E-VALUATOR FUNDS TRUST

 

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

Dated January 27, 2023

 

7760 France Avenue South, Suite 925

Bloomington, Minnesota 55435

(855) 621-9877

 

The E-Valuator Very Conservative

(0%-15%) RMS Fund

R4 Class Shares (EVVCX)

Service Class Shares (EVVLX)

 

The E-Valuator Moderate

(50%-70%) RMS Fund

R4 Class Shares (EVFMX)

Service Class Shares (EVMLX)

     

The E-Valuator Conservative

(15%-30%) RMS Fund

R4 Class Shares (EVFCX)

Service Class Shares (EVCLX)

 

The E-Valuator Growth

(70%-85%) RMS Fund

R4 Class Shares (EVGRX)

Service Class Shares (EVGLX)

     

The E-Valuator Conservative/Moderate

(30%-50%) RMS Fund

R4 Class Shares (EVFTX)

Service Class Shares (EVTTX)

 

The E-Valuator Aggressive Growth

(85%-99%) RMS Fund

R4 Class Shares (EVFGX)

Service Class Shares (EVAGX)

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the current prospectuses for The E-Valuator Funds each dated January 27, 2023 as they may be supplemented or revised from time to time. This SAI is incorporated by reference into the Funds’ prospectuses. You may obtain the prospectuses, the SAI and the Funds’ annual and semi-annual reports without charge, by writing the Funds at 235 W. Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212, by visiting the Funds’ website at https://www.evaluatorfunds.com or by calling 888.507.2798.

 

The E-Valuator Funds

 

The E-Valuator Very Conservative (0%-15%) RMS Fund

The E-Valuator Conservative (15%-30%) RMS Fund

The E-Valuator Conservative/Moderate (30%-50%) RMS Fund

The E-Valuator Moderate (50%-70%) RMS Fund

The E-Valuator Growth (70%-85%) RMS Fund

The E-Valuator Aggressive Growth (85%-99%) RMS Fund

 

(collectively, the “E-Valuator Funds”)

 

Investment Adviser:

Systelligence, LLC

7760 France Avenue South, Suite 925

Bloomington, Minnesota 55435

 

 
 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Page
   
THE TRUST 1
   
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES 2
   
DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS 2
   
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS 11
   
INVESTMENT ADVISER 13
   
PORTFOLIO MANAGER 15
   
SERVICE PROVIDERS 15
   
TRUSTEES & OFFICERS OF THE TRUST 17
   
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SECURITIES HOLDERS 21
   
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE 21
   
DISTRIBUTION 22
   
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PURCHASES AND SALES 24
   
ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES 25
   
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES 25
   
TAXES 27
   
BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES 38
   
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES HOLDINGS 40
   
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES 42
   
PROXY VOTING 43
   
CODES OF ETHICS 43
   
FINANCIAL INFORMATION 43
   
EXHIBIT A PROXY VOTING POLICY 1

 

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THE TRUST

 

General. E-Valuator Funds Trust (the “Trust”) was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 10, 2020. The Trust is an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and commonly known as a “mutual fund”. The Declaration of Trust permits the Trust to offer separate series (“funds”) of shares of beneficial interest (“shares”). The Trust reserves the right to create and issue shares of additional funds. Each fund is a separate mutual fund, and each share of each fund represents an equal proportionate interest in that fund. All consideration received by the Trust for shares of any fund and all assets of such fund belong solely to that fund and would be subject to liabilities related thereto. Each fund of the Trust pays its (i) operating expenses, including fees of its service providers, expenses of preparing prospectuses, proxy solicitation material and reports to shareholders, costs of custodial services and registering its shares under federal and state securities laws, pricing, insurance expenses, brokerage costs, interest charges, taxes and organization expenses; and (ii) pro rata share of the fund’s other expenses, including audit and legal expenses. Expenses attributable to a specific fund shall be payable solely out of the assets of that fund. Expenses not attributable to a specific fund are allocated across all of the funds on the basis of relative net assets.

 

The Funds. This SAI relates to The E-Valuator Very Conservative (0%-15%) RMS Fund (“Very Conservative Fund”), The E-Valuator Conservative (15%-30%) RMS Fund (“Conservative Fund”), The E- Valuator Conservative/Moderate (30%-50%)RMS Fund (“Conservative/Moderate Fund”), The E-Valuator Moderate (50%-70%) RMS Fund (“Moderate Fund”), The E-Valuator Growth (70%-85%) RMS Fund (“Growth Fund”), and The E-Valuator Aggressive Growth (85%-99%) RMS Fund (“Aggressive Growth Fund”) (each a “Fund” or “E-Valuator Fund” and collectively, the “Funds” or “E-Valuator Funds”), and it should be read in conjunction with the prospectuses for the Funds. This SAI is incorporated by reference into the Funds’ prospectuses. No investment in shares should be made without reading the Funds’ prospectuses. The Funds are separate investment portfolios or series of the Trust. Each of the Funds is “diversified” as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and the interpretations thereof.

 

History. Effective as of the close of business on May 21, 2021, the Very Conservative Fund, Conservative Fund, Conservative/Moderate Fund, Moderate Fund, Growth Fund and Aggressive Growth Fund each acquired the assets of the corresponding series of the same name of World Funds Trust (each a “Predecessor Fund” and collectively, the “Predecessor Funds”), in exchange for shares of the Fund and the assumption by the Fund of the liabilities of the Predecessor Fund (the “Reorganizations”). The purpose of the Reorganizations was to consolidate all of the portfolios advised by Systelligence, LLC (the “Adviser”) into a standalone trust. As a result of the Reorganizations, each Fund is the accounting successor of the corresponding Predecessor Fund. As accounting successor, the operating history of the Predecessor Fund will be retained for financial reporting purposes. The Funds’ audited financial statements as of September 30, 2022 are incorporated into this SAI by reference to the Fund’s Annual Report to shareholders.

 

The Predecessor Funds were each the successor to bank-sponsored collective investment funds established pursuant to 12 C.F.R. 9.18, which were each terminated on May 26, 2016. Prior to their termination, each successor bank-sponsored collective investment fund was sub-advised by Intervest International, Inc., an advisory affiliate of the Fund’s investment adviser for which the Fund’s portfolio manager, Mr. Kevin Miller, was an associated person.

 

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ABOUT INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES

 

The Funds’ investment objectives and principal investment strategies are described in the prospectus. The Funds are “diversified” series as that term is defined in the 1940 Act. The following information supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the prospectus. For a description of certain permitted investments discussed below, see “Description of Permitted Investments” in this SAI.

 

Portfolio Turnover. Average annual portfolio turnover rate is the ratio of the lesser of sales or purchases to the monthly average value of the portfolio securities owned during the year, excluding from both the numerator and the denominator all securities with maturities at the time of acquisition of one year or less. A higher portfolio turnover rate involves greater transaction expenses to the Fund and may result in the realization of net capital gains, which would be taxable to shareholders when distributed. The Adviser makes purchases and sales for the Funds’ portfolio whenever necessary, in the Adviser’s opinion, to meet each Fund’s objective.

 

The following table provides the portfolio turnover rate of each Fund, as a percentage of the average value of its portfolio, for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021 and September 30, 2022.

 

    Portfolio Turnover Rate  
Fund   2021     2022  
Very Conservative     287%       118%  
Conservative     296%       117%  
Conservative/Moderate     273%       114%  
Moderate     272%       128%  
Growth     236%       110%  
Aggressive Growth     231%       87%  

 

DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS

 

The following discussion of investment techniques and instruments supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the investment information in the Funds’ prospectuses. In seeking to meet its investment objective, the Funds may invest in any type of security whose characteristics are consistent with its investment programs. The Funds will implement their respective investment strategies exclusively by investing in other investment companies and ETFs (defined below) (collectively “Underlying Funds”). In that regard, certain of the descriptions of the investments or techniques set forth below reflect that the investments and techniques are occurring indirectly through investments in Underlying Funds.

 

Equity Securities. The Underlying Funds in which the Funds invest may primarily hold a portfolio of equity securities. Equity securities are common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible preferred stocks, convertible debentures, American Depositary Receipts, rights and warrants. Convertible preferred stock is preferred stock that can be converted into common stock pursuant to its terms. Convertible debentures are debt instruments that can be converted into common stock pursuant to their terms. Warrants are options to purchase equity securities at a specified price valid for a specific time period. Rights are similar to warrants, but normally have shorter durations.

 

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Investment Company Securities. The Funds may invest in the securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), closed-end funds and mutual funds (also called underlying funds). Index-based underlying funds will generally attempt to replicate the performance of a particular index. An underlying fund may not always hold all of the same securities as the index it attempts to track. An underlying fund may use statistical sampling techniques to attempt to replicate the returns of an index. Statistical sampling techniques attempt to match the investment characteristics of the index and the fund by taking into account such factors as capitalization, industry exposures, dividend yield, price/earnings (P/E) ratio, price/book (P/B) ratio, and earnings growth. An underlying fund may not track the index perfectly because differences between the index and the fund’s portfolio can cause differences in performance. In addition, expenses and transaction costs, the size and frequency of cash flow into and out of the fund, and differences between how and when the fund and the index are valued can cause differences in performance. When the Funds invest in underlying funds, they will indirectly bear their proportionate share of any fees and expenses payable directly by the underlying fund. In connection with its investments in other investment companies, the Funds will incur higher expenses, many of which may be duplicative. Furthermore, because the Funds invest in shares of ETFs and underlying funds their performance is directly related to the ability of the ETFs and underlying funds to meet their respective investment objectives, as well as the allocation of the Funds’ assets among the ETFs and underlying funds by the Adviser. Accordingly, the Funds’ investment performance will be influenced by the investment strategies of and risks associated with the ETFs and underlying funds in direct proportion to the amount of assets the Funds allocates to the ETFs and underlying funds utilizing such strategies.

 

Investments in ETFs involve certain inherent risks generally associated with investments in a broadly-based portfolio of stocks, including risks that: (1) the general level of stock prices may decline, thereby adversely affecting the value of each unit of the ETF or other instrument; (2) an ETF may not fully replicate the performance of its benchmark index because of the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or discrepancies between the ETF and the index with respect to the weightings of securities or number of stocks held; (3) an ETF may also be adversely affected by the performance of the specific index, market sector or group of industries on which it is based; and (4) an ETF may not track an index as well as a traditional index mutual fund because ETFs are valued by the market and, therefore, there may be a difference between the market value and the ETF’s net asset value (“NAV”). Additionally, investments in fixed income ETFs involve certain inherent risks generally associated with investments in fixed income securities, including the risk of fluctuation in market value based on interest rates rising or declining and risks of a decrease in liquidity, such that no assurances can be made that an active trading market for underlying ETFs will be maintained.

 

Investments in ETFs and closed-end funds are subject to the additional risk that shares of the ETF or closed-end fund may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value per share. When the Fund invests in another investment company, shareholders of the Fund bear their proportionate share of the other investment company’s fees and expenses as well as their share of the Fund’s fees and expenses. There may also not be an active trading market available for shares of some ETFs or closed-end funds. Additionally, trading of ETF and closed-end fund shares may be halted and ETF and closed-end fund shares may be delisted by the listing exchange.

 

The Funds may also invest in leveraged and inverse ETFs, including double inverse (or ultra-short) ETFs. Leveraged ETFs are riskier than traditional ETFs as they use borrowings and derivative instruments to generate a return in multiples of a benchmark index. Investments in inverse and leveraged ETFs may magnify and compound changes in the Funds’ share price and results in increased volatility and potential loss. Inverse ETFs seek to negatively correlate to the performance of the particular index that they track by using various forms of derivative transactions, including by short-selling the underlying index. Ultra-short ETFs seek to multiply the negative return of the tracked index (e.g., twice the inverse return). As a result, an investment in an inverse ETF will decrease in value when the value of the underlying index rises. By investing in ultra-short ETFs and gaining magnified short exposure to a particular index, the Funds can commit less assets to the investment in the securities represented on the index than would otherwise be required. ETFs that seek to multiply the negative return on the tracked index are subject to a special form of correlation risk which is the risk that for periods greater than one day, the use of leverage tends to cause the performance of the ETF to be either greater than or less than the index performance times the stated multiple in the ETF’s investment objective.

 

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There is also a risk that the underlying funds or ETFs may terminate due to extraordinary events. For example, any of the service providers to the underlying fund or ETF, such as the trustee or sponsor, may close or otherwise fail to perform their obligations to the underlying fund or ETF, and the underlying fund or ETF may not be able to find a substitute service provider. Also, the underlying fund or ETF may be dependent upon licenses to use the various indices as a basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade names. If these licenses are terminated, the respective underlying fund or ETF may also terminate. In addition, an underlying fund or ETF may terminate if its net assets fall below a certain amount. Although the Funds believe that in the event of the termination of an underlying fund or ETF, it will be able to invest instead in shares of an alternate underlying fund or ETF tracking the same market index or another index covering the same general market, there can be no assurance that shares of an alternate underlying fund or ETF would be available for investment at that time.

 

The Funds may invest in securities issued by other investment companies. Such securities will be acquired by the Funds within the limits prescribed by the 1940 Act, which with the exception of master/feeder arrangements, fund of fund arrangements and certain money market fund investments, generally include a prohibition that a fund may not acquire shares of another investment company (including ETFs) if, immediately after such acquisition, (i) such fund would hold more than 3% of the other investment company’s total outstanding shares, (ii) if such fund’s investment in securities of the other investment company would be more than 5% of the value of the total assets of the fund, or (iii) if more than 10% of such fund’s total assets would be invested in investment companies. The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has adopted Rule 12d1-4 that permits investments in ETFs and other investment companies by other investment companies (such as the Funds) in excess of these limits. The Funds may invest in ETFs and other investment companies in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 provided that it has entered into the requisite agreement with underlying funds and otherwise complies with such rule. Additionally, in accordance with Section 12(d)(1)(F)(i) of the 1940 Act, the Funds may also invest in ETFs and other investment companies that are not relying on Rule 12d1-4 as long as a Fund (and all of its affiliated persons, including the Adviser) does not acquire more than 3% of the total outstanding stock of such underlying fund, unless otherwise permitted to do so pursuant to permission granted by the SEC. If a Fund seeks to redeem shares of an underlying fund purchased in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F), the underlying fund is not obligated to redeem an amount exceeding 1% of the underlying fund’s outstanding shares during a period of less than 30 days.

 

ETFs. The Funds may invest in ETFs. An ETF is an investment company whose goal is to track or replicate a desired index, such as a sector, market or global segment. ETFs are traded on exchanges and trade similarly to publicly-traded companies. ETF’s also have risks and costs that are similar to publicly- traded companies. The goal of an ETF is to correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses of its underlying index. The risk of not correlating to the index is an additional risk borne by the investors of ETFs. Because ETFs trade on an exchange, they may not trade at NAV. Sometimes, the prices of ETFs may vary significantly from the NAVs of the ETF’s underlying securities. Additionally, if the Fund elects to redeem its ETF shares rather than selling them on the secondary market, the Fund may receive the underlying securities which it must then sell in order to obtain cash. Additionally, when the Fund invests in ETF’s, shareholders of the Fund bear their proportionate share of the underlying ETF’s fees and expenses.

