Morman, Kaplan, Brilliant and Fransko, LLC dba Four Financial Management (“We”) is a
Michigan Limited Liability Company. We subsequently registered as a Michigan investment
adviser in 2016. Michael Kaplan (“Mr. Kaplan”), Alan Brilliant (“Mr. Brilliant”), David Fransko
(“Mr. Fransko”), and Stephen Morman (“Mr. Morman”) are the co-owners and members of the
firm. Each can act on the firm’s behalf. Additional information about them can be found under
Item 19 and in their attached supplemental brochures.
SERVICES
We offer investment management services on a wrap account basis. The program is titled SWM
II, and it offers us the flexibility to customize a portfolio for each client. Utilizing various
security types and investment strategies, we work with the client to formulate an individualized
portfolio on the SWM II platform based upon his or her objectives, time frame, risk parameters
and other investment considerations. Once we have this information, we create an individualized
portfolio for the client. We regularly monitor the client’s portfolio and adjust it as determined by
the stock market and work events. Strategies employed include;
Asset Allocation - Asset Allocation is an investment strategy that aims to balance risk
and reward by apportioning a portfolio's assets according to an individual's goals, risk
tolerance and investment horizon among various asset classes. The asset classes typically
include equities, fixed-income, alternative investments, and cash and equivalents. Each
class has different levels of risk and return, so each will behave differently over time.
Income – Income strategy prioritizes the objective of dividends, interest and/or
distributions. Portfolios are customized to client objectives and cash flow needs.
Capital Preservation – Capital Preservation strategy prioritizes protection of principal and
reducing downside capital risk.
Tactical Growth - Tactical Growth is an active management strategy in which portfolio
positions are allocated to specific asset classes as a way to increase or decrease overall
portfolio risk and equity and/or bond exposure on a near term basis. The respective asset
classes are determined on a monthly basis, using a proprietary algorithm.
FEES
For our portfolio management services, we charge an annualized management fee based on a
percentage of assets under management. Our management fee ranges from 0.50% to 1.50%. The
fee is negotiable, based on the amount of client assets under management and the complexity and
nature of the portfolio management services. The client may aggregate accounts to negotiate a
lower fee. The management fee is calculated and collected on a quarterly basis in advance,
except for the initial quarter of management.
The initial quarter’s management fee will be prorated for the number of days’ service was
provided during the quarter. However, initial quarter’s management fee will be collected at the
end of the quarter based on the quarter-end account value. Thereafter, the management fee will
be calculated on the account’s previous quarter-end value as reported by the account’s custodian.
In a wrap account, clients pay a single annualized advisory fee for advisory services and
execution of transactions. Clients do not pay brokerage commissions, markups or transaction
charges for execution of transactions in addition to the advisory fee.
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Although clients do not pay a transaction charge for transactions in a SWM II account, clients
should be aware that we pay LPL Financial, LLC’s charges for the transactions. The transaction
charges paid by us vary based on the type of transaction (e.g., mutual fund, equity or fixed
income security) and range from $0 to $40. Because we pay the transaction charges in program
accounts, there is a conflict of interest. Clients should understand that the cost to us of
transaction charges may be a factor that we consider when deciding which securities to select
and how frequently to place transactions in a program account.
In many instances, LPL makes available mutual funds in a SWM II account that offer various
classes of shares, including shares designated as Class A Shares and shares designed for advisory
programs, which can be titled, for example, as “Class I,” “institutional,” “investor,” “retail,”
“service,” “administrative” or “platform” share classes (“Platform Shares”). The Platform Share
class offered for a particular mutual fund in SWM II in many cases will not be the least
expensive share class that the mutual fund makes available and was selected by LPL in certain
cases because the share class pays LPL compensation for the administrative and recordkeeping
services LPL provides to the mutual fund. Client should understand that another financial
services firm may offer the same mutual fund at a lower overall cost to the investor than is
available through SWM II. In other instances, a mutual fund may offer only Class A Shares, but
another similar mutual fund may be available that offers Platform Shares. Class A Shares
typically pay LPL a 12b-1 fee for providing brokerage-related services to the mutual funds.
Platform Shares generally are not subject to 12b-1 fees. As a result of the different expenses of
the mutual fund share classes, it is generally more expensive for a client to own Class A Shares
than Platform Shares. An investor in Platform Shares will pay lower fees over time and keep
more of his or her investment returns than an investor who holds Class A Shares of the same
fund.
We have a financial incentive to recommend Class A Shares in cases where both Class A and
Platform Shares are available. Although the client will not be charged a transaction charge for
transactions, we pay LPL a per transaction charge for mutual fund purchases and sales in the
account. We generally do not pay transaction charges for Class A Share mutual fund transactions
accounts, but generally do pay transaction charges for Platform Share mutual fund transactions.
The cost to us of transaction charges generally may be a factor Advisor considers when deciding
which securities to select and whether or not to place transactions in the account.
