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FlowFinancialPlanning,LLCFormADVPart2AFebruary21,2020
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Item 1: Cover Page
Flow Financial Planning, LLC
1326GrantStreet
BellinghamWA,98225
360-643-0788
http://flowfp.com
Form ADV Part 2A – Firm Brochure DatedFebruary21,2020
ThisBrochureprovidesinformationaboutthequalificationsandbusinesspracticesofFlowFinancialPlanning,LLC,“Flow”.IfyouhaveanyquestionsaboutthecontentsofthisBrochure,pleasecontactusat360-643-0788.TheinformationinthisBrochurehas
not been approved or verified by the United States Securities and
ExchangeCommissionorbyanystatesecuritiesauthority.
FlowFinancialPlanning,LLCisregisteredasanInvestmentAdviserwiththeStatesofWashingtonandCalifornia.RegistrationofanInvestmentAdviserdoesnotimplyanylevelofskillortraining.
Additional information about Flow is available on the SEC’s
website
atwww.adviserinfo.sec.govwhichcanbefoundusingthefirm’sidentificationnumber281934.
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Item 2: Material Changes
PleaseseethefollowingmaterialchangessincethemostrecentfilingofFormADVPart2A,datedAugust12th,2019.●
Item5:ThefirmhasupdatedthefeesfortheAnnualAdvisoryServicesFee
andBilling.
Future Changes. From time to time, wemay amend this Disclosure
Brochure
toreflectchangesinourbusinesspractices,changesinregulationsandroutineannualupdatesasrequiredbythesecuritiesregulators.ThiscompleteDisclosureBrochureoraSummaryofMaterialChangesshallbeprovidedtoeachClientannuallyandifamaterialchangeoccursinthebusinesspracticesofFlow
At any time, you may view the current Disclosure Brochure
on-line at the
SEC’sInvestmentAdviserPublicDisclosurewebsiteathttp://www.adviserinfo.sec.govbysearchingforourfirmnameorbyourCRDnumber281934.YoumayalsorequestacopyofthisDisclosureBrochureatanytime,bycontactingusat360-643-0788.
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Item 3: Table of Contents Item 1: Cover Page 1
Flow Financial Planning, LLC 1
Form ADV Part 2A – Firm Brochure 1
Item 2: Material Changes 2
Item 3: Table of Contents 2
Item 4: Advisory Business Error!Bookmarknotdefined.
Description of Advisory Firm 6
Types of Advisory Services 6
Annual Advisory Services—Comprehensive Wealth Management 6
One-Time Comprehensive Financial Plan 9
Online Courses 10
Webinars 10
Speaking Engagements 10
Client Tailored Services and Client Imposed Restrictions 11
Wrap Fee Programs 11
Item 5: Fees and Compensation 11
Annual Advisory Services Fee and Billing 11
One-Time Comprehensive Financial Plan 13
Online Courses 14
Webinars 14
Speaking Engagements 14
Other Types of Fees and Expenses 15
Item 6: Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management
16
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Item 7: Types of Clients 16
Item 8: Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of
Loss 16
Passive Investment Management 16
Material Risks Involved 17
Risks Associated with Securities 17
Item 9: Disciplinary Information 18
Criminal or Civil Actions 18
Administrative Enforcement Proceedings 19
Self-Regulatory Organization Enforcement Proceedings 19
Item 10: Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations
19
Recommendations or Selections of Other Investment Advisers
19
Item 11: Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client
Transactions and Personal Trading 20
Code of Ethics Description 20
Investment Recommendations Involving a Material Financial
Interest and Conflicts of Interest 21
Advisory Firm Purchase of Same Securities Recommended to Clients
and Conflicts of Interest 21
Trading Securities At/Around the Same Time as Client’s
Securities 21
Item 12: Brokerage Practices 21
Factors Used to Select Custodians and/or Broker-Dealers 21
1. Research and Other Soft-Dollar Benefits 22
2. Brokerage for Client Referrals 23
3. Clients Directing Which Broker/Dealer/Custodian to Use 23
Aggregating (Block) Trading for Multiple Client Accounts 23
Item 13: Review of Accounts 23
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Item 14: Client Referrals and Other Compensation 24
Item 15: Custody 25
Item 16: Investment Discretion 25
Item 17: Voting Client Securities 25
Item 18: Financial Information 26
Item 19: Requirements for State-Registered Advisers 26
Margaret Helen Bartelt (CRD# 6619860) 26
Educational Background 26
Business Experience 26
Professional Designations, Licensing & Exams 27
Other Business Activities 27
Performance Based Fees 27
Material Disciplinary Disclosures 27
Material Relationships That Management Persons Have With Issuers
of Securities 27
Additional Compensation 27
Supervision 27
Requirements for State Registered Advisers 27
Business Continuity Plan 27
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Item 4: Advisory Business
Description of Advisory Firm
FlowFinancialPlanning,LLCisregisteredasanInvestmentAdviserwiththeStatesofWashingtonandCalifornia.Wewerefoundedin2016.MargaretHelenBarteltisthe
principal owner of Flow. Assets Under Management are $29,170,902 as
ofDecember31,2019.
Types of Advisory Services
Annual Advisory Services—Comprehensive Wealth Management Flow
provides comprehensive wealth management services for a flat annual
fee.Clientswillhaveregularlyscheduledmeetingsthroughthetermoftheengagement,dependingontheirindividualsituation.Inadditiontoscheduledmeetings,additionalface-to-face,email,and/orphoneconsultationsareincludedatnoextracharge.
TheclientandFlowjointlyreviewtheclient’sgoalsandvaluesaroundmoney,networth,
cash flow, insurance, employee benefits, retirement planning,
insurance,investments, etc. (full listbelow).Flow thendoesa
comprehensiveanalysisof theclient’s current and future financial
state by using currently known variables
topredictfuturecashflows,assetvaluesandwithdrawalplans.Thekeydefiningaspectof
financial planning is that through the financial planning process,
all questions,informationandanalysiswill be consideredas theyaffect
andare affectedby
theentirefinancialandlifesituationoftheclient.
Clients purchasing this service will receive a written or an
electronic report,providing the client with an overview of their
current financial condition, asassessment of their risks and
opportunities, their current goals, and
Flow’srecommendationsforachievingtheirgoalsandmitigatingtheirrisks.
Clients get continuous access to a planner who will help the
client
implementrecommendations,monitortheplan,makeadditionalrecommendationsaspreviousrecommendationsareimplemented,reachoutforregularclientmeetings,adapttheplan
to changing circumstances in the client’s life, recommend changes
whennecessary,andensuretheplanisuptodate.
