Premier Investment Advisors, Inc.
D/B/A Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists
Address
2000 Auburn Dr. Suite 200
Beachwood, OH 44122
Telephone Numbers
(440) 498-1396
(888) 212-1113
Facsimile
(440) 498-1432
Website
http://tidmorerps.com/
March 30, 2023
This Brochure provides information about the qualifications and business practices of Premier Investment Advisors, Inc. (hereinafter “Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists”, “us”, “we”, “our”). If you have any questions about the contents of this Brochure, please contact us at (440) 498-1396 or via email at dennis@tidmorerps.com. The information in this Brochure has not been approved or verified by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or by any state securities authority.
Additional information about Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists is also available via the SEC’s website www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. You can search this site by using a unique identifying number, known as a CRD number. The CRD number for Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists is 121028. The SEC’s web site also provides information about any persons affiliated with Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists who are registered, or are required to be registered, as Investment Adviser Representatives of Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists.
Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists is a Registered Investment Adviser. Registration of an Investment Adviser does not imply any level of skill or training. The oral and written communications of an Adviser provide you with information that you may use to determine whether to hire or retain them.
Since our last annual amendment filing on January 11, 2023, we have engaged solicitors to refer clients to us. Please see Item 14 for details.
In the future, this section of the Brochure will discuss only the specific material changes that were made to the Brochure and will provide you with a summary of all material changes that have occurred since the last filing of this Brochure. This section will also identify the date of our last annual Brochure update.
We will ensure that you receive a summary of any material changes to this and subsequent Brochures within 90 days of the close of our business’ fiscal year end which is December 31st. We will provide other ongoing disclosure information about material changes as they occur. We will also provide you with information on how to obtain the complete brochure. Currently, our Brochure may be requested at any time, without charge, by contacting Dennis Tidmore at (440) 498-1396.
Item 4 – Advisory Business Introduction. 4
Item 5 – Fees and Compensation. 10
Item 6 – Performance Based Fee and Side by Side Management. 13
Item 7 – Types of Client(s). 13
Item 8 – Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss. 13
Item 9 – Disciplinary Information. 18
Item 10 – Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations. 19
Item 11 – Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Accounts and Personal Trading. 20
Item 12 – Brokerage Practices. 22
Item 13 – Review of Accounts. 24
Item 14 – Client Referrals and Other Compensation. 24
Item 16 – Investment Discretion. 25
Item 17 – Voting Client Securities. 26
Item 18 – Financial Information. 26
Item 19 – Requirements for State Registered Advisers. 26
ADV Part 2B Brochure Supplement – Dennis L. Tidmore. 28
ADV Part 2B Brochure Supplement – Desirée R. Fiktus, 32
Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists is a registered investment adviser with the State of Ohio. The Adviser was founded in 2000 by Dennis Tidmore, who is the principal owner.
The Firm offers three primary services: (i) searching for and recommending custodians for assets at the qualified retirement plan level, (ii) providing fiduciary governance services to defined contribution and defined benefit retirement plans, and (iii) providing both fiduciary governance services to qualified retirement plans and individualized investment advisory services to plan participants and individual retirement account (“IRA”) beneficiaries. We are available during normal business hours either by telephone, email, or in person by appointment to answer your questions.
As part of the active asset management process, we will meet with you to discuss your financial circumstances, investment goals and objectives, and to determine your risk tolerance. We will ask you to provide statements summarizing current investments, income and other earnings, recent tax returns, retirement plan information, other assets and liabilities, wills and trusts, insurance policies, and other pertinent information.
Based on the information you share with us, we will analyze your situation and tailor a portfolio with appropriate asset allocations and investment strategy[ies]. Our recommendations and ongoing management are based upon your investment goals, objectives and risk tolerance. We will monitor the account, trade as necessary, and communicate regularly with you.
We will work with you on an ongoing basis to evaluate your asset allocation as well as rebalance your portfolio to keep it in line with your goals as necessary. We will be reasonably available to help you with questions about your account.
* Please note that pursuant to the investment advisory agreement you are obligated to notify us promptly when your financial situation, goals, objectives, or needs change. *
Under certain conditions, securities from outside accounts may be transferred into your advisory account; however, we may recommend that you sell any security if we believe that it is not suitable for the current recommended investment strategy. Additionally, trading may be required to meet initial allocation targets, after substantial cash deposits that require investment allocation, and/or after a request for a withdrawal that requires liquidation of a position. You shall not have the ability to impose restrictions on your account.
Periodically, your account may need to be rebalanced or reallocated in order to reestablish the targeted percentages of your initial asset allocation. This rebalancing or reallocation will occur as required or pursuant to the schedule we have determined together.
You will be responsible for all tax consequences resulting from the sale of any security, rebalancing or reallocation of the account. You are responsible for any taxable events in these instances. We are not tax professionals and do not give tax advice. However, we will work with your tax professionals to assist you with tax planning.
You will be notified of any purchases or sales through trade confirmations and statements that are provided by the custodian. These statements list the total value of the account, itemize all transaction activity, and list the types, amounts, and total value of securities held. You will at all times maintain full and complete ownership rights to all assets held in your account, including the right to withdraw securities or cash, proxy voting and receiving transaction confirmations.
We may also provide you with quarterly performance statements. These statements give you additional feedback regarding performance, educate you about our long-term investment philosophy, and describe any changes in current strategy and allocation along with the reasons for making these changes. Clients with less than $250,000 in assets under management may purchase Annual Retirement Income Summary/Lifestyle Financial Plan Reports for an additional $750 fixed fee as a stand-alone service.
Fee based financial planning is a comprehensive relationship which incorporates many different aspects of your financial status into an overall plan that meets your goals and objectives. The financial planning relationship consists of face-to-face meetings and ad hoc meetings with you and/or your other advisors (attorneys, accountants, etc.) as necessary.
In performing financial planning services, we typically examine and analyze your overall financial situation, which may include issues such as taxes, insurance needs, overall debt, credit, business planning, retirement savings and reviewing your current investment program. Our services may focus on all or only one of these areas depending upon the scope of our engagement with you.
