A. Waldron Private Wealth, LLC (the “Registrant”) is a limited liability company, initially
formed as a limited partnership in 2004 in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as the
result of an entity conversion. The Registrant became registered as an Investment Adviser
in October 2004. The Registrant is principally owned by the Waldron 2008 Family Trust,
with John Waldron, the Registrant’s Managing Member, as Trustee.
As a registered investment adviser subject to Section 206 of the Advisers Act, the
Registrant acts as a fiduciary related to the conduct of its advisory services. As such, the
Registrant has obligations imposed by the federal and state securities laws. For example,
clients have certain rights that cannot be waived or limited by contract. Nothing in the
Registrant’s Wealth Management and Planning Agreement should be interpreted as a
limitation of the firm’s obligations under federal and state securities laws or as a waiver
of any unwaivable rights that each client possesses. As a fiduciary, the Registrant must
act in the best interest of its clients guided by the core duties of loyalty and care. In plain
English, the duty of care means that the Registrant must provide advice that’s in clients’
best interest, seek the best possible execution of transactions and monitor clients’
investments over the course of their relationship with the Registrant. The duty of loyalty
hinges on the Registrant making full and fair disclosure of any conflicts of interest so that
clients can make an informed decision about whether to pay the Registrant to be their
investment adviser. The rest of this document is designed to describe the firm’s policies
and practices for adhering to the duty of care and the duty of loyalty.
B.
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES
The Registrant provides discretionary and/or non-discretionary investment management
services to clients on a fee basis. The Registrant’s annual investment management fee
shall vary (up to 1.50% of the total assets placed under the Registrant’s
management/advisement) and shall be based upon various objective and subjective
factors. See also Fee Differential discussion below.
INVESTMENT CONSULTING/MONITORING
Registrant provides non-discretionary portfolio review/monitoring services on a stand-
alone basis relative to those client assets that are not part of the investment assets subject
to the Registrant’s investment management services discussed above. The terms and
conditions of such an engagement may be set forth in our existing Wealth Management
and Planning Agreement.
These additional client investment assets are generally investment assets that are
managed directly by the client or by other investment professionals engaged by the client.
The Registrant’s portfolio review service is limited to periodic review of information
pertaining to these assets as may be provided to the Registrant by the client, the other
investment professional(s), and/or the account custodian, and does not include
discretionary investment advisory services.
Regardless of whether the Registrant provides the portfolio review/monitoring services as
part of the Wealth Management and Planning Agreement services or on a stand-alone
basis, the client (and/or the investment professionals engaged by the client with respect to
such assets), and not the Registrant, shall be exclusively responsible for the investment
performance of these assets.
WEALTH PLANNING AND CONSULTING SERVICES
The Registrant provides financial planning and/or consulting services (including
investment and non-investment related matters, including estate planning, insurance
planning, etc.) on a stand-alone separate fee basis.
Prior to engaging the Registrant to provide planning or consulting services, clients are
generally required to enter into a Wealth Management and Planning Agreement with
Registrant setting forth the terms and conditions of the engagement (including
termination), describing the scope of the services to be provided, and the portion of the
fee that is due from the client prior to Registrant commencing services.
If requested by the client, Registrant may recommend the services of other professionals
for implementation purposes, including certain of the Registrant’s representatives, in their
individual capacities as licensed insurance agents. The client is under no obligation to
engage the services of any such recommended professional. The client retains absolute
discretion over all such implementation decisions and is free to accept or reject any
recommendation from the Registrant.
If the client engages any recommended unaffiliated professional, and a dispute arises
thereafter relative to such engagement, the client agrees to seek recourse exclusively from
and against the engaged professional.
It remains the client’s responsibility to promptly notify the Registrant if there is ever any
change in their financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing,
evaluating, or revising Registrant’s previous recommendations and/or services.
MISCELLANEOUS
Limitations of Financial Planning and Non-Investment Consulting/Implementation
Services. As indicated above, to the extent requested by a client, Registrant may provide
financial planning and related consulting services. Neither the Registrant nor its
investment adviser representatives assist clients with the implementation of any financial
plan, unless they have agreed to do so in writing. The Registrant does not monitor a
client’s financial plan, and it is the client’s responsibility to revisit the financial plan with
the Registrant, if desired.
Furthermore, although the Registrant may provide recommendations regarding non-
investment related matters, such as estate planning, tax planning and insurance, the
Registrant does not serve as a law firm, accounting firm, or insurance agency, and no
portion of Registrant’s services should be construed as legal, accounting, or insurance
implementation services. Accordingly, the Registrant does not prepare estate planning
documents, tax returns or sell insurance products.
To the extent requested by a client, Registrant may recommend the services of other
professionals for certain non-investment implementation purposes (i.e. attorneys,
accountants, insurance agents, etc.), including representatives of Registrant in their
separate individual capacities as licensed insurance agents.
