Overview
Assets Under Management: $778 million
Headquarters: PORTLAND, OR
High-Net-Worth Clients: 182
Average Client Assets: $2 million
Services Offered
Services: Financial Planning, Portfolio Management for Individuals
Fee Structure
Primary Fee Schedule (THE H GROUP, ADV PART 2A)
Min | Max | Marginal Fee Rate |
---|---|---|
$0 | $250,000 | 2.05% |
$250,001 | $500,000 | 1.85% |
$500,001 | $750,000 | 1.60% |
$750,001 | $1,000,000 | 1.35% |
$1,000,001 | $3,000,000 | 1.10% |
$3,000,001 | $5,000,000 | 0.85% |
$5,000,001 | and above | 0.60% |
Illustrative Fee Rates
Total Assets | Annual Fees | Average Fee Rate |
---|---|---|
$1 million | $17,125 | 1.71% |
$5 million | $56,125 | 1.12% |
$10 million | $86,125 | 0.86% |
$50 million | $326,125 | 0.65% |
$100 million | $626,125 | 0.63% |
Clients
Number of High-Net-Worth Clients: 182
Percentage of Firm Assets Belonging to High-Net-Worth Clients: 54.83
Average High-Net-Worth Client Assets: $2 million
Total Client Accounts: 2,564
Discretionary Accounts: 2,564
Regulatory Filings
CRD Number: 106801
Last Filing Date: 2024-03-29 00:00:00
Website: HTTP://WWW.THEHGROUP.COM
Form ADV Documents
Primary Brochure: THE H GROUP, ADV PART 2A (2025-03-31)
View Document Text
The H Group, Inc.
Part 2A of Form ADV – Brochure
THE H GROUP, INC.
3395 Southwest Garden View Avenue
Portland, OR 97225-3547
(503) 292-5853
www.thehgroup.com
March 31, 2025
This Brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of The H Group,
Inc. (“THG”). If you have any questions about the contents of this Brochure, you may contact us at
(503) 292-5853 or info@thehgroup.com to obtain answers and additional information. The H Group,
Inc. is a registered investment adviser with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”). Registration of an investment adviser does not imply any level of skill or training. The
information in this Brochure has not been approved or verified by the SEC or by any state securities
authority.
Additional information about The H Group, Inc. is available on the SEC’s website at
www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. The searchable IARD/CRD number for The H Group, Inc. is 106801.
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Part 2A of Form ADV – Brochure
Item 2 Material Changes
We will ensure that when required, all current clients will receive a Summary of Material Changes to
this and subsequent Brochures within 120 days of the close of our business’ fiscal year. When required,
a Summary of Material Changes will also be included with our Brochure on the SEC’s website at
www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. The searchable IARD/CRD number for The H Group, Inc. is 106801.
Any Summary of Material Changes will be listed as “Exhibit A” to our Brochure. We may further
provide other ongoing disclosure information about material changes as necessary and will further
provide you with a new Brochure as necessary based on changes or new information, at any time,
without charge.
(503) 292-5853 or
Currently, our Brochure may be requested by contacting us at
info@thehgroup.com. Our Brochure is provided free of charge.
Part 2A - ii
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Part 2A of Form ADV – Brochure
Item 3 Table of Contents
Page
Item 1 – Cover Page ........................................................................................................................................... i
Item 2 Material Changes ................................................................................................................................ ii
Item 3 Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................. iii
Item 4 Advisory Business ............................................................................................................................... 4
Item 5 – Fees and Compensation .................................................................................................................... 4
Item 6 – Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management ........................................................... 8
Item 7 – Types of Clients ................................................................................................................................. 9
Item 8 – Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss ................................................... 9
Item 9 – Disciplinary Information ................................................................................................................ 11
Item 10 – Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations ................................................................ 11
Item 11 – Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transaction & Personal Trading ........... 12
Item 12 – Brokerage Practices ....................................................................................................................... 13
Item 13 – Review of Accounts ...................................................................................................................... 15
Item 14 – Client Referrals and Other Compensation ................................................................................ 16
Item 15 – Custody ........................................................................................................................................... 16
Item 16 – Investment Discretion .................................................................................................................. 17
Item 17 – Voting Client Securities ................................................................................................................ 17
Item 18 – Financial Information ................................................................................................................... 18
Exhibit A – Summary of Material Changes ................................................................................................... 1
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Part 2A of Form ADV – Brochure
Item 4 Advisory Business
THG is an SEC registered investment advisory firm located in Portland, Oregon. We provide fee-
only investment supervisory, portfolio management, investment consulting and financial planning
services. The firm, and its predecessor entity, have been in business since 1991 and the principal
owner and President is Christopher K. Hicks. Our investment advisory services are coordinated
through our Advisory Affiliates. Our investment approach utilizes broadly diversified portfolios and
a systematic strategy to manage client portfolios.
