• If you are looking for more powerful ways to consistently build and protect wealth so you can spend more time enjoying your life and less worrying about your investments, you’ve come to the right place.

ACI provides:

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  • Original ideas and research to make sure our partners get real value from their investments, not boilerplate, fee heavy Wall Street portfolios
  • Fiduciary, conflict-free advice, an industry leading level of transparency, and reliable communication 

ACI’s purpose is to help you live the way you want, without worry, by using smarter planning and low cost, personalized, proven investments to remove the roadblocks in your life.  

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RECENT POSTS

Markets in Minutes April 1, 2019

    Markets in Minutes April 1, 2019 S&P 500          10 Year Treasury          Gold          World Ex-US          US Dollar          Commodities Markets in Minutes is intended to give our client partners and subscribers a quick and easy understanding of current market conditions.  This update covers January 1 – March 31, 2019  Investor Learning:  “A year is far too […] Read more

Is This Time Different? A Brief History of Messy Corrections

  Is This Time Different?  A Brief History of Messy Corrections –December 13, 2018 “The big money is not in the buying and the selling, but in the waiting.” – Charlie Munger “The stock market is designed to transfer money from the active to the patient.” – Warren Buffett I know I’ve shared those quotes […] Read more

October 2018 Risk Update

    Bull & Bear Report:  Market Risk Update — October 13, 2018 When the market falls rapidly as we experienced this past week, it can make investors edgy or even fearful.  But it’s more important to understand where the risks are and whether they have come to a point where continued investment is likely […] Read more

Markets in Minutes October 6 2018

    Markets in Minutes:   October 6, 2018 S&P 500 * 10 Year Treasury * Gold * World Ex-US * US Dollar * Commodities * US Economy * Stock Market Valuation Markets in Minutes is intended to give our client partners and subscribers a quick and easy understanding of current market conditions.  This update covers […] Read more

Markets in Minutes Sept 5 2018

    Markets in Minutes: September 5, 2018 S&P 500 * 10 Year Treasury * Gold * World Ex-US * US Dollar * Commodities * US Economy * Stock Market Valuation Markets in Minutes is intended to give our client partners and subscribers a quick and easy understanding of current market conditions. Updates are broken […] Read more

Markets in Minutes May 5 2018

    Markets in Minutes: May 5, 2018 S&P 500  *  10 Year Treasury  *  Gold  *   World Ex-US  *  US Dollar  *  Commodities  *  US Economy  *  Stock Market Valuation Markets in Minutes is intended to give our client partners and subscribers a quick and easy understanding of current market conditions. This update covers […] Read more

Market Risk Snapshot April 2018

    Market Risk Snapshot –April 29, 2018 This was produced by ACI’s Market Strategist for RetireWealthy.tips and ACI wanted to make it available here.  See below…   The market has been really choppy for a couple months. The first corrective period began to end, then talk of tariffs plunged us right back into another one. […] Read more

Market Risk Update March 2018

  Market Risk Update  — March 28, 2018 We’ve seen some sharp moves in the market so far in 2018, with 9 weeks (so far) where the S&P 500 rose or fell 2% or more vs. none for last year.  Experiencing these moves after a year of relative quiet can be a bit unnerving for some […] Read more

Markets in Minutes March 4 2018

    Markets in Minutes: March 4, 2018 S&P 500 10 Year Treasury Gold World Ex-US US Dollar Commodities US Economy Stock Market Valuation Markets in Minutes is intended to give our client partners and subscribers a quick and easy understanding of current market conditions. This update covers December 1 – December 30, 2017 Investor […] Read more

Markets in Minutes December 2017

    Markets in Minutes: January 6, 2017 S&P 500      10 Year Treasury      Gold      World Ex-US      US Dollar      Commodities      US Economy      Stock Market Valuation Markets in Minutes is intended to give our client partners and subscribers a quick and easy understanding […] Read more

Markets in Minutes November 2017

    Markets in Minutes: December 2, 2017 S&P 500 * Tax Cuts * 10 Year Treasury * Gold * World * Ex-US * US Dollar * Commodities * US Economy * Stock Market Valuation Markets in Minutes is intended to give our client partners and subscribers a quick and easy understanding of current market […] Read more

Markets in Minutes October 2017

  Markets in Minutes: October 30, 2015 S&P 500     10 Year Treasury     Gold     World Ex-US     US Dollar     Commodities     US Economy     Stock Market Valuation Markets in Minutes is intended to give our client partners and subscribers a quick and easy understanding of current market conditions. This update covers October […] Read more

2nd Half 2017 Market Outlook & 1st Half Results

    ACI 2nd Half 2017 Market Outlook & 1st Half Results — July 25, 2017 It’s been an interesting and largely rewarding year in the markets so far as many ACI expectations have come to pass. While ACI is not in the forecasting game, it is nice when general expectations are mostly born out […] Read more

The Mostly Exaggerated Death Of Retail

    The Mostly Exaggerated Death of Retail — July 9, 2017 The airwaves and internet are full of news hailing the death of retail at the hands of Amazon.   Will Retail look very different in 10 years?  Absolutely.  But that’s only part of the story. It’s not all about Amazon’s dominance.   A […] Read more

Understanding the Market: S&P 500 Cheaper than 2015.

    Understanding the Market: The S&P is Cheaper Than in 2015/2016. — July 9, 2017 Headlines and the financial media are again selling the risks posed by high valuations. The simplest perspective on the expense of the market, and probably the broadest, is the price-to-earnings ratio. It’s important to note that high valuations do not […] Read more

Markets in Minutes June 30, 2017

  Markets in Minutes June 30, 2017 S&P 500   10 Year Treasury   Gold   World Ex-US   US Dollar   Commodities Markets in Minutes is intended to give our client partners and subscribers a quick and easy understanding of current market conditions.  This update covers April 15 – June 30, 2017. Investor Learning: “Holding cash is uncomfortable, but not as […] Read more

Valuations, Market Expectations & Interest Rates

    Valuations, Stock Returns & Interest Rates. — June 10, 2017 Before I begin, I thought I’d include a longish quote from The Oracle, to lend perspective – “Let’s start by defining ‘investing.’ The definition is simple but often forgotten: Investing is laying out money now to get more money back in the future – more money […] Read more

