A. Firm Information
Braun-Bostich & Associates, Inc. (“BBA” or the “Advisor”) is a registered investment advisor with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). BBA is organized as a Corporation under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. BBA was founded in February 2002 and is owned and operated by Amy Braun-
Bostich (Chief Executive Officer, Private Wealth Advisor, and the majority owner) and Cassandra Kirby (Chief
Operating Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, and Private Wealth Advisor). This Disclosure Brochure provides
information regarding the qualifications, business practices, and advisory services provided by BBA.
B. Advisory Services Offered
BBA offers investment advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, retirement
plans, and charitable organizations (each referred to as a “Client”).
The Advisor serves as a fiduciary to Clients, as defined under the applicable laws and regulations. As a fiduciary,
the Advisor upholds a duty of loyalty, fairness, and good faith toward each Client and seeks to mitigate potential
conflicts of interest. BBA’s fiduciary commitment is further described in the Advisor’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.
Investment Management Services
BBA provides customized investment advisory solutions for its Clients. This is achieved through continuous
personal Client contact and interaction while providing discretionary investment management and related advisory
services. BBA 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. BBA will then construct an investment
portfolio consisting of low-cost, diversified mutual funds and/or exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) to achieve the
Client’s investment goals. The Advisor may also utilize individual stocks or bonds to meet the needs of its Clients.
In certain circumstances, the Advisor may recommend real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) if these types of
investments meet the goals, objectives, circumstances, and risk tolerance agreed to by the Client. The Advisor
may retain certain legacy investments based on portfolio fit and/or tax considerations.
BBA’s investment approach is primarily long-term focused, but the Advisor may buy, sell, or re-allocate positions
that have been held for less than one year to meet the objectives of the Client or due to market conditions. BBA
will construct, implement, and monitor the portfolio to ensure it meets the goals, objectives, circumstances, and
risk tolerance agreed to by the Client. Each Client will have the opportunity to place reasonable restrictions on the
types of investments to be held in their respective portfolio, subject to acceptance by the Advisor.
BBA evaluates and selects investments for inclusion in Client portfolios only after applying its internal due diligence
process. BBA may recommend, on occasion, redistributing investment allocations to diversify the portfolio. BBA
may recommend specific positions to increase sector or asset class weightings. The Advisor may recommend
employing cash positions as a possible hedge against market movement. BBA may recommend selling positions
for reasons that include but are not limited to harvesting capital gains or losses, business or sector risk exposure
to a specific security or class of securities, overvaluation or overweighting of the position[s] in the portfolio, change
in risk tolerance of the Client, generating cash to meet Client needs, or any risk deemed unacceptable for the
Client’s risk tolerance.
At no time will BBA accept or maintain custody of a Client’s funds or securities, except for the limited authority as
outlined in Item 15 – Custody. All Client assets will be managed within their designated account[s] at the
Custodian, pursuant to the terms of the investment advisory agreement. For additional information, please see
Item 12 – Brokerage Practices.
Retirement Accounts – When the Advisor provides investment advice to Clients regarding ERISA retirement
accounts or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”), the Advisor is a fiduciary within the meaning of Title I of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) and/or the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”), as applicable,
which are laws governing retirement accounts. When deemed to be in the Client’s best interest, the Advisor will
provide investment advice to the Client regarding a distribution from an ERISA retirement account or to roll over
the assets to an IRA, or recommend a similar transaction, including rollovers from one ERISA-sponsored Plan to
another, one IRA to another IRA, or from one type of account to another account (e.g., commission-based account
to fee-based account). Such a recommendation creates a conflict of interest if the Advisor earns a new (or
increases its current) advisory fee as a result of the transaction. No client is under any obligation to roll over a
retirement account to an account managed by the Advisor.
Use of Independent Managers
BBA will primarily recommend that a Client utilize one or more unaffiliated investment managers or investment
platforms (collectively “Independent Managers”) for all or a portion of a Client’s investment portfolio, based on the
Client’s needs and objectives. In such instances, the Client will be required to authorize and enter into an
investment management agreement with an Independent Manager that defines the terms in which the
Independent Manager will provide its services. The Advisor will perform initial and ongoing oversight and due
diligence over each Independent Manager to ensure the strategy remains aligned with the Client's investment
objectives and overall best interests. The Advisor may also assist the Client in the development of the initial policy
recommendations and managing the ongoing Client relationship. The Client will be provided with the Independent
Manager’s Form ADV Part 2A – Disclosure
Brochure (or a brochure that makes the appropriate disclosures) prior
to entering into an agreement with an Independent Manager.