 

Certain ETFs may not produce qualifying income for purposes of the “90% Test” (as defined below under the heading “Taxes”) which must be met in order for the Fund to maintain its status as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). If one or more ETFs generates more non-qualifying income for purposes of the 90% Test than the Fund’s portfolio management expects it could cause the Fund to inadvertently fail the 90% Test thereby causing the Fund to inadvertently fail to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code.

 

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Common Stocks. The Underlying Funds in which the Funds invest may invest in common stocks. Common stocks represent units of ownership in a company. Common stocks usually carry voting rights and earn dividends. Unlike preferred stocks, which are described below, dividends on common stocks are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the company’s board of directors.

 

Preferred Stock. The Underlying Funds in which the Funds invests may invest in preferred stock, which is a class of capital stock that pays dividends at a specified rate and that has preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of assets. Preferred stock does not ordinarily carry voting rights.

 

Most preferred stock is cumulative; if dividends are passed (not paid for any reason), they accumulate and must be paid before common dividends. A passed dividend on non-cumulative preferred stock is generally gone forever. Participating preferred stock entitles its holders to share in profits above and beyond the declared dividend, along with common shareholders, as distinguished from non- participating preferred, which is limited to the stipulated dividend.

 

Adjustable rate preferred stock pays a dividend that is adjustable, usually quarterly, based on changes in the Treasury bill rate or other money market rates.

 

Convertible Securities. The Underlying Funds in which the Funds invest may invest in convertible securities and considers such securities to be “equity securities” for purposes of its investment strategies. Traditional convertible securities include corporate bonds, notes and preferred stocks that may be converted into or exchanged for common stock, and other securities that also provide an opportunity for equity participation. These securities are convertible either at a stated price or a stated rate (that is, for a specific number of shares of common stock or other security). As with fixed income securities, the price of a convertible security generally varies inversely with interest rates. While providing a fixed income stream, a convertible security also affords the investor an opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation of the common stock into which it is convertible. As the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis and so may not experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common stock. When the market price of the underlying common stock increases, the price of a convertible security tends to rise as a reflection of higher yield or capital appreciation. In such situations, the Funds may have to pay more for a convertible security than the value of the underlying common stock.

 

Warrants. The Underlying Funds in which the Funds invest may invest in warrants. A warrant gives the right to buy a stock and specifies the amount of the underlying stock, the purchase (or “exercise”) price, and the date the warrant expires. If the price of the underlying stock does not rise above the exercise price before the warrant expires, the warrant generally expires without any value and the Fund loses any amount it paid for the warrant. Thus, investments in warrants may involve more risk than investments in common stock. Warrants may trade in the same markets as their underlying stock; however, the price of the warrant does not necessarily move with the price of the underlying stock.

 

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Illiquid Securities. The Funds may hold up to 15% of their net assets in illiquid securities. For this purpose, the term “illiquid securities” means securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the amount which the Fund has valued the securities. Illiquid securities include generally, among other things, certain written over-the-counter options, securities or other liquid assets as cover for such options, repurchase agreements with maturities in excess of seven days, certain loan participation interests and other securities whose disposition is restricted under the federal securities laws.

 

The Funds may engage in short sales. A Fund may engage in short sales when the portfolio manager anticipates that a security’s market purchase price will be less than its borrowing price. In a short sale transaction, a Fund sells a security it does not own to a purchaser at a specified price. To complete a short sale, the Fund must: (i) borrow the security to deliver it to the purchaser and (ii) buy that same security in the market to return it to the lender. In addition, a Fund may incur a loss as a result of the short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the borrowed security, and the Fund may realize a gain if the security declines in price between those same dates. Although a Fund’s potential for gain as a result of a short sale is limited to the price at which it sold the security short less the cost of borrowing the security, the potential for loss is theoretically unlimited because there is no upper limit to the cost of replacing the borrowed security. To borrow the security, a Fund may also be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold.

 

The Funds may not always be able to close out a short position at a particular time or at an acceptable price. A lender may request, or market conditions may dictate, that the borrowed securities be returned to the lender on short notice, and a Fund may have to buy the borrowed securities at an unfavorable price. If this occurs at a time when other short sellers of the same security also want to close out their positions, a “short squeeze” can occur, which means that the demand is greater than supply for the stock sold short. If a short squeeze occurs, it is more likely that a Fund will have to cover its short sale at an unfavorable price and potentially reduce or eliminate any gain, or cause a loss, as a result of the short sale.

 

Fixed Income Securities. The Underlying Funds in which the Funds invest may hold a portfolio of fixed income securities. Fixed income securities include corporate debt securities, high yield debt securities, convertible debt securities, municipal securities, U.S. government securities, mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, zero coupon bonds, financial industry obligations, repurchase agreements, and participation interests in such securities. Preferred stock and certain common stock equivalents may also be considered to be fixed income securities. Fixed income securities are generally considered to be interest rate sensitive, which means that their value will generally decrease when interest rates rise and increase when interest rates fall. Securities with shorter maturities, while offering lower yields, generally provide greater price stability than longer-term securities and are less affected by changes in interest rates.

 

1. Corporate Debt Securities. Corporate debt securities include bonds, notes, debentures and investment certificates issued by corporations and other business organizations, including business trusts and equipment trusts, in order to finance their credit needs. Corporate debt securities include commercial paper which consists of short term (usually from 1 to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance their current operations. Underlying funds may invest in investment grade or below investment grade debt securities. Investment grade debt securities generally have adequate to strong protection of principal and interest payments. In the lower end of this category, credit quality may be more susceptible to potential future changes in circumstances and the securities have speculative elements.

 

2. High Yield Debt Securities (“Junk Bonds”). Investments in junk bonds are more vulnerable to economic downturns or increased interest rates. An economic downturn could severely disrupt the market for high yield securities and adversely affect the value of outstanding securities and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest.

 

The prices of high yield securities have been found to be more sensitive to interest rate changes than higher-rated investments, and more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual corporate developments. Also, during an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers may experience financial stress which would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals, and to obtain additional financing. If the issuer of a security defaulted, the underlying fund could incur additional expenses to seek recovery. In addition, periods of economic uncertainty and changes can be expected to result in increased volatility of market prices of high yield securities and the underlying fund’s asset value. Furthermore, in the case of high yield securities structured as zero coupon or pay-in-kind securities, their market prices are affected to a greater extent by interest rate changes and thereby tend to be more volatile than securities which pay interest periodically and in cash. High yield securities also present risks based on payment expectations. For example, high yield securities may contain redemption or call provisions. If an issuer exercises these provisions in a declining interest rate market, an underlying fund would have to replace the security with a lower yielding security, resulting in a decreased return for investors. Conversely, a high yield security’s value will decrease in a rising interest rate market, as will the value of the underlying fund’s assets.

 

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In addition, to the extent that there is no established retail secondary market, there may be thin trading of high yield securities, and this may have an impact on an underlying fund’s ability to accurately value high yield securities and the fund’s assets and on the fund’s ability to dispose of the securities. Adverse publicity and investor perception, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of high yield securities especially in a thinly traded market.

 

Finally, there are risks involved in applying credit ratings as a method for evaluating high yield securities. For example, credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments, not market value risk of high yield securities. Also, since credit rating agencies may fail to timely change the credit ratings to reflect subsequent events.

 

3. U.S. Government Securities. U.S. government securities may be backed by the credit of the government as a whole or only by the issuing agency. U.S. Treasury bonds, notes, and bills and some agency securities, such as those issued by the Federal Housing Administration and the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”), are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government as to payment of principal and interest and are the highest quality government securities. Other securities issued by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities, such as securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Banks and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, are supported only by the credit of the agency that issued them, and not by the U.S. government. Securities issued by the Federal Farm Credit System, the Federal Land Banks, and the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) are supported by the agency’s right to borrow money from the U.S. Treasury under certain circumstances, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

 

4. Zero-Coupon and Pay-in-Kind Bonds. Corporate debt securities and municipal obligations include so-called “zero coupon” bonds and “pay-in-kind” bonds. Zero coupon bonds do not make regular interest payments. Instead they are sold at a deep discount from their face value. Because a zero-coupon bond does not pay current income, its price can be very volatile when interest rates change.

 

The Federal Reserve creates Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities (“STRIPS”) by separating the coupon payments and the principal payment from an outstanding Treasury security and selling them as individual securities. A broker-dealer creates a derivative zero by depositing a Treasury security with a custodian for safekeeping and then selling the coupon payments and principal payment that will be generated by this security separately. Examples are Certificates of Accrual on Treasury Securities (CATs), Treasury Investment Growth Receipts (TIGRs) and generic Treasury Receipts (TRs). These derivative zero-coupon obligations are not considered to be government securities unless they are part of the STRIPS program. Original issue zeros are zero coupon securities issued directly by the U.S. government, a government agency or by a corporation.

 

Pay-in-kind bonds allow the issuer, at its option, to make current interest payments on the bonds either in cash or in additional bonds. The value of zero-coupon bonds and pay-in-kind bonds is subject to greater fluctuation in response to changes in market interest rates than bonds which make regular payments of interest. Both of these types of bonds allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments. Accordingly, such bonds may involve greater credit risks than bonds which make regular payment of interest.

 

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Foreign Securities. The Funds may invest in Underlying Funds that hold a portfolio of foreign securities. To the extent that a Fund has exposure to foreign equity or fixed income securities, it will be subject to certain considerations and risks that are not typically associated with investing in underlying funds that invest solely in domestic securities. There may be less publicly available information about a foreign issuer than a domestic one, and foreign companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. There may also be less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges, brokers and listed companies than exists in the United States. Interest and dividends paid by foreign issuers may be subject to withholding and other foreign taxes, which may decrease the net return on such investments as compared to dividends and interest paid to the Fund by domestic companies or the U.S. government. There may be the possibility of expropriations, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, confiscatory taxation, political, economic or social instability or diplomatic developments that could affect assets of the Funds held in foreign countries. Finally, the establishment of exchange controls or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions could adversely affect the payment of obligations.

 

Securities trading on overseas markets present time zone arbitrage opportunities when events affecting portfolio security values occur after the close of the overseas market, but prior to the close of the U.S. market. Fair valuation of the Fund’s portfolio securities can serve to reduce arbitrage opportunities available to short term traders, but there is no assurance that fair value pricing policies will prevent dilution of the Fund’s NAV by short term traders.

 

Emerging Markets Securities. To the extent the Funds invest in Underlying Funds that invest in emerging markets securities it will be subject to additional risks. Investing in emerging market securities imposes risks different from, or greater than, risks of investing in foreign developed countries. These risks include: smaller market capitalization of securities markets, which may suffer periods of relative illiquidity; significant price volatility; restrictions on foreign investment; possible repatriation of investment income and capital. In addition, foreign investors may be required to register the proceeds of sales; future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, seizure, nationalization, or creation of government monopolies. The currencies of emerging market countries may experience significant declines against the U.S. dollar, and devaluation may occur subsequent to investments in these currencies by a fund. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging market countries.

 

Additional risks of emerging markets securities may include: greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability; more substantial governmental involvement in the economy; less governmental supervision and regulation; unavailability of currency hedging techniques; companies that are newly organized and small; differences in auditing and financial reporting standards, which may result in unavailability of material information about issuers; and less developed legal systems. In addition, emerging securities markets may have different clearance and settlement procedures, which may be unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions or otherwise make it difficult to engage in such transactions. Settlement problems may cause a fund to miss attractive investment opportunities, hold a portion of its assets in cash pending investment, or be delayed in disposing of a portfolio security. Such a delay could result in possible liability to a purchaser of the security.

 

Options. The Underlying Funds in which the Funds invest may enter into option transactions. The Underlying Funds may mainly purchase and sell options on securities indices. An option involves either (a) the right or the obligation to buy or sell a specific instrument at a specific price until the expiration date of the option, or (b) the right to receive payments or the obligation to make payments representing the difference between the closing price of a market index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple until the expiration date of the option. Options are sold (written) on securities and market indices. The purchaser of an option on a security pays the seller (the writer) a premium for the right granted but is not obligated to buy or sell the underlying security. The purchaser of an option on a market index pays the seller a premium for the right granted, and in return the seller of such an option is obligated to make the payment. Options are traded on organized exchanges and in the over-the-counter market. The use of options is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions.

 

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Options on securities indices are similar to options on a security or other instrument except that, rather than settling by physical delivery of the underlying instrument, they settle by cash settlement, i.e., an option on an index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the option is based exceeds, in the case of a call, or is less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the excess of the closing price of the index over the exercise price of the option, which also may be multiplied by a formula value. The seller of the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount. The gain or loss on an option on an index depends on price movements in the instruments making up the market, market segment, industry or other composite on which the underlying index is based, rather than price movements in individual securities, as is the case with respect to options on securities.

 

Futures Contracts. The Funds may invest in Underlying Funds that may purchase and sell futures contracts to hedge against changes in prices. The Underlying Funds may utilize Treasury futures to hedge against interest rate risk and inflation risk.

 

The Underlying Funds may engage in futures transactions for speculative or hedging purposes. The Underlying Funds may also write call options and purchase put options on futures contracts as a hedge to attempt to protect securities in its portfolio against decreases in value. Writing a call option on a futures contract is undertaking the obligation of selling a futures contract at a fixed price at any time during a specified period if the option is exercised. Conversely, as purchaser of a put option on a futures contract, the funds are entitled (but not obligated) to sell a futures contract at the fixed price during the life of the option.

 

When the Underlying Funds sell futures contracts or related option contracts, it will either own or have the right to receive the underlying future or security, or will make deposits to collateralize the position as discussed above. When futures and options on futures are used as hedging devices, there is a risk that the prices of the securities subject to the futures contracts may not correlate perfectly with the prices of the securities in the funds’ portfolio. This may cause the futures contract and any related options to react differently than the portfolio securities to market changes. In addition, an investment adviser could be incorrect in its expectations about the direction or extent of market factors such as stock price movements. In these events, the Funds may lose money on the futures contract or option. It is not certain that a secondary market for positions in futures contracts or for options will exist at all times. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange or otherwise will exist for any particular futures contract or option at any particular time. An Underlying Fund’s ability to establish and close out futures and options positions depends on this secondary market. Underlying Funds may be operated by an investment adviser that has claimed an exemption from registration with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act, and therefore such investment adviser is not subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator under that Act. This claim of exemption from registration as a commodity pool operator is pursuant to Rule 4.5 promulgated under the Commodity Exchange Act. Specifically, in accordance with the requirements of Rule 4.5(b)(1), an Underlying Fund will limit its use of commodity futures contracts and commodity options contracts to no more than (i) five percent (5%) of the Fund’s liquidation value being committed as aggregate initial premium or margin for such contracts or (ii) one hundred percent (100%) of the Fund’s liquidation value in aggregate net notional value of commodity futures, commodity options and swaps positions if it’s investment adviser is not subject to registration as a commodity pool operator.

