The Yanker Group, Inc. is a state registered investment adviser based in Missouri. The firm’s founding member, Scott W. Yanker., formed the firm as The Yanker Group, Inc. in 1984 and registered the entity as an independent investment adviser in 2016. As of February 29, 2024, the firm has $218,604,409 discretionary assets under management. Management Team Scott W. Yanker, CFP® - President & Chief Compliance Officer Scott Yanker began his career in 1984 with Allmerica Financial and transitioned to LPL Financial in 2003. His role at The Yanker Group is to help clients plan and secure their financial future and identify talented financial advisors who may be interested in joining the firm. He specializes in retirement distribution planning and tax planning analysis. Scott W.Yanker, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, provides comprehensive financial planning services that utilize specialists within and outside the firm when necessary. He holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™(CFP®) designations, as well as Series 6,7,24 and 63 registrations through LPL. Carol Yanker - Director of Operations Carol Yanker has worked in the client services and financial services industry for more than four years. Her previous experience was as a sales representative for Chemtech Industries. At The Yanker Group, Carol is responsible for assisting with compliance follow-through, audits, hiring and training, and general office supervision. She received a BS in business administration from Southeast Missouri State University. The Firm The Yanker Group provides fee based discretionary or non-discretionary investment advisory services for compensation primarily to individual clients and high-net worth individuals as well as corporate clients based on their individual goals, objectives, time horizon, and risk tolerance of each client. Discretionary authority, if granted, means that The Yanker Group makes all decisions to buy, sell or hold securities, cash or other investments in your managed account without consulting with you before implementing such transactions. You must provide advance written authorization to grant The Yanker Group discretionary authority. You have the ability to place reasonable restrictions on the types of investments that may be purchased in an account. You may also place reasonable limitations on the discretionary power granted to us so long as the limitations are specifically set forth or included as an attachment to the client agreement. Portfolio management services include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Investment strategy • Investment policy
• Asset allocation • Asset selection
• Risk tolerance • Regular portfolio monitoring Investment advisor representatives of The Yanker Group tailor advisory services to your individual needs. Wrap Fee Program A wrap fee program is an advisory program under which a single fee, not based directly upon transactions in a client’s account, is charged for investment advisory services (which may include portfolio management or advice concerning the selection of other investment advisors) and the execution of client transactions. Please see the Appendix-1 for additional information about The Yanker Group wrap fee brochure. Asset Management Strategic Wealth Management Strategic Wealth Management (SWM) is the name of a custodial account offered through LPL Financial to support investment advisory services provided by The Yanker Group. Strategic Wealth Management is a comprehensive, open-architecture platform that allows investment advisor representatives to provide advice on the purchase and sale of various types of investments including access to more than 8,000 no-load and load waived mutual funds and more than 350 fund families as well as stocks, bonds, ETFs, UITs, al ternative investments, options, fund of hedge funds and managed futures. Fee-based variable annuities are also available. Strategic Wealth Management is available as a wrap fee program or as a non-wrap fee program.
• There is no account minimum. Optimum Market Portfolios Program (OMP) The Optimum Market Portfolios (OMP) program offers clients the ability to participate in a professionally managed asset allocation program. The Yanker Group will obtain the necessary financial data from each client and then select the proper fund portfolio program. The underlying assets are managed consistent with the portfolio program objectives without regard for particular clients of The Yanker Group. The advisory services provided by The Yanker Group is to allocate and manage a client’s investment within the appropriate portfolio.
• A minimum account value of $10,000 is required for OMP. Model Wealth Portfolios Program (MWP) Model Wealth Portfolios Program (MWP) offers clients a professionally managed mutual fund asset allocation program. Investment advisor representatives of The Yanker Group will obtain the necessary financial data from the client in order to assist the client in determining the appropriate funds to support their investment objective. The underlying mutual funds are managed consistent with the portfolio program objectives without regard for particular clients of The Yanker Group. The advisory services provided by The Yanker Group is to allocate and manage a client’s investment within the appropriate portfolio.
