Clearstead Advisors, LLC (“Clearstead”), is a SEC-registered investment adviser with its principal place of business
located in Cleveland, Ohio. Clearstead has a wholly-owned subsidiary named Clearstead Trust, which is a Maine-
chartered trust company that can provide trustee services to Clearstead clients. Clearstead also has a wholly-owned
subsidiary named Avalon Trust, which is a New Mexico-chartered trust company that can provide trustee services to
Clearstead clients.
Clearstead is an independent investment advisory firm founded as Hartland & Co in 1989. Clearstead is owned by
Hartland Management Investors, LLC (“HMI”), which holds the shares of Clearstead’s employees with
approximately 40% ownership and Flexpoint Ford, LLC, through the entity Moses Buyer Holdings, LLC (“Flexpoint
Ford”) with approximately 60% ownership. Effective October 23rd, 2018, Hartland & Co., LLC changed its legal
name to Clearstead Advisors, LLC (“Clearstead”). This was only a name change with no change in ownership or
control. Clearstead does business under its new name; however, it is also able to conduct business under the
name Hartland & Co., LLC (“Hartland”). Through the acquisition of CLS Consulting, LLC (“CLS”), Clearstead continues to
maintain the website for CLS (www.clsconsultingllc.com).
Clearstead is structured to put client’s interests first. The firm makes every effort to remove or mitigate any conflicts
of interest and is dedicated to serving client interests with the highest standards of fiduciary and professional
conduct. Clearstead is independent and believes this is central to providing objective and high-quality advice to its
clients. To back up its commitment to clients, the firm has adopted a Conflicts of Interest Policy and Standards of
Conduct.
Clearstead has worked successfully for many years with diverse clients, providing advice on investment policy, asset
allocation, manager selection and other related financial issues. Its advisors have deep professional and personal
experience in institutional consulting, investment research and wealth management. We have a strong leadership
team supported by an outstanding Board of Directors, all of whom are leaders in their fields.
Clearstead serves its institutional clients with the Investment Metrics reporting system to ensure timely and accurate
information and provide robust portfolio analysis and peer group benchmarking for Clearstead clients. Clearstead
believes that the disciplines it has developed for the institutional marketplace - portfolio analytics, manager research,
aggregation of information and clear reporting - are applicable and valuable to families and individuals as well.
SERVICES PROVIDED
This Part 2A of Form ADV describes services provided to Clearstead institutional clients. A separate Part 2A of Form
ADV describes services provided to private clients.
Clearstead provides both traditional investment consulting services (non-discretionary) and discretionary services.
Clearstead is capable of accepting fiduciary responsibility under Section 3(21) and as an investment manager
under Section 3(38) of ERISA. The primary clients for these services will be institutions - pension, profit sharing and
401(k) plans, endowments, foundations and operating non-profits, such as healthcare organizations - as well as
private clients; individuals, trusts and estates.
Institutional Consulting (Traditional and OCIO Discretionary Services)
Clearstead Institutional Consulting Group delivers fiduciary oversight and advice under the following process. First,
Clearstead assists in the development, implementation and monitoring of Investment Policy Statements (IPS) for all
clients. An IPS is a set of standards that prescribes how client assets will be invested, monitored, and measured.
These standards begin with articulation of investment objectives and what a client expects to achieve with its assets.
The investment policy also establishes guidelines for the way funds are to be invested in various asset classes and
how performance will be measured and compared. In working with clients on investment policy, Clearstead
addresses time horizons, spending needs, ability to accept volatility, and client-specific or cultural considerations.
Clearstead then prepares a written IPS detailing those needs and goals, including an encompassing plan under which
these goals are to be achieved.
Second, Clearstead assists clients in identifying strategic asset allocation aligned with the institution’s objectives.
Portfolios are then constructed using the IPS and firm’s criteria for selection of investment vehicles.
Third, Clearstead provides ongoing monitoring of client investments based on the procedures and timing intervals
delineated in the Investment Policy Statement and Clearstead’s internal processes. Clearstead is able to engage a
client in two ways: 1) in a traditional consulting capacity in which Clearstead supervises the client’s portfolio and
seeks approval for recommendations in advance of implementing 2) under our PRISM OCIO discretionary service
where Clearstead supervises client portfolios and is delegated discretionary authority for portfolio implementation.