Through our Advisory Affiliates, we help Clients coordinate and prioritize their financial lives with all
aspects of their life goals. Integrating investments across all individual retirement accounts, taxable
accounts, and employee retirement accounts is crucial to the process. Client input and involvement
are critical parts of the financial planning process and implementation of investment decisions. After
Client assets are invested, we continuously monitor their investments and provide advice related to
ongoing financial and investment needs.
We offer initial financial planning services to Clients under a separate Financial Planning Agreement.
After completion of an initial financial planning engagement, Clients may elect to enter into a retainer
agreement for ongoing Wealth Management services which include financial planning and portfolio
management.
Advice and services are tailored to the stated objectives of the Client(s). Our Advisory Affiliates
discuss with the Client critically important information such as the Client’s risk tolerance, time
horizon, and projected future needs, to formulate an investment strategy. This information and
strategy guides us in objectively and suitably managing the Client’s account. Our Advisory Affiliates
meet with Clients as needed to review portfolio performance, discuss current issues, and re-assess
goals and plans.
Our investment recommendations include mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and exchange-listed
equity securities, certificates of deposit, municipal securities, U.S. government securities and money
market funds when suitable and appropriate for a Client’s particular situation. If Clients hold other
types of investments, we will advise them on those investments also. Clients may impose restrictions
on investing in certain securities or types of securities. We consider such restrictions when formulating
the Client’s investment strategy. See Item 8 for a description of our investment strategy.
We do not manage Wrap Fee programs.
We manage $580,107,747 of Client assets on a discretionary basis and $0 of Client assets on a non-
discretionary basis. These amounts were calculated as of December 31, 2024.
Item 5 – Fees and Compensation
We provide investment supervisory, financial planning and investment consulting services to Clients
primarily under the following fee schedules below:
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Assets Under Management - Fee Schedule 1:
Maximum Annual Wealth Management Retainer Fees:
2.05% on assets under $250,000
1.85% on assets between $250,001 and $500,000
1.60% on assets between $500,001 and $750,000
1.35% on assets between $750,001 and $1,000,000
1.10% on assets between $1,000,001 and $3,000,000
0.85% on assets between $3,000,001 and $5,000,000
0.60% on assets in excess of $5,000,000
Client’s asset management accounts subject to Fee Schedule 1 are billed quarterly in arrears. Fees are
paid to us from the client’s account by the custodian upon our submission of an invoice. The quarterly
fee will be equal to the agreed upon annual rate, multiplied by the market value of the account on the
last trading day of that quarter. This number is then divided by four.
Market value includes all account values and transaction information as of the end of each quarter
(not adjusted by any margin debit). To determine value, securities and other instruments traded on a
market for which actual transaction prices are publicly reported are generally valued at the last reported
sale price on the principal market in which they are traded. Mutual Funds are only valued once per
day after the close of the market. Whenever valuation information for specific, illiquid, foreign, private
or other investments is not available through the custodian, our approach will be to value at zero. We
do this in order to not overvalue a position which could potentially over inflate billing calculations.
Alternatively, we may also seek to obtain and document price information from at least one
independent source, whether it be a broker-dealer, bank, pricing service or other source.
Fees for a partial quarter at the commencement or termination of an agreement will be prorated based
on the number of days the account was open during the quarter. Quarterly fee adjustments for
additional assets received into an account during a quarter or for partial withdrawals may also be
provided as negotiated. For fees paid in arrears, there are no pre-paid fees that would be subject to
refund.
Assets Under Management - Fee Schedule 2:
Maximum Annual Wealth Management Retainer Fees:
1.50% on assets under $750,000
1.00% on assets between $750,000 and $3,000,000
0.85% on assets between $3,000,000 and $5,000,000
0.60% on assets in excess of $5,000,000
Client’s asset management accounts subject to Fee Schedule 2 are billed quarterly in advance. Wealth
Management fees are based solely upon the quarter end market value of the accounts per household
and are assessed in advance at the end of each calendar quarter.
Payments will be calculated and deducted from Client’s account on a quarterly basis. The custodian
will deduct the fee from Client’s account and remit the fees to Advisor or an Agent authorized by
Advisor to collect such fees on its behalf.
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Fees for a partial quarter at the commencement or termination of an agreement will be prorated based
on the number of days the account was open during the quarter. Quarterly fee adjustments for
additional assets received into an account during a quarter or for partial withdrawals may also be
provided as negotiated.
Financial Planning & Advisory Hourly Fee Schedule:
We may also provide investment advice or financial planning to Clients on an hourly or fixed rate fee.
Our maximum hourly rate is $250.00 per hour (plus applicable taxes) depending on the complexity of
the issue being addressed. Fixed fee project pricing is quoted for each project, depending on the scope
of work performed. Notwithstanding the above, fees are generally negotiable.
* * *
We may modify the terms of any fee agreement by giving Clients 30 days written notice in advance.
Wealth Management Retainer Fees may be negotiable under certain circumstances. Payment of fees
may result in the liquidation of Client's securities if there is insufficient cash in the account.
