A. TKG Advisors, LLC dba Kotys Wealth Professionals (“KWP”) was founded in
2013. Wesley Kotys is KWP’s Founder and serves as its Chief Executive Officer
and Chief Compliance Officer. Mr. Kotys is also the sole trustee of KWP’s
owner, the Wesley M. Kotys Revocable Trust dated April 5, 2023.
B. As discussed below, KWP provides investment supervisory services, also
known as asset management services, and to the extent specifically requested
by a client, furnishes financial planning and investment advice through
consultations.
ASSET MANAGEMENT
KWP offers discretionary and non-discretionary asset management services
to advisory clients on a fee basis. The client can also engage KWP to provide
services limited to the management of the investment sub accounts of variable
annuity products previously purchased by the client on a fee basis.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES
The client can engage KWP to provide discretionary or non-discretionary
investment advisory services on a fee basis. KWP’s annual investment
advisory fee is based upon a percentage (%) of the market value of the assets
placed under KWP’s management. Before engaging KWP to provide
investment advisory services, clients are required to enter into an Investment
Advisory Agreement with KWP setting forth the terms and conditions of the
engagement (including termination), describing the scope of the services to be
provided, and the fee that is due from the client.
KWP’s annual investment advisory fee shall include investment advisory
services, and, for clients with assets under KWP’s management exceeding
$500,000, financial planning and consulting services. For clients with less than
$500,000 in assets under KWP’s management, KWP may determine to charge
a $750 minimum planning fee in addition to the client’s standard investment
advisory fee, if the client elects to receive such financial planning and/or
consulting services. In the event that the client requires extraordinary
planning and/or consultation services (to be determined in the sole discretion
of KWP), KWP may determine to charge for such additional services pursuant
to a stand-alone Financial Planning Agreement (see below).
Please Note: KWP believes that it is important for the client to address
financial planning issues on an ongoing basis. KWP’s advisory fee, as set forth
at Item 5 below, will remain the same regardless of whether or not the client
determines to address financial planning issues with KWP.
To commence the investment advisory process, an investment adviser
representative will first ascertain each client’s investment objectives and then
allocate and/or recommend that the client allocate investment assets
consistent with the designated investment objectives. Once allocated, KWP
provides ongoing monitoring and review of account performance and asset
allocation as compared to client investment objectives, and may rebalance
and/or may recommend that clients rebalance accounts as necessary based on
such reviews.
CASH MANAGEMENT
Clients may also engage KWP to provide cash management services. KWP’s
annual fee for cash management services is based upon a percentage (%) of
the market value of the assets placed in the cash management program, in
accordance with the client’s Cash Management Agreement.
KWP shall generally invest cash management assets in short term bonds,
exchange-traded funds, certificates of deposit (CDs), United States Treasuries,
structured notes, and mutual funds. KWP imposes a $100,000 minimum
investment for cash management services, which asset minimum may be
waived or reduced by KWP, at its sole discretion.
VARIABLE ANNUITY MANAGEMENT
The client can also engage KWP to provide investment advisory services
through its Variable Annuity Management Program (the “VA Program”). Under
the VA Program, KWP allocates client investment assets on a fee basis, among
the investment subaccounts of variable annuity products previously
purchased by the client. Once allocated, KWP provides ongoing monitoring
and review of subaccount performance, asset allocation, and client investment
objectives.
ERISA PLAN SERVICES
KWP provides service to qualified and non-qualified retirement plans
including 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, pension and profit sharing plans, cash
balance plans, and deferred compensation plans. KWP may act as either:
ERISA 3(21) Fiduciary. KWP typically acts as a 3(21) fiduciary that can advise,
help and assist plan sponsors with their investment decisions. The plan
sponsor is still ultimately responsible for the decisions made in their plan,
though using KWP can help mitigate that plan sponsor’s liability by following
a diligent process.
