Focus Financial Partners, LLC
One Charles has been a SEC-registered investment adviser since 2017. One Charles’ registration as an
investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training.
One Charles is part of the Focus Financial Partners, LLC (“Focus LLC”) partnership. Specifically, One
Charles is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Focus LLC. Ferdinand FFP Acquisition, LLC is the sole
managing member of Focus LLC. Ultimate governance of Focus LLC is conducted through the board of
directors at Ferdinand FFP Ultimate Holdings, LP. Focus LLC is majority-owned, indirectly and
collectively, by investment vehicles affiliated with Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, LLC (“CD&R”). Investment
vehicles affiliated with Stone Point Capital LLC (“Stone Point”) are indirect owners of Focus LLC. Because
[Partner Firm] is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Focus LLC, CD&R and Stone Point investment
vehicles are indirect owners of One Charles.
Focus LLC also owns other registered investment advisers, broker-dealers, pension consultants,
insurance firms, and other financial service firms (the “Focus Partners”), most of which provide wealth
management, benefit consulting and investment consulting services to individuals, families, employers,
and institutions. Some Focus Partners also manage or advise limited partnerships, private funds, or
investment companies as disclosed on their respective Form ADVs.
One Charles Management
Paul A. Squarcia founded One Charles Private Wealth, the Firm’s predecessor, in 2015 after more than
15 years of service at a global wealth management and investment banking firm where he led a staff of
financial advisors in providing wealth management solutions for affluent clients and businesses. One
Charles became a Focus partner firm in 2017.
One Charles is managed by Paul A. Squarcia and Erik R. Wallin pursuant to a management agreement
between OCPW Management, LLC and One Charles. Mr. Squarcia and Mr. Wallin serve as officers of
One Charles and are responsible for the management, supervision and oversight of the Firm.
As of December 31, 2023, One Charles manages $613,820,405 on a discretionary basis and
$101,325,797 on a non-discretionary basis for a total AUM of $715,146,202.
While this brochure generally describes the business of One Charles, certain sections also discuss the
activities of its personnel, including its officers, partners, directors (or other persons occupying a similar
status or performing similar functions), employees or any other person who provides investment advice
on behalf of One Charles and is subject to the Firm’s supervision or control (each, a “Supervised
Person”).
Services and the Circle of Care
The Circle of Care is our proprietary approach to wealth preservation and protection. Our clients
want more than advice solely on their portfolio. They want advisors who help them with all the
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complexities they face financially. Your finances are connected to your whole life so we work with
your finances where they impact you, not in the abstract.
Wealth protection and preservation start with an overall assessment of your current life situation
and goals. By understanding the risks pertaining to your wealth and lifestyle, we can better manage
them. By looking at your goals, we understand what you want to accomplish with your money. To
increase the likelihood of achieving your objectives, we combine risk mitigation and risk-taking
strategies. Then we pursue estate planning and other risk management techniques. In addition, we
work collaboratively with the other professionals in your life.
As a fiduciary, we have duties of care and of loyalty to you and are subject to obligations imposed on
us by the federal and state securities laws. As a result, you have certain rights that you cannot waive
or limit by contract. Nothing in our agreement with you should be interpreted as a limitation of our
obligations under the federal and state securities laws or as a waiver of any unwaivable rights you
possess.
Types of Advisory Services Offered
One Charles provides wealth management and discretionary investment management services. One
Charles allocates client assets among various third-party managers, no-load and load-waived mutual
funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), US state and local bonds, and various alternative investment
managers/private funds.
One Charles tailors its advisory services to accommodate the needs of its individual clients and
continually seeks to manage its clients’ portfolios in a manner consistent with their specific
investment profiles. Clients are advised to promptly notify One Charles if any changes occur in their
financial situation or if they wish to place any limitations on the management of their portfolios.
Clients may request reasonable restrictions on the management of their accounts if One Charles
determines, in its sole discretion, the conditions will not materially impact the performance of a
portfolio strategy.
Wealth Management and Discretionary Investment Management Services – Non-Wrap Program
One Charles also makes available wealth management and discretionary investment management
services in a non-wrap fee program structure. Depending upon a client’s goals, objectives and
suitability profile, a client assets managed by One Charles may be managed pursuant to the services
described in his brochure, pursuant to the Program and/or some combination thereof.
Limited-Scope Financial Planning and Consulting Services
One Charles may also provide one-time, non-discretionary topic-specific consultation and
administrative services regarding investment and/or other financially-related needs of its clients. This
may include advice on limited-scope wealth management matters as well as non-traditional
areas
such as business acquisition/sales or business operations. In general, these are consulting needs that
fall outside the scope of a client's financial plan.
