e., equities) rather than balancing
the fund with different types of securities. ETFs differ from mutual funds since they can be bought and
sold throughout the day like stock and their price can fluctuate throughout the day. The returns on
mutual funds and ETFs can be reduced by the costs to manage the funds. Also, while some mutual
funds are "no load" and charge no fee to buy into, or sell out of, the fund, other types of mutual funds
do charge such fees which can also reduce returns. Mutual funds can also be "closed end" or "open
end". "Open end" mutual funds continue to allow in new investors indefinitely whereas "closed end"
funds have a fixed number of shares to sell which can limit their availability to new investors.
ETFs may have tracking error risks. For example, the ETF investment adviser may not be able to
cause the ETF's performance to match that of the its Underlying Index or other benchmark, which may
negatively affect the ETF's performance. In addition, for leveraged and inverse ETFs that seek to track
the performance of their Underlying Indices or benchmarks on a daily basis, mathematical
compounding may prevent the ETF from correlating with performance of its benchmark. In addition, an
ETF may not have investment exposure to all of the securities included in its Underlying Index, or its
weighting of investment exposure to such securities may vary from that of the Underlying Index. Some
ETFs may invest in securities or financial instruments that are not included in the Underlying Index, but
which are expected to yield similar performance.
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Leveraged Exchange Traded Funds ("Leveraged ETFs" or "L-ETF"): seeks investment results for a
single day only, not for longer periods. A "single day" is measured from the time the L-ETF calculates
its net asset value ("NAV") to the time of the L-ETF's next NAV calculation. The return of the L-ETF for
periods longer than a single day will be the result of each day's returns compounded over the period,
which will very likely differ from multiplying the return by the stated leverage for that period. For periods
longer than a single day, the L-ETF will lose money when the level of the Index is flat, and it is possible
that the L-ETF will lose money even if the level of the Index rises. Longer holding periods, higher index
volatility and greater leverage both exacerbate the impact of compounding on an investor's returns.
During periods of higher Index volatility, the volatility of the Index may affect the L-ETF's return as
much as or more than the return of the Index. Leveraged ETFs are different from most exchange-
traded funds in that they seek leveraged returns relative to the applicable index and only on a daily
basis. The L-ETF also is riskier than similarly benchmarked exchange-traded funds that do not use
leverage. Accordingly, the L-ETF may not be suitable for all investors and should be used only by
knowledgeable investors who understand the potential consequences of seeking daily leveraged
investment results.
GenWealth group may purchase an initial allocation for longer term positions of no more than 20-25%
for more aggressive accounts. GenWealth monitors such positions continuously.
Leveraged ETF Leveraged Risk - The L-ETF obtains investment exposure in excess of its assets in
seeking to achieve its investment objective — a form of leverage — and will lose more money in
market environments adverse to its daily objective than a similar fund that does not employ such
leverage. The use of such leverage could result in the total loss of an investor's investment. For
example: a 2X fund will have a multiplier of two times (2x) the Index. A single day movement in the
Index approaching 50% at any point in the day could result in the total loss of a shareholder's
investment if that movement is contrary to the investment objective of the L-ETF, even if the Index
subsequently moves in an opposite direction, eliminating all or a portion of the earlier movement. This
would be the case with any such single day movements in the Index, even if the Index maintains a
level greater than zero at all times.
Leveraged ETF Compounding Risk - Compounding affects all investments, but has a more
significant impact on a leveraged fund. Particularly during periods of higher Index volatility,
compounding will cause results for periods longer than a single day to vary from the stated multiplier of
the return of the Index. This effect becomes more pronounced as volatility increases.
Leveraged ETF Use of Derivatives - The L-ETF obtains investment exposure through derivatives.
Investing in derivatives may be considered aggressive and may expose the L-ETF to greater risks than
investing directly in the reference asset(s) underlying those derivatives. These risks include
counterparty risk, liquidity risk and increased correlation risk (each as discussed below). When the L-
ETF uses derivatives, there may be imperfect correlation between the value of the reference asset(s)
and the derivative, which may prevent the L-ETF from achieving its investment objective. The L-ETF
may use a combination of swaps on the Index and swaps on an ETF that is designed to track the
performance of the Index. The performance of an ETF may not track the performance of the Index due
to embedded costs and other factors. Thus, to the extent the L-ETF invests in swaps that use an ETF
as the reference asset, the L-ETF may be subject to greater correlation risk and may not achieve as
high a degree of correlation with the Index as it would if the L-ETF only used swaps on the Index.
