Wealth Advisors Network, Inc. (WAN) was established in 1997 to provide
comprehensive wealth care services. Another d/b/a, BS&P Wealth Management was
added in 2017 and Laurel Valley Advisors in 2020. Many of our adviser
representatives (“IARs”) are registered representatives of Cambridge Investment
Research, Inc. (CIR), a registered broker/dealer and member of FINRA/SIPC, are
licensed to sell insurance and are also certified public accountants (CPAs) with
Contryman Associates, P.C. (CAPC), or other CPA firms. WAN is headquartered in
Hastings, Nebraska and has offices throughout Nebraska and in Greeley, CO,
Buffalo, NY (d/b/a BS&P Wealth Management [BS&P]), and Johnstown, PA (d/b/a
Laurel Valley Advisors [LVA]). Drawing on other institutional resources, such as
Cambridge Investment Research, we develop and implement customized investment
strategies for individuals, high net worth individuals, charitable organizations,
trusts and closely held businesses. Our independence allows us the ability to utilize
a variety of investment approaches including money market funds, unit investment
trusts (UIT) , institutional funds, certificates of deposit, stocks, corporate debt,
commercial paper, U.S. government securities, municipal securities, mutual funds,
exchange traded funds (ETFs), mortgage related and other asset backed securities,
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS), Business Development Corporations (BDCs),
Direct Participation Programs (DPPs) and separate account managers.
Our main service and goal is to provide sound, quality investment services. The rest
of our business is comprised of furnishing advice to clients on financial matters that
may not involve securities, including, income planning and asset preservation,
insurance, general business planning, retirement planning, succession planning,
and estate planning. Our IARs are either employees of WAN or are independent
contractors of WAN. The services offered by the adviser representatives may overlap
with their respective accounting firm services.
We offer a variety of financial planning and investment advisory services to our
clients. Depending on the program or options our clients have selected, the
investment services may be provided on a discretionary basis or non-discretionary
basis. Through CIR, we make available to client’s investment programs that use
managers whose investment style and expertise may be appropriate for the specific
needs of certain clients. Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions (FCCS) maintains
custody of most funds and securities, and we will never have direct access to client
funds and securities. We work hard to fully explain the options available to our
clients and advise them to carefully examine the various investment programs and
underlying options available, particularly the fee structure. We are aware that
services provided under some, or all of the options may be available from other
providers for lesser or higher fees.
We are a community-based firm positioned to provide high quality local service and
value, with immediate availability and accessibility. You will have the assurance
that qualified professionals are considering your entire financial picture and know
that your financial plan has been designed and customized to meet your specific
needs. Our independent in-depth research and advice are provided by advisers with
breadth of knowledge evidenced by years of experience and training. This allows us
to provide you with the best of both worlds: local availability and value with the
depth of a national firm.
Your Financial Professional can provide investment advice to you regarding your
retirement plan account or individual retirement account (“IRA”). In doing so, your
Financial Professional must act 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. Fiduciary responsibility
requires that Financial Professionals put your interests ahead of their own. In acting
in your best interest your Financial Professional will adhere to consumer protection
standards that require compensation not be excessive based on the market value of
the particular services, rights and benefits delivered to you.
Recommendations made by your Financial Professional regarding rollover options,
from a retirement plan to another plan or IRA, from an IRA to a plan, from an IRA
to another IRA or from one account type to another (e.g., commission-based to fee-
based), will require your Financial Professional to document the reasons for the
recommendation and specify why the recommendation is in your best interest.
The way that your Financial Professional and Cambridge make money creates
some conflicts with your interests, so we operate under a special rule that requires
us to act in your best interest and not put our interest ahead of yours. Under this
special rule’s provisions, we must:
Meet a professional standard of care when making investment
recommendations (give prudent advice);
Never put our financial interests ahead of yours when making
recommendations (give loyal advice);
Avoid misleading statements about conflicts of interest, fees, and
investments;
Follow policies and procedures designed to ensure that we give advice that is
in your best interest;
Charge no more than is reasonable for services; and
Give you basic information about conflicts of interest.
You should discuss with your Financial Professional the costs and benefits of each
Investment management service and then select the one that you believe best
supports your investment goals and style and provides the most cost-effective
means of executing your investment strategy.