Getting More Income (and More Safety) from the Market

    How to Get More Income (and More Safety) from the Markets. — May 14, 2017 Investors take advantage of 3 major ways to generate income from the market; dividends from bonds or stocks, pure stock dividend strategies, or preferred stock plays where the yield is higher than a normal stock dividend strategy but […] Read more

Markets in Minutes April 30, 2017

    Markets in Minutes April 30, 2017 S&P 500   10 Year Treasury   Gold   World Ex-US   US Dollar   Commodities Markets in Minutes is intended to give our client partners and subscribers a quick and easy understanding of current market conditions. This update covers April 17 – April 28, 2017. Investor Learning: “We would rather underperform […] Read more

2 Things To Do Today To Retire Rich (Or At Least Worry Free) April 23, 2017

    2 Things To Do Today To Retire Rich (Or At Least Worry Free) April 23, 2017 Every success in life begins with understanding what it takes to realize that success and then working towards that goal over time.  Retirement is no different.  The younger you are when you develop this understanding, the more […] Read more

Markets in Minutes April 15, 2017

    Markets in Minutes April 15, 2017 S&P 500   10 Year Treasury   Gold   World Ex-US   US Dollar   Commodities Markets in Minutes is intended to give our client partners and subscribers a quick and easy understanding of current market conditions. This update covers March 20 – April 14, 2017. Investor Learning: “Good long-term performance results […] Read more

Here’s How to Get Better Investment Returns

  Here’s How to Get Better Investment Returns  April 02, 2017 “Greedy, short-term orientated investors may lose sight of a sound mathematical reason for avoiding loss; the effects of compounding on even moderate returns over years are compelling, if not downright mind boggling.” Seth Klarman (17% annualized returns over more than 30 years) Today I […] Read more

Markets in Minutes March 20 2017

Markets in Minutes  March 20, 2017 Markets in Minutes is intended to give our client partners and subscribers a quick and easy understanding of current market conditions. This update covers March 1 – 17, 2017. In this update: S&P 500, Bonds, Gold, World Stock Market, US Dollar, Commodities, the Economy, Recession Probability Indicator, & S&P […] Read more

Cut Your Taxes & Fatten Your Retirement March 12, 2017

  Cut Your Taxes & Fatten Your Retirement  March 12, 2017 Uncle Sam wants his money and smart investors are looking for ways to reduce their tax burden. One of the simplest ways is to contribute money to your retirement. If you are self-employed, you may be able to deduct up to $53, 000 from […] Read more

Markets in Minutes February 28, 2017

  Markets in Minutes February 28, 2017 Markets in Minutes is intended to give our client partners and friends a quick and easy understanding of current market conditions. In this update: S&P 500, Bonds, Bonds, Gold, World Stock Market, US Dollar, Commodities, the Economy, Earnings, Recession Probability Indicator, & S&P 500 chart. Investor Learning: Successful […] Read more

Markets in Minutes February 5, 2017

    Markets in Minutes February 5, 2017 Markets in Minutes are short video updates that survey the 6 major asset classes US investors typically invest in. Each update features 3 asset classes to help investors understand what is happening in each market.   In this update: S&P 500             […] Read more

Become a Stock Market Landlord January 29, 2017

    Become a Stock Market Landlord January 29, 2017 Stocks are for buying, not renting. Or are they? The fact is that stocks can be used for consistent income while reducing the volatility (or risk) of holding stocks. This is done by selling the rights to a stock for a pre-determined period of time […] Read more

Markets in Minutes January 22, 2017

    Markets in Minutes January 22, 2017 This week I take a look at the current set up in gold, world stocks ex-US, and the US Dollar. You may use the player controls to fast forward, stop, or review whichever sections of the update are most relevant to you. The numbers below reflect the […] Read more

Process Portfolios 2016 Performance Summary January 15, 2017

    Process Portfolios 2016 Performance Summary January 15, 2017 It was a pretty good year for ACI portfolios with Market Income and Durable Opportunities providing particularly strong risk adjusted returns. The video is front loaded with the key information first and then a brief discussion of how each portfolio did over the year. Those […] Read more

Markets in Minutes January 8, 2017

    Markets in Minutes January 8, 2017 Markets in Minutes are short video updates that survey the 6 major asset classes US investors typically invest in. Each update features 3 asset classes to help investors understand what is happening in each market.   In this update: S&P 500 0:57 10 Year Bond 3:44 Oil […] Read more

Markets in Minutes December 2016

    Markets in Minutes December 19, 2016 This short video offers a quick survey of the major markets that normally attract US investors and a summary of their current status. Moving forward, this update will be split into 3 markets per update. Video below.   The US Stock Market in the form of the […] Read more

Trump and Your Taxes

    Trump and Your Taxes – Changes are Coming December 2, 2016 First off, it’s important to understand that it’s unlikely all of Trump’s tax proposals will come to pass. Regardless, there are a couple big takeaways to consider given the potential scale of impending tax changes and the high probability tax rates will […] Read more

Pre-Election Market Update

  November 6, 2016 First, here is a resource that may useful – www.vote411.org. This site will allow you to learn more about the issues and candidates not only on the national level but in your own community. I hope it helps everyone make a more informed vote on Tuesday. Given the uncertainty heading into […] Read more

Q3 2016 Performance Update and Q4 Outlook

  Q3 Performance Update including Year-to-Date Results and 4th Quarter Outlook.October 16, 2016 Out of respect for everyone’s time and interest, I’ve included a quick “executive” summary below and also front loaded the video with the key numbers.  Those wanting a little more detail can stick around for the whole video.  My market outlook for […] Read more

Is the Market Over-Inflated?

  Is the Market Over-Inflated? October 2, 2016 Recently, the financial media has focused on a number of pundits that claim the market is grossly overvalued, and that the Fed’s low rate policy has forced stocks into a bubble. But are they? An important part of wealth management is to understand the fundamental drivers of […] Read more

Consumer Spending Strengthens – Recession Risk Dips

  Consumer Spending Strengthens – Recession Risk Falls 9/7/2016 Before we get going, I was recently asked what the point is of understanding whether or not we are entering a recession. This person had been told by their broker that to “ride the rallies you have to ride out the valleys.” Catchy, right? The reason […] Read more

Is There a Correction Coming?

