A. Pittsburgh Financial Planners, Inc.
Pittsburgh Financial Planners, Inc. (“PFP” and/or “the firm”), is a Pennsylvania corporation.
Stephen Bierker and Brian Yates are the firm’s principal owners. PFP has been an investment
adviser since 1983, providing investment advisory and financial planning services.
B. Advisory Services Offered
PFP serves individuals, trusts, business entities and sole proprietorships offering evaluation,
recommendations and ongoing guidance with regard to business succession issues, retirement
planning, pension and profit sharing plans, investments, insurance needs, estate planning and
other aspects of personal and business financial planning.
B.1. Financial Planning Services
Clients will receive a written or oral report (depending on the client’s preference) providing a
basic financial plan designed to help achieve their stated financial goals and objectives. Based
on the client’s needs, financial planning services may include (but are not limited to) the
following:
▪ Preparation of a recommended asset allocation that serves to diversify the client's
portfolio among different categories of investments, such as domestic and international
small, medium, and large capitalization securities; corporate and government fixed
income (short-, intermediate-, and long-term maturities); emerging market securities (i.e.,
foreign issuers); real estate investment trusts; and such other alternative asset categories
that are suitable in light of the client's investment goals, objectives, and risk tolerance.
▪ Preparation of a retirement plan that serves to identify whether the client is saving
enough and investing in a way that meets retirement objectives in light of the client's
financial circumstances and risk tolerance.
▪ Preparation of cash flow projections to ensure that the client can meet daily living
expenses and obligations.
▪ Insurance planning to meet the needs of the client, taking into account family, business,
and other financial objectives of the client.
▪ General family office and business consulting:
• Retirement objectives
• Philanthropy
• Estate planning
• Wealth transition
• Business succession and related issues
PFP 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, and a report is prepared covering one or more of the above-mentioned topics as
directed by the client.
B.2. Portfolio Management Services
PFP offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management services to individual
clients. For its discretionary asset management services, PFP receives a limited power of attorney
to effect securities transactions on behalf of its clients.
PFP’s investment advisory services are tailored to the individual needs of our clients, taking into
account a client's personal financial circumstances, investment objectives and tolerance for risk
(e.g., cash-flow, tax and estate). PFP’s engagement with a client will include, as appropriate, the
following:
▪ Providing assistance in reviewing the client's current investment portfolio against the
client's personal and financial circumstances as disclosed to PFP in response to a
questionnaire and/or in discussions with the client and reviewed in meetings with PFP.
▪ Analyzing the client's financial circumstances, investment holdings and strategy, and
goals.
▪ Providing assistance in identifying a targeted asset allocation and portfolio design.
▪ Implementing and/or recommending individual equity and fixed income securities, third-
party money managers, mutual funds, ETFs, and investment limited partnerships.
▪ Proposing changes in the client's investment portfolio in consideration of changes in the
client's personal circumstances, investment objectives and tolerance for risk, the
performance record of any of the client's investments, and/or the performance of any
fund retained by the client.
▪ If the client’s portfolio and personal circumstances, investment objectives, and tolerance
for risk make such advice appropriate, providing recommendations to hedge a client’s
portfolio through the use
of derivative strategies, to generate additional income through
the use of covered call option writing strategies involving exchange listed or OTC
options, and/or to monetize or hedge concentrated stock positions.
In addition to providing PFP with information regarding their personal financial circumstances,
investment objectives and tolerance for risk, clients have the right to provide the firm with any
reasonable investment restrictions that should be imposed on the management of their
portfolio, and to 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. PFP
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. PFP 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.
B.3. Third-Party Investment Management
PFP may offer independent portfolio managers for the selection and trading management of a
customized stock and bond portfolio. Please refer to the third-party manager’s Form ADV
disclosure brochure for the services they offer.
PFP’s Third-Party Investment Management services are tailored to the individual needs of our
clients, taking into account a client's personal financial circumstances, investment objectives and
tolerance for risk (e.g., cash-flow, tax and estate). PFP’s engagement with a client will include, as
appropriate, the following:
▪ Providing assistance in reviewing the client's current investment portfolio against the
client's personal and financial circumstances as disclosed to PFP in response to a
questionnaire and/or in discussions with the client and reviewed in meetings with PFP.
▪ Analyzing the client's financial circumstances, investment holdings and strategy, and
goals.
▪ Providing assistance in identifying a targeted asset allocation and portfolio design.
▪ Proposing changes in the client's investment portfolio in consideration of changes in the
client's personal circumstances, investment objectives and tolerance for risk, the
performance record of any of the client's investments, third-party money manager
and/or the performance of any fund retained by the client.
▪ If the client’s portfolio and personal circumstances, investment objectives, and tolerance
for risk make such advice appropriate, providing recommendations to hedge a client’s
portfolio through the use of derivative strategies, to generate additional income through
the use of covered call option writing strategies involving exchange listed or OTC
options, and/or to monetize or hedge concentrated stock positions.
In addition to providing PFP with information regarding their personal financial circumstances,
investment objectives and tolerance for risk, clients are required to provide the firm with any
reasonable investment restrictions that should be imposed on the management of their
portfolio, and to promptly notify the firm of any changes in such restrictions or in the client's
personal financial circumstances, investment objectives, goals and tolerance for risk. PFP 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. PFP 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.
C. Client-Tailored Services and Client-Imposed Restrictions
Each client’s account will be managed on the basis of the client’s financial situation and
investment objectives, and in accordance with any reasonable restrictions imposed by the client
on the management of the account—for example, restricting the type or amount of security to
be purchased in the portfolio.
D. Wrap Fee Programs
PFP does not participate in wrap fee programs. (Wrap fee programs offer services for one all-
inclusive fee.)
E. Client Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2023, PFP had $80,799,3442 of discretionary assets and $56,256,805 of non-
discretionary assets under management.