Lastly, Clearstead creates clear and accurate periodic reports, including Monthly "Flash" Reports, Quarterly
Performance Reports and Special Reports on topics relevant to the client.
For pension, profit sharing, and 401(k) plan clients with individual plan participants exercising control over assets in
their own account (''self-directed plans''), Clearstead provides general educational guidance for plan administrators
and in limited circumstances plan participants. The nature of the topics covered will be determined by Clearstead and
the client under the guidelines established in ERISA Section 404(c). The educational support will NOT provide plan
participants with individualized, tailored investment advice or individualized or tailored asset allocation
recommendations.
Clearstead also acts as a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (QPAM) under the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), providing requested guidance to fiduciaries on specific transactions related to
particular assets of employee benefit plan investors.
ERISA Plan Services
When we provide investment advice to you regarding your retirement plan, we are fiduciaries within the meaning of
Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and/or the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), 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.
Sub-Advisor Investment Management
Clearstead offers discretionary sub-advisory investment management services to the individual clients of
unaffiliated advisors. Under this service, the unaffiliated advisor will act as the primary advisor and fiduciary with
the option to provide investment management services to its individual clients directly or engage with Clearstead as
a sub-advisor to provide discretionary investment management and trade execution services. When Clearstead acts
as a sub-advisor with discretionary investment services, Clearstead will use model strategies with different purposes
and risk levels. The unaffiliated advisor will be responsible for reviewing the model strategies with their individual
clients and selecting the model strategy that is most appropriate. If the unaffiliated advisor selects Clearstead for
sub-advisor investment management services, the unaffiliated advisor will sign a Clearstead sub-advisor client
management agreement for each of their clients to document the engagement, model strategy, and any reasonable
restrictions. The model strategies can be allocated on an account-by-account basis or across multiple accounts.
Clearstead may also provide general economic information or due diligence for the investment managers that are
used in its models, which can be used by the unaffiliated advisor with its clients.
The unaffiliated advisor is responsible for establishing its own custody relationship, whereas Clearstead will be an
approved sub-advisor and have access to the unaffiliated advisor’s client’s accounts for trade execution purposes
only. Furthermore, the unaffiliated advisor is responsible for negotiating all trading/transaction/custody fees that its
clients will be responsible for paying while engaged with Clearstead for sub-advisor investment management
services.
Clearstead also acts as a sub-advisor to advisors and their funds, whereas the primary advisor may delegate some
or all of its services to Clearstead. The delegated services could include maintaining models (or series), discretionary
investment services, investment manager sourcing, and ongoing investment manager due-diligence.
OTHER BUSINESS ACTIVITIES
From time to time Clearstead may be retained on special projects. These may be searches for client service
providers (i.e. custodians or 401(k) providers), fee benchmarking, or projects relating to client investment funds. In
all cases, the only source of Clearstead’s revenue is from client advisory fees.
Private Client Advisory Services
As indicated above, Clearstead provides services to private clients (families, individuals, and estates) that may
include all or some of the following services: investment management, financial consulting, tax planning and
compliance, and family office administration.
A separate ADV Part 2A, under “Clearstead Advisors – Private Client” describing these services is available on the
SEC’s website a
t (https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/). You can search this site by a unique identifying number, known as a
CRD number. Clearstead's CRD number is 105674.
ClearAccess Platform
ClearAccess is a platform created to simplify investing in illiquid alternatives by combining years of experience,
access to high-quality managers, and a streamlined process to access private investments. Initial and future
recommendations are covered by one set of subscription documents and ClearAccess also consolidates account-
ing for capital calls, distributions, statements, performance, and tax information. In addition to the benefits above,
ClearAccess
provides a platform with typically lower costs to clients compared to investing in other hedge or
private equity fund of funds directly. Clearstead accomplishes this by working with a third-party investment
manager and administrator (GLASfunds, LLC) whose fees are negotiated by Clearstead. GLASfunds, LLC is an
investment advisor registered with the SEC. While Clearstead owns a minority equity stake in GLASfunds, Clients
are under no obligation to invest in alternative investments through GLASfunds. Clearstead does not receive any
compensation from the underlying alternative managers that it recommends through ClearAccess.