Moreover, with respect to the use of swap agreements, if the Index has a dramatic intraday move that
causes a material decline in the L-ETF's net assets, the terms of a swap agreement between the L-
ETF and its counterparty may permit the counterparty to immediately close out the transaction with the
L-ETF. In that event, the L-ETF may be unable to enter into another swap agreement or invest in other
derivatives to achieve the desired exposure consistent with the L-ETF's investment objective. This, in
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turn, may prevent the L-ETF from achieving its investment objective, even if the Index reverses all or a
portion of its intraday move by the end of the day. Any costs associated with using derivatives will also
have the effect of lowering the L-ETF's return.
Item 9 Disciplinary Information
We are required to disclose the facts of any legal or disciplinary events that are material to a client's
evaluation of our advisory business or the integrity of our management. We do not have any required
disclosures under this item.
Item 10 Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations
Licensed Insurance Agents
Certain persons providing investment advice on behalf of our firm, in their individual capacities, are
licensed insurance agents.
See the Fees and Compensation section in this brochure for more information on the compensation
received by registered representatives and/or licensed insurance agents who are affiliated with our
firm.
Insurance Agency
The GenWealth Group is licensed as an insurance agency and provides analysis of and recommends
the purchase and sale of certain insurance products to both advisory clients and non-advisory clients.
The GenWealth Group may receive commissions or other forms of compensation in connection with
such sales to our advisory clients. Advisory clients are not obligated to use us as their insurance
agency or agent or to use any recommended insurance company for any recommended insurance
transaction.
To the extent insurance products are offered to advisory clients of the GenWealth Group, IARs will be
paid a commission by the insurance company who issues the policy. This creates a conflict of interest
as there is an incentive for them to recommend insurance products based on the compensation
received, rather than on the client's needs. Notwithstanding such conflict of interest, the GenWealth
Group addresses its fiduciary duty by utilizing insurance products only where it is the best interest of
clients, after consultation with the client, and no advisory fees are charged on insurance products. See
Item 12 - Brokerage Practices and Item 14 - Client Referrals and Other Compensation for a discussion
of the conflicts of interest and compensation related to these relationships.
Item 11 Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and
Personal Trading
Description of Our Code of Ethics
We strive to comply with applicable laws and regulations governing our practices. Therefore, our Code
of Ethics includes guidelines for professional standards of conduct for persons associated with our
firm. Our goal is to protect your interests at all times and to demonstrate our commitment to our
fiduciary duties of honesty, good faith, and fair dealing with you. All persons associated with our firm
are expected to adhere strictly to these guidelines. Persons associated with our firm are also required
to report any violations of our Code of Ethics. Additionally, we maintain and enforce written policies
reasonably designed to prevent the misuse or dissemination of material, non-public information about
you or your account holdings by persons associated with our firm.
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Clients or prospective clients may obtain a copy of our Code of Ethics by contacting us at the
telephone number on the cover page of this brochure.
Participation or Interest in Client Transactions
Neither our firm nor any persons associated with our firm has any material financial interest in client
transactions beyond the provision of investment advisory services as disclosed in this brochure.
Personal Trading Practices
Our firm or persons associated with our firm may buy or sell the same securities that we recommend to
you or securities in which you are already invested. A conflict of interest exists in such cases because
we have the ability to trade ahead of you and potentially receive more favorable prices than you will
receive. To mitigate this conflict of interest, it is our policy that neither our firm nor persons associated
with our firm shall have priority over your account in the purchase or sale of securities.
Aggregated Trading
Our firm or persons associated with our firm may buy or sell securities for you at the same time we or
persons associated with our firm buy or sell such securities for our own account. We may also combine
our orders to purchase securities with your orders to purchase securities ("aggregated trading"). Refer
to the Brokerage Practices section in this brochure for information on our aggregated trading practices.
