SAGE Private Wealth Group, LLC (“SPWG” or the “firm”) is a limited liability company formed under the laws of
the State of Illinois. We have been providing investment advisory services since 2014. The firm's current principal
owners are Khaled Awad Taha and Noha ElShareif-Taha. Currently, we offer financial planning services
personalized to each individual Client.
The following paragraphs describe what we do and what we charge. Each investment advisory service listed below
describes how we tailor our advisory services to your individual needs. Also, you may see the term “Associated
Person” throughout this Brochure. As used in this Brochure, this term refers to anyone from our firm who is an
officer, employee, and all individuals providing investment advice on behalf of our firm. Where required, such
persons are properly registered as Investment Adviser Representatives (“IARs”).
Below is a detailed description of our services:
Financial Planning Services
We offer broad-based financial planning which includes a variety of services, mainly advisory in nature, regarding
management of financial resources. Such management is based upon an analysis of the Client’s individual needs
and begins with an initial consultation. Once we collect and analyze all documentation, we provide a financial
plan designed to achieve the Client’s financial goals and objectives. The plan may be delivered in writing, or in the
form of one or more meeting or telephone consultations. In this way, SPWG assists the Client in developing a
strategy for the successful management of income, assets, and liabilities. In general, financial planning services
may include any one or all of the following, along with any other investment related topic that the client would
like to discuss:
• Cash Flow Analysis – Assessment of a Client’s present financial situation by collecting information
regarding net worth and cash flow statements, tax returns, insurance policies, investment portfolios,
pension plans, employee benefit statements, etc. The firm advises on ways to reduce risk, coordinate,
and organize records, and estate information.
• Retirement Analysis – Identification of a Client’s long-term financial and personal goals and objectives
includes advice for accumulating wealth for retirement income or appropriate distribution of assets
following retirement. Tax consequences and implications are identified and evaluated.
• Insurance Analysis – Includes risk management associated with advisory recommendations based on a
combination of insurance types to meet a Client’s needs, e.g., life, health, disability, and long-term care
insurance. This will necessitate an analysis of cash needs of family at death, income needs of surviving
dependents, and disability income analysis.
• Portfolio Analysis/Investment Planning – We provide investment alternatives, including asset allocation,
and effect on a Client’s portfolio. We evaluate economic and tax characteristics of existing investments
as well as their suitability for a Client’s objectives. We identify and evaluate tax consequences and their
implications.
• Education Savings Analysis – Alternatives and strategies with respect to the complete or partial funding
of college or other post-secondary education.
• Estate Analysis – We provide advice with respect to property ownership, distribution strategies, estate
tax reduction, and tax payment techniques.
• Elder Care Planning – We provide advice with respect to Client matters related to periods of incapacity
and cognitive decline.
• Corporate Executive Planning – Concentrated stock holdings may result from company stock options,
mergers, acquisitions, IPOs, or other events and are an important consideration when doing proper
planning for experienced executives.
The recommendations and solutions are designed to achieve the desired goals subject to periodic evaluation of
the financial plan, which may require revision to meet changing circumstances. Financial plans are based on a
Client’s financial situation based on the information provided to the firm. We should be notified promptly of any
change to a Client’s financial situation, goals, objectives, or needs.
Portfolio Management Services
Our firm offers continuous discretionary and, in limited cases, non-discretionary portfolio management services
to our Clients. Discretionary portfolio management means we will make investment decisions and place buy or
sell orders in your account without contacting you prior to each transaction. These decisions are made based
upon your stated investment objectives. Non-discretionary portfolio management service means that we must
obtain your approval prior to making any transactions in your account.
Our investment advice is tailored to meet our Clients’ needs and investment objectives. Once our firm is hired to
manage a client’s portfolio, we adhere to a diligent process to ensure we gather the necessary information to
meet your financial objectives. This begins with a discovery meeting with the objective of gathering necessary
financial information, followed by determining a client’s financial goals and evaluating risk tolerance for
investments. The information we gather will help us create a financial plan and implement an asset allocation
strategy that will be specific to your goals, whether we are actively investing for you or simply providing you with
advice. We will monitor your portfolio’s performance on a continuous basis and rebalance the portfolio whenever
necessary, as changes occur in market conditions, your financial circumstances, or both. If you retain us for non-
discretionary basis, we will contact you for prior approval before rebalancing.
SPWG mainly uses equity securities, corporate debt securities, municipal debt securities, certificates of deposit,
exchange traded funds, mutual funds, U.S. government securities and options in its portfolio management
programs. When suitable, we may also use private placements and alternative investments. We also advise Clients
on any investment held in their portfolio at the inception of services.
We recommend that you review the statement(s) you receive from the qualified custodian. Please call our office
number, located on the cover page of this brochure, if you have any questions about your statement.
