A. OWNERSHIP/ADVISORY HISTORY
O’Connor Financial Group LLC (“we”) is an Illinois limited liability company formed in July
2013. It was subsequently registered as an Illinois investment adviser. O’Connor Financial Group
LLC is owned by the Timothy J. O’Connor Revocable Trust u/a/d September 13, 1993. Additional
information about Mr. O’Connor can be found under Item 19.
B. ADVISORY SERVICES OFFERED
i. COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL PLANNING WITH INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT,
“COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES”
We offer comprehensive financial planning with investment advisory services that provides clients
with a written financial plan, portfolio management services and up to three annual meetings.
During the three-meeting process we review our 25 financial planning deliverables, which covers
Comprehensive Safety Review, Progress Meeting and the Financial Road Map ® Update. This
process is designed to prepare the client for the upcoming year from a holistic financial planning
standpoint.
A detailed description of our financial planning and portfolio management services can be found
below in this section.
ii. PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
We provide discretionary portfolio management services where the investment advice provided is
customized to meet the individual needs and investment objectives of the client. Through personal
interviews we create a customized portfolio for the client designed by us. Once the portfolio is
constructed, we monitor the portfolio as changes in market conditions and client circumstances may
require.
O’Connor Financial Group LLC manages portfolios according to our Investment Policy Statement,
which all clients sign in addition to an Investment Management Agreement.
In accordance with your investment objectives, we also offer discretionary investment
management services in a management account program through an Overlay Manager as described
below:
Unified Managed Account Program
The Unified Managed Account Program (the “UMA Program”) consists of model portfolios
comprised of individual equity securities, mutual funds and/or exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) to
represent different possible investment strategies for managing your account. Each of these
investment strategies are intended to meet a specific goal. At all times we will continue to be your
financial advisor, with the fiduciary responsibility to you. You will not have a direct contractual
relationship or be in contact with the Overlay Manager, or any other Third-Party Service Provider-
these are all service providers to us which we employ on your behalf.
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Prior to investing in the UMA Program, you will execute a discretionary investment management
agreement with us setting forth the terms and conditions of our management of your investments
within the UMA Program. Depending on the management services you select, you will grant us
discretionary authority to manage your account through selection of an overlay manager (“Overlay
Manager”) and, optionally, a third-party strategist (“Strategist”) and/or third-party managers
(“Managers”; collectively, “Third-Party Services Providers”). If utilized for your account(s), we
will separately provide you with the firm brochure (Part 2 of Form ADV) for the applicable Third-
Party Service Provider(s) which includes information about their services, model portfolios, and
investment strategies. It is our responsibility to monitor the performance of these Third-Party
Service Providers and we will maintain the authority to replace any Strategies and/or Manager
associated with your account(s) when we deem doing so as in your best interest.
Additionally, you will authorize the custodian to follow our instructions as well as instructions
given by Overlay Manager to effect transactions, deliver securities, deduct fees and take other
actions with respect to your account(s).
The timing of trades in your account(s) will primarily depend upon the model portfolio or changes
in the model portfolio and, generally, will not take into consideration how long you have held the
position indicated by the model portfolio-unless the optional tax overlay management services are
elected. Tax Overlay Management is available only to U.S. account holders. By default, accounts
are managed without Tax Overlay Management Services unless specifically elected by you.
Tax Overlay Management Services
Tax Overlay management services are available as an option for accounts utilizing the UMA
Program through the Overlay Manager. If you elect tax overlay management services, the portion
of your fee paid as the management fee on your account will increase. The Overlay Manager will
develop a tax strategy for your account based on the information and instructions provided by us
on your behalf. Tax overlay management services in an investment account offer benefits and
limitations, as described below. The tax strategy developed for you by the Overlay Manager is
provided solely in connection with your account and the Overlay Manager does not provide
general tax planning services. If you do elect the tax overlay management services option, please
consider the following:
• The Overlay Manager will implement tax overlay management services based on the
information and instructions provided by us in your account(s).
• The Overlay Manager does not provide general tax advice, tax return preparation or tax
planning services.
• The Overlay Manager will seek to reduce the overall tax burden of the account while
seeking to maintain the risk and return characteristics of the model portfolios received from
Strategists and/or Managers.
• When providing tax overlay management services to the account, short-term gains are
avoided where possible, but long-term gains are not limited unless you have requested a
mandate to limit realized long-term gains.
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The Overlay Manager will provide tax overlay management services with the assumption that the
Overlay Manager will continue to provide services to the account for an entire tax year. The
termination or removal of the tax overlay management services before the completion of an entire
tax year may result in adverse tax consequences, including without limitation realization of short-
term capital gains. Regardless of your account size or any other factors, we strongly recommend
that you continuously consult with a tax professional prior to and throughout the investment of
your assets.
iii. FINANCIAL PLANNING
We offer modular financial planning services to evaluate a client’s financial situation, goals and
risk tolerance. Through a series of personal interviews we collect pertinent data, identify goals,
objectives,
financial problems, potential solutions, prepare specific recommendations and
implement recommendations.
