Firm Description and Principal Ownership
Cerity Partners LLC (“Cerity Partners”) is an SEC registered investment adviser offering customized financial advice to
individuals and their families, businesses and their employees, and non-profit organizations.
Cerity Partners formed as a limited liability company in August of 2009 under the laws of the state of Delaware. Cerity
Partners is owned by Cerity Partners Equity Holding LLC. Cerity Partners Equity Holding LLC is owned by Cerity Partners
EOE LLC which is owned by certain employees of Cerity Partners, funds affiliated with Genstar Capital Partners LLC
(“Genstar”) and Lightyear Capital LLC (“Lightyear”). Genstar, Lightyear and their affiliates do not have any role in the
Firm’s investment process related to the management of client assets.
Services Offered
Cerity Partners either directly or through an advisory affiliate offer the following services:
Investment Advisory
• Current portfolio evaluation
• Assessment of investment objectives and
financial goals
• Investment policy development
• Strategic asset allocation planning
• Manager search and evaluation
• Investment program implementation and
rebalancing
• Portfolio monitoring and risk management
• Performance measurement and attribution
analysis
Financial Planning
• Executive Financial Counseling
• Company benefits coordination and planning
• Retirement, cash flow and budget planning
• Estate planning
• Tax planning and preparation
• Investment planning and consolidated reporting
• Insurance planning and risk management
• Net worth analysis
• Trust Fiduciary and Family Office Services
• Liquidity and liability management
• Insurance planning and risk management
• Estate and wealth transfer planning
• Divorce planning
• Compensation and benefits analysis
• Retirement planning
• Education planning
• Philanthropy and charitable gift planning
• Bill payment service and client accounting
Tax Services
• Preparation of individual, family, trust, and
corporate tax returns
• Preparation of annual and multi-year tax
projections
• Tax planning for investments and wealth transfer
• Preparation of estimated quarterly tax payments
Tax planning for charitable gifting
Retirement Plan Services
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• ERISA fiduciary and non-fiduciary services
• Plan design consulting
• Financial wellness coaching
• Administrative plan support
• Investment management services
Customization
Cerity Partners customizes all services to the individual needs of its clients by determining each client’s specific goals,
objectives, risk tolerance, time horizon, investment restrictions and other factors that shape the appropriate services.
Cerity Partners will work with clients to implement any reasonable investment restrictions on their investment accounts
(e.g., socially responsible, environmentally friendly, religious based, etc.). Cerity Partners requires clients to provide all
requests for investment restrictions in writing.
CP Risk Management Services (“CP RMS")
Cerity Partners’ wholly owned subsidiary CP RMS assists clients with life, disability and long-term care insurance planning
needs. CP RMS handles the entire insurance process, including application process, preparing clients for medical exams (if
1 Services offered through Cerity Partners Retirement Plan Advisors LLC
needed), case management, and placement of insurance. CP RMS reviews and monitors clients’ insurance policies
throughout the life of the policy. CP RMS will also assist clients’ families in filing for and collecting death claims. CP RMS
personnel are insurance licensed.
Private Market Investments Program (“PMI”)
Cerity Partners can introduce an opportunity to prequalified clients to participate in the PMI Program. Cerity Partners will
introduce this program to those clients for whom it reasonably believes this program is appropriate given the client's net
worth, investible assets, current portfolio composition, investment objective, liquidity needs, and risk considerations.
Through robust investment due diligence, Cerity Partners seeks to identify appropriate PMI Program Vehicles (“PMI
Vehicles”) for the client's review and consideration. Cerity Partners will not exercise any discretionary authority to place
any client funds in a PMI Vehicle, and a client should review all the terms and conditions of the PMI Program agreement
before entering the program. No participating client is required to invest in any specific PMI Vehicle identified by Cerity
Partners. Unlike liquid investments, PMI Vehicles generally involve additional material risks, including liquidity constraints
and lack of transparency. Additionally, the investor must be able to bear the complete loss of his/her investment. The terms
and conditions of a client's participation in any PMI Vehicle can include the corresponding fees and risks and will be set
forth in the PMI Vehicle’s offering and subscription documents, purchase agreement or other disclosure documents
(“Governing Documents”). The client should review the Governing Documents before deciding to become an investor in
the PMI Vehicle. Cerity Partners will then conduct annual due diligence reviews of the PMI Vehicles. The fees charged by
the PMI Vehicles are separate from, and in addition to, Cerity Partners' advisory fee. Please Note: As described below in