About One Degree Advisors, Inc.
One Degree Advisors, Inc. is a corporation formed in 2001 in the State of California.
The name was changed to One Degree Advisors, Inc. in 2014. Janice Thompson and
Anthony Saffer are the principal owners of One Degree Advisors, Inc. The major
decisions of a strategic and administrative nature for the firm are undertaken by the
principal owners.
Services Offered
One Degree Advisors, Inc. is a financial advisory firm dedicated to providing
personalized confidential financial planning and investment management to its clients.
One Degree Advisors, Inc. provides financial planning and investment management
services that include (1) helping the client clarify his or her investment objectives, goals
and time horizons, (2) creating a diversified portfolio based on those needs, and (3)
investing and managing the portfolio on behalf of the client on a discretionary basis.
One Degree Advisors, Inc. has discretionary authority to make trades in client accounts
as dictated by its best judgment for each client’s situation without the client’s prior
consent. One Degree Advisors, Inc. will evaluate all publicly traded investments, but
primarily recommends to its clients institutional-style and no-load mutual funds and
other low-cost investment vehicles, and for some clients, municipal notes and bonds
and other fixed income securities.
Assets under the direct management of One Degree Advisors, Inc. are held at an
independent custodian in the client’s name. One Degree Advisors, Inc. does not have
custody of client assets meaning that One Degree Advisors, Inc. does not hold client
funds or securities either directly or indirectly and has no authority to obtain possession
of them. Rather, One Degree Advisors, Inc. manages the assets under a limited power
of attorney executed by the client.
Prior to engaging One Degree Advisors, Inc. to provide services, clients are generally
required to enter into an agreement with One Degree Advisors, Inc. setting the terms
and conditions of the engagement (including termination), describing the scope of the
services to be provided, and the portion of the fee that is due from the client prior to One
Degree Advisors, Inc. beginning services.
Subject to any written guidelines, which the client may provide, One Degree Advisors,
Inc. will be granted discretion and authority to manage the client’s investment
account(s). Accordingly, One Degree Advisors, Inc. is authorized to perform various
functions, at the client’s expense, without further approval from the client. Such
functions include making all investment decisions on the (a) securities purchased/sold
and (b) the amount of securities to be purchased/sold. Once the portfolio is constructed,
One Degree Advisors, Inc. provides ongoing supervision and rebalancing of the portfolio
as changes in market conditions and client circumstances may require.
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One Degree Advisors, Inc. offers, but not on a regular basis, investments through a
third-party investment adviser (“sub-adviser”). All sub-advisers to whom One Degree
Advisors, Inc. refers its clients will be a registered investment adviser with the Securities
and Exchange Commission or other appropriate jurisdictions. At the time of the referral
to the sub-adviser, the clients receive full disclosure that includes detailed information
on the services offered and other pertinent disclosures by delivery of a copy of the
relevant sub-adviser’s Form ADV Part 2 or equivalent disclosure documents.
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 and/or the Internal Revenue 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 interests 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.
After consultation with One Degree Advisors, Inc., clients may impose restrictions on
investing in certain securities or types of securities. Other restrictions may be imposed
by clients with respect to the (average or longest) maturity or credit quality of fixed
income investments. In either case, all restrictions must be in writing.
If requested by the client, One Degree Advisors, Inc. recommends the services of other
professionals for implementation purposes. 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 One Degree Advisors, Inc.
One Degree Advisors, Inc. will, under certain circumstances, provide general financial
advice on an hourly basis.
Unless the client directs otherwise, One Degree Advisors, Inc. shall primarily
recommend that all investment management accounts be maintained at TD Ameritrade
One Degree Advisors, Inc. | Item 4 – Advisory Business 6
Institutional, a division of TD Ameritrade, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC/NFA (TDA) and/or
Charles Schwab and Co., Inc. (Schwab).
Financial Institution Consulting Services
One Degree Advisors, Inc. provides investment consulting services to certain
broker/dealers’ customers (“Brokerage Customers”) who provide written consent
requesting to receive the firm’s consulting services. Brokerage Customers have
entered into a written advisory agreement with One Degree Advisors, Inc.
Client Obligations
In performing its services, One Degree Advisors, Inc. shall not be required to verify any
information received from the client or from the client’s other professionals. Moreover,
each client is advised that it remains his or her responsibility to promptly notify One
Degree Advisors, Inc. if there is ever any change in the client’s financial situation or
investment objectives during the client engagement.
Disclosure Statement
A copy of One Degree Advisors, Inc.’s written brochure as set forth on Part 2A of Form
ADV shall be provided to each client prior to, or at the same time as, the execution of
the Advisory Agreement. Any client who has not received a copy of One Degree
Advisors, Inc.’s written brochure at least 48 hours prior to executing the Advisory
Agreement shall have five business days subsequent to executing the agreement to
terminate the One Degree Advisors, Inc.’s services without penalty.
Amount of Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2022, One Degree Advisors, Inc. has $276.8 million of assets
under management; $274 million on a discretionary basis and $2.8 million on a non-
discretionary basis.
Our Policies on Class Action, Bankruptcies, and Other Legal Proceedings
Clients should note that One Degree Advisors, Inc. will not advise nor act on behalf of
the client in legal proceedings involving companies whose securities are held or
previously were held in the client’s account(s), including, but not limited to, the filing of
“Proofs of Claim” in class action settlements. If desired, clients may direct One Degree
Advisors, Inc., if documents have been received by One Degree Advisors, Inc., to
transmit copies of class action notices to the client or a third party. Upon such direction,
One Degree Advisors, Inc. will make commercially reasonable efforts to forward such
notices in a timely manner.
Participation in Wrap Fee Programs
One Degree Advisors, Inc. does not sponsor any wrap fee program. A wrap fee
program is defined as any advisory program under which a specified fee or fees not
based directly upon transactions in a client’s account is charged for investment
supervisory services (which may include portfolio management or advice concerning the
selection of other investment advisers) and the execution of client transactions.
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