Our Firm is an investment adviser that primarily provides individuals, high net worth individuals
and other types of clients with discretionary investment advisory services. We are registered with
the Securities and Exchange Commission. Our Firm is a Limited Liability Company formed under
the laws of the State of Maryland. We have been operating in the financial services industry since
2011 and became registered as an investment adviser in 2018. Our Firm is wholly owned by Lance
Scott, who also serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer.
In each section below, you will find more information about the specific services We offer.
Types of Advisory Services Offered
The following are descriptions of the primary advisory services of BHWM. Please understand that
a written agreement, which details the exact terms of the service, must be signed by you and the
Firm before We can provide you the services described below. A more detailed explanation of
Our services is as follows:
1. Financial Planning & Consulting Services
Our Firm may provide stand-alone financial planning and consulting services to clients for the
management of financial resources based upon an analysis of current situation, goals, and
objectives. Financial planning services will typically involve preparing a financial plan or rendering
a financial consultation for clients based on the client’s financial goals and objectives. This
planning or consulting may encompass investment planning, retirement planning, estate
planning, charitable planning, education planning, corporate and personal tax planning,
corporate structure, mortgage/debt analysis, insurance analysis, or business and personal
financial planning.
Written financial plans or financial consultations rendered to clients may include general
recommendations for a course of activity or specific actions to be taken by the clients.
Implementation of the recommendations will be at the discretion of the client. Clients are free
to implement recommendations through another financial advisor or firm and are under no
obligation to implement the recommendations through Us. Our Firm will provide such clients
with a summary of their financial situation, and observations for financial planning engagements.
2. Asset Management Services
We primarily provide direct asset management services to Our clients. As part of Our asset
management service, We create a portfolio tailored to the specific needs of the client, potentially
including individual stocks, bonds, exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), options, mutual funds and
other public and private securities or investments. Portfolios will be designed to meet a particular
investment goal, determined to be suitable to the client’s circumstances. Once the appropriate
portfolio has been determined, portfolios are continuously and regularly monitored, and if
necessary, rebalanced based upon the client’s individual needs, stated goals and objectives.
Our Firm may utilize the services of various third-party investment advisory firms, platform
providers, third-party managers, portfolio specialists, or sub-advisers (collectively, “sub-
advisers”) for the management of client accounts. Before selecting a firm or individual, Our Firm
will ensure that the chosen party is properly licensed or registered as required. We use sub-
advisers to aid in the implementation of an investment portfolio, allocating client assets among
such managers as appropriate. In such cases, the sub-advisers will be responsible for
continuously monitoring client accounts and making trades in client accounts when necessary.
While the chosen sub-advisers will provide advice on specific securities and/or other investments
in connection with this service, Our Firm has discretionary authority to hire and fire such sub-
advisers and reallocate assets among them as deemed appropriate. We will assist clients with
identifying their risk tolerance and investment objectives, and, in turn, We may retain sub-
advisers in relation to their stated investment objectives and risk tolerance.
Some sub-advisers are made available through an investment platform offered by AssetMark,
LLC (“AssetMark”). Typically, when we recommend AssetMark to Our clients, each client then
executes, at Our request, a separate client services agreement with AssetMark that authorizes
participation on the platform.
BHWM assists the client in selecting the risk/return objective and sub-advisers that best suit the
client’s objectives. Although We have the authority to direct investments without further specific
authorizations by clients, in practice We often request that the client specifically directs the
account to be invested in accordance with the chosen investment solution. When the client
selects the investment solutions, the client further directs that the account be automatically
adjusted to reflect any adjustment in the asset allocation by the selected sub-adviser. This client
authorization results in the purchase and sale of securities without further authorization by the
client or any other party at such time as the sub-adviser changes the composition of the selected
model asset allocation.
Within the AssetMark platform BHWM may, without any further input from or permission of the
client, move client assets from one sub-adviser to another, terminate the services of a sub-
adviser with respect to a client, or reallocate client assets between sub-advisers.
Information regarding AssetMark and its platform can be found in the AssetMark Platform
Disclosure Brochure. In that Brochure, clients can read about, among other things, the account
minimums applicable to sub-advisers or other investment programs available on the platform.
