Who is American Portfolios?

iValue Financial Planning, LLC is an independent financial services practice. That means we objectively choose the best solutions for our clients based on our best judgement and experience without being obligated to use the investment offerings of any one financial institution.

But independence does not mean standing alone. We have to rely on a partner who can respond regularly to changes, including a complex and challenging tax, legal and regulatory environment.

We have chosen American Portfolios to be our broker-dealer. Among many services, they provide:

• access to the technology that we require;
• they give our clients on-line access to their accounts;
• they provide our very important regulatory compliance oversite; and
• they give us access to Pershing LLC, a BNY Company who is one of the nation's leading brokerage clearing institutions. They are the firm that provides custodial services for many of our client's accounts. Also, many of our client statements are created and mailed through them.

American Portfolios Advisors are independent professionals; they are not employees of American Portfolios.

Securities are offered through American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc., Member: FINRA/SIPC Investment advisory services are offered through American Portfolios Advisors, Inc., an SEC Registered Investment Advisor.

Since its inception American Portfolios supports an independent network of financial advisors who provide comprehensive financial services solutions, including securities, insurance, money management services and banking solutions. Approximately 800 independent contractors manage over $20.4 billion in assets for millions of individuals, families and small businesses in 34 states as of Dec 31, 2015.

Custodial Services and Account Protection American Portfolios has a strategic business alliance with Pershing,. Pershing provides American Portfolio advisors with efficient execution services for trading stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other securities on your behalf. In addition, they properly document and clear all transactions, including collection and payment of dividends and interest, the processing of corporate reorganizations, trade confirmations, monthly or quarterly statements, custody of assets, and annual tax-reporting summaries.

About Pershing

Pershing has 75 years of innovation excellence. Headquartered in Jersey City, NJ Pershing provides quality securities-execution and brokerage-clearance services to more than 1500 securities firm clients throughout the world with $1.5 trillion in global client assets held by Pershing LLC and its global affiliates as of December 31, 2015. Pershing LLC is a member of FINRA, NYSE, SIPC and is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY Mellon).

Pershing is a member of SIPC, which protects securities customers of its members up to $500,000 (including $250,000 for claims of cash). Explanatory brochure available upon request or at www.sipc.org. In addition to SIPC protection, Pershing provides coverage in excess of SIPC limits from certain underwriters in Lloyd's insurance market and other commercial insurers. The excess of SIPC coverage is valid through February 10, 2017 for Pershing LLC accounts. It provides the following protection for Pershing LLC's global client assets: 

– An aggregate loss limit of $1 billion for eligible securities—over all client accounts

– A per-client loss limit of $1.9 million for cash awaiting reinvestment—within the aggregate loss limit of $1 billion 

SIPC and the excess of SIPC coverage do not protect against loss due to market fluctuation. An excess of SIPC claim would only arise if Pershing failed financially and client assets for covered accounts—as defined by SIPC—cannot be located due to theft, misplacement, destruction, burglary, robbery, embezzlement, abstraction, failure to obtain or maintain possession or control of client securities, or to maintain the special reserve bank account required by applicable rules. Lloyd's currently holds an A+ rating from Standard & Poor's® (S&P®), an A rating from A.M. Best and an AA- rating from Fitch. These ratings are based on the financial strength of the company and are subject to change by the rating agencies at any time.1 For more information about Lloyd's, please see www.lloyds.com. 

¹ Ratings as of December 2015