The client is under no obligation to engage the services of any such recommended
professional. The client retains absolute discretion over all such implementation decisions
and is free to accept or reject any recommendation from Registrant and/or its
representatives.
If the client engages any recommended unaffiliated professional, and a dispute arises
thereafter relative to such engagement, the client agrees to seek recourse exclusively from
and against the engaged professional.
Family Dynamics, Governance, and Wealth Counseling Service. The Registrant offers
Family Dynamics, Governance and Wealth Counseling services to its clients on a
separate fee basis generally ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 on a project basis (depending
upon the level and scope of the service(s) required and the professional(s) rendering the
services), on hourly rate basis of $500, or for a monthly retainer of approximately $5,000.
The Registrant shall provide this service in conjunction with the Registrant’s engagement
of an unaffiliated industry professional. The terms and conditions, including the scope of
the consulting service and corresponding fee, shall be set forth in writing between the
Registrant and the client.
Independent Managers/Sub-Advisers. The Registrant may also allocate a portion of
client assets by and/or among certain independent investment manager(s) (the
“Independent Manager(s)”), consistent with the stated investment objectives of the client.
The Registrant may also engage sub-advisers to assist it with the management of the
fixed income portfolios for a limited number of client accounts. The Registrant shall
continue to render advisory services to the client relative to the ongoing monitoring and
reviewing of account performance, for which Registrant shall receive an annual advisory
fee which is based upon a percentage of the market value of the assets being managed by
the designated Independent Manager(s) or allocated to the sub-advisers. Factors which
the Registrant shall consider in allocating client assets among Independent Manager(s)
and/or sub-advisers include the client’s stated investment objective(s), management style,
performance, reputation, financial strength, reporting, pricing, and research. The
investment management fees charged by the designated Independent Manager(s) and/or
sub-adviser, together with the fees charged by the corresponding designated broker-
dealer/custodian of the client’s assets, are exclusive of, and in addition to, Registrant’s
investment advisory fee set forth above.
Unaffiliated Private Investment Funds. Registrant may provide investment advice
regarding unaffiliated private investment funds. Registrant, on a non-discretionary basis,
may also recommend that certain qualified clients consider an investment in unaffiliated
private investment funds. Registrant’s role relative to the private investment funds shall
be limited to its initial and ongoing due diligence and investment monitoring services. If
a client determines to become a private fund investor, the amount of assets invested in the
fund(s) shall be included as part of “assets under management” for purposes of Registrant
calculating its investment advisory fee. Registrant’s clients are under absolutely no
obligation to consider or make an investment in a private investment fund(s).
Private investment funds generally involve various risk factors, 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. Unlike liquid investments that a
client may own, private investment funds do not provide daily liquidity or pricing. Each
prospective client 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.
Valuation
In the event that Registrant references private investment funds owned by the client on
any supplemental account reports prepared by Registrant, the value(s) for all private
investment funds owned by the client shall reflect the most recent valuation provided by
the fund sponsor. If no subsequent valuation post-purchase is provided by the Fund
Sponsor, then the valuation shall reflect the initial purchase price (and/or a value as of a
previous date), or the current value(s) (either the initial purchase price and/or the most
recent valuation provided by the fund sponsor). If the valuation reflects initial purchase
price (and/or a value as of a previous date), the current value(s) (to the extent
ascertainable) could be significantly more or less than original purchase price. The
client’s advisory fee shall be based upon reflected fund value(s). The Registrant’s Chief
Compliance Officer, Mary Keegan, remains available to address any questions regarding
this conflict of interest.
Non-Discretionary Service Limitations. Clients that determine to engage Registrant on
a non-discretionary investment advisory basis must be willing to accept that Registrant
cannot affect any account transactions without obtaining prior consent to such
transaction(s) from the client. Therefore, in the event that Registrant would like to make a
transaction for a client’s account (including in the event of an individual holding or
general market correction), and the client is unavailable, the Registrant will be unable to
affect the account transaction(s) (as it would for its discretionary clients) without first
obtaining the client’s consent.
Use of Mutual and Exchange Traded Funds: Most mutual funds and exchange traded
funds are available directly to the public. Therefore, a prospective client can obtain many
of the funds that may be utilized by Registrant independent of engaging Registrant as an
investment advisor. However, if a prospective client determines to do so, they will not
receive the Registrant’s initial and ongoing investment advisory services.
In addition to Registrant’s investment advisory fee described below, and transaction
and/or custodial fees discussed below, clients will also incur, relative to all mutual fund
and exchange traded fund purchases, charges imposed at the fund level (e.g. management
fees and other fund expenses).