• A minimum account value of $50,000 is required for MWP. Manager Access Select Program Manager Access Select provides clients access to the investment advisory services of professional portfolio management firms. Investment advisor representatives of The Yanker Group assist clients in identifying a third-party portfolio manager (Portfolio Manager). The underlying portfolios are managed consistent with the portfolio program objectives without regard for particular clients of The Yanker Group. The advisory services provided by The Yanker Group is to allocate and manage a client’s investment within the appropriate portfolio. A minimum account value of $100,000 is required for Manager Access Select, however, in certain instances, the minimum account size may be lower or higher. Financial Planning Services As part of our financial planning services, The Yanker Group, through its investment advisor representatives, may provide personal financial planning tailored to individual needs. These services may include, as selected by the client on the financial planning agreement, information and recommendations regarding tax planning, investment planning, retirement planning, estate needs, business needs, education planning, life and disability insurance needs, long-term care needs and cash flow/budget planning. The services take into account information collected from the client such as financial status, investment objectives and tax status, among other data. Fees for such services are negotiable and detailed in the client agreement. Financial planning is made available to all clients as a comprehensive service that may or may not result in a written plan. The amount of time required per plan can vary greatly depending on the scope and complexity of an individual engagement. A particular client’s financial plan will include the relevant types of planning specific to their needs and objectives such as:
• Retirement – planning an investment strategy with the objective of providing inflation-adjusted income for life.
• College / Education – planning to pay the future college / education expenses of a child or grandchild.
• Major Purchase – Evaluation of the pros and cons of home ownership verse renting as well as buying or leasing a car, for example.
• Divorce – planning for the financial impact of divorce such as change in income, retirement benefits and tax considerations.
• Insurance Needs – planning for the financial needs of survivors to satisfy such financial obligations as housing, dependent childcare and spousal arrangements as well as education.
• Final Expenses – planning to leave assets to cover final expenses such as funeral, debts and potential business continuity.
• Estate Planning – planning that focuses on the most efficient and tax friendly option to pass on an estate to a spouse, other family members or a charity.
• Cash Flow/ Budget Planning – planning to manage expenses against current and projected income.
• Wealth Accumulation – planning to build wealth within a portfolio that takes into consideration risk tolerance and time horizon.
• Business Succession – planning for the continuation of a business in a smooth a transition as possible with the use of buy-sell agreements, key-man insurance and engaging independent legal counsel as needed.
• Tax Planning – planning a tax efficient investment portfolio to maximize deductions and off-setting losses.
• Investment Planning – planning an investment strategy consistent with a particular objectives, time horizons and risk tolerances. Hourly Consulting Services The Yanker Group, through its investment advisor representatives, may provide consulting services on an hourly basis. Such services are offered to all client types and are tailored to the individual needs of a particular client. The financial planning services listed above are also available on an hourly consulting basis. The difference between the services being offered as financial planning or on an hourly basis is the degree of focus. A financial plan is a more comprehensive review and analysis that incorporates the complete financial

situation whereas hourly consulting focuses on a particular aspect or the smaller more specifics details of a particular financial goal, objective or scenario. The number of hours required per client can be significantly different depending on the exact nature of their financial situation and the unique variables that need to be considered. Consequently, the firm is not able to accurately predict the number of hours required until first gathering certain client specific information. Once the necessary client information is obtained, the firm can then provide an estimated number of hours expected to provide the type and scope of consulting required. Clients will have the opportunity to agree to the number of hours prior to engagement and an obligation to pay. Retirement Plan Rollovers An employee generally has four (4) options for their retirement plan when they leave an employer: 1. Leave the money in his/her former employer’s plan, if permitted 2. Rollover the assets to his/her new employer’s plan if one is available and permitted 3. Rollover to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), or 4. Cash out the account value, which has significant tax considerations Each of these options has advantages and disadvantages and before making a change we encourage you to speak with your CPA and/or tax attorney. If you are considering rolling over your retirement funds to an IRA for us to manage here are a few points to consider before you do so:
• Determine whether the investment options in your employer's retirement plan address your needs or whether you might want to consider other types of investments.
• Employer retirement plans generally have a more limited investment menu than IRAs.
• Employer retirement plans may have unique investment options not available to the public such as employer securities, or previously closed funds.
• Your current plan may have lower fees than our fees. If you elect to roll the assets to an IRA that is subject to our management, we will charge you an asset-based fee as set forth in the agreement you executed with our firm. This practice presents a conflict of interest because Investment Advisor Representatives have an incentive to recommend a rollover to you for the purpose of generating fee-based compensation rather than solely based on your needs. You are under no obligation, contractually or otherwise, to complete the rollover. Moreover, if you do complete the rollover, you are under no obligation to have the assets in an IRA managed by our firm. Many employers permit former employees to keep their retirement assets in their company plan. Also, current employees can sometimes move assets out of their company plan before they retire or change jobs. In determining whether to complete the rollover to an IRA, and to the extent the following options are available, you should consider the costs and benefits of each. An employee will typically be investing only in mutual funds, you should understand the cost structure of the share classes, available in your employer's retirement plan and how the costs of those share classes compare with those available in an IRA. Clients should understand the various products and services they might take advantage of at an IRA provider and the potential costs of those products and services.