ERISA 3(38) Investment Manager. KWP can also act as an ERISA 3(38)
Investment Manager in which it has discretionary management and control of
a given retirement plan’s assets. KWP would then become solely responsible
and liable for the selection, monitoring and replacement of the plan’s
investment options and, to the extent requested by the plan, the ongoing
management of discretionary investment allocation models made available to
plan participants. In such engagements, KWP will serve as an investment
fiduciary as that term is defined under ERISA. KWP will generally provide
services on an “assets under management” fee basis per the terms and
conditions of an Investment Advisory Agreement between the Plan and the
Firm.
QUALIFIED PLAN CONSULTING SERVICES
KWP offers Qualified Plan Consulting Services to individuals relative to 401(k)
plan assets maintained by the client in conjunction with the retirement plan
established by the client’s employer. KWP will meet with the client for
information gathering initially and then every quarter thereafter for review
and recommendations. Every quarter, KWP will review the investment
options available within the plan and make investment recommendations to
the client based on the investment options available and the client’s financial
objectives. It is ultimately the clients’ decision to execute the
recommendations made by KWP. KWP’s ability shall be limited to the
allocation of the assets among the investment alternatives available through
the plan. KWP will not receive any communications from the plan sponsor or
custodian, and it shall remain the client’s exclusive obligation to notify KWP of
any changes in investment alternatives, restrictions, etc. pertaining to the
retirement account.
FINANCIAL PLANNING AND CONSULTING
KWP offers financial consulting on specific topics or as a plan for an hourly fee
described in Item 5 below.
Goal Specific Planning
For a modular or goal specific plan, the client may select any one of the
following financial planning modules at an hourly fee:
• Retirement Planning
• Succession Planning
• Education Planning
• Estate Planning
• Insurance Planning
• Investment Planning
• Accumulation Planning
• Survivor Needs
• Disability Income
• Long Term Care
• Cash Flow Analysis
• Debt Management
• Tax Planning
• Major Purchase Planning
• Divorce Planning
For a financial plan, the client will receive an analysis on any or all of the above
modules in order to analyze their complete financial picture. In addition,
planning for unique situations such as the sale of a business, managing stock
options, or receiving a windfall/inheritance may be included in a
comprehensive financial plan.
The client retains full discretion to accept or reject any of KWP’s planning
recommendations. If the client elects to act on any of the recommendations,
the client is under no obligation to effect the transaction through KWP.
Financial plans will generally be completed and delivered inside of ninety (90)
days.
MISCELLANEOUS
Limitations of Financial Planning and Non-Investment
Consulting/Implementation Services. To the extent requested by a client,
KWP may provide financial planning and related consulting services regarding
non-investment related matters, such as estate planning, tax planning,
insurance, etc. KWP will generally provide such consulting services inclusive
of its advisory fee set forth at Item 5 below (exceptions could occur based upon
assets under management, extraordinary matters, special projects, stand-
alone planning engagements, etc. for which KWP may charge a separate or
additional fee). Please Note: KWP believes that it is important for the client to
address financial planning issues on an ongoing basis. KWP’s advisory fee, as
set forth at Item 5 below, will remain the same regardless of whether or not
the client determines to address financial planning issues with KWP. KWP
does not serve as a law firm, accounting firm, or insurance agency, and no
portion of KWP’s services should be construed as legal, accounting, or
insurance implementation services. Accordingly, KWP does not prepare estate
planning documents, tax returns, nor does it offer or sell insurance products.
To the extent requested by a client, KWP may recommend the services of other
professionals for certain non-investment implementation purposes (i.e.
attorneys, accountants, insurance agents, etc.), including KWP’s
representatives acting in their capacity as licensed insurance agents (See
disclosure at Item 10.C below) . Clients are reminded that they are under no
obligation to engage the services of any such recommended professional. The
client retains absolute discretion over all such implementation decisions and
is free to accept or reject any recommendation made by KWP or its
representatives. Also, the recommendation by KWP that a client consider the
purchase of an insurance product from a KWP representative presents a
potential conflict of interest, however, this conflict of interest is mitigated
where KWP representatives do not sell insurance commission-based
products. Please Note: If the client engages any unaffiliated professional,
recommended or otherwise, and a dispute arises thereafter relative to such
engagement, the client agrees to seek recourse exclusively from and against
the engaged professional. At all times, the engaged licensed professional(s)
(i.e., attorney, accountant, insurance agent, etc.), and not KWP, shall be
responsible for the quality and competency of the services provided.