Clients may be charged a one-time set-up fee of up to $250.00 per account. A quarterly fee of up to
$37.50 may be charged per account for administrative services. Clients also pay trading fees and
commissions on discretionary trades initiated by us. Clients will also be charged up to $35.00 per trade
as an administrative fee by us for any Client directed trades. Notwithstanding the foregoing, fees are
generally negotiable.
Clients may also be required to pay other miscellaneous charges or fees directly to the custodian (e.g.
wire fees) as stated in the custodial agreements. Additionally, mutual funds and/or exchange traded
funds have additional internal expenses which generally include a fund management fee, other fund
expenses, and a possible distribution fee. In addition, some funds charge a redemption fee on shares
bought and sold within a short period. Funds describe their expenses in their prospectuses, summary
prospectuses, or product descriptions. Clients are advised that these fees are separate and additional
expenses incurred by the Client. See Item 12 for additional information on Brokerage Practices.
Our fees include the time necessary to work with Client's attorney, accountant or other third party
professionals in reaching agreement on financial planning or investment solutions, as well as assisting
those advisors in implementation of all appropriate documents. However, we are not responsible for
attorney, accountant or other third party professional fees charged to Client as a result of these
activities.
In some instances, we may recommend that all or a portion of Client assets be managed by an
unrelated Third Party Asset Manager (“TPAM”) or sub-advisor. These arrangements are more fully
disclosed in Section 10, below.
All Wealth Management agreements may be terminated at any time by providing us with 30 days
written notice. Upon termination, any fees that have been earned by us but not yet paid will be
immediately due and payable. Clients are also responsible for all applicable charges including, but not
limited to, account administrative fees, account closure fees and all trading costs due to the
termination, including any fees the mutual funds may assess. Upon request, we will provide a good-
faith estimate of these fees.
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Payment of fixed fee projects shall be made as agreed by the parties. Hourly rate projects are generally
invoiced by us with payment due by Client upon receipt of the invoice. We may estimate the number
of hours necessary to complete a project, and we may collect a portion of this estimate up front and
invoice the balance. However, under no circumstances will the Client be required to pay more than
$1,200 for services more than six months in advance. Upon termination of any hourly or fixed fee
project, any prepaid but unearned fees will be promptly refunded to the Client.
Certain Advisory Affiliates are also independently licensed to sell insurance products through various
carriers. THG is a fee only registered investment adviser and does not act as an insurance brokerage
or agency and is not otherwise affiliated with any insurance brokerages or agencies. However, a
conflict of interest arises when insurance related business is transacted with advisory Clients, because
certain individual Advisory Affiliates of THG are independently licensed to sell insurance products
through various carriers. In their capacity as an Insurance Agent, they may receive commissions or
other fees from products sold to Clients. As such, Clients are advised that they are under no obligation
to use any individual associated with THG for insurance products or services, and may use any
insurance firm or agent they choose.
Clients are also advised that the Wealth Management Retainer fees paid to THG are separate and
distinct from the commissions earned by any individual in connection with the sale of insurance or
other securities products and THG does not receive any compensation for products sold by these
Advisory Affiliates.
Because THG is not involved in the sale of insurance products, we do not know the actual dollar
amount of any commission payment to an Insurance Agent. Also, because THG is neither a broker
dealer nor an insurance agency, we do not have the ability to rebate commissions received for the sale
of a product and cannot discount the price of a product to make up for any commission that may be
received from its sale.
Rollover Recommendations
As part of our investment advisory services to you, we may recommend that you roll assets from your
employer’s retirement plan, such as a 401(k), 457, or ERISA 403(b) account (collectively, a “Plan
Account”), to an individual retirement account, such as a SIMPLE IRA, SEP IRA, Traditional IRA,
or Roth IRA (collectively, an “IRA Account”) that we will manage on your behalf. We may also
recommend rollovers from IRA Accounts to Plan Accounts, from Plan Accounts to Plan Accounts,
and from IRA Accounts to IRA Accounts. When we provide any of the foregoing rollover
recommendations we are acting as fiduciaries within the meaning of Title I of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) and/or the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”), as applicable,
which are laws governing retirement accounts.
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 advisory agreement you executed with our firm. This creates a conflict of
interest because it creates a financial incentive for our firm to recommend the rollover to you (i.e.,
receipt of additional fee-based compensation). 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. Due to the foregoing conflict of interest,
when we make rollover recommendations, we operate under a special rule that requires us to act in
your best interests and not put our interests ahead of yours.
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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
interests;
charge no more than a reasonable fee for our services; and
give you basic information about conflicts of interest.
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 a rollover.
Note that an employee will typically have four options in this situation:
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; or
4. rolling the funds into an IRA rollover account.
Each of these options has positives and negatives. Because of that, along with the importance of
understanding the differences between these types of accounts, we will provide you with a written
explanation of the advantages and disadvantages of both account types and the basis for our belief
that the rollover transaction we recommend is in your best interests.
As an alternative to providing you with a rollover recommendation, we may instead take an entirely
educational approach in accordance with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Interpretive Bulletin 96-1.