It is essential that you provide the information and documentation we request regarding your income, investments, taxes, insurance, estate plan, etc. We will discuss your investment objectives, needs and goals, but you are obligated to inform us of any changes. We do not verify any information obtained from you, your attorney, accountant or other professionals.
If you engage us to perform these services, you will receive a written agreement detailing the services, fees, terms and conditions of the relationship. You will also receive this Brochure. You are under no obligation to implement recommendations through us. You may implement your financial plan through any financial organization of your choice.
We obtain information from a wide variety of publicly available sources. We do not have any inside private information about any investments that are recommended. All recommendations developed by us are based upon our professional judgment. We cannot guarantee the results of any of our recommendations. Choosing which advice to follow is your decision.
We have entered into a Co-Advisory Agreement with Belpointe Asset Management, LLC (“Belpointe”). If we determine that it is in your best interest, Belpointe shall act in a co-advisory capacity, enabling them to manage some or all of your account(s). In those instances, we will monitor the performance of the sub-advisor. The Co-Advisor shall be paid a portion of your advisory fee. Your fee shall not increase due to the use of a Co-Advisor. You shall receive the ADV Part 2A, privacy notice, Form CRS of the Co-Advisor prior to engaging in any such relationship.
Simultaneously, we shall act a Co-Advisor and manage the accounts of clients of Belpointe. Providing Co-Advisory services to other investment advisors may present a conflict of interest. We require that all IARs disclose this conflict of interest. We also require IARs to disclose to clients that they may purchase recommended products from other representatives not affiliated with us. Our Code of Ethics requires our IARs do what is in the client’s best interests at all times. Our CCO monitors all transactions to ensure that representatives put their clients first, not any addition income they may receive.
For our firm’s Retirement Plan accounts, our service begins with an analysis of the current retirement plan structure, custodian, third-party administrator, daily record keeper, investments, managed investment models, and fees. The analysis is designed to determine if we are able to add value to the plan and what areas, if any, may be deficient from both a regulatory perspective and from a financial advisory perspective.
We will offer you one or more of the following services:
We will assist our client in evaluating the current plan’s structure to determine if a change in the design of the plan better suits the needs of plan participants. We will facilitate any changes with the appropriate parties including the third-party administrator, record keeper, and custodian as well as facilitating the execution of the required plan document amendments or new plan documents. However, we will not draft any amendments as an attorney or a TPA will need to perform this service.
We will assist you in the establishment of the Investment Committee (if a Committee is deemed appropriate) and the establishment of a formal investment committee charter, delineating committee responsibilities and fiduciary roles.
The Investment Committee may be charged with the fiduciary responsibility of the prudent management of the investment portfolio, selecting and retaining professional advisors to the portfolio including investment managers, investment consultants, custodians, attorneys, and clerical staff. We will assist the Investment Committee in meeting the committee’s responsibilities according to the investment committee charter, and fulfilling its fiduciary duty to the plan, including their review of service providers, third-party administration firms, daily record keeper, and custodian to ensure that their services, along with ours, remain competitive to other alternatives that are available to the client.
Our Investment Policy Service is designed to assist you in creating a written investment policy statement (“IPS”) to document the plan’s investment goals and objectives as well as certain policies governing the investment of assets. The IPS also identifies an investment strategy that seeks to attain the plan’s goals. The service is generally designed for corporate retirement plans that are managed on a non-discretionary basis.
We will assist the Investment Committee with the establishment, execution, and interpretation of the Investment Policy Statement. The Investment Policy Statement serves as a guide to assist the Investment Committee in effectively supervising, monitoring, and evaluating the investment of the plan’s assets. We will prepare a draft of the IPS based upon information furnished by you and your firm designed to profile various factors for the account such as investment objectives, risk tolerances, projected cash flow, and demographics of your retirement plan participants. It is the client’s responsibility to provide all necessary information for the preparation of the IPS, particularly any limitations imposed by law or otherwise. This draft IPS is then submitted to you for review and approval. We recommend that your professional advisors, such as an attorney, actuary, and/or accountant, also review the IPS. The review and acceptance of the IPS is the responsibility of the plan fiduciary and your retirement program’s governing entity.
Upon client’s final approval, the IPS is ready to be sent to client’s Investment Committee. It is client’s responsibility to confirm the Investment Committee’s acceptance of the IPS, and it is the Investment Committee’s responsibility to adhere to the IPS in managing the retirement program. We encourage you to review accounts periodically to verify investment committee’s compliance with the IPS.
The Investment Policy Statement will be reviewed at least annually to determine whether stated investment objectives are still relevant and the continued feasibility of achieving those objectives. However, the Investment Policy Statement is not expected to vary much from year to year and the IPS will not be updated to account for short term changes in market conditions or the economic environment.
We will conduct research to determine allocations and to project potential ranges of returns and market values over various time periods and using various cash flows. As the financial advisor to the Plan, we will assist the Investment Committee in selecting the non-managed investment line up including evaluating investment managers and mutual fund companies, individual mutual funds, and money market funds which may be retained or replaced.
The data used to select the investment options is based on estimated, forward-looking performance of various asset classes and subclasses to create forward looking capital markets assumptions (e.g., expected return, expected standard deviation, correlation, etc.). Past performance and the return estimates of the asset classes and the indices that correspond to these asset classes may not be representative of actual future performance. Actual results could differ, based on various factors including the expenses associated with the management of the portfolio, the portfolio’s securities versus the securities comprising the various indices and general market conditions. Before a specific investment is selected, other factors such as economic trends, which may influence the choice of investments and risk tolerance, should be considered. We have the responsibility and authority to recommend the investment line up including evaluating investment managers and mutual fund companies, individual mutual funds, and money market funds which may be retained or replaced. The plan sponsor has the responsibility and authority to make the final decision regarding what investments to include in the model portfolio and when to add or exclude a specific security.
