A. Firm Information
Birchcreek Wealth Management, LLC (“Birchcreek Wealth” or the “Advisor”) is a registered investment advisor
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Birchcreek Wealth is organized as a limited liability
company under the laws of the State of Ohio. Birchcreek Wealth was founded in June 2019 and is owned by
Daniel Johnson, CFPÒ, CPFA (Principal and Chief Compliance Officer). This Disclosure Brochure provides
information regarding the qualifications, business practices, and the advisory services provided by Birchcreek
Wealth.
B. Advisory Services Offered
Birchcreek Wealth offers advisory services to individuals, high net worth individuals, families, trusts, estates, and
pension and retirement plans (each referred to as a “Client”). Birchcreek Wealth provides a holistic approach to
its wealth advisory services. Client engagements typically include comprehensive financial planning and
investment management services as described below. Services are tailored to the unique needs of each 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 towards each Client and seeks to
mitigate potential conflicts of interest. Birchcreek’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
Birchcreek Wealth provides customized wealth management solutions for its Clients. This is achieved through
continuous personal Client contact and interaction while providing discretionary and non-discretionary
investment management and planning services. Birchcreek Wealth works closely with each Client to identify
their investment goals and objectives as well as risk tolerance and financial situation in order to create an
investment strategy. Birchcreek Wealth customizes its investment management services for its Clients.
Birchcreek Wealth will implement the investment strategy with its internal management and/or the use of
unaffiliated money managers or investment platforms (as described below).
Internal Investment Management – Portfolios may be constructed using open-end mutual funds, exchange-
traded funds (“ETFs”), individual equity securities, and/or individual fixed income securities. For certain Clients,
the Advisor may utilize tax-free municipal bonds and other types of investments. For certain Clients, the Advisor
may employ leveraged ETFs and/or the short-term use of margin. For mutual funds, the Advisor selects active
and passive managers and will seek institutional share classes when available. The Advisor may also utilize
options, as appropriate, to meet the needs of certain Clients
Birchcreek Wealth’s investment strategy is primarily long-term investment 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. Birchcreek Wealth 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.
Retirement Plan Accounts – When deemed to be in the Client’s best interest, the Advisor will recommend that a
Client rollover its retirement plan account into an account managed by the Advisor. In such instances, the
Advisor will serve as an investment fiduciary as that term is defined under The Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). 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 rollover. No client is under any obligation to roll over
retirement plan assets to an account managed by the Advisor.
At no time will Birchcreek Wealth 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 advisory agreement. Please see Item 12 –
Brokerage Practices.
Use of Independent Managers - Birchcreek Wealth will recommend that Clients utilize one or more unaffiliated
money managers or investment platforms (collectively “Independent Managers”) for all or a portion of the
Client’s investment portfolio based on the Client’s needs and objectives. Independent Managers may be
sourced directly or accessed through an investment management platform. In such instances, the Client will be
required to enter into an investment management agreement with an Independent Manager that defines the
term in which the Independent Manager will provide its services.
Birchcreek Wealth serves as the Client’s primary advisor and relationship manager. However, the Independent
Manager[s] will assume discretionary authority for the day-to-day investment management of those assets
placed in their control. Birchcreek Wealth will assist and advise the Client in establishing investment objectives
for their account[s], the selection of the Independent Manager[s], and defining any restrictions on the account[s].
Birchcreek Wealth will continue to provide oversight of the Client’s account[s] and ongoing monitoring of the
activities of these unaffiliated parties. The Independent Manager[s] will implement the selected investment
strategies based on their investment mandates. The Client may be able to impose reasonable investment
restrictions on these accounts, subject to the acceptance of these third parties.
Prior to entering into an agreement with an Independent Manager, the Client will be provided with the Form ADV
Part 2A (or a brochure that makes the appropriate disclosures) of those parties. Birchcreek Wealth does not
receive any compensation from these Independent Managers or Investment Platforms other than Birchcreek
Wealth’s investment advisory fee (described in Item 5).
