Firm Description
Synergy Asset Management, LLC (“SAM,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) (formerly, Synergy Financial Management, LLC)
is a Washington limited liability company founded in July of 2001. We provide personalized confidential
financial planning and investment management to a variety of clients, including individuals, businesses,
business owners, financial advisors, and trusts. Advice is provided through consultation with the client
(“client,” “you,” or “your”) and may include: determination of financial objectives and goals, identification of
financial issues, cash flow management, tax planning, investment management, education funding, retirement
planning, and estate planning.
Rowan Street Advisors, LLC (“Rowan”) is the Managing Member of Rowan Street Capital, LLC, an affiliated
private fund. Crosslink Capital Group, LLC (“Crosslink”) is the sponsor and investment manager of a separate
affiliated private fund, Crosslink Capital Fund I, LLC. Rowan, Crosslink (each a “Relying Advisor”), and SAM (as a
“Filing Advisor”) are operationally integrated, collectively conduct a single advisory business, and are together
filing a single Form ADV in reliance on guidance from the SEC and under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940
as amended (the “Act”). Relying Advisors are considered to be a registered investment advisor with the SEC
and, as such, are required to comply with all the provisions of the Act and the rules thereunder that apply to
registered advisors.
Other related companies include Synergy Mergers + Acquisitions, LLC dba Synergy, a real estate broker
working with many levels of real estate purchase and sales, and business consulting, which specializes in
business planning, valuations, and succession strategies.
SAM is also affiliated with Peace of Mind Planning, LLC dba AdvisorShare Wealth Management a Registered
Investment Advisory Firm. Please see Item 10 for full details.
Principal Owners
SAM is owned 79% by Synergy Financial Services, Inc., 20% SFM2 LLC and 1% by Joseph M. Maas, our
Principal. Mr. Maas owns 100% of Synergy Financial Services, Inc. Rowan Street Advisors, LLC is owned 50% by
Alex Kopel and 50% by Synergy Financial Services, Inc. Crosslink Capital Group, LLC is owned 50% by Joseph M.
Mass and 50% by Francis Roman.
Types of Advisory Services
SAM provides continuous and comprehensive wealth management and investment advisory services to our
clients on a discretionary or non-discretionary basis, typically through managed accounts. We also provide co-
advisory, family office, retirement plan advisory, and signal provider services, described further below. In
addition, we provide asset management and investment advisory services to our private funds. The detailed
terms, strategies, and risks applicable to investors in the funds are described in each fund’s organizational and
offering documents.
Tailored Advisory Services and Investment Options
Through discussions with you, we develop a wealth management and investment plan based on, among other
things, your particular circumstances, financial goals and/or objectives, risk tolerance, time horizon, and
liquidity needs. We then implement the plan using internally managed custom portfolios we have developed.
When providing advice, we may also recommend hiring third party investment managers for some of your
assets. In certain situations, as appropriate, we may also recommend an investment in our private funds.
Custom Portfolios
As it relates to our custom portfolios, we manage most assets on a discretionary basis, meaning we have
investment control to implement the plan we have developed with you without obtaining your consent prior
to making a trade. Portfolios managed on a discretionary basis will strictly adhere to actively managed and
monitored portfolios without the ability to influence the underlying security selection. We also manage
portfolios on a non-discretionary basis, meaning we will manage and implement the plan we have developed
with you, but will always obtain your approval prior to making any trades. You may impose reasonable
restrictions on non-discretionary account(s), such as prohibiting the purchase of tobacco stocks, for example.
We only make recommendations to advisory clients regarding investing in our private funds on a non-
discretionary basis, meaning that you must decide whether to accept or reject our recommendations. For our
private funds, this generally involves investing a private fund’s assets in accordance with the fund’s
organizational and offering documents.
As part of our investment process, we will also review any current investments you own and evaluate them in
light of your current goals and objectives and offer our recommendations as to whether such investments
should be retained.