TheclientisexpectedtoinformFlowwhenchangesorconcernsariseandtoprovidenecessarydocumentsanddata
forFlow touse
inouranalysis.Clientsmighthavechangesorconcernsinanyoftheareasenumeratedbelow,aswerecoveredintheinitialanalysis.Flowwillreviewthenewinformationinthecontextoftheexistingplanandshareourfindings,analysisandpotentialrecommendationswiththeclient.Clientssubscribingtothisservicewillreceiveawrittenoranelectronicreportfor
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eachissueafterweworkthroughit.Theplanandtheclient’sfinancialsituationandgoalswillbemonitoredthroughouttheyearandfollow-upphonecallsandemailswillbemadetotheclient
toconfirmthatanyagreeduponactionstepshavebeencarriedout.Onanannualbasistherewillbeafullreviewofthisplantoensureitsaccuracyandongoingappropriateness.Anyneededupdateswillbeimplementedatthattime.
As part of the Annual Advisory Service, Flow provides
discretionary investmentadvisory services. With discretionary
authority, Flow is given the authority
toconducttradesinaclient’saccountandgiveinstructionstotheaccount’scustodian,without
prior consent of the client. For any assets under advisement,
notmanagement,theAdviserwillreviewandrecommendchangesannually.
Investmentadvisoryservicesmayinvolvedevelopinganassetallocationstrategytomeetclients’financialgoalsandrisktolerance,providinginformationoninvestmentvehiclesandstrategies,andreviewingcompanystockownership.Thestrategiesandtypes
of investmentswemay recommend are further discussed in Item 8 of
thisbrochure.
Account supervision is guided by the stated objectives of the
client (for example,capital appreciationor capitalpreservation),
aswell as tax considerations.Clientsmay impose reasonable
restrictions on investing in certain securities, types
ofsecurities,orindustrysectors.
Flowrecommendsbothmutualfundsandexchange-tradedfunds.Therecommendedmutualfundsareno-loadfunds.
Flow’s services in these engagements can also include, but are
not limited to, thefollowing:
● Cash Flow Management: We will conduct a review of your income
andexpenses
todetermineyourcurrentsurplusordeficitalongwithadviceonprioritizinghowanysurplusshouldbeusedorhowtoreduceexpensesiftheyexceedyourincome.Advicemayalsobeprovidedonwhichloanstopayofffirstbasedonfactorssuchastheinterestrateoftheloanandanyincometaxramifications.Wemayalsorecommendwhatwebelievetobeanappropriatecashreserve
thatshouldbeconsidered foremergenciesandother
financialgoals,alongwithareviewofaccounts(suchasmoneymarketfunds)forsuchreserves,plusstrategiestosavedesiredamounts.
● College Planning: Includes projecting the amount that will be
needed
toachievecollegeorotherpost-secondaryeducationfundinggoals,alongwithadviceonwaysforyoutosavethedesiredamount.Recommendationsastosavingsstrategiesare
included,as isareviewofyour financialpictureas itrelates to
eligibility for financial aid or the best way to contribute
tograndchildren(ifappropriate).
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●
EmployeeBenefitsOptimization:Wewillprovidereviewandanalysisastowhetheryou,asanemployee,aretakingthemaximumadvantagepossibleofyouremployeebenefits.Ifyouareabusinessowner,wewillconsiderand/orrecommendthevariousbenefitprogramsthatcanbestructuredtomeetbothbusinessandpersonalretirementgoals.
●
BusinessPlanning:Weprovideconsultingservicesforclientswhocurrentlyoperate
their own business, are considering starting a business, or
areplanning for an exit from their current business. Under this
type
ofengagement,weworkwithyoutoassessyourcurrentsituation,identifyyourobjectives,anddevelopaplanaimedatachievingyourgoals.
●
EstatePlanning:Thisusuallyincludesananalysisofyourexposuretoestatetaxesandyourcurrentestateplan,whichmayincludewhetheryouhaveawill,powers
of attorney, trusts and other related documents. Our advice
canincludewaysforyoutominimizeoravoidfutureestatetaxesbyimplementingappropriate
estate planning strategies such as the use of applicabletrusts.
We
always recommend that you consult with a qualified attorneywhen you
initiate, update, or complete estate planning activities. We
mayprovideyouwithcontact informationforattorneyswhospecialize
inestateplanningwhenyouwishtohireanattorneyforsuchpurposes.Fromtime-to-time,wewill
participate inmeetingsorphone calls betweenyou
andyourattorneywithyourapprovalorrequest.
●
FinancialGoals:Wewillhelpclientsidentifyfinancialgoalsanddevelopaplantoreachthem.Wewillidentifywhatyouplantoaccomplish,whatresourcesyouwillneedtomakeithappen,howmuchtimeyouwillneedtoreachthegoal,andhowmuchyoushouldbudgetforyourgoal.
●
InsuranceReview:Reviewofexistingpoliciestoensurepropercoverageforlife,health,disability,long-termcare,liability,homeandautomobile.
● Retirement Planning: Our retirement planning services
typically includeprojections of your likelihood of achieving your
financial goals, typicallyfocusingon financial independenceas
theprimaryobjective. For situationswhere projections show less than
the desired results, we may
makerecommendations,includingthosethatmayimpacttheoriginalprojectionsbyadjustingcertainvariables(e.g.,workinglonger,savingmore,spendingless,takingmoreriskwith
investments).
Ifyouarenearretirementoralreadyretired, advice may
be given on appropriate distribution strategies
tominimizethelikelihoodofrunningoutofmoneyorhavingtoadverselyalterspendingduringyourretirementyears.
● RiskManagement: A riskmanagement review includes an analysis
of
yourexposuretomajorrisksthatcouldhaveasignificantadverseimpactonyour
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financialpicture,suchasprematuredeath,disability,propertyandcasualtylosses,ortheneedfor
long-termcareplanning.Advicemaybeprovidedonways to minimize such
risks and about weighing the costs of
purchasinginsuranceversusthebenefitsofdoingsoand,likewise,thepotentialcostofnotpurchasinginsurance(“self-insuring”).
● TaxPlanningStrategies:Advicemay includeways
tominimizecurrentandfuture incometaxesasapartofyouroverall
financialplanningpicture.Forexample, we may make recommendations on
which type of account(s)
orspecificinvestmentsshouldbeownedbasedinpartontheir“taxefficiency,”with
consideration that there is always a possibility of future changes
tofederal,stateorlocaltaxlawsandratesthatmayimpactyoursituation.
We recommend that you consult with a qualified tax professional
beforeinitiating any tax planning strategy, andwemay provide
youwith contactinformation for accountants or attorneyswho
specialize in this area if
youwishtohiresomeoneforsuchpurposes.Wewillparticipate
inmeetingsorphonecallsbetweenyouandyourtaxprofessionalwithyourapproval.
