Firm Profile
CORE Advisory Group, (“CORE”) is a fee-only registered investment advisor that provides asset
management, retirement, and financial planning services as described below. Our home office is in Rock
Hill, South Carolina.
We offer discretionary asset management services on a wrap or non-wrap fee basis. The services included
under a wrap fee agreement will depend on each client’s individual needs. CORE offers wrap services
through LPL Financials’ SWMII Platform. Additional details can be found under “Advisory Platform
Solutions” within this section, fee information in Item 5, as well as Appendix 1.
Our business model includes a network of investment advisory representatives (“IAR”) located in their
own separate offices in various states. These offices also may operate under a separate and independently
owned “doing-business-as” (“DBA”) name other than CORE. These names and logos may appear on the
advisory representatives’ sales and marketing materials and are not owned or controlled by CORE with
the exception of CORE Advisory Group. All IAR’s affiliated with CORE are properly licensed, qualified,
and authorized to provide advisory services on behalf of CORE. All IAR’s are also held to CORE
policy, code of ethics, and subject to ongoing compliance and supervision.
Assets Under Management
Assets under management will be amended at least annually within 90 days of the prior year-end. As of
December 31st 2023, CORE managed $238,224,870 in total regulatory assets under management on a
discretionary basis.
Years in Business
Date of legal formation: October 2019
Initial ADV 2A filing date: March 2020
Principal Owners
The founding members of CORE, Meredith Lee Strosser and William Merritt King, II established CORE
Advisory Group, LLC as a legal entity as of October 2019.
Asset Management Services
We offer discretionary asset management services based on the individual needs of the client, for a fee,
based on a percentage of your assets under management. These services include investment analysis,
allocation of investment assets, quarterly portfolio statements and ongoing monitoring services for the
portfolio.
Understanding your personal situation is very important to the services we provide. Therefore, we will
have detailed discussions with you to understand your current financial situation and investments, goals,
risk tolerance, liquidity requirements, and investment objectives. The investment objective you select,
which could range from income with capital preservation to aggressive growth, in conjunction with
personal consultations, will guide us in managing your account. Once we have determined the types of
investments to be included in your portfolio and allocated them, we will provide ongoing portfolio review
and management services. This approach requires us to review our portfolios on at least an annual basis.
IAR’s of CORE may also be registered representatives of LPL Financial (“LPL”), a full-service securities
broker/dealer and investment advisor licensed under federal and state securities laws, located in San
Diego, California. LPL is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and the
Securities Investors Protection Corporation (“SIPC”). Securities transactions for LPL brokerage clients
are executed through LPL, a self-clearing firm.
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LPL, as a qualified custodian, provides clearing, custody, and other brokerage services for client
accounts. While CORE may assist you in completing the custodian’s paperwork, you are ultimately
responsible for providing the necessary information to establish the account. CORE does not and will not
custody account funds or securities. The approved Custodian will deduct all investment advisory fees,
only upon the appropriate authorization from the client.
You will retain all rights of ownership on your account, including the right to withdraw securities or cash,
vote proxies, and receive transaction confirmations. In addition, you will also have the ability to impose
restrictions on investing in certain securities or types of securities at the time you open the account. In
order to hire us to provide management services, you will be asked to enter into a written investment
advisory agreement with us. This agreement will set forth the terms and conditions of our relationship,
including the amount of your investment advisory fee and what services comprise the fee.
Advisory Platform Solutions
Strategic Wealth Management (SWM/SWM II)
Strategic Wealth Management (SWM) is a comprehensive, open-architecture, fee-based investment
platform. All asset management is offered on a discretionary basis as authorized by the client. In SWM,
in addition to an annual investment advisory fee based on the value of the portfolio, clients pay nominal
transaction charges. In SWM II, also referred to herein as the “Wrap Fee Program”, all transaction
charges are the responsibility of CORE and the IAR managing the account. CORE generally does not
require a minimum account value for this platform. Assets on SWM and SWM II platforms are custodied
by LPL Financial.
Co-Advisory Platforms
On a Co-Advisory Platform, LPL Financial acts as a broker/dealer, custodian, and investment advisor for
a number of platforms provided including Manager Access Select, Optimum Market Portfolios, Personal
Wealth Portfolios, and Model Wealth Portfolios. CORE also acts as investment advisor on these
platforms and is considered the primary investment advisor on client accounts.
