A. WMS Partners, LLC (“WMS”) is a Delaware limited liability company which was founded
in 1993. WMS was originally formed under the laws of the State of Maryland and became
a Delaware limited liability company in 2021. WMS continues to maintain its principal
place of business in Maryland. A substantial majority of WMS is owned by WMS Partners
Holdings, LLC and TRIA Asset Holdings B, LLC. WMS Partners Holdings, LLC is owned by
current employees of WMS.
Mr. Todd Wickwire is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of WMS
Partners, LLC. Mr. Paul Speargas and Mr. Joshua Rowe are both co-Chief Investment
Officers of WMS Partners, LLC. Mr. Timothy Chase is WMS’s Chairman. Ms. Laura Carr is
WMS’s Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Bryan Lopez is the firm’s Chief Financial Officer.
WMS’s principal office is in Towson, Maryland, at the address listed on the cover page
above. As of January 1, 2018, WMS also operates a satellite office located at 10980
Grantchester Way, Columbia, Maryland 21044.
B. As discussed below, WMS offers investment advisory services to its clients. In addition,
WMS offers clients financial planning and related consulting services to the extent
specifically requested by the client. WMS’s clients include without limitation: individuals,
business entities, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates and charitable
organizations.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES
WMS offers its clients the option to engage WMS’s investment advisory services on
either a discretionary (WMS makes buy and sell decisions) or non-discretionary (the
client makes buy and sell decisions) basis. WMS’s clients pay for these services on a fee-
only basis.
WMS’s annual investment advisory fee is calculated on a sliding scale, based on the
market value of the client’s assets under management. For a detailed explanation of
WMS’s fee schedule, please see Item 5. Notwithstanding the foregoing, WMS’s annual
investment advisory fee is subject to negotiation, and a different method of determining
the advisory fee payable by the client is possible.
WMS’s annual investment advisory fee shall be in exchange for investment advisory
services, along with any financial planning and consulting services that have been
specifically requested by the client. In the event that the client requires extraordinary
planning and/or consultation services (as determined by WMS, in its sole discretion),
WMS may charge for such additional services. The dollar value of any such additional
services shall be set forth in a separate written notice to the client. At WMS’s discretion,
it may allow accounts of members of the same household to be aggregated for purposes
of determining the advisory fee for the household. WMS may allow such aggregation, for
example, where WMS services accounts on behalf of related accounts. This consolidation
practice is designed to allow a client the benefit of an increased asset total, which could
potentially cause the accounts to be assessed a reduced advisory fee based on the
breakpoints available in our fee schedule. WMS may also charge different or lesser fees
for non-management oversight and/or mere reporting services. The fees charged with
respect to the services referenced in the preceding sentence are subject to negotiation
between the client and WMS.
Affiliated Private Investment Funds. WMS also serves as the investment advisor and/or
manager to several Affiliated Private Funds, including specifically: the WMS Private
Income Fund I; WMS Private Income Fund II; WMS Private Income Fund III; the WMS
Income Opportunity Funds; the WMS Real Estate Opportunity Fund; the WMS
Washington Fund; and the WMS Private Equity Fund I, LLC, which was launched in the
Spring of 2023 (collectively, the “Affiliated Private Funds”). With the exception of the
WMS Private Equity Fund I, LLC, all current Affiliated Private Funds are closed to new
investors.
WMS may, on a non-discretionary basis, recommend that qualified clients consider
allocating a portion of their investment assets to the Affiliated Private Funds, when
available. The terms and conditions for participation in the Affiliated Private Funds,
including management and the potential for incentive fees (if any), conflicts of interest,
and risk factors, are set forth in the fund’s offering documents. WMS’s clients are under
absolutely no obligation to consider or make an investment in a private investment
fund(s).
Advisory clients who invest in any of WMS Private Income Fund I, LLC, WMS Private
Income Fund II, LLC, WMS Private Income Fund III, LLC, or the WMS Private Equity Fund
I, LLC do not pay an additional management fee through the Fund. The assets of advisory
clients invested in any of WMS Private Income Fund I, LLC, WMS Private Income Fund II,
LLC, WMS Private Income Fund III, LLC, or WMS Private Equity Fund I, LLC are included
in the client advisory fee as part of the total assets under management, and no separate
management fee is charged for investment in the respective fund.
Non-advisory clients who invest in any of WMS Private Income Fund I, LLC, WMS Private
Income Fund II, LLC, WMS Private Income Fund III, LLC, or WMS Private Equity Fund I,
LLC, are subject to an annual management fee, as set forth more fully in Item 5.