It is client’s responsibility to select the final mix and to determine whether to implement any strategy. We also encourage you to consult with your other professional advisors since Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists does not provide tax or legal advice that may affect asset classes or allocations used in the modeling. We will apply guidelines you supply, as directed; however, compliance with these restrictions or guidelines is client’s responsibility.
We will also monitor the current non-managed investment line up including the investment’s performance, performance compared to an applicable benchmark index, fees, management changes, style and fundamental investment strategy changes, and fund composition to determine if an investment no longer meets the criterion defined in the Investment Policy Statement. If the Investment Committee determines that a fund no longer meets the IPS criterion, we will advise the Investment Committee on possible alternatives and assist in the selection of a replacement investment.
If you decide to implement any of the firm’s recommendations, we will help you open a custodial account(s) for the plan. The funds in this account will generally be held in a separate account, in the plan’s name, at an independent custodian, not with us. We use TD Ameritrade as our custodian. The identity of your custodian will be communicated to you before the account is opened. The custodian will affect transactions, deliver securities, make payments, etc. You will at all times maintain full and complete ownership rights to all assets held in the account for the benefit of the plan participants.
We are available during normal business hours either by telephone, fax, email, or in person by appointment to answer your questions.
We will conduct plan participant meetings when a change is made either to the structure of the plan or if the investment lineup changes. We will detail the changes being made, how it affects the current participants, review the current investment opportunities, how participants may make changes to their investment selections, and will answer any and all questions a participant may have. We will review with the participants how to select the investments.
We will send a quarterly performance report detailing the overall performance of the plan’s assets and a detailed list of the investment holdings.
There may be instances in which we will enter into an agreement with a sub-advisor who will provide 3(38) services to the Plan. In those instances, in which we have entered into an agreement with a subadvisor to provide 3(38) fiduciary services, we will monitor the performance of the subadvisor and the products made available to the Plan. We will also make recommendations to change the subadvisor or products made available to the plan, if necessary. Your Retirement Plan Consulting Agreement will further describe the 3(38) services that will be provided by Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists.
When a client engages the Adviser to perform “3(38) Fiduciary Services”, the Adviser acts as an “investment manager” (as defined in Section 3(38) of ERISA) with respect to the performance of discretionary fiduciary investment services. Under this arrangement the Adviser is appointed by the Plan Sponsor or trustee and accepts discretion over plan assets and assumes full responsibility and liability for fiduciary functions concerning decisions related to the plan assets.
Under this arrangement the Adviser is appointed by the plan sponsor or trustee and accepts discretion over plan assets and assumes full responsibility and liability for fiduciary functions concerning decisions related to the plan assets. The Adviser will review the investment options available to the Plan through documents provided by the Plan Sponsor and notifies the Plan’s record-keeper and/or the Plan Sponsor the Adviser’s instructions to add, remove and/or replace these specific investment options offered to Plan participants and/or used for administrative purposes under the Plan, according to the criteria set forth in guidelines selected by the Plan Sponsor. The Plan Sponsor retains all authority, responsibility and decision-making for investment options not available on the Plan record-keeper’s platform (i.e., “non-core” investment options, such as employer stock, plan loans, self-directed brokerage accounts, frozen guaranteed investment contracts, and life insurance).
The Adviser will retain final decision-making authority with respect to removing and/or replacing investments in the core lineup. The Plan Sponsor will not have responsibility to communicate instructions to any third‐party, custodian and/or third‐party administrator.
The data used to determine the investment options is based on estimated, forward-looking performance of various asset classes and subclasses to create our forward-looking capital markets assumptions (e.g., expected return, expected standard deviation, correlation, etc.). Past performance and the return estimates of the asset classes and the indexes that correspond to these asset classes may not be representative of actual future performance. Actual results could differ, based on various factors including the expenses associated with the management of the portfolio, the portfolio’s securities versus the securities comprising the various indexes and general market conditions. Before a specific investment is selected, other factors such as economic trends, which may influence the choice of investments and risk tolerance, should be considered. The Adviser has the responsibility and authority to determine the investment line up including evaluating investment managers and mutual fund companies, individual mutual funds, and money market funds which may be retained or replaced.
The Adviser will also monitor the current managed investment line up including the investment’s performance compared to an applicable benchmark. If the Adviser determines that a fund no longer meets the criteria, they will select alternatives and replace them.
The Adviser does not sponsor or participate in a third-party sponsored wrap fee program.
As of December 31, 2022, we had a total of $57,695,274 in discretionary assets under management. We have no non-discretionary assets under management at this time.
As an investment advisor, the Firm can manage clients’ account(s) under a number of different fee structures. The Firm may charge a graduated annual fee based on a percentage of the assets under the Firm’s management.
Clients with assets between $50,000 and $99,999.99 shall be charged our minimum annual fee of $1,000. Clients with assets between $100,000 to $1,000,000 shall be billed at 1.00% annually. The minimum fee shall cover the cost of Monthly Statements & Quarterly Summary Reports.
Clients with assets greater than $250,000 shall receive Monthly Statements, Quarterly Monitoring Reports with Annual Retirement Income Summary/Lifestyle Financial Plan Reports. Clients with less than $250,000 in assets under management may purchase Annual Retirement Income Summary/Lifestyle Financial Plan Reports for an additional $750 fixed fee as a stand-alone service. This fee will be charged annually, and services shall be rendered within six months of payment.
Clients with assets over $1,000,000 shall be billed at 0.80%. This shall include Monthly Statements, Quarterly Monitoring Reports with Annual Retirement Income Summary/Lifestyle Financial Plan Reports.
These fees are negotiable at the discretion of the Adviser, depending on the size and complexity and type of account. Fees are due quarterly, in arrears, based upon the quarterly ending balance of the accounts under managing. The accounts of immediately related family members may be aggregated for billing purposes and to benefit the client and shall at all times be reasonable relative to the prevailing market. Certain minimum annual fee amounts may apply under the graduated annual fee. Alternatively, the Firm may charge a flat advisory fee, paid in arrears, with an allowance for annual CPI increases. If a client wishes to terminate his association with the Firm, the client may do so at any time, and any pre-paid fees will be refunded to the client on a pro-rated basis.