Interval Funds. When consistent with a client’s investment objectives, Registrant may
allocate investment assets to “interval funds.” Investment companies structured as
“interval funds” are generally designed for long-term investors that do not require daily
liquidity. Shares in interval funds typically do not trade on the secondary market. Instead,
their shares are subject to periodic redemption offers by the fund at a price based on net
asset value. Accordingly, interval funds are subject to liquidity constraints. Interval
funds investing in securities of companies with smaller market capitalizations,
derivatives, or securities with substantial market and/or credit risk tend to have the
greatest exposure to liquidity risk. Generally, the interval funds Registrant recommends
offer liquidity during a one-to-two-week period, on a quarterly basis, during which a
client can redeem previously purchased shares. Given the lack of secondary market, the
infrequent nature of the offers to buy back shares, and liquidity gates (or re-purchase
limits during the quarterly liquidity windows), you should consider the shares of interval
funds to be illiquid. Registrant’s clients are under no obligation to use interval funds and
may restrict the Registrants use of interval funds accordingly.
Portfolio Activity. Registrant has a fiduciary duty to provide services consistent with the
client’s best interest. As part of its investment advisory services, Registrant 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 Registrant 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.
Retirement Investors. The Registrant is a fiduciary under Title I of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) and under the Internal
Revenue Code (“IRC”) with respect to investment management services and investment
advice provided to ERISA plan clients (“Plan Sponsor”) including ERISA plan
participants, IRAs and IRA owners (collectively “Retirement Investors”). The way that
the Registrant makes money creates a conflict of interest so the Registrant must operate
under a special rule that requires the firm to act in clients’ best interest and not put the
firm’s interests ahead of its clients. As such, the Registrant is subject to specific duties
and obligations under ERISA and IRC that include, among other things, prohibited
transaction rules which are intended to prohibit fiduciaries from acting on conflicts of
interest. When a fiduciary gives advice in which it has a conflict of interest, the fiduciary
must either avoid or eliminate the conflict or rely upon a Prohibited Transaction
Exemption (“PTE”). The Registrant has chosen to rely on the PTE (2020-02) as provided
by the Department of Labor.
Retirement Plan Rollovers. When the Registrant recommends a rollover of Retirement
Assets into an IRA or Roth IRA, the firm believes that the “value add” that can be
provided with respect to those assets (described herein), justifies any increased costs
related to the management of the Retirement Assets. Like any other advice provided by
the Registrant, a rollover recommendation is based on the individual client’s needs and
circumstances, including the risks and potential rewards associated with that
recommendation. It should be noted; however, that a conflict of interest arises when the
Registrant recommends to clients that they roll over their Retirement Assets into an IRA
or Roth IRA that is managed by the Registrant. By recommending that a client roll over
retirement plan assets to an IRA, even if there are no costs associated with the IRA
rollover itself, the Registrant is entitled to earn investment management fees on the IRA
account. Investing in a managed IRA with any investment adviser, including the
Registrant, will typically be more expensive than investing through your retirement plan.
Opening a new IRA as a brokerage account will also result in additional charges such as
commission charges and fees charged by the underlying investments (i.e., equity, fixed
income, mutual fund, ETF, etc.). Custodial and trading fees also apply. See Item 5: Fees
and Compensation. In contrast, leaving assets in a retirement plan or rolling the assets to
a plan sponsored by a new employer will likely result in little or no compensation to the
Registrant. Therefore, the Registrant has an incentive to encourage investors to rollover
retirement plan assets into an IRA managed by the Registrant. Investors considering
rolling over assets from a qualified employer-sponsored retirement plan to an IRA should
review and consider the advantages and disadvantages. A plan participant leaving an
employer typically has four options (and may engage in a combination of these options):
(1) Leave the money in the former employer’s plan, if permitted; (2) Rollover the assets
to a new employer’s plan (if available and rollovers are permitted); (3) Rollover
retirement plan assets to an IRA; or (4) Cash out the retirement plan assets and pay the
required taxes on the distribution. At a minimum, Retirement Investors must consider the
factors regarding the fees and expenses, available investment options, management
and/or advisory services to be provided, availability of penalty-free withdrawals,
protection from creditors and legal judgments, required minimum distributions, and the
ability to place transactions in employer stock. the Registrant encourages clients to
discuss their options and review the above-listed considerations with an accountant, third-
party administrator, investment advisor to their Employer Plan (if available), or legal
counsel. If a client chooses to move forward with a rollover of Retirement Assets into an
account managed by the Registrant, that client must acknowledge the conflicts described
above before any such rollover.
Account Data Aggregation / Reporting Services. Registrant, in conjunction with the
services provided by ByAllAccounts, Inc., eMoney, and Black Diamond may also
provide periodic comprehensive reporting services which can incorporate all of the
client’s investment assets, including those investment assets that are not part of the assets
managed by Registrant (the “Excluded Assets”). The client and/or their other advisors
that maintain trading authority, and not Registrant, shall be exclusively responsible for
the investment performance of the Excluded Assets.