Family Office Services
SPWG provides family office services that are uniquely designed to help families coordinate their multiple forms
of capital using a holistic and collaborative team approach combining the many elements inherent to a successful
life with wealth. Our collective experiences support our belief that a dedicated team of independent and objective
professionals working in collaboration with each other in partnership with the family is the best way to serve
families of significant wealth. Such a relationship enhances SPWG’s ability to advise families on the opportunities
and risks that their wealth presents allowing families to make better, educated decisions.
Initially, SPWG meets with the prospective Client to obtain information about their overall situation. This
information is used to assist SPWG in understanding a Client’s needs and the scope of services that are most
appropriate for the Client’s situation. The family office services SPWG will provide will be specifically described in
the Family Office Services Agreement you enter into with our firm. Additional services beyond the scope of the
Family Office Services Agreement may be provided under separate agreement(s) and may include a separate fee
as mutually agreed to by SPWG and the Client.
Our family office services vary by family and occasionally within families, but may include the following:
• Portfolio Management Services – Includes development of asset allocation, ongoing portfolio
management, and review, including selection and evaluation of investment managers. Further, we may
provide customized performance reporting at the portfolio level and at the manager or specific
investment level. Additional information about our portfolio management services is provided in the
portfolio management services section above.
• Information Management and Coordination – We organize key information and coordinate such
information with the family, the family’s accountant, attorney, insurance agents, and other key advisors.
• Estate, Gift & Trust Planning – We provide explanations, summaries, and illustrations of existing and
proposed estate planning documents and strategies, including recommendations and education on
additional strategies, considerations for making updates periodically and further coordination with
family’s tax and legal advisor(s) to implement agreed upon strategies or updates.
• Income Tax Planning – Includes planning for the minimization of tax liabilities, including asset location,
tax loss harvesting and gain minimization planning, charitable asset selection, facilitation of income tax
payments and coordination with family’s tax advisor(s).
• Financial Planning – Includes planning related to cash flow analysis, capital sufficiency modeling, lifestyle
goals, credit usage, major asset purchases or liquidations, and significant life events.
• Philanthropic Planning – Includes defining philanthropic goals, education on philanthropic vehicles and
strategies for maximizing the benefits of philanthropy across the family and the organizations they
choose to benefit.
• Education – Includes both individual and group-based learning sessions around various planning, tax,
investment
and other topics with an intention of growing not only the family’s financial capital, but non-
financial capital as well. These topics while commonly focused on younger generations are generally
available across all generations.
• Family Meetings – Includes facilitation of family meetings often across multiple generations around
shared ownership, philanthropy, decision-making or shared goals and objectives.
• Assistance with Trust Administration – Includes advice around trustee selection and ongoing guidance,
general understanding of trust purposes and provisions. Often involves education for grantors, trustees,
and beneficiaries on their respective roles and responsibilities.
• Consolidated Reporting Services – Allows the family to customize how their assets are reported by
offering a view across multiple accounts or entities in a single statement and/or to segregate assets
within accounts. This service may include assets not generally managed by SPWG such as closely held
private family assets. Allows the family and their advisors to understand and monitor the total family
balance sheet and provide comprehensive and integrated advice from a vantage point inclusive of the
family’s entire wealth landscape. This may require an additional fee depending on the nature and
complexity of the non-managed assets being reported on. Any additional fees will be mutually agreed to
in advance.
• Asset Protection Planning and Review – Includes review and discussion of strategies that may avoid or
minimize a portion of a family’s balance sheet at risk. These strategies will be evaluated on the benefits
they may provide against the degree and likelihood of loss and the complexity and administration they
may require to achieve such protections.
• Liability Risk Management Planning and Review – Includes advice on a combination of mitigation
strategies including the use of special purpose entities, trusts, and/or various insurance tools. We will
review the family’s assets and liabilities to determine location, titling, and ownership structure. We will
review existing or proposed policies and, after receiving your permission, we may facilitate reviews with
unaffiliated third-party professionals. SPWG does not receive compensation for recommending or
placing insurance nor do we receive compensation from such third parties with whom we may involve
to review your situation.
• Estate Tax Liquidity Planning and Review – Includes determination of estate tax liquidity needs and
determination of potential liquidity sources including asset liquidations and life insurance. We will review
existing or proposed policies and, after receiving your permission, we may facilitate reviews with
unaffiliated third-party professionals. SPWG does not receive compensation for recommending or
placing insurance nor do we receive compensation from such third parties with whom we may involve
to review your situation.
The advice we propose is designed to achieve the Client’s desired goals, which may require revisions to meet
changing circumstances. Our recommendations are based on your situation from the information provided to the
firm. Families may choose to accept or reject our recommendations. We must be notified promptly of any change
to your situation, goals, objectives, or needs.