Investors are not charged performance fees for their investment in any of the following
funds: WMS Private Income Fund I, LLC, WMS Private Income Fund II, LLC, WMS Private
Income Fund III, LLC, and the WMS Private Equity Fund I, LLC. While the WMS Real
Estate Opportunity Fund, LLC has the potential to charge a performance fee, it has never
done so.
Please Note: Private investment funds generally involve various risk factors, including,
but not limited to, the 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 investor will be
required to complete a Subscription Agreement, pursuant to which the client shall
establish that he/she/they are qualified for investment in the fund and acknowledges
and accepts the various risk factors that are associated with such an investment.
WMS’s Chief Compliance Officer remains available to address any questions
regarding the risks of investment in private investment funds, or any actual or
perceived conflict of interest.
Please Also Note: WMS utilizes an in-house team of professionals to organize,
establish, and administer our Affiliated Private Funds and prepare relevant financial
reporting, including but not limited to administrative, accounting, and legal
professionals. WMS is reimbursed for the time of its employees spent working on
Affiliated Private Fund matters—including but not limited to matters related to the
formation of Affiliated Private Funds and their respective operating documents, at a
rate of 150% of the hourly cost to WMS for retaining the employee(s). This situation
presents a conflict of interest, as WMS is being compensated for the time of its
employees, in addition to any advisory and/or management fees paid to it by its
advisory clients and/or fund investors. WMS believes that these in-house services are
vital, as its employees have developed institutional and industry knowledge which is
critical to the ongoing success of WMS’s Affiliated Private Funds. WMS shall seek an
estimate for comparable services on a biennial basis, and/or whenever the nature of
its fund administrative services changes drastically, to ensure that in-house fund
administrative services are being provided to its Affiliated Private Funds at rates
similar to those charged in the market.
Unaffiliated Private Investment Funds. WMS may provide investment advice regarding
investment funds to which it has no affiliation. In these circumstances, WMS’s role shall
be limited to its initial and ongoing due diligence and investment monitoring services.
Should one of WMS’s clients decide to become an investor in one of these Unaffiliated
Private Funds, WMS will include those invested assets in determining the client’s “assets
under management,” for purposes of WMS calculating its investment advisory fee.
WMS’s clients are under absolutely no obligation to consider or make an investment in a
private investment fund(s).
Please Note: Private investment funds, whether Affiliated Private Investment Funds
or Unaffiliated Private Investment Funds, generally involve various risk factors,
including, but not limited to, the 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 other liquid investments that a client may maintain, private
investment funds do not provide daily liquidity or pricing.
In addition, there are generally several minimum qualifications that the client must
meet prior to being permitted to invest in the fund. Each prospective client investor
will be required to complete a Subscription Agreement establishing that he/she/they
are qualified for investment in the fund and acknowledge and accept the various risk
factors that are associated with such an investment.
Please Also Note: Valuation. In the event that WMS references private investment
funds owned by the client on any supplemental account reports prepared by WMS,
the value(s) for all such private investment funds shall reflect either the initial
purchase and/or the most recent valuation provided by the fund sponsor. If the
valuation reflects the 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
the original purchase price. The client’s advisory fee shall be based upon reflected
fund value(s).
Pooling of Private Investment Opportunities. Starting with the launch of the WMS
Private Equity Fund I, LLC, WMS intends to introduce its clients to private investment
opportunities on a non-discretionary basis, primarily through affiliated fund vehicles
created by WMS. While WMS clients will still have the opportunity to invest in private
investments on an individual basis in some circumstances (for example, where WMS
determines that a particular private investment opportunity is not a suitable investment
for its available Affiliated Private Funds), it believes that introducing clients to such
opportunities primarily via an affiliated multi manager fund vehicle offers benefits not
readily available to investors committing to private investments on an individual basis.
These benefits include providing WMS clients access to the underlying private investment
opportunities on a diversified basis without having to commit the substantial capital
associated with investing on an individual basis to one opportunity. The pooling of client
assets in an affiliated WMS multi manager fund vehicle also provides suitable clients with
the opportunity to participate in private investment opportunities that they might
otherwise be excluded from on an individual basis as a result of limited fund capacity.