●
RealEstatePlanningStrategies:Clientscanhaveasignificantportionoftheirnet
worth tied up in real estate, especially their primary residence,
andespeciallyinhigh-cost-of-livingareas.Ouranalysisandadvicewillfocusontherolethatrealestate(bothresidenceandrental)playsinyourtotalfinancialpictureandhowtobestbalancetherisksandpotentialrewardsofrealestateownership
with those of your investment portfolio and the rest of
yourfinancialpicture.Specificanalysesmayincluderefinancing,the“shouldIpayoffmymortgage
fasteror investmore”question,and
leveraginghighhomevalueswhenmakingplansforthefuture.
ConflictofInterest:AconflictexistsbetweentheinterestsofFlowandtheinterestsoftheclient.Theclientisundernoobligationtoactupontheinvestmentadviser'srecommendation,andiftheclientelectstoactonanyoftherecommendations,theclientisundernoobligationtoeffectthetransactionthroughtheinvestmentadviser.
One-Time Comprehensive Financial Plan
TheclientandFlowjointlyreviewtheclient’sgoalsandvaluesaroundmoney,networth,
cash flow, insurance, employee benefits, retirement planning,
investments,etc. Flow then does a comprehensive analysis of the
client’s current and
futurefinancialstatebyusingcurrentlyknownvariablestopredictfuturecashflows,assetvalues
andwithdrawalplans.Thekeydefiningaspectof financialplanning is
thatthroughthefinancialplanningprocess,allquestions,informationandanalysiswillbeconsideredastheyaffectandareaffectedbytheentirefinancialandlifesituationoftheclient.
Clients purchasing this service will receive a written or an
electronic report,
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providingtheclientwithadetailedfinancialplandesignedtoachievehisorherstatedfinancialgoals.TheclientisexpectedtoinformFlowwhenchangesorconcernsariseandtoprovidenecessarydocumentsanddataforFlowtouseinouranalysis.
No follow-up advice is provided in a One-Time Comprehensive
Financial Planengagement following the completion of the project.
No investmentmanagementservices are provided in such an engagement.
Clients are solely responsible forimplementing any recommendations
made by Flow. Clients are not obligated
toimplementanyrecommendationsthroughFlow.
In general, the financial plan will address any or all of the
areas of
concernenumeratedaboveintheAnnualAdvisoryServices.Theclientandadvisorwillworktogethertoselectthespecificareastocover.
ConflictofInterest:AconflictexistsbetweentheinterestsofFlowandtheinterestsoftheclient.Theclientisundernoobligationtoactupontheinvestmentadviser'srecommendation,andiftheclientelectstoactonanyoftherecommendations,theclientisundernoobligationtoeffectthetransactionthroughtheinvestmentadviser.
Online Courses Flow occasionally creates online courses that are
sold through third-party
onlinecourseplatformstothegeneralpublic.Topicsmayincludeissuesrelatedtojoboffers,stockcompensation,employeebenefitschoices,orretirementstrategies.Ourcoursesare
educational in nature and do not involve the sale of insurance or
investmentproducts.Informationpresentedwillnotbebasedonanyoneperson’sneednordowe
provide individualized investment advice to attendees during our
generalsessions.
Webinars
FlowprovidesoccasionalwebinarsforanorganizationcalledTechLadies®.(TechLadies®isaprofessionalorganizationofwomeninthetechnologyindustry.)Topicsmay
include issues related to job offers, stock compensation, investing
basics,employeebenefitschoices,orretirementstrategies.Ourwebinarsareeducationalinnatureanddonotinvolvethesaleofinsuranceorinvestmentproducts.Informationpresented
will not be based on any one person’s need nor do we
provideindividualizedinvestmentadvicetoattendeesduringourgeneralsessions.
Speaking Engagements
Weperformspeakingengagementsforgroupsdesiringgeneraladviceonpersonalfinance
and investing. Topics may include issues related to investing,
stockcompensation, employee benefits choices, or retirement
strategies. Our speakingengagementsareeducational
innatureanddonotinvolvethesaleof
insuranceorinvestmentproducts.Informationpresentedwillnotbebasedonanyoneperson’sneednordoweprovide
individualized investmentadvice toattendeesduringour
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generalsessions.
Client Tailored Services and Client Imposed Restrictions We
offer the same suite of services to all of our clients. However,
specific
clientfinancialplansandtheirimplementationaredependentupontheclientInvestmentPolicy
Statement and Risk tolerance questionnaire. The IPS outlines each
client’scurrent situation (income, tax levels, and risk tolerance
levels) and is used toconstruct a client specific plan to aid in
the selection of a portfolio
thatmatchesrestrictions,needs,andtargets.
Wrap Fee Programs Wedonotparticipateinwrapfeeprograms.
Item 5: Fees and Compensation Flow is a fee-only firm. Flow is
compensated solely by professional fees
receiveddirectlyfromitsclients.NeitherFlow,noranyrelatedpersonassociatedwithFlow,receives
compensation that is contingent on the purchase or sale of a
financialproduct.NeitherFlow,noranyrelatedpersonofFlow,acceptsanysalescommissionsreferralfees,servicefees,orotherformofcompensationfromanythirdparty,nordoesFloworanyrelatedpersoncompensateanyoneelsedirectlyor
indirectly forclient referrals. Fees are generally negotiable and
are paid as described below,directlybytheclient.
Flow’sfeeandthespecificmannerinwhichfeesarechargedisestablishedineachclientagreementwiththeclient.InnoeventwillFlowcollectmorethan$500.00morethansixmonthsinadvancefromanyclient.
Pleasenote,unlessaclienthasreceived the
firm’sdisclosurebrochureat
least48hourspriortosigningtheclientagreement,theclientagreementmaybeterminatedby
theclientwithin five(5)businessdaysofsigning
theclientagreementwithoutincurringanyadvisoryfeesandwithoutpenalty.
Annual Advisory Services Fee and Billing The fee for service is
determined at the beginning of the client relationship
andreevaluatedwheneversignificantchangesoccurtotheclient’sfinancialsituationorassetsundermanagement.Itisbilledinadvance,basedonaflatfee.BoththeclientandtheAdvisoragreetothetotalcostoftheservicepriortobeginninganywork.
Flowandtheclientwillre-executeagreementswithclientsintheeventthatthereisachangeintheclient’sfee.
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Feeswill be assessed pro rata in the event that the agreed-upon
annual
servicescommencesubsequenttothefirstdayofacalendarmonth.Clientspaythefeeoneoftwoways:
1. Monthly,throughElectronicFundsTransfer
2. Quarterly, debiteddirectly from theClients’ account, at the
discretion of theClient, by the custodian upon submission of an
invoice to the
custodianindicatingtheaccountnumberandamountoffeestobepaid.
Insomecases,aclientmaybepermittedtopayfeesbycheck.