Donor Advised Fund Services
SPWG provides to clients charitable giving solutions to philanthropic vehicles via the Raymond James Charitable
Endowment Fund®, an independent public charity with a donor advised fund program (DAF). Raymond James
Trust provides investment management and administrative services to Raymond James Charitable, an IRS
approved philanthropic vehicle established for the purpose of managing charitable donations contributed by or
on behalf of donor clients. DAF accounts may choose to use the Investment Advisor Program (IAP) option. This
allows the donor to nominate SPWG to provide investment advice to the investment manager, Raymond James
Trust, for assets held in the account. The DAF allows SPWG to actively manage assets that have been donated to
and are owned by Raymond James Charitable, while charging an investment management fee. The Raymond
James Charitable is an independent company and is unaffiliated with SPWG.
Investment Management of Plan Assets
SPWG provides Retirement Plan advisory services to qualified retirement plans (“Plan”). In providing investment
management services to the Plan, we directly manage and provide advice regarding the selection of the Plan’s
investments offered to participants under the Plan. We monitor the investments and determine the retention,
removal, and addition of investments for Plan assets. The services provided will be detailed in the Plan
Agreement.
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) sets forth rules under which Plan Fiduciaries may
retain investment advisers for various types of services with respect to Plan assets. For certain services, SPWG
will be considered a fiduciary under ERISA. Also, to the extent that the Plan Fiduciaries retain SPWG to act as an
investment manager within the meaning of ERISA § 3(38), SPWG will provide discretionary investment
management services to the Plan.
Fiduciary Services
SPWG provides the following Fiduciary Services:
• Provide ongoing and continuous discretionary investment management with respect to the asset classes
and investment alternatives available under the Plan in accordance with the Plan’s investment policies and
objectives.
• Select a broad range of investment options consistent with ERISA and the regulations thereunder, including
but not limited to, 29 CFR 2550.404c-1(b)(i).
• Develop an investment policy statement (IPS).
• Monitor 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
determine whether to maintain or remove and replace investment options.
• Meet with Client on a periodic basis to discuss the reports and the investment decisions.
• Select a qualified default investment alternative (“QDIA”) for participants who fail to make an investment
election. Client acknowledges that it is responsible for determining whether the Plan should have a QDIA
and deciding upon the type of investment that will serve as a QDIA (e.g., target date fund, balanced fund
or managed account). Once Client has made that determination, we will select the investment to serve as
the QDIA. The Client retains the sole responsibility to provide all notices to participants required under 29
CFR §2550.404a-5.
Non-Fiduciary Services
SPWG will assist with education services to Plan Participants about general investment principles and the
investment alternatives available under the Plan.
SPWG will assist with group enrollment meetings designed to increase retirement Plan participation among
employees and investment and financial understanding by the employees.
General - Advisory Services to Retirement Plans and Plan Participants
As disclosed above, we offer discretionary advisory services to employee benefit plans (“Plan”) and to the
participants of such plans (“Participants”). The services are designed to assist plan sponsors in meeting their
management and fiduciary obligations to Participants under the Employee Retirement Income Securities Act
(“ERISA”). Pursuant to adopted regulations of the U.S. Department of Labor, we are required to provide the Plan's
responsible plan fiduciary (the person who has the authority to engage us as an investment adviser to the Plan)
with a written statement of the services we provide to the Plan, the compensation we receive for providing those
services, and our status (which is described below).
The services we provide to your Plan are described above, and in the service agreement that you have signed.
Our compensation for these services is described below, in Item 5, and also in the service agreement. We do not
reasonably expect to receive any other compensation, direct or indirect, for the services we provide to the Plan
or Participants. If we receive any other compensation for such services, we will (i) offset the compensation against
our stated fees, and (ii) we will promptly disclose the amount of such compensation, the services rendered for
such compensation and the payer of such compensation to you.
Status
In providing services to the Plan and Participants, our status is that of an investment adviser registered under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and we are not subject to any disqualifications under Section 411 of ERISA. In
performing fiduciary services, we are acting as a discretionary fiduciary of the Plan as defined in Section 3(38)
under ERISA.
Wrap Fee Programs
We do not sponsor, manage, or participate in any wrap fee programs.
Assets Under Management
As of March 28, 2024, our firm manages $345,682,289 in client assets on a discretionary basis and $18,759,817
on a non-discretionary basis.
Important Notes:
Information related legal matters that is provided as part of our services is for informative purposes only. Clients
are instructed to contact their attorneys for legal services.
All tax and accounting services offered as part of our firm’s advisory services are provided by SAGE Tax Advisory,
our affiliated accounting practice. Please refer to Item 10 of this brochure for more information about this entity.