A. Firm Information
McDonald Financial Services, LLC, doing business as, Invista Advisors was founded with the goal of assisting
clients in every aspect of their financial lives. In 2016, the firm became an SEC registered investment advisor to
directly offer asset management and financial planning services, while using LPL Financial LLC as the
qualified custodian for advisory assets. The firm also offers securities as a “doing business as” name for LPL
Financial LLC a member FINRA1/SIPC2 broker/dealer, a separate unaffiliated legal entity.
At Invista Advisors our goal is to be your most trusted advisor and to provide comprehensive wealth
management through our professional experience, knowledge and insight of financial markets and global
economic trends. Our staff consists of experienced professionals with a "hands on" approach to financial
guidance. Not only do clients find our team members knowledgeable, but they also discover that our staff truly
cares about making their dreams a reality.
Management
Carl “Brandt” McDonald, Jr. - President
Brandt McDonald began his career in the financial services industry with Morgan Keegan & Company in 1989.
He then transitioned his financial advisory practice to Morgan Stanley/Dean Witter. He later became an
independent financial advisor and founded the firm Invista Advisors as an independent branch office of LPL
Financial, and an SEC registered investment advisor. Brandt McDonald is also the co-owner of Advanced Risk
Management which offers risk mitigation for businesses and small business owners utilizing insurance
concepts.
Brandt holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Auburn University. He is also an active board member of
The Bruce Pearl Family Foundation. Brandt also devotes time to the Hudson Family Foundation.
Brandt McDonald is a sought-after speaker and commentator on financial markets and global economics, with
frequent media appearances on WSFA 12 News and a local radio show, Happy Hour with Greg Budell,
1 FINRA (Financial Regulatory Authority) is dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through effective
and efficient regulation of the securities industry. FINRA is not part of the government but an independent, not-for-profit
organization authorized by Congress to protect America’s investors by making sure the securities industry operates fairly
and honestl
y. http://www.finra.org.
2 SIPC (Securities Investors Protection Corporation) was created under the Securities Investor Protection Act as a non-
profit membership corporation. SIPC oversees the liquidation of member broker-dealers that close when the broker-dealer
is bankrupt or in financial trouble, and customer assets are missing. In a liquidation under the Securities Investor
Protection Act, SIPC and the court- appointed Trustee work to return customers’ securities and cash as quickly as
possible. Within limits, SIPC expedites the return of missing customer property by protecting each customer up to
$500,000 for securities and cash (including a $250,000 limit for cash only). http://sipc.org.
produced by News Talk 93.1 FM. His expertise is also highlighted on the WSFA show “Time of Your Life,”
where Brandt provides important information for Baby Boomers on his segment called “Making Cents.” Brandt
was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama and still resides in the area. Away from the office, he enjoys
fishing, golf and traveling in addition to the study of history and global economics.
Mike Barranco – Chief Compliance Officer
Mike serves as the Chief Compliance Officer and is also a results driven strategist skilled in sales, recruiting,
customer relations and financial management. He has a proven track record of driving multi-million dollar
revenue growth in highly competitive markets. Exceptional mentor and coach; combining business acumen with
innate leadership qualities.
Mike is a 1984 graduate of Florida State University with a Bachelor Degree in Accounting. He is a member of
AICPA and is a former president of the MCPS School Board.
B. Advisory Services Offered
Invista Advisors offers investment advisory services to individuals and high net worth individuals as well as
trusts and pension plans in the State of Alabama and other states (each referred to as a “Client”).
Investment Management Services
Invista Advisors provides customized investment advisory solutions for its Clients. This is achieved through
regular personal Client contact and interaction while providing discretionary investment management and
related advisory services. Invista Advisors works closely with each Client to identify their investment goals and
objectives as well as risk tolerance and financial situation in order to create a portfolio strategy.
Individual Investment Advisor Representatives of Invista Advisors are able to implement different investment
styles that allows for contrasting account activity based on the same economic conditions and market dynamics
with greater emphasis on one investment philosophy over another.