Correction Around the Corner? 9/1/2016 Markets have witnessed two corrections so far this year and fears seem to be mounting that another is right around the corner. The first correction took hold following the Fed rate raise last December with the S&P 500 falling approximately -14% before markets began to stabilize. Despite the dark promises […] Read more

How To Avoid Taxes on 80% of Your Investment Income

    How to Avoid Taxes on 80% of Your Investment Income. Hard to believe, right? But thanks to the way the US government supports US oil and gas companies, you may only pay taxes on around 20% of your income from energy related Master Limited Partnerships (“MLPs”). As an investor, this can be a […] Read more

ACI Process Portfolios 1st Half 2016 Summary & 2nd Half Outlook

      ACI Process Portfolios: 1st Half 2016 Performance & 2nd Half Outlook The video below has the most important information in the first minutes including performance details.  The video player has controls to allow you to fast forward, pause or repeat whatever section of the video is most relevant to you.     […] Read more

Will Brexit Take the Market Down?

Will Brexit Take the Market Down? Only in the Short Term. Executive Summary: 1) Odds are UK stays.  If it stays markets should stay stable or move up incrementally. 2) If UK exits, equity markets could sell down 5%-20% peak to trough. 3) The real economic impact to the US is likely very small, bordering […] Read more

Recession Watch June 2016

  Ripped From the Headlines: “Will a Fed Rate Raise Put the U.S. In Recession?” Once again, media pundits are all atwitter about the idea the Fed will raise rates either this month or next, putting the U.S. into Recession. As before, this is less about the actual impact to the economy and more about […] Read more

Q1 2016 Quarterly Update and Market Outlook

>Q1 2016 Year-to-Date and Market Outlook Update The video below reviews performance for all 6 Process Portfolios results year-to-date through April 15, 2016 and also includes an updated Market Outlook near the end. 2016 began with the worst January in at least a generation and a return to higher levels of volatility thanks to central […] Read more

What’s Up With The Economy? Recession Probability and Business Conditions Update

  There has been a lot of economic doom and gloom talk over the last couple months, with media “expert” after media “expert” saying the US economy is about to fall into a recession. It comes with the predictable warnings about a bad bear market. The vast majority of these talking heads are just voicing […] Read more

Cut Your Taxes: Put Money In Your Retirement Accounts

  It’s that time again – Uncle Sam wants his money and smart investors are looking for ways to reduce their tax burden. One of the simplest ways is to contribute money to your retirement. If you are self-employed, you may be able to deduct up to $53, 000 from your 2015 Earned Income and […] Read more

Stock Market Outlook Q1 2016

  Impending Bear Market or Just a Sharp Correction? In this update, I ask (and answer) the question of whether we are on heading into a damaging Bear Market or if it’s more likely what we are seeing is just a sharp correction. The video is front loaded with the “executive summary” in the first […] Read more

2015 Process Portfolios Performance Summary

  Press play to for the 2015 performance summary for all 6 Process Portfolios. Highlights: * 4/6 Portfolios beat their benchmarks. * 3/6 portfolios beat the market (only 1 is designed to do that). All 3 featured about 30% less risk than buying the market. * Significant out-performance in Market Income Portfolio and strong 2nd […] Read more

2016 Stock Market: What You Need to Know

  4 Things You Need to Know About Investing in 2016 We’ve seen a lot of headlines recently, most of them pretty alarming to the average person. Hand in hand with those headlines we’ve seen markets make some of the most substantial short term moves in recent history. In the first 5 market days of […] Read more

Recession Watch

  Is 2016 the Year of Recession? This question seems to be on everyone’s mind and even the media talking heads have jumped on it to grab readers & viewers. Spoiler: As of today, there is no recession on the horizon. The Recession Probability Indicator (“RPI”) scored a 12 at the most recent reading, meaning […] Read more

So, We May Have a Bump Coming in the Market

  So, We May Have a Bump Coming in the Market For those that don’t know, the vast majority of analysts and institutional investment managers believe that the Federal Reserve will raise rates for the first time since the Great Recession December 16th. They also see this as an overall positive for the markets. So […] Read more

Why Recessions Kill Investment Portfolios (and Poorly Protected Retirements)

  Why Recessions Kill Investment Portfolios (and Poorly Protected Retirements) We’ve all heard “You’ve got to be in it for the long term,” or “You can’t catch the rallies unless you are in the market” from brokers or financial salespeople (they prefer “financial advisor”) and as a result more than one investor has had night […] Read more

Process Portfolios Performance Update October 2015

  Market Beating Portfolios – Performance Update October 2015 The video below reviews performance for all 6 Process Portfolios for the month of October as well as year-to-date results. For reference, I’ve include a table of 2015 year-to-date performance for the major indices & asset classes above the video player. It hasn’t been an easy […] Read more

Is the S&P 500 Over Valued? Yes. What Should You Do? Market Valuation Update November 2015

  Is the S&P 500 Over Valued? Yes. What Should You Do? Market Valuation Update November 2015 I’ve broken this update into 2 parts. The first will just give the big picture summary for my executive type clients and the second, below the illustrations, is a discussion of the factors involved for those interested. The […] Read more

Jobs Up, Spending Solid. Will December Bring Santa or the Grinch? RPI & Business Conditions Update

    The Market has circled back around to concerns about a possible Fed rate raise and weakness in overseas economies since recovering in October, losing over 2% as of today’s writing. But recent data suggest little in the way of changes in US economic data – jobs are trudging along with a slight recent […] Read more

Will US Economy Sink or Support the Stock Market?

  Will the Economy Sink or Support the Stock Market? Investment & Business Conditions Update October 2015 There has been great concern recently among talking heads whether or not the Fed will raise rates and what the impact on the economy will be if they do. The fact is the US economy is trudging along […] Read more

Stock Market Ups and Downs. What’s Next? Stock Market Outlook

Stock Market Outlook September 24, 2015 We’ve seen a lot of volatility (up and down, mostly down) in the market recently and headlines have some investors worried. Are there good reasons to be concerned? Maybe, but what’s really happening under the stock market’s hood? Video below. Please share using the buttons below the video. Warm […] Read more

Is the Potential Fed Rate Raise a Recession Risk? RPI & Business Conditions Update

  Is the Fed in Danger of Starting an Accidental Recession? RPI & Business Conditions Update September 2015 There is a lot of debate about the lack of clarity in the Fed’s communication to market participants over the last several months, and markets generally do not like uncertainty. Some recent headlines are talking about an […] Read more

ACI Selected for 2015 Wealth & Money Management Awards

  Wealth and Finance International, a print and online magazine dedicated to providing fund managers and institutional and private investors around the world with the latest industry news across both traditional and alternative investment sectors, has named ACI Wealth Advisors as an award winner for two categories in 2015. 2015 Wealth & Money Management AwardsFrom […] Read more

Stock Market Outlook August 2015 S&P 500 Loses 5% in 2 Days. What’s Happening?