Our financial planning services include any one or all of the following modules:
Retirement Planning Module – This involves advice with respect to alternatives and techniques
for accumulating wealth for retirement income or advice relative to appropriate distribution of
assets following retirement. Additionally, self-directed retirement assets are evaluated and, where
appropriate, recommendations and assistance are provided. Tax consequences and their
implications are identified and evaluated in general terms. We are not engaged in rendering legal
or accounting advice, have no lawyers or accountants on staff and therefore refer all matters
requiring legal or tax advice to the client’s chosen and properly licensed professionals in these
areas.
Milestone goal planning – This involves advice related to the pursuit of a milestone goal that does
not fall under “retirement planning.” This module can include cash flow planning and
management, risk management, investment management, and tax planning. The Adviser is not
engaged in rendering legal or accounting advice, has no lawyers or accountants on staff and
therefore refers all matters requiring legal or tax advice to the Client’s chosen and properly licensed
professionals in these areas.
Investment Planning/Asset Allocation/ Fund Choice Module – This involves advice with respect
to asset allocation and investment income accumulation techniques. Evaluations are made of
existing investment portfolio and, when applicable, potential investments in terms of their
economic and tax characteristics as well as their suitability for meeting client’s objectives. Tax
consequences and their implications are identified and evaluated in general terms.
Estate Planning Module – This service generally involves a review of assets and liabilities, the
titling of assets and the consideration of trusts. However, we may provide advice with respect to
property ownership, distribution strategies, estate tax reduction, and tax payment techniques as
well as a discussion of gifts, trusts, etc. and the disposition of business interests. Tax consequences
and their implications are identified and evaluated in general terms. The client’s chosen licensed
attorney must be used for evaluation and document creation.
Insurance Planning Module – This includes risk management associated with advisory
recommendations based on the combination of insurance types that best meet a client’s specific
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needs, e.g. life, health disability, long-term care, and others as appropriate.
Education Planning Module – This includes alternative strategies with respect to the complete or
partial funding of college or other post-secondary education experience. Tax consequences and
their implications are identified and evaluated in general terms.
Tax Planning Module – Tax planning is referred to the client’s chosen personal tax advisor. We
may offer advice as to how tax laws may affect various financial decisions, e.g. acquisitions,
pension strategy, investing in new opportunities or consolidation of existing investments, and
individual taxations issues, among others.
Debt elimination – This involves strategies designed to reduce and eliminate debt in a systematic
way for the client. This debt can include mortgage debt, student loan debt, credit card debt, and/or
medical debt, among other categories. This module can be combined with other modules, or
delivered as a stand-alone analysis and presentation. This module will primary focus on cash flow
management, expense management, and asset allocation to eliminate debt according to the client's
goals.
iv. RECOMMENDATION AND MONITORING OF INDEPENDENT MANAGERS
We can recommend that clients authorize the management of all or a portion of their assets by
and/or among certain independent investment managers (“Independent Managers”), based upon
the stated investment objectives of the client. The terms and conditions under which the client
engages the Independent Managers are set forth in a separate written agreement between us, the
client and the designated Independent Managers. We generally render services to the client relative
to the discretionary selection of Independent Managers, and continue to monitor and review the
client’s account performance and investment objectives. We receive an annual advisory fee which
is based upon a percentage of the market value of the assets being managed both directly by us
and by the designated Independent Managers.
When selecting an Independent Manager for a client, we review information about the Independent
Manager such as its disclosure brochure and/or material supplied by the Independent Manager or
independent third parties for a description of the Independent Manager’s investment strategies,
past performance and risk results to the extent available. Factors that we consider in recommending
an Independent Manager include the client’s stated investment objectives, management style,
performance, reputation, financial strength, reporting, pricing, and research. The investment
management fees charged by the designated Independent Managers, together with the fees charged
by the corresponding designated broker-dealer/custodian of the client’s assets, are generally
exclusive of, and in addition to, our investment advisory fee. The client can incur additional fees
than those charged by us, the designated Independent Managers, and corresponding broker- dealer
and custodian.
In addition to our written disclosure brochure, the client also receives the written disclosure
brochure of the designated Independent Managers. We will not recommend an Independent
Manager unless it is properly registered, or notice filed in the client’s state of residence.
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C. TAILORED SERVICES
Our services are individualized to each client. However, generally the only situations where a
client can place restrictions on the types of securities held in their accounts would be clients that
elect to have their portfolios managed with a values-based investment approach. Our values-based
investment approach excludes certain industries and sectors from a client’s portfolio on the basis
of moral and/or ethical grounds. If a client does engage this type of management approach, an
executed addendum to their Investment Management Agreement is required.
D. CLIENT ASSETS MANAGED
As of March 1, 2024, we manage approximately $200,755,410 in discretionary assets and
$1,591,806 non-discretionary assets. We also have placed and continue to monitor approximately
$11,633,121 with third-party investment advisers.