Registration Status – Registered with the SEC as of January 19, 20
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Firm Ownership – Megan E. Gorman
Edward J. Kearney
Nicole A. Tanenbaum
Assets Under Management – Discretionary Assets – $ 721,944,853
(as of December 31, 2023) – Non-discretionary Assets – $ 90,040,555
Total AUM – $ 811,985,408
OVERVIEW OF CORE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Chequers Financial Management LLC (“Chequers Financial” or sometimes the “Firm” or
“Advisor”) provides bespoke advisory services to ultra-high-net-worth individuals and
complex, multi-generational families, as well as to their trusts, estates, charitable
foundations, and business entities. Our management services include the design of intricate
wealth transfer strategies grounded in complex tax and estate techniques that reflect the
particular parameters of extended family structures. Our advisory practice offers two, highly-
tailored, comprehensive wealth management services: a Personal CFO/Corporate
Executive Service offered to clients with a net worth of between $5 million to $75 million and
a Multi-Family Office Service that supports clients with equally significant wealth that is
associated with multi-generation financial requirements.
As each client’s circumstances are by their nature personal and unique, we design our
services to address client-specific needs as identified through a tailored evaluation process.
Through detailed client interviews and a review of selected client financial records, we
develop an in-depth understanding of each client’s “financial house” and business(es). We
help clients determine and/or refine individual financial goals that will meet or move them
toward their long-term objectives. It is a comprehensive approach that allows the client to
set priorities and parameters. With the client, we set a financial agenda and recommend
specific action items for implementation all of which is subject to ongoing monitoring,
periodic review and revision and routine reporting. Clients retain absolute discretion over
all financial planning and consultation recommendations and their implementation.
The core of our services provided under the CFO/Corporate Executive service involves the
preparation of a financial plan or provision of client-directed financial consultations that are
based on an in-depth consideration of the clients’ current financial condition, current
portfolio holdings and the client’s financial goals and objectives. Overall, such financial
planning or financial consultation encompasses one or more of the following areas:
investment planning, retirement planning, estate planning, charitable planning, education
planning, personal tax planning and preparation, compensation and benefits analysis, cost
segregation study, real estate analysis, mortgage/debt analysis, insurance analysis, lines of
credit evaluation, and personal financial planning.
In addition to the above CFO/Corporate Executive level services, we offer our Multi-Family
Office clients additional services including budgeting, back-office administration, insurance
1“Registration” means only that the Firm meets the minimum requirements for registration as an
investment advisor and does not imply a certain level of skill or training or that the SEC or other
regulator guarantees the quality of our services or recommends them.
and risk management analysis, generational financial education programs, charitable and
philanthropic planning, tax planning and wealth transfer analysis. Such services may either
be offered in-house by Chequers Financial staff or through independent third-party service
providers that collaborate with our clients and whose services we may monitor.
Chequers Financial’s consultations to clients usually include general recommendations for
a course of activity or specific actions to be taken by clients. For example, Chequers
Financial may recommend that clients begin or revise investment programs, create or revise
wills or trusts, obtain or revise insurance coverage, commence or alter retirement savings, or
establish education or charitable giving programs. It should also be noted that Chequers
Financial may refer clients to accountants, attorneys, or other specialists as necessary for
non-advisory services. Chequers Financial does not accept compensation from such
specialists for such referrals. Implementation of all such recommendations and referrals
remains at the discretion of the client.
The Firm has established a minimum account size requirement of $2 million. Multiple
accounts for the same client may be aggregated to reach this threshold. At the Firm’s sole
discretion, it may accept clients with smaller portfolios where it determines that the smaller
portfolio size will not cause a substantial increase of investment risk beyond the client’s
identified risk tolerance. Other factors considered in a decision to waive the minimum
account size are the anticipated future earning capacity, anticipated future additional
assets, dollar amount of assets to be managed, related accounts, account composition,
pre-existing client, account retention,
pro bono activities, etc. of the account.
Most clients retain Chequers Financial for both financial management and investment
management services under a single, integrated fee arrangement. To the extent a client
retains the Firm to provide financial consulting services only, the client will be required to
enter into a separate written agreement with Chequers Financial setting forth the terms and
conditions of the engagement and describing the scope of the services to be provided.