Additionally, the Firm may select and monitor other money managers registered who are appropriately registered in a state in which we are registered on a client’s behalf. Specific fee schedules or other compensation arrangements are provided to the client with the Firm’s advisory services agreement.
If applicable, Co-Advisory fees shall be deducted from the advisory fee stated above. This shall be at a negotiated rate, as detailed on your advisory agreement. There shall be no increase in fees due to the use of a Co-Advisor.
For clients that wish to purchase Annuities, Life Insurance and Long-Term Insurance, the Firm recommends Dennis Tidmore, who serves as a licensed insurance agent who earns sales commissions. If a client initiates this type of transaction with the Firm, then the Firm will earn a sales commission on such transactions. Clients are under no obligation to act upon the recommendations of Mr. Tidmore. Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists only offer insurance in the State of Ohio.
Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists’ standard fee includes establishing your Investment Policy Statement, reviewing your plan structure, investment management, investment selection and monitoring, fund changes, participant education and reporting. Advisory fees for the plan are paid to us by the plan, or directly from the plan sponsor, or in some cases a combination of both. These fees are generally collected by the plan record keeper or vendor and paid directly to our firm. This fee includes services as an ERISA section 3(38) with respect to client’s plan. Plans will be billed according to the following fee schedule:
| Assets Under Management | Annual Asset-based Fee | Minimum Fee (annual) |
| $1,000,000-$2,000,000 | 0.50%* | $6,000 |
| $2,000,000-$5,000,000 | 0.40% | $8,000 |
| $5,000,000-$10,000,000 | 0.35% | $17,500 |
| $10,000,000-$15,000,000 | 0.30% | $30,000 |
| $15,000,000-$25,000,000 | 0.25% | $37,500 |
| * Plans with assets between $1,000,000 and $1,200,000 will pay more than 0.50% due to the minimum annual fee. | ||
The timing of fees paid is generally at the beginning of the upcoming quarter, in arrears, based upon asset levels at the end of the preceding quarter. Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists’ advisory agreement with each plan sponsor outlines the timing of fees collected and the process of fee remittal to our firm.
The Client agrees to authorize the Custodian to pay directly to Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists upon receipt of notice, the Account's investment advisory services fee. Fee withdrawals will occur no more frequently than quarterly from the Client's Account, unless specifically instructed otherwise by the Client. If applicable, Co-Advisory fees shall be paid directly from Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists to the Co-Advisor.
The Custodian will send to the Client a statement, at least quarterly, indicating all amounts disbursed from the Account, including the fee paid directly to Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists. Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists' access to the Assets of the Account will be limited to trading and the withdrawals authorized above.
Our fees do not include brokerage commissions, transaction fees, and other related costs and expenses. You may incur certain charges imposed by custodians and other third parties. These include fees charged by managers, custodial fees, deferred sales charges, odd-lot differentials, transfer taxes, wire transfer and electronic fund fees, commissions and other fees and taxes on brokerage accounts and securities transactions. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) also charge internal management fees, which are disclosed in the fund’s prospectus. These fees may include, but are not limited to, a management fee, upfront sales charges, and other fund expenses. Certain strategies offered by us may involve investment in mutual funds and/or ETFs. We do not receive any compensation from these fees. All of these fees are in addition to the management fee you pay us. You should review all fees charged to fully understand the total amount of fees you will pay. Services similar to those offered by us may be available elsewhere for more or less than the amounts we charge. Our brokerage practices are discussed in more detail under Item 12 – Brokerage Practices.
We shall act a Co-Advisor and manage the accounts of clients of Belpointe. Belpointe shall pay us a negotiated portion of the advisory fee received by their clients for servicing their account. Providing Co-Advisory services to other investment advisors may present a conflict of interest. We require that all IARs disclose this conflict of interest. We also require IARs to disclose to clients that they may purchase recommended products from other representatives not affiliated with us. Our Code of Ethics requires our IARs do what is in the client’s best interests at all times. Our CCO monitors all transactions to ensure that representatives put their clients first, not any addition income they may receive.
In addition to our compensation from our Co-Advisory Services mentioned above, our Investment Adviser Representatives, including Dennis Tidmore, may recommend a Fixed Annuity, Life Insurance or Long-Term Care insurance and will receive the usual and customary commissions in addition to any agreed upon advisory fee.
While our IARs endeavor at all times to put the interest of our clients first as part of our fiduciary duty, the possibility of receiving additional compensation creates a conflict of interest and may affect their judgment when making recommendations. We require that all IARs disclose this conflict of interest when such recommendations are made. Also, we require IARs to disclose that Clients may purchase recommended insurance products from other insurance agents not affiliated with us.
We do not charge any performance-based fees. These are fees based on a share of capital gains on or capital appreciation of the assets of a client.
Most of the Firm’s clients are ERISA qualified retirement plans including defined benefit plans and defined contribution retirement plans, which include traditional IRAs, SEPs, Simple 401(k) plans, Solo 401(k) plans, 401(k) plans, Profit-Sharing and Cash Balance plans. We also serve individuals with IRA rollover accounts. The Firm requires a minimum dollar value of assets under management in the amount of $50,000 for individual accounts and $1,000,000 for ERISA qualified retirement plans.
The Firm’s primary sources of financial information are financial newspapers, magazines, research materials prepared by others, corporate rating services, annual reports, and company press releases:
Fundamental analysis is a technique that attempts to determine a security’s value by focusing on the underlying factors that affect a company's actual business and its future prospects. Fundamental analysis is about using real data to evaluate a security's value. It refers to the analysis of the economic well-being of a financial entity as opposed to only its price movements.
The end goal of performing fundamental analysis is to produce a value that we can compare with the security's current price, with the aim of figuring out what sort of position to take with that security (underpriced = buy, overpriced = sell or short).