Vise Platform- The Advisor has engaged Vise as a platform provider and subadvisor to assist with managing
certain clients’ investment portfolios. The Advisor maintains discretionary authority to hire and fire Vise. Vise
employs automated asset allocation, portfolio analysis, tax management, portfolio rebalancing, and portfolio
selection strategies for intermediaries, including the Advisor.
As part of the service, the Advisor is granted access to Vise’s secure website as a tool to monitor and manage
client assets. The Advisor uses Vise’s online platform to create and manage a desired investment strategy for
clients. Among other features, Vise’s platform allows the Advisor to customize how much exposure to take with
respect to specific factors (known as an “active tilt”) such as value, dividend, and size. Vise bases its advice on
client investment objectives, restrictions, and preferences, as provided by the Advisor and in accordance with the
agreements the Advisor has entered with Vise.
Clients do not have direct access to the Vise platform, and the Advisor is responsible for the management of the
client’s assets on the Vise platform. Clients must notify the Advisor of any specific stocks or securities in which
the client is prohibited from investing, and the Advisor, in turn, is responsible for notifying Vise.
For its services, Vise will charge an asset-based fee that is in addition to the Advisor’s fee. Vise’s fee includes the
securities transaction fees for all trades. The Advisor will only receive its investment advisory fees as detailed in
Item 5.A. below and does not share in any fees earned by Vise.
Financial Planning Services
BBA provides a variety of financial planning and consulting services to Clients pursuant to a written financial
planning agreement. Services may cover several areas of a Client’s financial situation, depending on their goals
and objectives. Generally, such financial planning services involve creating a solution-focused approach to
financial planning designed to allow the Client to make an informed decision about investment planning, retirement
planning, personal savings, education savings, and other areas of a Client’s financial situation.
A financial plan developed for the Client will usually include general recommendations for a course of activity or
specific actions to be taken by the Client. For example, recommendations may be made that the Client start or
revise their investment programs, commence or alter retirement savings, and establish education savings and/or
charitable giving programs.
BBA may also refer Clients to an accountant, attorney, or other specialists as appropriate for their unique situation.
For ongoing financial planning engagements, the Advisor will provide a written summary of the Client’s financial
situation, observations, and recommendations. For consulting or ad-hoc engagements, the Advisor may not
provide a written summary.
Financial planning recommendations pose a conflict between the interests of the Advisor and the interests of the
Client. For example, the Advisor has an incentive to recommend that Clients engage the Advisor for investment
management services or to increase the level of investment assets with the Advisor, as it would increase the
amount of advisory fees paid to the Advisor. Clients are not obligated to implement any recommendations made
by the Advisor or maintain an ongoing relationship with the Advisor. If the Client elects to act on any of the
recommendations made by the Advisor, the Client is under no obligation to implement the transaction through the
Advisor.
Retirement Plan Advisory Services
BBA provides retirement plan advisory services on behalf of the retirement plans (each a “Plan”) and the company
(the “Plan Sponsor”). The Advisor’s retirement plan advisory services are designed to assist the Plan Sponsor in
meeting its fiduciary obligations to the Plan and its Plan Participants. Each engagement is customized to the
needs of the Plan and Plan Sponsor. Services generally include:
• Investment Oversight Services (ERISA 3(21))
• Ongoing Investment Recommendations and Assistance
These services are provided by BBA serving in the capacity of 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 BBA’s fiduciary status, the specific services to be rendered, and all direct
and indirect compensation the Advisor reasonably expects under the engagement.
C. Client Account Management
Prior to engaging BBA to provide investment advisory services, each Client is required to enter into one or more
written agreements with the Advisor that define the terms, conditions, authority, and responsibilities of the Advisor
and the Client. These services may include:
• Establishing an Investment Strategy – BBA, in connection with the Client, will develop a strategy that
seeks to achieve the Client’s investment goals and objectives.
• Asset Allocation – BBA will develop a strategic asset allocation that is targeted to meet the investment
objectives, time horizon, financial situation, and tolerance for risk for each Client.
• Portfolio Construction – BBA will develop a portfolio for the Client that is intended to meet the stated goals
and objectives of the Client.
• Investment Management and Supervision – BBA will provide investment management and ongoing
oversight of the Client’s relationship’s investment portfolio.
D. Wrap Fee Programs
BBA does not manage or place Client assets into a wrap fee program. Investment management services are
provided directly by BBA.
E. Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2023, the Advisor manages $203,658,601 in Client assets, of which $200,049,256 are
managed on a discretionary basis and $3,609,345 on a non-discretionary basis. Clients may request more current
information at any time by contacting the Advisor.