A. Firm Information
Northeast Planning Associates, Inc. (“NPA”) is a registered investment advisor with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (“SEC”). NPA is organized as a Corporation under the laws of the State of New
Hampshire. NPA was founded in 1984 as an insurance agency and became a registered investment advisor in
October 2004. NPA is owned by Edward C. Hiers (Founder and CEO) and Benjamin Hiers (President and Chief
Operating Officer). This Financial Planning Disclosure Brochure provides information regarding the qualifications,
business practices, and the financial planning services provided by NPA. For information regarding this
Disclosure Brochure, please contact Michael J. Hartman, Chief Compliance Officer, at (603) 471-0900 or by
email at
[email protected].
B. Advisory Services Offered
NPA offers investment advisory services to individuals, high net worth individuals, trusts, estates, retirement
plans, charitable organizations, and businesses (each referred to as a “Client”). The term Investment Advisor
Representative (“IAR”) is used throughout this Disclosure Brochure for Supervised Persons that provide
investment advice on behalf of NPA.
NPA serves as a fiduciary to Clients, as defined under the applicable laws and regulations. As a fiduciary, NPA
upholds a duty of loyalty, fairness and good faith towards each Client and seeks to mitigate potential conflicts of
interest. NPA’s fiduciary commitment is further described in NPA’s Code of Ethics. For more information
regarding the Code of Ethics, please see Item 11 – Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions
and Personal Trading.
NPA provides financial planning and investment advisory services to its Clients. This Financial Planning
Disclosure Brochure is provided to describe NPA’s financial planning services only. If the Client also engages
NPA for investment management services, the Client shall be provided the NPA Combined Disclosure Brochure.
If you have any questions relating to the content of this Financial Planning Disclosure Brochure, please contact
NPA’s Chief Compliance Officer at (603) 471-0900 or by email at
[email protected].
Financial Planning Services
NPA offers broad-based, modular, and consultative financial planning services, which are tailored to the needs of
each Client. Financial planning will typically involve providing a variety of advisory services to Clients regarding
the management of their financial resources, which is based upon an analysis of the Client’s individual needs
and circumstances. NPA starts each planning engagement with a meeting to gather information about the
Client’s financial circumstances and objectives. The Client’s objectives may include long-term objectives (both
financial and non-financial) and shorter-term, targeted objectives. Once IARs review and analyze the information
you provide to NPA, the IAR will deliver a written plan to you, designed to help you achieve your stated financial
goals and objectives. Financial plans are based on the Client’s financial situation at the time the plan is
presented, and on the financial information provided by the Client. For certain fixed fee, hourly fee or retainer
engagements, the IAR may not provide a written summary. The Client is responsible to promptly notify NPA or
the IAR if there are any changes to the Client’s financial situation, goals, objectives, or servicing needs. You are
under no obligation to act on NPA’s financial planning recommendations. One time financial plans are typically
completed
within six months of contract date, assuming all information and documents requested are provided
promptly.
Financial planning and consulting recommendations pose a potential conflict between the interests of NPA and
the interests of the Client. For example, NPA has an incentive to recommend that Clients engage NPA or LPL
Financial for investment management services or to increase the level of investment assets with NPA, as it would
increase the amount of advisory fees paid to NPA. Clients are not obligated to implement any recommendations
made by NPA or maintain an ongoing relationship with NPA. If the Client elects to act on any of the
recommendations made the NPA, the Client is under no obligation to implement the transaction through NPA or
one of its IARs.
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NPA’s financial planning fee will be a fixed fee, hourly fee, or an annual retainer, depending on the scope of the
services provided. Please see Item 5 below.
Retirement Plan Advisory Services
NPA provides retirement plan advisory services to the sponsor (the “Plan Sponsor”) and/or its participants (“Plan
Participants”) of various retirement plans (the “Plan”). Retirement plan advisory services may be offered on a
non-discretionary/consulting basis (under ERISA 3(21)), pursuant to the terms of the retirement plan advisory
agreement. Each engagement is customized to the needs of the Plan and Plan Sponsor or Plan Participants. In
addition, NPA provides education services to the Plan Participants.
These services are provided by NPA serving in the capacity as a fiduciary under the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”). In accordance with ERISA Section 408(b)(2), the Plan
Sponsor is provided with a written description of NPA’s fiduciary status, the specific services to be rendered and
all direct and indirect compensation NPA reasonably expects under the engagement.
Wealth Management Software
Clients may be offered access to a subscription-based wealth management software that provides the Client with
various financial management services, such as tracking of financial data, maintaining personal financial
documents, and the aggregation of accounts and reporting across multiple financial institutions. Clients are not
obligated to utilize the wealth management software offered by NPA.
For Clients or prospective clients engaging NPA for investment management services, please seek a
copy of the full NPA Disclosure Brochure, which includes the full description of these services.
C. Client Account Management
Prior to engaging NPA to provide financial planning services, each Client is required to enter into one or more
financial planning agreement[s] with NPA that define the scope of services, terms, conditions, authority and the
responsibilities of both NPA and the Client.
D. Wrap Fee Programs
Not applicable for financial planning services. If the Client has engaged NPA for investment management
services, the Client may be offered an investment advisory fee in a wrap fee structure, where NPA includes the
securities transaction fees, custody fees and administrative fees (“Covered Costs”) together with investment
advisory fees to provide the Client with a single, bundled fee. The Client will be provided the Combined
Disclosure Brochure, which also includes the Wrap Fee Program Brochure.
E. Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2023 NPA manages $301,435,475 in Client assets, all of which are managed on a
discretionary basis. Clients may request more current information at any time by contacting NPA.