A. Ownership/Advisory History
Copper Beech Financial Group, LLC (“CBFG” and/or “the firm”), is a limited liability company
organized in the state of New Jersey. The firm was formed in December 2009, and the principal
owner is CB Tree Holdings. Castle Reinsurance controls CB Tree Holdings. John Parise is the CEO
of CBFG, and Michael Parise is the CCO of CBFG.
B. Advisory Services Offered
Portfolio Management Services
CBFG offers ongoing portfolio management services based on the individual goals, objectives,
time horizon, and risk tolerance of each client. CBFG creates an Investment Policy Statement for
each client, which outlines the client’s current situation (income, tax levels, and risk tolerance
levels) and then constructs a plan to aid in the selection of a portfolio that matches each client's
specific situation. Portfolio management services include, but are not limited to, the following:
Investment strategy Personal investment policy
Asset allocation Asset selection
Risk tolerance Regular portfolio monitoring
CBFG evaluates the current investments of each client with respect to their risk tolerance levels
and time horizon. CBFG will request discretionary authority from clients in order to select
securities and execute transactions without permission from the client prior to each transaction.
Risk tolerance levels are documented in the Investment Policy Statement, which is given to each
client.
CBFG seeks to provide that investment decisions are made in accordance with the fiduciary
duties owed to its accounts and without consideration of CBFG’s economic, investment or other
financial interests. To meet its fiduciary obligations, CBFG attempts to avoid, among other
things, investment or trading practices that systematically advantage or disadvantage certain
client portfolios, and accordingly, CBFG’s policy is to seek fair and equitable allocation of
investment opportunities/transactions among its clients to avoid favoring one client over
another over time. It is CBFG’s policy to allocate investment opportunities and transactions it
identifies as being appropriate and prudent, including initial public offerings ("IPOs") and other
investment opportunities that might have a limited supply, among its clients on a fair and
equitable basis over time.
For its discretionary asset management services, CBFG receives a limited power of attorney to
effect securities transactions on behalf of its clients that include securities and strategies
described in Item 8 of this brochure.
CBFG’s discretionary asset management services are predicated on the client's investment
objectives, goals, tolerance for risk, and other personal and financial circumstances. CBFG will
analyze each client's current investments, investment objectives, goals, age, time horizon,
financial circumstances, investment experience, investment restrictions and limitations, and risk
tolerance and implement a portfolio consistent with such investment objectives, goals, risk
tolerance and related financial circumstances. In addition, CBFG may utilize third-party software
to analyze individual security holdings and separate account managers utilized within the client’s
portfolio.
Clients have the right to provide the firm with any reasonable investment restrictions that should
be imposed on the management of their portfolio (to be noted on the client agreement), and
should promptly notify the firm in writing of any changes in such restrictions or in the client's
personal financial circumstances, investment objectives, goals and tolerance for risk. CBFG will
remind clients of their obligation to inform the firm of any such changes or any restrictions that
should be imposed on the management of the client’s account. CBFG will also contact clients at
least annually to determine whether there have been any changes in a client's personal financial
circumstances, investment objectives and tolerance for risk.
Financial Audit Services
We will conduct an initial analysis of your current financial circumstances, assets, liabilities,
current and projected sources of income, business goals, and related matters. As part of these
services, we will provide you an initial report to summarize and analyze your assets, cash flow
projections, and considerations related to risk management and general tax considerations and
other initial observations. Please see Item 5 for information on fees for these services.