TheannualfeeisbasedontheassetstobemanagedbyFlowasofthestartoftheengagement,asreportedtoFlowbytheclientbeforestartingtheengagement.Thefeeisablendedrateofthesebrackets:
AssetsunderManagement Fee%$0-$1,000,000 1.00%
$1,000,001-$3,000,000 0.50%$3,000,001andabove 0.25%
Forexample:
● Clientassetsundermanagement=$4M● Clientfee=
o $1Mx1%= $10,000o Next$2Mx0.50%= $10,000o Final$1Mx0.25%=
$2,500o Totalfee= $25,000(0.625%ofAUM)
Theminimumannualfeeis$6000forasinglepersonand$8000foracouple.Theannualfeewillnotexceed2%ofassetsundermanagement.Ifthecalculatedfeedoesexceed2%AUM,then:
1.
Ifthefeeexceeds2%ofAUMfromtheonsetoftheclientengagement,thenFlowwilltracktasksandhoursandearnthefeesbasedonhoursworked,basedonanhourlyrateof$400.
2.
Iftheflatfeedoesnotexceed2%ofAUMtobeginwithbut,becauseofchangestotheportfolio,itnowdoes,Flowwilleitherlowerthefeetobebelow2%orjustifythefeebasedonhours,asabovedescribed.
Flowwillcalculate%ofAUMevery6monthstoensurefeesdon’texceed2%.Flowusesanhourlyrateonlyinordertocalculatefeesearnedfromclients,eitheraspartoftheAnnualAdvisoryService(intheeventfeesrepresent>2%ofAUM)oraOne-TimeComprehensiveFinancialPlan
(in theevent theclientengagementends
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beforedeliveryoftheplan).Flowdoesnotprovidehourlyservices.
EithertheclientorFlowmayterminatetheengagementwithoutcauseatanytimebywritten
notice. The clientmay obtain a full refund by providingwritten
notice ofterminationwithin five days of signing the client
agreement. In the event of
latertermination,prepaidbutunearnedclient
feeswillbepromptlyrefundedonapro-ratabasisbasedonthenumberofdaysremaininginthebillingperiod.Refundswillbeissuedbycheckorbyelectronicfundstransfer.Attermination,Flowwilldelivertotheclientallworkperformedfortheclientthathasnotalreadybeendelivered.
In all instances, Flowwill send the client awritten invoice,
including the fee,
theformulausedtocalculatethefee,thetimeperiodcoveredbythefee,and,ifapplicable,theamountofassetsundermanagementonwhichthefeewasbased.Flowwillsendthese
to the client concurrent with the request for payment or payment of
theadviser’sadvisoryfees.
ForclientswhosefeeFlowjustifiesbyhoursworked:
1.
Every6months,weissueaninvoicethatoutlinesallthetasksandassociatedhoursfortheprevious6months.
2. Atthatpoint,wereconcilethefeesearnedwiththefeespaid.
a. Iffeespaidexceedfeesearned,weissuearefundfortheexcess.
b.
Iffeesearnedexceedfeespaid,theunpaidfeeswillbeincludedinthenext6-monthcycle.
Weurge theclient tocompare this informationwith the fees listed
in theaccountstatement.
DiscountingofAdvisoryFees.Theservicestobeprovidedtotheclientandtheirspecific
feeswillbedetailed in theclientagreement.The firm’spublished
feesarenegotiable. We strive to offer fees that are fair and
reasonable in light of
theexperienceofourfirmandtheservicestobeprovidedtotheclient.
ForCaliforniaResidents:WeareobligatedunderCaliforniastatutetoinformyouthatlowerfeesforcomparableservicesmaybeavailablefromothersources.
One-Time Comprehensive Financial Plan
AOne-TimeComprehensiveFinancialPlancosts$6000-$10,000,dependingonthecomplexityoftheclient’sfinancialandtaxsituation.Forexample,aclientwhoisacouple,hasstockoptions,andownstheirownbusinesswouldrequiregreaterfirmresourcesintheformoftimeandexpertiseandwouldthereforemeritahigherfeethanasinglepersonwithjustsalarycompensation.
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Halfthefeeisdueuponsigningtheclientagreement,andtheremaininghalfdueupondeliveryoftheplan.Theservicemaybeterminatedatanytime,effectiveimmediately.Ifserviceisterminatedbeforedeliveryoftheplan,Flowwilldelivertheworkalreadydone.Iflessthanhalftheworkhasbeenperformedattermination,Flowwillrefundtheclient,bycheck,fortheunearnedamount.Ifmorethanhalftheworkhasbeenperformedattermination,Flowwillinvoicetheclientfortheadditionalamountdue.Therefundoradditionalamountduewillbecalculatedbasedonanhourlyrateof$400/hour.
Flowusesanhourlyrateonlyinordertocalculatefeesearnedfromclients,eitheraspartoftheAnnualAdvisoryService(intheeventfeesrepresent>2%ofAUM)oraOne-TimeComprehensiveFinancialPlan
(in theevent
theclientengagementendsbeforedeliveryoftheplan).Flowdoesnotprovidehourlyservices.
Thefeeisnegotiable.Clientswillreceiveaninvoiceforfeepaymentrequests.
ForCaliforniaResidents:WeareobligatedunderCaliforniastatutetoinformyouthatlowerfeesforcomparableservicesmaybeavailablefromothersources.
ThefeeispayablebycheckorElectronicFundsTransfer.
Online Courses
Onlinecourses,ashostedonthird-partyonline-courseplatforms,willcostbetween$50and$200perattendee,dependingonthelengthandcomplexityofthecourse,thedeliverablesprovided,andtheinvolvementofotherprofessionalsinthecreationandpresentationofthecourse.Thefeeiscollected,viaelectronicfundstransfer,priortothewebinar.Thefeeisnotnegotiable.
Webinars
CurrentlyFlowofferswebinarsonlyfortheTechLadies®organization.TechLadies®setstheticketpriceandcurrentlypaysFlowapercentageoftheticketprice,attheirdiscretion.FlowispaiddirectlybyTechLadies®viaelectronicfundsdeposit,afterthecompletionofthewebinar.
Speaking Engagements
Speakingengagementswillrangeinpricebetween$400-$1000(exclusiveoftravel-cost
reimbursement)dependingon the length,
locationandenrollment.TheclientandFlowwillagreeonthefeeassociatedwithaspecificengagementbeforeitoccurs.
Thefeeisnegotiable,andspeakingengagementsmaybeprovidedprobono.Thefeewillbecollectedafterthespeakingengagementisperformed.
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Termination:
●
Iftheadvisorterminatestheengagementbecauseofinclementweatherandhasmade
all reasonable attempts tomake alternative travel arrangements,
theclientdoesnotoweanyspeakerfeesbutisresponsibleforanynon-refundabletravelexpensesalreadyincurred.
●
Iftheadvisorterminatestheengagementduetohealthorsimilarunforeseencircumstances,
the client does not owe any fees (no speaker fee, no
travelexpenses).
● If the client terminates the engagement for any reason besides
weather
orsimilarunforeseencauses,theclientwillberesponsibleforreimbursementsof
any non-refundable travel expenses already incurred, and will
providepaymentfor50%ofthespeakingfeeiftheterminationoccurswithin30daysoftheevent.