Unless otherwise specifically agreed to, in writing, Registrant’s service relative to the
Excluded Assets is limited to reporting only. The sole exception to the above shall be if
Registrant is specifically engaged to monitor and/or allocate the assets within the client’s
401(k) account maintained away at the custodian directed by the client’s employer. As
such, except with respect to the client’s 401(k) account (if applicable), Registrant does
not maintain any trading authority for the Excluded Assets. Rather, the client and/or the
client’s designated other investment professional(s) maintain supervision, monitoring and
trading authority for the Excluded Assets.
If Registrant were asked to make a recommendation as to any Excluded Assets, the client
is under no obligation to accept the recommendation, and Registrant shall not be
responsible for any implementation error (timing, trading, etc.) relative to the Excluded
Assets. In the event the client desires that Registrant provide investment management
services for the Excluded Assets, the client may engage the Registrant to do so pursuant
to the terms and conditions of the Wealth Management and Planning Agreement between
Registrant and the client.
Socially Responsible Investing Limitations. Socially Responsible Investing involves
the incorporation of Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG” considerations into
the investment due diligence process. There are potential limitations associated with
allocating a portion of an investment portfolio in ESG securities (i.e., securities that have
a mandate to avoid, when possible, investments in such products as alcohol, tobacco,
firearms, oil drilling, gambling, etc.). The number of these securities may be limited
when compared to those that do not maintain such a mandate. ESG securities could
underperform broad market indices. Investors must accept these limitations, including
potential for underperformance. Correspondingly, the number of ESG mutual funds and
exchange traded funds are limited when compared to those that do not maintain such a
mandate. As with any type of investment (including any investment and/or investment
strategies recommended and/or undertaken by Registrant), there can be no assurance that
investment in ESG securities or funds will be profitable or prove successful.
Cryptocurrency. For clients who want exposure to cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin,
the Registrant, will advise the client to consider a potential investment in corresponding
exchange traded securities, or an allocation to separate account managers and/or private
funds that provide cryptocurrency exposure. Crypto is a digital currency that can be used
to buy goods and services but uses an online ledger with strong cryptography (i.e., a
method of protecting information and communications through the use of codes) to
secure online transactions. Unlike conventional currencies issued by a monetary
authority, cryptocurrencies are generally not controlled or regulated, and their price is
determined by the supply and demand of their market. Because cryptocurrency is
currently considered to be a speculative investment, the Registrant will not exercise
discretionary authority to purchase a cryptocurrency investment for client accounts.
Rather, a client must expressly authorize the purchase of the cryptocurrency investment.
The Registrant does not recommend or advocate the purchase of, or investment in,
cryptocurrencies. The Registrant considers such an investment to be speculative. Clients
who authorize the purchase of a cryptocurrency investment must be prepared for the
potential for liquidity constraints, extreme price volatility and complete loss of principal.
Cash Positions. Registrant treats cash as an asset class. As such, unless determined to
the contrary by the Registrant, all cash positions (money markets, etc.) shall be included
as part of assets under management for purposes of calculating Registrant’s advisory
fee. At any specific point in time, depending upon perceived or anticipated market
conditions/events (there being no guarantee that such anticipated market
conditions/events will occur), Registrant may maintain cash positions for defensive
purposes. In addition, while assets are maintained in cash, such amounts could miss
market advances. Depending upon current yields, at any point in time, Registrant’s
advisory fee could exceed the interest paid by the client’s money market fund.
Client Obligations. In performing its services, Registrant shall not be required to verify
any information received from the client or from the client’s other designated
professionals, and is expressly authorized to rely thereon. Moreover, each client is
advised that it remains their responsibility to promptly notify Registrant if there is ever
any change in their financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of
reviewing, evaluating or revising Registrant’s previous recommendations and/or services.
Disclosure Statement. A copy of Registrant’s written disclosure statement and Client
Relationship Summary, as set forth on Part 2 of Form ADV and Form CRS respectively,
shall be provided to each client prior to, or contemporaneously with, the execution of the
Wealth Management and Planning Agreement.
C. The Registrant shall provide investment advisory services specific to the needs of each
client. Prior to providing investment advisory services, an investment adviser
representative will ascertain each client’s investment objective(s). Thereafter, the
Registrant shall allocate and/or recommend that the client allocate investment assets
consistent with the designated investment objective(s). The client may, at any time,
impose reasonable restrictions, in writing, on the Registrant’s services.
D. Registrant does not offer a wrap fee program for its investment advisory services.
E. As of December 31, 2023, the Registrant had $3,925,133,315 in assets under
management on a discretionary basis, and $ $140,831,862 on a non-discretionary basis
for a total of $4,065,965,177.