 

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Commodities. Some of the Underlying Funds and other instruments in the Funds’ portfolios may invest directly or indirectly in physical commodities, such as gold, silver, and other precious materials. Accordingly, the Funds may be affected by changes in commodity prices which can move significantly in short periods of time and be affected by new discoveries or changes in government regulation. Income derived from investments in Underlying Funds that invest in commodities may not be qualifying income for purposes of the “regulated investment company” (“RIC”) tax qualification tests. This could make it more difficult (or impossible) for the Fund to qualify as a RIC.

 

Furthermore, in August 2011, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) announced that it would stop issuing private letter rulings authorizing favorable tax treatment for funds that invest indirectly in commodities or derivatives based upon commodities. The IRS has previously issued a number of private letter rulings to funds in this area, concluding that such investments generate “qualifying income” for RIC qualification purposes. It is unclear how long this suspension will last. The IRS has not indicated that any previously issued rulings in this area will be affected by this suspension. This suspension of guidance by the IRS means that the tax treatment of such investments is now subject to some uncertainty.

 

Cash Equivalents. The Funds may invest in Underlying Funds that invest in cash and high-quality short-term fixed-income securities. All money market instruments can change in value when interest rates or an issuer’s creditworthiness change dramatically. These short-term fixed-income securities are described below:

 

a. Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are agreements by which a Fund purchases a security and obtain a simultaneous commitment from the seller to repurchase the security at an agreed upon price and date. The resale price is in excess of the purchase price and reflects an agreed upon market rate unrelated to the coupon rate on the purchased security. Repurchase agreements must be fully collateralized and can be entered into only with well-established banks and broker-dealers that have been deemed creditworthy by the Adviser. Repurchase transactions are intended to be short-term transactions, usually with the seller repurchasing the securities within seven days. Repurchase agreements that mature in more than seven days are subject to a Fund’s limit on illiquid securities. When a Fund enters into a repurchase agreement it may lose money if the other party defaults on its obligation and the Fund is delayed or prevented from disposing of the collateral. A loss may be incurred if the value of the collateral declines, and it might incur costs in selling the collateral or asserting its legal rights under the agreement. If a defaulting seller filed for bankruptcy or became insolvent, disposition of collateral might be delayed pending court action. The Funds may engage in repurchase agreement transactions to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.

 

b. Bank Obligations. Bank obligations include bankers’ acceptances, negotiable certificates of deposit and non-negotiable time deposits, including U.S. dollar-denominated instruments issued or supported by the credit of U.S. or foreign banks or savings institutions. All investments in bank obligations are limited to the obligations of financial institutions having more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase, and investments by the respective Fund in the obligations of foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks will not exceed 10% of the respective Fund’s total assets at the time of purchase.

 

c. Commercial Paper. The Funds may invest in Underlying Funds that hold commercial paper. Commercial paper will consist of issues rated at the time of investment as A-1 and/or P-1 by S&P, Moody’s or similar rating by another nationally recognized rating agency. In addition, the Underlying Funds may acquire unrated commercial paper and corporate bonds.

 

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d. Investment Company Securities. (See Above). Each Fund may invest in Underlying Funds such as money market funds and short-term bond funds.

 

Temporary Investments. To maintain cash for redemptions and distributions and for temporary defensive purposes, the Funds may invest in money market mutual funds and in investment grade short- term fixed income securities including short-term U.S. government securities, negotiable certificates of deposit, commercial paper, banker’s acceptances and repurchase agreements.

 

INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

 

Fundamental. The investment limitations described below have been adopted by the Trust with respect to the Funds and are fundamental (“Fundamental”), i.e., they may not be changed without the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Funds. As used in the Prospectuses and this SAI, the term “majority” of the outstanding shares of the Funds means the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of a Fund are present or represented at such meeting; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of a Fund. Other investment practices which may be changed by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board” or “Board of Trustees”) without the approval of shareholders to the extent permitted by applicable law, regulation or regulatory policy are considered non-fundamental (“Non-Fundamental”).

 

Each of the Funds:

 

  1. May not borrow money except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time.
     
  2. May not issue any senior securities to others, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction from time to time.
     
  3. May not underwrite securities issued by others except to the extent the Funds may be deemed to be an underwriter under the federal securities laws, in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities.
     
  4. May not invest more than 25% of the value of its net assets in any one industry or group of industries. This restriction does not limit a Fund’s investments in: (i) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities; or (ii) tax-exempt obligations issued by governments or political subdivisions of governments. In complying with this restriction, the Fund will not consider a bank-issued guaranty or financial guaranty insurance as a separate security.
     
  5. May not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time.

 

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  6. May not make loans to others, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time.
     
  7. May invest in commodities only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.

 

Except with respect to borrowing, if a percentage or rating restriction on investment or use of assets set forth herein or in the Prospectus is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentage resulting from any cause other than actions by the Fund will not be considered a violation. Currently, subject to modification to conform to the 1940 Act as interpreted or modified from time to time, the Funds are permitted, consistent with the 1940 Act, to borrow, and pledge its securities to secure such borrowing, provided, that immediately thereafter there is asset coverage of at least 300% for all borrowings by a Fund from a bank. If borrowings exceed this 300% asset coverage requirement by reason of a decline in net assets of a Fund, the Fund will reduce its borrowings within three days (not including Sundays and holidays) to the extent necessary to comply with the 300% asset coverage requirement. The 1940 Act also permits the Funds to borrow for temporary purposes only in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of its total assets at the time when the loan is made. A loan shall be presumed to be for temporary purposes if it is repaid within 60 days and is not extended or renewed. To the extent outstanding borrowings of a Fund exceed 5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund, the Fund will not make additional purchases of securities – the foregoing shall not be construed to prevent the Fund from settling portfolio transactions or satisfying shareholder redemptions orders.

 

Currently, with respect to senior securities, the 1940 Act and regulatory interpretations of relevant provisions of the 1940 Act establish the following general limits, subject to modification to conform to the 1940 Act as interpreted or modified from time to time. Open-end registered investment companies such as the Funds are not permitted to issue any class of senior security or to sell any senior security of which they are the issuers. The Trust is, however, permitted to issue separate series of Shares (the Funds are a series of the Trust) and to divide those series into separate classes. R4 Class Shares and Service Class Shares are separate classes. The Funds have no intention of issuing senior securities, except that the Trust has issued its Shares in separate series and may divide those series into classes of Shares. Collateral arrangements with respect to forward contracts, futures contracts or options, including deposits of initial and variation margin, are not considered to be the issuance of a senior security for purposes of this restriction.

 

With respect to the percentages adopted by the Trust as maximum limitations on its investment policies and limitations, an excess above the fixed percentage will not be a violation of the policy or limitation unless the excess results immediately and directly from the acquisition of any security or the action taken. This paragraph does not apply to the borrowing policy set forth in paragraph 1 above.

 

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INVESTMENT ADVISER

 

Systelligence, LLC, 7760 France Avenue South, Suite 925, Bloomington, Minnesota 55435 (the “Adviser”) is the investment adviser to each Fund. The Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Adviser is a limited liability company and was organized in March, 2016. As of December 31, 2022, the Adviser had approximately $654 million in assets under management. The Adviser is controlled by Mr. Kevin Miller and Mr. Collin Miller due to their ownership interests in the Adviser.

 

The Adviser provides investment advisory services pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”). Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser manages the investment portfolio of each Fund, subject to the policies adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser, at its own expense and without reimbursement from the Trust, furnishes office space and all necessary office facilities, equipment and executive personnel necessary for managing the assets of the Funds. Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser assumes and pays all ordinary expenses of the Funds, except that the Fund pays all management fees, brokerage fees and commissions, taxes, interest expense, underlying fund fees and expenses, all expenses which it is authorized to pay pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and extraordinary or non-recurring expenses.

 

For its services with respect to each of the Funds, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual management fee calculated daily and payable monthly (and deducted proportionately from each class of Shares), as a percentage of each Fund’s average daily net assets at the rate of 0.45%.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee with respect to each Fund to an annual rate of 0.38% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. Additionally, after giving effect to the foregoing fee waiver, the Adviser has contractually agreed to limit the total expenses of each of the Fund (exclusive of interest, distribution fees pursuant to Rule 12b-1 Plans, fees pursuant to the Shareholder Services Plan, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, dividend expense on short sales, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business) to an annual rate of 0.80% of the average daily net assets of each of the Funds. Each waiver and/or reimbursement of an expense by the Adviser is subject to repayment by each Fund within three years following the date that such waiver was made or expense was incurred, provided that the particular Fund is able to make the repayment without exceeding the expense limitation in place at the time of the waiver or reimbursement and at the time the waiver or reimbursement is recouped. Currently, the Adviser is voluntarily waiving its right to such recoupment of fees. If such waiver is terminated, fees and expenses of the Funds will increase to the extent of expenses available for recoupment. The Adviser may not terminate these contractual arrangements prior to January 31, 2024 and thereafter the arrangements shall continue in effect from year-to-year for successive one-year periods provided that arrangements may be terminated by the Board of Trustees or the Adviser, without payment of any penalty, upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice. For each Fund, the corresponding table below sets forth the management fees earned by the Adviser, as well as management fees waived, expenses reimbursed, and any recoupments by the Adviser of previously waived fees and reimbursed expenses pursuant to the contractual expense limitation, for the three most recently completed fiscal periods ended September 30. Management fees and any fee waivers, expense reimbursements, and recoupments prior to the Reorganizations on May 21, 2022 were pursuant to separate agreements to which the Trust was not a party, and such amounts are not reported below.

 

Very Conservative (0%-15%) RMS Fund   2022     2021     2020  
Management Fees Earned   $ 114,905     $ 44,214       N/A  
Fees and Expenses Waived, Reimbursed, and Recouped   $ (33,164 )   $ (51,809 )     N/A  
Total Fees Paid by Fund to Adviser   $ 81,741     $ (7,595 )     N/A  

 

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Conservative (15%-30%) RMS Fund   2022     2021     2020  
Management Fees Earned   $ 281,990     $ 137,923       N/A  
Fees and Expenses Waived, Reimbursed, and Recouped   $ (43,865 )   $ (79,544 )     N/A  
Total Fees Paid by Fund to Adviser   $ 238,125     $ 58,379       N/A  

 

Conservative/Moderate (30%-50%) RMS Fund   2022     2021     2020  
Management Fees Earned   $ 136,229     $ 59,640       N/A  
Fees and Expenses Waived, Reimbursed, and Recouped   $ (31,703 )   $ (52,587 )     N/A  
Total Fees Paid by Fund to Adviser   $ 104,526     $ 7,053       N/A  

 

Moderate (50%-70%) RMS Fund   2022     2021     2020  
Management Fees Earned   $ 774,147     $ 400,383       N/A  
Fees and Expenses Waived, Reimbursed, and Recouped   $ (120,423 )   $ (132,748 )     N/A  
Total Fees Paid by Fund to Adviser   $ 653,724     $ 267,635       N/A  

 

Growth (70%-85%) RMS Fund   2022     2021     2020  
Management Fees Earned   $ 1,203,287     $ 602,498       N/A  
Fees and Expenses Waived, Reimbursed, and Recouped   $ (187,178 )   $ (158,027 )     N/A  
Total Fees Paid by Fund to Adviser   $ 1,016,109     $ 444,471       N/A  

 

Aggressive Growth (85%-99%) RMS Fund   2022     2021     2020  
Management Fees Earned   $ 695,663     $ 326,273       N/A  
Fees and Expenses Waived, Reimbursed, and Recouped   $ (108,214 )   $ (84,031 )     N/A  
Total Fees Paid by Fund to Adviser   $ 587,449     $ 242,242       N/A  

 

The Adviser retains the right to use the name “Systematic Intelligent Investing” or any derivative thereof in connection with another investment company or business enterprise with which the Adviser is or may become associated. The services furnished by the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement are not exclusive, and the Adviser is free to perform similar services for others.

 

The Adviser may make payments to banks or other financial institutions that provide shareholder services and administer shareholder accounts. If a bank or other financial institution were prohibited from continuing to perform all or a part of such services, management of the Funds believes that there would be no material impact on the Funds or their shareholders. Financial institutions may charge their customers fees for offering these services to the extent permitted by applicable regulatory authorities, and the overall return to those shareholders availing themselves of the financial institution’s services will be lower than to those shareholders who do not. The Funds may from time to time purchase securities issued by financial institutions that provide such services; however, in selecting investments for the Funds, no preference will be shown for such securities.

 

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PORTFOLIO MANAGER

 

As described in the prospectuses, Mr. Kevin Miller, CEO of the Adviser, serves as the Portfolio Manager responsible for the day-to-day investment management of the Funds. This section includes information about the Portfolio Manager, including information about other accounts he manages, the dollar range of Fund shares owned and compensation.

 

In addition to the Funds, the Portfolio Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of certain other accounts, as listed below. The information below is provided as of September 30, 2022.

 

Portfolio Manager   Other Registered Investment Company Accounts     Assets Managed
($ millions)
    Other
Pooled Investment Vehicle Accounts
    Assets Managed
($ millions)
    Other Accounts     Assets Managed
($ millions)
    Total
Assets Managed
($ millions)
 
Kevin R. Miller         0     $   0         0     $   0         0     $   0     $   0  

 

Compensation. The Portfolio Manager does not receive compensation that is based upon the Funds, any separate account strategy, partnership or any other commingled account’s, or any private account’s pre- or after-tax performance, or the value of the assets held by such entities. The Portfolio Manager does not receive any special or additional compensation from the Adviser for his service as Portfolio Manager. The Portfolio Manager receives a salary from the Adviser. In addition to base salary, the Portfolio Manager may receive additional bonus compensation which is tied to the overall financial operating results of the Adviser.

 

Fund Shares Owned by the Portfolio Manager. The following table shows the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the Portfolio Manager in the Funds as of September 30, 2022.

 

Name of Fund   Dollar Range of Equity Securities
E-Valuator Very Conservative (0%-15%) RMS Fund   >$1,000,000
E-Valuator Conservative (15%-30%) RMS Fund   $10,0001-$50,000
E-Valuator Conservative/Moderate (30%-50%) RMS Fund   -
E-Valuator Moderate (50%-70% RMS Fund   $50,001-$100,000
E-Valuator Growth (70%-85%) RMS Fund   $10,001-$50,000
E-Valuator Aggressive Growth (85%-99%) RMS Fund   $50,001-$100,000

 

SERVICE PROVIDERS

 

Administrator, Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent. UMB Fund Services, Inc. (the “Administrator” or the “Transfer Agent”), 215 W. Galena Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as each Fund’s administrator, transfer agent and accounting agent.