●
Intheeventoftermination,norefundisnecessarybecausenofeesarepaiduntiltheend.
ThefeeispayablebycheckorElectronicFundsTransfer.
Other Types of Fees and Expenses
Ourfeesareexclusiveofbrokeragecommissions,transactionfees,andotherrelatedcostsandexpenseswhichmaybe
incurredbytheclient.Clientsmay incurcertaincharges imposedby
custodians, brokers, andother thirdparties suchas
custodialfees,deferred sales charges,odd-lotdifferentials, transfer
taxes,wire
transferandelectronicfundfees,andotherfeesandtaxesonbrokerageaccountsandsecuritiestransactions.
Mutual fund and exchange traded funds also charge
internalmanagementfees,whicharedisclosedinafund’sprospectus.Suchcharges,feesandcommissionsareexclusiveofandinadditiontoourfee,andweshallnotreceiveanyportionofthesecommissions,fees,andcosts.
Item12furtherdescribesthefactorsthatweconsiderinselectingorrecommendingbroker-dealersforclient’stransactionsanddeterminingthereasonablenessoftheircompensation(forexample,commissions).
We do not accept compensation for the sale of securities or
other
investmentproductsincludingasset-basedsaleschargesorservicefeesfromthesaleofmutualfunds.
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Item 6: Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management
Wedonotofferperformance-basedfees.
Item 7: Types of Clients There is nominimumaccount size for
anyof our clients.
Flowgenerallyprovidesinvestmentadvicetoindividuals,families,smallbusinesses,andtrusts.
Item 8: Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of
Loss
OurprimarymethodofinvestmentanalysisisPassiveInvestmentManagement.
Passive Investment Management Weprimarilypracticepassive
investmentmanagement.Passive investing involvesbuilding portfolios
that are comprised of several distinct asset classes. The
assetclasses are weighted in amanner to reflect a targeted balance
between risk andreturn.Passive investing seeks tomatchmarket
returns atminimal cost,
notbeatthem.Fundsthatpassivelycapturethereturnsofthedesiredassetclassesareplacedintheportfolio.Tobuildourclients’portfoliosinalignmentwiththisapproach,wetypicallyuse
low-cost,heavilydiversified indexmutual
fundsandexchangetradedfunds.
Wegenerallydonotadviseclientsonthepurchaseofanysecuritiesotherthanthosejust
listed, but sometimes clients come to Flow with other
securities—such asindividual stocks, activelymanagedmutual funds,
annuities, etc.—already in
theirportfolio.Inthatcase,wedoadviseclientsonwhetherornottheyshouldkeepthosesecurities.
Additionally, we do advise clients on the purchase of employer
stockofferedthroughvariousemployeebenefitsplans.
Passiveinvestmentmanagementischaracterizedbylowportfolioexpenses(thatis,thefundsinsidetheportfoliohavelowinternalcosts),minimaltradingcosts(duetoinfrequenttradingactivity),andrelativetaxefficiency(becausethefundsinsidetheportfolioaretaxefficientandturnoverinsidetheportfolioisminimal).
Incontrast,activemanagementinvolvesasinglemanagerormanagerswhoemploysome
method, strategy or technique to construct a portfolio that is
intended togenerate returns that are greater than the broader
market or a designated
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benchmark. Academic research indicatesmost activemanagers
underperform themarket.
Material Risks Involved All investingstrategiesweoffer
involveriskandmayresult ina lossofyouroriginal investment
commodities and any other investment or
security.Materialrisksassociatedwithourinvestmentstrategiesarelistedbelow.
Market Risk: Market risk involves the possibility that an
investment’s
currentmarketvaluewillfallbecauseofageneralmarketdecline,reducingthevalueoftheinvestment
regardless of the operational success of the issuer’s operations or
itsfinancialcondition.
Small andMedium Cap CompanyRisk: Securities of companieswith
small andmedium market capitalizations are often more volatile and
less liquid thaninvestments in larger companies. Small and medium
cap companies may face agreater risk of business failure, which
could increase the volatility of the client’sportfolio.
InterestRateRisk:Bond(fixedincome)pricesgenerallyfallwheninterestratesrise,andthevaluemayfallbelowparvalueortheprincipalinvestment.Theoppositeisalso
generally true: bondprices generally risewhen interest rates fall.
In general,fixed income securities with longer maturities are more
sensitive to these pricechanges. Most other investments are also
sensitive to the level and direction ofinterestrates.
LegalorLegislativeRisk:LegislativechangesorCourtrulingsmayimpactthevalueofinvestments,orthesecurities’claimontheissuer’sassetsandfinances.
Inflation:Inflationmayerodethebuying-powerofyourinvestmentportfolio,evenifthedollarvalueofyourinvestmentsremainsthesame.
Risks Associated with Securities
Apartfromthegeneralrisksoutlinedabovewhichapplytoalltypesofinvestments,specificsecuritiesmayhaveotherrisks.
Commonstocksmaygoupanddowninpricequitedramatically,andintheeventofan
issuer’s bankruptcy or restructuring could lose all value. A
slower-growth
orrecessionaryeconomicenvironmentcouldhaveanadverseeffectonthepriceofallstocks.
Corporate Bonds are debt securities to borrow money. Generally,
issuers
payinvestorsperiodicinterestandrepaytheamountborrowedeitherperiodicallyduringthelifeofthesecurityand/oratmaturity.Alternatively,investorscanpurchaseother
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debtsecurities,suchaszerocouponbonds,whichdonotpaycurrent
interest,butratherarepricedatadiscountfromtheirfacevaluesandtheirvaluesaccreteovertime
to face value at maturity. The market prices of debt securities
fluctuatedependingonsuchfactorsasinterestrates,creditquality,andmaturity.Ingeneral,marketpricesofdebtsecuritiesdeclinewheninterestratesriseandincreasewheninterestratesfall.Thelongerthetimetoabond’smaturity,thegreateritsinterestraterisk.
MunicipalBondsaredebtobligationsgenerallyissuedtoobtainfundsforvariouspublicpurposes,includingtheconstructionofpublicfacilities.Municipalbondspayalowerrateofreturnthanmostothertypesofbonds.However,becauseofamunicipalbond’stax-favoredstatus,investorsshouldcomparetherelativeafter-taxreturntotheafter-taxreturnofotherbonds,dependingontheinvestor’staxbracket.Investinginmunicipalbondscarriesthesamegeneralrisksasinvestinginbondsingeneral.Thoserisksincludeinterestraterisk,reinvestmentrisk,inflationrisk,marketrisk,callorredemptionrisk,creditrisk,andliquidityandvaluationrisk.
ExchangeTradedFundspricesmayvarysignificantlyfromtheNetAssetValuedueto
market conditions. Certain Exchange Traded Funds may not track
underlyingbenchmarksasexpected.
