Firm Description
Delta Financial Group, Inc. (“Delta”) was founded on April 2nd, 1991.
Delta Financial Group, Inc. offers to provide personalized confidential financial
planning and investment management to individuals, retirement plans, trusts,
estates, charitable organizations and small businesses. Financial planning
advice can include advice on such matters not involving securities. 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.
Delta Financial Group, Inc. is a fee-only financial planning and investment
management firm. The firm does not sell annuities, insurance, stocks, bonds,
mutual funds, limited partnerships, or other commissioned products. The firm
is not affiliated with entities that sell financial products or securities. No
commissions in any form are accepted. Additionally, no finder’s fees are
accepted.
A written evaluation of each client's initial situation may be provided to the
client, often in the form of a net worth statement. 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.
The initial meeting, which may be by telephone, is free of charge and is
considered an exploratory interview to determine the extent to which financial
planning and investment management may be beneficial to the client.
It is noted that a recommendation in isolation may be counterproductive and
should therefore be discussed with the client prior to taking such action. Our
financial planning services are provided for on a comprehensive basis.
Other professionals (e.g., lawyers, accountants, insurance agents, etc.) are
engaged directly by the client on an as-needed basis. Conflicts of interest will
be disclosed to the client in the unlikely event they should occur. Delta
Financial Group, Inc. does not act as a custodian of client assets.
Principal Owners
The Principal Owners of Delta Financial Group, Inc. are Sean F. Donovan,
CFP® and Joseph J. Macellara, CFP®.
Mr. Donovan is a 50% stockholder. In addition to his duties as a Principal
Owner, Sean is also the Chief Compliance Officer for Delta Financial Group,
Inc. Mr. Macellara is the other 50% stockholder and Corporate Secretary for
Delta Financial Group, Inc.
Types of Advisory Services
Delta Financial Group, Inc. provides investment supervisory services, also
known as asset management services; manages investment advisory accounts
not involving investment supervisory services; furnishes investment advice
through consultations. Items used in conjunction with asset management
services can include the use of periodicals about securities, special reports
about securities and issues, charts, graphs, formulas, or other devices which
clients may use to evaluate securities.
On more than an occasional basis, Delta Financial Group, Inc. furnishes advice
to clients on matters not involving securities, such as financial planning matters,
taxation issues, and trust services that often include estate planning.
As of December 31st, 2021, total regulatory assets under advisement for
Delta Financial Group, Inc. were approximately $1,076,241,677 for
approximately 766 clients. Approximately $1,015,390,531 is managed on
a discretionary basis, and $60,851,146 is managed on a non-discretionary
basis.
Delta’s services are generally provided to the client pursuant to an investment
advisory agreement. However, Delta may also enter into a tri-party investment
advisory agreement with the client and another investment advisory firm that
assumes fiduciary responsibility for recommending and/or selecting the
investment strategy for the client including a suitable asset allocation.
Tailored Relationships
The goals and objectives for each client are generally revealed through the
financial planning process and documented in our client meetings, which help
to forge a strong relationship. Investment policy statements are created that
reflect the stated goals and objectives of each client. Clients may impose
restrictions on investing in certain securities or types of securities.
Types of Agreements
The following agreements define the typical client relationships: Financial
Planning Agreements and Advisory Services Agreements. These Agreements
may not be assigned without client consent.
Financial Planning Agreement
A financial plan is designed to help the client with all aspects of financial
planning without ongoing investment management once the initial plan is
completed.
The financial plan may include, but is not limited to: a net worth statement; a
cash flow statement; written analysis and reports as well as computer
generated analysis; a review of investment accounts, including reviewing asset
allocation and providing repositioning recommendations; strategic tax planning;
a review of retirement accounts and plans including recommendations; a
review of insurance policies and recommendations for changes, if necessary;
one or more retirement scenarios; estate planning review and
recommendations; and education planning with funding recommendations.
Detailed investment advice and specific recommendations are provided as part
of a financial plan. Implementation of the recommendations is at the discretion
of the client. In general, a financial planning client can receive a written plan
that will address the following areas or concern:
a) Investment Planning
b) Risk Management
c) Tax Planning
d) Budget and Emergency Fund Planning
e) Retirement Planning & Participation
f) Estate Planning
g) College/Educational Cost Analysis Planning
Required information will be gathered through personal interviews. Related
documents supplied by the client are carefully reviewed with a questionnaire
completed by the client and a written report is prepared. (Any implementation
is solely at the discretion of the client).