WAN has actively managed recommended portfolios that we make available to our
advisers for use although they are not required to use them. We have a
recommended portfolio for accounts over $150,000 and one for accounts under
$150,000. In the under $150,000 portfolio, we attempt to use ETFs and Mutual
Funds with no ticket charges to reduce the expense of smaller trades.
CMAP Program
In our CMAP Program, our IAR’s determine the appropriate mix of assets for the
client based on the results of the Risk Profile Questionnaire or agreed upon portfolio
parameters. Investments can include, but are not limited to, money market funds,
UITs, institutional funds, certificates of deposit, stocks, corporate debt, commercial
paper, U.S. government securities, municipal securities, mutual funds, ETFs,
mortgage related, and other asset backed securities, REITS, BDCs and DPPs. WAN
has developed recommended portfolios based on risk tolerance that it may use but
is not required to use. For non-discretionary accounts, the IAR will monitor market
conditions and the portfolio and will obtain client approval for repositioning the
assets. For discretionary accounts, the IAR will monitor market conditions and the
portfolio and will reposition the assets when needed.
Our investment strategies utilize primarily mutual funds (both index and actively
managed), as well as ETFs and, in some instances, individual stocks and bonds. As
registered representatives, through CIR, our IARs can sell securities to any client for
commissions. However, we do not engage in securities transactions where our IAR
would receive a commission when we have already charged an advisory management
fee. Any fees or other compensation received by the IARs in their separate capacities
as registered representatives will be received to the extent permitted by applicable
law.
Fee Based Pension Platform
For pension, profit sharing and 401(k) Plan clients that have individual accounts with
participants exercising control over assets in their own account, we may, at the
request of the Plan trustees, conduct educational investment meetings designed for
Plan participants. The nature of the topics to be covered will be determined by us
and the client under the guidelines established in ERISA.
WealthPort Advisor-Directed Wrap Program
WAN participates, under a co-advisory relationship with Cambridge Investment
Research Advisors, Inc. (CIRA), in fee-based services sponsored through CIRA’s
WealthPort Wrap Programs. CIR serves as the introducing broker‐dealer for
accounts in the WealthPort Advisor-Directed Wrap Program and
clears securities
transactions on a fully disclosed basis through FCCS. The following information
provides a brief summary of WealthPort Advisor-Directed Wrap Program. A full and
complete description of this Program is provided in the WealthPort Wrap Brochure.
All investors participating in WealthPort Advisor-Directed Wrap Program will be
provided with and should review the WealthPort Wrap Brochure prior to investing.
In the WealthPort Advisor-Directed Wrap Program, your IAR provides investment
management services, defined as managed on a discretionary trading basis.
Through the Program, your IAR is responsible for determining investment
recommendations and implementing transactions. Your IAR actively manages your
account(s) in accordance with your individual needs, objectives, and risk tolerance.
WAN serves as portfolio manager for those clients that have established a
WealthPort Advisor-Directed Wrap account giving continuous investment advice to
you and making investments based on your individual needs.
CMAP Program versus WealthPort Advisor-Directed Wrap Program
IARs provide asset management services through both a traditional management
program and a wrap fee program. Under our traditional management program, we
charge an investment advisory fee for advisory services. Clients will also incur
annual custodial fees and ticket charges for each transaction by our introducing
broker/dealer, when applicable.
Under the WealthPort Advisor-Directed Wrap Program, advisory services, custodial
fees and transaction services are provided for one fee to the client. From a
management perspective, there is not a fundamental difference in the way our IARs
manage wrap fee accounts versus traditional management accounts. The significant
difference is the way in which transaction services are paid.
Financial Planning and Consulting
Our IARs may provide advisory services in the form of financial planning or
consulting services. Financial planning and/or consulting services do not involve
the active management of client accounts. Financial planning can be described as
helping individuals determine and set their long-term financial goals, through
investments, tax planning, asset allocation, risk management, retirement planning,
and other areas. The role of a financial planner is to find ways to help the client
understand their overall financial situation and help the client set financial
objectives.
Consulting services include consulting clients in the management of their money,
investment options and asset reallocation. Consulting services can be narrow in scope
and not take into consideration all areas of a client’s financial situation.