ClearAccess allows clients to invest in alternative managers on an a la carte basis, ClearAccess Balanced Hedge or
ClearAccess Private Equity Series. ClearAccess Balanced Hedge is a select group of hedge fund managers and
allocations chosen by Clearstead and designed to target an absolute return of cash plus 4-6% over a complete
market cycle. ClearAccess Private Equity Series is a select group of private equity funds designed to diversify
among stage, geography, size, and sector to generate competitive returns over a full market cycle.
Investment Research and Due-Diligence
Clearstead has engaged with unaffiliated firms to provide investment research and due diligence on investment
managers. Under this type of Service Agreement Clearstead provides proprietary research on mutually agreeable
investment managers that Clearstead may or may not recommend to its own clients. Furthermore, clients are
provided the opportunity to white label the research reports under their own name.
Executive Financial Services
Clearstead offers comprehensive and tailored financial wealth services to organization’s executive leadership. Our
offering, which incorporates the rigor of our institutional investment consulting practice with the deep tax and
planning resources of our private client advisory practice, is designed specifically around an organization’s
benefits, retirement plans, and incentives. We work with an organization to design a benefit for the executive
leadership to provide financial resources and incentives for them to engage with Clearstead and benefit from the
fully integrated tax, planning and investment capabilities of our Private Client Group.
Clearstead Advisory Solutions (“CAS”)
As indicated above, Clearstead provides investment advisory services to private and institutional clients under
Clearstead Advisory Solutions, a Division of Clearstead Advisors, LLC (“Clearstead Advisory Solutions” or “CAS”).
A separate ADV Part 2A, under “Clearstead Advisory Solutions – a Division of Clearstead Advisors, LLC” describing
these services is available on the SEC’s website a
t (https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/). You can search this site by a unique
identifying number, known as a CRD number. Clearstead's CRD number is 105674.
Wrap Fee Services
Clearstead Advisory Solutions, a Division of Clearstead Advisors, LLC (“CAS”) has entered into a “wrap fee”
arrangement sponsored by LPL Financial Group, which is unaffiliated with Clearstead. Also, some of our clients may
be involved in other such arrangements with brokerage firms or other companies which sponsor such arrangements.
Under a wrap fee arrangement, a brokerage firm or other company may recommend retention of CAS to manage all
or a portion of your assets; pay us our fee for our services; monitor and evaluate our services in managing your
assets; execute securities transactions which we implement on your behalf; and provide you with custodial services
for your assets, or the brokerage firm or other company may provide any combination of these services, for a set
fee to be paid by you to the brokerage firm or other company. Under a wrap fee arrangement, your assets would be
managed by us in the same manner as assets managed by us for our clients NOT in a wrap fee arrangement, although
this would be subject to your particular investment needs and objectives and we may have limited or minimal contact
with you where the brokerage firm or other company maintains the direct and primary relationship with you. You
should understand that, depending upon the amount of the wrap fee the brokerage firm or other company charges
you, the number of securities transactions in your account, the value of custodial or other services you will receive
under the arrangement, the amount of the wrap fee may not be less than the total cost for such services added
together if obtained separately. As a result, such arrangements may not be suitable for all clients based on the client’s
individual financial circumstances and investment goals. You can find more specific information on each wrap fee
arrangement in the Wrap Fee Program Brochure, which should be available to you from the wrap fee arrangement
sponsor. CAS does not act as a sponsor of any wrap fee arrangements.
Trust Administration Services
Clearstead will work with high-net worth families and family offices to review estate planning documents and
consider options for implementing a private family trust company. Clearstead will also provide ongoing trust
administration services.
Other
Clearstead does not provide brokerage or custodial services, nor is it affiliated with any brokerage firm, bank, or
have any proprietary funds.