 

The Trust has entered into an Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement with the Administrator. In this capacity, the Administrator supervises all aspects of the operations of the Funds except those performed by the Adviser. The Administrator will provide certain administrative services and facilities for the Fund, including preparing and maintaining certain books, records, and monitoring compliance with state and federal regulatory requirements. The Administrator, as administrative agent for the Funds, will provide shareholder, recordkeeping, administrative and blue-sky filing services.

 

The Trust has also entered into a Transfer Agency Agreement with the Administrator. In this capacity, the Administrator provides certain shareholder and other services to the Funds, including furnishing account and transaction information and maintaining shareholder account records. The Administrator will be responsible for processing orders and payments for share purchases. The Administrator will mail proxy materials (and receive and tabulate proxies), shareholder reports, confirmation forms for purchases and redemptions and prospectuses to shareholders. The Administrator will disburse income dividends and capital distributions and prepare and file appropriate tax-related information concerning dividends and distributions to shareholders.

 

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The Administrator also provides accounting services to the Funds. The Administrator will be responsible for accounting relating to the Funds and their investment transactions; maintaining certain books and records of the Fund; determining daily the NAV per share of the Funds; and preparing security position, transaction and cash position reports. The Administrator also monitors periodic distributions of gains or losses on portfolio sales and maintains a daily listing of portfolio holdings. The Administrator is responsible for providing expenses accrued and payment reporting services, tax-related financial information to the Trust, and for monitoring compliance with the regulatory requirements relating to maintaining accounting records.

 

The Administrator receives, for administrative services, an asset-based fee based computed daily and paid monthly on the average daily net assets of each Fund, subject to a minimum fee plus out-of-pocket expenses. The Administrator receives, for transfer agency services, per account fees computed daily and paid monthly, subject to a minimum fee plus out-of-pocket expenses. The Administrator is entitled to receive an asset-based fee, earned and paid monthly on the average daily net assets of the Fund, subject to a minimum fee plus out-of-pocket expenses.

 

The table below sets forth the administration fees incurred by the Funds for their three most recently completed fiscal periods ended September 30. Administration fees incurred by the Predecessor Funds prior to the Reorganizations on May 21, 2021 were incurred pursuant to a separate agreement to which neither the Trust nor the Administrator were a party, and such amounts are not reported below.

 

      Administration Fees  
    2022     2021     2020  
Very Conservative (0%-15%) RMS Fund   $ 9,295     $ 2,843       N/A  
Conservative (15%-30%) RMS Fund   $ 22,809     $ 8,783       N/A  
Conservative/Moderate (30%-50%) RMS Fund   $ 11,021     $ 3,873       N/A  
Moderate (50%-70%) RMS Fund   $ 62,628     $ 25,484       N/A  
Growth (70%-85%) RMS Fund   $ 97,342     $ 38,557       N/A  
Aggressive Growth (85%-99%) RMS Fund   $ 56,281     $ 21,166       N/A  

 

Custodian. UMB Bank, N.A., 1010 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64106 (the “Custodian”) serves as the custodian of the Fund under a custodian agreement with the Trust. The Custodian holds cash, securities and other assets of the Fund as required by the 1940 Act. The Custodian has entered into a foreign sub-custody arrangement with Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., as the approved foreign custody manager (the “Delegate”) to perform certain functions with respect to the custody of the Funds’ assets outside of the United States of America, if any. The Delegate shall place and maintain the Funds’ assets with an eligible foreign custodian; provided that, the Delegate shall be required to determine that the Funds’ assets will be subject to reasonable care based on the standards applicable to custodians in the relevant market.

 

Distributor and Principal Underwriter. UMB Distribution Services, LLC (the “Distributor”), located at 235 W. Galena Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the principal underwriter and national distributor for the shares of the Funds pursuant to a Distribution Agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”). Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor serves as the Funds’ principal underwriter and acts as exclusive agent for the Funds in selling their shares to the public on a “best efforts” basis and then only in respect to orders placed – that is, the Distributor is under no obligations to sell any specific number of Shares. The Distribution Agreement was initially approved by the Board for an initial term of two years. The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of the Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Distribution Agreement or any related agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

 

The Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). The offering of each Fund’s shares is continuous. The Distributor may receive Distribution 12b-1 and Service Fees from the Fund, as described in the applicable prospectus and this SAI.

 

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The Distributor receives no compensation as a result of the sale of each Fund’s shares. For its underwriting services, the Distributor may receive compensation from the Funds’ Rule 12b-1 plan to the extent that such plans generate sufficient fees to compensate for these services; otherwise, the Adviser is responsible for payment of such underwriting services. Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor is compensated for services in providing compliance services, employee licensing and related services. In addition, the Trust reimburses the Distributor for all out-of-pocket expenses or disbursements incurred by the Distributor in connection with the performance of its services under the Distribution Agreement.

 

Legal Counsel. Vedder Price P.C., 222 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL 60601, serves as legal counsel to the Trust and the Funds. Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., 833 E. Michigan Street, Suite 1800, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as legal counsel to the Independent Trustees.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. The Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, Cohen & Company, Ltd. (Cohen & Company), audits each Fund’s annual financial statements and prepares the Funds’ tax returns. Cohen & Company is located at 1350 Euclid Ave., Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115.

 

TRUSTEES & OFFICERS OF THE TRUST

 

Trustees and Officers. The Trust is governed by the Board, which is responsible for protecting the interests of shareholders. Unless otherwise indicated, the business address of each Trustee and officer is c/o E-Valuator Funds Trust, 7760 France Avenue South, Suite 925, Bloomington, Minnesota 55435. The tables below provide information about each of the Trustees and officers of the Trust.

 

The primary responsibility of the Board of Trustees is to represent the interests of the shareholders of the Trust and to provide oversight of the management of the Trust. The Trust’s day to day operations are managed by the Adviser and other service providers who have been approved by the Board. The Board is currently comprised of four trustees, three of whom are classified under the 1940 Act as “non-interested” persons of the Trust (“Independent Trustees”) and one of whom is classified as an “interested” person of the Trust (“Interested Trustee”).

 

INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES

 

Name and Year
of Birth
 

Position(s) Held with Trust(1)

  Length of Time
Served
  Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
  Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee   Other Directorships Held by Trustee
Gerald F. Dillenburg
1967
  Independent Trustee, Audit Committee Chair   Since 2020   Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer AMG Funds, AMG Funds LLC (2016-2020); Chief Compliance Officer and Sarbanes-Oxley Code of Ethics Compliance Officer, AMG Funds, AMG Funds I, AMG Funds II and AMG Funds III (2016-2019); Chief Compliance Officer, (1996-2019) and Sarbanes-Oxley Code of Ethics Compliance Officer (2016-2019), AMG Funds IV; Partner and Chief Compliance Officer (2006-2016), and Chief Financial Officer (2006-2010), Aston Asset Management, LLC; and Chief Operating Officer (2003-2016), Secretary (1996-2015), Chief Financial Officer (1997-2010), and Treasurer (1996-2010), Aston Funds.   6   None
                     
Theresa M. Fredrick
1961

  Independent Trustee, Nominating and Governance Committee Chair   Since 2020   Director of Operational Due Diligence, Aurora Investment Management L.L.C. (2010-2017); Formerly, Consultant, Morningstar, Inc. (January 2020-October 2020).   6   None
                     
Louis A. Holland, Jr. 1964
  Independent Trustee, Board Chair   Since 2020   President and Chief Financial Officer, CUMOTA LLC (a family office) (since 2008).   6   Board Member, Adams Street Partners (since 2022); Board Member, Wisconsin Foundation Alumni Association (since 2017); and UW-Madison Board of Visitors Letters & Science (since 2016).

 

(1) Each Trustee serves until the election and qualification of a successor, or until death, resignation or retirement, or removal as provided in the Trust’s Declaration of Trust. However, each Independent Trustee is subject to retirement at age seventy-five (75).

 

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INTERESTED TRUSTEE AND OFFICER

 

Name and Year of Birth   Position(s) Held with Trust(1)   Length of Time Served   Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years   Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee   Other Directorships Held by Trustee
Kevin R. Miller,
1961
  Trustee, President and Principal Executive Officer(2)   Since 2020   Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, Systelligence, LLC (since 2016).   6   None

 

(1) Each Trustee serves until the election and qualification of a successor, or until death, resignation or retirement, or removal as provided in the Trust’s Declaration of Trust.
   
(2)

Mr. Miller is an “interested person” of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act, because of his position with the Adviser and/or certain of its affiliates.

 

OFFICERS WHO ARE NOT TRUSTEES

 

Name and Year of Birth

 

Position(s) Held with Trust(1)

 

Length of Time Served

 

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years

Collin J. Miller,
1988
  Vice President and Secretary Since 2020  

President, Systelligence, LLC (since 2016); President, The E-Valuator, LLC (investment advisory software) (since 2013); President, SIIMPL LLC (wealth management platform) (since 2018).

Louis Sagert,
1980
  Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer   Since 2020   Lead Administrator and Officer (since 2016) and other positions (2011-2016) at UMB Fund Services, Inc.

Kyle R. Bubeck,
1955

c/o P.O. Box 11550
Overland Park, KS 66207

  Chief Compliance Officer   Since 2020  

President and Founder of Beacon Compliance Consulting Inc. (since 2010); CFO and CCO of Trendstar Advisors, LLC (2003 – 2009).

 

(1) Each officer serves until his or her resignation, retirement or removal by the Board, or until his or her successor shall have been duly appointed and qualified.

 

Board Leadership Structure, Oversight and Standing Committees

 

In light of the general characteristics of the Trust, including the number of Funds, the nature of the Funds’ investments and the relationship between the Trust and the Adviser, the Board has developed a governance structure that fosters the type of meaningful dialogue between the Adviser and the Independent Trustees that results in an appropriate balance of cooperation with and oversight of the Adviser.

 

The Board has appointed Louis A. Holland, Jr. as the independent Chair of the Board. The Board believes that having an Independent Trustee serve as the Chair of the Board and having other Independent Trustees serve as chairs of each committee promotes independence from the Adviser in setting agendas and conducting meetings.

 

Generally, the Board acts by majority vote of all the Trustees, including a majority vote of the Independent Trustees if required by applicable law. The Board has established two standing committees, the Audit Committee and the Nominating & Governance Committee, each comprised entirely of the Independent Trustees, to which it has delegated certain responsibilities as described below. Each of the standing Committees reports its activities to the Board on a regular basis. The Board and its committees meet regularly throughout the year to oversee the Trust’s activities, including reviewing at one or more meetings, the Trust’s arrangements with the Adviser and other service providers, the operation of the Trust’s investment policies, compliance and regulatory matters and the Funds’ investment performance. The Independent Trustees are represented by independent legal counsel at Board and committee meetings. As part of its general oversight of the Trust, the Board is involved in the risk oversight of the Trust directly and through its committees. The Board reviews the investment performance of the Funds with the Adviser, including meeting regularly with the portfolio manager, at its regularly scheduled quarterly Board meetings. In addition, the Board must approve any material changes to a Fund’s investment policies or restrictions.

 

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Audit Committee. The Audit Committee’s functions include making recommendations to the Board regarding the selection and performance of the independent registered public accounting firm, and reviewing matters relating to accounting and auditing practices and procedures, accounting records and the internal accounting controls of the Funds and certain service providers. The Audit Committee is comprised entirely of the three Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee met two times during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022.

 

Nominating & Governance Committee. The Nominating & Governance Committee’s functions include recommending to the Board nominees for Independent Trustee positions and for appointments to various committees, overseeing the Board’s periodic evaluations of the effectiveness of the Board, reviewing and recommending to the Board governance and other policies and practices to be followed in carrying out the Trustees’ duties and responsibilities, and reviewing and making recommendations to the Board regarding the compensation of the Independent Trustees. The Committee is also responsible for implementing the Independent Trustees’ retirement policy. The Board’s Fund Governance Policies provide that Independent Trustees are subject to a mandatory retirement at the end of the year in which they reach the age of seventy-five (75), unless waived when deemed appropriate by the Committee. The Nominating & Governance Committee met two times during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022.

 

Shareholders may submit suggestions for Board candidates by sending a resume of a candidate to the Secretary of the Trust for the attention of the Chair of the Nominating & Governance Committee. Shareholder recommendations should include the proposed nominee’s biographical information (including business experience for the past ten years) and a description of the qualifications of the proposed nominee, along with a statement from the proposed nominee that he or she is willing to serve and meets the requirements to serve as an Independent Trustee, if applicable.

 

To facilitate shareholder communications with the Board (or with any individual Trustee), shareholders are instructed to forward correspondence (including suggestions for independent trustee candidates) by U.S. mail or other courier service to the Secretary of the Trust, 7760 France Avenue South, Suite 925, Bloomington, Minnesota 55435. Correspondence addressed to the Board will be forwarded to the Chair of the Nominating & Governance Committee and correspondence addressed to a specific Trustee will be forwarded to that Trustee.

 

Qualifications of Trustees

 

The following is a brief discussion of the experiences and qualifications that led to the conclusion, as of the date of this SAI, that each current Board member should serve as a Trustee. Generally, no one factor was decisive in the selection of an individual to join the Board. Among the factors the Board considered when concluding that an individual should serve on the Board were the following: (i) the individual’s business and professional experience and accomplishments; (ii) the individual’s ability to work effectively with the other Trustees; (iii) the individual’s prior experience, if any, serving on the boards of public companies (including, where relevant, other investment companies) and other complex enterprises and organizations; and (iv) how the individual’s skills, experience and attributes would contribute to an appropriate mix of relevant skills and experience on the Board. With respect to each Trustee, the Board considered, among other factors, the following experiences and qualifications:

 

Gerald F. Dillenburg. Mr. Dillenburg is an investment services industry executive with over 25 years of compliance, finance, operational, corporate governance and management expertise in a variety of senior roles. Mr. Dillenburg has considerable experience working with companies and boards in the investment management and mutual fund industries. Most recently, Mr. Dillenburg was Chief Compliance Officer at AMG Funds, LLC (2016-2020). Mr. Dillenburg held various executive, finance, operations and compliance positions with AMG Funds and Aston Asset Management, LLC (1996-2020). Before joining AMG Funds and Aston Asset Management, LLC, Mr. Dillenburg, a former Certified Public Accountant (CPA), was a Manager (Audit) with KPMG International Limited (formerly, KPMG Peat Marwick) (1989-1996). Mr. Dillenburg is a member of AICPA. Mr. Dillenburg holds a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy with High Honors from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

 

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Theresa M. Fredrick. Ms. Fredrick has more than 30 years of experience in the securities industry working at a hedge fund of funds, mutual fund complex, broker-dealer, investment advisor and global custodian. Ms. Fredrick served as a consultant at Morningstar, Inc. (January 2020-October 2020) focusing on daily fund operations. Prior to joining Morningstar, Ms. Fredrick also served as the Director of Operational Due Diligence at Aurora Investment Management L.L.C. (2010-2017), the Chief Operations Officer and various other executive positions at Driehaus Capital Management LLC and Driehaus Securities LLC (1995-2008), as well as various positions at the Northern Trust Corporation (1988-1995). Ms. Fredrick also served as a finance officer at the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (1987-1988). Ms. Fredrick holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

 

Louis A. Holland, Jr. Mr. Holland has more than 30 years of experience in the investment management industry. Mr. Holland is the President and Chief Financial Officer of CUMOTA LLC (since 2008), a family office he founded focusing on private investments and business consulting. Mr. Holland previously served as Managing Director at Nuveen Investments (2000-2008), National Sales Manager at John Hancock Mutual Funds (1993-2000) and Regional Vice President of Sales at Oppenheimer Capital–Quest for Value (1991-1993). Mr. Holland has served on numerous corporate and non-profit boards of directors or boards of advisors, including the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health’s Initiative to End Alzheimer’s Disease Board of Visitors (2011-2018), which he chaired for ten years. Mr. Holland holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

 

Kevin R. Miller. Mr. Miller obtained his Series 65 license in February 2006 and began working with clients (individual and corporations) as an investment advisor representative of Intervest International, Inc. where he assisted clients with the proper selection of money managers and asset allocation in a manner suitable to each client’s risk temperament and investment time horizon. In March, 2020, Mr. Miller established the registered investment advisory firm FBD Asset Mgmt, LLC, and thereby transitioned his advisory clientele from Intervest International, Inc to FBD Asset Mgmt, LLC. As the owner of FBD Asset Mgmt, LLC, Mr. Miller continues to work with advisory clients to help them attain their specific investment goals and objectives. Mr. Miller holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Marketing from Northern State University.