Asset Management
Invista Advisors provides discretionary (with permission) and non- discretionary fee-based investment advisory
services for compensation primarily to individual clients and high-net worth individuals as well as charitable
organizations and small businesses. Portfolio management services include, but are not limited to, the
following:
• Retirement & Estate Planning
• Investments & Insurance
• Managing Money and Lifestyle
• Real Estate & Business Consulting
Discretionary authority, if granted, means that Invista Advisors makes all decisions to buy, sell or hold
securities, cash, or other investments in your managed account without consulting with you before
implementing such transactions. You must provide advance written authorization to grant Invista Advisors and
its’ investment advisor representatives discretionary authority. You have the ability to place reasonable
restrictions on the types of investments that may be purchased in an account. You may also place reasonable
limitations on the discretionary power granted to us so long as the limitations are specifically set forth or
included as an attachment to the client agreement.
The individuals associated with Invista Advisors are appropriately licensed and authorized to provide advisory
services on behalf of Invista Advisors. Certain individuals associated with Invista Advisors are also registered
representatives of LPL Financial. Any and all material conflicts of interest are disclosed herein.
Invista Advisors through its investment advisor representatives provides ongoing investment advice and
management on assets in the client’s custodial Strategic Wealth Management (SWM) account held at LPL
Financial LLC. Strategic Wealth Management is the name of the custodial account offered through LPL
Financial LLC to support investment advisory services provided by Invista Advisors. More specific account
information and acknowledgements are further detailed in the account opening documents.
Strategic Wealth Management
Strategic Wealth Management (SWM) is the name of a custodial account offered through LPL Financial
to support investment advisory services provided by Invista Advisors. Strategic Wealth Management is a
comprehensive, open-architecture platform that allows investment advisor representatives to provide
advice on the purchase and sale of various types of investments including access to more than 8,000 no-
load and load waived mutual funds and more than 350 fund families as well as stocks, bonds, ETFs,
UITs, alternative investments, options, fund of hedge funds and managed futures. Fee-based variable
annuities are also available.
• The minimum account opening amount is generally $25,000.
Optimum Market Portfolios Program (OMP)
The Optimum Market Portfolios (OMP) program offers clients the ability to participate in a
professionally managed asset allocation program. Invista Advisors will obtain the necessary financial
data from each client and then select the proper fund portfolio program. The underlying assets are
managed consistent with the portfolio program objectives without regard for clients of Invista Advisors.
The advisory services provided by Invista Advisors is to allocate and manage a client’s investment
within the appropriate portfolio.
• A minimum account value of $15,000 is required for OMP.
Model Wealth Portfolios (MWP)
Model Wealth Portfolios Program offers clients a professionally managed mutual fund asset allocation
program. Invista Advisors investment advisor representatives will obtain the necessary financial data
from the client, assist the client in determining the suitability of the MWP program and assist the client
in setting an appropriate investment objective. The underlying mutual funds are managed consistent with
the portfolio program objectives without regard for clients of Invista Advisors. The advisory services
provided by Invista Advisors is to allocate and manage a client’s investment within the appropriate
portfolio. In the future, the MWP program may make available model portfolios designed by strategists
other than LPL’s Research Department. If such models are made available, Advisor will have discretion
to choose among the available models designed by LPL Financial LLC or outside strategists.
• A minimum account value of $100,000 is required for MWP.
Manager Access Select Program (MAS)
Manager Access Select provides clients access to the investment advisory services of professional
portfolio management firms for the individual management of client accounts. Advisor will assist client
in identifying a third-party portfolio manager (Portfolio Manager) from a list of portfolio managers
made available by LPL. The portfolio manager manages client’s assets on a discretionary basis. Advisor
will provide initial and ongoing assistance regarding the portfolio manager selection process.
• A minimum account value of $100,000 is required for Manager Access Select, however, in
certain instances, the minimum account size may be lower or higher.
Retirement Plan Rollovers
An employee generally has four (4) options for their retirement plan when they leave an employer:
1. Leave the money in his/her former employer’s plan, if permitted
2. Rollover the assets to his/her new employer’s plan if one is available and permitted
3. Rollover to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), or
4. Cash out the account value, which has significant tax considerations
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. 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:
• 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.
• Employer retirement plans generally have a more limited investment menu than IRAs.
• Employer retirement plans may have unique investment options not available to the public such as
employer securities, or previously closed funds.
• Your current plan may have lower fees than our fees.
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
Investment Advisor Representatives 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 each. An employee will typically be 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. Clients should understand the
various products and services they might take advantage of at an IRA provider and the potential costs of those
products and services.