Custodian Charges-Additional Fees. As discussed below at Item 12 below,
when requested to recommend a broker-dealer/custodian for client accounts,
KWP generally recommends that Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (“Schwab”) serve
as the broker-dealer/custodian for client investment management assets.
Broker-dealers such as Schwab charge brokerage commissions, transaction,
and/or other type fees for effecting certain types of securities transactions
(i.e., including transaction fees for certain mutual funds, and mark-ups and
mark-downs charged for fixed income transactions, etc.). The types of
securities for which transaction fees, commissions, and/or other type fees (as
well as the amount of those fees) shall differ depending upon the broker-
dealer/custodian (while certain custodians, including Schwab, do not
currently charge fees on individual equity or ETF transactions, others do).
Please Note: there can be no assurance that Schwab will not change its
transaction fee pricing in the future. Please Also Note: Schwab may also assess
fees to clients who elect to receive trade confirmations and account statements
by regular mail rather than electronically. When beneficial to the client,
individual fixed-income and/or equity transactions may be effected through
broker-dealers with whom KWP and/or the client have entered into
arrangements for prime brokerage clearing services, including effecting
certain client transactions through other SEC registered and FINRA member
broker-dealers (in which event, the client generally will incur both the
transaction fee charged by the executing broker-dealer and a “trade-away” fee
charged by Schwab). These fees/charges are in addition to KWP’s investment
advisory fee at Item 5 below. KWP does not receive any portion of these
fees/charges. ANY QUESTIONS: KWP’s Chief Compliance Officer remains
available to address any questions that a client or prospective client may have
regarding the above.
Data Aggregation Platforms. KWP, in conjunction with the services provided
by ByAllAccounts, Orion, eMoney, Riskalyze, and/or other data aggregation
platforms may also provide periodic comprehensive reporting services which
can incorporate all of the client’s investment assets, including those
investment assets that are not part of the assets managed by KWP (the
“Excluded Assets”). The client and/or their other advisors that maintain
trading authority, and not KWP, shall be exclusively responsible for the
investment performance of the Excluded Assets. Unless otherwise specifically
agreed to, in writing, KWP’s service relative to the Excluded Assets is limited
to reporting only. The sole exception to the above shall be if KWP is specifically
engaged to monitor and/or allocate the assets within the client’s 401(k)
account maintained away at the custodian directed by the client’s employer.
As such, except with respect to the client’s 401(k) account (if applicable), KWP
does not maintain any trading
authority for the Excluded Assets. Rather, the
client and/or the client’s designated other investment professional(s)
maintain supervision, monitoring and trading authority for the Excluded
Assets. If KWP were asked to make a recommendation as to any Excluded
Assets, the client is under absolutely no obligation to accept the
recommendation, and KWP shall not be responsible for any implementation
error (timing, trading, etc.) relative to the Excluded Assets. In the event the
client desires that KWP provide investment management services for the
Excluded Assets, the client may engage KWP to do so pursuant to the terms
and conditions of the Investment Advisory Agreement between KWP and the
client. The eMoney platform also provides access to other types of information
and applications including financial planning concepts and functionality,
which should not, in any manner whatsoever, be construed as services, advice,
or recommendations provided by KWP. Finally, KWP shall not be held
responsible for any adverse results a client may experience if the client
engages in financial planning or other functions available on the eMoney
platform without KWP’s assistance or oversight.
Client Obligations. In performing its services, KWP shall not be required to
verify any information received from the client or from the client’s other
professionals, and is expressly authorized to rely thereon. Moreover, each
client is advised that it remains his/her/its responsibility to promptly notify
KWP if there is ever any change in his/her/its financial situation or investment
objectives for the purpose of reviewing/evaluating/revising KWP’s previous
recommendations and/or services.
Authorized Agents. In an attempt to enhance services to its clients, KWP has
entered into an arrangement with an unaffiliated registered investment
adviser (G&S Capital, LLC; CRD: 171033) (“G&S”) for the provision of certain
back-office services. Pursuant to this arrangement, certain representatives of
G&S have executed documents to become authorized agents of KWP. This
arrangement gives such G&S representatives the ability to implement trades
on behalf of KWP, at KWP’s direction. Per the terms of this arrangement, no
representative of G&S is entitled to make any investment decisions or trades
on behalf of any KWP client without prior instruction from an appropriate
KWP representative.