 

Trustee Compensation. Each of the Independent Trustees may receive compensation for his or her services to the Trust. All Independent Trustees are reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attendance at meetings. Each Independent Trustee receives a retainer fee at the annualized rate of $30,000. Additionally, each Independent Trustee receives a fee of $500 for each special Board meeting or any Committee meeting attended held in the future on a day other than a day on which a regular quarterly Board meeting is held.

 

Independent Trustees received the following compensation, paid by the Trust, during the Trust’s fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. The Interested Trustee is not compensated by the Trust for his services on the Board. The Trust does not compensate any of the officers. The Trust does not have any pension or retirement plan for the Trustees or for any officer.

 

Independent Trustee   Aggregate Compensation
from the Trust
    Pension
Retirement Benefits Accrued
as Part of Trust Expenses
    Estimated
Annual Benefits Upon
Retirement
    Total
Compensation
from the Trust
 
Gerald F. Dillenburg   $ 30,000       N/A       N/A     $ 30,000  
Theresa M. Fredrick   $ 30,000       N/A       N/A     $ 30,000  
Louis A. Holland   $ 30,000       N/A       N/A     $ 30,000  

 

Trustee Ownership of Fund Shares. The table below shows for each Trustee, the amount of Fund equity securities beneficially owned by each Trustee, and the aggregate value of all investments in equity securities of the Funds of the Trust, as of December 31, 2022, and stated as one of the following ranges: A = None; B = $1-$10,000; C = $10,001-$50,000; D = $50,001-$100,000; and E = over $100,000.

 

Name of Trustee   Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Funds   Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in all Registered Investment Companies Overseen by the Trustees in Family of Investment Companies
Gerald F. Dillenburg  

Very Conservative Fund $10,001-$50,000

Conservative Fund $10,001-$50,000

Conservative/Moderate Fund $10,001-$50,000

Moderate Fund $10,001-$50,000

Growth Fund $10,001-$50,000

Aggressive Growth Fund $10,001-$50,000

  > $100,000
Theresa M. Frederick   Moderate Fund $1-$10,000   $1-$10,000
Louis A. Holland  

Very Conservative Fund $1-$10,000

Conservative Fund $1-$10,000

Conservative/Moderate Fund $1-$10,000

Moderate Fund $1-$10,000

Growth Fund $1-$10,000

Aggressive Growth Fund $1-$10,000

  $50,001-$100,000

 

Policies Concerning Personal Investment Activities. The Funds and the Adviser have adopted a Code of Ethics with respect to the Trust, pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act that permits investment personnel, subject to their particular code of ethics, to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund, for their own account.

 

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CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SECURITIES HOLDERS

 

As of December 31, 2022, the Trustees and Trust officers as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of each class of each of the Funds, except the E-Valuator Very Conservative (0%-15%) RMS Fund Service Class of which the group owned 15.1% of the outstanding shares. A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a Fund or acknowledges the existence of such control. As a controlling shareholder, each of these shareholders of record could control the outcome of any proposal submitted to the shareholders for approval, including changes to a Fund’s fundamental policies or the terms of the management agreement with the Adviser. As of December 31, 2022, the following shareholders of record were considered to be either a control person or principal shareholder of the Fund and share class indicated.

 

Fund and Share Class   Shareholder of Record   Jurisdiction   Percent of Class Owned  
E-VALUATOR AGGRESSIVE GROWTH RMS FD R4   MATRIX TRUST COMPANY TRUSTEE FBO FRINGE BENEFITS OMNI IRA   AZ     99.89 %
E-VALUATOR AGGRESSIVE GROWTH RMS FD SERV   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO DEWILD GRANT RECKERT ASSOC 401 K   NY     6.84 %
E-VALUATOR CONSERV/MODER RMS FD SERVICE   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO STATE BANK OF FARIBAULT 401 K PS P   NY     6.62 %
E-VALUATOR CONSERV/MODER RMS FD SERVICE   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO AGC OF SD 401K PSP OMNIBUS   NY     6.06 %
E-VALUATOR CONSERV/MODER RMS FD SERVICE   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO ALVIN E BENIKE INC PROFIT SHARING   NY     6.16 %
E-VALUATOR CONSERV/MODER RMS FD SERVICE   TD AMERITRADE INC FBO OUR CUSTOMERS   NE     14.99 %
E-VALUATOR CONSERV/MODER RMS FUND R4   MATRIX TRUST COMPANY TRUSTEE FBO FRINGE BENEFITS OMNI IRA   AZ     99.96 %
E-VALUATOR CONSERVATIVE RMS FD SERVICE   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO ALVIN E BENIKE INC PROFIT SHARING   NY     14.20 %
E-VALUATOR CONSERVATIVE RMS FD SERVICE   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO SCHULL CONSTRUCTION CO PS 401 K P   NY     5.58 %
E-VALUATOR CONSERVATIVE RMS FD SERVICE   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO AGC OF SD 401K PSP OMNIBUS   NY     6.57 %
E-VALUATOR CONSERVATIVE RMS FD SERVICE   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO SDACBHS RETIREMENT OMNIBUS   NY     7.02 %
E-VALUATOR CONSERVATIVE RMS FD SERVICE   TD AMERITRADE INC FBO OUR CUSTOMERS   NE     8.38 %
E-VALUATOR CONSERVATIVE RMS FUND R4   MATRIX TRUST COMPANY TRUSTEE FBO FRINGE BENEFITS OMNI IRA   AZ     99.90 %
E-VALUATOR GROWTH RMS FUND R4   MATRIX TRUST COMPANY TRUSTEE FBO FRINGE BENEFITS OMNI IRA   AZ     99.78 %
E-VALUATOR GROWTH RMS FUND SERVICE   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO INPRO CORP 401 K PROFIT SHARING P   NY     8.97 %
E-VALUATOR GROWTH RMS FUND SERVICE   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO DEWILD GRANT RECKERT ASSOC 401 K   NY     7.55 %
E-VALUATOR GROWTH RMS FUND SERVICE   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO AGC OF SD 401K PSP OMNIBUS   NY     9.89 %
E-VALUATOR MODERATE RMS FUND R4   MATRIX TRUST COMPANY TRUSTEE FBO FRINGE BENEFITS OMNI IRA   AZ     99.96 %
E-VALUATOR MODERATE RMS FUND SERVICE   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO SDACBHS RETIREMENT OMNIBUS   NY     9.23 %
E-VALUATOR MODERATE RMS FUND SERVICE   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO AGC OF SD 401K PSP OMNIBUS   NY     8.99 %
E-VALUATOR VERY CONSERV RMS FD SERVICE   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO D J KRANZ CO 401 K PS PLAN   NY     9.15 %
E-VALUATOR VERY CONSERV RMS FD SERVICE   TD AMERITRADE INC FBO OUR CUSTOMERS   NE     27.15 %
E-VALUATOR VERY CONSERV RMS FD SERVICE   CBNA AS CUSTODIAN FBO SDACBHS RETIREMENT OMNIBUS   NY     6.45 %
E-VALUATOR VERY CONSERV RMS FUND R4   MATRIX TRUST COMPANY TRUSTEE FBO FRINGE BENEFITS OMNI IRA   AZ     99.53 %

 

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

General Policy. The Funds adhere to Section 2(a)(41), and Rule 2a-4 thereunder, of the 1940 Act with respect to the valuation of portfolio securities. In general, securities for which market quotations are readily available are valued at current market value, and all other securities are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser, as valuation designee appointed by the Board pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act. In complying with the 1940 Act, the Trust relies on guidance provided by the SEC and by the SEC staff in various rules, interpretive letters and other guidance.

 

Individual Securities. The Funds invest exclusively in open-end mutual funds and ETFs organized in the United States. For ETFs traded on a National Securities Exchange or reported on the NASDAQ National Market System (“NMS”), these securities are valued at the last quoted sales price on the principal exchange as determined by the independent pricing agent (as of the time of determining a Fund’s net asset value) or, if applicable, the NASDAQ Official Closing Price (“NOCP”) on each day on which the NYSE is open for trading (each, a “valuation date”). Securities for which there are no reported sales on the valuation date will be fair valued by the Adviser in accordance with the Trust’s Valuation Procedures. For ETFs traded in the over-the-counter market (other than NASDAQ NMS securities), these securities are valued at the mean of the last quoted bid and asked prices. Shares of open-end RICs will be valued using their NAV, which is determined as of the close of the regular trading session on the NYSE or otherwise in accordance with the RIC’s prospectus.

 

Use of Third-Party Pricing Agents. Pursuant to contracts with the Administrator, market prices for securities held by the Funds are generally provided daily by third-party independent pricing agents that are selected by the Adviser, as valuation designee.

 

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DISTRIBUTION

 

In connection with promotion of the sales of the Funds, the Distributor may, from time to time, offer (to all broker dealers who have a sales agreement with the Distributor) the opportunity to participate in sales incentive programs (which may include non-cash concessions). The Distributor may also, from time to time, pay expenses and fees required in order to participate in dealer sponsored seminars and conferences, reimburse dealers for expenses incurred in connection with pre-approved seminars, conferences and advertising, and may, from time to time, pay or allow additional promotional incentives to dealers as part of pre-approved sales contests.

 

Plan of Distribution. The Funds have a Distribution and Shareholder Services Plan (the “Plan”) for their R4 Class Shares under which they may finance certain activities primarily intended to sell such classes of shares. The Trust has adopted the Plan in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which regulates circumstances under which an investment company may directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of its shares. The Trust intends to operate the Plan in accordance with its terms and with FINRA rules concerning sales charges.

 

The Plan provides that the Funds will pay a fee at an annual rate of 0.25% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Funds’ outstanding R4 Class Shares in consideration for distribution and other services, which are described more fully below. The fee is generally paid to the Distributor as compensation for distribution-related activities although the Funds may pay the fee directly to other financial intermediaries (“Financial Intermediaries”).

 

As noted above, payments for distribution expenses under the Plan are subject to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Rule 12b-1 defines distribution expenses to include the cost of “any activity which is primarily intended to result in the sale of shares issued by the Trust.” Rule 12b-1 provides, among other things, that an investment company may bear such expenses only pursuant to a plan adopted in accordance with Rule 12b-1. In accordance with Rule 12b-1, the Plan provides that a report of the amounts expended under the Plan, and the purposes for which such expenditures were incurred, will be made to the Board for its review at least quarterly. The Plan provides that it may not be amended to increase materially the costs which shares of the Funds may bear for distribution pursuant to the Plan without shareholder approval, and that any other type of material amendment must be approved by a majority of the Board, and by a majority of the trustees who are neither “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust nor have any direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or in any related agreement (the “12b-1 Trustees”), by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of considering such amendments. The Independent Trustees and Trust Officers have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or related agreements.

 

The Trust understands that Financial Intermediaries may charge fees to their customers who are the beneficial owners of Fund shares, in connection with their accounts with such Financial Intermediaries. Any such fees would be in addition to any amounts which may be received by an institution under the Plan.

 

The Board has concluded that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit each Fund. It is anticipated that the Plan will benefit shareholders because an effective sales program typically is necessary for the Funds to reach and maintain a sufficient size to achieve efficiently its investment objectives and to realize economies of scale. The Plan is subject to annual re-approval by a majority of the 12b-1 Trustees and each is terminable at any time with respect to a Fund by a vote of a majority of the 12b-1 Trustees or by vote of the holders of a majority of the applicable classes’ outstanding shares of the Fund. Any agreement entered into pursuant to the Plan with a Financial Intermediary is terminable with respect to a Fund without penalty, at any time, by vote of a majority of the 12b-1 Trustees, by vote of the holders of a majority of the applicable classes’ outstanding shares of the Funds, by the Distributor or by the Financial Intermediary. An agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.

 

As long as the Plan is in effect, the nomination of the trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust (as defined in the 1940 Act) must be committed to the discretion of the 12b-1 Trustees.

 

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The Plan provides that expenditures may include, without limitation: (a) payments to the Distributor and to securities dealers and others in respect of the sale of shares of the Funds; (b) payment of compensation to and expenses of personnel (including personnel of organizations with which the Trust has entered into agreements related to this Plan) who engage in or support distribution of shares of the Funds or who render shareholder support services not otherwise provided by the Trust’s transfer agent, administrator, or custodian, including but not limited to, answering inquiries regarding the Trust, processing shareholder transactions, providing personal services and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts, providing other shareholder liaison services, responding to shareholder inquiries, providing information on shareholder investments in the Shares of the Funds, and providing such other distribution and shareholder services as the Trust may reasonably request, arranging for bank wires, assisting shareholders in changing dividend options, account designations and addresses, providing information periodically to shareholders showing their positions in the Funds, forwarding communications from the Funds such as proxies, shareholder reports, annual reports, and dividend distribution and tax notices to shareholders, processing purchase, exchange, and redemption requests from shareholders and placing orders with the Funds or their service providers; (c) formulation and implementation of marketing and promotional activities, including, but not limited to, direct mail promotions and television, radio, newspaper, magazine and other mass media advertising; (d) preparation, printing and distribution of sales literature; (e) preparation, printing and distribution of prospectuses and statements of additional information and reports of the Trust for recipients other than existing shareholders of the Trust; (f) obtaining information and providing explanations to wholesale and retail distributors of contracts regarding Fund investment objectives and policies and other information about the Funds, including the performance of the Funds; (g) obtaining such information, analyses and reports with respect to marketing and promotional activities as the Trust may, from time to time, deem advisable. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, the Class R4 shares of the Funds paid the following amounts pursuant to the Plan. The table below also sets forth the expenses paid from Plan fees during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022.