• Our strategy may have higher risk than the option(s) provided to you in your plan.
• Your current plan may also offer financial advice.
• If you keep your assets titled in a 401k or retirement account, participants could potentially delay their
required minimum distribution beyond age 70½.
• A 401(k) may offer more liability protection than a rollover IRA; each state may vary.
• Participants may be able to take out a loan on your 401k, but not from an IRA.
• 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.
• If company stock is owned in a plan, participants may be able to liquidate those shares at a lower capital
gains tax rate.
• Plans may allow Advisor to be hired as the manager and keep the assets titled in the plan name.
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.
It is important to understand the differences between these types of accounts and to decide whether a rollover is
the best option. 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.
When Advisor provides 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.
The way we make money creates some conflicts with your interests, so 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 sp ecial 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.
Advisor also provides educational services to retirement plan participants with assets that could potentially be
rolled-over to an IRA advisory account. Education is based on a particular Client’s financial circumstances and
best interests. Again, Advisor has an incentive to recommend such a rollover based on the compensation
received, which is mitigated by the fiduciary duty to act in a Client’s best interest and acting accordingly.
Retirement Plan Consulting
Investment
advisor representatives of Invista Advisors may assist clients that are trustees or other fiduciaries to
retirement plans (“Plans”) by providing fee-based consulting and/or advisory services. Investment advisor
representatives may perform one or more of the following services, as selected by the client in the client
agreement:
• Assistance in the preparation or review of an investment policy statement (“IPS”) for the Plan based
upon consultation with client to ascertain Plan’s investment objectives and constraints.
• Acting as a liaison between the Plan and service providers, product sponsors or vendors.
• Ongoing monitoring of investment manager(s) or investments in relation to the criteria specified in the
Plan’s IPS or other written guidelines provided by the client to IAR.
• Preparation of reports describing the performance of Plan investment manager(s) or investments,
as
well as comparing the performance to benchmarks.
• Ongoing recommendations, for consideration and selection by client, about specific investments to be
held by the Plan or, in the case of a participant-directed defined contribution plan, to be made available
as investment options under the Plan.
• Education or training for the members of the Plan investment committee with regard to various matters,
including plan features, retirement readiness matters, service on the committee, and fiduciary
responsibilities.
• Assistance in enrolling Plan participants in the Plan, including conducting an agreed upon number of
enrollment meetings.
As part of such meetings, IARs may provide participants with information about the Plan, which may include
information on the benefits of Plan participation, the benefits of increasing Plan contributions, the impact of
pre-retirement withdrawals on retirement income, the terms of the Plan and the operation of the Plan.
If the Plan makes available publicly traded employer stock (“company stock”) as an investment option under
the Plan, investment advisor representatives do not provide investment advice regarding company stock and are
not responsible for the decision to offer company stock as an investment option. In addition, if participants in
the Plan may invest the assets in their accounts through individual brokerage accounts, a mutual fund window,
or other similar arrangement, or may obtain participant loans, investment advisor representatives do not provide
any individualized advice or recommendations to the participants regarding these decisions. Furthermore,
investment advisor representatives do not provide individualized investment advice to Plan participants
regarding their Plan assets.
Such services provided as an investment advisor are subject to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers
Act”), and the advisor is a fiduciary under the Advisers Act with respect to such services. In addition, if client
elects to engage an investment advisor representatives to perform ongoing investment monitoring and ongoing
investment recommendation services to a Plan subject to ERISA in the client agreement, such services will
constitute “investment advice” under Section 3(21)(A)(ii) of ERISA. Therefore, the investment advisor
representatives will be deemed a “fiduciary” as such term is defined under Section 3(21)(A)(ii) of ERISA in
connection with those services. Clients should understand that to the extent the IAR is engaged to perform
services other than ongoing investment monitoring and recommendations, those services are not “investment
advice” under ERISA and therefore, the IAR will not be a “fiduciary” under ERISA with respect to those other
services. From time to time the IAR may make the Plan or Plan participants aware of and may offer services
available from IAR that are separate and apart from the services provided under Retirement Plan Consulting.
Such other services may be services to the Plan, to a client with respect to client's responsibilities to the Plan
and/or to one or more Plan participants. In offering any such services, the IAR is not acting as a fiduciary under
ERISA with respect to such offering of services. If any such separate services are offered to a client, the client
will make an independent assessment of such services without reliance on the advice or judgment of the IAR.