A conflict of interest exists in such cases because we have the ability to trade ahead of you and
potentially receive more favorable prices than you will receive. To eliminate this conflict of interest, it is
our policy that neither our firm nor persons associated with our firm shall have priority over your
account in the purchase or sale of securities.
Item 12 Brokerage Practices
We recommend the brokerage and custodial services of Charles Schwab & Co. ("Schwab"). Your
assets must be maintained in an account at a "qualified custodian," generally a broker-dealer or bank.
We seek to recommend a custodian/broker that will hold your assets and execute transactions on
terms that are, overall, the most favorable compared to other available providers and their services.
We consider various factors, including:
• Capability to buy and sell securities for your account itself or to facilitate such services.
• The likelihood that your trades will be executed.
• Availability of investment research and tools.
• Overall quality of services.
• Competitiveness of price.
• Reputation, financial strength, and stability.
• Existing relationship with our firm and our other clients.
Research and Other Soft Dollar Benefits
We do not have any soft dollar arrangements.
Economic Benefits
As a registered investment adviser, we have access to the institutional platform of your account
custodian. As such, we will also have access to research products and services from your account
custodian and/or other brokerage firm. These products may include financial publications, information
about particular companies and industries, research software, and other products or services that
provide lawful and appropriate assistance to our firm in the performance of our investment decision-
making responsibilities. Such research products and services are provided to all investment advisers
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that utilize the institutional services platforms of these firms, and are not considered to be paid for with
soft dollars. Please see the below for more information regarding the Charles Schwab & Co. custody
and brokerage costs.
Brokerage for Client Referrals
We do not receive client referrals from broker-dealers in exchange for cash or other compensation,
such as brokerage services or research.
Directed Brokerage
We routinely require that you direct our firm to execute transactions through Schwab. As such, we
may be unable to achieve the most favorable execution of your transactions.
You may utilize the broker-dealer of your choice and have no obligation to purchase or sell securities
through such broker as we recommend. However, if you do not use the recommended broker we may
not be able to accept your account.
Aggregation of Orders
We aggregate multiple orders for shares of the same securities purchased for discretionary advisory
accounts we manage when we have the opportunity to do so. We will then distribute a portion of the
shares to participating accounts in a fair and equitable manner. Each participating account pays an
average price per share for all transactions. In the event an order is only partially filled, the shares will
be allocated to participating accounts in a fair and equitable manner, typically in proportion to the size
of each client's order. Accounts owned by our firm or persons associated with our firm may participate
in aggregated orders with your accounts; however, they will not be given preferential treatment.
Non-Aggregated Orders
From time to time, we change investment allocations after we have reviewed the client's portfolio and
financial situation during our annual meeting with specific clients. We typically meet with different
clients at different time of the year. When this occurs we may not aggregate orders, or only aggregate
the orders for clients who we met with on or about the same time. The cost of not agregating orders
does not cost more for our clients.
Schwab Advisor Services
Schwab Advisor Services (formerly called Schwab Institutional) is Schwab's business serving
independent investment advisory firms like us. They provide us and our clients with access to its
institutional brokerage – trading, custody, reporting and related services – many of which are not
typically available to Schwab retail customers. Schwab also makes available various support services.
Some of those services help us manage or administer our clients' accounts while others help us
manage and grow our business. Schwab's support services are generally are available on an
unsolicited basis (we don't have to request them) and at no charge to us.
Services that Benefit You
Schwab's institutional brokerage services include access to a broad range of investment products,
execution of securities transactions, and custody of client assets. The investment products available
through Schwab include some to which we might not otherwise have access or that would require a
significantly higher minimum initial investment by our clients. Schwab's services described in this
paragraph generally benefit you and your account.
Services that May Not Directly Benefit You
Schwab also makes available to us other products and services that benefit us but may not directly
benefit you or your account. These products and services assist us in managing and administering our
clients' accounts. They include investment research, both Schwab's own and that of third parties. We
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may use this research to service all or some substantial number of our clients' accounts, including
accounts not maintained at Schwab. In addition to investment research, Schwab also makes available
software and other technology that:
• provide access to client account data (such as duplicate trade confirmations and account
statements);
facilitate trade execution and allocate aggregated trade orders for multiple client accounts;
•
• provide pricing and other market data; o facilitate payment of our fees from our clients'
accounts; and
• assist with back-office functions, recordkeeping and client reporting.