Manager Access Select (MAS) & Other Third-Party Management Programs
The MAS program makes the advisory services of third-party management firms (“Portfolio Managers”)
available to clients. CORE will assist the client in determining the investment objective, as well as
selecting an investment strategy and Portfolio Manager for the account. The Portfolio Manager selected
by the client will manage the MAS account on a discretionary basis. The types of securities that may be
purchased by the Portfolio Manager include stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETF’s. A Portfolio
Manager may also hire one or more sub-advisors to manage all or a portion of the MAS account. A
minimum account value of $100,000 is required for MAS, however, in certain instances, the minimum
account size may be lower. CORE will provide the client with ongoing advice and monitoring of the
Portfolio Manager’s services and acts as the point of contact between the client and Portfolio Manager.
LPL also provides research information to CORE, which may assist us in determining which Portfolio
Managers to recommend to clients.
In addition to the account agreement and CORE required disclosures, client must receive a copy of the
Manager Access Select Program Form Brochure.
CORE may also refer clients to a third-party management firm for compensation. Pursuant to Rule
206(4)-1of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, CORE is required to have written agreement with such
parties with respect to solicitation activities and referral fees, and clients referred pursuant to such
arrangements must receive a disclosure document describing the arrangement and must provide written
acknowledgement of receipt of such disclosure document. CORE is compensated by the third-party
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referrals out of management fees received on referred accounts for a specified or indefinite period of time.
This does not increase the management fee incurred by the client.
CORE currently engages AssetMark under this Referral Model. Clients in the Referral Model will
receive the AssetMark Referral disclosure brochure as well as CORE’s disclosure brochure prior to or at
the time of account opening. A copy of the AssetMark disclosure brochure is also available on
eWealthManager.com, via Account Wizard.
Model Wealth Portfolios (MWP)
The MWP program is a discretionary wrap platform offering access to the asset allocation and mutual
funds and ETF selection expertise of LPL Financial Research. The program includes a centralized
rebalancing component fulfilled by LPL Financial.
CORE and LPL both serve as investment advisor and provide ongoing investment advice. Upon opening
an MWP account we will select one or more model portfolio of funds designed by LPL or a third-party
investment strategist based on your investment objective. CORE may also have the ability to change the
Portfolio(s) selected for the account. LPL or the Portfolio Strategist is responsible for selecting the mutual
funds and/or ETFs within a portfolio. LPL has discretion to buy and sell securities in the account
according to the Portfolio(s) selected. A Portfolio Strategist does not have discretion, but instead provides
LPL with asset allocation and fund recommendations. LPL also acts as an overlay portfolio manager in
coordinating the trades in the account. Clients should refer to the MWP disclosure brochure for additional
details. MWP requires a minimum asset value for a program account to be managed. The minimums vary
depending on the portfolio(s) selected and the account’s allocation amongst portfolios. The lowest
minimum for a portfolio is $10,000, however, most MWP portfolios require a minimum account value of
$25,000.
In addition to the account agreement and CORE required disclosures, client must receive a copy of the
Model Wealth Portfolio Program Form Brochure.
Personal Wealth Portfolios (PWP)
The PWP program is a wrap account with mutual funds and separately managed accounts for equities
with access to institutional money managers. LPL has discretion to buy and sell securities in the account
and acts as an overlay portfolio manager. PWP offers a choice of five core asset allocation models along
with incorporating a combination of large and small- capitalization stocks, growth and value-oriented
securities, as well as international equities to further diversity the equity portion of the portfolio. The asset
allocation models can be further customized to focus on a particular investment style or geographic
preference.
CORE and LPL both serve as investment advisors and provide ongoing investment advice. Except as
noted above, IAR’s are limited to providing Models to LPL and do not have discretion. A minimum
account value of $250,000 is required for PWP.
In addition to the account agreement and CORE required disclosures, client must receive a copy of the
Personal Wealth Portfolio Program Form Brochure.
Optimum Market Portfolios (OMP)
Optimum Market Portfolio accounts offer clients the ability to participate in a professionally managed
asset allocation program using the Optimum Funds Class I shares.
Both CORE and LPL serve as investment advisors and provide ongoing investment advice for the OMP
program. There are up to six Optimum Funds that may be purchased within an OMP account: Optimum
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Large Cap Growth Fund, Optimum Large Cap Value Fund, Optimum Small Cap Growth Fund, Optimum
Small Cap Value Fund, Optimum International Fund and Optimum Fixed Income Fund. Upon opening an
OMP account we will select a portfolio for you based on your investment objective. LPL will then
rebalance the portfolio based on the frequency selected. A minimum account value of $10,000 is required
for OMP.