  Stock Market Outlook August 23, 2015 See the below 7 minute video for my current market outlook. I thought I’d release this a couple days early given the big selloff we saw in the market last week. Summary: Good news–No evidence of an incipient Bear Market as yet. Please share using the buttons below. […] Read more

August RPI & Business Conditions Update – Is Investing Still a Good Idea?

  A quick update on what the Recession Probability Indicator is telling us moving into the Fall. The most recent reading (for May 2015) is STABLE with an RPI score of 12 (Below 20 generally favorable, above 20 not so much). The RPI runs on about a 2 month delay due to the Fed’s data […] Read more

Buffett Buying Out ACI’s Largest Holding

   Buffett Buying Out ACI’s Largest Holding Precision Castparts announced this morning that it has agreed to be acquired by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway for $235 a share, subject to shareholder approval. ACI views this as a validation of the research process for ACI’s Durable Opportunities Portfolio. Precision Castparts is the largest holding in the […] Read more

Portfolios Update July 2015

  July 2015 performance update on 3 of our Portfolios: Core Equity, Full Cycle, and Market Income. Market Income in particular continues to lead with year-to-date results about 50% higher than the S&P 500. If you’d prefer not to view the video in entirety, you can scroll ahead to whatever segment you are most interested […] Read more

Core Equity Portfolio Update June 2015

    Here is the most recent update on the Core Equity Portfolio. Core Equity is ACI’s largest portfolio by assets and usually accounts for 40% – 70% of any given client account.   Kindest Regards, Dak Hartsock Chief Market Strategist ACI Wealth Advisors,LLC Process Portfolios Read more

Economy Showing Signs of Wear? Recession Probability Update April 2015

  RPI Score Moves to 27 from 12 One of the major components of the RPI has recorded it’s 3rd negative month in a row. This has occurred three times in the last 15 years. Two of those occasions marked the beginning of market declines that ultimately became crashes. The move above 20 creates a […] Read more

Alternative Ways to Manage Health Care Costs using Inexpensive Term Insurance

  It’s widely known that one of the largest costs for Americans is health care. In retirement, many Americans make the often incorrect assumption that Medicare or Medicare supplemental insurance will handle the bulk of their medical expenses. Even those that think more realistically about their long term health expenses are taken aback by the […] Read more

The Fed Quietly Keeps QE Going

  The Fed Quietly Keeps QE Going Just like the balance sheet of any company, the balance sheet of Federal Reserve includes a large number of distinct assets and liabilities. The FED has been engaging in quantitative easing policies (called QE policies) to stimulate an economy that has continued to recover well below potential. Since […] Read more

US Economy Plugging Along–Recession Probability Indicator Update March 2015

  US Economy Plugging Along–Recession Probability Indicator Update March 2015 The Recession Probability Indicator (“RPI”) is proprietary tool for measuring the strength of the American economy. When the RPI signals increasing odds of recession, the investment environment for stocks usually becomes unfavorable, which basically means stocks go down more than up during such periods. Sometimes […] Read more

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Investment Management

For ACI, investment management begins with understanding and actively managing risk for our clients and partners.  We do this through powerful, proven strategies using smarter investments built on low cost, highly liquid and diversified investments rather than expensive financial products. CLICK HERE to learn more.

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RETIREMENT INCOME PLANNING

Understanding the needs of investors seeking stable results for portfolios greater than $500,000 is a core strength of ACI.  One of the most important things we do is help your investments to create stable income while generating sufficient growth to meet your future demands and the needs of those you care for. 

ACI uses customized planning software to create retirement income plans to meet the specific needs of each of clients while providing confidence, flexibility, and cost efficiency.

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FINANCIAL PLANNING

Success in any endeavor comes from hard work, vision, and planning. But only plans that are have been tested are really plans, otherwise it’s just guesswork. ACI uses customized planning software to map assets to your goals, and then tests your ideas and ours in thousands of scenarios to make sure that your future isn’t just guesswork. We help you create a worry free future using smarter planning. ACI works with you, your CPA, your tax and estate counsel to make sure that when the tomorrow becomes today, you are where you want to be.

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As a bonus, you will also receive relevant updates and articles, like How To Get More Income (and More Safety) from Your Investments.
 

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Market Income

This portfolio invests in a basket of highly liquid Index or Sector securities and sells off atypical returns in exchange for a premium on a rolling basis. That’s a fancy way of saying we take the bird in hand and let someone else have the two in the bush.  We buy sectors that are undervalued relative to the rest of the market or vs. their historical value ranges which reduces downside risk vs. the broad market.  Typically out-performs in bear markets, neutral markets and mild bull markets while under-performing strong bull markets.

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Core Equity

Invests in diversified components of the financial markets and broad economy by targeting sectors which demonstrate the greatest potential for a consistent range of multi-year returns, while seeking a risk adjusted investment profile equal to or lower than the broad markets.  Our research tells us which sectors demonstrate the greatest potential for consistent multi-year returns while offering risk efficiency comparable or greater than the broad markets.  We invest on an “Outcome Oriented” basis – meaning we believe we have a good idea what the returns over time will be at a given purchase price.

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Durable Opportunities

This portfolio invests in companies possessing a Durable Competitive Advantage.  Such companies are likely to be around for decades, easing the concern of principal return.  DCA companies often suffer less in bear markets and usually lead recoveries.  These investments may allow ACI to build portfolios with minimum expected returns that may be in the mid-single digit range over any 3-5 year period which can provide long term stability partnered with long term growth in equity.