Financial Planning
As requested, we provide comprehensive financial planning services as part of our services, and in connection
with our broader investment management implementation, which may include:
A net worth statement
A cash flow statement
A review of investment accounts, including an asset allocation review and the provision of reposition
recommendations
Strategic tax planning
A review of retirement accounts and plans, including recommendations
A review of one or more retirement scenarios
An estate planning review and recommendations
Education planning with funding recommendations
For clients with extraordinary financial planning needs, we offer our family office services, which can include
one or more of the above services, as well as coordination planning and financial-related information with the
client’s other professional advisers, including the client’s attorney(s) and accountant(s). To the extent
required, accounting and legal services are provided by unaffiliated third-parties, not subject to our
supervision or oversight.
Retirement Plan Advisory Services
We may be engaged to provide investment advisory and consulting services to participant-directed retirement
plans. For such engagements, we can assist the plan sponsor with the selection of an investment platform, as
well as a broadly diversified menu of investment alternatives from which plan participants can select to make
their investment choices (which may include investment strategies devised and managed by our firm), and, to
the extent engaged to do so, may also provide corresponding education to assist the participants with their
decision making process.
Services to Third-Party Advisors
Asset Management
SAM provides discretionary portfolio management services to third party unaffiliated investment advisors
(“TPIAs”). In most cases we also provide asset management services such as investment research and model
portfolios, as well as handling account administration, billing and reporting on behalf of the TPIA. The specific
services provided to a given TPIA are specified in an agreement between SAM and the TPIA.
If applicable, clients of the TPIA will enter into a tri-party agreement with SAM and the TPIA that describes the
services to be provided by each entity, as well as the fees payable to each for their respective services. In
general, SAM provides only investment management services when working with clients in a tri-party
agreement; the TPIA is typically responsible for all other services, such as financial planning, insurance planning,
retirement and IRA rollover planning, and other financial services.
Management Services to Other Advisors and Institutions
We also have relationships with TAMPs, custodians and unaffiliated investment advisors in which we provide
model portfolios, signal provider services, and/or suggested allocations on an impersonal basis. In these
cases, the end client is typically not a client of SAM and will not enter into an advisory agreement with us.
Clients using these services will receive applicable disclosure documents through the TAMP, custodian, or
unaffiliated investment advisor. SAM has no obligation to determine client suitability and has no control over
the timing of trading in end client accounts maintained through these other financial institutions.
Where SAM acts as a co-manager with another advisor and creates a client relationship, we will enter into an
advisory agreement with the end client that specifies our services and fees, as well as those of the other
manager. Our agreements with other financial institutions (such as FOLIOfn, Nationwide, and Adhesion) to
provide models or allocations do not create an advisor-client relationship between SAM and end investors.
We also serve as a sub-adviser to unaffiliated registered investment advisers. The unaffiliated investment
advisers that engage us for sub-advisory services shall maintain both the initial and ongoing day-to-day
relationship with the underlying client, including initial and ongoing determination of client suitability for our
designated investment strategies. If the custodian/broker-dealer is determined by the unaffiliated investment
adviser, we will be unable to negotiate commissions and/or transaction costs, and/or seek better execution.
As a result, client may pay higher commissions or other transaction costs or greater spreads, or receive less
favorable net prices, on transactions for the account than would otherwise be the case through alternative
clearing arrangements recommended by our firm. Higher transaction costs adversely impact account
performance.
Investment Committee
On a very limited basis, we may also partner with other unaffiliated investment advisors to form an
investment committee. In such arrangements, the committee will meet on a regular basis to share information
regarding market trends, investment strategies, research findings, and other topics related to the
management of client accounts. The committee does not discuss any specific client accounts, and each
member of the committee maintains exclusive responsibility for ensuring that any actions taken with respect
to client accounts are in accordance with that client’s designated investment objective and any applicable
restrictions. Members of the investment committee are under absolutely no obligation to accept or
implement any trading concepts and/or strategies discussed by the committee. SAM’s Chief Compliance
Officer, Todd Jessup, remains available to address any questions that a client or prospective client may have
regarding this investment committee arrangement.
Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2023, our total regulatory assets under management (including Separately Managed
Accounts) were approximately $810.2 million all of which is managed on a discretionary basis.
Miscellaneous
Limitations of Financial Planning and Non-Investment Consulting/Implementation Services: To the extent
requested by a client, SAM may provide financial planning and related consulting services regarding non-
investment related matters, such as estate planning, tax planning, insurance, etc. for a separate fee per the
terms and conditions of a Financial Planning and Consulting Agreement between SAM and the client.
