Firm Description
Guardian Wealth Strategies, LLC (“GWS”) was registered as an investment advisor in 2013.
The owner of GWS is University Investment Advisors, LLC. The principal owners of
University Investment advisors areGregory Joseph Gassert and Brent Dean Hoppe.
Benjamin Olson is a minority owner.
GWS provides personalized confidential financial planning and investment management
services. The individuals may include executives, retirees, and individual participants of
pension and profit sharing plans. Advice is provided through consultation with the client
and may include: determination of financial objectives, identification of financial problems,
cash flow management, tax planning, insurance review, investment management,
education funding, retirement planning, and estate planning.
GWS is a fee based financial planning and investment management firm.
GWS does not act as a custodian of client assets.
An evaluation of each client's initial situation is provided to the client, often in the form of
a net worth statement, risk analysis or similar document. Periodic reviews are also
communicated to provide reminders of the specific courses of action that need to be taken.
More frequent reviews occur but are not necessarily communicated to the client unless
immediate changes are recommended.
Other professionals (e.g., lawyers, accountants, etc.) are engaged directly by the client on
an as-needed basis and may charge fees of their own. For example, tax preparation and to
the extent your estate plan needs to be updated, the tax preparer and/or attorney will bill
the client separately. Conflicts of interest will be disclosed to the client in the event they
should occur.
Types of Advisory Services
GWS provides investment supervisory services, also known as asset management services
and furnishes financial planning and investment advice through consultations.
ASSET MANAGEMENT
GWS offers two levels of discretionary direct asset management services to advisory
clients, Guardian Wealth Management and Guardian Portfolios described below. GWS will
offer clients ongoing portfolio management services through determining individual
investment goals, time horizons, objectives, and risk tolerance. Investment strategies,
investment selection, assets allocation, portfolio monitoring and the overall investment
program will be based on the above factors. The client will authorize GWS discretionary
authority to execute selected investment program transactions as stated within the
Investment Advisory Agreement.
Guardian Wealth Management
Guardian Wealth Management provides a comprehensive approach to wealth
management. This services provides our asset management services combined with
financial planning services customized based on the individual needs of our client. We
assist clients to assess their needs, goals and objectives prior to making any
recommendations.
Guardian Portfolios
Guardian Portfolios provides an alternative offering for clients who do not have the
complexity in their financial situations that requires the array of solutions provided by our
Guardian Wealth Management platform. Guardian Portfolios provides the investment
discipline and structure of our portfolio allocation strategies and leverages the investment
research capabilities, portfolio management team and technology previously offered
exclusively to high-net-worth clients. Guardian Portfolios is a practical option for
investment clients with less than $500,000 to invest. For some clients, starting on the
Guardian Portfolios path is the beginning of engaging GWS and may progress to the
Guardian Wealth Management platform as the need arises for more advanced financial
planning.
ERISA PLAN SERVICES
GWS provides service to qualified retirement plans including 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans,
pension and profit sharing plans, cash balance plans, and deferred compensation plans.
GWS may act as either a 3(21) or 3(38) advisor:
Limited Scope ERISA 3(21) Fiduciary. GWS may serve as a limited scope ERISA 3(21) fiduciary
that can advise, help and assist plan sponsors with their investment decisions on a non-
discretionary basis. As an investment advisor GWS has a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of
the Client. The plan sponsor is still ultimately responsible for the decisions made in their plan,
though using GWS can help the plan sponsor delegate liability by following a diligent process.
1. Fiduciary Services are:
• Provide non-discretionary investment advice to the Client about asset classes and
investment alternatives available for the Plan in accordance with the Plan’s investment
policies and objectives. Client will make the final decision regarding the initial selection,
retention, removal and addition of investment options. GWS acknowledges that it is a
fiduciary as defined in ERISA section 3 (21) (A) (ii).
• Assist the Client in the development of an investment policy statement (“IPS”). The IPS
establishes the investment policies and objectives for the Plan. Client shall have the
ultimate responsibility and authority to establish such policies and objectives and to
adopt and amend the IPS.
• Provide non-discretionary investment advice to the Plan Sponsor with respect to the
selection of a qualified default investment alternative for participants who are
automatically enrolled in the Plan or who have otherwise failed to make investment
elections. The Client retains the sole responsibility to provide all notices to the Plan
participants required under ERISA Section 404(c) (5) and 404(a)-5.
• Assist in monitoring investment options by preparing periodic investment reports that
document investment performance, consistency of fund management and conformance
to the guidelines set forth in the IPS and make recommendations to maintain, remove or
replace investment options.
• Meet with Client on a periodic basis to discuss the reports and the investment
recommendations.
