Connected Wealth Solutions, LLC (“CWS”) is an investment adviser founded in 2015, registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and principally owned by Brent Gunderson, Michael Poe, Yvonne Roberts, and Chelsea Hewitt. Ms. Roberts and Ms. Hewitt became owners as of December 31, 2020. Ms. Hewitt and Ms. Roberts are not registered as investment adviser representatives and do not provide investment advice to clients.
Investment Management Services: CWS manages investment portfolios for individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, businesses and qualified retirement plans. CWS will work with a client to determine the client's investment objectives and investor risk profile and will design a written Investment Policy Statement (“IPS”). Please refer to Item 8 of this Brochure for information regarding the types of investment products recommended by CWS.
CWS uses investment and portfolio allocation software to evaluate alternative portfolio designs. CWS evaluates the client's existing investments with respect to the client's IPS.
CWS works with new clients to develop a plan to transition from the client's existing portfolio to the portfolio recommended by CWS. CWS will then continuously monitor the client's portfolio holdings and the overall asset allocation strategy and hold review meetings with the client regarding the account as necessary.
CWS will typically create a portfolio of no-load mutual funds or exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) and may use model portfolios if the models match the client's IPS. CWS will allocate the client's assets among various investments taking into consideration the overall management style selected by the client. CWS primarily recommends portfolios consisting of passively managed asset classes and index mutual funds or ETFs. CWS primarily recommends mutual funds offered by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP (“DFA”). DFA sponsored mutual funds and ETFs follow a passive asset class investment philosophy with low holdings turnover.
Client portfolios may also include some individual equity securities in situations where disposition of these securities would present an overriding tax implication or the client specifically requests they be retained for a personal reason. These situations will be specifically identified in the client’s IPS.
CWS manages mutual fund, ETF, and equity portfolios on a discretionary or non-discretionary basis according to the investment policy selected by the client. A client may impose any reasonable restrictions on CWS’s discretionary authority, including restrictions on the types of securities in which CWS may invest client’s assets and on specific securities, so long as CWS can reasonably implement such restrictions.
Use of Third-Party Sub-Advisers: CWS has retained Buckingham Strategic Partners LLC (“BSP”) to act as a sub-advisor for certain client accounts. Buckingham Strategic Partners shall provide various model asset allocation portfolios (each a “Portfolio”, collectively “Portfolios”) for selection by CWS, and additionally provides trade processing, collection of management fees, record maintenance, report preparation, marketing assistance, and research. Each Portfolio strives to achieve long-term risk and return objectives through diversification among multiple asset classes using investment options available to BSP, which may include, but are not limited to, mutual funds and/or ETFs from DFA, Bridgeway Capital Management, Inc., AQR Capital Management, LLC, The Vanguard Group, Inc., Stoneridge Asset Management, LLC or other providers selected by BSP. Each Portfolio is designed to meet a particular investment goal which CWS has determined is suitable based on the client's circumstances. Once the appropriate Portfolio(s) has been determined, the Portfolio will continuously be managed based on the Portfolio’s goal and BSP will have the discretionary authority to manage the Portfolio(s), including periodic rebalancing. However, CWS, on behalf of its client, will have the opportunity to place reasonable restrictions on the types of investments to be held in the portfolio. Should material life events occur, clients should immediately contact CWS to determine if changes to an account and the allocation of the assets held in the account are necessary.
CWS may also recommend fixed income portfolios to investment management clients, which consist of managed accounts of individual bonds. CWS will request discretionary authority from investment management clients to manage fixed income portfolios, including the discretion to retain a third-party fixed income manager.
The fixed income securities

manager will be provided with the discretionary authority to invest client assets in fixed income securities consistent with the client’s Fixed Income IPS.
The manager will also monitor the account for changes in credit ratings, security call provisions, and tax loss harvesting opportunities (to the extent that the manager is provided with cost basis information). The manager will obtain CWS’s consent prior to the sale of any client securities.
On an ongoing basis, CWS will answer clients’ inquiries regarding their accounts and review periodically with clients the performance of their accounts. CWS will periodically, and at least annually, review clients’ investment policy, risk profile and discuss the re- balancing of each client's accounts to the extent appropriate. CWS will provide to BSP any updated client financial information or account restrictions necessary for BSP to provide sub-advisory services. Though clients can retain BSP’s affiliate directly (Buckingham Strategic Wealth LLC), they would not benefit from the discounted pricing negotiated for these services by CWS.
Clients have the option to purchase investment products recommended by CWS through other brokers or agents that are not affiliated with CWS or its investment adviser representatives (“IARs”).
In addition to managing the client’s investment portfolio, CWS may consult with clients on various financial areas including income and estate tax planning, business sale structures, college financial planning, retirement planning, insurance analysis, personal cash flow analysis, establishment and design of retirement plans and trust designs, among other things. Consultation with clients on these various financial topics is included in the service of managing client portfolios.
CWS does not participate in or sponsor any wrap fee programs.
Employee Benefit Retirement Plan Services: CWS also provides advisory services to participant-directed retirement plans through third party administration services, which are online bundled service providers offering an opportunity for plan sponsors to provide their participants with daily account access, valuation, and investment education.
CWS will analyze the plan's current investment platform and assist the plan in creating an investment policy statement defining the types of investments to be offered and the restrictions that may be imposed. CWS will recommend investment options to achieve the plan's objectives, provide participant education meetings, and monitor the performance of the plan's investment vehicles.
CWS will recommend changes in the plan's investment vehicles as may be appropriate from time to time. CWS generally will review the plan's investment vehicles and investment policy as necessary.
For certain retirement plans, CWS also works in coordination and support with BSP.
Retirement plan clients will engage both CWS and BSP. BSP will provide to the client additional discretionary investment management services and will exercise discretionary authority to select the plan investments made available to the plans’ participants by selecting and maintaining the plans’ investments according to the goals and investment objectives of the plan.
CWS will continue to work with plans to monitor plan investments, provide fiduciary plan advice including regular considerations of the goals and objectives of the plan, and provide participant education services to the plan.
When we provide 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 (“ERISA”) and/or the Internal Revenue Code (the “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 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.
As of December 31, 2022, CWS managed $122,196,484 on a discretionary basis and $0 on a non-discretionary basis.