InvestmentCompaniesRisk.Whena client invests inopenendmutual
fundsorETFs, the client indirectly bears its proportionate share of
any fees and
expensespayabledirectlybythosefunds.Therefore,theclientwillincurhigherexpenses,manyofwhichmaybeduplicative.Inaddition,theclient’soverallportfoliomaybeaffectedby
losses of an underlying fund and the level of risk arising from the
investmentpracticesofanunderlyingfund(suchastheuseofderivatives).ETFsarealsosubjecttothefollowingrisks:(i)anETF’ssharesmaytradeatamarketpricethatisaboveorbelow
their net asset value; (ii) the ETFmay employ an investment
strategy
thatutilizeshighleverageratios;or(iii)tradingofanETF’ssharesmaybehaltedifthelisting
exchange’s officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are
de-listedfromtheexchange,ortheactivationofmarket-wide“circuitbreakers”(whicharetiedtolargedecreasesinstockprices)haltsstocktradinggenerally.TheAdviserhasnocontrolovertheriskstakenbytheunderlyingfundsinwhichclientsinvest.
Item 9: Disciplinary Information
Criminal or Civil Actions
Flowanditsmanagementhavenotbeeninvolvedinanycriminalorcivilaction.
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Administrative Enforcement Proceedings Flow and its management
have not been involved in administrative
enforcementproceedings.
Self-Regulatory Organization Enforcement Proceedings
Flowanditsmanagementhavenotbeeninvolvedinlegalordisciplinaryeventsthatarematerialtoaclient’sorprospectiveclient’sevaluationofFlowortheintegrityofitsmanagement.
Item 10: Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations No
Flow employee is registered, or have an application pending to
register, as
abroker-dealeroraregisteredrepresentativeofabroker-dealer.
No Flow employee is registered, or have an application pending
to register, as afutures commissionmerchant, commodity pool
operator or a commodity tradingadvisor.
Flowdoesnothaveanyrelatedparties.Asaresult,wedonothavearelationshipwithanyrelatedparties.
Flow only receives compensation directly from clients. We do not
receivecompensationfromanyoutsidesource.Wedonothaveanyconflictsofinterestwithanyoutsideparty.
Recommendations or Selections of Other Investment Advisers
Flowdoesnot recommend clients toOutsideManagers tomanage their
accounts.Clients may choose to use an Outside Manager to implement
Flow’srecommendations.
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Item 11: Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client
Transactions and Personal Trading
Asafiduciary,ourfirmanditsassociateshaveadutyofutmostgoodfaithtoactsolelyinthebestinterestsofeachclient.Ourclientsentrustuswiththeirfundsandpersonalinformation,whichinturnplacesahighstandardonourconductandintegrity.OurfiduciarydutyisacoreaspectofourCodeofEthicsandrepresentstheexpectedbasisofallofourdealings.ThefirmalsoadherestotheCodeofEthicsandProfessionalResponsibility
adopted by the CFP® Board of Standards Inc., and accepts
theobligationnotonlytocomplywiththemandatesandrequirementsofallapplicablelaws
and regulations but also to take responsibility to act in an
ethical andprofessionally responsible manner in all professional
services and
activities.Additionally,FlowrequiresadherencetoitsInsiderTradingPolicy(containedintheCodeofEthics).
Code of Ethics Description This codedoesnot attempt to identify
all possible conflictsof interest, and
literalcompliancewitheachofitsspecificprovisionswillnotshieldassociatedpersonsfromliability
for personal trading or other conduct that violates a fiduciary
duty
toadvisoryclients.AsummaryoftheCodeofEthics'Principlesisoutlinedbelow.
● Integrity - Associated persons shall offer and provide
professional serviceswithintegrity.
● Objectivity -Associatedpersons shall beobjective
inprovidingprofessionalservicestoclients.
●
Competence-Associatedpersonsshallprovideservicestoclientscompetentlyandmaintainthenecessaryknowledgeandskilltocontinuetodosointhoseareasinwhichtheyareengaged.
●
Fairness-Associatedpersonsshallperformprofessionalservicesinamannerthatisfairandreasonabletoclients,principals,partners,andemployers,andshalldiscloseconflict(s)ofinterestinprovidingsuchservices.
● Confidentiality - Associated persons shall not disclose
confidential clientinformationwithout thespecific consentof
theclientunless in response
toproperlegalprocess,orasrequiredbylaw.
●
Professionalism-Associatedpersons’conductinallmattershallreflectcreditoftheprofession.
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● Diligence - Associated persons shall act diligently in
providing professionalservices.
We periodically review and amend our Code of Ethics to ensure
that it
remainscurrent,andwerequireallfirmaccesspersonstoattesttotheirunderstandingofandadherencetotheCodeofEthicsatleastannually.OurfirmwillprovideacopyofitsCodeofEthicstoanyclientorprospectiveclientuponrequest.
Investment Recommendations Involving a Material Financial
Interest and Conflicts of Interest
Neitherourfirm,itsassociatesoranyrelatedpersonisauthorizedtorecommendtoaclient,oreffectatransactionforaclient,involvinganysecurityinwhichourfirmora
related person has a material financial interest, such as in the
capacity as anunderwriter,advisertotheissuer,etc.
Advisory Firm Purchase of Same Securities Recommended to Clients
and Conflicts of Interest
Ourfirmandits“relatedpersons”maybuyorsellsecuritiessimilarto,ordifferentfrom,
thosewerecommendtoclients for theiraccounts. Inaneffort
toreduceoreliminate certain conflicts of interest involving the
firm or personal trading, ourpolicymay require thatwe restrict or
prohibit associates’ transactions in
specificreportablesecuritiestransactions.Anyexceptionsortradingpre-clearancemustbeapprovedbythefirmprincipalinadvanceofthetransactioninanaccount,andwemaintaintherequiredpersonalsecuritiestransactionrecordsperregulation.
Trading Securities At/Around the Same Time as Client’s
Securities Fromtime to time,our firmor its “relatedpersons”maybuyor
sell securities forthemselves at or around the same time as
clients. We will not trade
non-fundsecurities(mutualfundsorexchange-tradedfunds)within5dayspriortothesamesecurityforclients.
Item 12: Brokerage Practices
Factors Used to Select Custodians and/or Broker-Dealers
Specificcustodianrecommendationsaremadetoclientsbasedontheirneedforsuch
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services.Werecommendcustodiansbasedonthereputationandservicesprovidedby
the firm. Our primary recommended custodian is TD Ameritrade
Institutional,DivisionofTDAmeritrade,Inc.,memberFINRA/SIPC,anunaffiliatedSEC-registeredbroker-dealer(“TDAmeritrade”).
Flow participates in the institutional program (the “Program”)
offered by TDAmeritrade Institutional. TD Ameritrade offers to
independent investment firmsservices which include custody of
securities, trade execution, clearance
andsettlementoftransactions.FlowreceivessomebenefitsfromTDAmeritradethroughitsparticipationintheProgram.
