Firm Description
Grodman Financial Group, LLC (GFG) was founded in 1990 by Brian Grodman.
Principal Owners
Brophy Wealth Management, LLC is the sole member of Grodman Financial Group, LLC.
Stephen Brophy is the principal owner of Brophy Wealth Management, LLC
Types of Advisory Services
GFG provides personalized confidential financial planning, advisory service (asset
management) to individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable
organizations and small businesses. 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.
The initial meeting, which may be by telephone, is considered an exploratory interview to
determine the extent to which financial planning and asset management may be beneficial
to the client.
Asset Management
GFG provides investment supervisory services, also known as asset management services,
on both a wrap and non-wrap fee basis. More information pertaining to GFG’s wrap fee
program can be found below and in GFG’s Wrap Fee Program Brochure.
Assets are invested primarily in institutional share mutual funds purchased at net asset
value (NAV) through TD Ameritrade Institutional as the custodian. Detailed information is
available in the mutual fund prospectuses.
GFG may also offer investment advice and recommendations on equities (exchange-listed
securities and securities traded over-the counter), corporate debt securities, certificates of
deposit, municipal securities, investment company securities (variable life insurance,
variable annuities, and mutual funds shares), and U. S. government securities. All
recommendations will be based on the individual needs of the client.
GFG will provide scheduled meetings to review:
Portfolio performance and changes in allocation or investments when appropriate;
Current financial situations, and assist client in making decisions;
Interfacing with other members of client’s financial team (accountant, lawyer,
plan administrator, etc.) to provide financial data, and help implement plans;
Financial planning goals and current strategies employed to achieve the goals;
Other issues which the client and GFG agree are appropriate for involvement.
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GFG does not act as a custodian of client assets. TD Ameritrade Institutional serves as the
custodian for most trades placed on the client’s behalf. The client will always maintain
asset control and is under no obligation to purchase any product from GFG.
On more than an occasional basis, GFG furnishes advice to clients on matters not involving
securities, such as financial planning matters, taxation issues, and trust services that often
include estate planning.
Initial public offerings (IPOs) are not available through GFG.
Wrap Fee Investment Program
The wrap fee investment program (the “Program”) sponsored by GFG is a fee-based asset
management account that enables a Program participant to develop an investment
portfolio, consistent with the participant’s investment objective(s). Under the Program, a
participant shall authorize GFG to allocate his/her/their/its investment assets, generally
on a discretionary basis, among various investments (primarily including equity mutual
funds and fixed income securities), consistent with the participant’s investment
objective(s).
Under the Program, the participant shall receive both investment advisory services and the
execution of brokerage transactions for a single specified fee. For more information,
please refer to the GFG Wrap Fee Brochure.
Hourly Planning Client Service Agreement
GFG provides hourly planning services for clients who need advice on a limited scope of
work. The hourly rate for limited scope engagements is $360.00.
Miscellaneous
Limitations of Financial Planning and Non-Investment Consulting/Implementation
Services. As indicated above, to the extent requested by a client, GFG may provide financial
planning and related consulting services regarding non-investment related matters, such as
estate planning, tax planning, insurance, etc. Please Note: We do not serve as an attorney
or accountant, and no portion of our services should be construed as same. Accordingly, we
do 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 GFG’s
principal, Brian Grodman, in his separate individual capacity as a representative of APW
Capital, Inc. (“APW”), an SEC registered and FINRA member broker-dealer, and as a
licensed insurance agent. 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 GFG
and/or its representatives. The recommendation by GFG that a client purchase a securities
or insurance commission product from Mr. Grodman in his individual capacity as a
representative of APW and/or as an insurance agent, presents a conflict of interest, as the
receipt of commissions may provide 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 securities or insurance commission products from Mr.
Grodman. Clients are reminded that they may purchase securities and insurance products
recommended by GFG through other, non-affiliated broker-dealers and/or insurance
agencies. GFG’s Chief Compliance Officer, Stephen Brophy, remains available to address
any questions that a client or prospective client may have regarding the above conflict
of interest.
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 GFG independent of engaging GFG as an investment advisor. However, if a
prospective client determines to do so, he/she will not receive GFG’s initial and ongoing
investment advisory services.
Wrap Program-Conflict of Interest. GFG provides services on a wrap fee basis as a wrap
program sponsor. Under GFG’s wrap program, the client generally receives 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 client more
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or less than purchasing such services separately. The terms and conditions of a wrap
program engagement are more fully discussed in GFG’s Wrap Fee Program Brochure.
Conflict of Interest. Because wrap program transaction fees and/or commissions are being
paid by GFG to the account custodian/broker-dealer, GFG could have an economic incentive
to minimize the number of trades in the client's account. See separate Wrap Fee Program
Brochure. GFG’s Chief Compliance Officer, Stephen Brophy, remains available to
address any questions that a client or prospective client may have regarding a wrap fee
arrangement and the corresponding conflict of interest a wrap fee arrangement may
create.
RETIREMENT ROLLOVERS - No Obligation/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 GFG recommends that a client roll over their
retirement plan assets into an account to be managed by GFG, such a recommendation
creates a conflict of interest if GFG will earn a new (or increase its current) advisory fee as
a result of the rollover. No client is under any obligation to roll over retirement plan assets
to an account managed by GFG. GFG’s Chief Compliance Officer, Stephen Brophy,
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.
Client Obligations. In performing our services, GFG 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, each client is advised that it remains
his/her/its responsibility to promptly notify us 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 GFG) will be profitable or equal any specific performance level(s).
Tailored Relationships
The goals and objectives for each client are documented in our client relationship
management system. Investment allocations are created that reflect the stated goals and
objective. Clients may impose restrictions on investing in certain securities or types of
securities.
Assets Under Management
As of December 30, 2022 GFG, managed approximately $5,816,394 in assets on a
discretionary basis.