Description of the Firm
Weitzel Financial Services, Inc. is an Iowa domiciled corporation originally formed in October of 1969 for general
business purposes. Including our offering investment advisory services since September of 2016, our firm has
operated as a registered broker/dealer since August of 1990, and as an independent insurance agency since
January of 1991. Additional information involving these other activities is described in later sections of this
brochure.
Timothy J. Weitzel is our firm’s President and majority shareholder. Bradley J. Weitzel is Vice President,
shareholder, and our investment advisory firm’s Chief Compliance Officer (supervisor). Additional information
about Timothy and Bradley Weitzel and their professional experiences may be found toward the end of this
brochure.
Description of Services Offered
Weitzel Financial Services, Inc. offers ongoing and continuous supervision of our clients’ investments through
our portfolio management services. We offer both comprehensive portfolio management services
encompassing investment management with the option of financial planning through Charles Schwab and Orion
Portfolio Solutions as well as automated advisory services providing exclusively investment management
through Betterment Securities. We offer financial planning services which provide clients advice on key topics
such as cash flow and budgeting, funding a college education, retirement planning, and risk management, estate
or tax planning, among others. Additionally, we offer automated investment management services as a solicitor
to a third-party administrator (Brinker Capital Investments) and education workshops involving a broad range of
financial planning and investing topics.
An initial interview is conducted by a representative of our firm to discuss your current situation, goals and the
scope of services that may be provided to you. A discussion and analysis will be conducted to determine your
financial needs, goals, holdings, etc. You may be asked to provide copies of the following documents early in the
process:
• Will, codicils and trusts
• Insurance policies
• Mortgage and/or student loan information
• Tax returns
• Divorce decree or separation agreement
• Current financial specifics including W-2s or 1099s
• Information on current retirement plans and benefits provided by your employer
• Statements reflecting current investments in retirement and non-retirement accounts
• Employment or other business agreements you may have in place
• Completed risk profile questionnaires or other forms provided by our firm
It is important that we are provided with an adequate level of information and supporting documentation
throughout the term of our engagement including but not limited to: source of funds, income levels, and an
account holder or attorney-in-fact’s authority to act on behalf of the account, among other information that
may be necessary for our services. The information and/or financial statements provided to us need to be
Form ADV Part 2 – 20240326 Page 5 of 34
accurate. Our firm may, but is not obligated to, verify the information that you have provided to us which will
then be used in the advisory process.
If you wish to engage our firm for its services, you must first execute our client engagement agreement. During
or prior to this process, you will be provided our Form ADV Part 2 firm brochure that includes a statement
involving our privacy policy, as well as a brochure supplement about the representative who will be assisting
you. We will also ensure that any material conflicts of interest have been disclosed to you that could be
reasonably expected to impair the rendering of unbiased and objective advice.
It is essential that you inform our firm of significant issues that may call for an update to your plan. Events such
as changes in employment or marital status, an unplanned windfall, etc., can have an impact on your
circumstances and plans. Our firm needs to be aware of such events so that adjustments may be made as
necessary.
Comprehensive Portfolio Management Services
Our Comprehensive Portfolio Management Service encompasses investment management with the option of
financial planning. This process typically begins with at least one meeting, in person if possible, to develop
investment guidelines reflecting your objectives, time horizon, tolerance for risk, as well as any reasonable
account constraints you may have for the portfolio. For example, you have the right to exclude securities (e.g.,
options, stocks, etc.) at your discretion. These guidelines will be designed to be specific enough to provide
future guidance while allowing flexibility to work with changing market conditions. Since this effort is the
product of information and data you have provided, you may be asked to review it and provide your final
approval. We will then develop a customized portfolio for you based on your unique situation, investment goals
and tolerance for risk.
Depending on your risk profile, goals and needs, among other considerations, your portfolio will involve the
employment of one of our investment strategies as well as either a broad range or more narrowly focused
choice of investment vehicles that are further discussed in Item 8 of this brochure. We manage your portfolio
on a discretionary or nondiscretionary basis (defined in Item 16). We want to note that it will remain your
responsibility to promptly notify us if there is any change in your financial situation and/or investment objectives
for the purpose of our reviewing, evaluating or revising previous account restrictions or firm investment
recommendations.