BHWM may have the ability to negotiate lower account minimums.
Prior to selecting sub-advisers, Our Firm will conduct due diligence on these managers as well as
ongoing reviews of their management of client accounts. In order to assist in the selection of a
sub-adviser, Our Firm will gather client information pertaining to financial situation, investment
objectives, and reasonable restrictions to be imposed upon the management of the account.
Our Firm will review sub-adviser reports provided to the client at least annually. Our Firm will
contact clients from time to time in order to review their financial situation and objectives;
communicate information to sub-advisers as warranted; and, assist the client in understanding
and evaluating the services provided by the sub-advisers. Clients will be expected to notify Our
Firm of any changes in their financial situation, investment objectives, or account restrictions that
could affect their financial standing.
We also offer asset management services for fee-based fixed annuity insurance products. We will
directly manage these annuity insurance products by reallocating buckets or sub-accounts within
the annuities in accordance with the client’s suitability profile. Clients who have elected to use
this service must also enter into a separate agreement with the product sponsor designating Our
Firm to manage the accounts. Insurance products may be available through other channels and
as a client you are not obligated to purchase products recommended by Us.
As part of its asset management services, BHWM provides its clients with access to a client portal
maintained with Black Diamond, a third-party portfolio management and reporting software. The
cost for the Black Diamond client portal is paid by BHWM, and clients are not charged for this
service. In addition to the client portal there is also an add-on feature, ByAllAccounts (“BAA”),
which enables clients to link their outside accounts to the platform so they can see and track
everything in one place. BHWM will incur an additional cost for any clients who elect to use the
BAA feature. BAA is offered to clients at BHWM’s sole discretion. This presents a conflict of
interest, in that BHWM is incentivized to not recommend the use of BAA in order to avoid the
additional cost. We address this conflict of interest by disclosing it here and ensuring BAA is
offered to any clients for which We determine it is in their best interest.
3. Retirement Plan Consulting Services
We offer non-discretionary retirement plan consulting services to employer-sponsored
retirement plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). Our
retirement plan consulting services include, but are not limited to, the following
services:
Fiduciary Consulting Services
• Investment Policy Statement Preparation. The Firm assists clients in the development or
review of an investment policy statement (“IPS”). The IPS establishes the investment
policies and objectives for the plan. Clients have the ultimate responsibility and authority
to establish such policies and objectives and to adopt and amend the investment policy
statement.
• Non-Discretionary Investment Advice. The Firm provides clients with general, non-
discretionary investment advice regarding asset classes and investment alternatives
available for the plan that are consistent with the plan’s IPS. The Firm assists clients with
the selection of a broad range of investment options consistent with the investment
option selection provisions of ERISA Section 404(c) and the regulations thereunder.
Clients have the final decision-making authority regarding the selection, retention,
removal and addition of any investment options.
• Investment Monitoring and Reports. The Firm assists clients in monitoring investment
options by preparing periodic investment reports that document investment
performance, consistency of fund management and conformance to the guidelines set
forth in the IPS and make recommendations to maintain or remove and replace
investment options. The Firm will meet with clients on a periodic basis to discuss the
reports and the investment recommendations.
• Qualified Default Investment Alternative Advice. The Firm provides clients with non-
discretionary investment advice to assist in developing qualified default investment
alternative(s) (“QDIA”), consistent with ERISA Section 404(c) and the regulations
thereunder, for participants who are automatically enrolled in the plan or who otherwise
fail to make an investment election. Clients retain the ultimate responsibility to comply
with the requirements of Section 404(c), to monitor Section 404(c) compliance, and to
follow the terms of the plan document.
The specific services to be provided will be listed in Our agreement with each retirement plan.
The Firm acknowledges that in performing the retirement plan consulting services listed above it
is acting as a “fiduciary” as such term is defined under ERISA Section 3(21)(A)(ii) for purposes of
providing non-discretionary investment advice only. The Firm acts in a manner consistent with
the requirements of a fiduciary under ERISA if, based upon the facts and circumstances, such
services cause the Firm to be a fiduciary as a matter of law. All recommendations are submitted
to the client for ultimate approval or rejection. The retirement plan which elects to implement
any recommendations made by Us is solely responsible for implementing all transactions.
