The Affinity Group, LLC (“Affinity”) is owned by Gary Sancilio and Nicholas S. Preddice. The
predecessor firm, Affinity BST Advisors, LLC has been providing advisory services since
June 2016.
As of July 31, 2023, Affinity managed $156,702 on a discretionary basis and $0 on a
nondiscretionary basis.
Use of Independent Managers
Affinity has retained the following third-party sub-adviser (‘Independent Managers’) to
provide discretionary advisory services to its clients:
Affinity has retained Buckingham Strategic Partners to act as a sub-advisor for certain
client accounts. Buckingham Strategic Partners shall provide various model asset allocation
portfolios (each a “Portfolio”, collectively “Portfolios”) for selection by Affinity. Each
Portfolio strives to achieve long-term risk and return objectives through diversification
among multiple asset classes using investment options available to Buckingham Strategic
Partners, which may include, but are not limited to, mutual funds and/or exchange traded
funds from Dimensional Fund Advisors LP, Bridgeway Capital Management, Inc., AQR
Capital Management, LLC, The Vanguard Group, Inc., Stoneridge Asset Management, LLC or
other providers selected by Buckingham Strategic Partners.
Each Portfolio is designed to meet a particular investment goal which Affinity has
determined is suitable based on the client's circumstances. Once the appropriate
Portfolio(s) has been determined, the Portfolio will continuously be managed based on the
portfolio’s goal and Buckingham Strategic Partners will have the discretionary authority to
manage the Portfolio(s), including rebalancing. However, Affinity, on behalf of its client,
will have the opportunity to place reasonable restrictions on the types of investments to be
held in the portfolio. Should material life events occur, clients should immediately contact
Affinity to determine if changes to an account and the allocation of the assets held in the
account are necessary.
Pursuant to its discretionary authority, Affinity can also recommend fixed income
portfolios to investment management clients, which consist of managed accounts of
individual bonds. Affinity will request discretionary authority within the Investment
Advisory Agreement from clients to manage fixed income portfolios, including the
discretion to retain an Independent Manager. The Independent Manager will monitor the
account for changes in credit ratings, security call provisions, and tax loss harvesting
opportunities (to the extent that the manager is provided with cost basis information).
They will obtain Affinity’s consent prior to the sale of any client securities.
In addition to Buckingham Strategic Partners, Affinity also recommends Brinker Capital
Investments (‘Brinker’) and Altium Wealth Management for discretionary advisory
services. Independent Managers provides a multi-class investment strategy and develops
various investment models for clients’ consideration. Clients will sign a separate agreement
with Brinker and Altium for advisory services and will be provided with the Independent
Manager’s Form ADV disclosure documents which further outline their business and
separate fees.
On an ongoing basis, Affinity will answer clients’ inquiries regarding their accounts and
review periodically with clients the performance of their accounts. Affinity will
periodically, and at least annually, review clients’ investment policy, risk profile and
discuss the re-balancing of each client's accounts to the extent appropriate. Affinity will
provide to the Independent Manager any updated client financial information or account
restrictions necessary for investment manager to provide sub-advisory services.
In addition to managing the client’s investment portfolio, Affinity can consult with clients
on various financial areas including income and estate tax planning, business sale
structures, college financial planning, retirement planning, insurance analysis, personal
cash flow analysis, establishment and design of retirement plans and trust designs, among
other things.
Employee Benefit Plan Services:
Affinity also provides 3(21) advisory services to participant-directed employee retirement
benefit plans. Affinity primarily provides participant education about saving for retirement
and the investment options available in the plan. Affinity partners with Buckingham
Strategic
Partners who act as the 3(38) fiduciary. Buckingham Strategic Partners will
analyze the plan's current investment platform and assist the plan in creating an
investment policy defining the types of investments to be offered and the restrictions that
may be imposed. BSP will recommend investment options to achieve the plan's objectives,
provide participant education meetings, and monitor the performance of the plan's
investment vehicles. BSP will recommend changes in the plan's investment vehicles as may
be appropriate from time to time. BSP generally will review the plan's investment vehicles
and investment policy as necessary.
Affinity will continue to work with plans to monitor plan investments, provide fiduciary
plan advice including regular considerations of the goals and objectives of the plan, and
provide participant education services to the plan.
Retirement plan clients will engage both Affinity and Buckingham Strategic Partners, LLC.
Buckingham Strategic Partners, LLC will provide to the client additional discretionary
investment management services and will exercise discretionary authority to select the
plan investments made available to the plans’ participants by selecting and maintain the
plans’ investments according to the goals and investment objectives of the plan.
Financial Planning & Consulting Services
Affinity offers different levels of financial planning and consulting services to help clients
identify, prioritize and work towards their goals and objectives. Our consulting services
give clients the ability to receive a broad range of financial advice and services. Our process
starts with an extensive review of a client’s family situation, which includes assets and
liabilities as well as estate, tax, and insurance needs. We then employ a risk tolerance and
risk capacity-focused simulation to get a detailed cash flow analysis and proposed asset
allocation. This information is analyzed to develop a proposed financial plan, which is
designed to be dynamic in nature, ever-evolving due to life changes, along with changes in
cash flow needs, risk tolerance, time horizon, or investment objectives.
Affinity’s financial planning and consulting services may include any or all of the following
services: Business Planning, Cash Flow Forecasting, Trust and Estate Planning, Financial
Planning, Insurance Planning, Charitable Planning, Tax Planning, Risk Management, or
Retirement Plan Consulting.
While each of these services is available on a stand-alone basis, certain of them may also be
rendered in conjunction with investment portfolio management services, as part of a
comprehensive wealth management engagement. In performing these services, Affinity is
not required to verify any information received from the client or from the client's other
professionals (e.g., attorneys, accountants, etc.), and is expressly authorized to rely on such
information. We may recommend clients engage the firm for additional related services, or
we may recommend other professionals to implement our recommendations. This creates
a conflict of interest because the firm will have an incentive to recommend additional
services based on the compensation to be received, rather than solely based on your needs,
and in some cases, based on the prospect of cross-referrals of advisory clients from the
other professional or his or her firm.
Implementation of financial planning recommendations is entirely at your discretion. You
have complete freedom in selecting a financial adviser to assist you with implementing the
recommendations made in your financial plan and are under no obligation to act on the
advice of Affinity. Financial planning recommendations are of a generic nature and are not
limited to any specific product or service offered by a broker dealer or insurance company.
Should you choose to implement the recommendations contained in the plan, Affinity
suggests you work closely with your attorney, accountant and/or insurance agent.
Affinity will act solely in its capacity as a registered investment adviser and does not
provide any legal, accounting or tax advice. You should seek the counsel of a qualified
accountant and/or attorney when necessary. As part of our advisory services, we may
assist clients with tax harvesting and will work with the client’s tax specialist to answer any
questions related to the client’s portfolio.