Please Note: SAM does not serve as an attorney or accountant, and no portion of our services should be
construed as legal or accounting services. Accordingly, SAM does not prepare estate planning documents or
tax returns. To the extent requested by a client, we may recommend the services of other professionals for
certain non-investment implementation purpose (i.e., attorneys, accountants, insurance, etc.), including
certain of SAM’s own representatives, in their separate individual capacities as licensed insurance agents of
SAM’s affiliated insurance agency, Synergy Financial Services, Inc. (“SFS”). The client is under no obligation to
engage the services of any such recommended professional. The client retains absolute discretion over all
such implementation decisions and is free to accept or reject any recommendation from SAM and/or its
representatives. Please Note: If the client engages any recommended unaffiliated professional, and a dispute
arises thereafter relative to such engagement, the client agrees to seek recourse exclusively from and against
the engaged professional. Please Also Note-Conflict of Interest: A recommendation by SAM that a client
purchase an insurance commission product from SAM’s representatives in their separate individual capacities
as licensed insurance agents, including as agents of SFS presents a conflict of interest, as the receipt of
commissions provides an incentive to recommend investment products based on commissions to be received,
rather than on a particular client’s need. No client is under any obligation to purchase any insurance
commission products from SAM’s representatives or SFS. Clients are reminded that they may purchase
insurance products recommended by SAM through other, non-affiliated insurance agents and agencies. SAM’s
Chief Compliance Officer, Todd Jessup, remains available to address any questions that a client or
prospective client may have regarding the above conflicts of interest.
Please Note: Retirement Rollovers-Potential for Conflict of Interest: A client or prospective client leaving an
employer typically has four options regarding an existing retirement plan (and may engage in a combination of
these options): (i) leave the money in the former employer’s plan, if permitted, (ii) roll over the assets to the
new employer’s plan, if one is available and rollovers are permitted, (iii) roll over to an Individual Retirement
Account (“IRA”), or (iv) cash out the account value (which could, depending upon the client’s age, result in
adverse tax consequences). If Registrant recommends that a client roll over their retirement plan assets into an
account to be managed by Registrant, such a recommendation creates a conflict of interest if Registrant will
earn new (or increase its current) compensation as a result of the rollover. No client is under any obligation to
rollover retirement plan assets to an account managed by SAM. SAM’S Chief Compliance Officer, Todd
Jessup, remains available to address any questions that a client or prospective
client may have regarding the
potential for conflict of interest presented by such rollover recommendation.
Fiduciary Acknowledgment: When SAM provides investment advice to a client regarding the client’s
retirement plan, retirement plan account, or individual retirement account, it does so as a fiduciary within the
meaning of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) and/or the Internal Revenue
Code (“IRC”), as applicable, which are laws governing retirement accounts. The way SAM makes money
creates some conflicts with client interests, so SAM operates under a special rule that requires it to act in the
client’s best interest and not put its interests ahead of the client’s.
Under this special rule's provisions, SAM must:
• Meet a professional standard of care when making investment recommendations (give prudent
advice);
• Never put its financial interests ahead of the client’s when making recommendations (give loyal
advice);
• Avoid misleading statements about conflicts of interest, fees, and investments;
• Follow policies and procedures designed to ensure that SAM gives advice that is in the client’s best
interest;
• Charge no more than is reasonable for SAM’s services; and
• Give the client basic information about conflicts of interest.
Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers: As discussed below in Item 12, unless the client directs otherwise,
SAM shall generally recommend that Charles Schwab (“Schwab”) and/or Interactive Brokers, LLC (“IB”) serve
as the broker-dealer and/or custodian for client investment management assets. Broker-dealers and
custodians generally charge brokerage commissions and/or transaction fees for effecting securities
transactions. In addition to SAM’s investment management fee described at Item 6 below, brokerage
commissions and/or transaction fees, clients will also incur, relative to all mutual fund and exchange traded
fund purchases, charges imposed at the fund level (e.g., management fees and other Fund expenses).