Services that Generally Benefit Only Us
Schwab also offers other services intended to help us manage and further develop our business
enterprise. These services include:
technology, compliance, legal, and business consulting;
• educational conferences and events;
•
• publications and conferences on practice management and business succession;
• access to employee benefits providers, human capital consultants and insurance providers;
• discount on PortfolioCenter® Reporting Software.
Schwab may provide some of these services itself. In other cases, it will arrange for third-party vendors
to provide the services to us. Schwab may also discount or waive its fees for some of these services or
pay all or a part of a third party's fees. Schwab may also provide us with other benefits such as
occasional business entertainment of our personnel.
Our Interest in Schwab's Services
The availability of these services from Schwab benefits us because we do not have to produce or
purchase them. These services may give us an incentive to recommend that you maintain your
account with Schwab based on our interest in receiving Schwab's services that benefit our business
rather than based on your interest in receiving the best value in custody services and the most
favorable execution of your transactions. This is a potential conflict of interest. We believe, however,
that our selection of Schwab as custodian and broker is in the best interests of our clients. It is
primarily supported by the scope, quality and price of Schwab's services (based on the factors
discussed above – see "The Custodian and Broker We Use") and not Schwab's services that benefit
only us. We do not believe that maintaining our client's assets at Schwab for services presents a
material conflict of interest.
Automated Investment Program
Client accounts enrolled in the Automated Investment Program ("Program") are maintained at, and
receive the brokerage services of, CS&Co.;, a broker/dealer registered with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and a member of FINRA and SIPC. While clients are required to use CS&Co.;
as custodian/broker to enroll in the Program, the client decides whether to do so and opens its account
with CS&Co.; by entering into a brokerage account agreement directly with CS&Co. If the client does
not wish to place his or her assets with CS&Co., then we cannot manage the client's account through
the Program. CS&Co.; may aggregate purchase and sale orders for Funds across accounts enrolled in
the Program, including both accounts for our clients and accounts for clients of other independent
investment advisory firms using the Platform.
Schwab Advisor Services™ (formerly called Schwab Institutional) is Schwab's business serving
independent investment advisory firms like us. Through Schwab Advisor Services, CS&Co.; provides
us and our clients, both those enrolled in the Program and our clients not enrolled in the Program, with
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access to its institutional brokerage services— trading, custody, reporting, and related services—many
of which are not typically available to CS&Co.; retail customers. CS&Co.; also makes available various
support services. Some of those services help us manage or administer our clients' accounts, while
others help us manage and grow our business. CS&Co.;'s support services described below are
generally available on an unsolicited basis (we don't have to request them) and at no charge to us. The
availability to us of CS&Co.;'s products and services is not based on us giving particular investment
advice, such as buying particular securities for our clients.
Here is a more detailed description of CS&Co.;'s support services:
CS&Co.;'s institutional brokerage services include access to a broad range of investment products,
execution of securities transactions, and custody of client assets. The investment products available
through Schwab include some to which we might not otherwise have access or that would require a
significantly higher minimum initial investment by our clients. CS&Co.;'s services described in this
paragraph generally benefit the client and the client's account. CS&Co.; also makes available to us
other products and services that benefit us but may not directly benefit the client or its account. These
products and services assist us in managing and administering our clients' accounts. They include
investment research, both Schwab's own and that of third parties. We may use this research to service
all or some substantial number of our clients' accounts, including accounts not maintained at CS&Co.;
In addition to investment research,
CS&Co.; also makes available software and other technology that:
• provide access to client account data (such as duplicate trade confirmations and account
statements);
facilitate trade execution and allocate aggregated trade orders for multiple client accounts;
facilitate payment of our fees from our clients' accounts; and
•
• provide pricing and other market data;
•
• assist with back-office functions, record keeping, and client reporting.
CS&Co.; also offers other services intended to help us manage and further develop our business
enterprise. These services include:
technology, compliance, legal, and business consulting;
• educational conferences and events;
•
• publications and conferences on practice management and business succession; and
• access to employee benefits providers, human capital consultants, and insurance providers.
