A. Description of the Advisory Firm
Pacific Asset Management (hereinafter “PAM”) is a Limited Liability Company organized
in the State of Washington. The firm was formed in November 1998, and the principal
owners are Joshua A. Morin, Donald F. Cox and Brian W. Cox.
B. Types of Advisory Services
Portfolio Management Services
PAM offers ongoing portfolio management services based on the individual goals,
objectives, time horizon, and risk tolerance of each client. PAM creates an Investment
Policy Statement for each client, which outlines the client’s current situation (which may
include income, tax levels, and risk tolerance levels) and then constructs a plan to aid in
the selection of a portfolio that matches each client's specific situation. Portfolio
management services include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Investment strategy • Personal investment policy
• Asset allocation • Asset selection
• Risk tolerance • Regular portfolio monitoring
PAM evaluates the current investments of each client with respect to their risk tolerance
levels and time horizon. PAM will request discretionary authority from clients in order to
select securities and execute transactions without permission from the client prior to each
transaction. Risk tolerance levels are documented in the Investment Policy Statement,
which is given to each client.
PAM seeks to provide that investment decisions are made in accordance with the
fiduciary duties owed to its accounts and without consideration of PAM’s economic,
investment or other financial interests. To meet its fiduciary obligations, PAM attempts to
avoid, among other things, investment or trading practices that systematically advantage
or disadvantage certain client portfolios, and accordingly, PAM ’s policy is to seek fair
and equitable allocation of investment opportunities/transactions among its clients to
avoid favoring one client over another over time. It is PAM’s policy to allocate investment
opportunities and transactions it identifies as being appropriate and prudent among its
clients on a fair and equitable basis over time.
Pension Consulting Services
PAM provide pension consulting services to employer plan sponsors in the capacity of a
3(21) and 3(38) advisor. Generally, such pension consulting services consist of assisting
employer plan sponsors in establishing, selection and/or monitoring of investment
alternatives (generally open-end mutual funds) and reviewing their company’s
participant-directed retirement plan. To the extent requested by the plan sponsor, PAM
may also provide participant education designed to assist participants in identifying the
appropriate investment strategy for their retirement plan accounts. The terms and the
conditions of the engagement shall generally be set forth in the advisory agreement
between the plan sponsor and PAM.
These services are based on the goals, objectives, demographics, time horizon, and/or risk
tolerance of the plan and its participants.
Services Limited to Specific Types of Investments
PAM generally limits its investment advice
to mutual funds, fixed income securities,
equities and ETFs, although PAM primarily recommends asset class investing via mutual
funds and ETFs. PAM may use other securities as well to help diversify a portfolio when
applicable.
Retirement Plan Rollovers – No Obligation / Potential for Conflict of
Interest
A client or prospective client leaving an employer typically has four options regarding an
existing retirement plan (and may engage in a combination of these options): (i) leave the
money in the former employer’s plan, if permitted, (ii) roll over the assets to the new
employer’s plan, if one is available and rollovers are permitted, (iii) roll over to an
Individual Retirement Account (“IRA”), or (iv) cash out the account value (which could,
depending upon the client’s age, result in adverse tax consequences). If PAM recommends
that a client roll over their retirement plan assets into an account to be managed by the
PAM, such a recommendation creates a conflict of interest if PAM will earn an advisory
fee on the rolled over assets. No client is under any obligation to roll over retirement
plan assets to an account managed by PAM.
Portfolio Activity
PAM has a fiduciary duty to provide services consistent with our client’s best interest.
As part of its investment advisory services, PAM will review client portfolios on an
ongoing basis to determine if any changes are necessary based upon various factors,
including, but not limited to, investment performance, fund manager tenure, style drift,
account additions/withdrawals, and/or a change in the client’s investment objective.
Based upon these factors, there may be extended periods of time when PAM determines
that changes to a client’s portfolio are neither necessary nor prudent. Clients nonetheless
remain subject to the fees described in Item 5 below during periods of account inactivity.
C. Client Tailored Services and Client Imposed Restrictions
PAM will tailor a program for each individual client. This will include an interview
session to get to know the client’s specific needs and requirements as well as a plan that
will be executed by PAM on behalf of the client. PAM may use model allocations together
with a specific set of recommendations for each client based on their personal restrictions,
needs, and targets. Clients may impose restrictions in investing in certain securities or
types of securities in accordance with their values or beliefs. However, if the restrictions
prevent PAM from properly servicing the client account, or if the restrictions would
require PAM to deviate from its standard suite of services, PAM reserves the right to end
the relationship.
D. Wrap Fee Programs
A wrap fee program is an investment program where the investor pays one stated fee that
includes management fees, transaction costs, and certain other administrative fees. PAM
does not participate in wrap fee programs.
E. Assets Under Management
PAM has the following assets under management:
Discretionary Amounts: Non-discretionary Amounts: Date Calculated:
$ 236,200,000.00 $0.00 December 31, 2022