In addition to the account agreement and CORE required disclosures, client must receive a copy of the
Optimum Market Portfolios Program Form Brochure.
Small Market Solution Program (SMS)
Under SMS, LPL Research, a team of investment professionals within LPL, creates and maintains a series
of different investment menus. These menus consist of a mix of different asset classes and investment
vehicles for clients that sponsor (Plan Sponsor) and maintain participant directed defined contribution
plans. The Plan Sponsor is responsible for selecting the Investment Menu that it believes is appropriate
based on the demographics and other characteristics of the Plan and its participants. LPL Research is
responsible for the selection and monitoring of the investment options made available through Investment
Menus (Fiduciary Selection Services). The investment options that are offered through SMS are limited to
the specific investments available through the record keeper that the Plan Sponsor selects. The Plan
Sponsor may only select an Investment Menu in its entirety and does not have the option to remove or
substitute an investment option.
If the Plan is subject to ERISA, LPL will be a “fiduciary” and serve as “investment manager” (as that
term is defined in section 3(38) of ERISA) in connection with the Fiduciary Selection Services. None of
the services offered under SMS other than the Fiduciary Selection Services will constitute “investment
advice” under 3(21)(A)(ii) of ERISA, or otherwise cause LPL or Advisor to be deemed a fiduciary.
In addition to the Fiduciary Selection Services, Plan Sponsor may also select from a number of non-
fiduciary consulting services available under SMS that are provided by the Advisor. These consulting
services may include, but are not limited to: general education, and support regarding the Plan and the
investment options selected by Plan Sponsor; assistance regarding the selection of, and ongoing
relationship management for, record keepers and other third-party vendors; Plan participant enrollment
support; and participant-level education regarding investment in the Plan. These consulting services do
not include any individualized investment advice to the Plan Sponsor or Plan participants with respect to
Plan assets, and LPL and Advisor do not act as fiduciaries under ERISA in providing such consulting
services.
Guided Wealth Portfolios (GWP)
Guided Wealth Portfolio accounts offer clients the ability to participate in a centrally managed, algorithm-
based investment program, which is made available to users and clients through a web-based, interactive
account management portal. Only one Model Portfolio is permitted per account. CORE does not provide
ongoing investment management or trading services for these accounts. Instead, investment
recommendations to buy and sell open-end mutual funds and exchange-traded funds are generated
through the proprietary, automated, computer algorithms.
• A minimum account value of $5,000 is required to enroll in the Managed Service.
• Clients should refer to the GWP Program Brochure for additional information.
Sub-Advisor Mutual Fund Models Program & Managed Account Program
Client assets held in the sub-advisor Mutual Fund Models Program and/or Managed Account Program are
held at various custodians. While CORE may assist you in completing the sub-advisor’s paperwork, you
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are ultimately responsible for providing the necessary information to establish the account. You will
retain all rights of ownership on your account, including the right to withdraw securities or cash, and
receive transaction confirmations. In addition, you will also have the ability to impose restrictions on
investing in certain securities or types of securities at the time you open the account.
You will retain the right to vote proxies within the Sub-Advisor Mutual Fund Models Program and the
Managed Account Programs. CORE is expressly precluded from voting proxies for securities and/or
mutual fund shares held in any account and will not be required to take any action or render any advice
with respect to the voting of proxies. In order to hire us to provide management services, you will be
asked to enter into a written investment advisory agreement with CORE and the applicable sub-advisor.
This agreement will set forth the terms and conditions of our relationship, including the amount of your
investment advisory fee. You will be provided a copy of the subadvisor’s disclosure brochure in addition
to CORE’s brochure and a copy of the advisory representative’s Brochure Supplement.
Mutual Fund Models
CORE offers asset management services through subadvisors, CLS Investments (“CLS”) and SEI
Investments Management Corporation (“SEI”), based on the individual needs of clients. Within these
programs, you will select a mutual fund model created by the sub-advisor that is solely comprised of
mutual funds. We will assist you in selecting a model that is consistent with your investment objective
and goals, and we will help you select a rebalancing frequency for your account. The sub-advisor will be
responsible for rebalancing the portfolio according to their targeted asset allocations. Please refer to the
sub-advisor’s brochure for additional details pertaining to the specific program.