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Full Cycle

This portfolio is derived from the ground breaking work in ‘risk parity’ by Ray Dalio, arguably one of the top 10 money managers in history and founder of Bridgewater Associates.  The Full Cycle portfolio is built on the allocation models Ray designed to provide the highest potential risk adjusted returns possible through all phases of the economic cycle.  Bridgewater’s “All Weather” fund was designed for pension funds and other large institutional investors that needed to earn stable returns with stable risk, and has been closed to new investors for years.  At the time the fund closed, the All Weather Portfolio had a minimum required investment of $100 million.

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Equity Builder

This is a risk management overlay which helps build and protect accounts by collecting small premiums against held positions on an opportunistic basis during correcting markets.  EQB seeks to collect an extra 2% – 5% per year against the cost of underlying investments.  While primarily targeted at increasing account equity, EQB gives an extra layer of protection to capital during periods of higher volatility.

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Fixed Income

Diversified, broad exposure to the fixed income markets via a multi-manager strategy that seeks to more effectively manage risk while maximizing yield.

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ACI Investment Team

 

Dak Hartsock; Investment manager with over 15 years of experience with securities & securities options. Dak has worked full time in the financial markets since 2007. He has more than a decade of operating experience as a business owner & developer, with substantially all personal net worth invested in ACI. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia.

Robert Hartsock; MBA. Bob has over 30 years of senior management experience in diverse markets, products and businesses. He brings an exceptional record that includes management roles in two Fortune 500 companies and leadership of 7,500+ employees. Bob’s career features a specialization in identifying and fixing management and operational problems for multiple companies including leading over a dozen acquisitions, private placements and a public offering. He is uniquely positioned to provide ACI with highly relevant C-Level management perspective. Bob provides operational & macro perspective on investments ACI undertakes for client portfolios. Bob holds degrees from University of Illinois and University of Washington.

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Privacy Policy & Disclosures

 

Email info@aciwealth.com, call 888-407-4472, fax 888-407-0161 or write to ACI Wealth Advisors 999 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 200 Naples, FL 34018 to receive a complete copy of our privacy policy and disclosures.

ACI HAS A STRINGENT PRIVACY POLICY.

Our Commitment to You

ACI does not share your email address or contact information with third party marketers under any circumstances, except as required by law.

ACI protects the security and confidentiality of the personal information we have and make efforts to ensure that such information is used for proper business purposes in connection with the management or servicing of your account. Our relationship with our clients and partners are our most important assets. We understand that you have entrusted us with your private information, and we do everything we can to maintain that trust. This is not a contract, rather it is a statement of our intent.

ACI works to provide access to products and services that benefit our customers. We may share non-public personal information with non-affiliated third parties (such as brokers and custodians) as necessary for us to provide agreed services and products to you consistent with applicable law. We may also disclose non-public personal information to other financial institutions with whom we have joint business arrangements for proper business purposes in connection with the management or servicing of your account, as approved by you. In addition, your non-public personal information may also be disclosed to you, persons we believe to be your authorized agent or representative, regulators in order to satisfy ACI’s regulatory obligations, and as otherwise required or permitted by law. Lastly, we may disclose your non-public personal information to companies which help administrate our business. Companies we hire to provide services of this kind are not allowed to use your personal information for their own purposes and are contractually obligated to maintain strict confidentiality. We limit their use of your personal information to the performance of the specific service associated with servicing your account. To repeat, we do not sell your non-public personal information to anyone.

This web site is intended to provide general information about ACI Wealth Advisors (“ACI”). It is not intended to offer personalized investment advice, nor a solicitation to buy or sell securities. Information regarding investment products, strategies, and services is provided solely for educational and informational purposes to enable visitors to learn about our investment philosophy and strategies, and to be able to contact us for further information. Other information provided on the site, including updates on the Recession Probability Indicator (“RPI”) are presented for educational purposes and are not recommendations to buy or sell securities or solicitation for investment services. ACI does not provide personalized investment advice over the internet, nor should any information or materials presented here be construed as personalized investment or financial advice to any viewer. ACI is not a tax advisor and investors should obtain independent tax advice regarding investments.

ACI Wealth Advisors, LLC (“ACI”) is a Registered Investment Advisor (“RIA”), registered in the State of Florida and the State of California. ACI provides asset management and related services for clients in states where it is registered, or where it is exempt from registration through statute, exception, or exclusion from registration requirements. ACI will file and maintain all applicable licenses as required by the state securities boards and/or the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), as applicable. ACI renders individualized responses to persons in a particular state only after complying with the state’s regulatory requirements, or pursuant to an applicable state exemption or exclusion.

Market data, articles, blogs and other content on this web site are based on generally-available information and are believed to be reliable. ACI does not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in this web site, nor is ACI under any obligation to update any information on the site. Information presented may not be current. Any information presented on this site should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation to buy and sell securities under any circumstances.

ACI will provide all prospective clients with a copy of our current FORM ADV, PART II (“BROCHURE”) prior to commencing an Advisory relationship. Existing clients receive a copy on an annual basis. If you have any questions regarding Compliance and Regulatory information, or would like to receive a copy of Form Adv, Part II, please email info@aciwealth.com or call 888.407.4472.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investing involves risk, including reduction or loss of principal. Returns and principal value will move up and down and investments can be worth more or less than original cost when sold. Nothing on this site should be construed as a guarantee of future performance.

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Model & Performance Disclosures

Disclosures Regarding Investment Performance Reporting in compliance with Rule 206(4)-1(a)(5).

Please visit http://www.aciwealth.com/historical-strategy-performance for historical performance of ACI Portfolios.