Under this approach, our role will be limited only to providing you with general educational materials
regarding the pros and cons of rollover transactions. We will make no recommendation to you
regarding the prospective rollover of your assets and you are advised to speak with your trusted tax
and legal advisors with respect to rollover decisions. As part of this educational approach, we may
provide you with materials discussing some or all of the following topics: the general pros and cons
of rollover transactions; the benefits of retirement plan participation; the impact of pre-retirement
withdrawals on retirement income; the investment options available inside your Plan Account; and
high level discussion of general investment concepts (e.g., risk versus return, the benefits of
diversification and asset allocation, historical returns of certain asset classes, etc.). We may also provide
you with questionnaires and/or interactive investment materials that may provide a means for you to
independently determine your future retirement income needs and to assess the impact of different
asset allocations on your retirement income. You will make the final rollover decision.
Item 6 – Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management
We do not charge any performance-based fees for our services or engage in side-by-side management.
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Part 2A of Form ADV – Brochure
Item 7 – Types of Clients
We provide investment advice to individuals, businesses, pension and profit sharing plans, trusts,
estates, and charitable organizations. Because each Client is unique, they must be willing to be
involved in the planning and ongoing processes. Such involvement does not have to be time
consuming, however we want our Clients to remain informed about their overall financial situation.
Item 8 – Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss
We create broadly diversified portfolios in the worldwide fixed-income and equity markets, combined
with periodic rebalancing. Our Advisory Affiliates create an investment strategy with each Client,
outlining the investment philosophy, management procedures, and long-term goals for the investor.
Portfolio design is tailored to each Client’s risk tolerance and preferences.
Types of Investments
As part of our core investment approach, we offer advice on investments including mutual funds and
exchange-traded funds. However, we may also utilize other investments such as: equity securities,
debt securities, certificates of deposit, municipal securities, U.S. government securities and money
market funds when suitable and appropriate. Each type of security has its own unique set of risks
associated with it, and it would not be possible to disclose all of the specific risks of every type of
investment in this brochure. If our Clients have any questions regarding the risks associated with a
particular investment, they are encouraged to contact us.
Mutual funds are professionally managed collective investment companies that pool money from many
investors and invest in stocks, bonds, short-term money market instruments, other mutual or
exchange traded 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
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. Other fund risks include
foreign securities and currency risk, emerging markets risk, small-cap, mid-cap and large-cap risk,
trading risk, and turnover risk that can increase fund expenses and may decrease fund performance.
Brokerage and transactions costs incurred by the fund will reduce returns.
ETFs are investment funds traded on stock exchanges, much like stocks or equities. An ETF holds
assets such as stocks, commodities, or bonds and trades at approximately the same price as the net
asset value of its underlying assets over the course of the trading day. Most ETFs track an index, such
as the S&P 500. However, some ETFs are fully transparent actively managed funds. Market risk is,
perhaps, the most significant risk associated with ETFs. This risk is defined by the day to day
fluctuations associated with any exchange traded security, where fluctuations occur in part based on
the perception of investors.
Individual equity securities (also known simply as “equities” or “stock”) are assessed for risk in numerous
ways. Price fluctuations and market risk are the most significant risk concerns. As such, the value of
your investment can increase or decrease over time. Furthermore, you should understand that stock
prices can be affected by many factors including, but not limited to, the overall health of the economy,
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the health of the market sector or industry of the issuing company, and national and political events.
When investing in stock, it is important to focus on the average returns achieved over a given period
of time, across a well-diversified portfolio.
Individual 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.
Primarily we invest with a focus on Long Term Purchases, where securities are purchased with the
expectation that the value of those securities will grow over a relatively long period of time, generally
greater than one year. Sometimes we will employ a Short Term Purchase strategy where securities are
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. Short-term trading
(in general, selling securities within 30 days of purchasing the same securities) is not a fundamental
part of our overall investment strategy.
Methods of Analysis
We may use one or more of the following methods of analysis when formulating investment advice:
Top-Down Global Macro-Economic Analysis involves a big-picture analysis of the prevailing economic,
demographic and social trends followed by a more focused analysis at the country level, then the
industry level and ultimately the specific security level.
Mutual Fund/Exchange Traded Fund Analysis involves qualitative analysis looking at factors such as the
background and experience of the fund manager and/or the fund company (style, consistency, risk-
adjusted performance, management expenses, average daily trading volume, etc.).
Fundamental analysis involves the analysis of financial statements, the general financial health of
companies, and/or the analysis of management or competitive advantages. This type of analysis
concentrates on factors that determine a company’s value and expected future earnings. This strategy
would normally encourage equity purchases in stocks that are undervalued or priced below their
perceived value. The risk assumed is that the market will fail to reach expectations of perceived value.
Investment Risk of Loss
As indicated in the descriptions above, 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.
Except as may otherwise be provided by law, we are not liable to Clients for:
• Any loss that a Client may suffer by reason of any investment decision made or other action
taken or omitted in good faith by us with that degree of care, skill, prudence and diligence
under the circumstances that a prudent person acting in a fiduciary capacity would use;
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• Any loss arising from our adherence to a Client’s instructions, or the disregard of our
recommendations made to a Client; or
• Any act or failure to act by a custodian or other third party to a Client’s account.