Technical Analysis is a technique that attempts to determine a security’s value by developing models and trading rules based upon price and volume transformation. Technical analysis assumes that a market’s price reflects all relevant information, so the analysis focuses on the history of a security’s trading behavior rather than external drivers such as economic, fundamental and news events. The practice of technical analysis incorporates the importance of understanding how market participants perceive and act upon relevant information rather than focusing on the information itself. Ultimately, technical analysts develop trading models and rules by evaluating factors such as market trends, market participant behaviors, supply and demand and pricing patterns and correlations.
As with other types of analysis, the predictive nature of technical analysis can vary greatly; models and rules are often modified and updated as new patterns and behaviors develop. Past performance is not an indicator of future return.
While we do not attempt to time the market, we may use cyclical analysis in conjunction with other strategies to help determine if shifts are required in your investment strategies depending upon long and short-term trends in financial markets and the performance of the overall national and global economy.
Charting analysis is a method utilized to perform analysis and forecasting of the stock market or commodity market prices and trends. Some of the charts that are used for the analysis are bar charts, point-and-finger charts, and candlestick charts. The charts are used to plot factors such as average price movement, highs and lows of prices, open interest, settlement prices and volume trading.
As with other types of analysis, the predictive nature of charting analysis can vary greatly; models and rules are often modified and updated as new patterns and behaviors develop. Past performance is not an indicator of future returns.
We cannot guarantee our analysis methods will yield a return. In fact, a loss of principal is always a risk. Investing in securities involves a risk of loss that you should be prepared to bear. You need to understand that investment decisions made for your account by us are subject to various market, currency, economic, political, and business risks. The investment decisions we make for you will not always be profitable nor can we guarantee any level of performance.
A list of all risks associated with the strategies, products, and methodology we offer are listed below:
Bond funds generally have higher risks than money market funds, largely because they typically pursue strategies aimed at producing higher yields of the risks associated with bond funds include:
Fundamental analysis, when used in isolation, has a number of risks:
Modern Portfolio Theory tries to understand the market as a whole and measure market risk in an attempt to reduce the inherent risks of investing in the market. However, with every financial investment strategy there is a risk of a loss of principal. Not every investment decision will be profitable, and there can be no guarantee of any level of performance.
Looking at market cycles in conjunction with other investment strategies can be useful when making investment decisions. However, market cycles are not always predictable. Each financial investment strategy has benefits and risks. Not every investment decision will be profitable, and there can be no guarantee of any level of performance.
Most ETFs are passively managed investment companies whose shares are purchased and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF represents a portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market segment or index. ETFs are subject to the following risks that do not apply to conventional funds:
The rate of return on variable insurance products is not stable, but varies with the stock, bond, and money market subaccounts that you choose as investment options. There is no guarantee that you will earn any return on your investment and there is a risk that you will lose money. Before you consider purchasing a variable product, make sure you fully understand all of its terms. Carefully read the prospectus. Some of the major risks include:
The following is a list of some general risks associated with investing in mutual funds.
Overall "market risk" poses the greatest potential danger for investors in stocks funds. Stock prices can fluctuate for a broad range of reasons, such as the overall strength of the economy or demand for particular products or services.
Tactical Asset Allocation seeks to take advantage of changes in the market by strategically reallocating between asset classes to adapt to changing conditions. However, each financial investment strategy has benefits and risks. Not every investment decision will be profitable. Reallocations, especially those in high-risk sectors, may not always produce beneficial results. There can be no guarantee of any level of performance.
Clients need to remember that past performance is no guarantee of future results. All funds carry some level of risk. You may lose some or all of the money you invest, including your principal, because the securities held by a fund goes up and down in value. Dividend or interest payments may also fluctuate, or stop completely, as market conditions change.
Before you invest, be sure to read a fund's prospectus and shareholder reports to learn about its investment strategy and the potential risks. Funds with higher rates of return may take risks that are beyond your comfort level and are inconsistent with your financial goals.
While past performance does not necessarily predict future returns, it can tell you how volatile (or stable) a fund has been over a period of time. Generally, the more volatile a fund, the higher the investment risk. If you will need your money to meet a financial goal in the near-term, you probably can't afford the risk of investing in a fund with a volatile history because you will not have enough time to ride out any declines in the stock market.
Registered Investment Advisers are required to disclose all material facts regarding any legal or disciplinary events that would be material to your evaluation of us or the integrity of our management. We do not have any information to disclose concerning Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists or any of our IARs. We adhere to high ethical standards for all IARs and associates.
Neither Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists nor any of its management persons are registered as a broker-dealer or registered as a representative of a broker-dealer, nor does it have any pending application to register. In addition, neither Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists nor its management persons are affiliated with any broker-dealer.
Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists and its management persons are not registering as a commodity pool operator, futures commission merchant, or commodity trading advisor.
Dennis Tidmore and our other representatives may recommend insurance products and may also, as independent insurance agents, sell those recommended insurance products to clients. When such recommendations or sales are made, a conflict of interest exists as the insurance licensed IARs earn insurance commissions for the sale of those products, which may create an incentive to recommend such products. We require that all IARs disclose this conflict of interest when such recommendations are made. Also, we require IARs to disclose that clients may purchase recommended insurance products from other insurance agents not affiliated with us.
Dennis Tidmore is the owner of Tidmore Consulting Services, which provides non-securities related financial consulting services in collaboration with other professionals. Dennis may recommend the services of this other business to clients for whom such services would be well-suited. When such recommendations or sales are made, a conflict of interest exists as he will earn a separate fee from the services provided by this other business. We require that all IARs disclose any conflict of interest when such recommendations are made. Also, we require IARs to disclose that clients may purchase recommended services from providers not affiliated with us.