 

    Plan Fees Paid by Class R4 Shares     Expenses Paid from Plan Fees to Compensate Broker-Dealers/Financial Intermediaries  
Very Conservative (0%-15%) RMS Fund   $ 34,365     $ 34,365  
Conservative (15%-30%) RMS Fund   $ 40,533     $ 40,533  
Conservative/Moderate (30%-50%) RMS Fund   $ 22,273     $ 22,273  
Moderate (50%-70%) RMS Fund   $ 103,236     $ 103,236  
Growth (70%-85%) RMS Fund   $ 107,046     $ 107,046  
Aggressive Growth (85%-99%) RMS Fund   $ 34,849     $ 34,849  

 

Shareholder Services Plan. The Funds have adopted a shareholder services plan on behalf of its R4 Class Shares. Under a shareholder services plan, the Funds’ Class R4 shares may pay an authorized firm up to 0.25% on an annualized basis of average daily net assets attributable to its customers who are shareholders. For this fee, the authorized firms may provide a variety of services, including but not limited to: (i) maintaining accounts relating to clients that invest in shares; (ii) arranging for bank wires; (iii) responding to client inquiries relating to the services performed by service providers; (iv) responding to inquiries from clients concerning their investment in shares; (v) assisting clients in changing dividend options, account designations and addresses; (vi) providing information periodically to clients showing their position in shares; (vii) forwarding shareholder communications from the funds such as proxies, shareholder reports, annual reports, and dividend distribution and tax notices to clients; (viii) processing purchase, exchange and redemption requests from clients and placing orders with the funds or their service providers; (ix) providing sub-accounting with respect to shares beneficially owned by clients; and (x) processing dividend payments from the funds on behalf of clients.

 

Because the Funds have adopted the shareholder services plan to compensate authorized firms for providing the types of services described above, the Funds believe the shareholder services plan is not covered by Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which relates to payment of distribution fees.

 

An authorized firm generally represents in a service agreement used in connection with the shareholder services plan that all compensation payable to the authorized firm from its customers in connection with the investment of their assets in the Funds will be disclosed by the authorized firm to its customers. It also generally provides that all such compensation will be authorized by the authorized firm’s customers.

 

The Funds do not monitor the actual services being performed by an authorized firm under the plan and related service agreement. The Funds also do not monitor the reasonableness of the total compensation that an authorized firm may receive, including any service fee that an authorized firm may receive from the Funds and any compensation the authorized firm may receive directly from its clients.

 

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PURCHASES AND SALES

 

Purchasing Shares. You may purchase shares of the Funds directly from the Distributor. You may also buy shares through accounts with brokers and other institutions (“authorized institutions”) that are authorized to place trades in Fund shares for their customers. If you invest through an authorized institution, you will have to follow its procedures. Your institution may charge a fee for its services, in addition to the fees charged by the Funds. You will also generally have to address your correspondence or questions regarding the Funds to your authorized institution. The offering price per share is equal to the NAV next determined after the Funds or authorized institution receives your purchase order, plus any applicable sales charge.

 

Your authorized institution is responsible for transmitting all subscription and redemption requests, investment information, documentation and money to the Funds on time. Certain authorized institutions have agreements with the Funds that allow them to enter confirmed purchase or redemption orders on behalf of clients and customers. Under this arrangement, the authorized institution must send your payment to the Funds by the time it prices its shares on the following day. If your authorized institution fails to do so, it may be responsible for any resulting fees or losses.

 

The Funds reserve the right to reject any purchase order and to suspend the offering of shares. Under certain circumstances, the Trust or the Adviser may waive the minimum initial investment for purchases by officers, trustees, and employees of the Trust and its affiliated entities and for certain related advisory accounts and retirement accounts (such as IRAs). The Fund may also change or waive policies concerning minimum investment amounts at any time.

 

Exchanging Shares. If you request the exchange of the total value of your account from one Fund to another, we will reinvest any declared but unpaid income dividends and capital gain distributions in the new Fund at its NAV. Backup withholding and information reporting may apply. Information regarding the possible tax consequences of an exchange appears in the tax section in this SAI.

 

If a substantial number of shareholders sell their shares of a Fund under the exchange privilege, within a short period, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities that it would otherwise have held, thus incurring additional transactional costs. Increased use of the exchange privilege may also result in periodic large inflows of money. If this occurs, a Fund may initially invest in short-term, interest- bearing money market instruments.

 

However, if the Adviser believes that attractive investment opportunities (consistent with a Fund’s investment objective and policies) exist immediately, then it will invest such money in portfolio securities in as orderly a manner as is possible.

 

The proceeds from the sale of shares of the Funds may not be available until the third business day following the sale. The Fund you are seeking to exchange into may also delay issuing shares until that third business day. The sale of Fund shares to complete an exchange will be effected at the NAV of the Funds next computed after your request for exchange is received in proper form. See “Exchange Privilege” below for additional information on exchanges.

 

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Eligible Benefit Plans. An eligible benefit plan is an arrangement available to the employees of an employer (or two or more affiliated employers) having not less than 10 employees at the plan’s inception, or such an employer on behalf of employees of a trust or plan for such employees, their spouses and their children under the age of 21 or a trust or plan for such employees, which provides for purchases through periodic payroll deductions or otherwise. There must be at least 5 initial participants with accounts investing or invested in Fund shares and/or certain other funds.

 

The initial purchase by the eligible benefit plan and prior purchases by or for the benefit of the initial participants of the plan must aggregate not less than $2,500 and subsequent purchases must be at least $50 per account and must aggregate at least $250. Purchases by the eligible benefit plan must be made pursuant to a single order paid for by a single check or federal funds wire and may not be made more often than monthly. A separate account will be established for each employee, spouse or child for which purchases are made. The requirements for initiating or continuing purchases pursuant to an eligible benefit plan may be modified and the offering to such plans may be terminated at any time without prior notice.

 

Selling Shares. You may sell your shares by giving instructions to the Transfer Agent by mail or by telephone. The Funds will use reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine and, if the procedures are followed, will not be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent telephone transactions.

 

The Funds’ procedure is to redeem shares at the NAV next determined after the Transfer Agent receives the redemption request in proper form. Payment will be made promptly, but no later than the seventh day following the receipt of the redemption request in proper form. The Board may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment during any period when (a) trading on the New York Stock Exchange is restricted as determined by the SEC or such exchange is closed for other than weekends and holidays, (b) the SEC has by order permitted such suspension, or (c) an emergency, as defined by rules of the SEC, exists during which time the sale of Fund shares or valuation of securities held by the Fund are not reasonably practicable.

 

ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

The Adviser, out of its own resources and without additional cost to the Funds or their shareholders, may provide additional cash payments or other compensation to certain financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Funds. These payments may be in addition to payments made by the Funds to the Financial Intermediary under the Funds’ Rule 12b-1 Plan. For more information regarding the Funds’ Rule 12b-1 Plan, please see “Distribution – Plan of Distribution.”

 

SHAREHOLDER SERVICES

 

As described briefly in the applicable prospectus, the Funds offer the following shareholder services:

 

Regular Account. The regular account allows for voluntary investments to be made at any time. Available to individuals, custodians, corporations, trusts, estates, corporate retirement plans and others, investors are free to make additions and withdrawals to or from their account as often as they wish. Simply use the account application provided with the prospectus to open your account.

 

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Telephone Transactions. A shareholder may redeem shares or transfer into another Fund by telephone if this service is requested at the time the shareholder completes the initial account application. If it is not elected at that time, it may be elected at a later date by making a request in writing to the Transfer Agent and having the signature on the request guaranteed. The Funds employ reasonable procedures designed to confirm the authenticity of instructions communicated by telephone and, if it does not, it may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent transactions. As a result of this policy, a shareholder authorizing telephone redemption or transfer bears the risk of loss which may result from unauthorized or fraudulent transactions which the Fund believes to be genuine. When requesting a telephone redemption or transfer, the shareholder will be asked to respond to certain questions designed to confirm he shareholder’s identity as the shareholder of record. Cooperation with these procedures helps to protect the account and the Funds from unauthorized transactions.

 

Automatic Investment Plan. Any shareholder may utilize this feature, which provides for automatic monthly investments into your account. Upon your request, the Transfer Agent will withdraw a fixed amount each month from a checking or savings account for investment into the Funds. This does not require a commitment for a fixed period of time. A shareholder may change the monthly investment, skip a month or discontinue the Automatic Investment Plan as desired by notifying the Transfer Agent at 888.507.2798.

 

Retirement Plans. Fund shares are available for purchase in connection with the following tax- deferred prototype retirement plans:

 

  1. Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs). IRAs are available for use by individuals with compensation for services rendered who wish to use shares of the Funds as the funding medium for individual retirement savings. IRAs include traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs and Rollover IRAs.
     
  2. Simplified Employee Pension Plans (SEPs). SEPs are a form of retirement plan for sole proprietors, partnerships and corporations.

 

For information about eligibility requirements and other matters concerning these plans and to obtain the necessary forms to participate in these plans, please call the Trust at 888-507-2798. Each plan’s custodian charges nominal fees in connection with plan establishment and maintenance. These fees are detailed in the plan documents. You may wish to consult with your attorney or other tax adviser for specific advice concerning your tax status and plans.

 

Exchange Privilege. Shareholders may exchange their shares for shares of any other series of the Trust, provided the shares of the Fund the shareholder is exchanging into are registered for sale in the shareholder’s state of residence. Each account must meet the minimum investment requirements. Also, to make an exchange, an exchange order must comply with the requirements for a redemption or repurchase order and must specify the value or the number of shares to be exchanged. Your exchange will take effect as of the next determination of the Fund’s NAV per share (usually at the close of business on the same day). The Trust reserves the right to limit the number of exchanges or to otherwise prohibit or restrict shareholders from making exchanges at any time, without notice, should the Trust determine that it would be in the best interest of its shareholders to do so. For tax purposes, an exchange constitutes the sale of the shares of the Fund from which you are exchanging and the purchase of shares of the Fund into which you are exchanging. Consequently, the sale may involve either a capital gain or loss to the shareholder for federal income tax purposes. The exchange privilege is available only in states where it is legally permissible to do so.

 

Conversion Privilege. Any shares of a Fund may be converted into shares of the same Fund of a different Class, including a Class that has additional Class-specific services and fees, provided the converting shareholder meets the eligibility or waiver requirements of the Class into which the shares will be converted. For federal income tax purposes, a same-Fund conversion is not expected to result in the realization by the investor of a capital gain or loss. Please consult your tax advisor for an assessment of the tax implications of any conversion.

 

For Service Class shares, if an account’s balance falls below the minimum initial investment amount for Service Class shares due to account redemptions (and not due to market depreciation), the Funds reserve the right to convert or redeem shares held by the account into Class R4 shares.

 

The applicable shareholder or intermediary will be notified prior to any such redemption or conversion and will be allowed 60 days to make additional investments and bring the account into compliance with the applicable investment minimum before any conversion or redemption occurs. Any conversion will occur at the relative net asset value of the two applicable share classes at the time of conversion and the account value will not change as a result of the conversion, although the number of shares held may change. A conversion between share classes of the same Fund is generally not a taxable event for federal income tax purposes.

 

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TAXES

 

The following discussion is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Funds and their shareholders. The discussion reflects applicable federal income tax laws of the U.S. as of the date of this SAI, which tax laws may be changed or subject to new interpretations by the courts or the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), possibly with retroactive effect. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of all U.S. income, estate or gift tax, or foreign, state or local tax concerns affecting the Funds and their shareholders (including shareholders owning large positions in the Funds). The discussion set forth herein does not constitute tax advice. Investors are urged to consult their own tax advisers to determine the tax consequences to them of investing in the Funds.

 

In addition, no attempt is made to address tax concerns applicable to an investor with a special tax status such as a financial institution, real estate investment trust, insurance company, regulated investment company (“RIC”), individual retirement account, other tax-exempt entity, dealer in securities or non-U.S. investor. Furthermore, this discussion does not reflect possible application of the alternative minimum tax (“AMT”). Unless otherwise noted, this discussion assumes shares of the Funds are held by U.S. shareholders and that such shares are held as capital assets.

 

A U.S. shareholder is a beneficial owner of shares of the Funds that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

  a citizen or individual resident of the United States (including certain former citizens and former long-term residents);
     
  a corporation or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia;
     
  an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
     
  a trust with respect to which a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or more U.S. shareholders have the authority to control all of its substantial decisions or the trust has made a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

 

A “Non-U.S. shareholder” is a beneficial owner of shares of the Funds that is an individual, corporation, trust or estate and is not a U.S. shareholder. If a partnership (including any entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds shares of the Funds, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally depends upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A prospective shareholder who is a partner of a partnership holding the Fund shares should consult its tax advisors with respect to the purchase, ownership and disposition of its Fund shares.

 

Taxation as a RIC. The Funds intend to qualify and remain qualified as RICs under the Code. A Fund will qualify as a RIC if, among other things, it meets the source-of-income and the asset diversification requirements. With respect to the source-of-income requirement, a Fund must derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income (including tax-exempt interest) from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such shares, securities or currencies and (ii) net income derived from an interest in a “qualified publicly traded partnership.” A “qualified publicly traded partnership” is generally defined as a publicly traded partnership under Code section 7704. However, for these purposes, a qualified publicly traded partnership does not include a publicly traded partnership if 90% or more of its income is described in (i) above. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) or trust is qualifying income to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership or trust which would be qualifying income if realized by the Funds in the same manner as realized by the partnership or trust.

 

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The Funds intend to invest in ETFs that are taxable as RICs under the Code. Accordingly, the income the Funds receive from such ETFs should be qualifying income for purposes of the Fund satisfying the 90% Test described above. However, the Funds may also invest in one or more ETFs that are not taxable as RICs under the Code and that may generate non-qualifying income for purposes of satisfying the 90% Test. The Funds anticipate monitoring their investments in such ETFs so as to keep the Funds’ non- qualifying income within acceptable limits of the 90% Test, however, it is possible that such non-qualifying income will be more than anticipated which could cause the Funds to inadvertently fail the 90% Test thereby causing the Funds to fail to qualify as a RIC. In such a case, the Funds would be subject to the rules described below.

 

If a RIC fails this 90% source-of-income test as long as such failure was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect it is no longer subject to a corporate level tax. Instead, the amount of the penalty for non-compliance is the amount by which the non-qualifying income exceeds one-ninth of the qualifying gross income.

 

With respect to the asset diversification requirement, each Fund must diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of each taxable year (i) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, the securities of other RICs and other securities, if such other securities of any one issuer do not represent more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is invested in the securities other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other RICs of (a) one issuer, (b) two or more issuers that are controlled by the Fund and that are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or (c) one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

If a RIC fails this asset diversification test, such RIC, in addition to other cure provisions previously permitted, has a 6-month period to correct any failure without incurring a penalty if such failure is “de minimis,” meaning that the failure does not exceed the lesser of 1% of the RIC’s assets, or $10 million.