Financial Planning Services
Financial planning services may be included in an overall wealth management engagement or provided as a
separate service pursuant to the terms of the agreement with the Client. Birchcreek Wealth will typically provide
a variety of financial planning and consulting services to Clients. Services are offered in several areas of a
Client’s financial situation, depending on their goals and objectives.
Generally, such financial planning services involve preparing a formal financial plan or rendering a specific
financial consultation based on the Client’s financial goals and objectives. This planning or consulting may
encompass one or more areas of need, including but not limited
to investment planning, retirement planning,
personal savings, education savings, insurance needs, and other areas of a Client’s financial situation.
A financial plan developed for or financial consultation 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.
In certain circumstances, Birchcreek Wealth may also refer Clients to an accountant, attorney, or other
specialist, as appropriate for the Client’s unique situation. For certain financial planning engagements, the
Advisor will generally provide a written report that contains observations and recommendations. For consulting
or ad-hoc engagements, the Advisor may not provide a written summary. Plans or consultations are typically
completed within six (6) months of the contract date, assuming all information and documents requested are
provided promptly.
Financial planning recommendations pose a potential 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.
Collaborative Consulting Services
Birchcreek Wealth provides collaborative consulting services to Clients pursuant to a written collaborative
consulting agreement. Generally, such services will involve being an educator and facilitator in all matters
relating to the Clients finances. Birchcreek Wealth will work to gather any financial related information deemed
necessary to assist all parties in the collaborative process to come together for a mutually agreeable settlement.
This consulting may encompass one or more areas of need, including, but not limited to the following:
• Preparing, reviewing, and/or updating schedules of your and your spouse’s income, expenses, assets,
retirement benefits, liabilities, and net worth.
• Preparing and reviewing options for property settlement schedules, spousal support, and/or child
support for use during the collaborative Process, including analysis of the financial results and
implications of such options.
• Providing tax related planning assistance regarding payment of spousal maintenance, child support,
and property distributions, as applicable.
• Contacting other professionals as the need arises to assist with other areas of expertise.
• Answering any questions, you have and providing any needed information to help you make educated
decisions about the financial aspects of divorce, including the implications for your financial future.
Collaborative consulting services rendered to the Client will usually include general recommendations for a
course of activity or specific actions to be taken by the Client. The Advisor also may or may not provide written
reports and financial schedules to the Client as needed. Clients should review the written reports or financial
schedules and note any incorrect or missing information through the engagement, to the best of their ability. All
other professionals contacted by the Advisor will be approved by the Client before being brought onto the
collaborative team. The Client will be responsible for any costs relating to the approved other professionals
being involved in the collaborative process.
Collaborative consulting Clients are not obligated to implement any recommendations made by the Advisor and
may or may not maintain an ongoing relationship with the Advisor. Birchcreek Wealth does not provide legal
advice through its collaborative consulting services.
Retirement Plan Advisory Services
Birchcreek Wealth 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:
• Vendor Analysis
• Plan Participant Enrollment and Education Tracking
• Investment Policy Statement (“IPS”) Design and Monitoring
• Investment Oversight Services (ERISA 3(21))
• Investment Management Services (ERISA 3(38))
• Performance Reporting
• Ongoing Investment Recommendation and Assistance
• ERISA 404(c) Assistance
• Benchmarking Services
These services are provided by Birchcreek Wealth, 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 Birchcreek Wealth’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 Birchcreek Wealth to provide 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 – Birchcreek Wealth will develop a strategy that seeks to achieve
the Client’s goals and objectives.
• Asset Allocation – Birchcreek Wealth 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 – Birchcreek Wealth will develop a portfolio for the Client that is intended to meet
the stated goals and objectives of the Client.
• Investment Management and Supervision – Birchcreek Wealth will provide investment management and
ongoing oversight of the Client’s investment portfolio.
D. Wrap Fee Programs
Birchcreek Wealth does not manage or place Client assets into a wrap fee program. Investment management
services are provided directly by Birchcreek Wealth.
E. Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2023 Birchcreek Wealth manages $279,333,739 in Client assets, $267,865,736 of which
are managed on a discretionary basis and $11,468,003 on a non-discretionary basis. Clients may request more
current information at any time by contacting the Advisor.