A. Tanglewood Legacy Advisors, LLC (the “Registrant”) is a limited liability company
formed in April 2003 in the state of Texas. The Registrant became registered as an
Investment Adviser Firm in September 2003. The Registrant is principally owned by
Andrew T. Gardener.
B.
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES
The Registrant may be engaged to provide discretionary or non-discretionary investment
advisory services on a fee basis. The Registrant’s annual investment advisory fee is based
upon a percentage (%) of the market value of the assets placed under the Registrant’s
management, generally between 0.50% and 1.00%. Based upon negotiations with the
client, and considering the complexity and scope of the engagement, the Registrant’s
annual investment advisory fee may be paid by clients from one account, a tiered schedule
based on the market value of the assets placed under the Registrant’s management, or
different rates between various accounts that clients have engaged the Registrant to provide
discretionary or non-discretionary investment advisory services. The Registrant’s annual
investment advisory fee and how the fee will be paid will be disclosed on the applicable
“Exhibit A” of the Registrant’s Investment Advisory Agreement.
The Registrant’s investment advisory services include investing clients’ assets in
accordance with one or more of its six target asset allocations, ranging from capital
preservation to aggressive. The Registrant determines the broad asset classes, sub-asset
classes, and weighting of each of these target allocations based on its own ongoing
research, analysis, and outlook of the various markets and the broader global economy.
The Registrant determines the appropriate target asset allocation(s) for each client based
on the results of a risk tolerance evaluation, completed by the client, along with developing
an understanding of the client’s needs, goals and complete financial picture. While each
client’s portfolio is constructed using one or more of the target asset allocations as a
framework, his/her actual portfolio is customized specifically to his/her needs.
The Registrant utilizes predominantly actively managed mutual funds and exchange-traded
funds (ETFs) to implement the client’s asset allocation. The Registrant determines which
investment vehicles to use from its own ongoing research of investment options, third-
party research services, such as Morningstar, and meetings with investment representatives
of numerous Investment Management companies, exchange-trade fund companies and
other investment services firms.
Clients may engage the Registrant to provide investment management and planning and
consulting services under a single agreement for an annual investment advisory fee.
However, in the event that the client requires extraordinary planning and/or consultation
services (to be determined in the sole discretion of the Registrant), the Registrant may
determine to charge for such additional services, the dollar amount of which shall be set
forth in a separate written notice to the client.
PLANNING AND CONSULTING SERVICES (STAND-ALONE)
The Registrant may determine to provide planning and/or consulting services on a stand-
alone separate fee basis. Registrant’s planning and consulting fees are negotiable, but
generally range from $5,000 to $100,000 on a fixed fee basis (depending upon the level
and scope of the service(s) required), or at an hourly rate of $395. Should clients choose to
engage the Registrant in planning and consulting services in addition to discretionary or
non-discretionary investment advisory services, the Registrant, after discussions with the
client and depending on the level and scope of the relationship between the Registrant and
the client, may include the planning and consulting services fees as part of the investment
advisory fee. Alternatively, should clients choose to engage the Registrant in planning and
consulting services in addition to discretionary or non-discretionary investment advisory
services, the Registrant, after discussions with the client and depending on the level and
scope of the relationship between the Registrant and the client, the Registrant may include
the client’s annual investment advisory fee as part of the client’s fixed planning and
consulting fee. The advisory fee will be disclosed to the client in each instance on Schedule
A to their investment advisory agreement.
Prior to engaging the Registrant to provide planning or consulting services, clients are
generally required to enter into a Planning and Consulting Agreement with Registrant
setting forth the terms and conditions of the engagement (including termination),
describing the scope of the services to be provided, and the portion of the fee that is due
from the client prior to Registrant commencing services. The Registrant typically requires
an initial retainer of one quarter of the agreed upon annual rate before providing any
planning or consulting services.
If requested by the client, Registrant may recommend the services of other professionals
for implementation purposes, including certain of the Registrant’s related persons in their
individual capacities as licensed insurance agents. (See disclosure at Item 10.C) The client
is under no obligation to engage the services of any such recommended professionals. The
client retains absolute discretion over all such implementation decisions and is free to
accept or reject any recommendation from the Registrant.