Non-Fiduciary Services
• Education Services to Plan Committee. The Firm assists in the education of the
participants in the plan about general investment principles and the investment
alternatives available under the plan. Such education services may include preparation of
education materials and/or conducting investment education seminars and meetings for
participants. Education services do not take into account the individual circumstances of
each participant and do not refer to the appropriateness of any specific investment
alternatives or options for the participants.
• Participant Enrollment. The Firm assists clients with group enrollment meetings designed
to increase plan participation among employees and investment and financial
understanding by the employees. These meetings do not include recommendations with
respect to any specific investment alternatives or options available to participants.
• Service Provider/Vendor Services. The Firm assists clients by arranging for the plan’s other
third-party service providers to offer these services, as agreed upon between Firm and
client. In such cases, the Firm acts only in accordance with instructions from the client
and shall not exercise any independent judgment or discretion.
Although an investment adviser is considered a fiduciary under the Investment Advisers Act of
1940 (the “Advisers Act”) and is required to meet the fiduciary duties required of an investment
adviser, the services listed above as “Non-Fiduciary” are not considered fiduciary services for the
purposes of ERISA since Our Firm is not acting as a fiduciary to the plan as the term “fiduciary” is
defined in Section 3(21)(A)(ii) of ERISA. The exact services provided to clients are listed and
detailed in the Retirement Plan Consulting Agreement.
Tailoring of Advisory Services
Our Firm offers individualized investment advice to Our asset management clients. General
investment advice will be offered to Our financial planning & consulting clients.
Each Asset Management client has the opportunity to place reasonable restrictions on the types
of investments to be held in the portfolio. Restrictions on investments in certain securities or
types of securities may not be possible due to the level of difficulty this would entail in managing
the account.
Wrap Fee Programs
We provide discretionary investment advisory services on a non-wrap fee basis. This means that
if the client engages Us, the client will select individual services on an unbundled basis, paying
for each service separately (i.e. investment advisory, trade execution, custody).
Conflicts of Interest
Please note that some of the Firm’s investment adviser representatives (“IARs”) are licensed to
sell insurance and related products with Bay Harbor Insurance, LLC, a licensed insurance
company. In such cases, the Firm’s IARs will earn typical and customary commission for the sale
of insurance products purchased for a client’s account. This represents a conflict of interest in
that Our representatives have an incentive to recommend purchasing insurance products based
on compensation received rather than on the needs of the client. These products may be
available through other channels and as a client you are not obligated to purchase products
recommended by Our representatives. Please see Item 5 - Fees and Compensation and Item 10 -
Financial Industry Affiliations for more information.
When We provide investment advice to clients regarding their retirement plan account or
individual retirement account, We are fiduciaries 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. The way We make money creates some conflicts with our client’s
interests, so We operate under a special rule that requires us to act in our client’s best interest
and not put our interest ahead of our clients. We may recommend that a client roll over their
retirement assets into an account to be managed by Us. A client or prospective client leaving an
employer typically has four options regarding an existing retirement plan (and may engage in a
combination of these options): (i) leave the money in the former employer’s plan, if permitted,
(ii) roll over the assets to the new employer’s plan, if one is available and rollovers are permitted,
(iii) roll over to an Individual Retirement Account (“IRA”), or (iv) cash out the account value (which
could, depending upon the client’s age, result in adverse tax consequences). A client or
prospective client with an IRA also has several options, including (i) leaving the money in the
current IRA, (ii) rolling over the assets to another IRA, (iii) rolling over the assets to an employer
plan, if one is available and rollovers are permitted, and (iv) cashing out the account value
(subject to possible tax consequences). If We are asked by a client or potential client to make a
recommendation from among these choices, We have a conflict of interest in that We have an
incentive to recommend that a client roll over their retirement assets into an account to be
managed by the Firm. Such a recommendation creates a conflict of interest as We will earn a new
(or increase Our current) Advisory Fee as a result of the rollover. We address this conflict of
interest by reviewing any such recommendation to ensure it is in the best interest of the client.
No client is under any obligation to roll over retirement assets to an account managed by Us.
Regulatory Assets Under Management
Our Firm managed $291,564,962 in client assets on a discretionary basis as of December 31,
2023.