At no time will Invista Advisors accept or maintain custody of a Client’s funds or securities, except for
authorized deduction of the Advisor’s fees. All Client assets will be managed within their designated brokerage
account or pension account, pursuant to the Client investment advisory agreement. Please see Item 12.
Financial Planning Services
Invista Advisors through its investment advisor representatives, may provide personal financial planning
tailored to the individual needs of each client for their retirement and/or non-retirement account(s). The services
consider information collected from the client such as financial status, investment objectives and tax status,
among other data. Such services may be included as part of a comprehensive asset management engagement or
provided separately for a separate fee. Fees for such services are negotiable and detailed in the client agreement.
The financial plan may include generic recommendations as to general types of investment products or specific
securities which may be appropriate for the client to purchase given his/her financial situation and objectives.
The client is under no obligation to act upon the investment adviser’s recommendation or purchase such
securities.
The amount of time required per plan can vary greatly depending on the scope and complexity of an individual
engagement. A particular client’s financial plan will include the relevant types of planning specific to their
needs and objectives such as, but not limited to, the following types of planning:
Planning Strategies for Families and Individuals
• Retirement – planning an investment strategy with the objective of providing inflation- adjusted income
for life.
• College / Education – planning to pay the future college / education expenses of a child or grandchild.
• Major Purchase – Evaluation of the pros and cons of home ownership, real property verses renting as
well as buying or leasing a car, for example.
• Divorce – planning for the financial impact of divorce such as change in income, retirement benefits and
tax considerations.
• Insurance Needs – planning for the financial needs of survivors to satisfy such financial obligations as
housing, dependent childcare, and spousal arrangements as well as education.
• Final Expenses – planning to leave assets to cover final expenses such as funeral, debts and potential
business continuity.
• Estate Planning – planning that focuses on the most efficient and tax friendly option to pass on an
estate to a spouse, other family members or a charity.
• Cash Flow/ Budget Planning – planning to manage expenses against current and projected income.
• Wealth Accumulation – planning to build wealth within a portfolio that takes into consideration risk
tolerance and time horizon.
• Tax Planning – planning a tax efficient investment portfolio to maximize deductions and off- setting
losses.
• Investment Planning – planning an investment strategy consistent with a particular objective, time
horizons and risk tolerances.
• Inheritance Planning – planning for a tax efficient method to pass wealth to the next generation.
• Employee and Government Benefits Analysis – analysis of the cost and premiums as well as the pre
and post retirement coverage options.
Planning Strategies for Businesses
• Business Entity Planning – review the various forms of business structures in relation to liability and
income tax considerations.
• Qualified Retirement Plans – evaluate the types of retirement plans established by an employer for the
benefit of the company’s employees.
• Stock Option Planning – planning to maximize the value of employer issued stock options and
optimize what to exercise and what to hold.
• Key Person Planning – evaluate the life insurance needs required in the event of the sudden loss of a
key executive in order to buy time to find a new person or to implement other strategies to continue the
business.
• Executive Benefits – planning to attract, reward and retain top executive talent. Such as, designing cost
efficient supplemental executive retirement plans or planning regarding the exercise of stock options.
• Deferred Compensation Plans – planning for the use of tax deferred funds to be withdrawn and taxed
at some point in the future.
• Business Succession Planning – planning for the continuation of a business after key executives move
on to new opportunities, retire or pass away with the use of buy-sell agreements, key-man insurance and
engaging independent legal counsel as needed.
Hourly Consulting Services
Invista Advisors, through its investment advisor representatives, may provide consulting services on an hourly
basis. These services may include, as selected in the client agreement. The services consider information
collected from the client such as financial status, investment objectives and tax status, among other data. An
investment advisor representative may or may not deliver to the client a written analysis or report as part of the
services. The investment advisor representatives tailor the hourly consulting services to the individual needs of
the client based on the investment objective chosen by the client. The engagement terminates upon final
consultation with the client.
Hourly consulting and financial planning offer similar services, but the general difference is related to the
particular area of focus. Financial planning is generally more comprehensive and considers a client’s entire
financial situation whereas hourly consulting tends to be focused on a particular financial objective or need.