MISCELLANEOUS
Non-Discretionary Service Limitations: Clients that engage with Clearstead for traditional consulting (i.e. non-
discretionary) services must be willing to accept that Clearstead cannot effect the investment changes that it
recommends. Therefore, there may be material market changes between the time a portfolio change is
recommended and a trade is implanted by the client. In some cases, traditional consulting clients will grant
Clearstead with operational trading authority which authorizes the client’s custodian to accept client approved trade
instructions from Clearstead. If Clearstead is granted operational trading authority, clients must be willing to accept
that Clearstead cannot instruct client’s custodian to process trades without obtaining prior consent from the client.
Thus, in the event that Clearstead recommends a portfolio change (including in the event of an individual holding or
general market correction), and the client not available, Clearstead will be unable to effect the account
transaction(s) without first obtaining the client’s consent.
Unaffiliated Private Investment Funds: Clearstead may recommend that certain qualified clients consider an
investment in private investment funds. Typically these investments are made through the ClearAccess platform.
Clearstead’s clients are under absolutely no obligation to consider or make an investment in a private investment
recommendation.
Private investment funds generally involve risk, including, but not limited to, potential for complete loss of principal,
liquidity constraints and lack of transparency, a complete discussion of which is set forth in each fund’s offering
documents, which will be provided to each client for review and consideration. Private investment funds do not
provide daily liquidity or pricing. Each prospective client investor will be required to complete a subscription
agreement, pursuant to which the client shall establish that he/she is qualified for investment in the fund, and
acknowledges and accepts the various risk factors that are associated with such an investment. If a client engages
with Clearstead under an assets under management based advisory fee, Clearstead typically includes the value of
private fund investments that it recommends. The value for all private investment funds owned by the client will
reflect the most recent valuation provided by the fund sponsor. The current value of any private investment fund
could be significantly more or less than the original purchase price or the price reflected in any supplemental
account report.
Portfolio Activity: Clearstead has a fiduciary duty to provide services consistent with the client’s best interest. As
part of its investment advisory services, Clearstead will review client portfolios on an ongoing basis to determine if
any changes are necessary due to market or economic conditions, if investments have fallen outside of prescribed
ranges, and/or a change in the client’s investment objectives. Based upon these factors, there may be extended
periods of time when Clearstead determines that changes to a client’s portfolio are neither necessary nor prudent.
Of course, as indicated below, there can be no assurance that investment decisions made by Clearstead will be
profitable or meet any performance expectations.
Cash Positions: Clearstead may maintain cash and cash equivalent positions (such as money market funds) for
defensive and liquidity purposes. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, all cash and cash equivalent positions will be
included as part of assets under management-based advisory fees.
Client Obligations: In performing our services, Clearstead shall not be required to verify any information received
from the client or from the client’s other professionals and is expressly authorized to rely thereon. Moreover, each
client is advised that it remains their responsibility to promptly notify us if there is ever any change in their financial
situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing, evaluating or revising our previous
recommendations and/or services.
Disclosure Statement: A copy of Clearstead’s written disclosure statement as set forth in this Form ADV Part 2A
shall be provided to each client prior to, or contemporaneously with, the execution of the Investment Advisory
Agreement. In addition, from time to time, Adviser may be required to deliver certain documents to the client.
Client, to the extent that client has email capability and/or web access, hereby consents to the Adviser’s use of
electronic means, such as email, to make delivery of required and other documents. This delivery may include
notification of the availability of such document(s) on a website, and client agrees that such notification will
constitute “delivery.” In conjunction with the investment advisory agreement, the client agrees to provide Clearstead
with the client’s email address and to keep this information current at all times by promptly notifying Clearstead of
any change in email address.
AMOUNT OF ASSETS UNDER ADVISEMENT & MANAGEMENT
As of 12/31/2023, total institutional and private client assets under advisement were approximately $36.4 billion,
which includes assets under management. Total institutional and private client assets under management were
$15,321,612,550 ($9,596,031,960 discretionary and $5,725,580,590 non-discretionary). Of the $15.3 billion assets
under management $8.9 billion were with institutional clients and $6.4 billion were with private clients.