1. Research and Other Soft-Dollar Benefits As disclosed above,
Flow participates in TD Ameritrade’s institutional
customerprogramandmayrecommendTDAmeritradetoclientsforcustodyandbrokerageservices.ThereisnodirectlinkbetweenFlow’sparticipationintheprogramandtheinvestmentadvice
it gives to its clients,
althoughFlowreceiveseconomicbenefitsthrough its participation in
the program that are typically not available to
TDAmeritraderetailinvestors.Suchnon-cashbenefitsarereferredtoas“softdollars”.
Thesebenefitsincludethefollowingproductsandservices(providedwithoutcostorat
a discount): receipt of duplicate client statements and
confirmations;
researchrelatedproductsandtools;consultingservices;accesstoatradingdeskservingFlowparticipants;
access to block trading (which provides the ability to
aggregatesecurities transactions for execution and then allocate
the appropriate shares toclient accounts); the ability to have
advisory fees deducted directly from
clientaccounts;accesstoanelectroniccommunicationsnetworkforclientorderentryandaccountinformation;accesstomutualfundswithnotransactionfeesandtocertaininstitutionalmoneymanagers;
and discounts on compliance,marketing,
research,technology,andpracticemanagementproductsorservicesprovidedtoFlowbythirdpartyvendors.
TDAmeritrademayalsohavepaidforbusinessconsultingandprofessionalservicesreceivedbyFlow’srelatedpersons.SomeoftheproductsandservicesmadeavailablebyTDAmeritrade
through theprogrammaybenefit Flowbutmaynot benefit itsclient
accounts. These products or services may assist Flow in managing
andadministeringclientaccounts,includingaccountsnotmaintainedatTDAmeritrade.OtherservicesmadeavailablebyTDAmeritradeareintendedtohelpFlowmanageandfurtherdevelopitsbusinessenterprise.
ThebenefitsreceivedbyFloworitspersonnelthroughparticipationintheprogramdonotdependontheamountofbrokeragetransactionsdirectedtoTDAmeritrade.Aspartofitsfiduciarydutiestoclients,Flowendeavorsatalltimestoputtheinterestsof
its clients first. Clients should be aware, however, that the
receipt of
economicbenefitsbyFloworitsrelatedpersonsinandofitselfcreatesapotentialconflictofinterestandmayindirectlyinfluenceFlow’schoiceofTDAmeritradeforcustodyand
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brokerageservices.
Flow’s membership in the XY Planning Network means it is
eligible for TDAmeritrade’s custodian service regardless of assets
under management, with noplatformfees.
2. Brokerage for Client Referrals
Wereceivenoreferralsfromabroker-dealerorthirdpartyinexchangeforusingthatbroker-dealerorthirdparty.
3. Clients Directing Which Broker/Dealer/Custodian to Use
Werecommendaspecificcustodianforclientstouse.OurpreferredrecommendedcustodianisTDAmeritrade.Asaresult,werelyonthebestexecutionpracticesofthecustodiantoachievemost
favorableexecutionofclient transactions.However, thecustodian’s
inability to achieve themost favorable execution on a per
transactionbasismaycostclientsmoneyoverusingalower-costcustodian.
Aggregating (Block) Trading for Multiple Client Accounts In
general, we do not combine multiple orders for shares of the same
securitiespurchased for advisory accounts we manage (the practice
of combining
multipleordersforsharesofthesamesecuritiesiscommonlyreferredtoas“blocktrading”).Accordingly,clientsmaypaydifferentpricesforthesamesecuritiestransactionsthanotherclientspay.Furthermore,wemaynotbeabletobuyandsellthesamequantitiesofsecuritiesforyouandclientsmaypayhighercommissions,fees,and/ortransactioncoststhanotherclients.
Item 13: Review of Accounts
MargaretHelenBartelt,PresidentandCCOofFlow,willworkwithclientstoobtaincurrentinformationregardingtheirassetsandinvestmentholdingsandwillreviewthis
information as part of our financial planning services. Flowdoes
not providespecificreportstoclients,otherthanfinancialplans.
Client accounts with the Annual Advisory Services and with
accounts at
Flow’srecommendedcustodianwillbereviewedregularlyonnolessthananannualbasisbyMargaretHelenBartelt,PresidentandCCO.Accountsunderadvisementwillbereviewedannually.Theaccountisreviewedwithregardstotheclient’sinvestmentpoliciesandrisktolerancelevels.Eventsthatmaytriggeraspecialreviewwouldbeunusualperformance,additionordeletionsofclientimposedrestrictions,excessivedraw-down,volatilityinperformance,orbuyandselldecisionsfromthefirmorperclient'sneeds.
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Clientswill receive tradeconfirmations fromthebroker(s) foreach
transaction
intheiraccountsaswellasmonthlyorquarterlystatementsandannualtaxreportingstatementsfromtheircustodianshowingallactivityintheaccounts,suchasreceiptofdividendsandinterest.
FlowwillprovidewrittenorelectronicreportstoitsAnnualAdvisoryServicesclientson
an annualbasis.Weurge clients to compare these reports against the
accountstatementstheyreceivefromtheircustodian.
Item 14: Client Referrals and Other Compensation
Wedonotreceiveanyeconomicbenefit,directlyorindirectlyfromanythirdpartyforadvicerenderedtoourclients.Nordowedirectlyorindirectlycompensateanypersonwhoisnotadvisorypersonnelforclientreferrals.
As disclosed under Item 12, above, Advisor participates in TD
Ameritrade’sinstitutional customer program and Advisor may
recommend TD Ameritrade
toClientsforcustodyandbrokerageservices.ThereisnodirectlinkbetweenAdvisor’sparticipationintheprogramandtheinvestmentadviceitgivestoitsClients,althoughAdvisorreceiveseconomicbenefitsthroughitsparticipationintheprogramthataretypicallynotavailabletoTDAmeritraderetailinvestors.Thesebenefitsincludethefollowingproductsandservices(providedwithoutcostoratadiscount):receiptofduplicateClientstatementsandconfirmations;researchrelatedproductsandtools;consultingservices;accesstoatradingdeskservingAdvisorparticipants;accesstoblock
trading (which provides the ability to aggregate securities
transactions
forexecutionandthenallocatetheappropriatesharestoClientaccounts);theabilitytohaveadvisory
feesdeducteddirectly fromClient accounts; access to
anelectroniccommunicationsnetworkforClientorderentryandaccountinformation;accesstomutualfundswithnotransactionfeesandtocertaininstitutionalmoneymanagers;and
discounts on compliance, marketing, research, technology, and
practicemanagementproductsor servicesprovided toAdvisorby
thirdpartyvendors.TDAmeritrademay also have paid for business
consulting and professional servicesreceived by Advisor’s related
persons. Some of the products and services
madeavailablebyTDAmeritradethroughtheprogrammaybenefitAdvisorbutmaynotbenefititsClientaccounts.TheseproductsorservicesmayassistAdvisorinmanagingand
administering Client accounts, including accounts not maintained at
TDAmeritrade.OtherservicesmadeavailablebyTDAmeritradeare intended
tohelpAdvisormanageandfurtherdevelopitsbusinessenterprise.ThebenefitsreceivedbyAdvisororitspersonnelthroughparticipationintheprogramdonotdependonthenumberofbrokeragetransactionsdirectedtoTDAmeritrade.Aspartofitsfiduciary
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dutiestoClients,AdvisorendeavorsatalltimestoputtheinterestsofitsClientsfirst.Clientsshouldbeaware,however,thatthereceiptofeconomicbenefitsbyAdvisororits
relatedpersons in andof itself creates a potential conflict of
interest
andmayindirectlyinfluencetheAdvisor’schoiceofTDAmeritradeforcustodyandbrokerageservices.