Managed Account
CORE offers a managed account program through SEI whereby SEI develops managed account portfolios
designed to be invested in accordance with the client’s stated investment objective. Under this program,
SEI is responsible for screening, reviewing and selecting the various money managers, individual mutual
funds, and other assets available for selection within the managed account portfolios, with the exception
of the Distribution-Focused Portfolio (“DFS Portfolio”), by the advisory representative and the client.
Within the DFS Portfolio, SEI is responsible for selecting the SEI Funds and other assets and is
responsible for actively managing the client’s account in accordance with the portfolio’s stated
investment objectives. Accounts managed through the MAP program are considered wrap fee accounts
which are charged a bundled fee that includes advisory, brokerage, and custody services. DFS is also
subject to a separate administrative fee that is not part of the bundled fee. Please refer to the sub-advisor’s
brochure for additional details pertaining to the specific program.
CORE Portfolio Services
CORE Advisors have the option of utilizing various model portfolios created and managed by CORE’s
Chief Investment Officer, William M. King. For information regarding Mr. King’s investment
management experience and qualifications, please refer to his Form ADV Part 2B Brochure Supplement,
which has been provided to you along with this Firm Brochure.
Under this service model, the CIO does not generally work directly with the advisors’ retail clients. Each
advisor is responsible for determining their clients’ suitability prior to their clients’ investing assets within
one of these models. Although the CIO will have discretion to buy and sell securities in the account, the
advisor retains full control over the account and is responsible for selecting the investment portfolio that
matches their client’s investment objective.
The types of models offered with the CORE portfolios may include, without limitation, ETF models,
mutual fund models, individual equity models and combinations thereof. Each CORE portfolio is
designated to meet a specific investment objective such as capital preservation, income with moderate
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growth, growth with income, growth, or aggressive growth. In addition, there is the ability to blend
multiple models together to achieve a specific risk tolerance.
The annual program fee for CORE portfolio services is an agreement between CORE and the investment
advisory representative and is typically 25% of the advisory fee assessed on the client account. This fee
is paid to CORE by the investment advisor and is not an additional fee to the client. Although this fee is
not charged directly to a client, this presents a potential conflict of interest for the advisor, as they may be
inclined to assess a higher advisory fee than they would otherwise. Additional details on this fee structure
can be found within Item 5 of this brochure.
CIO Managed Portfolio Services
CORE advisors have the option of working directly with our CIO, William M. King, for client accounts
requiring more portfolio customization and collaborative strategic analysis. For example, assets that may
have large unrealized capital gains will need to be managed over time to minimize potential taxation. For
information regarding Mr. King’s investment management experience and qualifications, please refer to
his Form ADV Part 2B Brochure Supplement, which has been provided to you along with this Firm
Brochure.
The CIO may or may not have direct contact with the client, depending on the level of engagement
requested by the advisor. Although the CIO will have full discretion to buy and sell securities within the
account, the advisor retains full control over the account and remains responsible for determining client
suitability prior to investing assets according to the CIO’s direction and on an ongoing basis.
CIO managed portfolios may utilize individual equities, mutual funds, and exchange traded funds
(“ETF’s) and often more than one type of asset will be present in an investment account. The CIO will
continuously assess each individual accounts asset allocation and, in consultation with the advisor, make
changes to the account to better suit the clients’ investment objectives and risk tolerance.
The annual program fee for this service is an agreement between CORE and the investment advisory
representative and is typically 35% of the advisory fee assessed on the client account. This fee is paid to
CORE by the investment advisor and is not an additional fee to the client. Although this fee is not
charged directly to a client, this presents a potential conflict of interest for the advisor, as they may be
inclined to assess a higher advisory fee than they would otherwise. Additional details on this fee structure
can be found within Item 5 of this brochure.
Retirement Plan Advisory & Consulting Services
CORE IAR’s may assist clients that are trustees or other fiduciaries to retirement plans by providing fee-
based consulting and/or advisory services. IAR’s perform one or more of the following services, as
selected by the client in the client agreement.
• Investment Policy Statement – IAR may assist the plan sponsor in developing or revising the
plan’s investment policy statement based upon its objectives and constraints.
• Service Provider Liaison – IAR may assist the Plan by acting as a liaison between the plan and its
service providers, product sponsors and vendors based solely on instructions from the plan on
investment or administrative matters and shall not exercise judgment or discretion.
• Ongoing Investment Monitoring – IAR will perform ongoing monitoring of investments and/or
investment managers based on written guidance provided by the plan.