It is the responsibility of the Client to give us complete information and to notify us of any changes
in financial circumstances or goals.
Item 9 – Disciplinary Information
Registered investment advisers are required to disclose all material facts regarding any legal or
disciplinary events that would be material to your evaluation of or the integrity of the firm’s
management. The firm has no information applicable to this Item.
Item 10 – Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations
We are affiliated through common ownership and control with The H Group Washington, Inc.,
(“THGWA”), CS Planning Corp (“CSP”), FocusPoint Solutions, Inc. (“FPS”), and Palouse Capital
Management, Inc. (“PCM”). THG, THGWA, CSP, FPS, and PCM are all under common control of
Christopher K. Hicks who is considered a control person of each firm because he holds more than
25% ownership interest in each firm.
THGWA, CSP, and PCM are investment advisors registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and offer a wide range of financial planning and investment advisory services through
numerous Advisory Affiliates to the firm.
Scott L. Maxwell and Fred King, Jr. are Investment Advisor Representatives registered with both
THG and THG-WA. Because clients of Mr. Maxwell and Mr. King are provided the Form ADV 2A
and enter into a Wealth Management Agreement for the specific firm for whom Mr. Maxwell and Mr.
King are representing prior to providing individualized financial services, there is no client confusion
or conflict of interest.
FPS also provides turnkey asset management, back office, and administrative services to both affiliated
and non-affiliated registered investment advisory firms, including THG. These services may include,
but are not limited to the following:
research,
due diligence,
reporting,
portfolio analysis,
investment execution services, and
back-office administration.
•
•
•
•
•
•
For certain RIA Firm clients, FPS also provides non-discretionary sub-advisory services, including
investment recommendations.
FPS generally does not have any direct contact with our Clients. FPS provides services directly to us
and we are solely responsible for Client accounts. Upon entering into an agreement for advisory
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services with us, Clients authorize us to use FPS to service their account, including billing and the
deduction of fees. Clients agree to allow us to share non-public, personal information with FPS for
the purpose of administering and managing Client’s account. We require FPS to execute a
confidentiality agreement and not share Client information with any unauthorized person or entity.
The use of FPS will not cause Clients to incur any additional fees. We pay FPS for services out of the
Wealth Management Retainer fee charged to Clients. Our fee schedule is disclosed under Item 5
above.
The use of an affiliated service provider such as FPS creates a conflict of interest because we have an
incentive to hire FPS over other unrelated third party service providers. In order to mitigate this
conflict of interest, we conduct regular assessments to evaluate the continued use of all third party
service providers, whether or not affiliated.
Outside Business Activities of Advisory Affiliates:
As disclosed in Item 5, above, Advisory Affiliates of THG may also be independently licensed as
insurance agents with other agencies. Affiliates may recommend the purchase and sale of certain
insurance products to Clients. As a fiduciary, the Affiliate must act primarily for the benefit of THG
Clients and will only transact insurance related business with Clients when the products are fully
disclosed, suitable, and appropriate to fit their needs, and in order to simplify the implementation of
various wealth management strategies.
Other Investment Managers:
On occasion, we may recommend and engage unaffiliated Third Party Asset Managers (TPAM) or
sub-advisors who provide customized investment portfolio management services. These services may
include the construction of investment portfolios, execution of securities purchase and sale
transactions, and portfolio administration, including tracking of and reporting on portfolio
performance and investment results.
We are authorized by our Clients to share non-public, personal information with TPAMs or sub-
advisors for the purpose of managing their portfolios. However we require any TPAM or sub-advisor
to execute a confidentiality agreement and not share non-public personal information with any
unauthorized person or entity.
Clients are generally required to enter into a separate advisory agreement with any TPAM or sub-
advisor. The use of TPAMs or sub-advisors may cause Clients to incur additional fees. If applicable,
any additional fees will be fully disclosed to Clients in a separate agreement with the TPAM or sub-
advisor.
Item 11 – Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transaction & Personal Trading
We have a Code of Ethics which all employees are required to follow. The Code of Ethics outlines
our high standard of business conduct, and fiduciary duty to Clients. The Code of Ethics includes
provisions relating to the confidentiality of Client information, a prohibition on insider trading,
personal securities trading procedures, improper use of Firm property, and diversion of investment
and business opportunities, among other things. A copy of the Code of Ethics is available to any
Client or prospective Client upon request by contacting us at (503) 292-5853 or info@thehgroup.com.
Brochures are provided free of charge.