Referral of Third-Party Money Managers
We sometimes offer advisory services by referring clients to a third-party money
manager offering asset management and other investment advisory services. We
perform a due diligence review on these third-party money managers that looks at
management continuity, management tenure, disciplinary history, performance
history, financial condition, conflicts, costs, and operations. The third-party money
managers are responsible for continuously monitoring client accounts and making
trades, or directing us to make trades, in client accounts when necessary. As a
result of the referral, we are paid a portion of the fee charged and collected by the
third-party money managers in the form of promoter fees. Each solicitation
arrangement is performed pursuant to a written solicitation agreement and is in
compliance with SEC Rule 206(4)-3 and applicable state securities rules and
regulations.
Under this service, we assist you with identifying your risk tolerance and investment
objectives. We recommend third-party money managers in relation to your stated
investment objectives and risk tolerance, and you may select a recommended third-
party money manager or model portfolio based upon your needs. You must enter
into an agreement directly with the third-party money manager who provides your
designated account with asset management services.
We are available to answer questions that you may have regarding your account and
act as the communication conduit between you and the third-party money
manager. The third-party money manager may take discretionary authority to
determine the securities to be purchased and sold for your account. We do not have
any trading authority with respect to your designated account managed by the
third-party money manager.
Although we review the performance of numerous third-party money managers, we
enter into only a select number of relationships with third-party money managers
that have agreed to pay us a portion of the overall fee charged to our
clients. Therefore, we have a conflict of interest in that we will only recommend
third-party money managers that will agree to compensate us for referrals of
our clients.
Clients are advised that there may be other third-party money managers not
recommended by our firm that are suitable for the client and that may be more or
less costly than arrangements recommended by our firm. No guarantees can be
made that a client’s financial goals or objectives will be achieved by a third-party
money manager recommended by our firm. Further, no guarantees of performance
can ever be offered by our firm.
Because of these compensation arrangements, a conflict of interest exists in
connection with the IARs recommending particular investments for a client's
account. Clients have sole discretion whether to implement any or all of the IAR’s
recommendations (except where discretion has been given by the client to the IAR).
Use of Sub-Advisors
For some Clients we may engage other investment advisors (“Sub-Advisors”) to assist
us in managing their account under an Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement with
such Sub-Advisors. This sometimes occurs when the Client decides to transfer the
management of their portfolios to us from another investment advisor and as part of
the transition to us we and the Client decide it is in our and the Client’s best interest
to permit the former investment advisor to continue to manage the accounts as a
Sub-Advisor. In other cases, due to the nature and complexity of a client’s portfolio,
we and the Client may decide to engage a Sub-Advisor to manage the portion of the
Client’s portfolio that presents complexities that we do not have experience dealing
with.
In establishing Investment Sub-Advisory Agreements with such Sub-Advisors we
perform a due diligence review that looks at management continuity, management
tenure, experience, disciplinary history, performance history, financial condition,
conflicts, costs, and operations. If engaged, the Sub-Advisor will continuously
monitor the Client assets in the accounts assigned to them. As a result, when a Sub-
Advisor is engaged, we and the broker/dealer (such as CIR) holding the assets will
ask Clients to execute a Privacy Waiver and Consent to Disclose Account Information
to expressly permit the broker dealer and us to provide the Sub-Advisor real time
access to the Client’s account information and holdings.
Such Sub-Advisors have no discretionary authority to select broker/dealers or
directly place trades for the Client but will advise us to make trades in Client accounts
when necessary. We reserve the right to follow or reject any trade direction from the
Sub-Advisor. The Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement is between us and the Sub-
Advisor and as part of our expense in managing the account we pay the Sub-Advisor
directly for managing the Client assets from the fees we receive from the Client.
Unless the Client otherwise agrees, the Client will pay no additional compensation for
our use of Sub-Advisors.
Client Assets Managed
As of September 30, 2023, we manage client assets on a discretionary basis in an
amount equal to approximately $227,095,490 and client assets on a non-
discretionary basis in an amount equal to approximately $29,488,447.
Business Continuity Plan
WAN has established a Business Continuity Plan (BCP). The BCP describes how
WAN will respond to significant business disruptions and provide investors with
alternative contact information in the event of a significant business disruption. The
BCP Summary can be found at www.wealthadvisosnetwork.net.