Thissectionofthebrochuretellsyouaboutourbusiness,includingownershipanda descriptionoftheservicesweoffer. GardeCapital,Inc.isreferredtointhisdocumentas“GardeCapital”,“theCompany”,“us”, “we”,or“our”.InthisdocumentwerefertocurrentandprospectiveclientsofGardeCapital as“you”,“your”,or“client”.GardeCapitalwascreatedin2009andisownedbyitsfour principalsJefferyLippens,MarshalMcReal,ThomasOwens,andRichardSevers.
Types of Advisory Services Weoffertoprovideinvestmentadvisoryservicestoourclientsondiscretionaryandnon- discretionarybases.Theadvisoryservicesinclude,amongotherthings,providingadvice regardingassetallocationandtheselectionofinvestments.Accountmanagementor supervisionisguidedbythestatedobjectivesoftheclient.Inaddition,weconsidera client’sriskprofileandfinancialstatuspriortomakinganyrecommendations. Theclient mayimposerestrictionsoninvestingincertainsecuritiesortypesofsecurities.Theclient mustclearlystatetheserestrictionstousinwriting.
AsofFebruary29,2024,wehavetotalassetsundermanagementofapproximately $2,085,701,000.Wemanageapproximately$2,074,463,000ofourclients’assetsona discretionarybasisand$11,238,000onanon-discretionarybasis. Portfolio Management Weprovideportfoliomanagementservicesforourclients.Ourinvestmentphilosophy combinesthetraditional,academicprinciplesofmodernportfoliotheorywithrecent developmentsinthefieldofbehavioralfinancetohelpinvestorsgetthemostfromtheir investmentassets.Westrivetoprovideclientswithexposuretoaglobalportfolioof securitiesatacompetitivecost,becausevaluematters.Everyportfolioiscustomizedto meettheriskmanagementneedsofeachofourclients.
Financial Planning Weprovidefinancialplanningandconsultingservicesconsistentwithclients’financialand taxstatus,riskprofile,andreturnobjectives.Somewrittenplansmayincludeapersonal balancesheetandfinancialprojections.Anyreports,financialstatementprojections,and analysesareintendedexclusivelyforclientuseindevelopingandimplementingaclient’s financialplan.Inviewofthislimitedpurpose,thestatementsshouldnotbeconsidered completefinancialstatements.Wewillnotaudit,review,orcompilefinancialstatements, andaccordinglywewillnotexpressanopinionorotherformofassuranceonthem, includingthereasonablenessofassumptionsandotherdataonwhichanyprospective financialstatementsarebased.Itislikelythattherewillbematerialdifferencesbetween projectedandactualresultsbecauseeventsvary,andcircumstancesfrequentlydonot occurasexpected.
Ouranalyseswillbehighlydependentoncertaineconomicassumptionsaboutthefuture.
Therefore,theclientshouldestablishfamiliaritywithhistoricaldataregardingkey assumptionssuchasinflationandinvestmentratesofreturn,aswellasanunderstanding ofhowsignificantlytheseassumptionsaffecttheresultsofouranalyses.Wemaycounsel clientsastotheconsistencyoftheirassumptionswithrelevanthistoricaldata,butwewill notexpressanyassuranceastotheaccuracyorreasonablenessoftheclient’sspecificdata andassumptions.Theclientisultimatelyresponsiblefortheassumptionsandpersonal datauponwhichourproceduresandprojectionsarebased.Thefinancialplanassumptions andreportsareprimarilyatooltoalerttheclienttocertainpossibilities.Thereportsare notintendedtonordotheyprovideanyguaranteeaboutfutureeventsincludingthe client’sinvestmentreturns.

Other Wealth Management Services Forsomeclients,weprovideotherservicesthatmayincludeconsultationonabroader rangeofissuesthatareimportantintheoptimizationoftheoverallfinancialhealthofthe client.Examplesofthesetypesoffinancialservicesincludebutarenotlimitedtoreview andperformancereportingonnon-managedassets,insuranceplanning,ongoing coordinationwithtaxadvisorsorestateplanningattorneys,budgetaryplanning,realestate planning,andotherpersonalorbusinessplanningservices.Theseservicesfalloutsidethe scopeofourstandardinvestmentmanagementservicesandmayrequireaseparate engagementletterwiththeclient.
Types of Investments Used WetypicallycreatediversifiedinvestmentportfoliosusingExchangeTradedFunds(ETFs) butwillconsiderothertypesofinvestmentsownedbytheclientwhenwecreateand manageaninvestmentportfoliosuchasindividualstocks,individualbonds,andopen-end mutualfunds.Alternativeinvestmentssuchashedgefunds,fundoffunds,commodity tradingstrategies,andothersimilarstrategiesmaybeusedfromtimetotimeforselect clients.Insome,butnotallcases,wemayuseoptionsorfuturescontractsonsecuritiesina client’smanagedportfolio.Optionsandfuturesstrategiesarenotusedinallclient portfolios.Theuseofoptionsandfuturesstrategiesisnotalwayssuccessfulatincreasing returnorreducinglosses.Theuseofoptionsand/orfuturesaddsriskandcosttothe portfolio.Optionsandfuturesstrategiescandiminishaccountperformance.
Important Information for Retirement Investors Whenwerecommendthatyourolloverretirementassetsortransferexistingretirement assets(suchasa401(k)oranIRA)toourmanagement,wehaveaconflictofinterest.This isbecausewewillgenerallyearnadditionalrevenuewhenwemanagemoreassets.In makingtherecommendation,however,wedosoonlyafterdeterminingthatthe recommendationisinyourbestinterest.Further,inmakinganyrecommendationto transferorrolloverretirementassets,wedosoasa“fiduciary,”asthattermisdefinedin ERISAortheInternalRevenueCode,orboth.Wealsoacknowledgeweareafiduciary underERISAortheInternalRevenueCodewithrespecttoourongoinginvestment advisoryrecommendationsanddiscretionaryassetmanagementservices,asdescribedin theadvisoryagreementweexecutewithyou.Totheextentweprovidenon-fiduciary servicestoyou,thosewillbedescribedintheadvisoryagreement.