Following our review and/or plan development, we may recommend that an institutional investment manager
serve your portfolio as a sub-advisor. Prior to making the recommendation, we will ensure the sub-advisor is
registered or notice-filed within your state of residence. Clients may be required to maintain a minimum
account size to be eligible for this service, and certain sub-advisors may require a higher asset-level to invest in
their program. We will inform you in advance of each manager’s minimum investment criteria.
Under this type of engagement, we will gather input from you about your financial situation, investment
objectives, reasonable restrictions you may want to impose on the management of the account, and we will
then provide this information to the sub-advisor. They will invest on behalf of a client account in accordance
with the strategies set forth in their own disclosure documents which will be provided to you by our firm prior to
your employing these strategies. The selected sub-advisor typically assumes discretionary authority over an
Form ADV Part 2 – 20240326 Page 6 of 34
account, and some of these programs may not be available for those clients who prefer an account to be
managed under a non-discretionary engagement or whom may have other unique account restrictions. At least
annually thereafter a review will be performed from both a compliance and performance perspective to
determine whether the selected sub-advisor remains an appropriate fit for your portfolio.
Portfolio Management Services – Orion Portfolio Services
Our portfolio management services option through Orion Portfolio Services offers an investment management
option for simple IRA accounts and more restrictive registrations unable to be held within our automated
advisory services’ platform. The advisor guides clients through the entire investment process from the
completion of an online personal risk tolerance assessment to the recommendation of an appropriate model
portfolio tailored to the client’s specific needs. Clients typically begin the process by developing investment
guidelines, reflecting your objectives and time horizon, and tolerance for risk through an online personal risk
tolerance assessment and providing additional information about their financial goals. Based on the information
provided, the appropriate model portfolio is selected for the client with the help of the advisor. We will
periodically rebalance client model portfolios based upon these stated individual needs, goals and objectives.
Automated Advisory Services
Our Automated Advisory Service is an automated online platform providing exclusively investment management
services by guiding clients through the entire investment process from the completion of an online personal risk
tolerance
assessment to the recommendation of an appropriate model portfolio tailored to the client’s specific
needs. Clients typically begin the process by developing investment guidelines, reflecting your objectives and
time horizon, and tolerance for risk through an online personal risk tolerance assessment and providing
additional information about their financial goals. Based on the information provided, the appropriate model
portfolio is selected for the client through Betterment Securities.
Betterment Securities provides access to a globally diversified, low-cost portfolio of ETFs, execution of securities
transactions and custody of client assets. In addition, a series of model portfolios created by third-party
providers may also be available on the platform. Clients can submit or modify their risk tolerance, investment
objectives and other details for their accounts directly through the online platform. We will periodically
rebalance client model portfolios based upon these stated individual needs, goals and objectives.
Financial Planning Services
Your financial plan may be as broad-based or narrowly focused as you desire. The incorporation of most of all of
the following components allow for not only a thorough analysis but also a refined focus of your goals and
objectives. Note that when these services focus only on areas of your interest, your overall situation or needs
may not be fully addressed due to the limitations you have established. Our firm will present a summary of
recommendations, guide you in the implementation of some or all of them at your request, and we encourage
plan reviews thereafter.
Cash Flow Analysis and Debt Management
A review of income and expenses will be conducted to determine current surplus or deficit along with advice on
prioritizing how any surplus should be used, or how to reduce expenses if they exceed the client’s income.
Advice may also be provided on which debts to pay off first based on factors such as the interest rate of the debt
and any income tax ramifications. Recommendation may also be made with respect to appropriate cash
Form ADV Part 2 – 20240326 Page 7 of 34
reserves for emergencies and other financial goals, and a review of accounts (such as money market funds) for
such reserves, plus strategies to save desired amounts.
Risk Management
A risk management review includes an analysis of exposures to major risks that could have a significant adverse
impact on the client’s financial picture, such as premature death, disability, property and casualty losses, or the
need for long-term care planning. Advice may be provided on ways to minimize such risks and about weighing
the costs or purchasing insurance versus the benefits of doing so and, likewise, the potential cost of not
purchasing insurance (“self-insuring”).