The lack of transaction charges to our firm for Class A Share purchases and sales, together with
the fact that Platform Shares generally are less expensive for a client to own, presents a
significant conflict of interest between us and the client. Clients should understand this conflict
and consider the additional indirect
expenses borne as a result of the mutual fund fees when
negotiating and discussing with us the advisory fee for management of an account.
Termination of Portfolio Management Services
A client may terminate the Investment Management Agreement for any reason at any time and,
within the first five (5) business days after signing the contract, without any cost or penalty.
Thereafter, the contract may be terminated at any time by giving seven (7) days' written notice.
To cancel the Agreement, the client must notify us in writing at Four Financial Management,
LLC, 777 E. Eisenhower Pkwy., Suite 740, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 and return any materials
received to that date. Because we charge in advance, any client that terminates his or her
contract within a quarter will receive a prorated refund of fees that is based on the amount of
time elapsed during the quarter. For example, if a client cancels 45 days in to a 90-day quarter,
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the client will receive a refund of 50% of the fees (45 days divided by 90 days equal 50 percent).
Please note that the prorated refund may be adjusted for additional deposits and withdrawals to
the advisory account within the termination quarter. If permitted by the client’s custodian, the
refund will be deposited into the client’s account; otherwise, the refund will be paid to the client
by company check mailed directly to the client within 30 days of termination notice receipt.
Other Types of Fees and Charges
Program accounts will incur additional fees and charges from parties other than us as noted
below. These fees and charges are in addition to the advisory fee paid to us. We do not share in
any portion of these third-party fees.
LPL Financial, LLC, as the custodian and broker-dealer providing brokerage and execution
services on program accounts, will impose certain fees and charges. LPL Financial, LLC notifies
clients of these charges at account opening and makes a list of these fees and charges available
on its website at www.LPL.com. LPL Financial, LLC will deduct these fees and charges directly
from the client’s program account.
There are other fees and charges that are imposed by other third parties that apply to investments
in program accounts. Some of these fees and charges are described below.
If a client’s assets are invested in mutual funds or other pooled investment products, he or
she should be aware that there will be two layers of advisory fees and expenses for those
assets. The client will pay an advisory fee to the fund manager and other expenses as a
shareholder of the fund. The client will also pay us the advisory fee with respect to those
assets. Most of the mutual funds available in the program may be purchased directly.
Therefore, clients could generally avoid the second layer of fees by not using our
management services and by making their own investment decisions.
Certain mutual funds impose fees and charges such as contingent deferred sales charges,
early redemption fees and charges for frequent trading. These charges may apply if the client
transfers into or purchases such a fund with the applicable charges in a program account.
Although only no-load and load-waived mutual funds can be purchased in a program
account, the client should understand that some mutual funds pay asset-based sales charges
or service fees (e.g., 12b-1 fees) to the custodian with respect to account holdings.
If client holds a variable annuity as part of an account, there are mortality, expense and
administrative charges, fees for additional riders on the contract and charges for excessive
transfers within a calendar year imposed by the variable annuity sponsor.
Further information regarding fees assessed by a mutual fund or variable annuity is available in
the appropriate prospectus, which is available upon request from us or from the product sponsor
directly.
Other Important Considerations
The advisory fee is an ongoing wrap fee for investment advisory services, the execution of
transactions and other administrative and custodial services. The advisory fee may cost the
client more than purchasing the program services separately, for example, by paying an
advisory fee plus commissions for each transaction in the account. Factors that bear upon the
cost of the account in relation to the cost of the same services purchased separately include
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the type and size of the account, historical and or expected size or number of trades for the
account, and number and range of supplementary advisory and client-related services
provided to the client.
The advisory fee also may cost the client more than if assets were held in a traditional
brokerage account. In a brokerage account, a client is charged a commission for each
transaction, and the representative has no duty to provide ongoing advice with respect to the
account. If the client plans to follow a buy and hold strategy for the account or does not wish
to purchase ongoing investment advice or management services, the client should consider
opening a brokerage account rather than a program account.
When we recommend the program to the client, we receive compensation as a result of the
client’s participation in the program. This compensation includes the advisory fee and also
may include other compensation, such as bonuses, awards or other things of value offered by
LPL Financial, LLC to us or our associated persons. The amount of this compensation may
be more or less than what we would receive if the client participated in other LPL Financial,
LLC programs or programs of other investment advisors or paid separately for investment
advice, brokerage and other client services. Therefore, we may have a financial incentive to
recommend a program account over other programs and services.
The investment products available to be purchased in the program can be purchased by
clients outside of a program account, through broker-dealers or other investment firms not
affiliated with us.
RETIREMENT ROLLOVER CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
When we recommend you rollover a retirement account for us to manage, this creates a financial
incentive because we charge a fee for our services. We attempt to mitigate the conflict of interest
by acting in your best interest and applying an impartial conduct standard to all rollovers. Please
note that you are not under any obligation to roll over a retirement account to an account
managed by us.