2. Non-fiduciary Services are:
• Assist in the education
of Plan participants about general investment information and the
investment alternatives available to them under the Plan. Client understands GWS’s
assistance in education of the Plan participants shall be consistent with and within the
scope of the Department of Labor’s definition of investment education (Department of
Labor Interpretive Bulletin 96-1). As such, GWS is not providing fiduciary advice as
defined by ERISA 3(21)(A)(ii) to the Plan participants. Advisor will not provide
investment advice concerning the prudence of any investment option or combination of
investment options for a particular participant or beneficiary under the Plan.
• Assist in the group enrollment meetings designed to increase retirement plan
participation among the employees and investment and financial understanding by the
employees.
GWS may provide these services or, alternatively, may arrange for the Plan’s other
providers to offer these services, as agreed upon between Advisor and Client.
3. GWS has no responsibility to provide services related to the following types of assets
(“Excluded Assets”):
• Employer securities;
• Real estate (except for real estate funds or publicly traded REITs);
• Stock brokerage accounts or mutual fund windows;
• Participant loans;
• Non-publicly traded partnership interests;
• Other non-publicly traded securities or property (other than collective trusts and similar
vehicles); or
• Other hard-to-value or illiquid securities or property.
Excluded Assets will not be included in calculation of Fees paid to GWS on the ERISA
Agreement.
Specific services will be outlined in detail to each plan in the 408(b)2 disclosure.
3(38) Investment Manager. GWS can also act as an ERISA 3(38) Investment Manager in which it
has discretionary management and control of a given retirement plan’s assets. GWS would then
become solely responsible and liable for the selection, monitoring and replacement of the plan’s
investment options.
1. Fiduciary Services are:
• GWS has discretionary authority and will make the final decision regarding the initial
selection, retention, removal and addition of investment options in accordance with the
Plan’s investment policies and objectives.
• Assist the Client with the selection of a broad range of investment options consistent with
ERISA Section 404(c) and the regulations thereunder.
• Assist the Client in the development of an investment policy statement (“IPS”). The IPS
establishes the investment policies and objectives for the Plan.
• Provide discretionary investment advice to the Plan Sponsor with respect to the selection
of a qualified default investment alternative for participants who are automatically
enrolled in the Plan or who have otherwise failed to make investment elections. The
Client retains the sole responsibility to provide all notices to the Plan participants
required under ERISA Section 404(c) (5).
2. Non-fiduciary Services are:
• Assist in the education of Plan participants about general investment information and the
investment alternatives available to them under the Plan. Client understands the GWS’s
assistance in education of the Plan participants shall be consistent with and within the
scope of the Department of Labor’s definition of investment education (Department of
Labor Interpretive Bulletin 96-1). As such, the GWS is not providing fiduciary advice as
defined by ERISA to the Plan participants. GWS will not provide investment advice
concerning the prudence of any investment option or combination of investment options
for a particular participant or beneficiary under the Plan.
• Assist in the group enrollment meetings designed to increase retirement plan
participation among the employees and investment and financial understanding by the
employees.
GWS may provide these services or, alternatively, may arrange for the Plan’s other
providers to offer these services, as agreed upon between GWS and Client.
3. GWS has no responsibility to provide services related to the following types of assets
(“Excluded Assets”):
• Employer securities;
• Real estate (except for real estate funds or publicly traded REITs);
• Stock brokerage accounts or mutual fund windows;
• Participant loans;
• Non-publicly traded partnership interests;
• Other non-publicly traded securities or property (other than collective trusts and similar
vehicles); or
• Other hard-to-value or illiquid securities or property.
Excluded Assets will not be included in calculation of Fees paid to the Adviser on the
ERISA Agreement.
FINANCIAL PLANNING AND CONSULTING
For clients not seeking our asset management services, we offer financial planning and
consulting services based on a fixed fee described in Item 5 of this brochure. Services
include but are not limited to a thorough review of all applicable topics including Wills,
Estate Plan/Trusts, Investments, Taxes, and Insurance. If a conflict of interest exists
between the interests of the investment advisor and the interests of the client, the client is
under no obligation to act upon the investment advisor’s recommendation. If the client
elects to act on any of the recommendations, the client is under no obligation to effect the
transaction through GWS. Financial plans will be completed and delivered inside of sixty
(60) days.
Client Tailored Services and Client Imposed Restrictions
The goals and objectives for each client are documented in our client files. Investment
strategies are created that reflect the stated goals and objective. Clients may impose
restrictions on investing in certain securities or types of securities.
Agreements may not be assigned without written client consent.
Wrap Fee Programs
GWS does not sponsor a wrap fee program.
Client Assets under Management
GWS has the following assets under management:
Discretionary Amounts: Non-discretionary Amounts: Date Calculated:
$652,735,901 $10,457,174 08/18/2023