Examples of hourly consulting include:
• Acquisition Analysis – review potential acquisition targets financial statements
• Financial Statement Analysis – Review financial statements for operational efficiencies
• Budgeting – Help establish budgeted amounts for operating categories
• Goal Setting – Help establish operating goals for companies
• Strategic Planning – Consult on overall company strategy
• HR Consulting – Assist in analyzing potential hires
• Dissolution – Assist in preparing company for dissolution
• Performance Analysis – Compare and analyze operating results vs. budget
• Industry Research – Gather industry data to assist in planning
• Operations Analysis – Compare specific operations to industry norms
• Asset Valuations – Gather third party corroboration for asset values
• Business Opportunity Analysis – Analyze potential business opportunities for feasibility
Conflicts of Interest
When dealing with investment advisory clients and services, investment adviser representatives have an
affirmative duty of care, loyalty, honesty, and good faith to act in the best interests of its clients. Investment
adviser representatives should fully disclose all material facts concerning any conflict that does arise with these
clients and should avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest.
• A conflict exists between the interests of the investment adviser and the interests of the client.
• The client is under no obligation to act upon the investment adviser's recommendation.
• If the client elects to act on any of the recommendations, the client is under no obligation to effect the
transaction through the investment adviser.
• The recommendation that a client purchase a commission product from LPL Financial presents a conflict
of interest, as the receipt of commissions provides an incentive to recommend investment products
based on commissions received, rather than on a particular client’s need.
• No client is under any obligation to purchase any commission products from LPL Financial.
• The Firm and IARs must abide by honest and ethical business practices including, but not be limited to:
• Not inducing trading in a client's account that is excessive in size or frequency in view of the financial
resources and character of the account;
• Making recommendations with reasonable grounds to believe are appropriate based on the information
furnished by the client;
• Placing discretionary orders only after obtaining client’s written trading authorization contained within
the advisory agreement or via separate amendment;
• Not borrowing money or securities from, or lending money or securities to a client;
• Not placing an order for the purchase or sale of a security if the security is not registered, or the security
or transaction is not exempt from registration in the specific state.
The firm’s Chief Compliance Officer, Mike Barranco, is available to address any questions that a client or
prospective client may have regarding conflicts of interest.
Other Considerations
Advisory agreements may not be assigned or transferred in any manner by any party without the written consent
of all parties receiving or rendering services hereunder; provided that Advisor may assign an agreement upon
consent of the client. An advisory agreement may be terminated by any party effective upon receipt of written
notice to the other parties. The client will be entitled to a prorated refund of any pre-paid quarterly Account Fee
based upon the number of days remaining in the quarter after the Termination Date.
Clients need to understand that in the event of death or incapacity during the term of an advisory agreement, the
authority of Invista Advisors under an advisory agreement shall remain in full force and effect until such time as
Invista Advisors is notified otherwise in writing by the authorized representative of a client or a client’s estate.
Termination of an advisory agreement will not affect the liabilities or obligations of the parties from
transactions initiated prior to termination.
Economic commentaries and research provided by LPL Financial LLC are provided at no cost and not
contingent upon the amount of business processed through LP Financial LLC. In addition, the investment
advisor representative may receive additional cash or non-cash compensation from advisory product sponsors.
Such compensation may not be tied to the sales of any products. Compensation may include such items as gifts
valued at less than $100 annually, an occasional dinner or ticket to a sporting event, or reimbursement in
connection with educational meetings or marketing or advertising initiatives.
C. Client Account Management
Prior to engaging Invista Advisors to provide investment advisory services, each Client is required to enter into
an investment advisory agreement that defines the terms, conditions, authority and responsibilities of the
Advisor and the Client. These services may include:
D. Wrap Fee Programs
A wrap fee program is an advisory program under which a single fee, not based directly upon transactions in a
client’s account, is charged for investment advisory services (which may include portfolio management or
advice concerning the selection of other investment advisors) and the execution of client transactions. Invista
Advisors does not currently sponsor or act as the portfolio manager of a wrap fee program.
E. Assets Under Management
Asset under management are updated annually with 90 days of the December 31st fiscal year-end. Invista
Advisors manages approximately the following assets:
Assets Under Management (12/31/2023) Assets
Discretionary Assets $235,953,292
Non-Discretionary Assets $226,402,747
Total $462,356,039
Clients may request more current information at any time by contacting the Advisor.