Description of Advisory Firm
Journey Advisory Group, LLC (“Journey,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is a privately-owned limited liability
company headquartered in Covington, Kentucky. Journey is registered as an investment adviser with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Journey has three office locations, two in Ohio, and the
headquarters in Kentucky.
Journey was founded in 2014. The firm’s principal owners are Tyler S. Lang, CFA and Stephan Lang
(through the Stephan Lang Family Trust). Senior Financial Advisor James W. Owens, Director of
Operations Kathryn C. McNeely, Chief Operating Officer, Michael Whelan, and Chief Investment Officer
Richard Eric Pettway (through the Richard Eric R Pettway Revocable Trust), Laura Moschel, Chief of Staff,
Jill Henson, Senior Financial Advisor, and James Joo, Senior Financial Advisor, all hold minority interests in
Journey.
Tyler Lang serves as Managing Member of Journey Advisory Group, LLC. In these roles, Tyler oversees the
activities of the various office locations. Tyler is assisted by various individuals who serve in the roles of
Chief Investment Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Portfolio Manager, Research Analyst/Trader, Financial
Advisor, Chief Financial Officer, Director of Operations, etc.
Investment advisory services are provided to you through an appropriately licensed and qualified
individual who is an investment adviser representative of Journey Advisory Group, LLC. Information about
our investment adviser representatives is available in our brochure supplement (which is also known as
Form ADV Part 2B).
When Adviser provides investment advice to you regarding your retirement plan account or individual
retirement account, Adviser is a fiduciary 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 Adviser makes money creates some conflicts with your interests, so Adviser operates
under a special rule that requires Adviser to act in your best interest and not put our interest ahead of
yours.
Journey offers the following services to advisory clients:
Individual Portfolio Management Services (IPMS)
Through IPMS, our firm provides continuous and regular asset management of client funds based on the
individual needs of the client. Through personal discussions, goals are discerned and established based on
the client's circumstances. During our data-gathering process, we determine the client’s individual
objectives, time horizons, risk tolerance, tax considerations, and liquidity needs. As appropriate, we may
also review and discuss a client’s prior investment history, as well as family composition and background.
We then develop the client's personal investment guidelines.
Advisory accounts are generally managed on a discretionary basis consistent with the client’s investment
guidelines. Clients may request reasonable restrictions on investing in certain securities, types of
securities, or industry sectors. At account inception, client’s legacy holdings are evaluated and assessed
relative to a suitable model strategy/portfolio. (See Non-Managed Assets below.)
Once the client’s portfolio has been established, we review the portfolio on a regular basis and, if
necessary, rebalance and adjust consistent with the client's investment guidelines.
Through IPMS, our investment recommendations can include advice regarding the following securities:
1. Exchange-listed securities
2. Mutual Funds
3. Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
4. Securities traded over-the-counter
5. Foreign issuer
6. Option Contracts on Securities
7. Warrants
8. Corporate debt securities (other than commercial paper)
9. Commercial paper
10. Certificates of deposit
11. Municipal securities
12. United States government securities
13. Variable life insurance
14. Variable annuities
15. Interests in partnerships investing in real estate
16. Interests in partnerships investing in oil and gas
Because some types of investments involve certain additional degrees of risk, they will only be
recommended when consistent with the client's stated investment objectives, tolerance for risk, liquidity
and suitability.
Journey may also occasionally offer advice regarding additional types of investments if they are
appropriate to address the individual needs, goals, and objectives of the client or in response to client
inquiry. Journey may offer investment advice on any investment held by the client at the start of the
advisory relationship. We describe the material investment risks for many of the securities that we utilize
under the heading Investing Involves Risks in Item 8 below.
Also, it is important that you understand that we manage investments for other clients and give them
advice or take actions for them, or for our personal accounts, that is different from the advice we provide
to you or actions taken for you. We are not obligated to buy, sell or recommend to you any security or
other investment that we buy, sell or recommend for any other clients or for our own accounts.
Financial Planning Services
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 predict future cash flows, asset
values and withdrawal plans. Through the financial planning process, all 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 to achieve his or her financial goals and objectives.
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 as
they related to the client's goals and objectives.
INSURANCE: When requested, we review existing policies 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, and
assisted living needs. (Journey does not provide legal advice, however.)
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 that may include a questionnaire completed by the
client and written reports. Should the client choose to implement the recommendations contained in the
plan, where applicable, we suggest the client work closely with his/her attorney, accountant and
insurance agent. Implementation of financial plan recommendations is entirely at the client's discretion.