Market Income Portfolio 1. The performance of the broad market over the same time periods is included for both model and live portfolio to help investors understand market conditions present during the period examined by the model and during live investment. 2. Listed Index models and graphs do NOT include transaction, fund or Advisor Management fees as the index model is not available for investment. Live portfolio results include all fees, including Advisor Management fees. 3. Model results do NOT reflect reinvestment of dividends or other earnings. Actual results reflect limited reinvestment of dividends and other earnings, but do not reflect the impact of any applicable taxes which vary by investor and account type (deferred account vs. taxable, etc.). 4. Investing involves risk, including risk of loss and/or principle. While the Index model has historically shown reasonable performance versus the S&P 500 on a risk adjusted basis, there is no guarantee that will continue into the future. Market Income is designed to provide reasonable returns for less risk than the broad market on a risk adjusted basis, and while the firm believes model portfolios are capable of continued outperformance on this basis, there is no guarantee they will do so. Comparisons with the S&P 500 are included to help the average investor understand how an investment in Market Income may differ from investment in an index fund such as an S&P 500 index fund. 5. The model for Market Income is the Chicago Board of Exchange S&P 500 Buy/Write Index or “BXM.” BXM has historically displayed less volatility than the S&P 500 and Market Income. BXM cannot be directly invested in. Market Income does not exactly follow the BXM index model – the mechanics of closing and opening positions differ – BXM opens, closes or rolls positions on the same day every month regardless of the profit or loss in a position – Market Income generally, but not always, waits until after expiration before transacting. Market Income will also close or roll ahead of expiration if the position has a high percentage of profit present in order to capture that gain. Options are generally sold again within a week of the closure of the prior position, but not always, and often new position may be opened the same day the prior position is closed. Benchmark and index comparisons are made on a best available basis – meaning that both the index model and live performance are believed to be compared with market and the closest possible benchmark for simplicity of comparison. However, there is no guarantee future volatility will be either less than, equal to, or greater than the volatility experienced in the model or the S&P 500 although the firm invests with an eye on reduced volatility vs. the S&P 500. 6. The model portfolio (BXM) utilizes the S&P 500 as its basis. Market Income differs from BXM in that the underlying securities are primarily selected on the basis of “relative” value. This simply means that sectors are compared with one another and Market Income generally invests in the sector or sector(s) trading at the greatest discount or the smallest premium relative to its historical average valuation. Other factors are also considered including sector earnings growth and expected return versus other available sector instruments. Advisor believes this gives Market Income a higher margin of safety than repeatedly investing in the S&P 500 on a rolling basis without regard to value or prevailing economic conditions, while preserving liquidity. 7. The BXM model on which Market Income is based is a non-traded index. As such, results do not represent actual trading or investment and do not reflect any impact that material economic or market factors may have had on the advisors decision making if advisor had been managing live money during the period the model covers, including transaction, fund, or management fees. 8. Market Income also differs from the BXM model in that Market Income seeks to reduce investment during recessionary economic periods while BXM stays invested regardless of economic or market conditions. Advisor believes this will better protect capital vs. BXM model but is materially different than staying invested in all market conditions. This action may cause Market Income to have reduced participation in markets that continue to move up despite Advisors reduction in investment. 9. Advisor clients have experienced results that exceed the performance of the model to date. There is no guarantee Market Income will continue to outperform BXM in the future regardless of Advisor efforts to do so. Core Equity Portfolio 1. The performance of the broad market over the same time periods is included for both model and live portfolio to help investors understand market conditions present during the period examined by the model and during live investment. 2. Model is a historical back test and includes brokerage and fund fees but does NOT include Advisor Management fees which vary by account size, but in general reduce annual performance by approximately 1.5%. Live portfolio results include all fees, including Advisor Management fees. Historical back-test means the model portfolio has been tracked on a backwards looking basis prior to the beginning of live investments in order to establish historical risks and results for investment in this portfolio. Back testing has certain inherent limitations as detailed in item #7 below. 3. Model results reflect regular investment of dividends or other earnings. Actual results reflect limited reinvestment of dividends and other earnings. 4. Investing involves risk, including risk of loss and/or principle. While the back tested Core Equity model has historically shown desirable performance versus the S&P 500 on a risk adjusted basis, there is no guarantee that will continue into the future. Core Equity is designed to provide reasonable returns for the same or less risk than the broad market on a risk adjusted basis, and while the firm believes model portfolios are capable of continued outperformance on this basis, there is no guarantee they will do so. Comparisons with the S&P 500 are included to help the average investor understand how an investment in Core Equity may differ from investment in an index fund such as an S&P 500 index fund. 5. The model for Core Equity is built of highly diversified, highly liquid sector and index securities, most frequently low cost ETFs. Core Equity live portfolios do not exactly follow the Core Equity model – variances in investor contributions, withdrawals, and risk tolerances result in measurable drift from the model. Over time, client accounts come closer in line with the Core Equity model. Core Equity live portfolios may differ from the Core Equity model in an additional material way; when valuations on certain sectors become overly stretched versus their historical average valuations, the Advisor may reduce exposure to those sectors in favor of a sector position which is priced in a more reasonable range in comparison to it’s typical historical valuation. Periodically, Core Equity may allocate a small but measurable percent of assets (up to 5%) in volatility linked instruments in an effort to better manage the portfolio. These factors may result in greater or less than model performance over time. Benchmark and index comparisons are made on a best available basis – meaning that both the index model and live performance are compared with market and other benchmarks the Advisors believe to be suitable for simplicity of comparison. However, there is no guarantee future volatility or performance will be either less than, equal to, or greater than the volatility or performance experienced in the model or the S&P 500 although the firm invests with an eye on reduced volatility vs. the S&P 500. 6. Core Equity invests in diversified components of the financial markets and broad economy by targeting sectors or indices which demonstrate potential for a consistent range of multi-year returns, while seeking a risk adjusted investment profile equal to or lower than the broad markets. These sectors contain a range of equity stocks with an equally broad range of characteristics – some sectors are present in the Core Equity portfolio due to their historically defensive nature, some are present due to their historical growth characteristics, some are a blend of the spectrum between. The intent is to provide a balanced equity portfolio suitable for most investors as an S&P 500 index fund replacement but which seeks lower risk while experiencing, on average, a greater return than an S&P 500 index investment. 7. The Core Equity model results do not represent actual trading or investment and do not reflect any impact that material economic or market factors may have had on the advisors decision making if advisor had been managing live money during the period the model covers, including transaction, fund, or management fees as detailed above in item #2. 