A. Ownership/Advisory History
Certior Financial Group, LLC (“CFG” or the “firm”) is a Pennsylvania limited liability company. CFG
has been a registered investment adviser since October 2016. Avi Kantor is the firm’s principal
owner.
CFG also conducts business using the name Drozdow Financial LLC (“Drozdow”). Drozdow is a
single member LLC owned and operated by one of CFG’s supervised persons. CFG has no
ownership interest in Drozdow Financial LLC. All investment advisory activities conducted
through Drozdow are supervised by CFG.
B. Advisory Services Offered
CFG provides personalized financial planning and asset management services. We value strong
relationships built with clients through offering them customized services, and joining in a
collaborative process, providing confidence and clarity to help clients effectively navigate the
constantly changing financial landscape.
Financial Planning and Consulting
Financial planning is a process by which a client’s current circumstances are reviewed, goals are
stated, and a plan is made to guide the client to those goals. CFG’s financial planning approach
is multi-disciplined and hands on, with our team working with clients to implement a plan
consisting of diversified and personalized ideas. In the information-gathering stage, the client
will supply to CFG information including income, investments, savings, insurance, age and many
other items that are helpful to the firm in assessing your financial goals. The information is
typically provided during personal interviews and supplemented with written information. Once
the information is received, we will discuss your financial needs and goals with you and compare
your current financial situation with the goals you state. Once these are compared, we will create
a financial and/or investment plan to help you meet your goals.
The plan is intended to be a roadmap toward your goals. Not every plan will be the same for
every client. Each one is specific to the client who requested it. For example, financial planning
and consulting may involve the provision of one-time or ongoing investment advice on private
securities or held away assets. Because the plan is based on information supplied by you, it is
very important that you accurately and completely communicate to us the information we need.
We determine these objectives by reviewing new client questionnaires and then interviewing the
client for additional background and clarity so we can gather a more complete picture of a
client’s needs. It is very important that you continually update us with any changes so that if the
updates require changes to your plan, we can make those changes. Otherwise, your plan may no
longer be accurate.
If the financial planning services include estate planning advice, such advice does not include
implementation of the estate plan. Implementation involves drafting of legal documents, which
requires the services of an attorney, the cost of which is in addition to the cost of CFG’s services
described below in Item 5. CFG may recommend an attorney, but clients are under no obligation
to utilize the services of the recommended, or any attorney.
The firm may recommend clients engage the firm’s advisory professionals in their individual
capacities as insurance agents for additional related services. or registered representatives of an
unaffiliated broker-dealer and/or other professionals to implement its recommendations. Clients
are advised that a conflict of interest exists if clients engage the firm, its professionals or
affiliates to provide additional services for compensation.
Clients retain absolute discretion over all decisions regarding implementation and are under no
obligation to act upon any of the recommendations made by the firm under a financial planning
or consulting engagement. Clients are advised that it remains their responsibility to promptly
notify the firm of any change in their financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose
of reviewing, evaluating or revising the firm’s recommendations and/or services.
Where appropriate, the firm may also provide advice about any type of legacy position or other
investment held in client portfolios. Clients may engage the firm or affiliated persons to manage
and/or advise on certain investment products that are not maintained at their primary custodian,
such as variable life insurance and annuity contracts
and assets held in employer sponsored
retirement plans and qualified tuition plans (i.e., 529 plans or ABLE plans). In these situations, the
firm directs or recommends the allocation of client assets among the various investment options
available with the product. These assets are generally maintained at the underwriting insurance
company, or the custodian designated by the product’s provider. Moreover, our investment
advice is limited to the available investment options made available by the plan.
Asset Management
CFG’s asset management services aim to help clients achieve a reasonable rate of return subject
to their objectives and risk tolerance, while attempting to mitigate downside risk. We strive to
accomplish this by utilizing multiple investment styles and products as appropriate for each
client. When we perform asset management services, we do so on a discretionary basis. This
means that while we will continue an ongoing relationship with each client, being involved in
various stages of their lives and decisions to be made, we will not seek specific approval of
investment decisions within the portfolio entrusted to us for management. For its discretionary
asset management services, CFG receives a limited power of attorney to effect securities
transactions on behalf of its clients that include securities and strategies described in Item 8 of
this brochure.
Clients have the right to provide the firm with any reasonable investment restrictions that should
be imposed on the management of their portfolio. Such restrictions must be in writing and sent
to the firm. Clients should promptly notify the firm in writing of any changes in such restrictions
or in the client's personal financial circumstances, investment objectives, goals and tolerance for
risk. CFG will remind clients of their obligation to inform the firm of any such changes or any
restrictions that should be imposed on the management of the client’s account. CFG will also
contact clients at least annually to determine whether there have been any changes in a client's
personal financial circumstances, investment objectives and tolerance for risk.
Third-Party Independent Managers
CFG may select certain Sub-advisers to actively manage a portion of its clients’ assets. CFG will
ensure clients receive the Sub-adviser(s) disclosure documents at or prior to the time the Sub-
adviser begins managing assets for the client. See Item 8 of this brochure for information on
how we evaluate such Sub-advisers.
Retirement Plan Services
Through written agreements with Plans, we offer a package of consulting services that may
include the following.
We will assist the Plan Sponsor with investment selection and monitoring for the Plan, of
which may include:
• Meeting with the Plan committee
• Providing periodic reviews of investment policy in the context of Plan objectives
• Creating investment alternatives including model portfolios for the Plan to consider
and implement
• Reviewing qualified default investment options (“QDIAs”) from investment options
selected by Plan Sponsor or a delegate thereof
• Selecting investment managers
• Monitoring the investment options against defined risk and return criteria.
We may work with Participants by
• Providing education about the Plan to the Participants
• Meeting with Participants to answer questions about the Plan
Consulting services are provided on a nondiscretionary basis. A plan fiduciary, other than CFG,
has responsibility for determining which investment options to make available to Plan
participants.
C. Client-Tailored Services and Client-Imposed Restrictions
Each client’s account will be managed on the basis of the client’s financial situation and
investment objectives and in accordance with any reasonable restrictions imposed by the client
on the management of the account—for example, restricting the type or amount of security to
be purchased in the portfolio.
D. Wrap Fee Programs
CFG does not participate in wrap fee programs, where brokerage commissions and transaction
costs are included in the asset-based fee charged to the client.
E. Client Assets Under Management
As of March 15, 2024, CFG had $266,493,486 in discretionary assets under management,
$97,368,959 in non-discretionary assets under management, and $8,484,708 in assets under
advisement.