CS&Co.; may provide some of these services itself. In other cases, it will arrange for third-party
vendors to provide the services to us. CS&Co.; may also discount or waive its fees for some of these
services or pay all or a part of a third party's fees. CS&Co.; may also provide us with other benefits
such as occasional business entertainment of our personnel.
The availability of services from CS&Co.; benefits us because we do not have to produce or purchase
them. We don't have to pay for these services, and they are not contingent upon us committing any
specific amount of business to CS&Co.; in trading commissions or assets in custody. With respect to
the Program, as described above under Item 4 Advisory Business, we do not pay SPT fees for the
Platform so long as we maintain $100 Million in client assets in accounts at CS&Co.; that are not
enrolled in the Program. In light of our arrangements with Schwab, we may have an incentive to
require that our clients maintain their accounts with CS&Co.; based on our interest in receiving
Schwab's services that benefit our business rather than based on the client's interest in receiving the
best value in custody services and the most favorable execution of transactions. This is a potential
conflict of interest. We believe, however, that our selection of CS&Co.; as custodian and broker is in
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the best interests of our clients. It is primarily supported by the scope, quality, and price of CS&Co.;'s
services and not Schwab's services that benefit only us. We have adopted policies and procedures
designed to ensure that our use of Schwab's services is appropriate for each of our clients.
Item 13 Review of Accounts
The Investment Adviser Representatives of our firm, will monitor your accounts on an ongoing basis
and will conduct formal account reviews at least Annually, to ensure the advisory services provided to
you are consistent with your investment needs and objectives. Additional reviews may be conducted
based on various circumstances, including, but not limited to:
• contributions and withdrawals,
• year-end tax planning,
• market moving events,
• security specific events, and/or
• changes in your risk/return objectives.
The individuals conducting reviews may vary from time to time, as personnel join or leave our firm.
We will provide you with additional or regular written reports in conjunction with account reviews.
Reports we provide to you will contain relevant account and/or market-related information such as an
inventory of account holdings and account performance, etc. You will receive trade confirmations and
monthly or quarterly statements from your account custodian(s).
Item 14 Client Referrals and Other Compensation
Client Referrals
We have entered into arrangements with employees of our firm, under which the individual receives
compensation from our firm for the establishment of new client relationships. Employees who refer
clients to our firm must comply with the requirements of the jurisdictions where they operate. The
compensation consists of a one-time, flat referral fee upon your signing an advisory agreement with
our firm. You will not be charged additional fees based on this compensation arrangement. Incentive
based compensation is contingent upon you entering into an advisory agreement with our firm.
Therefore, the individual has a financial incentive to recommend our firm to you for advisory services.
This creates a conflict of interest; however, you are not obligated to retain our firm for advisory
services. Comparable services and/or lower fees may be available through other firms.
As disclosed under the Fees and Compensation section in this brochure, persons providing investment
advice on behalf of our firm are licensed insurance agents. For information on the conflicts of interest
this presents, and how we address these conflicts, refer to the Fees and Compensation section.
Your advisor may recommend the purchase of insurance contracts on a fee basis or on a commission
basis, when acting in their separate capacities as a licensed insurance agency or agent. This may
result in a conflict of interest. If you choose to implement these recommendations, the insurance would
be purchased through The GenWealth Group, and we would receive compensation and/or
commissions as a result of the sale of the insurance or other financial products recommended.
Other Compensation
We receive economic benefits from a non-client in connection with providing investment advice or
other advisory services to you. Through our participation in certain programs or use of a custodian we
are entitled to receive economic benefits. As part of our fiduciary duty, we endeavor at all times to put
the interests of our clients first. Clients should be aware, however, that the receipt of economic benefits
19
by our firm from a non-client in and of themselves creates a potential conflict of interest and
may influence our choice in providing services to your account. This arrangement does not cause our
clients to pay any additional transaction fees beyond those that are traditionally charged by our firm
and/or other service providers.
Refer to the Brokerage Practices section above for disclosures on research and other benefits we may
receive resulting from our relationship with your account custodian.
Item 15 Custody
Your independent custodian will directly debit your account(s) for the payment of our advisory fees.
This ability to deduct our advisory fees from your accounts causes our firm to exercise limited custody
over your funds or securities. We do not have physical custody of any of your funds and/or securities.