WMS will allocate suitable private investment opportunities to its Affiliated Private Funds
as it deems appropriate. To the extent that there is remaining available capacity for an
unaffiliated private investment opportunity, WMS may make such additional capacity
available for suitable clients to invest on an individual basis. This decision will be made
on a client-by-client basis, taking into account the client’s total portfolio, risk parameters,
and liquidity needs. WMS’s intention is that this process will be phased in over time, as
additional WMS multi manager fund vehicles are created. These intentions are subject
to modification at any time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, WMS may still recommend,
on a non-discretionary basis, that some clients commit to private investment
opportunities on an individual basis where it deems doing so is in the best interest of the
client.
Prior to the client investing in any private fund—whether affiliated or unaffiliated with
WMS—the client shall receive both the Confidential Private Offering Memorandum and
corresponding Subscription Agreement, which must be executed by the client and
submitted to the fund sponsor for review/acceptance.
Unaffiliated Sub-Advisers. WMS may allocate, on a discretionary or non-discretionary
basis, all or any portion of its clients’ assets to an unaffiliated third-party manager (“Sub-
Adviser”). WMS has the right to hire and fire Sub-Advisers in its absolute discretion. In
these circumstances, WMS’s role shall be limited to its initial and ongoing due diligence
and investment monitoring services. Should a client’s investment assets be managed by
one of these Sub-Advisers, WMS will include those sub-advised assets in determining the
client’s “assets under management,” for purposes of WMS calculating its own investment
advisory fee. WMS’s clients shall be responsible for paying any fees payable to the Sub-
Adviser, and such fees shall be in addition to any fees due to WMS. Fees due to a Sub-
Adviser shall, at WMS’s election, either be passed through to the client by WMS or
invoiced directly by the Sub-Adviser. If such fees are invoiced directly by the Sub-Adviser
to WMS’s clients, the fee shall be deducted directly from the client’s custodial account(s).
For the purpose of clarity, the above discussion of allocation to Unaffiliated Sub-Advisers
does not apply to the commitment and/or investment by WMS’s clients to private
investment funds. As discussed in Item 8, WMS does not commit its clients to investment
in private investment funds on a discretionary basis.
Please Note: There are generally several minimum qualifications that the client must
meet prior to being accepted by a Sub-Adviser. Each client allocated to a Sub-Adviser
may be required to provide additional documents related to the client’s identity and
suitability for various investments. WMS shall be permitted to facilitate any such
requirements set by Sub-Advisers. Fees assessed by Sub-Advisers could be anywhere
up to and including an annual fee of 1% of the investment assets managed by the Sub-
Adviser.
WMS’s annual investment advisory fee shall be payable to WMS by clients in exchange
for investment advisory services provided by WMS. In addition, WMS offers clients
financial planning and related consulting services to the extent specifically requested by
the client. WMS’s clients include without limitation: individuals, business entities,
pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates and charitable organizations.
MISCELLANEOUS
Limitations of Financial Planning and Non-Investment Consulting/Implementation
Services. To the extent requested by the client, WMS will generally provide financial
planning and related consulting services regarding non-investment related matters, such
as tax and estate planning, insurance review, etc. WMS will generally provide such
consulting services inclusive of its advisory fee set forth at Item 5 below (exceptions could
occur based upon assets under management, special projects, stand-alone planning
engagements, etc. for which WMS may charge a separate or additional fee). Please Note:
WMS believes that it is important for the client to address financial planning issues on an
ongoing basis. WMS’s advisory fee, as set forth in Item 5 below, will remain the same
regardless of whether or not the client determines to address financial planning issues
with WMS. Please Also Note: WMS does not serve as an attorney, accountant, or
insurance agent, and no portion of our services should be construed as same. Accordingly,
WMS does not prepare legal documents or tax filings, and does not sell insurance
products. To the extent requested by a client, we may recommend the services of other
professionals for non-investment implementation purposes (i.e. attorneys, accountants,
insurance, etc.). The client retains absolute discretion over all such implementation
decisions and is free to accept or reject any recommendation from WMS and/or its
representatives. If the client engages any professional (i.e. attorney, accountant,
insurance agent, etc.), recommended or otherwise, and a dispute arises thereafter
relative to such engagement, the client agrees to seek recourse exclusively from the
engaged professional. At all times, the engaged licensed professional[s] (i.e. attorney,
accountant, insurance agent, etc.), and not WMS, shall be responsible for the quality and
competency of the services provided.