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• Ongoing Investment Recommendations – IAR may recommend specific investments for plan
sponsor to consider within the plan or to make available to plan participants (if applicable), and/or
recommend replacement investments if an existing investment is deemed no longer suitable by
the plan sponsor. All decisions regarding investment options to be made available to plan
participants for purchase are the responsibility of the plan sponsor.
• Plan Sponsor/Committee Investment Education – IAR may provide education, training, and/or
guidance for the members of the Plan Committee with regard to plan features, retirement
readiness, plan duties and responsibilities, fiduciary responsibilities and on general investment
product types and strategies.
• Performance Reports – IAR may prepare periodic performance reports, generated through a
CORE approved vendor, to review performance of all plan investment options as well as
comparing to benchmarks.
• Qualified Default Investment Alternative (QDIA) Assistance – IAR may assist client in
identifying an investment alternative within the definition of QDIA under ERISA.
• Education Services to Plan Sponsor – provide training for members of the plan sponsor or any
plan committee with regard to their services, including education with respect to their fiduciary
responsibilities.
• Participant Enrollment – IAR may assist and/or provide resources to assist the plan in enrolling
plan participants in the plan, including facilitating agreed upon enrollment meetings and
providing participants with information about the plan such as terms and operation of the plan,
benefits of plan participation, benefits of increasing plan contributions, and impact of
preretirement withdrawals on retirement income.
• Participant Education – IAR may facilitate individual or group investment education meetings for
plan participants providing information about investment options under the plan such as
investment objectives and historical performance, explaining investment concepts such as
diversification and risk and return, and providing guidance as to how to determine investment
time horizon and risk tolerance. This will not include individualized investment advice for a
particular participant.
• Changes in Investment Options – assist in making changes to investment options under the plan
upon the plan sponsor’s direction. CORE will have no discretion over the changes made or be
involved in trade execution.
• Vendor Analysis – IAR may assist plan with the preparation, distribution and evaluation of
requests for proposals, finalist interviews and conversion support.
• Benchmarking Services – IAR may provide plan with comparisons of plan data such as fees,
services, participant enrollment and participant contributions levels to data from the plan’s prior
years and/or similar plans.
• Assistance Identifying Plan Fees – IAR may assist plan in identifying fees and other costs
incurred by the plan for investment management, recordkeeping, participant education,
participant communication and/or other services provided.
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The plan sponsor is responsible for determining whether or not to implement any recommendations
provided by CORE. CORE does not take discretion with respect to plan assets and CORE does not
provide individualized advice to participants in the plan.
In some situations, where agreed to in writing by CORE, certain specified investment management
services may be provided to plan sponsors. These services include making investment selections and
developing custom model portfolios.
In certain situations, an advisor providing Retirement Plan Consulting Services may also offer his/her
advisory services to participants of the plan under the Participant Investment Advice Program and/or
through Financial Planning Services. In this case, the advisor would be compensated for their services as
advisor to the plan and as advisor to the participants of the plan.
Participant Investment Advice Program
CORE offers individualized investment advice to clients regarding retirement plan assets. Such advice
includes periodic allocation and investment recommendations and monitoring of the client’s retirement
plan account.
In certain circumstances, the advisor may have discretion on the account if the account is held at an
approved custodian with which CORE has an agreement. In these instances, the advisor will access the
client’s account via a login specific to the advisor. At no point in time will the advisor have the client’s
personal login ID and password.
If the advisor does not have discretion over the client’s account, the client is solely responsible for placing
any transactions that may be desired. CORE does not provide ongoing management as part of this service.
In order to hire us to provide these services, you will be asked to enter into a written Participant
Investment Advice Agreement with us. This agreement will set forth the terms and conditions of our
relationship, including the amount of your investment advisory fee. This fee can be assessed as an hourly,
flat rate, or percentage basis.
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.
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• 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
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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.
Financial Planning Services
Financial planning is a comprehensive evaluation of a client’s current and future financial state by using
currently known variables to predict future cash flows, asset values and withdrawal plans. The key
defining aspect of financial planning is that through the financial planning process, all questions,
information and analysis will be considered as they impact and are impacted by the entire financial and
life situation of the client. Clients purchasing this service will receive a written report, providing the client
with a detailed financial plan designed to achieve his or her stated financial goals and objectives. In
general, the financial plan may address any or all of the following areas of concern:
• Personal: Family records, budgeting, personal liability, divorce, estate information and analysis of
household income, expenses, and evaluating/establishing financial goals.