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We or individuals associated with our firm may buy and sell some of the same securities for their own
account that we buy and sell for Clients. When appropriate we will purchase or sell securities for
Clients before purchasing the same for our account or allowing representatives to purchase or sell the
same for their own account. However, we do allow the accounts of employees to be included in block
trading alongside the accounts of Clients. In some cases we or our representatives may buy or sell
securities for our own account for reasons not related to the strategies adopted for our Clients. Our
employees are required to follow the Code of Ethics when making trades for their own accounts in
securities which are recommended to and/or purchased for Clients. The Code of Ethics is designed
to assure that the personal securities transactions will not interfere with decisions made in the best
interest of advisory Clients while at the same time, allowing employees to invest their own accounts.
In the event a material conflict of interest not already discussed in this document should arise, we will
disclose to our advisory Clients any material conflict of interest relating to us, our representatives, or
any of our employees which could reasonably be expected to impair the rendering of unbiased and
objective advice.
As any advisory situation could present a conflict of interest, we have established the following
restrictions to ensure our fiduciary responsibilities:
• A director, officer, associated person, or employee of THG shall not buy or sell securities
for his personal portfolio where his decision is substantially derived, in whole or in part,
by reason of his employment unless the information is also available to the investing
public on reasonable inquiry. No person of THG shall prefer his or her own interest to
that of the advisory Client.
• We maintain a list of all securities holdings for the firm and for anyone associated with
its advisory practice who has access to advisory recommendations. An appropriate
officer reviews these holdings on a regular basis.
• Any individual not in observance of the above may be subject to discipline up to and
including termination.
Item 12 – Brokerage Practices
Our Clients’ assets are held by independent third-party qualified custodians. We do recommend
certain custodians to Clients, however, Clients are not obligated to use any particular custodian
recommended by us. We reserve the right to decline acceptance of any Client account for which the
Client directs the use of a particular custodian if we believe that this choice would hinder either our
fiduciary duty to the Client or our ability to service the account.
In recommending custodians, we will comply with its fiduciary duty to seek best execution and with
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We will take into account such relevant factors as:
• Price;
• The custodian’s facilities, reliability and financial responsibility;
• The ability of the custodian to effect transactions, particularly with regard to such aspects
as timing, order size and execution of order;
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• The research and related brokerage services provided by such custodian to us,
notwithstanding that the account may not be the direct or exclusive beneficiary of such
services; and
• Any other factors that we consider to be relevant.
Due to our relationship with FPS and the aggregation of Client accounts with custodians, we do
receive investment research products and/or services which assist us in our investment decision-
making process. Such research generally will be used to service all Client accounts. The receipt of
investment research products and/or services poses a conflict of interest because we do not have to
produce or pay for the products or services.
Indirectly and through our relationship with FPS, THG receives, without cost to us, computer
software and related systems support, which allow us to better monitor accounts. We receive software
and related support without cost because our Clients maintain assets with these custodians. The
software and related systems support benefits us, but may not benefit the Clients directly. Our receipt
of these types of benefits from a custodian creates a conflict of interest since these benefits may
influence our recommendation of one custodian over another that does not furnish similar software,
systems support, or services. Additionally, we receive: receipt of duplicate client confirmations and
bundled duplicate statements; access to a trading desk that exclusively service the custodians’
respective institutional division participants; access to block trading which provides the ability to
aggregate securities transactions and then allocate the appropriate shares to accounts; and access to an
electronic communication network for order entry and account information.
Many of the above benefits are generally considered to be “soft dollar” arrangements. As a result of
receiving such products and services for no cost, we have an incentive to recommend to Clients
custodians that offer soft dollar arrangements. However, these types of arrangements are similar and
common to the custodial relationships of other registered investment advisory firms in the industry.
We periodically evaluate custodians to determine whether the benefits we receive are reasonable in
relation to the value of services provided to our Clients.
Due to our affiliation with FPS, we have an incentive to recommend Fidelity as a custodian for Client
accounts. FPS, has entered into a support services agreement with Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC
and National Financial Services LLC (together referred to as “Fidelity”). Under this agreement,
Fidelity pays FPS a support fee based on a portion of Client assets in the custody of Fidelity. However,
FPS and Fidelity have agreed that no support fee payments will be made with respect to investments
in transaction fee funds and Fidelity sponsored funds. Under this arrangement, FPS provides
numerous and substantial services to RIA firms like THG that would normally be provided by the
custodian (for example, back office, administrative, transition and clerical services). While this
arrangement results in cost savings for the custodian and increased costs for FPS, the receipt of this
additional compensation may create an incentive for THG to recommend funds available through the
Fidelity platform for which (i) Fidelity is not a sponsor or manager, and (ii) transaction fees are not
imposed (together, “NTF Funds”). It would not be unusual for the majority of investments made
through the Fidelity platform to be in NTF Funds, for which FPS would receive support fees. These
conflicts of interest may influence our recommendation of one custodian over another that does not
furnish similar benefits. However, these conflicts are mitigated by our fiduciary duty to put our
Clients’ interests first. We review what types of funds are available for use in Client portfolio
allocations and seek those that are the most suitable, appropriate and in the Client’s best interest.