Your funds and securities will be held with a bank, broker-dealer, or other qualified custodian. You will
receive account statements from the qualified custodian(s) holding your funds and securities at least
quarterly. The account statements from your custodian(s) will indicate the amount of our advisory fees
deducted from your account(s) each billing period. You should carefully review account statements for
accuracy.
Wire Transfer and/or Standing Letter of Authorization
Our firm, or persons associated with our firm, may effect wire transfers, journals, electronic bank
transfers, or send checks from client accounts to one or more third parties designated, in writing, by
the client without obtaining written client consent for each separate or individual transaction, as long as
the client has provided us with written authorization to do so. Such written authorization is known as a
Standing Letter of Authorization. An adviser with authority to conduct such third party money
movements has access to the client's assets, and therefore has custody of the client's assets in any
related accounts.
However, we do not have to obtain a surprise annual audit, as we otherwise would be required to by
reason of having custody, as long as we meet the following criteria:
1. You provide a written, signed instruction to the qualified custodian that includes the third party's
name and address or account number at a custodian;
2. You authorize us in writing to direct transfers to the third party either on a specified schedule or
from time to time;
3. Your qualified custodian verifies your authorization (e.g., signature review) and provides a
transfer of funds notice to you promptly after each transfer;
4. You can terminate or change the instruction;
5. We have no authority or ability to designate or change the identity of the third party, the
address, or any other information about the third party;
6. We maintain records showing that the third party is not a related party to us nor located at the
same address as us; and
7. Your qualified custodian sends you, in writing, an initial notice confirming the instruction and an
annual notice reconfirming the instruction.
We hereby confirm that we meet the above criteria.
Item 16 Investment Discretion
Before we can buy or sell securities on your behalf, you must first sign our discretionary management
agreement and the appropriate trading authorization forms.
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You may grant our firm discretion over the selection and amount of securities to be purchased or sold
for your account(s) without obtaining your consent or approval prior to each transaction. You may
specify investment objectives, guidelines, and/or impose certain conditions or investment parameters
for your account(s). For example, you may specify that the investment in any particular stock or
industry should not exceed specified percentages of the value of the portfolio and/or restrictions or
prohibitions of transactions in the securities of a specific industry or security. Refer to the Advisory
Business section in this brochure for more information on our discretionary management services.
Item 17 Voting Client Securities
We will not vote proxies on behalf of your advisory accounts. At your request, we may offer you advice
regarding corporate actions and the exercise of your proxy voting rights. If you own shares of
applicable securities, you are responsible for exercising your right to vote as a shareholder.
In most cases, you will receive proxy materials directly from the account custodian. However, in the
event we were to receive any written or electronic proxy materials, we would forward them directly to
you by mail, unless you have authorized our firm to contact you by electronic mail, in which case, we
would forward any electronic solicitations to vote proxies.
Item 18 Financial Information
Our firm does not have any financial condition or impairment that would prevent us from meeting our
contractual commitments to you. We do not take physical custody of client funds or securities, or serve
as trustee or signatory for client accounts, and, we do not require the prepayment of more than $1,200
in fees six or more months in advance. Therefore, we are not required to include a financial statement
with this brochure.
We have not filed a bankruptcy petition at any time in the past ten years.
Item 19 Requirements for State-Registered Advisers
We are a federally registered investment adviser; therefore, we are not required to respond to this
item.
Item 20 Additional Information
Your Privacy
We view protecting your private information as a top priority. Pursuant to applicable privacy
requirements, we have instituted policies and procedures to ensure that we keep your personal
information private and secure.
We do not disclose any non-public personal information about you to any non-affiliated third parties,
except as permitted by law. In the course of servicing your account, we may share some information
with our service providers, such as transfer agents, custodians, broker-dealers, accountants,
consultants, and attorneys.
We restrict internal access to non-public personal information about you to employees, who need that
information in order to provide products or services to you. We maintain physical and procedural
safeguards that comply with regulatory standards to guard your non-public personal information and to
21
ensure our integrity and confidentiality. We will not sell information about you or your accounts to
anyone. We do not share your information unless it is required to process a transaction, at your
request, or required by law.
You will receive a copy of our privacy notice prior to or at the time you sign an advisory agreement with
our firm.