 

Similarly, if a RIC fails this asset diversification test and the failure is not de minimis, a RIC can cure failure if: (a) the RIC files with the Treasury Department a description of each asset that causes the RIC to fail the diversification tests; (b) the failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect; and (c) the failure is cured within six months (or such other period specified by the Treasury). In such cases, a tax is imposed on the RIC equal to the greater of: (a) $50,000 or (b) an amount determined by multiplying the highest rate of tax (currently 21%) by the amount of net income generated during the period of diversification test failure by the assets that caused the RIC to fail the diversification test.

 

If the Funds qualify as RICs and distribute to their shareholders, for each taxable year, at least 90% of the sum of (i) its “investment company taxable income” as that term is defined in the Code (which includes, among other things, dividends, taxable interest, the excess of any net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses and certain net foreign exchange gains as reduced by certain deductible expenses) without regard to the deduction for dividends paid, and (ii) the excess of its gross tax-exempt interest, if any, over certain deductions attributable to such interest that are otherwise disallowed, the Funds will be relieved of U.S. federal income tax on any income of the Funds, including long-term capital gains, distributed to shareholders. However, any ordinary income or capital gain retained by the Funds will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate federal income tax rates (currently at a maximum rate of 21%). The Funds intend to distribute at least annually substantially all of their investment company taxable income, net tax-exempt interest, and net capital gain.

 

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The Funds will generally be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax on the portion of its undistributed ordinary income with respect to each calendar year and undistributed capital gains if it fails to meet certain distribution requirements with respect to the one-year period ending on October 31 in that calendar year. To avoid the 4% federal excise tax, the required minimum distribution is generally equal to the sum of (i) 98% of a Fund’s ordinary income (computed on a calendar year basis), (ii) 98.2% of a Fund’s capital gain net income (generally computed for the one-year period ending on October 31) and (iii) any income realized, but not distributed, and on which we paid no federal income tax in preceding years. The Funds generally intend to make distributions in a timely manner in an amount at least equal to the required minimum distribution and therefore, under normal market conditions, does not expect to be subject to this excise tax.

 

The Funds may be required to recognize taxable income in circumstances in which it does not receive cash. For example, if the Funds hold debt obligations that are treated under applicable tax rules as having original issue discount (such as debt instruments with payment in kind interest or, in certain cases, with increasing interest rates or that are issued with warrants), the Funds must include in income each year a portion of the original issue discount that accrues over the life of the obligation regardless of whether cash representing such income is received by the Funds in the same taxable year. Because any original issue discount accrued will be included in the Funds’ “investment company taxable income” (discussed above) for the year of accrual, the Funds may be required to make a distribution to its shareholders to satisfy the distribution requirement, even though it will not have received an amount of cash that corresponds with the income earned.

 

Transactions involving short sales may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, may affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders.

 

To the extent that the Funds have capital loss carryforwards from prior tax years, those carryforwards will reduce the net capital gains that can support a Fund’s distribution of capital gain dividends. If the Funds use net capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning on or before December 22, 2010 (pre-2011 losses), those carryforwards will not reduce a Fund’s current earnings and profits, as losses incurred in later years will. As a result, if the Funds then makes distributions of capital gains recognized during the current year in excess of net capital gains (as reduced by carryforwards), the portion of the excess equal to pre-2011 losses factoring into net capital gain will be taxable as an ordinary dividend distribution, even though that distributed excess amount would not have been subject to tax if retained by the Funds. Capital loss carryforwards are reduced to the extent they offset current-year net realized capital gains, whether the Funds retain or distribute such gains. Beginning in 2011, a RIC is permitted to carry forward net capital losses indefinitely and may allow losses to retain their original character (as short or as long-term). For net capital losses recognized prior to such date, such losses are permitted to be carried forward up to 8 years and are characterized as short-term. These capital loss carryforwards may be utilized in future years to offset net realized capital gains of the Funds, if any, prior to distributing such gains to shareholders.

 

Except as set forth in “Failure to Qualify as a RIC,” the remainder of this discussion assumes that each Fund will qualify as a RIC for each taxable year.

 

Failure to Qualify as a RIC. If a Fund is unable to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement or otherwise fails to qualify as a RIC in any year, it will be subject to corporate level income tax on all of its income and gain, regardless of whether or not such income was distributed. Distributions to a Fund’s shareholders of such income and gain will not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income. In such event, a Fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, would constitute ordinary dividends, which would generally be eligible for the dividends received deduction available to corporate shareholders, and non-corporate shareholders would generally be able to treat such distributions as “qualified dividend income” eligible for reduced rates of U.S. federal income taxation, if holding period and other requirements are satisfied.

 

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Distributions in excess of a Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits would be treated first as a return of capital to the extent of the shareholders’ tax basis in their Fund shares, and any remaining distributions would be treated as a capital gain. To qualify as a RIC in a subsequent taxable year, the Funds would be required to satisfy the source-of-income, the asset diversification, and the annual distribution requirements for that year and dispose of any earnings and profits from any year in which the Funds failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. Subject to a limited exception applicable to RICs that qualified as such under the Code for at least one year prior to disqualification and that requalify as a RIC no later than the second year following the nonqualifying year, the Funds would be subject to tax on any unrealized built- in gains in the assets held by it during the period in which the Funds failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC that are recognized within the subsequent 10 years, unless the Funds made a special election to pay corporate-level tax on such built-in gain at the time of its requalification as a RIC.

 

Taxation for U.S. Shareholders. Distributions paid to U.S. shareholders by a Fund from its investment company taxable income (which is, generally, the Fund’s ordinary income plus net realized short-term capital gains in excess of net realized long-term capital losses) are generally taxable to U.S. shareholders as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. Such distributions (if designated by the Fund) may qualify (i) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders under Section 243 of the Code to the extent that the Fund’s income consists of dividend income from U.S. corporations, excluding distributions from tax-exempt organizations, exempt farmers’ cooperatives or real estate investment trusts or (ii) in the case of individual shareholders, as qualified dividend income eligible to be taxed at reduced rates under Section 1(h)(11) of the Code (which provides for a maximum 20% rate) to the extent that the Fund receives qualified dividend income, and provided in each case certain holding period and other requirements are met. Qualified dividend income is, in general, dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and qualified foreign corporations (e.g., generally, foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a qualified comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States, or the stock with respect to which such dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States). A qualified foreign corporation generally excludes any foreign corporation, which for the taxable year of the corporation in which the dividend was paid, or the preceding taxable year, is a passive foreign investment company. Distributions made to a U.S. shareholder from an excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses (“capital gain dividends”), including capital gain dividends credited to such shareholder but retained by the Funds, are taxable to such shareholder as long-term capital gain if they have been properly designated by the Funds, regardless of the length of time such shareholder owned the shares of the Funds. The maximum tax rate on capital gain dividends received by individuals is generally 20%. Distributions in excess of a Fund’s earnings and profits will be treated by the U.S. shareholder, first, as a tax-free return of capital, which is applied against and will reduce the adjusted tax basis of the U.S. shareholder’s shares and, after such adjusted tax basis is reduced to zero, will constitute capital gain to the U.S. shareholder (assuming the shares are held as a capital asset). The Funds are not required to provide written notice designating the amount of any qualified dividend income or capital gain dividends and other distributions. The Forms 1099 will instead serve this notice purpose.

 

As RICs, the Funds will be subject to the AMT, but any items that are treated differently for AMT purposes must be apportioned between the Funds and the shareholders and this may affect the shareholders’ AMT liabilities. The Funds intend in general to apportion these items in the same proportion that dividends paid to each shareholder bear to the Fund’s taxable income (determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction).

 

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For purposes of determining (i) whether the annual distribution requirement is satisfied for any year and (ii) the amount of capital gain dividends paid for that year, the Funds may, under certain circumstances, elect to treat a dividend that is paid during the following taxable year as if it had been paid during the taxable year in question. If the Funds make such an election, the U.S. shareholder will still be treated as receiving the dividend in the taxable year in which the distribution is made. However, any dividend declared by the Funds in October, November or December of any calendar year, payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month and actually paid during January of the following year, will be treated as if it had been received by the U.S. shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared.

 

The Funds intend to distribute all realized capital gains, if any, at least annually. If, however, the Funds were to retain any net capital gain, the Funds may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to shareholders who, if subject to U.S. federal income tax on long-term capital gains, (i) will be required to include in income as long-term capital gain, their proportionate shares of such undistributed amount, and (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the federal income tax paid by the Funds on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. If such an event occurs, the tax basis of shares owned by a shareholder of the Funds will, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, generally be increased by the difference between the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder’s gross income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholders.

 

Sales and other dispositions of the shares of the Funds generally are taxable events. U.S. shareholders should consult their own tax adviser with reference to their individual circumstances to determine whether any particular transaction in the shares of the Funds are properly treated as a sale or exchange for federal income tax purposes, as the following discussion assumes, and the tax treatment of any gains or losses recognized in such transactions. The sale or other disposition of shares of the Funds will generally result in capital gain or loss to the shareholder equal to the difference between the amount realized and his adjusted tax basis in the shares sold or exchanged, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year at the time of sale. Any loss upon the sale or exchange of shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends received (including amounts credited as an undistributed capital gain dividend) by such shareholder with respect to such shares. A loss realized on a sale or exchange of shares of the Funds generally will be disallowed if other substantially identical shares are acquired within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date that the shares are disposed. In such case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Present law taxes both long- term and short-term capital gain of corporations at the rates applicable to ordinary income of corporations. For non-corporate taxpayers, short-term capital gain will currently be taxed at the rate applicable to ordinary income, while long-term capital gain generally will be taxed at a maximum rate of 20%. Capital losses are subject to certain limitations.

 

Federal law requires that mutual fund companies report their shareholders’ cost basis, gain/loss, and holding period to the Internal Revenue Service on the Funds’ shareholders’ Consolidated Form 1099s when “covered” securities are sold. Covered securities are any regulated investment company and/or dividend reinvestment plan shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012.

 

The Funds have chosen average cost as the standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders. A tax lot identification method is the way the Funds will determine which specific shares are deemed to be sold when there are multiple purchases on different dates at differing NAVs, and the entire position is not sold at one time. The Funds have chosen average cost as its standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders. The Funds’ standing tax lot identification method is the method covered shares will be reported on your Consolidated Form 1099 if you do not select a specific tax lot identification method. You may choose a method different than the Funds’ standing method and will be able to do so at the time of your purchase or upon the sale of covered shares. Please refer to the appropriate Internal Revenue Service regulations or consult your tax advisor with regard to your personal circumstances

 

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For those securities defined as “covered” under current Internal Revenue Service cost basis tax reporting regulations, the Funds are responsible for maintaining accurate cost basis and tax lot information for tax reporting purposes. The Funds are not responsible for the reliability or accuracy of the information for those securities that are not “covered.” The Funds and their service providers do not provide tax advice. You should consult independent sources, which may include a tax professional, with respect to any decisions you may make with respect to choosing a tax lot identification method.

 

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2013, certain U.S. shareholders, including individuals and estates and trusts, will be subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which should include dividends from the Funds and net gains from the disposition of shares of the Fund. U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the implications of the additional Medicare tax resulting from an investment in the Funds.

 

Straddles. When a Fund enters into an offsetting position to limit the risk on another position, the “straddle” rules usually come into play. An option or other position entered into or held by a Fund in conjunction with any other position held by that Fund may constitute a “straddle” for Federal income tax purposes. In general, straddles are subject to certain rules that may affect the character and timing of the Fund’s gains and losses with respect to straddle positions. The key features of the straddle rules are as follows:

 

A Fund may have to wait to deduct any losses. If a Fund has a capital gain in one position of a straddle and a capital loss in the other, the Funds may not recognize the loss for federal income tax purposes until the Fund disposes of both positions. This might occur, for example, if the Fund had a highly appreciated stock position and the Fund purchased protective put options (which give the Fund the right to sell the stock to someone else for a period of time at a predetermined price) to offset the risk. If the stock continued to increase in value and the put options expired worthless, the Fund must defer recognition of the loss on its put options until the Fund sells and recognizes the gain on the original, appreciated position.

 

A Fund’s capital gain holding period may get clipped. The moment a Fund enters into a typical straddle, the capital gains holding period on its offsetting positions is frozen. If a Fund held the original position for one year or less (thus not qualifying for the long-term capital gains rate), not only is the holding period frozen, it starts all over again when the Fund disposes of the offsetting position.

 

Losses recognized with respect to certain straddle positions that would otherwise constitute short- term capital losses may be treated as long-term capital losses. This generally has the effect of reducing the tax benefit of such losses.

 

A Fund may not be able to deduct any interest expenses or carrying charges. During the offsetting period, any interest or carrying charges associated with the straddle are not currently tax deductible, but must be capitalized (added to cost basis).

 

Original Issue Discount, Pay-In-Kind Securities, Market Discount and Commodity-Linked Notes. Some debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance (and zero-coupon debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Funds may be treated as debt obligations that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of the original issue discount (“OID”) is treated as interest income and is included in a Fund’s taxable income (and required to be distributed by the Funds) over the term of the debt obligation, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt security.

 

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Some debt obligations (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Funds in the secondary market may be treated as having “market discount.” Very generally, market discount is the excess of the stated redemption price of a debt obligation (or in the case of an obligations issued with OID, its “revised issue price”) over the purchase price of such obligation. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt obligation having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the “accrued market discount” on such debt obligation. Alternatively, the Funds may elect to accrue market discount currently, in which case the Funds will be required to include the accrued market discount in a Fund’s income (as ordinary income) and thus distribute it over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt security. The rate at which the market discount accrues, and thus is included in a Fund’s income, will depend upon which of the permitted accrual methods the Fund elects. In the case of higher-risk securities, the amount of market discount may be unclear. See “Higher-Risk Securities.”

 

Some debt obligations (with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Funds may be treated as having “acquisition discount” (very generally, the excess of the stated redemption price over the purchase price), or OID in the case of certain types of debt obligations. The Funds will be required to include the acquisition discount, or OID, in income (as ordinary income) over the term of the debt obligation, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt security. The Funds may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt obligations having acquisition discount, or OID, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.

 

In addition, payment-in-kind securities will, and commodity-linked notes may, give rise to income that is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Funds holding the security receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year.

 

If the Funds hold the foregoing kinds of securities, they may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Funds actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of a Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary (including when it is not advantageous to do so). The Funds may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event the Funds realize net capital gains from such transactions, their shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution than they would in the absence of such transactions.

 

Higher-Risk Securities. To the extent such investments are permissible for the Funds, the Funds may invest in debt obligations that are in the lowest rating categories or are unrated, including debt obligations of issuers not currently paying interest or who are in default. Investments in debt obligations that are at risk of or in default present special tax issues for the Funds. Tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Funds may cease to accrue interest, OID or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless securities and how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income. In limited circumstances, it may also not be clear whether the Funds should recognize market discount on a debt obligation, and if so, what amount of market discount the Funds should recognize. These and other related issues will be addressed by the Funds when, as and if it invests in such securities, in order to seek to ensure that it distributes sufficient income to preserve its status as a regulated investment company and does not become subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.