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Retirement Plan Services (ERISA Plans – Corporate Clients)
One Charles provides discretionary investment management, non-discretionary investment
management and retirement plan consulting services to qualified company-sponsored retirement
plans including, 401(k) Plans, 403(b) Plans, pensions and profit-sharing plans. ("Plan Client" or
"Plan"). Each Plan Client will select the services to be provided in writing as part of the investment
fiduciary and retirement plan consulting agreement ("Retirement Plan Agreement"). One Charles
will provide specific investment advice to Plan Clients regarding the selection of investment
manager(s) and/or investment vehicles available to the Plan within the platform provided by the
Plan's custodian. One Charles may also provide administrative support, service provider support,
investment monitoring support and participant services as described in the Retirement Plan
Agreement, as applicable. In providing services to Plan Clients, One Charles may utilize unaffiliated
third party managers and other service providers.
Discretionary Investment Management Services for Plan Clients
One Charles will provide discretionary investment management services to certain Plan Clients as a
fiduciary under Section 3(38) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA") and
thus will serve as an "investment manager" pursuant thereto. Upon reviewing the investment
objectives, risk tolerance and goals of the Plan Client set forth in the Plan's investment policy
statement ("IPS"), the sponsor of each Plan Client (the "Plan Sponsor") will determine which of the
following discretionary services, if any, One Charles will provide to the Plan Client: (a) the selection,
monitoring and replacement of designated investment alternatives, (b) the creation and
maintenance of model asset allocation portfolios, and/or (c) the selection, monitoring and
replacement of qualified default investment alternatives.
Non-Discretionary Investment Management Services for Plan Clients
One Charles will also provide non-discretionary investment management services to certain Plan
Clients, serving as a "fiduciary" as defined by Section 3(21) of ERISA. After reviewing the investment
objectives, risk tolerance and goals of the plan set forth in the Plan's IPS, One Charles will make
recommendations to the Plan Sponsor but the Plan Sponsor will ultimately be responsible for
implementing those recommendations. If the Plan does not have an IPS, One Charles may provide
recommendations to the Plan Sponsor to assist it in establishing an IPS. If the Plan has an existing IPS,
One Charles will review it for consistency with the Plan's objectives. If the IPS does not represent the
objectives of the Plan based on One Charles's understanding of the objectives, One Charles will
recommend revisions to align the IPS with the Plan's objectives. The Plan Sponsor of each Plan Client
will determine which of the following services, if any, One Charles will provide to the Plan Client: (a)
advice on designated investment alternatives, (b) advice on model asset allocation portfolios, and/or
(c) advice on qualified default investment alternatives.
Retirement Plan Consulting Services
One Charles will also provide retirement plan consulting services designed to assist the Plan Sponsor
in meeting his or her fiduciary duties to administer the Plan in the best interest of the Plan's
participants and their beneficiaries. Such services are not fiduciary services under ERISA. The Plan
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Sponsor of each Plan Client receiving consulting services will determine which of the following
services One Charles will provide to the Plan Client: (a) administrative support, (b) oversight of
relationships with the Plan's service providers, (c) investment monitoring support, and/or (d)
participant services.
One Charles as an ERISA Fiduciary
One Charles is a fiduciary under ERISA with respect to investment management services and
investment advice provided to ERISA plan clients, including ERISA plan participants. One Charles is
also a fiduciary under the Internal Revenue Code (the “IRC”) with respect to investment management
services and investment advice provided to ERISA plans, ERISA plan participants, IRAs and IRA owners
(collectively, “Retirement Account Clients”). As such, One Charles is subject to specific duties and
obligations under ERISA and the IRC that include, among other things, prohibited transaction rules
which are intended to prohibit fiduciaries from acting on conflicts of interest. When a fiduciary gives
advice in which it has a conflict of interest, the fiduciary must either avoid or eliminate the conflict
or rely upon a prohibited transaction exemption (a “PTE”).
UPTIQ Treasury & Credit Solutions:
We offer clients the option of obtaining certain financial solutions from unaffiliated third-party
financial institutions through UPTIQ Treasury & Credit Solutions, LLC (together with UPTIQ, Inc. and
its affiliates, “UPTIQ”) and Flourish Financial LLC (“Flourish”). Please see Items 5 and 10 for a fuller
discussion of these services and other important information.
Focus Risk Solutions
We help our clients obtain certain insurance solutions from unaffiliated, third-party insurance
brokers by introducing clients to our affiliate, Focus Risk Solutions, LLC (“FRS”), a wholly owned
subsidiary of our parent company, Focus Financial Partners, LLC. Please see Items 5 and 10 for a
fuller discussion of these services and other important information.