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We may aggregate trades for Clients. The allocations of a particular security will be determined by us
before the trade is placed with the broker. When practical, Client trades in the same security will be
bunched in a single order (a “block”) in an effort to obtain best execution at the best security price
available. When employing a block trade:
•
•
•
•
•
We will make reasonable efforts to attempt to fill Client orders by day-end.
If the block order is not filled by day-end, we will allocate shares executed to underlying
accounts on a pro rata basis, adjusted as necessary to keep Client transaction costs to
a minimum.
If a block order is filled (full or partial fill) at several prices through multiple trades, an
average price and commission will be used for all trades executed;
All participants receiving securities from the block trade will receive the average price.
Multiple blocks may be executed within a single day. However, only trades executed
within the block on the single day may be combined for purposes of calculating the
average price.
It is expected that this trade aggregation and allocation policy will be applied consistently. However,
if application of this policy results in unfair or inequitable treatment to some or all of our Clients, we
may deviate from this policy.
Finally, it is our policy to minimize the occurrence of trade errors. Should any trade errors which are
attributable to THG occur, we shall take any steps necessary to put the Client in the position it should
have been as if the trade error never occurred. In the event we determine that a bona fide trade error
has occurred which is attributable to THG, we will correct the trade error using funds from our error
account. Depending on the internal trade error policies and procedures of the particular custodian,
our error account may be debited if the correction results in a loss. Likewise, our error account may
be credited if the correction results in a gain. This situation creates a conflict of interest as THG has
an incentive to recommend particular custodians over others that may not have a similar policy.
Item 13 – Review of Accounts
We hold monthly meetings with Advisory Affiliates, or more frequently if required, where strategic
changes to portfolio are discussed. While the underlying securities within accounts are continually
monitored, Client accounts are formally reviewed at least annually. Accounts are reviewed in the
context of each Client's stated investment objectives and guidelines.
We have a number of Advisory Affiliates who are assigned as the primary representative to a particular
Client’s account. The Advisory Affiliate assigned to a particular Client’s account will be responsible
for the periodic reviews to that account. Clients will be provided the Supplemental Brochure (Form
ADV Part 2B) of any Advisory Affiliate providing advice related to their account.
More frequent reviews may be triggered by a number of reasons including: a change in Client's
investment objectives; tax considerations; large deposits or withdrawals; large sales or purchases; or
changes in the economic climate.
Investment advisory Clients receive standard account statements from the custodian of their accounts
generally on a monthly basis, but in any event, no less than quarterly. Advisor Affiliates may also
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provide Clients with periodic written reports summarizing the account activity and performance.
Along with these reports, we discuss the asset allocation of the portfolio compared to the portfolio
target allocations.
Financial Planning Clients will typically receive a completed written financial plan unless otherwise
agreed at the start of the engagement. However additional review or reports will not typically be
provided unless otherwise provided for under the terms of the engagement. Consulting Services
Clients will not typically receive reports or formal reviews due to the nature of the service.
Item 14 – Client Referrals and Other Compensation
As disclosed under Item 12 (above), we (or our Affiliates) may receive “soft dollars” from certain
custodians. Further, FPS has also entered into a Custodial Support Services Agreement with
Fidelity. The conflicts of interest these types of arrangements present and how we deal with these
conflicts are described in detail under Section 12, above.
As disclosed under Items 5 and 10 above, representatives of THG may also be licensed to sell
insurance. The conflicts of interest these arrangements present and how we deal with these conflicts
are described in detail under Item 5, above.
Promoter Relationships
Certain Advisory Affiliates of THG may enter into promoter agreements that pay cash compensation
to third-party intermediaries in exchange for their promotion, referral, and endorsement of our
advisory services to prospective clients. The cash compensation paid to such promoters may take the
form of a retainer, a flat advertising fee, a fee per referral, and/or a percentage of the advisory fees we
collect from referred client accounts. These fees may be paid to the promoter on a one-time or
recurring basis. Unless otherwise explicitly disclosed in writing to the client, the cash compensation
paid to a promoter will be borne entirely by THG and the Advisory Affiliate. Referred clients do not
pay any additional or increased advisory fees as a result of having been referred to our firm by a paid
third-party promoter.
We will only engage third-party promoters in accordance with the requirements of the SEC’s
“marketing rule” (SEC Rule 206(4)-1), promulgated under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Any
promoters engaged for this purpose will disclose to you at or reasonably prior to the time of their
referral or endorsement of THG (i) that they will receive compensation from THG as a result of their
endorsement of our firm; (ii) a description of the material terms of the compensation they will receive;
and (iii) a brief statement discussing the conflicts of interest arising out of the compensation
arrangement and/or the relationship between THG and the third-party promoter. Clients referred to
our firm by a third-party promoter are encouraged to inquire with us if they have any questions about
the foregoing arrangements.
Item 15 – Custody
With the exception of our ability to debit fees, and our ability to disburse or transfer certain funds
pursuant to Standing Letters of Authorization executed by Clients, we do not otherwise have custody
of the assets in the account.