• Our strategy may have higher risk than the option(s) provided to you in your plan.
• Your current plan may also offer financial advice.
• If you keep your assets titled in a 401k or retirement account, participants could potentially delay their required minimum distribution beyond age.
• A 401(k) may offer more liability protection than a rollover IRA; each state may vary.
• Participants may be able to take out a loan on your 401k, but not from an IRA.
• IRA assets can be accessed any time; however, distributions are subject to ordinary income tax and may also be subject to a 10% early distribution penalty unless they qualify for an exception such as disability, higher education expenses or the purchase of a home.
• If company stock is owned in a plan, participants may be able to liquidate those shares at a lower capital gains tax rate.
• Plans may allow Advisor to be hired as the manager and keep the assets titled in the plan name. Generally, federal law protects assets in qualified plans from creditors. Since 2005, IRA assets have been generally protected from creditors in bankruptcies. However, there can be some exceptions to the general rules so you should consult with an attorney if you are concerned about protecting your retirement plan assets from creditors. It is important to understand the differences between these types of accounts and to decide whether a rollover is the best option. Prior to proceeding, if you have questions contact your Investment Adviser Representative, or call our main number as listed on the cover page of this brochure. When Advisor provides investment advice to you regarding your 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 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 our services; and
• Give you basic information about conflicts of interest. Advisor also provides educational services to retirement plan participants with assets that could potentially be rolled-over to an IRA advisory account. Education is based on a particular Client’s financial circumstances and best interests. Again, Advisor has an incentive to recommend such a rollover based on the compensation received, which is mitigated by the fiduciary duty to act in a Client’s best interest and acting accordingly. Other Considerations Neither the firm nor any investment advisor representative are registered or have an application pending to register, as a futures commission merchant, commodity pool operator, a commodity trading advisor, or a representative of the foregoing. Advisory agreements may not be assigned or transferred in any manner by any party without the written consent of all parties receiving or rendering services hereunder, provided that Advisor may assign an agreement upon consent of the client. An advisory agreement may be terminated by any party effective upon receipt of written notice to the other parties. The client will be entitled to a prorated refund of any pre-paid quarterly Account Fee based upon the number of days remaining in the quarter after the Termination Date. Clients need to understand that in the event of death or incapacity during the term of an advisory agreement, the authority of The Yanker Group under an advisory agreement shall remain in full force and effect until such time as The Yanker Group is notified otherwise in writing by the authorized representative of client or client’s estate. Termination of an advisory agreement will not affect the liabilities or obligations of the parties from transactions initiated prior to termination. Conflicts of Interest When dealing with investment advisory clients and services, investment adviser representatives have an affirmative duty of care, loyalty, honesty and good faith to act in the best interests of its clients. Investment adviser representatives should fully disclose all material facts concerning any conflict that does arise with these clients and should avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest.
• A conflict exists between the interests of the investment adviser and the interests of the client.
• The client is under no obligation to act upon the investment adviser's recommendation.
• If the client elects to act on any of the recommendations, the client is under no obligation to affect the transaction through the investment adviser.
• The recommendation that a client purchase a commission product from LPL Financial presents a conflict of interest, as the receipt of commissions provides an incentive to recommend investment products based on commissions received, rather than on a particular client’s need.
• No client is under any obligation to purchase any commission products from LPL Financial. The Firm and IARs must abide by honest and ethical business practices including, but not be limited to:
• Not inducing trading in a client's account that is excessive in size or frequency in view of the financial resources and character of the account;
• Making recommendations with reasonable grounds to believe that they are appropriate based on the information furnished by the client;
• Placing discretionary orders only after obtaining client’s written trading authorization contained within the advisory agreement or via separate amendment;
• Not borrowing money or securities from, or lending money or securities to a client;
• Not placing an order for the purchase or sale of a security if the security is not registered, or the security or transaction is not exempt from registration in the specific state. The firm’s Chief Compliance Officer, Scott Yanker, is available to address any questions that a client or prospective client may have regarding conflicts of interest.