We have entered into a Co-Advisory Agreement with Belpointe Asset Management, LLC (“Belpointe”), enabling them to manage client assets if we determine that is in the best interest of the client in return for a negotiated portion of the advisory fee. Simultaneously, we shall act a Co-Advisor and manage the accounts of clients of Belpointe for a portion of the advisory fee from their clients. Providing Co-Advisory services to other investment advisors may present a conflict of interest. We require that all IARs disclose this conflict of interest. We also require IARs to disclose to clients that they may purchase recommended products from other representatives not affiliated with us. Our Code of Ethics requires our IARs do what is in the client’s best interests at all times. Our CCO monitors all transactions to ensure that representatives put their clients first, not any addition income they may receive.
We have adopted a Code of Ethics for all IAR’s of the firm describing its high standards of business conduct, and fiduciary duty to you, our client. The Code of Ethics includes provisions relating to the confidentiality of client information, a prohibition on insider trading, a prohibition of rumor mongering, restrictions on the acceptance of significant gifts, the reporting of certain gifts and business entertainment items, and personal securities trading procedures. All of our IAR’s must acknowledge the terms of the Code of Ethics annually, or as amended.
Our Compliance policies and procedures prohibit anyone associated with Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists from having an interest in a client account or participating in the profits of a client’s account without the approval of the CCO.
The following acts are prohibited:
Clients and prospective clients may request a copy of the firm's Code of Ethics by contacting the CCO.
We may recommend securities to you that we will purchase for our own accounts. We may trade securities in our account that we have recommended to you as long as we place our orders after your orders. This policy is meant to prevent us from benefiting as a result of transactions placed on behalf of advisory accounts.
Neither Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists nor any of its related persons recommend securities (or other investment products) to advisory clients in which we or any related person has some other proprietary (ownership) interest, other than those mentioned above.
Certain affiliated accounts may trade in the same securities with your accounts on an aggregated basis when consistent with our obligation of best execution. When trades are aggregated, all parties will share the costs in proportion to their investment. We will retain records of the trade Order (specifying each participating account) and its allocation. Completed Orders will be allocated as specified in the initial trade order. Partially filled Orders will be allocated on a pro rata basis. Any exceptions will be explained on the Order.
Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists has a personal securities transaction policy in place to monitor the personal securities transactions and securities holdings of “Access Persons”. The policy requires that an Access Person of the firm provide the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee with a written report of their current securities holdings within ten (10) days after becoming an Access Person. Additionally, each Access Person must provide the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee with a written report of the Access Person’s current securities holdings at least once each twelve (12) month period thereafter on a date the Adviser selects; provided, however that at any time that the Adviser has only one Access Person, he or she shall not be required to submit any securities report described above.
We have established the following restrictions in order to ensure our fiduciary responsibilities regarding insider trading are met:
We are committed to safeguarding your confidential information and hold all personal information provided to us in the strictest confidence. These records include all personal information that we collect from you or receive from other firms in connection with any of the financial services they provide. We also require other firms with whom we deal with to restrict the use of your information. Our Privacy Policy is available upon request.
Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists’ IARs may employ the same strategy for their personal investment accounts as it does for its clients. However, IARs may not place their orders in a way to benefit from the purchase or sale of a security.
We act in a fiduciary capacity. If a conflict of interest arises between us and you, we shall make every effort to resolve the conflict in your favor. Conflicts of interest may also arise in the allocation of investment opportunities among the accounts that we advise. We will seek to allocate investment opportunities according to what we believe is appropriate for each account. We strive to do what is equitable and in the best interests of all the accounts we advise.
In recommending a custodian/broker-dealer, we look for a company that offers relatively low transaction fees, access to desired securities, trading platforms, and support services. Our clients may use Unified Trust Co., Mid Atlantic Trust Co, and TD Ameritrade as the qualified custodian for their accounts when utilizing our asset management services. This means that your custodian has discretionary authority over the client’s account(s) in selecting securities and the amounts to be bought or sold. Neither Mr. Tidmore nor any employee of the Firm receives commissions, transaction fees, markups or markdowns, soft dollar benefits, or compensation in any form other than the stated advisory fees.
Neither Mr. Tidmore nor any employee of the Firm receives compensation in any form other than the stated advisory fees.
Neither Mr. Tidmore nor any employee of the Firm aggregates the purchase or sale of securities for client accounts.
Unified Trust Co., Mid Atlantic Trust Co, and TD Ameritrade may provide us with certain brokerage and research products and services that qualify as "brokerage or research services" under the rules. These research products and/or services will assist the IAR in its investment decision making process. Such research generally will be used to service all of the IAR’s clients, but brokerage commissions paid by the client may be used to pay for research that is not used in managing the client’s account. The account may pay to a broker-dealer a commission greater than another qualified broker-dealer might charge to affect the same transaction where the IAR determines in good faith that the commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services received.
Because soft dollar benefits could be considered to provide a benefit to the adviser that might cause the client to pay more than the lowest available commission without receiving the most benefit, they are considered a conflict of interest in recommending or directing custodial and third-party managerial services. Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists mitigates these conflicts of interest through strong oversight of soft-dollar arrangements by the Chief Compliance Officer in order to assure the soft dollar benefits serve the best interests of the client.
There may other benefits from recommending American Trust, Mid Atlantic Trust Co, or TD Ameritrade, or other third-party managers, such as software and other technology that (i) provide access to client account data (such as trade confirmations and account statements); (ii) facilitate trade execution and allocate aggregated trade orders for multiple client accounts; (iii) provide research, pricing and other market data; (iv) facilitate payment of fees from its clients' accounts; and (v) assist with back-office functions, recordkeeping and client reporting.
Other services may include, but are not limited to, performance reporting, financial planning, contact management systems, third-party research, publications, access to educational conferences, roundtables and webinars, and practice management resources.
Neither Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists nor any of its management persons are registered as a as a futures commission merchant, commodity pool operator, a commodity trading advisor, broker-dealer or registered as a representative of a broker-dealer, nor does it have any pending application to register. In addition, neither Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists nor its management persons are affiliated with any broker-dealer. However, the Adviser participates in the institutional advisor program (the “Program”) offered by TD Ameritrade Institutional. TD Ameritrade Institutional is a division of TD Ameritrade Inc., member FINRA/SIPC (“TD Ameritrade “), an unaffiliated SEC-registered broker-dealer and FINRA member. TD Ameritrade offers to independent investment advisors services which include custody of securities, trade execution, clearance, and settlement of transactions. Advisor receives some benefits from TD Ameritrade through its participation in the Program.