Employee Benefits
A review and analysis is made for the client, as an employee, to ensure they are taking maximum advantage of
their benefits. We may offer advice on employer-sponsored retirement plan or stock options, among other
benefits that may be available to the client.
Retirement Planning
Retirement planning services typically include projections of the likelihood of achieving financial goals, with
financial independence an objective. For situations where projections show less than the desired results, a
recommendation may include showing the impact on projections by making changes in certain variables (i.e.,
working longer, saving more, spending less, taking more risk with investments). If a client is near retirement or
already retired, advice may be given on appropriate distribution strategies to minimize the likelihood of running
out of money or having to adversely alter spending during retirement years.
Education Planning
Reviews involve an analysis of exposures to estate taxes and current estate plans. We may recommend a new
or revised will, power of attorney, trusts and other related documents. Advice might include ways to minimize
or avoid future estate taxes by implementing appropriate planning strategies.
Tax Strategies
Advice may include ways to minimize current and future income taxes as a part of the client’s overall financial
picture. A recommendation may be offered as to which type of account(s) or specific investments should be
owned based in part on their “tax efficiency,” with consideration that there is the possibility of future changes to
federal, state or local tax laws and rates that may impact each client’s situation.
Investment Consultation
Our investment consultation component may involve providing information on the types of investment vehicles
available, advice on stock options, investment analysis and strategies, asset selection and portfolio design, as
well as assisting our client with their investment account if it is maintained at another broker/dealer or
custodian. The strategies and types of investments that may be recommended are further discussed in Item 8 of
this brochure.
Form ADV Part 2 – 20240326 Page 8 of 34
Business Consultation
We are available to assist businesses in a variety of ways to include strategy, practice management, general
financial advice, debt management, as well as assisting them with matters involving coordination with their
financial institution, attorney or accountant.
A broad-based plan is an endeavor that requires detail; therefore, certain variables can affect the time and cost
involved in the development of the plan; the quality of records, complexity and number of current investments,
diversity of insurance products and employee benefits maintained, size of the potential estate and special needs
of the client or their dependents, among others. We may concentrate on reviewing only a specific area
(modular planning) per client request, such as an employer retirement plan allocation, college funding or
evaluating the sufficiency of savings plan. Note that when these services focus only on certain areas of client
interest of need, the overall situation or needs may not be fully addressed due to limitations established by the
client. In all instances involving our financial planning engagements, our clients retain full discretion over all
implementation decisions and are free to accept or reject any recommendation we make.
Third-Party Administrator
Our firm utilizes a third-party administrator,
Brinker Capital Investments, to offer automated Investment
Management Services. Our firm is solely the solicitor and does not have any authority regarding investment
management, portfolio rebalancing or maintenance of the account. If we so choose to utilize a third-party
administrator, all compliance documents and fee schedules may be obtained directly from this third-party.
Educational Workshops
We offer periodic complimentary educational seminar sessions for those desiring general advice on personal
finance and investing. Topics may include issues related to general financial planning, educational funding,
retirement strategies, implications involving changes in marital status, and various other current economic or
investment topics. Our workshops are educational in nature and do not involve the sale of insurance or
investment products. Information presented will not be based on any one person’s need nor do we provide
individualized investment advice to attendees during our general sessions.
Client Assets Under Management
As of the January 2, 2024, the firm’s total value of client assets under managem
ent1 was $238,564,031. These
assets are broken down as discretionary assets of $236,394,191 and non-discretionary assets of $2,169,840.
General Information
Weitzel Financial Services, Inc. does not offer an investment program involving wrapped (bundled) fees. We do
not provide advice to ERISA plan sponsors, nor do we offer legal or accounting advice. With your prior written
consent, we will work with your attorney or accountant to assist with the coordination and implementation of
accepted strategies. Note that these other professionals will charge you separately for their services and their
fee is separate of our advisory fee.
1 The term “assets under management” as defined by the SEC’s
General Instructions for Part 2 of Form ADV.
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