If the client engages any recommended unaffiliated professional, and a dispute arises
thereafter relative to such engagement, the client agrees to seek recourse exclusively from
and against the engaged professional. At all times, the engaged licensed professional[s]
(i.e. attorney, accountant, insurance agent, etc.), and not the Registrant, shall be responsible
for the quality and competency of the services provided.
It remains the client’s responsibility to promptly notify the Registrant if there is ever any
change in their financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing,
evaluating or revising Registrant’s previous recommendations and/or services.
MISCELLANEOUS
Limitations of Planning and Non-Investment Consulting/Implementation Services.
As indicated above, to the extent requested by a client, Registrant may provide financial
planning and related consulting services. Neither the Registrant nor its investment adviser
representatives assist clients with the implementation of any financial plan, unless they
have agreed to do so in writing. The Registrant does not monitor a client’s financial plan,
and it is the client’s responsibility to revisit the financial plan with the Registrant, if desired.
The Registrant may provide planning and related consulting services regarding non-
investment related matters. Registrant does not serve as an attorney or accountant, and no
portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting services. Accordingly,
Registrant does not prepare estate planning documents or tax returns.
To the extent requested by a client, Registrant may recommend the services of other
professionals for certain non-investment implementation purpose (i.e. attorneys,
accountants, insurance agents, etc.), including representatives of Registrant in their
separate individual capacities as licensed insurance agents. The client is under no
obligation to engage the services of any such recommended professional. The client retains
absolute discretion over all such implementation decisions and is free to accept or reject
any recommendation from Registrant and/or its representatives.
If the client engages any recommended unaffiliated professional, and a dispute arises
thereafter relative to such engagement, the client agrees to seek recourse exclusively from
and against the engaged professional. At all times, the engaged licensed professional[s]
(i.e. attorney, accountant, insurance agent, etc.), and not the Registrant, shall be responsible
for the quality and competency of the services provided.
Retirement Rollovers-Potential for Conflict of Interest. A client or prospective client
leaving an employer typically has four options regarding an existing retirement plan (and
may engage in a combination of these options): (i) leave the money in the former
employer’s plan, if permitted, (ii) roll over the assets to the new employer’s plan, if one is
available and rollovers are permitted, (iii) roll over to an Individual Retirement Account
(“IRA”), or (iv) cash out the account value (which could, depending upon the client’s age,
result in adverse tax consequences). If Registrant recommends that a client roll over their
retirement plan assets into an account to be managed by Registrant, such a recommendation
creates a conflict of interest if Registrant will earn new (or increase its current)
compensation as a result of the rollover. If Registrant provides a recommendation as to
whether a client should engage in a rollover or not (whether it is from an employer’s plan
or an existing IRA), Registrant is acting as a fiduciary within the meaning of Title I of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act and/or the Internal Revenue Code, as
applicable, which are laws governing retirement accounts. No client is under any
obligation to roll over retirement plan assets to an account managed by Registrant, whether
it is from an employer’s plan or an existing IRA.
Use of Mutual and Exchange Traded Funds. Most mutual funds and exchange traded
funds are available directly to the public. Therefore, a prospective client can obtain many
of the funds that may be utilized by Registrant independent of engaging Registrant as an
investment advisor. However, if a prospective client determines to do so, he/she will not
receive Registrant’s initial and ongoing investment advisory services.
In addition to Registrant’s investment advisory fee described below, and transaction and/or
custodial fees discussed below, clients will also incur, relative to all mutual fund and
exchange traded fund purchases, charges imposed at the fund level (e.g., management fees
and other fund expenses).
Portfolio Activity. Registrant has a fiduciary duty to provide services consistent with the
client’s best interest. As part of its investment advisory services, Registrant will review
client portfolios on an ongoing basis to determine if any changes are necessary based upon
various factors, including, but not limited to, investment performance, fund manager
tenure, style drift, account additions/withdrawals, and/or a change
in the client’s
investment objective. Based upon these factors, there may be extended periods of time
when Registrant determines that changes to a client’s portfolio are neither necessary nor
prudent. Clients nonetheless remain subject to the fees described in Item 5 below during
periods of account inactivity.