As disclosed above, Advisor participates in TD Ameritrade’s institutional customer program and Advisor may recommend TD Ameritrade to Clients for custody and brokerage services. There is no direct link between Advisor’s participation in the program and the investment advice it gives to its Clients, although Advisor receives economic benefits through its participation in the program that are typically not available to TD Ameritrade retail investors. These benefits include the following products and services (provided without cost or at a discount): receipt of duplicate Client statements and confirmations; research related products and tools; access to a trading desk serving Advisor participants; access to block trading (which provides the ability to aggregate securities transactions for execution and then allocate the appropriate shares to Client accounts); the ability to have advisory fees deducted directly from Client accounts; access to an electronic communications network for Client order entry and account information; access to mutual funds with no transaction fees and to certain institutional money managers; and discounts on, marketing, research, technology, and practice management products or services provided to Advisor by third party vendors. Other services made available by TD Ameritrade are intended to help Advisor manage and further develop its business enterprise. The benefits received by Advisor or its personnel through participation in the program do not depend on the amount of brokerage transactions directed to TD Ameritrade. As part of its fiduciary duties to clients, Advisor endeavors at all times to put the interests of its clients first. Clients should be aware, however, that the receipt of economic benefits by Advisor or its related persons in and of itself creates a potential conflict of interest and may indirectly influence the Advisor’s choice of TD Ameritrade for custody and brokerage services.
We have an obligation to seek best execution for you. In seeking best execution, the determinative factor is not the lowest possible commission cost but whether the transaction represents the best qualitative execution, taking into consideration the full range of a broker-dealer’s services, including the value of research provided, execution capability, commission rates, reputation, and responsiveness. Therefore, we will seek competitive commission rates, but we may not obtain the lowest possible commission rates for account transactions.
In selecting and/or recommending custodians, we do not take into consideration whether or not we will receive client referrals from the custodians or third-party.
We do not permit directed brokerage.
Transactions for each client account generally will be affected independently unless we decide to purchase or sell the same securities for several clients at approximately the same time. We may (but are not obligated to) combine or “batch” such Orders to obtain best execution, to negotiate more favorable commission rates or to allocate equitably among our clients’ differences in prices and commission or other transaction costs. Under this procedure, transactions will be price-averaged and allocated among our clients in proportion to the purchase and sale orders placed for each client account on any given day.
As it relates to ERISA Plan business, the Adviser’s model does not involve transactional business and, consequently, the Adviser does not currently engage brokers in any transactional capacity.
The Firm reviews accounts no less frequently than quarterly. The Firm sends written, quarterly reports to its clients via U.S. Mail and/or electronic mail. The Firm schedules personal meetings with its clients at least annually. The Firm may schedule personal meetings with its clients quarterly or otherwise more frequently than annually. The above-described times (quarterly and annually) are calculated upon the calendar year.
The Firm reviews client account(s) on a portfolio analysis basis. The named Money Managers and/or Trust Companies shall provide quarterly consolidated statements to clients. Clients will also receive a personalized quarterly and annual summary directly from the Firm. The Firm urges its clients to compare any account statements they receive from a third party with the account statements they receive from the Firm.
We currently engage the services of a solicitor(s) and pay compensation to them if they refer clients to us. Prior to paying such referral fees, we will ensure compliance with all local and federal securities regulation prior to paying such compensation.
We do not have physical custody of any accounts or assets. However, we may be deemed to have custody of your account(s) if we have the ability to deduct your advisory fees from the custodian. We use American Trust, Mid Atlantic Trust Co, and TD Ameritrade as the custodian for all your accounts. This means that your custodian has discretionary authority over the client’s account(s) in selecting securities and the amounts to be bought or sold.
You should receive at least quarterly statements from the custodian that holds and maintains your investment assets. We urge you to carefully review such statements.
We do not debit the client fees directly from your advisory account. We send information to your custodian to debit your fees and to pay them to us. You authorized the custodian to pay us directly at the onset of the relationship.
If authorized by the Plan Sponsor and allowed access by the custodian, the Adviser has the ability to debit fees directly from the Plan Sponsor’s bank account through the submission of a billing file to the plan custodian, however, the Adviser does not have authority to possess or take actual custody of clients’ funds or securities. Plan Sponsors and plan participants should receive at least quarterly statements from the recordkeeper. Plan Sponsors and participants should carefully review such statements.
If you provide discretion authority, which will be evidenced via the written, discretionary agreement between the client and the Adviser, we will have the authority to determine the following without your consent: Securities to be bought or sold for your account and the amount of securities to be bought or sold for your account.
In all cases this discretion is exercised in a manner consistent with your stated investment objectives for your account.
When active asset management services are provided on a discretionary basis the client will enter into a separate custodial agreement with the custodian. The custodian agreement will include a limited power of attorney to trade in the client’s account(s) which authorizes the custodian to take instructions from us regarding all investment decisions for your account.
In performing discretionary management services, the Adviser is acting as an “investment manager” (as that term is defined in Section 3(38) of ERISA) and as a fiduciary to the Plan and shall act with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent man acting in a capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of like character and with like aims.
As a matter of firm policy and practice, we do not have any authority to and do not vote proxies on behalf of advisory clients. You retain the responsibility for receiving and voting proxies for any and all securities maintained in your portfolios. The custodian will forward you copies of all proxies and shareholder communications relating to your account assets.
We are required to provide you with certain financial information or disclosures about our financial condition. We have no financial commitment that would impair our ability to meet any contractual and fiduciary commitments to you, our client. We have not been the subject of any bankruptcy proceedings. In no event shall we charge advisory fees that are both in excess of five hundred dollars and more than six months in advance of advisory services rendered.