As part of the financial audit services, we will not make specific recommendations or advice to
the client, and any advice or recommendations intended to be tailored to the client will only be
provided if we are engaged to provide additional services to the client. Based on, or together
with, the Financial Audit Services, the client may elect to engage us to perform and provide
other services identified in the client agreement. Information evaluated as part of the audit
include the following:
Balance Sheet & Net Worth Statement
• Asset projections
Business Succession Observations
• Buy/Sell Agreement Review
Investment Portfolio Observations
• Review of current portfolio
• Review risk/reward profile
• Review of current allocation
• Review sector analysis
Cash Flow
• Budgeting and cash flow analysis
• One Retirement cash flow projection
Risk Management
• Review annuities
• Life insurance analysis
• Disability analysis
• Long-term care analysis
• Property & casualty analysis
Family Governance & Succession
Estate Planning
• Review of existing estate documents
• Probate avoidance
• Asset protection analysis
• Projected estate tax liability
• Death tax funding
• IRC Section 6166 analysis
Third-Party Money Managers
As part of our investment advisory services, we may recommend a third-party money manager
to manage a portion of the client's investment portfolio. Factors we take into consideration
when making our recommendation include, but are not limited to, the third-party manager’s
performance, investment strategies, methods of analysis, advisory fees and other fees, assets
under management, and the client's financial objectives and risk tolerance. We would generally
retain authority to hire/fire the third-party manager, and we regularly monitor the performance
of the manager to ensure its management and investment style remain aligned with the client's
objectives and risk tolerance. CBFG continuously manages any third-party manager relationship
and continuously monitors the client's account(s) for performance metrics and adherence to the
client's ISP. Each third-party manager maintains a separate disclosure document that will be
provided directly to the client by CBFG. The client should carefully review the third-party
manager’s disclosure document for information regarding fees, risks and investment strategies,
and conflicts of interest. The third-party manager will charge fees to the client, which fees will be
in addition to the fees charged by CBFG.
Financial Planning
CBFG provides personalized, confidential financial planning. Advice is provided through
consultation with the client. CBFG gathers required information through in-depth personal
interviews and questionnaires. Information gathered includes a client's current financial status,
investment objectives, future goals, and attitudes toward risk. Related documents supplied by
the client are carefully reviewed.
Clients will receive a comprehensive written plan that will outline general recommendations for
a course of activity or specific actions to be taken by the clients. Based on the client’s needs,
financial planning services generally include any or all of the following:
Income Tax Management & Analysis
Retirement Planning
Employee Benefits Planning
Cash Flow Planning
Risk Management; Insurance Evaluation
Investment Planning; Portfolio Evaluation and Asset Allocation Planning
Higher Education Planning
Estate Planning
Business Financial Planning
Meeting(s) with Third-Party Professional Advisors
Family Office Services
CBFG provides a suite of family office services as applicable to each client’s personal and
financial circumstances. Clients may choose one or all of the following services:
Next Generation Advice General Family Office Services
• Advanced Estate Planning & Design
• Asset Protection Planning
• Business Succession Planning &
Design
• Investment Account Analysis/
Oversight
• Investment Manager Due Diligence
• Life Insurance Audit & Policy Design
• Year-End Tax Planning with CPA
• Personal Cash Flow Management
• Philanthropic Planning
• Special Needs Planning
• Personal/Business Risk Management
• Nationwide Advisor Network
• Family Advisor Collaboration
• Multi-generational Advisor
• Capital Sourcing & Management
• Family Mission Statements Creation
• Family Legacy Letters Creation
• Family Governance Creation
• Family Investment Policy Statements
• Annual Intergenerational Family
Meetings
• Ongoing Asset Monitoring
• Project Task Management
• Quarterly Meetings & Reports
• Annual Educational Symposium
Ongoing Consulting Services
CBFG may contract with clients to provide consulting services on various topics. CBFG will
acquire information concerning the client’s assets, liabilities, present and future foreseeable
obligations, present and future income requirements, client’s desired financial goals and client’s
tolerance for risk as well as any other information that is applicable.
C. Client-Tailored Services and Client-Imposed Restrictions
CBFG will tailor a program for each individual client. This will include an interview session to get
to know the client’s specific needs and requirements as well as a plan that will be executed by
CBFG on behalf of the client. CBFG may use model allocations together with a specific set of
recommendations for each client based on their personal restrictions, needs, and targets. Clients
may impose restrictions in investing in certain securities or types of securities in accordance with
their values or beliefs. However, if the restrictions prevent CBFG from properly servicing the
client account, or if the restrictions would require CBFG to deviate from its standard suite of
services, CBFG reserves the right to end the relationship.
D. Wrap Fee Programs
CBFG does not participate in wrap fee programs, where brokerage commissions and transaction
costs are included in the asset-based fee charged to the client.
E. Client Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2023, CBFG managed $112,554,400 of discretionary assets and $0 of non-
discretionary assets.