Non-Discretionary Service Limitations. Clients that determine to engage Registrant on a
non-discretionary investment advisory basis must be willing to accept that Registrant
cannot affect any account transactions without obtaining prior consent to any such
transaction(s) from the client. Thus, in the event that Registrant would like to make a
transaction for a client’s account (including an individual holding or in the event of general
market correction), and the client is unavailable, Registrant will be unable to effect the
account transaction(s) (as it would for its discretionary clients) without first obtaining the
client’s consent.
Independent Managers. Registrant does not recommend unaffiliated independent
investment managers (“Independent Manager(s)”).
Structured Notes. The Registrant may purchase structured notes for client accounts. A
structured note is a financial instrument that combines two elements, a debt security and
exposure to an underlying asset or assets. It is essentially a note, carrying counter party
risk of the issuer. However, the return on the note is linked to the return of an underlying
index or security (such as the S&P 500 Index). It is this latter feature that makes structured
products unique, as the payout can be used to provide some degree of principal protection,
leveraged returns (but usually with some cap on the maximum return), and be tailored to a
specific market or economic view. In addition, investors may receive long-term capital
gains tax treatment if certain underlying conditions are met and the note is held for more
than one year. Finally, structured notes may also have liquidity constraints, such that the
sale thereof prior to maturity may be limited.
eMoney Advisor Platform. Registrant may provide its clients with access to an online
platform hosted by “eMoney Advisor” (“eMoney”). The eMoney platform allows a client
to view their complete asset allocation, including those assets that Registrant does not
manage (the “Excluded Assets”). Registrant, in conjunction with the services provided by
eMoney, may also provide periodic comprehensive reporting services which can
incorporate all of the client’s investment assets, including a client’s Excluded Assets.
Registrant does not provide investment management, monitoring, or implementation
services for the Excluded Assets. Therefore, Registrant shall not be responsible for the
investment performance of the Excluded Assets. Rather, the client and/or their advisor(s)
that maintain management authority for the Excluded Assets, and not Registrant, shall be
exclusively responsible for such investment performance. The client may choose to engage
Registrant to manage some or all of the Excluded Assets pursuant to the terms and
conditions of an Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and the client.
Cash Positions. Registrant continues to treat cash as an asset class. As such, unless
determined to the contrary by Registrant, all cash positions (money markets, etc.) shall
continue to be included as part of assets under management for purposes of calculating
Registrant’s advisory fee. At any specific point in time, depending upon perceived or
anticipated market conditions/events (there being no guarantee that such anticipated
market conditions/events will occur), Registrant may maintain cash positions for defensive
purposes. In addition, while assets are maintained in cash, such amounts could miss market
advances. Depending upon current yields, at any point in time, Registrant’s advisory fee
could exceed the interest paid by the client’s money market fund.
Cash Sweep Accounts. Account custodians generally require that cash proceeds from
account transactions or cash deposits be swept into and/or initially maintained in the
custodian’s sweep account. The yield on the sweep account is generally lower than those
available in money market accounts. To help mitigate this issue, Registrant generally
purchases a higher yielding money market fund available on the custodian’s platform with
cash proceeds or deposits, unless Registrant reasonably anticipates that it will utilize the
cash proceeds during the subsequent 30-day period to purchase additional investments for
the client’s account. Exceptions and/or modifications can and will occur with respect to all
or a portion of the cash balances for various reasons, including, but not limited to, the
amount of dispersion between the sweep account and a money market fund, an indication
from the client of an imminent need for such cash, or the client has a demonstrated history
of writing checks from the account.