8. Core Equity live portfolios also differ from the Core Equity model in that Core Equity seeks to reduce investment during recessionary economic periods while the Core Equity historical model stays invested regardless of economic or market conditions. Advisor believes this will better protect capital vs. model but is materially different than staying invested in all market conditions. This action may cause Core Equity live portfolios to have reduced participation in markets that continue to move up despite Advisors reduction in investment. 9. Advisor clients have experienced results that slightly lag the performance of the model to date. This lag is due to a number of factors, primarily the fact that different clients allocate different dollar amounts to Core Equity at different times. In general, the longer a client has been fully allocated to the Core Equity portfolio, the closer it is to model performance. The benchmark for Core Equity (The S&P 500) has historically displayed greater volatility (risk) than the Core Equity model or live Core Equity portfolios. This may or may not be the case in the future. Market Momentum Portfolio 1. The performance of the broad market over the same time periods is included to help investors understand market conditions present during the period covered by live investment. 2. Listed comparison Index graphs and statistics do NOT include transaction, fund or Advisor Management fees. Live portfolio results include all fees, including Advisor Management fees. 3. Actual results reflect limited reinvestment of dividends and other earnings, but do not reflect the impact of any applicable taxes which vary by investor and account type (deferred account vs. taxable, etc.). 4. Investing involves risk, including risk of loss and/or principle. While the closest benchmark for Market Momentum has historically shown reasonable performance versus the S&P 500 on a risk adjusted basis, there is no guarantee that Market Momentum that will continue such performance into the future. Market Momentum is designed to provide reasonable returns for less risk than the broad market on a risk adjusted basis, and while the firm believes the portfolio is capable of outperformance on this basis, there is no guarantee it will do so. Comparisons with the S&P 500 are included to help the average investor understand how an investment in Market Momentum may differ from investment in an index fund such as an S&P 500 index fund. 5. The closest benchmark for Market Momentum is the Chicago Board of Exchange S&P 500 Buy/Write Index or “BXM.” BXM has historically displayed less volatility than the S&P 500 and Market Income. BXM cannot be directly invested in. Market Momentum differs in key ways from BXM – the mechanics of closing and opening positions differ – BXM opens, closes or rolls positions on the same day every month regardless of the profit or loss in a position – Market Momentum targets closing or rolling positions based on technical factors including trend support and resistance. Market Momemtum will also close or roll ahead of expiration if the position has a high percentage of profit present in order to capture that gain. Options are generally not sold again until the underlying investment has moved into an area of resistance but not always; new position may be opened the same day the prior position is closed. Benchmark comparisons are made on a best available basis – meaning that live performance is believed to be compared with the closest possible benchmark for simplicity of comparison. However, there is no guarantee future volatility will be either less than, equal to, or greater than the volatility experienced in the model or the S&P 500 although the firm invests with an eye on reduced volatility vs. the S&P 500. Market Momentum , like BXM, is an options writing strategy seeking to reduce investment volatility and improve risk adjusted returns for investors. 6. The model portfolio (BXM) utilizes the S&P 500 as its basis. Market Momentum differs from BXM in that the underlying securities are primarily selected on the basis of “relative” value. This simply means that sectors are compared with one another and Market Momentum generally invests in the sector or sector(s) trading at the greatest discount or the smallest premium relative to its historical average valuation. Other factors are also considered including sector earnings growth and expected return versus other available sector instruments. Advisor believes this gives Market Momentum a higher margin of safety than repeatedly investing in the S&P 500 on a rolling basis without regard to value or prevailing economic conditions, while preserving liquidity. 7. The BXM model on which Market Momentum is compared is a non-traded index. As such, results do not represent actual trading or investment and do not reflect any impact that material economic or market factors may have had on the advisors decision making if advisor had been managing live money during the period the model covers, including transaction, fund, or management fees. 8. Market Momentum also differs from the BXM model in that Market Momentum seeks to reduce investment during corrective or recessionary economic periods while BXM stays invested regardless of economic or market conditions. Advisor believes this will better protect capital in comparison to BXM but such action is materially different than staying invested in all market conditions. This action may cause Market Momentum to have reduced participation in markets that continue to move up despite Advisors reduction in investment. 9. Advisor clients have experienced results that exceed the performance of the benchmark to date. There is no guarantee Market Momentum will continue to outperform BXM in the future regardless of Advisor efforts to do so. Durable Opportunities Portfolio 1. The performance of the broad market in the form of the Dow Jones Industrial Index over the same time periods is included for live portfolio comparison to help investors understand market conditions present during the period covered by live investment. 2. The Index results do not include brokerage, transaction, or Advisor fees. Live portfolio results include all fees, including Advisor Management fees. 3. Actual results reflect limited reinvestment of dividends and other earnings. 4. Investing involves risk, including risk of loss and/or principle. Portfolios compromised of companies matching the profile of those selected for including in Durable Opportunities have historically displayed superior risk adjusted performance to the Index, but there is no guarantee that will continue into the future. Durable Opportunities is designed to provide investment in companies that firm believes meet a stringent set of criteria firm believes reduces the likelihood of permanent capital impairment while allowing investors to participate in investment in companies firm believes will stand the test of time and provide superior long term returns. While the firm believes the portfolio is capable of outperformance on this basis, there is no guarantee it will do so. Comparisons with the Dow Jones are included to help the average investor understand how an investment in Durable Opportunities may differ from investment in a concentrated index fund such as a Dow Jones Industrials index fund. Durable Opportunities is not restricted to investment in industrial companies or in companies with a specific level of capitalization, unlike the Dow Jones. 5. Durable Opportunities is primarily a value driven strategy; when valuations in holdings become overly stretched versus their historical average valuations, the Advisor may reduce exposure to those holdings by either liquidation or hedging, and may re-allocate funds into a holding which is priced in a more reasonable range in comparison to it’s typical historical valuation. Periodically, Durable Opportunities may allocate a small but measurable percent of assets (up to 5%) in volatility linked instruments in an effort to better manage the portfolio. Benchmark comparisons are made on a best available basis – meaning that live performance is compared with the benchmarks the firm believe to be suitable for simplicity of comparison. However, there is no guarantee future volatility or performance will be either less than, equal to, or greater than the volatility or performance experienced in the Dow Jones Industrials although the firm invests with an eye on reduced volatility vs. the Dow Jones Industrials Index. 