Retirement Rollovers – No Obligation / Conflict of Interest: 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). If KWP recommends that a client roll over
their retirement plan assets into an account to be managed by KWP, such a
recommendation creates a conflict of interest if KWP will earn a new (or
increase its current) advisory fee as a result of the rollover. If KWP provides a
recommendation as to whether a client should engage in a rollover or not
(whether it is from an employer’s plan or an existing IRA), KWP is acting as a
fiduciary 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. No client is under any obligation to rollover or
transfer retirement plan assets to an account managed by KWP, whether it is
from an employer’s plan or an existing IRA.
Cash Sweep Accounts. Account custodians generally require that cash
proceeds from account transactions or cash deposits be swept into and/or
initially maintained in the custodian’s sweep account. The yield on the sweep
account is generally lower than those available in money market accounts. To
help mitigate this issue, KWP shall generally purchase a higher yielding money
market fund available on the custodian’s platform with cash proceeds or
deposits, unless KWP reasonably anticipates that it will utilize the cash
proceeds to purchase additional investments for the client’s account.
Exceptions and/or modifications can and will occur with respect to all or a
portion of the cash balances for various reasons, including, but not limited to,
the amount of dispersion between the sweep account and a money market
fund, an indication from the client of an imminent need for such cash, or the
client has a demonstrated history of writing checks from the account.
Please Note: The above does not apply to the cash component maintained
within KWP’s actively managed investment strategy (the cash balances for
which shall generally remain in the custodian designated cash sweep account),
an indication from the client of a need for access to such cash, assets allocated
to an unaffiliated investment manager, and cash balances maintained for fee
billing purposes. Please Also Note: The client shall remain exclusively
responsible for yield dispersion/cash balance decisions and corresponding
transactions for cash balances maintained in any of KWP’s unmanaged
accounts.
Cybersecurity Risk. The information technology systems and networks that
KWP and its third-party service providers use to provide services to KWP’s
clients employ various controls, which are designed to prevent cybersecurity
incidents stemming from intentional or unintentional actions that could cause
significant interruptions in KWP’s operations and result in the unauthorized
acquisition or use of clients’ confidential or non-public personal information.
Clients and KWP are nonetheless subject to the risk of cybersecurity incidents
that could ultimately cause them to incur losses, including for example:
financial losses, cost and reputational damage to respond to regulatory
obligations, other costs associated with corrective measures, and loss from
damage or interruption to systems. Although KWP has established its
processes to reduce the risk of cybersecurity incidents, there is no guarantee
that these efforts will always be successful, especially considering that KWP
does not directly control the cybersecurity measures and policies employed
by third-party service providers. Clients could incur similar adverse
consequences resulting from cybersecurity incidents that more directly affect
issuers of securities in which those clients invest, broker-dealers, qualified
custodians, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and
other financial market operators, or other financial institutions.
Margin Accounts: Risks/Conflict of Interest. KWP does not recommend the
use of margin for investment purposes. A margin account is a brokerage
account that allows investors to borrow money to buy securities and/or for
other non-investment borrowing purposes. The broker/custodian charges the
investor interest for the right to borrow money and uses the securities as
collateral. By using borrowed funds, the customer is employing leverage that
will magnify both account gains and losses. Should a client determine to use
margin, KWP will include the net value of the margined assets when
computing its advisory fee. Please Note: The use of margin can cause
significant adverse financial consequences in the event of a market correction.