Item 15: Custody
Flowdoesnotmaintaincustodyofanyclientaccounts.Allaccountsareheldbyanindependent
custodian. Flow has the ability to directly deduct fees from
Client’scustodialaccount.Whendoingso:
1.
FlowsendsacopyofitsinvoicetothecustodianortrusteeatthesametimethatitsendsacopytotheClient
2. The custodian sends quarterly statements to the client
showing alldisbursements for the custodianaccount, including the
amountof advisoryfees,and
3.
TheClientprovideswrittenauthorizationpermittingtheinvestmentadvisortobepaiddirectlyfromtheiraccountsheldbythecustodianortrustee.
Clientwillreceiveatleastquarterlystatementsfromthebroker-dealer,bank,orotherqualifiedcustodianthatholdsandmaintainsClient’sinvestmentassets.FlowurgesallClients
to reviewcarefully suchstatementsandcomparesuchofficial
custodialrecords to any statements that we may provide to you. Flow
may also provideClient(s) will periodic reports on your accounts.
Our statements may vary
fromcustodialstatementsbasedonaccountingprocedures,reportingdates,orvaluationmethodologiesofcertainsecurities.
Item 16: Investment Discretion Flow offers discretionary
investment management over Annual Advisory
clientaccountswithrespecttosecuritiestobeboughtandsoldandtheamountofsecuritiestobeboughtandsold.Investmentdiscretionisexplainedtoclientsindetailwhenanadvisoryrelationshiphascommenced.Atthestartoftheadvisoryrelationship,theclientwillexecuteaLimitedPowerofAttorneywhichwillgrantourfirmdiscretionovertheaccount.Additionally,thediscretionaryrelationshipwillbeoutlinedintheclientagreementandsignedbytheclient.
Item 17: Voting Client Securities
WedonotvoteClientproxies.Therefore,Clientsmaintainexclusiveresponsibility
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for:(1)votingproxies,and(2)actingoncorporateactionspertainingtotheClient’sinvestmentassets.TheClientshallinstructtheClient’squalifiedcustodiantoforwardto
theClient copiesof allproxiesandshareholder communications relating
to
theClient’sinvestmentassets.Iftheclientwouldlikeouropiniononaparticularproxyvote,theymaycontactusatthenumberlistedonthecoverofthisbrochure.
Inmostcases,youwillreceiveproxymaterialsdirectlyfromtheaccountcustodian.However,intheeventweweretoreceiveanywrittenorelectronicproxymaterials,wewouldforwardthemdirectlytoyoubymail,unlessyouhaveauthorizedourfirmtocontactyoubyelectronicmail,inwhichcase,wewouldforwardyouanyelectronicsolicitationtovoteproxies.
Item 18: Financial Information
RegisteredInvestmentAdvisersarerequiredinthisItemtoprovideyouwithcertainfinancial
information or disclosures about our financial condition. We have
nofinancial commitment that impairs our ability to meet contractual
and fiduciarycommitments to clients, and we have not been the
subject of a bankruptcyproceeding.
Item 19: Requirements for State-Registered Advisers
Margaret Helen Bartelt (CRD# 6619860) Born:1976
Educational Background 2011 – Master of Science in Financial
Planning, Golden Gate University
1998 – Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Wellesley College
Business Experience 02/2016 – Present, Flow Financial Planning,
LLC, President and CCO
10/2013 – 12/2016 Self-Employed, Contract Financial Planner
07/2012 – 08/2013 Tull Financial Group, Inc., Associate
Advisor
01/2010 – 06/2012, LiveOak LLC, Paraplanner
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Professional Designations, Licensing & Exams
CertifiedFinancialPlanner™professional
Series65Examination(ThisisnotaLicense,oraProfessionalDesignation)
Other Business Activities
MargaretHelenBarteltdoesnotparticipateinanyotherbusinessactivities.
Performance Based Fees
Flowisnotcompensatedbyperformance-basedfees.
Material Disciplinary Disclosures
NomanagementpersonatFlowFinancialPlanning,LLChaseverbeeninvolvedinanarbitration
claim of any kind or been found liable in a civil,
self-regulatoryorganization,oradministrativeproceeding.
Material Relationships That Management Persons Have With Issuers
of Securities
FlowFinancialPlanning,LLC,norMargaretHelenBartelt,haveanyrelationshiporarrangementwithissuersofsecurities,inadditiontowhatisdescribedinItem10.
Additional Compensation Margaret Helen Bartelt does not receive
any economic benefit from any
person,company,ororganization,inexchangeforprovidingclientsadvisoryservicesthroughFlow.
Supervision Margaret Helen Bartelt, as President and Chief
Compliance Officer of Flow, isresponsible for supervision. Shemay
be contacted at the phone number on thisbrochuresupplement.
Requirements for State Registered Advisers
MargaretHelenBartelthasNOTbeeninvolvedinanarbitration,civilproceeding,self-regulatoryproceeding,administrativeproceeding,orabankruptcypetition.
Business Continuity Plan Flow Financial Planning, LLC has a
written Business Continuity Plan (“BCP), lastrevised August 3,
2018. The BCP attempts to prepare for business disruptions of
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varyingseverityandscope.Althoughitisimpossibletoanticipateeveryscenario,theplanstrives
toenableFlowtoresumedoingbusinessevenafter
theoccurrenceofeventsthataremostlikelytoaffectbusinessoperations.
Thefirm’spolicyistorespondtoaSignificantBusinessDisruptionbysafeguardingemployee
lives and firmproperty,makinga financial andoperational
assessment,quicklyrecoveringandresumingoperations,andprotectingallof
the firm’sbooksand records. In the event that the company
determines an inability to continuebusiness,
clientswillbenotifiedquickly. For thoseclientswhopay
inarrears,norefunds will be necessary. For those clients who pay in
advance, they will
bereimbursed,bycheck,apro-ratedamountforthedaysforwhichtheydidnotreceiveservice.