Stand-alone financial management planning or consultation services are billed either on a
fixed fee or hourly basis. Financial consultation clients are not required to be investment
management clients of the Firm.
OVERVIEW OF CORE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Our investment management services are tailored to each client’s specific risk tolerance,
time horizon, liquidity requirements, and investment restrictions. While we strive to create
sustainable long term investment strategies, we review and adjust asset allocations and risk
exposure as required by changes in market and client circumstances. The Firm’s portfolio
managers gather information about each client’s individual financial condition and
investment goals through personal consultations and document review. On the basis of this
information, the Firm designs an individualized investment plan based on a client’s earning
capacity, savings, investment history, tax issues, retirement horizon, education and legacy
planning, and any other matters that a client deems important.
Depending upon the client’s particular investment objectives and personal preferences, we
offer the following investment management services: creation of an asset allocation
strategy; recommendation of specific securities for investment; execution of securities
transactions on behalf of clients through designated custodians and executing broker-
dealers; monitoring and rebalancing client account holdings; and/or routine performance
reporting.
A client may make additions to and withdrawals from the client’s custodial account at any
time, subject to the Firm’s right to terminate an account if the amount of assets drops below
our account size minimum. Clients may withdraw account assets with notice to the Firm,
subject to the usual and customary securities settlement procedures. However, we design
client portfolios as long-term investments and caution our clients that asset withdrawals may
impair the achievement of the client’s investment objectives.
Additions to an account may be in cash or securities provided that our portfolio managers
may decline to accept particular securities into a client’s account or may recommend that
the security be liquidated if it is inconsistent with the Firm’s investment strategy or the client’s
investment objectives. Clients are advised that when transferred securities are liquidated,
they may be-subject to transaction fees, fees assessed at the mutual fund level (i.e.
contingent deferred sales charge) and/or tax ramifications.
As a result of employee benefit perquisites arising from their position as an owner or
executive of a company, some clients may own, be granted or may consider purchasing
options, warrants, restricted stock in the shares of their company or similar equity
enhancements to their compensation. The Firm offers advice about such investment
decisions, as well as about the sale or liquidation thereof, as part of its services.
General Notices
In performing its services, Chequers Financial is not required to verify any information
received from the client or from the client’s other professionals (e.g., attorney, accountant,
etc.) and is authorized to rely on such information as provided. Clients must promptly notify
us of any change in their financial situation or investment objectives that would necessitate
a review or revision by our advisors of the client’s portfolio and/or financial plan.
The Firm may recommend its own investment management or financial planning services or
those of other professionals to implement investment recommendations. Clients are
advised that a conflict of interest exists if the Firm recommends its own services. Financial
planning/consultation clients and clients requesting investment management services on a
non-discretionary basis are not obligated to act upon the recommendations made by
Chequers. Such clients retain absolute discretion over all such investment implementation
decisions and are free to accept or reject any of the Firm’s recommendations.
Fiduciary Status
When Chequers Financial provides investment advice to you regarding your investment
accounts, including your retirement plan account or individual retirement account, we are
fiduciaries within the meaning of certain state and federal laws such as the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act and/or the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations of
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as applicable. These regulations require us to
act in your best interest and not put our interests ahead of yours.
TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT
Clients or the Firm may terminate the relationship at any time upon written notice to other
party. The Firm does not assess any fees related to termination but will be entitled to all
management fees earned up to the date of termination. Any earned investment
management fees owed to the Firm will be billed to the client, or where authorized,
deducted from the client’s account, on a pro rata basis determined on the amount of time
expired in the billing period. Any unearned prepaid management fees will be refunded to
the client. Any unearned prepaid financial planning or financial consultation fees will be
refunded to the client. Any unpaid financial planning or consultation fees will be billed to
the client for immediate payment or deducted from the client’s retainer.
For new clients of the Firm, if a copy of this Form ADV Part 2A disclosure statement was not
delivered to the client 48 hours or more before the client enters into a written advisory
contract with Advisor, then the client has the right to terminate the contract without penalty
within five (5) business days after entering into the contract. A contract is considered
entered into when all parties to the contract have signed the contract. If the client
terminates the contract on this basis, all fees paid by the client will be refunded however,
any transaction costs imposed by an executing broker or custodian for establishing the
custodial account or for trades occurring during those five days are non-refundable.