Cash Positions. Depending upon perceived or anticipated market
conditions/events (there being no guarantee that such anticipated market
conditions/events will occur), KWP may maintain cash and cash equivalent
positions (such as money market funds, etc.) for defensive and liquidity
purposes. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, all such cash positions are
included as part of assets under management for purposes of calculating
KWP’s advisory fee. In addition, while assets are maintained in cash, such
amounts could miss market advances. Depending upon current yields, at any
point in time, KWP’s advisory fee could exceed the interest paid by the client’s
money market fund. Please Note: In addition to fees attributable to cash
positions within a client’s advisory account, clients who maintain assets in
KWP’s cash management program shall be assessed a fee on the cash
management account value in accordance with the client’s Cash Management
Agreement. ANY QUESTIONS: KWP’s Chief Compliance Officer, Wesley Kotys,
remains available to address any questions that a client or prospective may
have regarding the above fee billing practice.
Non-Discretionary Services Limitations. KWP generally provides its
investment advisory services on a discretionary basis and only accepts non-
discretionary authority in very limited circumstances, generally as a client
accommodation. Clients that determine to engage KWP on a non-discretionary
investment advisory basis must be willing to accept that KWP cannot effect
any account transactions without obtaining prior consent to any such
transaction(s) from the client. Thus, in the event that KWP would like to make
a transaction for a client’s account, and client is unavailable, KWP will be
unable to effect the account transaction (as it would for its discretionary
clients) without first obtaining the client’s consent.
Use of Mutual Funds and Exchange Traded Funds. While KWP may
recommend allocating investment assets to mutual funds and exchange traded
funds that are not available directly to the public, KWP may also recommend
that clients allocate investment assets to publicly-available mutual funds and
exchange traded funds that the client could obtain without engaging KWP as
an investment adviser. However, if a client or prospective client determines to
allocate investment assets to publicly-available mutual funds without
engaging KWP as an investment adviser, the client or prospective client would
not receive the benefit of KWP’s initial and ongoing investment advisory
services. In addition to KWP’s investment advisory fee described below, and
transaction and/or custodial fees discussed below, clients will also incur,
relative to all mutual fund and exchange traded fund purchases, charges
imposed at the fund level (e.g., management fees and other fund expenses).
Portfolio Activity. KWP has a fiduciary duty to provide services consistent
with the client’s best interest. As part of its investment advisory services, KWP
will review client portfolios on an ongoing basis to determine if any changes
are necessary based upon various factors, including, but not limited to,
investment performance, mutual fund manager tenure, style drift, and/or a
change in the client’s investment objective. Based upon these factors, there
may be extended periods of time when KWP determines that changes to a
client’s portfolio are neither necessary nor prudent. Of course, as indicated
below, there can be no assurance that investment decisions made by KWP will
be profitable or equal any specific performance level(s). Clients remain subject
to the fees described in Item 5 below during periods of portfolio inactivity.
Client Retirement Plan Assets. If requested to do so, KWP can provide
investment advisory services relative to 401(k) plan assets maintained by the
client in conjunction with the retirement plan established by the client’s
employer. In such event, KWP shall allocate (or recommend that the client
allocate) the retirement account assets among the investment options
available on the 401(k) platform. KWP’s ability shall be limited to the
allocation of the assets among the investment alternatives available through
the plan. KWP will not receive any communications from the plan sponsor or
custodian, and it shall remain the client’s exclusive obligation to notify KWP of
any changes in investment alternatives, restrictions, etc. pertaining to the
retirement account. Unless expressly indicated by the KWP to the contrary, in
writing, the client’s 401(k) plan assets shall be included as assets under
management for purposes of KWP calculating its advisory fee.
Please Note: Investment Risk. Different types of investments involve varying
degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any
specific investment or investment strategy (including the investments and/or
investment strategies recommended or undertaken by KWP) will be profitable
or equal any specific performance level(s).
Disclosure Statement. A copy of KWP’s written Brochure as set forth on Part
2 of Form ADV, along with the Form CRS Relationship Summary, shall be
provided to each client before, or contemporaneously with, the execution of
the Investment Advisory Agreement or Financial Planning Agreement.
C. Prior to providing investment advisory services, an investment adviser
representative will discuss with each client, their particular investment
objective(s). The goals and objectives for each client are documented in our
client files. Investment strategies are then created that reflect the stated goals
and objective. Clients may impose restrictions on investing in certain
securities or types of securities.
D. KWP does not participate in a wrap fee program.
E. As of December 31, 2023, KWP had $223,430,054 in client assets under
management on a discretionary basis.