Non-Discretionary Service Limitations. Any client who decides to engage WMS on a non-
discretionary investment advisory basis must be willing to accept that WMS cannot
execute any account transactions without obtaining prior verbal consent to do so from
the client. This requirement would preclude WMS from acting autonomously in response
to any major market event. Thus, in the event of a market correction during which the
client is unavailable, WMS will be unable to effect any account transactions (as it would
for its discretionary clients) without first obtaining the client’s verbal consent.
Client Obligations. In performing our services, WMS shall not be required to verify any
information received from the client or from the client’s other professionals and is
expressly authorized to rely thereon. Moreover, it remains each client’s responsibility to
promptly notify WMS if there is ever any change in his/her/their financial situation or
investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing/evaluating/revising our previous
recommendations and/or services.
Portfolio Activity. WMS has a fiduciary duty to provide services consistent with the
client’s best interest. WMS 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, market conditions, 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 WMS determines that
changes to a client’s portfolio are neither necessary, nor prudent. Clients remain subject
to the fees described in Item 5 below during periods of account inactivity.
Disclosure Statement. A copy of WMS’s written Brochure as set forth on Part 2A of Form
ADV shall be provided to each client prior to, or contemporaneously with, the execution
of an Engagement Agreement between WMS and its client.
Please Note: Use of Mutual Funds. Some mutual funds utilized by WMS are available
directly to the public. Thus, a prospective client can obtain some of the mutual funds that
may be recommended and/or utilized by WMS independent of engaging WMS as an
investment advisor. However, if a prospective client determines to do so, he/she/they will
not receive WMS’s initial and ongoing investment advisory services with respect to those
mutual fund holdings.
Please Also Note: Use of DFA Mutual Funds. As indicated above, most mutual funds are
available directly to the public, without need to engage an investment professional. Other
mutual funds, such as those issued by Dimensional Fund Advisors (“DFA”), are generally
only available through registered investment advisers. WMS utilizes DFA mutual funds.
Thus, if the client was to terminate WMS’s services, restrictions regarding transferability
and/or additional purchases of, or reallocation among, DFA funds will apply. WMS’s Chief
Compliance Officer remains available to address any questions that a client or
prospective client may have regarding the above.
Retirement Rollovers-No Obligation/Conflict of Interest. A client leaving an employer
typically has four options (and may engage in a combination of these options): (i) leave
the money in his/her/their former employer’s plan, if permitted; (ii) roll over the assets
to his/her/their new employer’s plan, if one is available and rollovers are permitted; (iii)
rollover to an IRA; or (iv) cash out the account value (which could, depending upon the
client’s age, result in adverse tax consequences). WMS may recommend an investor roll
over plan assets to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) advised by WMS. As a result,
WMS and its representatives may earn an asset-based fee. In contrast, a recommendation
that a client or prospective client leave his/her/their plan assets with his/her/their old
employer or roll over the assets to a plan sponsored by a new employer will generally
result in no compensation to WMS (unless the client engages WMS to monitor and/or
advise on the account while maintained with the client’s employer). WMS has an
economic incentive to encourage an investor to roll plan assets into an IRA that WMS will
advise on or to engage WMS to monitor and/or advise on the account while maintained
with the client’s employer. This presents a conflict of interest for WMS, as WMS has a
financial incentive to recommend that the client roll over its retirement account into an
account where WMS may receive an advisory fee. There are various factors that WMS
may consider before recommending a rollover, including but not limited to: (i) the
investment options available in the plan versus the investment options available in an
IRA; (ii) fees and expenses in the plan versus the fees and expenses in an IRA; (iii) the
services and responsiveness of the plan’s investment professionals versus those of WMS;
(iv) protection of assets from creditors and legal judgments; (v) required minimum
distributions and age considerations; and (vi) employer stock tax consequences, if any.
No client is under any obligation to roll over plan assets to an IRA advised by WMS or
to engage WMS to monitor and/or advise on the account while maintained with the
client’s employer.
Fiduciary Status Regarding Retirement Accounts. When WMS provides investment
advice to its clients regarding their retirement plan accounts or individual retirement
accounts, WMS and its representatives are acting as fiduciaries within the meaning of
Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and/or the Internal Revenue Code,
as applicable, which are laws governing retirement accounts. The way WMS makes money
creates some conflicts with the interests of its clients, so WMS operates under a special
rule that requires WMS to act in the best interests of its clients, and not put its own
interest ahead of its clients. Accordingly, relative to retirement accounts, WMS must:
• Meet a professional standard of care when making investment
recommendations (give prudent advice);
• Never put its own financial interests ahead of those of its clients when making
recommendations (give loyal advice);
• Avoid misleading statements about conflicts of interest, fees, and
investments;
• Follow policies and procedures designed to ensure that WMS gives advice
which is in the best interest of its clients;
• Charge no more than is reasonable for its services; and
• Give basic information about conflicts of interest to its clients.