• Tax & Cash Flow: Income tax and spending analysis and planning for past, current and future
years. We may illustrate the impact of various investments on a client's current income tax and
future tax liability.
• Death & Disability: Cash needs at death, income needs of surviving dependents, estate planning
and disability income analysis.
• Education: Analysis of projected educational expenses and approach to establishing savings
initiative to achieve these goals.
• Retirement: Analysis of current strategies and investment plans to help the client achieve his or
her retirement goals.
• Estate: Analysis of financial issues with respect to living trusts, wills, estate tax, powers of
attorney, asset protection plans, nursing homes, Medicare and/or Medicaid and elder law.
• Insurance: Review of existing policies to ensure proper coverage for life, health, disability, long-
term care, liability, home and automobile.
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CORE advisory representatives gather required client information through a combination of personal
interviews and telephone and electronic communications. Information gathered may include a client's
current financial status, tax status, future goals, return objectives and attitudes towards risk. Advisory
representatives will review supporting documents supplied by the client. All recommendations are of a
generic nature. The implementation of any specific financial plan recommendations is entirely at the
client's discretion.
Clients wishing to engage CORE for financial planning services will be required to enter into a written
financial planning agreement, advisory agreement, or wrap program agreement. Typically, the financial
plan will be presented to the client within six months of the agreement date, provided that all information
needed to prepare the financial plan has been promptly provided to the advisory representative by the
client.
Financial planning and consulting services offered by CORE conclude upon delivery of the written
financial plan or analysis. This service does not include implementation of any investment
recommendations.
Hourly Consulting Services
Clients can also receive investment advice on a more limited basis through consulting services. This may
include advice on isolated area(s) of concern such as tax planning, investment planning, retirement
planning, estate planning, cash flow/budgeting, personal financial planning, business planning, education
planning, insurance planning, divorce planning, or any other specific topic. Clients wishing to engage
CORE for consulting services will be required to enter into a written consulting services agreement,
advisory agreement, or wrap program agreement.
Clients will not always receive a written financial plan from CORE when engaging us for consulting
services as it is not required. Consulting services offered by CORE will conclude upon final consultation
with the client. This service does not include implementation of any investment recommendations.
Coaching Services
Once financial planning goals have been identified, you may engage CORE for ongoing coaching. This
differs from the financial planning process in that the wealth coach is engaged to help you make progress
toward your stated goals. Coaching services are intended to assist you in staying on a prescribed plan for
working toward financial goals.
Coaching services can be considered a continuation of the original financial plan, helping to reduce the
frequency of needed financial plan updates, or conducted as a separate service. Client will select the
desired services and determine the stated goal and length of the engagement on the initial agreement.
Coaching services may include one or more of the following areas, as elected by the client on the
coaching services agreement: tax planning, investment planning, retirement planning, estate planning,
cash flow/budgeting, personal financial planning, business planning, education planning, insurance
planning, divorce planning, or any other specific topic.
WealthVision Maintenance
Clients may choose to enter into an agreement with CORE whereby he/she has access to WealthVision
personal financial information and wealth management software. The advisory representative will provide
the client with maintenance services related to the client’s personal WealthVision website, support of the
aggregation function within WealthVision and support and training related to the software. Advisor has
the ability to charge client a small fee, typically $25 per month, for this technology. However, if a fee is
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charged, advisor is required to disclose this fee on the Financial Planning Agreement along with obtaining
client signature for acknowledgement and agreement prior to any fee assessment.
Tax Preparation
Tax preparation and filing is now offered through CORE under the DBA name “CORE Tax Advisors”.
Tax preparation services will be offered to advisory clients as well as non-clients, as a separate and
distinct service from any investment advisory services or associated fees. Clients are under no obligation
to use this service. A potential conflict of interest exists as investment advisory representatives may be
inclined to recommend our services over other providers. CORE has a financial incentive to introduce
clients to their tax service providers rather than seek out potential similar services for a lesser fee. This
conflict of interest is mitigated by a fiduciary duty to act in a client’s best interest as well as providing
pricing transparency. All tax clients will be categorized into one of four groups and provided the
applicable tax fee range based on the complexity of their return, completeness and organization of the
records provided to our firm, timeliness of record delivery, and the filing and packaging expenses
incurred. Fees for service are also outlined on the engagement letter to be signed by the client upon hiring
CORE for services.