There is one principal of Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists, Dennis Tidmore. He is the sole principle executive officer and management person of the Firm and was born in 1952. His education information, business background, and other business activities can be found in the Form ADV Part 2B Brochure Supplement below.
We do not charge a performance-based fee (fees based on a share of capital gains on, or capital appreciation of, the assets of a client) for our normal asset management accounts.
Neither Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists nor Dennis Tidmore has no reportable events to disclose here.
Neither Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists nor Dennis Tidmore has any relationship with any issuer of securities.
Acknowledgements
This is to acknowledge that I/we have read and understood the Firm’s Brochure.
x_____________________________________ Date____________
x_____________________________________ Date____________
x_____________________________________ Date____________
Dennis L. Tidmore, on behalf of the Firm
Dennis L. Tidmore
CRD: 868783
Premier Investment Advisors, Inc.
D/B/A Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists
2000 Auburn Dr. Suite 200
Beachwood, OH 44122
http://tidmorerps.com/
(440) 498-1396
March 30, 2023
This Brochure supplement provides information about Dennis Tidmore and supplements the Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists (“Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists”) Brochure. You should have received a copy of that Brochure. Please contact Dennis Tidmore if you did not receive the Brochure or if you have any questions about the contents of this supplement.
Additional information about Dennis Tidmore, CRD 868783 is available on the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
Full Legal Name: Dennis Lee Tidmore Year of Birth: 1952
Education
Bachelor’s in business 1977
Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio
Designations
AIF 2009
Center for Fiduciary Studies
Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF)
Designation Accredited Investment Fiduciary
Designation Status Currently offered and recognized by the issuing organization
Acronym AIF
Issuing Organization Center for Fiduciary Studies
Prerequisites/Experience Required
Candidate must meet a point-based threshold based on a combination of education, relevant industry experience and/or professional development.
Educational Requirements Candidate must complete one of the following:
Examination Type Final certification exam, proctored closed book
Continuing Education/Experience Requirements 6 hours per year
Business History
November 2000 – Present CCO and CEO at Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists
August 2021 – Present Owner and CEO of Tidmore Consulting Services
Neither Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists nor Dennis Tidmore have any disciplinary history to disclose.
As noted in Item 10 “Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations” above, Dennis Tidmore has the following other business activities to disclose:
Dennis Tidmore may recommend insurance products and may also, as independent insurance agents, sell those recommended insurance products to clients. The sale of these products accounts for approximately 5% of his time. When such recommendations or sales are made, a conflict of interest exists as the insurance licensed IARs earn insurance commissions for the sale of those products, which may create an incentive to recommend such products. We require that all IARs disclose this conflict of interest when such recommendations are made. Also, we require IARs to disclose that clients may purchase recommended insurance products from other insurance agents not affiliated with us.
Dennis Tidmore is the owner of Tidmore Consulting Services, which provides non-securities related financial consulting services in collaboration with other professionals. He spends 12 hours per month or less on these services. Dennis may recommend the services of this other business to clients for whom such services would be well-suited. When such recommendations or sales are made, a conflict of interest exists as he will earn a separate fee from the services provided by this other business. We require that all IARs disclose any conflict of interest when such recommendations are made. Also, we require IARs to disclose that clients may purchase recommended services from providers not affiliated with us.
While Dennis Tidmore endeavors at all times to put the interest of our clients first as part of our fiduciary duty, the possibility of receiving additional compensation from the sale of insurance products or consulting services provided by Tidmore Consulting Services creates a conflict of interest, and may affect his judgment when making recommendations. We require that all IARs disclose this conflict of interest when such recommendations are made. Also, we require IARs to disclose that clients may purchase recommended products and services from other providers not affiliated with us.
Dennis Tidmore is the CCO and performs all supervisory duties for his firm. For questions concerning supervision, please contact Mr. Tidmore at (440) 498-1396.
Acknowledgements
This is to acknowledge that I/we have read and understood the Firm’s Brochure.
x_____________________________________ Date____________
x_____________________________________ Date____________
x_____________________________________ Date____________
Dennis L. Tidmore, on behalf of the Firm
Desirée R. Fiktus
CRD: 7393863
Premier Investment Advisors, Inc.
D/B/A Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists
2000 Auburn Dr. Suite 200
Beachwood, OH 44122
http://tidmorerps.com/
(440) 498-1396
January 11, 2023
This Brochure supplement provides information about Desirée R. Fiktus and supplements the Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists (“Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists”) Brochure. You should have received a copy of that Brochure. Please contact Dennis Tidmore if you did not receive the Brochure or if you have any questions about the contents of this supplement.
Additional information about Desirée R. Fiktus, CRD 7393863 is available on the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
Full Legal Name: Desirée Rose Fiktus Year of Birth: 1976
Education
Bachelor of Arts 1998
Mercyhurst University, Erie, PA
Designations
AIF 2017
Center for Fiduciary Studies
Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF)
Designation Accredited Investment Fiduciary
Designation Status Currently offered and recognized by the issuing organization
Acronym AIF
Issuing Organization Center for Fiduciary Studies
Prerequisites/Experience Required
Candidate must meet a point-based threshold based on a combination of education, relevant industry experience and/or professional development.
Educational Requirements Candidate must complete one of the following:
Examination Type Final certification exam, proctored closed book
Continuing Education/Experience Requirements 6 hours per year
Business History
February 2008 – June 2021 Senior Relationship Manager
Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists
June 2021 – Present Investment Advisor Representative
Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists
Neither Tidmore Retirement Planning Specialists nor Desirée Fiktus have any disciplinary history to disclose.
Desirée Fiktus has no other business activities to disclose at this time.
Desirée Fiktus receives no additional compensation.
Dennis Tidmore is the CCO and performs all supervisory duties for his firm. For questions concerning supervision, please contact Mr. Tidmore at (440) 498-1396.
Acknowledgements
This is to acknowledge that I/we have read and understood the Firm’s Brochure.
x_____________________________________ Date____________
x_____________________________________ Date____________
x_____________________________________ Date____________
Desirée Fiktus, on behalf of the Firm