WMS’s Chief Compliance Officer remains available to address any questions that a
client or prospective client may have regarding the above and the corresponding
conflict of interest presented by such engagement.
eMoney. In conjunction with the services provided by eMoney, WMS may also provide
access to account aggregation services, which can incorporate all of the client’s
investment assets, including those investment assets that are not part of the assets that
WMS manages (the “Excluded Assets”). The client and/or his/her/their other advisors
that maintain trading authority, and not WMS, shall be exclusively responsible for the
investment performance of the Excluded Assets. In addition, eMoney will also provide
access to other types of information, including financial planning concepts, which should
not, in any manner whatsoever, be construed as services, advice or recommendations
provided by WMS. WMS does not provide investment management, monitoring or
implementation services for the Excluded Assets. The client may engage WMS to provide
investment management services for the Excluded Assets pursuant to the terms and
conditions of the Engagement Agreement between WMS and the client.
ByAllAccounts, Inc. The client, in conjunction with the services provided by
ByAllAccounts, Inc., may also engage WMS to 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 that WMS manages (the “Excluded
Assets”). The client and his/her/their other advisor(s) that maintain trading authority,
and not WMS, shall be exclusively responsible for the investment performance of the
Excluded Assets. WMS’s services relative to the Excluded Assets is limited to reporting
and non-discretionary consulting services only, which does not include investment
implementation. WMS does not have trading authority for the Excluded Assets. As such,
to the extent applicable to the nature of the Excluded Assets (assets over which the client
and/or his/her/their other advisors/investment professionals maintain trading authority),
client (and/or the other investment professional), and not WMS, shall be exclusively
responsible for directly implementing any recommendations relative to the Excluded
Assets. WMS shall not be responsible for any implementation error (timing, trading, etc.)
relative to the Excluded Assets. In the event that the client desires that WMS provide
discretionary investment management services (whereby WMS would have trading
authority) with respect to the Excluded Assets, the client may engage WMS to do so
pursuant to the terms and conditions of a properly executed Engagement Agreement.
Introductions to Other Professionals. In the event that a client advises WMS that it
requires the services of another professional (i.e., attorney, accountant, insurance agent,
investment banker, etc.), and the client correspondingly requests an introduction from
WMS, WMS may make an introduction to:
A. an unaffiliated professional who is also a WMS client. Unless otherwise expressly
indicated, in writing, neither WMS, nor any WMS employee, shall receive any
compensation from the professional for the introduction. Nevertheless, because the
recommended professional is also a WMS client, a conflict of interest arises because
by making the introduction, WMS is assisting an individual or entity from whom it
derives (and anticipates in the future will derive) compensation as a WMS client. In
the event that WMS introduces a client to an unaffiliated professional who is also a
WMS client, WMS will disclose the conflict, in writing, to the client. No client is under
any obligation to utilize the services of any such recommended professional. If the
client determines to engage the referred professionals, the terms and conditions of
the engagement shall be set forth in a written agreement between the client and the
referred professional, to which WMS shall not be a party; and/or
B. a professional who is associated with a WMS affiliate (and/or a professional who is
affiliated with the same service provider as an WMS affiliate). Specifically, a WMS
employee is a retired member of a law firm, to which law firm a referral may be made
in the event that a WMS client requests an introduction to a law firm. With respect to
WMS’s clients, the professional may receive a portion of the fee earned by the law
firm for those persons who were also clients of the professional at or before the
time of his/her/their retirement from the law firm. If such a client should engage the
referred law firm, a conflict of interest arises because by making the introduction,
WMS is assisting an individual or entity from whom the employee derives (and
anticipates in the future will derive) compensation in gaining clients and generating
fees. Where WMS introduces a client to a professional who has a financial relationship
with a WMS employee, WMS will disclose the conflict, in writing, to the client.
No client is under any obligation to utilize the services of any such recommended
professional. If the client determines to engage the referred professionals, the terms and
conditions of the engagement shall be set forth in a written agreement between the client
and the referred professional, to which WMS shall not be a party.
