A. Firm Information
Commons Capital, LLC (“Commons Capital” or the “Advisor”) is a registered investment advisor with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Advisor is organized as a Limited Liability Company (“LLC”)
under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Commons Capital was founded in August 2009 and was
formed as a registered investment adviser in December 2012, and is owned and operated by Jonathan D. Straus
(Founding Principal, Chief Compliance Officer and Portfolio Manager). This Disclosure Brochure provides
information regarding the qualifications, business practices, and the advisory services provided by Commons
Capital.
B. Advisory Services Offered
Commons Capital offers investment advisory services to individuals, high net worth individuals, families, trusts,
estates and institutions (each referred to as a “Client”).
The Advisor serves as a fiduciary to Clients, as defined under the applicable laws and regulations. As such, each
recommendation made as part of the advisory services are based on the belief that the recommendation is in the
Client's best interest. Commons Capital’s fiduciary commitment to each Client 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.
Wealth Management Services
Commons Capital provides wealth management services for its Clients. These services generally include a
broad range of comprehensive financial planning in connection with discretionary investment management of
Client portfolios. These services are described below.
Investment Management Services - Commons Capital provides customized investment advisory solutions for its
Clients. This is achieved through continuous personal Client contact and interaction while providing discretionary
and non-discretionary investment management and related advisory services.
Commons Capital 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. Commons Capital will then construct a
portfolio consisting of low-cost, individual equity securities, individual bonds, exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”),
limited partnerships, and real estate investment trusts (“REITS”) to meet the needs of its Clients. The Advisor
may also utilize other types of investments to meet the needs of its Clients. The Advisor may retain certain
legacy investments based on portfolio fit and/or tax considerations.
The Advisor employs a seven step risk management process as part of its investment discipline.
1. Utilize Modern Portfolio Theory to create an “efficient portfolio” as a strategic allocation
2. Overweighting and underweighting assets class decisions
3. Pairing of passive and activie strategies
4. Limitation on position sizes to 5% or less of a Client’sportfolio
5. Daily monitoring of security positions
6. Research with a combination of 3 methodologies: quantitative (numbers and ratios), fundamental
(products, markets and management), and technical (price movement and trading volume)
7. Hedging risk in significant downturns
Commons Capital’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. Commons Capital 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 the
acceptance by the Advisor.
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Commons Capital evaluates and selects investments for inclusion in Client portfolios only after applying their
internal due diligence process. Commons Capital 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.
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 a 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 will earn a
new (or increase 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.
At no time will Commons Capital 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 Client investment management agreement, please see Item 12 –
Brokerage Practices.
Financial Planning Services: Commons Capital will typically provide a variety of financial planning services to
individuals and families, pursuant to a written financial planning agreement. Services are offered in several areas
of a Client’s financial situation, depending on their goals and objectives.
Generally, such financial planning services will involve preparing a financial plan or rendering a financial
consultation for clients based on the Client’s financial goals and objectives. This planning may encompass one or
more areas of need, including, but not limited to investment planning, retirement planning, educational planning,
estate planning, philanthropic giving, insurance needs, and other areas of a Client’s financial situation.
A financial plan developed or rendered to 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, establish education savings
and/or charitable giving programs.
Commons Capital may also refer Clients to an accountant, attorney or another specialist, as appropriate for their
unique situation. For certain financial planning engagements, the Advisor will provide a written summary of
Client’s financial situation, observations, and recommendations. For consulting or ad-hoc engagements, the
Advisor may not provide a written summary. Plans are typically completed within six (6) months of contract date,
assuming all information and documents requested are provided promptly.
Financial planning recommendations poses 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
Commons Capital provides retirement plan advisory services on behalf of the retirement plans (each a “Plan”)
and the company that offers the Plan (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 Participants. Each
engagement is customized to the needs of the Plan and Plan Sponsor. Services generally include:
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• Plan Participant Enrollment and Education Tracking
• Investment Policy Statement (“IPS”) Design and Monitoring
• Investment Management Services (ERISA 3(38))
• Performance Reporting
• Ongoing Investment Recommendation and Assistance
• ERISA 404(c) Assistance
• Benchmarking Services
These services are provided by Commons Capital 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),
LHC shall provide each Plan Sponsor with a written description of Commons Capital’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 Commons Capital to provide investment advisory services, each Client is required to enter into
one or more 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 – Commons Capital, in connection with the Client, will develop a
strategy that seeks to achieve the Client’s goals and objectives.
• Asset Allocation – Commons Capital 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 – Commons Capital will develop a portfolio for the Client that is intended to meet
the stated goals and objectives of the Client.
• Investment Management and Supervision – Commons Capital will provide investment management and
ongoing oversight of the Client’s investment portfolio.
D. Wrap Fee Programs
Commons Capital includes securities transaction costs (herein “Covered Costs”) together with its investment
advisory fees. Including these fees into a single asset-based fee is considered a “Wrap Fee Program”. The
Advisor customizes its investment management services for its Clients. The Advisor sponsors the Commons
Capital Wrap Fee Program solely as a supplemental disclosure regarding the combination of fees. Depending on
the level of trading required for the Client’s account[s] in a particular year, the Client may pay more or less in total
fees than if the Client paid its own transaction fees. Please see Appendix 1 – Wrap Fee Program Brochure,
which is included as a supplement to this Disclosure Brochure.
E. Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2022, Commons Capital manages $154,989,859 in Client assets, $150,913,739 of which are
managed on a discretionary basis and $4,076,119 on a non-discretionary basis. Clients may request more
current information at any time by contacting the Advisor.