Advisory Service Agreement
Most clients choose to have Delta Financial Group, Inc. manage their assets
on a discretionary basis in order to obtain ongoing in-depth advice and life
planning. A comprehensive analysis of the client’s financial affairs is
composed. Realistic and measurable goals are set and objectives to reach
those goals are defined. As the goals and objectives change over time,
suggestions are made and implemented on a proactive basis.
The scope of work and fee is detailed in the Investment Advisory Agreement,
which is provided to the client in writing prior to the start of the relationship.
An Investment Advisory Agreement includes: cash flow management;
insurance review; investment management (including performance reporting);
education planning; retirement planning; estate planning; and tax planning, as
well as the implementation of recommendations within each area.
The annual Advisory Service Agreement (Asset Management fee) for
discretionary and non-discretionary accounts is based upon either a flat fee or
on a dollar value of each portfolio(s). Clients will be invoiced depending on the
dollar values of each portfolio(s). A minimum annual fee of $7,500 or a
minimum account size of $500,000 is anticipated. Basic fee standards are
based on a percentage of the investable assets according to the following
schedule:
Annual Fee Invested Capital
1.50% Accounts below $500,000;
1.25% 500,001 to 1,000,000;
1.00% $1,000,001 to $3,000,000
Negotiated Accounts over $3,000,001
It should be noted that potential clients negotiate the above stated fees. These
percentages are to be used as a general guideline only. Current client
relationships may exist where the fees are higher or lower than the fee
schedule above.
Although the Financial Advisory Agreement is a perpetual agreement, the
length of service to the client is at the client’s discretion. The client or the
investment manager may terminate an Agreement by written notice to the other
party. At termination, fees will be billed on a pro rata basis for the portion of
the quarter completed. The portfolio value at the completion of the prior full
billing quarter is used as the basis for the fee computation, adjusted for the
number of days during the billing quarter prior to termination.
Retainer Agreement
Delta does not offer a Retainer Agreement to its clients at this time.
Investment Management Agreement
Please refer to the section Advisory Service Agreement above for any
Investment Management Agreements. The annual fee for an Investment
Management Agreement is governed by the same language stated in the
Advisory Services Agreement.
Hourly Planning Engagements
Delta Financial Group, Inc. provides hourly planning services for clients who
need advice on a limited scope. In these cases, Delta will provide periodic
advice on all or part of the Financial Planning or Asset Management areas
listed above. This service is designed for clients who may not need or require
full-service advice but may include the rendering of oral advice to the client, a
single written analysis, a report on a specific topic(s) such as tax planning and
investment planning, or any one or more limited areas of interest. The
maximum hourly rate for this limited scope engagement is $250.00. The first
payment is due upon signing an agreement for such service with any balance
being billed by invoice to the client in arrears. Fees are due and payable within
30 days of the invoicing date(s).
Asset Management
Assets are invested primarily in no-load mutual funds or mutual funds that avoid
paying sales charges altogether, closed end funds and exchange-traded funds,
usually through discount brokers or fund companies. It should be noted that
mutual fund companies and exchange traded funds charge each fund
shareholder an investment management fee that is disclosed within the fund(s)
prospectus. Discount brokers may charge a transaction fee for the purchase
of some institutional class mutual fund shares.
Stocks and bonds may be purchased or sold through a brokerage account
when appropriate. The brokerage firm charges a fee for stock and bond trades.
Delta Financial Group, Inc. does not receive any compensation, in any form,
from fund companies or the brokerage firm it uses to clear trades through
(Fidelity Investments-Institutional Wealth Services and Charles Schwab
Advisor Services).
Investments may also include: equities (stocks), warrants, corporate debt
securities, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, municipal securities,
investment company securities (variable life insurance, variable annuities, and
mutual funds shares), U.S. government securities, options contracts, futures
contracts, and interests in partnerships.
Initial public offerings (IPOs) are available through our relationship with Fidelity
on a limited basis.
Termination of Agreement
A client may terminate any of the aforementioned agreements at any time for
any reason upon receipt of 30 days written notice to Delta Financial Group, Inc.
and paying the rate for the time spent on the investment advisory engagement
prior to notification of termination. If the client made an advance payment, Delta
Financial Group, Inc. would refund any unearned portion of the advance
payment.
Delta Financial Group, Inc. may terminate any of the aforementioned
agreements at any time for any reason upon receipt of 30 days written notice
to the client If the client made an advance payment, Delta Financial Group, Inc.
would refund any unearned portion of the advance payment.