Please Also Note: If the professional to whom WMS has referred the client also
introduces clients to WMS, an additional conflict of interest arises because by
making the referral, WMS is referring to an individual or entity from whom it
anticipates it will receive additional future referrals.
Asset-Based Pricing Limitations. WMS may recommend that its clients enter into an
asset-based pricing agreement with the account custodian if it deems it appropriate to
make such a recommendation. Under an asset-based pricing arrangement, the amount
that the client will pay the custodian for account commissions/transaction fees is based
upon a percentage (%) of the market value of the client’s account (generally, the greater
the market value, the lower the %). This differs from transaction-based pricing, which
assesses a separate commission/transaction fee against the client’s account for each
account transaction. Account investment decisions are driven by security selection and
anticipated market conditions and not the amount of transaction fees payable by the
client to the account custodian. WMS does not receive any portion of asset-based
transaction fees payable by the client to the account custodian. While the great majority
of WMS’s clients are better suited by transaction-based pricing arrangements as of the
date of this brochure, WMS believes that some clients may benefit from an asset-based
pricing arrangement. The client can request at any time to switch from asset-based pricing
to transaction-based pricing or vice versa. However, there can be no assurance that the
volume of transactions will be consistent from year-to-year given changes in market
events and security selection. Thus, given the variances in trading volume, any decision
by the client to switch to or from transaction-based pricing could prove to be
economically disadvantageous.
WMS’s Chief Compliance Officer remains available to address any questions that a
client or prospective client may have regarding the above arrangement and any
corresponding actual or perceived conflict of interest such arrangement may create.
Borrowing Against Assets/Risks. A client who has a need to borrow money could
determine to do so by using:
• Margin - The account custodian or broker-dealer lends money to the client. The
custodian charges the client interest for the right to borrow money, and uses the
assets in the client’s brokerage account as collateral; and,
• Pledged Assets Loan - In consideration for a lender (i.e., a bank, etc.) to make a
loan to the client, the client pledges its investment assets held at the account
custodian as collateral.
These above-described collateralized loans are generally utilized because they typically
provide more favorable interest rates than standard commercial loans. These types of
collateralized loans can assist with a pending home purchase, permit the retirement of
more expensive debt, or enable borrowing in lieu of liquidating existing account positions
and incurring capital gains taxes. However, such loans are not without potential material
risk to the client’s investment assets. The lender (i.e. custodian, bank, etc.) will have
recourse against the client’s investment assets in the event of loan default or if the assets
fall below a certain level. For this reason, WMS does not recommend such borrowing
unless it is for specific short-term purposes (i.e. a bridge loan to purchase a new
residence). WMS does not recommend such borrowing for investment purposes (i.e. to
invest borrowed funds in the market). Regardless, if the client was to determine to utilize
margin or a pledged assets loan, the following economic benefits would inure to WMS:
• by taking the loan rather than liquidating assets in the client’s account, WMS
continues to earn a fee on such Account assets;
• if the client invests any portion of the loan proceeds in an account to be managed
by WMS, WMS will receive an advisory fee on the invested amount; and,
• if WMS’s advisory fee is based upon the higher margined account value, WMS will
earn a correspondingly higher advisory fee. This could provide WMS with a
disincentive to encourage the client to discontinue the use of margin.
Please Note: The Client must accept the above risks and potential corresponding
consequences associated with the use of margin or pledged assets loans.
Please Note: Cash Positions. WMS treats cash as an asset class. As such, all cash positions
(money markets, etc.) shall be included as part of assets under management for purposes
of calculating WMS’s advisory fee, unless agreed otherwise in writing between the client
and WMS. 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), WMS 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, WMS’s advisory fee could
exceed the interest paid by the client’s money market fund. ANY QUESTIONS: WMS’s
Chief Compliance Officer remains available to address any questions that a client or
prospective may have regarding the above fee billing practice.
C. In light of the fact that each client is different, WMS provides investment advice specific
to the needs of each individual client. As such, WMS’s first step in forming its investment
advisory relationship is to ascertain each client’s unique investment objective(s).
Thereafter, WMS shall allocate and/or recommend that the client allocate its investment
assets consistent with those investment objective(s). The client may, at any time, impose
reasonable restrictions, in writing, on WMS’s services.
D. WMS does not participate in a wrap fee program.
E. As of December 31, 2023, WMS had $3,281,524,197 in regulatory assets under
management on a discretionary basis and $2,382,664,323 in regulatory assets under
management on a non-discretionary basis, for a total of $5,664,188,520 in regulatory
assets under management.