Please Note - Use of Mutual Funds: Most mutual funds are available directly to the public. Thus, a prospective
client can obtain many of the mutual funds that may be recommended and/or utilized by SAM independent of
engaging SAM as an investment advisor. However, if a prospective client determines to do so, he/she will not
receive SAM’s initial and ongoing investment advisory services on that fund.
Please Note: Asset Based Pricing Limitations: We may recommend that our clients enter into an asset-based
pricing agreement with the account custodian. Under an asset-based pricing arrangement, the amount that a
client will pay the custodian for account commission/transaction fees is based upon a percentage (%) of the market value
of your account, generally expressed in basis points. One basis point is equal to one one-hundredth of one percent (This
differs from transaction-based pricing, which assesses a separate commission/transaction fee against your 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 you to the account custodian. We do not receive any
portion of the asset-based transaction fees payable by you to the account custodian. We continue to believe that our
clients can benefit from an asset-based pricing arrangement. You can request at any time to switch from asset-based
pricing to transaction-based pricing, 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 you to switch to transaction-based pricing could prove to be economically disadvantageous. ANY
QUESTIONS: Our Chief Compliance Officer, Todd Jessup, remains available to address them.
Periods of Portfolio Inactivity. SAM has a fiduciary duty to provide services consistent with the client’s best
interest. As part of its investment advisory services, SAM 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, mutual fund manager tenure, style drift, and/or a change in the client’s investment objective.
Based upon these factors, there may be extended periods of time when SAM determines that changes to a
client’s portfolio are neither necessary nor prudent. Of course, as indicated below, there can be no assurance
that investment decisions made by SAM will be profitable or equal any specific performance level(s). Clients
remain subject to SAM’s ongoing investment advisory fees, even during these periods of portfolio inactivity.
Please Note: Non-Discretionary Service Limitations. Clients who engage SAM on a non-discretionary
investment advisory basis must be willing to accept that SAM cannot affect any account transactions without
obtaining prior consent to any such transaction(s) from the client. Thus, in the event that SAM would like to
make a transaction for a client's account (including in the event of an individual holding or general market
correction), and the client is unavailable, SAM will be unable to effect the account transaction(s) without first
obtaining the client’s consent.
Separate Managed Account program engagements: As indicated above, SAM’s investment strategies are
available on unaffiliated managed account programs. In these type of arrangements, unaffiliated investment
professionals can determine to allocate a portion of their clients’ assets to one or more SAM strategies. In
these type of arrangements, SAM may be directed to effect account transactions though a specific broker-
dealer/custodian, and SAM will correspondingly be unable to negotiate commissions and/or transaction costs,
and/or seek better execution. As a result, the client may pay higher commissions or other transaction costs or
greater spreads, or receive less favorable net prices, on transactions for the account than would otherwise be
the case through alternative brokerage/custody arrangements. Higher transaction costs adversely impact
account performance. If SAM is engaged in conjunction with an unaffiliated a wrap program, the wrap
program sponsor arranges for the investor participant to receive investment advisory services, the execution
of securities brokerage transactions, custody and reporting services for a single specified fee. Participation in a
wrap program may cost the participant more or less than purchasing such services separately. Please Note:
Transactions for program directed accounts will generally be executed following the execution of portfolio
transactions for non-directed accounts.
Introduction from Unaffiliated Investment Professionals. If the client obtains SAM services through the
client’s Investment Professional (i.e., broker or adviser), the Investment Professional shall serve as the client’s
primary investment professional, and shall be exclusively responsible for: (a) assisting client in determining the
initial and ongoing suitability for the SAM’s investment portfolios and/or strategies; and, (b) for
receiving/ascertaining client’s directions, notices, and instructions, and forwarding them to SAM in writing.
SAM shall be entitled to rely upon any such direction, notice, or instruction until it has been duly advised in
writing of changes therein. SAM’s obligation shall be to manage the assets consistent with the investment
strategy directed by the Investment Professional. SAM shall have no responsibility to the client for the failure
of the Investment Professional to timely receive/ascertain/forward/communicate any and all such directions,
notices, and instructions. If SAM is directed by the Investment Professional to effect account transactions
though a specific broker-dealer/custodian, SAM will be unable to negotiate commissions and/or transaction
costs, and/or seek better execution. As a result, the client may pay higher commissions or other transaction
costs or greater spreads, or receive less favorable net prices, on transactions for the account than would
otherwise be the case through alternative brokerage/custody arrangement. Higher transaction costs adversely
impact account performance. Please Note: Transactions for program directed accounts will generally be
executed following the execution of portfolio transactions for non-directed accounts.