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We shall have no liability to a Client for any loss or other harm to any property in the account,
including any harm to any property in the account resulting from the insolvency of the custodian or
any acts of the agents or employees of the custodian and whether or not the full amount or such loss
is covered by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (“SIPC”) or any other insurance which
may be carried by the custodian. The Client understands that SIPC provides only limited protection
for the loss of property held by a custodian.
Clients receive standard account statements from the custodian of their accounts generally on a
monthly basis, but in any event, no less than quarterly. Our Advisory Affiliate’s may also provide
Clients with periodic written reports summarizing the account activity and performance. We urge all
Clients to carefully review statements from the custodian and compare these to any reports that we
may provide to you. Our reports may vary from custodial statements based on accounting procedures,
reporting dates, or valuation methodologies of certain securities.
Item 16 – Investment Discretion
Generally, Clients grant us ongoing and continuous discretionary authority to execute investment
recommendations in accordance with an agreed upon investment strategy or plan without the Client’s
prior approval of each specific transaction. Under this discretionary authority, Client allows us to
purchase and sell securities and instruments in their account(s), arrange for delivery and payment in
connection with the foregoing, select and retain sub-advisors, and act on behalf of the Client in matters
necessary or incidental to the handling of the account, including monitoring certain assets. The only
restrictions on this discretionary authority are those set by the Client on a case by case basis. We make
it a practice to question Clients to determine if there are any limitations to the Advisor’s discretionary
authority on such matters.
Item 17 – Voting Client Securities
Generally, we do have the authority to vote proxies for Client accounts. However, Clients may retain
the right to vote their own proxies.
Generally, it is THG’s policy that our Clients proxies will be voted in accordance with the
recommendation of management. However, all proxy votes are ultimately cast on a case-by-case basis,
taking into account relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote. For this reason, consistent
with our fiduciary duty to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of our Clients, proxies may
be voted against management recommendations.
THG will review the proxy proposal for conflicts of interest as part of the overall vote review process.
Where a proxy proposal raises a material conflict between us (including our affiliated entities) and a
Client's interest, we will resolve the conflict as follows:
Independent Third Party Recommendation. For those proxy matters in which there is a material
conflict of interest, the Client’s proxy will be voted based on the recommendation of an independent
third party.
proxy voting procedures and policies, and all amendments;
We will maintain for the time periods set forth in the Rule (currently 5 years; 2 of which shall be in
our office):
(i)
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(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
a record of all proxy statements received by us regarding Client securities (provided
however, that we may rely on the proxy statement filed on EDGAR as our records);
a record of all votes cast on behalf of Clients;
records of all Client requests for proxy voting information;
any documents prepared by us which were material to making a decision how to vote
or that memorialized the basis for the decision; and
all records relating to requests made to Clients regarding conflicts of interest in voting
the proxy.
Clients may obtain information on how proxies were voted with respect to the Clients' portfolio
securities or a copy of our Policies and Procedures by contacting us at: (503) 292-5853 or
info@thehgroup.com.
The H Group, Inc. (“THG”) does not accept any authority or responsibility to take any action
regarding any claim or potential claim in any bankruptcy proceeding, class action securities litigation
or other litigation or proceeding relating to securities held at any time in a client account, including,
without limitation, to filing of proofs of claim or other documents related to such proceeding, or the
investigation, initiation, supervision or monitoring of class action or other litigation involving client
assets. Any documents received in relation to a class action lawsuit will be forwarded to the
Client. THG neither instructs nor provides advice to clients on whether or not to participate as a
member of class action lawsuits and will not automatically file claims on a client’s behalf. However, if
a client notifies THG that a client wishes to participate in a class action lawsuit, THG will provide the
client with transaction information pertaining to the client’s account necessary for client to file a proof
of claim in a class action.
Item 18 – Financial Information
We do not require prepayment of services of more than $1,200.00 and more than six months in
advance from any Client.
We do have discretionary authority over Client funds or securities, but we have no financial
commitments that would impair our ability to meet contractual and fiduciary commitments to Clients.
Neither THG, nor any of the principals, have been the subject of a bankruptcy petition at any time in
the past. We have no financial conditions that would impair our ability to meet contractual
commitments to our Clients.
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Exhibit A – Summary of Material Changes
This Item discusses only specific material changes that have been made to our Brochure since our
March 29, 2024, annual update. Since that date we have made the following material changes:
Item 10 was amended to remove reference to our related firm, MGM, LLC, due to its
withdrawal from registration as an investment advisor with the U.S. Securities and
exchange Commission.
We will ensure that you receive a summary of any material changes to this and subsequent Brochures
within 120 days of the close of our business’ fiscal year. When required, a Summary of Material
Changes will also be included with our Brochure on the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
The searchable IARD/CRD number for The H Group, Inc. is 106801. We may further provide other
ongoing disclosure information about material changes as necessary and will further provide you with
a new Brochure as necessary based on changes or new information, at any time, without charge.
(503) 292-5853 or
Currently, our Brochure may be requested by contacting us at
info@thehgroup.com. Our Brochure is provided free of charge.
Ex. A-1