If you decide to close your account(s) we will adhere to our privacy policies, which may be amended
from time to time.
If we make any substantive changes in our privacy policy that would further permit or require
disclosures of your private information, we will provide written notice to you. Where the change is
based on permitted disclosures, you will be given an opportunity to direct us as to whether such
disclosure is acceptable. Where the change is based on required disclosures, you will only receive
written notice of the change. You may not opt out of the required disclosures.
If you have questions about our privacy policies contact our main office at the telephone number on the
cover page of this brochure and ask to speak to the Chief Compliance Officer.
Trade Errors
In the event a trading error occurs in your account, our policy is to restore your account to the position
it should have been in had the trading error not occurred.
Class Action Lawsuits
We do not determine if securities held by you are the subject of a class action lawsuit or whether you
are eligible to participate in class action settlements or litigation nor do we initiate or participate in
litigation to recover damages on your behalf for injuries as a result of actions, misconduct, or
negligence by issuers of securities held by you.
IRA Rollover Considerations
As part of our investment advisory services to you, we may recommend that you withdraw the assets
from your employer's retirement plan and roll the assets over to an individual retirement account
("IRA") that we will manage on your behalf. If you elect to roll the assets to an IRA that is subject to our
management, we will charge you an asset based fee as set forth in the agreement you executed with
our firm. This practice presents a conflict of interest because persons providing investment advice on
our behalf have an incentive to recommend a rollover to you for the purpose of generating fee based
compensation rather than solely based on your needs. You are under no obligation, contractually or
otherwise, to complete the rollover. Moreover, if you do complete the rollover, you are under no
obligation to have the assets in an IRA managed by our firm.
Many employers permit former employees to keep their retirement assets in their company plan. Also,
current employees can sometimes move assets out of their company plan before they retire or change
jobs. In determining whether to complete the rollover to an IRA, and to the extent the following options
are available, you should consider the costs and benefits of:
1. Leaving the funds in your employer's (former employer's) plan.
2. Moving the funds to a new employer's retirement plan.
3. Cashing out and taking a taxable distribution from the plan.
4. Rolling the funds into an IRA rollover account.
Each of these options has advantages and disadvantages and before making a change we encourage
you to speak with your CPA and/or tax attorney.
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If you are considering rolling over your retirement funds to an IRA for us to manage here are a few
points to consider before you do so:
1. Determine whether the investment options in your employer's retirement plan address your
needs or whether you might want to consider other types of investments.
a. Employer retirement plans generally have a more limited investment menu than IRAs.
b. Employer retirement plans may have unique investment options not available to the
public such as employer securities, or previously closed funds.
2. Your current plan may have lower fees than our fees.
a. If you are interested in investing only in mutual funds, you should understand the cost
structure of the share classes available in your employer's retirement plan and how the
costs of those share classes compare with those available in an IRA.
b. You should understand the various products and services you might take advantage of
at an IRA provider and the potential costs of those products and services.
3. Our strategy may have higher risk than the option(s) provided to you in your plan.
4. Your current plan may also offer financial advice.
5. If you keep your assets titled in a 401k or retirement account, you could potentially delay your
required minimum distribution beyond age 72.
6. Your 401k may offer more liability protection than a rollover IRA; each state may vary.
a. Generally, federal law protects assets in qualified plans from creditors. Since 2005, IRA
assets have been generally protected from creditors in bankruptcies. However, there
can be some exceptions to the general rules so you should consult with an attorney if
you are concerned about protecting your retirement plan assets from creditors.
7. You may be able to take out a loan on your 401k, but not from an IRA.
8. IRA assets can be accessed any time; however, distributions are subject to ordinary income tax
and may also be subject to a 10% early distribution penalty unless they qualify for an exception
such as disability, higher education expenses or the purchase of a home.
9. If you own company stock in your plan, you may be able to liquidate those shares at a lower
capital gains tax rate.
10.Your plan may allow you to hire us as the manager and keep the assets titled in the plan name.
It is important that you understand the differences between these types of accounts and to decide
whether a rollover is best for you. Prior to proceeding, if you have questions contact your investment
adviser representative, or call our main number as listed on the cover page of this brochure.
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