6. Durable Opportunties invests in companies firm believes to possess a Durable Competitive Advantage. Such companies are likely to be around for decades, easing the concern of principal return. DCA companies often suffer less in bear markets and usually lead recoveries. These companies allow ACI to build portfolios with minimum expected returns that may be in the mid-single digit range over any 3-5 year period which may provide long term stability partnered with long term growth in equity. There are no guarantees the strategy will be successful in this endeavor. 6. The Durable Opportunities portfolios also differ from the benchmark comparison in that Durable Opportunities reduce investment by hedging or raising cash during recessionary economic periods while Dow Jones Industrial Index reflects 100% investment at all times regardless of economic or market conditions. Firm believes this will better protect capital vs. model but is materially different than staying invested in all market conditions. This action may cause the Durable Opportunities portfolio to experience reduced participation in markets that continue to move up despite Advisors reduction in investment. 7. Advisor clients have experienced results that have lagged the performance of the benchmark to date. This lag is due to a number of factors, primarily the fact that the current high valuation investing environment has made it difficult to identify companies that fit the parameters of Durable Opportunities at a desirable valuation level. Different clients allocate different dollar amounts to Durable Opportunities at different times, which has also impacted the performance of the overall portfolio. Full Cycle Portfolio 1. The performance of the broad market over the same time periods is included for both model and live portfolio to help investors understand market conditions present during the period examined by the model and during live investment. 2. Model is a historical back test and includes brokerage and fund fees but does NOT include Advisor Management fees which vary by account size, but in general reduce annual performance by approximately 1.5%. Live portfolio results include all fees, including Advisor Management fees. Historical back-test means the model portfolio has been tracked on a backwards looking basis prior to the beginning of live investments in order to establish historical risks and results for investment in this portfolio. Back testing has certain inherent limitations as detailed in item #7 below. 3. Model results reflect regular investment of dividends or other earnings. Actual results reflect limited reinvestment of dividends and other earnings. 4. Investing involves risk, including risk of loss and/or principle. While the back tested Full Cycle Portfolio model has historically shown desirable performance versus the S&P 500 on a risk adjusted basis, there is no guarantee that will continue into the future. Full Cycle Portfolio is designed to provide reasonable returns for the same or less risk than the broad market on a risk adjusted basis in all phases of the economic cycle by holding risk weighted non-correlated assets, and while the firm believes model portfolios are capable of continued outperformance on this basis, there is no guarantee they will do so in the future. Comparisons with the S&P 500 are included to help the average investor understand how an investment in the Full Cycle Portfolio may differ from investment in an index fund such as an S&P 500 index fund. 5. The model for the Full Cycle Portfolio is built of diversified, liquid sector and index securities, most frequently low cost ETFs and low cost funds. The live Full Cycle portfolio does not follow the Full Cycle model exactly – variances in investor contributions & withdrawals result in measurable drift from the model. Over time, client accounts come closer in line with the Full Cycle model. Full Cycle live portfolios may differ from the Full Cycle model in an additional material way; when valuations on certain sectors become overly stretched versus their historical average valuations, the Advisor may reduce exposure to those sectors in favor of a comparable position which is priced in a more reasonable range in comparison to it’s typical historical valuation. These factors may result in greater or less than model performance over time. Benchmark and index comparisons are made on a best available basis – meaning that both the index model and live performance are compared with market and other benchmarks the firm believes to be suitable for simplicity of comparison. However, there is no guarantee future volatility or performance will be either less than, equal to, or greater than the volatility or performance experienced in the model or the S&P 500 although the firm invests with an eye on reduced volatility vs. the S&P 500. 6. Full Cycle invests in diversified components of the global financial markets and broad economy by balancing risks with non-correlating or reduced correlation assets in opposition to one another each of which is designed to prosper in some phase of the economic cycle and intended to offset reduced or poor performance in other portfolio holdings. 7. The Full Cycle model results do not represent actual trading or investment and do not reflect any impact that material economic or market factors may have had on the advisors decision making if advisor had been managing live money during the period the model covers, including transaction, fund, or management fees as detailed above in item #2. 8. Full Cycle live portfolios also differ from the Full Cycle model in that the live portfolio may be rebalanced more or less frequently depending on prevailing market conditions. While firm believes this difference positions portfolio for improved risk adjusted performance, it is not clear that this difference results in clear over or under performance versus the Full Cycle model. 9. Advisor clients have experienced results that slightly outperform the performance of the model to date. This outperformance may or may not persist. In general, the longer a client has been fully allocated to the Full Cycle portfolio, the closer it is to model performance. Fixed Income Portfolio 1. The performance of the broad bond markets over the same time periods is included to help investors understand market conditions present during the period covered by live investment. 2. Listed comparison Index graphs and statistics do NOT include transaction, fund or Advisor Management fees. Live portfolio results include all fees, including Advisor Management fees. 3. Actual results reflect limited reinvestment of dividends and other earnings, but do not reflect the impact of any applicable taxes which vary by investor and account type (deferred account vs. taxable, etc.). 4. Investing involves risk, including risk of loss and/or principle. While the closest benchmark for Fixed Income has historically shown reduced volatility and reasonable performance versus many classes of fixed income investments, there is no guarantee that Fixed Income that will continue such performance into the future. Market Momentum is designed to provide reasonable returns for less risk than the broad market on a risk adjusted basis, and while the firm believes the portfolio is capable of outperformance on this basis, there is no guarantee it will do so. Comparisons with US Aggregate Bond Market and PIMCO Total Return are included to help the average investor understand how an investment in Fixed Income may differ from investment in an alternative index or fixed income fund. 5. The closest benchmark for Fixed Income is the Pimco Total Return Fund. Fixed Income differs in key ways from BOND – including selection of underlying investments and reduced diversification. Benchmark comparisons are made on a best available basis – meaning that live performance is believed to be compared with the closest possible benchmark for simplicity of comparison. However, there is no guarantee future volatility and performance will be either less than, equal to, or greater than the volatility and performance experienced by the benchmark although the firm invests with an eye on out performance. 6. The benchmark may include securities not contained in Fixed Income, and vice versa. Fixed Income currently holds significantly more cash than PIMCO Total Return Fund, a situation likely to continue in the near future. This action may cause Fixed Income to have reduced participation in markets that move up despite Advisors reduction in investment. 7. Advisor clients have experienced results that lag the performance of the benchmarks to date. There is no guarantee Fixed Income will continue to outperform benchmarks in the future regardless of Advisor efforts to do so. If you would like to receive an email or hard copy of these disclosures, please email info@aciwealth.com or call 888.407.4472

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