Ruggaard & Associates, LLC is a SEC registered investment adviser with its principal place
of business located in Ohio. Ruggaard & Associates, LLC began conducting business in
1993.
Listed below are the firm's members:
● RM Group Holdings LLC, fully owned by Randall Paul Ruggaard, President,
Portfolio Manager
● Ryan Philip Ruggaard, Vice President, Director of Research and Chief
Compliance Officer
● John Dean May III, Vice President and Co-Portfolio Manager
● Sandy Bay, LLC, fully owned by David Sleeter, Vice President and Co-Portfolio
Manager
Ruggaard & Associates, LLC offers the following advisory services to our clients:
INVESTMENT SUPERVISORY SERVICES ("ISS") INDIVIDUAL PORTFOLIO
MANAGEMENT
Our firm provides continuous advice to a client regarding the investment of client funds based
on the individual needs of the client. Through personal discussions in which goals and
objectives based on a client's particular circumstances are established, we develop a client's
personal investment policy and create and manage a portfolio based on that policy. During
our data gathering process, we determine the client’s individual objectives, time horizons, risk
tolerance, and liquidity needs. As appropriate, we also review and discuss a client's prior
investment history, as well as family composition and background.
We manage these advisory accounts on a discretionary or non-discretionary basis. Account
supervision is guided by the client's stated objectives (i.e., maximum capital appreciation,
growth, income, or growth and income), as well as tax considerations.
Clients may impose reasonable restrictions on investing in certain securities, types of
securities, or industry sectors.
Our investment recommendations are not limited to any specific product or service offered by
a broker-dealer or insurance company and will generally include advice regarding the
following securities:
•Exchange-listed securities
•Securities traded over-the-counter
•Foreign issuers
•Corporate debt securities (other than commercial paper)
•Certificates of deposit
•Municipal securities
•Variable life insurance (no sales compensation received)
•Variable annuities (no sales compensation received)
•Mutual fund shares
•United States governmental securities
•Options contracts on securities
Because some types of investments involve certain additional degrees of risk, they will only
be implemented/recommended when consistent with the client's stated investment
objectives, tolerance for risk, liquidity and suitability.
INVESTMENT SUPERVISORY SERVICES ("ISS") RETIREMENT ACCOUNT
MANAGEMENT
Our firm provides continuous advice to a client regarding the investment of client funds held in
corporate retirement accounts such as a 401(k) or 403(b) Plan based on the individual needs
of the client. Through personal discussions in which goals and objectives are based on a
client's particular circumstances are established, we develop a client's personal investment
policy and create and manage a portfolio based on that policy. During our data-gathering
process, we determine the client's individual objectives, time horizons, risk tolerance, and
liquidity needs. As appropriate, we also review and discuss a client's prior investment history,
as well as family composition and background.
We manage these advisory accounts on a non-discretionary basis. Account supervision is
guided by the client's stated objectives (i.e., maximum capital appreciation, growth, income,
or growth and income).
Clients may impose reasonable restrictions on investing in certain securities, types of
securities, or industry sectors.
Our investment recommendations are usually limited to the specific mutual funds available
through participant's corporate retirement plan. In some situations, clients may have a self-
directed investment account with a wider selection of securities.
INVESTMENT SUPERVISORY SERVICES ("ISS") CORPORATE SPONSORED
RETIREMENT ADVISORY
Our firm provides noncontinuous advice to corporate sponsored retirement plans. Our
services include the evaluation of various mutual fund alternatives available at the custodian,
creation of mutual fund models for plan participants with varying levels of potential risk and
return, monitoring of mutual fund performance and providing educational group seminars and
individual counseling to plan participants as requested.
Plan trustees have the ultimate responsibility and authorization on the selection of the mutual
funds offered to plan participants within their corporate retirement plan.
FINANCIAL PLANNING
We provide financial planning services. Financial planning is a comprehensive evaluation
of a
client’s current and future financial state by using currently known variables to make a
reasoned judgment as to future cash flows, asset values and withdrawal plans. Through the
financial planning process, a plethora of questions, information and analysis are considered
as they impact and are impacted by the entire financial and life situation of the client. Clients
purchasing this service receive a written report which provides the client with a detailed
financial plan designed to assist the client achieve his or her financial goals and objectives.
Clients are ultimately responsible for implementing the financial plan recommended by us
unless we are otherwise engaged to provide individual portfolio management services or
retirement account management as described above.
In general, the financial plan can address any or all of the following areas:
•PERSONAL: We review family records, budgeting, personal liability, estate information
and financial goals.
•TAX & CASH FLOW: We analyze the client’s income tax and spending and planning for
past, current and future years; then illustrate the impact of various investments on the
client's current income tax and future tax liability.
•INVESTMENTS: We analyze investment alternatives and their effect on the
client's portfolio.
•INSURANCE: We review existing policies to ensure proper coverage for life,
health, disability, long-term care, liability, home and automobile.
•RETIREMENT: We analyze current strategies and investment plans to help the client
achieve his or her retirement goals.
•DEATH & DISABILITY: We review the client’s cash needs at death, income needs of
surviving dependents, estate planning and disability income.
•ESTATE: We assist the client in assessing and developing long-term strategies, including
as appropriate, living trusts, wills, review estate tax, powers of attorney, asset protection
plans, nursing homes, Medicaid and elder law.
We gather required information through in-depth personal interviews. Information gathered
includes the client's current financial status, tax status, future goals, returns objectives and
attitudes towards risk. We carefully review documents supplied by the client, including a
questionnaire completed by the client, and prepare a written report. Should the client
choose to implement the recommendations contained in the plan, we suggest the client
work closely with his/her attorney, accountant, insurance agent, and/or stockbroker.
Implementation of financial plan recommendations is entirely at the client's discretion.
We also provide general non-securities advice on topics that may include tax and budgetary
planning, estate planning and business planning.
The financial plan is presented to the client within six months of the date of engagement,
provided that all information needed to prepare the financial plan has been promptly provided.
Financial Planning recommendations are not limited to any specific product or service offered
by a broker-dealer or insurance company. Investment recommendations with respect to
securities or asset classes are of a generic nature.
TAX PREPARATION AND TAX PLANNING SERVICES
We provide tax preparation and tax planning services if requested by the client. The fees for
such services are separate from our investment management fees.
WRAP PROGRAM
We do not participate in any wrap fee programs.
ERISA ACCOUNTS
When we provide investment advice to you regarding your retirement plan account or
individual retirement account, we are fiduciaries within the meaning of Title I of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) and/or the Internal Revenue Code
(the “Code”), as applicable, which are laws governing retirement accounts. The way we
make money creates some conflicts with your interests, so we operate under a special rule
that requires us to act in your best interest and not put our interest ahead of yours. Under
this special rule’s provisions, we must:
● Meet a professional standard of care when making investment recommendations (give
prudent advice);
● Never put our financial interests ahead of yours when making recommendations (give
loyal advice);
● Avoid misleading statements about conflicts of interest, fees, and investments;
● Follow policies and procedures designed to ensure that we give advice that is in your
best interest;
● Charge no more than is reasonable for our services; and
● Give you basic information about conflicts of interest.
AMOUNT OF MANAGED ASSETS
As of December 31, 2022, we were actively managing $312,221,509 of clients'
assets on a discretionary basis and $0 of clients' assets on a non-discretionary
basis.