Socially Responsible Investing Limitations. Socially Responsible Investing involves the
incorporation of Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) considerations into the
investment due diligence process. There are potential limitations associated with allocating
a portion of an investment portfolio in ESG securities (i.e., securities that have a mandate
to avoid, when possible, investments in such products as alcohol, tobacco, firearms, oil
drilling, gambling, etc.). The number of these securities may be limited when compared to
those that do not maintain such a mandate. ESG securities could underperform broad
market indices. Investors must accept these limitations, including potential for
underperformance. Correspondingly, the number of ESG mutual funds and exchange
traded funds are few when compared to those that do not maintain such a mandate. As with
any type of investment (including any investment and/or investment strategies
recommended and/or undertaken by Registrant), there can be no assurance that investment
in ESG securities or funds will be profitable or prove successful. The Registrant does not
maintain or advocate an ESG investment strategy but will seek to employ ESG if directed
by a client to do so.
Cryptocurrency. For clients who want exposure to cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin,
the Registrant, will advise the client to consider a potential investment in corresponding
exchange traded securities, or an allocation to separate account managers and/or private
funds that provide cryptocurrency exposure. Crypto is a digital currency that can be used
to buy goods and services and uses an online ledger with strong cryptography (i.e., a
method of protecting information and communications through the use of codes) to secure
online transactions. Unlike conventional currencies issued by a monetary authority,
cryptocurrencies are generally not controlled or regulated, and their price is determined by
the supply and demand of their market. Because cryptocurrency is currently considered to
be a speculative investment, the Registrant will not exercise discretionary authority to
purchase a cryptocurrency investment for client accounts. Rather, a client must expressly
authorize the purchase of the cryptocurrency investment. The Registrant does not
recommend or advocate the purchase of, or investment in, cryptocurrencies. The Registrant
considers such an investment to be speculative. Clients who authorize the purchase of a
cryptocurrency investment must be prepared for the potential for liquidity constraints,
extreme price volatility and complete loss of principal.
Client Obligations. In performing its services, Registrant shall not be required to verify
any information received from the client or from the client’s other professionals and is
expressly authorized to rely thereon. Moreover, each client is advised that it remains their
responsibility to promptly notify the Registrant if there is ever any change in their financial
situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing, evaluating or revising
Registrant’s previous recommendations and/or services.
Cybersecurity Risk. The information technology systems and networks that Registrant
and its third-party service providers use to provide services to Registrant’s clients employ
various controls, which are designed to prevent cybersecurity incidents stemming from
intentional or unintentional actions that could cause significant interruptions in Registrant’s
operations and result in the unauthorized acquisition or use of clients’ confidential or non-
public personal information. Clients and Registrant are nonetheless subject to the risk of
cybersecurity incidents that could ultimately cause them to incur losses, including for
example: financial losses, cost and reputational damage to respond to regulatory
obligations, other costs associated with corrective measures, and loss from damage or
interruption to systems. Although Registrant has established its systems to reduce the risk
of cybersecurity incidents from coming to fruition, there is no guarantee that these efforts
will always be successful, especially considering that Registrant does not directly control
the cybersecurity measures and policies employed by third-party service providers. Clients
could incur similar adverse consequences resulting from cybersecurity incidents that more
directly affect issuers of securities in which those clients invest, broker-dealers, qualified
custodians, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial
market operators, or other financial institutions.
Disclosure Statement. A copy of the Registrant’s written Brochure and Client
Relationship Summary, as set forth on Part 2 of Form ADV and Form CRS respectively,
shall be provided to each client prior to, or contemporaneously with, the execution of the
Investment Advisory Agreement or Planning and Consulting Agreement.
C. The Registrant shall provide investment advisory services specific to the needs of each
client. Prior to providing investment advisory services, an investment adviser
representative will ascertain each client’s investment objective(s). Thereafter, the
Registrant shall allocate and/or recommend that the client allocate investment assets
consistent with the designated investment objective(s). The client may, at any time, impose
reasonable restrictions, in writing, on the Registrant’s services.
D. The Registrant does not sponsor, nor does it participate in any wrap fee program.
E. As of February 22, 2022, the Registrant had $378,312,326 in assets under management on
a discretionary basis and $11,418,915 on a non-discretionary basis.