Private Investment Funds and DST Investments. As indicated below, SAM may also provide investment advice
regarding affiliated and unaffiliated private investment funds, including real estate Delaware Statutory Trusts
(“DSTs”). SAM, on a non-discretionary basis, may recommend that certain qualified clients consider an
investment in private investment funds and/or DSTs. With respect to unaffiliated private investment funds
and DSTs, SAM’s role shall be limited to its initial and ongoing due diligence and investment monitoring
services. Unless indicated to the contrary, in writing, if a client determines to become a private fund investor,
the amount of assets invested in the fund(s) shall be included as part of “assets under management” for
purposes of SAM calculating its investment advisory fee. With respect to DST investments, such investments
shall not be included in the client’s assets under management for the purposes of SAM calculating its advisory
fee. Rather, DST investments shall be assessed a distinct asset-based fee, which fee shall be separate from,
and in addition to, SAM’s standard investment advisory fee as set forth in Item 5 below. SAM’S clients are
under absolutely no obligation to consider or make an investment in a private investment fund(s) and/or
DST(s).
Please Note: Private investment funds and DSTs, generally involve various risk factors, including, but not
limited to, 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 and DSTs
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 is qualified for investment
and acknowledges and accepts the various risk factors that are associated with such an investment.
Please Also Note: Valuation. In the event that SAM references private investment funds or DSTs owned by the
client on any supplemental account reports prepared by SAM, the value(s) for all such investments shall reflect
the most recent valuation provided by the fund or DST sponsor. If no subsequent valuation post-purchase is
provided, then the valuation shall reflect the initial purchase price (and/or a value as of a previous date), or
the current value(s) (either the initial purchase price and/or the most recent valuation provided by the fund or
DST sponsor). If the valuation reflects 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 original purchase price. The
client’s advisory fee shall be based upon reflected fund value(s).
Please Also Note: Private Fund Conflict of Interest. Because SAM can earn compensation from affiliated
private investment funds (both management fees and incentive compensation) that may exceed the fee that
SAM would earn under its standard asset-based fee schedule referenced in Item 5 below, the
recommendation that a client become a private fund investor presents a conflict of interest. No client is under
any obligation to become a private fund investor. SAM’s Chief Compliance Officer, Todd Jessup, remains
available to address any questions regarding this conflict of interest.
Please Also Note: DST Conflict of Interest. SAM does not include real estate in assets under management for
the purposes of calculating its standard advisory fee. However, SAM is entitled to an asset-based fee for DST
investments, as set forth in Item 5 below. Therefore, by recommending a client sell a real estate asset in order
to invest the proceeds in a DST, SAM has a conflict of interest, as the recommendation could be based on the
compensation to be received, rather than on a client’s best interest. No client is under any obligation to
become a DST investor. SAM’s Chief Compliance Officer, Todd Jessup, remains available to address any
questions regarding this conflict of interest.
Client Obligations. In performing our services, SAM 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 on information
received. Moreover, each client is advised that it remains his/her/its responsibility to promptly notify SAM if
there is ever any change in his/her/its financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of
reviewing/evaluating/revising our previous recommendations and/or services.
Please Note: Investment Risk. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not
be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy (including the
investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by SAM) will be profitable or will
attain any specific performance level(s).
Cash and Cash Equivalent Positions. SAM treats cash as an asset class. As such, all cash and cash equivalent
positions (e.g., money market funds, etc.) shall be included as part of assets under management for purposes
of calculating the SAM’s advisory fee, unless otherwise agreed in writing. 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), SAM may maintain cash and/or cash equivalent positions for
defensive, liquidity, or other purposes. While assets are maintained in cash, such amounts could miss market
advances, and, depending upon current yields, at any point in time, SAM’s advisory fee could exceed the
interest paid by the client’s money market fund.