We also provide general non-securities advice on topics that may include retirement, tax and budgetary
planning, estate planning and business planning.
Typically, the financial plan is presented to the client within three months of the contract date, provided
that all information needed to prepare the financial plan has been promptly provided.
Our financial planning services do not include preparation of any kind of income tax, gift, or estate tax
returns nor preparation of any legal documents, including wills or trusts.
We describe fees charged for financial planning services below under Item 5 - Fees and Compensation.
Retirement Plan Consulting Services
Journey offers retirement plan consulting services to qualified retirement plans. Our services include but
are not limited to: fee transparency benchmarking; evaluating and selecting service providers; optimizing
plan design; transition services; education services; investment monitoring; fiduciary compliance;
preparation of Investment Policy Statement (IPS); analysis meetings; and acting as 3(38) co-fiduciary. The
specific consulting services provided to each plan client will be determined with the client.
For participant directed retirement plans, Journey will recommend a range of investment options,
generally in mutual funds, to be made available to participants in the plan. The named fiduciaries of the
retirement plan are responsible for reviewing and approving these options. For non-participant trustee
directed retirement plan clients, Journey will recommend the investment options to the named fiduciaries
of the retirement plan. Journey offers periodic monitoring of investment performance as agreed to with
the plan client.
Journey’s recommendations are based on the investment strategy discussed below under Item 8 -
Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies, and Risk of Loss. Recommendations are made in accordance
with the plan’s written investment guidelines and any legal and/or client restrictions communicated to
us. Journey may assist the plan client with the preparation of a written investment policy statement that
is based upon the plan’s specific goals and objectives. All plan clients are responsible for informing Journey
of any changes to their investment policy statement, guidelines and any restrictions.
Journey may also offer portfolio construction and/or educational services for participants of retirement
plans. All services provided will be outlined in the written investment services agreement executed with
each plan client.
Limitations on Investments
Journey recommends investments on a non-discretionary basis to qualified retirement plans. In making
our recommendations, Journey is limited to those investment providers and investment options chosen
by the plan administrator. Therefore, Journey can only make recommendations to the plan client from
among the available options, and will not recommend other securities, even if there are better options
elsewhere.
Consulting Services
Journey offers other financial consulting as requested by the client. We describe the fees charged for
consulting services below under Item 5 - Fees and Compensation.
Non-Managed Assets
With respect to investment management services, Journey will only be responsible for the supervision
and management of securities we recommend. Journey will not be responsible for the supervision or
management of non-managed assets. Non-managed assets may include securities held in a client’s
account that is under management with Journey that were:
1. Delivered into the account by the client;
2. Purchased by the client;
3. Purchased by Journey at the request of the client as an accommodation; or
4. Designated by the client to be non-managed securities by written notification.
Non-Managed Accounts
Journey may agree to report on accounts for which Journey does not provide investment management
services. Journey is not responsible for the supervision or management of these non-managed accounts
nor will Journey take or accept trading authority on such accounts.
Tailored Services and Client Imposed Restrictions
Journey manages client accounts based on the asset allocation and investment strategy discussed below
under Item 8 - Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies, and Risk of Loss. Journey applies the
recommended asset allocation and strategy for each client, based on the client’s individual circumstances
and financial situation. We make investment decisions for clients based on information the client supplies
about their financial situation, goals, and risk tolerance. Our recommended asset allocation and
investment selections may not be suitable if the client does not provide us with accurate and complete
information. It is the client’s responsibility to keep Journey informed of any changes to their investment
objectives or restrictions.
Clients may request certain restrictions on the account, such as when a client needs to keep a minimum
level of cash in the account or desires a certain level of cash distributions. Clients may also request
reasonable restrictions on the specific securities or security types in the account on the condition that
such restrictions do not materially interfere with Journey’s responsibility to manage the portfolio
consistent with the clients’ personal investment guidelines or profile as described above. Journey reserves
the right to not accept and/or terminate management of a client’s account if we feel that the client-
imposed restrictions would limit or prevent us from meeting or maintaining the client’s investment
strategy.
Wrap Fee Programs
Journey does not manage accounts as part of a wrap or bundled fee program.
Assets Under Management
Journey Advisory Group, LLC provides continuous and regular asset management of client funds, on a
discretionary basis. Non-discretionary services are also offered. As of February 29th, 2024, the total
amount of assets under management was $1,015,864,170 with $990,822,713 managed on a discretionary
basis, and $25,041,457 managed on a non-discretionary basis.