 

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Issuer Deductibility of Interest. A portion of the interest paid or accrued on certain high yield discount obligations owned by the Funds may not be deductible to (and thus, may affect the cash flow of) the issuer. If a portion of the interest paid or accrued on certain high yield discount obligations is not deductible, that portion will be treated as a dividend for purposes of the corporate dividends-received deduction. In such cases, if the issuer of the high yield discount obligations is a domestic corporation, dividend payments by the Funds may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction to the extent of the deemed dividend portion of such accrued interest.

 

Interest paid on debt obligations owned by the Funds, if any, that are considered for U.S. tax purposes to be payable in the equity of the issuer or a related party will not be deductible to the issuer, possibly affecting the cash flow of the issuer.

 

Tax-Exempt Shareholders. A tax-exempt shareholder could recognize UBTI by virtue of its investment in the Funds if shares in the Funds constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax- exempt shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b). Furthermore, a tax-exempt shareholder may recognize UBTI if the Funds recognize “excess inclusion income” derived from direct or indirect investments in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs if the amount of such income recognized by the Funds exceeds a Fund’s investment company taxable income (after taking into account deductions for dividends paid by the Fund).

 

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts (“CRTs”) that invest in regulated investment companies that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs. Under legislation enacted in December 2006, a CRT (as defined in section 664 of the Code) that realizes any UBTI for a taxable year, must pay an excise tax annually of an amount equal to such UBTI. Under IRS guidance issued in October 2006, a CRT will not recognize UBTI solely as a result of investing in the Funds that recognize “excess inclusion income.” Rather, if at any time during any taxable year a CRT (or one of certain other tax-exempt shareholders, such as the United States, a state or political subdivision, or an agency or instrumentality thereof, and certain energy cooperatives) is a record holder of a share in the Funds that recognize “excess inclusion income,” then the regulated investment company will be subject to a tax on that portion of its “excess inclusion income” for the taxable year that is allocable to such shareholders, at the highest federal corporate income tax rate. The extent to which this IRS guidance remains applicable in light of the December 2006 legislation is unclear. To the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the Funds may elect to specially allocate any such tax to the applicable CRT, or other shareholder, and thus reduce such shareholder’s distributions for the year by the amount of the tax that relates to such shareholder’s interest in the Funds. The Funds have not yet determined whether such an election will be made. CRTs and other tax-exempt investors are urged to consult their tax advisers concerning the consequences of investing in the Funds.

 

Foreign Taxation. Income received by the Funds from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes.

 

The ETFs in which the Funds invest may invest in foreign securities. Dividends and interest received by an ETF’s holding of foreign securities may give rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If the ETF in which the Funds invest is taxable as a RIC and meets certain other requirements, which include a requirement that more than 50% of the value of such ETF’s total assets at the close of its respective taxable year consists of stocks or securities of foreign corporations, then the ETF should be eligible to file an election with the IRS that may enable its shareholders, including the Fund in effect, to receive either the benefit of a foreign tax credit, or a tax deduction, with respect to any foreign and U.S. possessions income taxes paid the by Funds, subject to certain limitations.

 

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A “qualified fund of funds” is a RIC that has at least 50% of the value of its total interests invested in other RICs at the end of each quarter of the taxable year. If the Funds satisfy this requirement or if they meet certain other requirements, which include a requirement that more than 50% of the value of a Fund’s total assets at the close of its taxable year consist of stocks or securities of foreign corporations, then the Funds should be eligible to file an election with the IRS that may enable its shareholders to receive either the benefit of a foreign tax credit, or a tax deduction, with respect to any foreign and U.S. possessions income taxes paid by the Funds, subject to certain limitations.

 

Foreign Shareholders. Capital gain dividends are generally not subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax. Absent a specific statutory exemption, dividends other than capital gain dividends paid by the Funds to a shareholder that is not a “U.S. person” within the meaning of the Code (such shareholder, a “foreign shareholder”) are subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) even if they are funded by income or gains (such as portfolio interest, short-term capital gains, or foreign-source dividend and interest income) that, if paid to a foreign person directly, would not be subject to withholding.

 

A regulated investment company is not required to withhold any amounts (i) with respect to distributions (other than distributions to a foreign person (a) that does not provide a satisfactory statement that the beneficial owner is not a U.S. person, (b) to the extent that the dividend is attributable to certain interest on an obligation if the foreign person is the issuer or is a 10% shareholder of the issuer, (c) that is within a foreign country that has inadequate information exchange with the United States, or (d) to the extent the dividend is attributable to interest paid by a person that is a related person of the foreign person and the foreign person is a controlled foreign corporation) from U.S.-source interest income of types similar to those not subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by an individual foreign person, to the extent such distributions are properly reported as such by the Funds in a written notice to shareholders (“interest-related dividends”), and (ii) with respect to distributions (other than (a) distributions to an individual foreign person who is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the distribution and (b) distributions subject to special rules regarding the disposition of U.S. real property interests as described below) of net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses to the extent such distributions are properly reported by the regulated investment company (“short-term capital gain dividends”). If the Funds invest in an underlying fund that pays such distributions to the Funds, such distributions retain their character as not subject to withholding if properly reported when paid by the Funds to foreign persons.

 

The Funds are permitted to report such part of their dividends as interest-related or short-term capital gain dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so. These exemptions from withholding will not be available to foreign shareholders of Funds that do not currently report their dividends as interest- related or short-term capital gain dividends.

 

In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the Funds report all or a portion of a payment as an interest-related or short-term capital gain dividend to shareholders. Foreign persons should contact their intermediaries regarding the application of these rules to their accounts.

 

Under U.S. federal tax law, a beneficial holder of shares who is a foreign shareholder generally is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of the Funds or on capital gain dividends unless (i) such gain or dividend is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by such holder within the United States, (ii) in the case of an individual holder, the holder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale or the receipt of the Capital Gain Dividend and certain other conditions are met, or (iii) the special rules relating to gain attributable to the sale or exchange of “U.S. real property interests” (“USRPIs”) apply to the foreign shareholder’s sale of shares of the Funds or to the Capital Gain Dividend the foreign shareholder received (as described below).

 

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Special rules would apply if the Funds were either a “U.S. real property holding corporation” (“USRPHC”) or would be a USRPHC but for the operation of certain exceptions to the definition thereof. Very generally, a USRPHC is a domestic corporation that holds USRPIs the fair market value of which equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market values of the corporation’s USPRIs, interests in real property located outside the United States, and other assets. USRPIs are generally defined as any interest in U.S. real property and any interest (other than solely as a creditor) in a USRPHC or former USRPHC.

 

If the Funds were a USRPHC or would be a USRPHC but for the exceptions referred to above, any distributions by the Funds to a foreign shareholder (including, in certain cases, distributions made by the Funds in redemption of its shares) attributable to gains realized by the Funds on the disposition of USRPIs or to distributions received by the Fund from a lower-tier regulated investment company or REIT that the Funds are required to treat as USRPI gain in its hands generally would be subject to U.S. tax withholding. In addition, such distributions could result in the foreign shareholder being required to file a U.S. tax return and pay tax on the distributions at regular U.S. federal income tax rates. The consequences to a foreign shareholder, including the rate of such withholding and character of such distributions (e.g., as ordinary income or USRPI gain), would vary depending upon the extent of the foreign shareholder’s current and past ownership of the Funds. On and after January 1, 2012, this “look-through” USRPI treatment for distributions by the Fund, if it were either a USRPHC or would be a USRPHC but for the operation of the exceptions referred to above, to foreign shareholders applies only to those distributions that, in turn, are attributable to distributions received by the Fund from a lower-tier REIT, unless Congress enacts legislation providing otherwise.

 

In addition, if the Funds were a USRPHC or former USRPHC, it could be required to withhold U.S. tax on the proceeds of a share redemption by a greater-than-5% foreign shareholder, in which case such foreign shareholder generally would also be required to file U.S. tax returns and pay any additional taxes due in connection with the redemption.

 

Whether or not the Funds are characterized as a USRPHC will depend upon the nature and mix of a Fund’s assets. The Funds do not expect to be a USRPHC. Foreign shareholders should consult their tax advisors concerning the application of these rules to their investment in the Funds.

 

If a beneficial holder of Fund shares who is a foreign shareholder has a trade or business in the United States, and the dividends are effectively connected with the beneficial holder’s conduct of that trade or business, the dividend will be subject to U.S. federal net income taxation at regular income tax rates.

 

If a beneficial holder of Fund shares who is a foreign shareholder is eligible for the benefits of a tax treaty, any effectively connected income or gain will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis only if it is also attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by that beneficial holder in the United States.

 

To qualify for any exemptions from withholding described above or for lower withholding tax rates under income tax treaties, or to establish an exemption from backup withholding, a foreign shareholder must comply with special certification and filing requirements relating to its non-US status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN or substitute form). Foreign shareholders in the Fund should consult their tax advisers in this regard.

 

A beneficial holder of Fund shares who is a foreign shareholder may be subject to state and local tax and to the U.S. federal estate tax in addition to the federal tax on income referred to above.

 

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Backup Withholding. The Funds generally are required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and redemption proceeds paid to any individual shareholder who fails to properly furnish the Funds with a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify to the Funds that he or she is not subject to such withholding. The backup withholding tax rate is currently 24%.

 

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is furnished to the IRS.

 

Tax Shelter Reporting Regulations. Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to a Fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all regulated investment companies. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

 

Shareholder Reporting Obligations With Respect to Foreign Financial Assets. Certain individuals (and, if provided in future guidance, certain domestic entities) must disclose annually their interests in “specified foreign financial assets” on IRS Form 8938, which must be attached to their U.S. federal income tax returns for taxable years beginning after March 18, 2010. The IRS has not yet released a copy of the Form 8938 and has suspended the requirement to attach Form 8938 for any taxable year for which an income tax return is filed before the release of Form 8938. Following Form 8938’s release, individuals will be required to attach to their next income tax return required to be filed with the IRS a Form 8938 for each taxable year for which the filing of Form 8938 was suspended. Until the IRS provides more details regarding this reporting requirement, including in Form 8938 itself and related Treasury regulations, it remains unclear under what circumstances, if any, a shareholder’s (indirect) interest in the Funds’ “specified foreign financial assets,” if any, will be required to be reported on this Form 8938.

 

Other Reporting and Withholding Requirements. Rules enacted in March 2010 require the reporting to the IRS of direct and indirect ownership of foreign financial accounts and foreign entities by U.S. persons. Failure to provide this required information can result in a 30% withholding tax on certain payments (“withholdable payments”) made after December 31, 2013. Specifically, withholdable payments subject to this 30% withholding tax include payments of U.S.-source dividends and interest made on or after January 1, 2014, and payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposal of property that can produce U.S.-source dividends or interest made on or after January 1, 2015.

 

The IRS has issued only very preliminary guidance with respect to these new rules; their scope remains unclear and potentially subject to material change. Very generally, it is possible that distributions made by the Funds after the dates noted above (or such later dates as may be provided in future guidance) to a shareholder, including a distribution in redemption of shares and a distribution of income or gains otherwise exempt from withholding under the rules applicable to non-U.S. shareholders described above (e.g., capital gain dividends, short-term capital gain dividends and interest-related dividends, as described above) will be subject to the new 30% withholding requirement. Payments to a foreign shareholder that is a “foreign financial institution” will generally be subject to withholding, unless such shareholder enters into a timely agreement with the IRS. Payments to shareholders that are U.S. persons or foreign individuals will generally not be subject to withholding, so long as such shareholders provide the Funds with such certifications or other documentation, including, to the extent required, with regard to such shareholders’ direct and indirect owners, as the Funds require to comply with the new rules. Persons investing in the Funds through an intermediary should contact their intermediary regarding the application of the new reporting and withholding regime to their investments in the Funds.

 

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Shareholders are urged to consult a tax advisor regarding this new reporting and withholding regime, in light of their particular circumstances.

 

Shares Purchased through Tax-Qualified Plans. Special tax rules apply to investments through defined contribution plans and other tax-qualified plans. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the suitability of shares of the Funds as an investment through such plans, and the precise effect of an investment on their particular tax situation.

 

FATCA. Payments to a shareholder that is either a foreign financial institution (“FFI”) or a non- financial foreign entity (“NFFE”) within the meaning of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) may be subject to a generally nonrefundable 30% withholding tax on: (a) income dividends paid by a Fund after June 30, 2014 and (b) certain capital gain distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund shares paid by a Fund after December 31, 2016. FATCA withholding tax generally can be avoided: (a) by an FFI, subject to any applicable intergovernmental agreement or other exemption, if it enters into a valid agreement with the IRS to, among other requirements, report required information about certain direct and indirect ownership of foreign financial accounts held by U.S. persons with the FFI and (b) by an NFFE, if it: (i) certifies that it has no substantial U.S. persons as owners or (ii) if it does have such owners, reports information relating to them. A Fund may disclose the information that it receives from its shareholders to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA. Withholding also may be required if a foreign entity that is a shareholder of a Fund fails to provide the Fund with appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA.

 

The foregoing is a general and abbreviated summary of the provisions of the Code and the Treasury regulations in effect as they directly govern the taxation of the Fund and its shareholders. These provisions are subject to change by legislative and administrative action, and any such change may be retroactive. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers regarding specific questions as to U.S. federal income, estate or gift taxes, or foreign, state, local taxes or other taxes.

 

BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES

 

Brokerage Transactions. Generally, transactions in ETFs and shares of closed-end funds are bought and sold on an exchange through brokerage transactions for which commissions are payable. Purchases from underwriters will include the underwriting commission or concession, and purchases from dealers serving as market makers will include a dealer’s mark-up or reflect a dealer’s mark-down. The purchase price for securities bought from dealers serving as market makers will similarly include the dealer’s mark up or reflect a dealer’s mark down. When the Funds execute transactions in the over-the-counter market, it will generally deal with primary market makers unless prices that are more favorable are otherwise obtainable. Purchases and sales of mutual funds shares are effected directly with the Funds through the Funds’ custodian. The Funds or the Adviser on behalf of the Funds may engage one or more third parties to facilitate processing of mutual fund transactions. Currently, the Adviser has engaged Matrix LLC to provide administrative and custody support to services with respect to the processing of mutual fund transactions.

 

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In selecting brokers to effect transactions in ETFs and other exchange-traded products, the Adviser will consider various factors including the commission rate charge, timeliness and accuracy of completion of execution services, ability of the broker to facilitate a large number of rebalancing trades, and broker’s ability to interface with Matrix LLC and the Funds’ custodians. Due the nature of the Funds’ trading, the Adviser generally uses one or a small number of brokers to execute trades.

 

In selecting brokers and dealers to execute portfolio transactions, the Adviser may consider research and brokerage services furnished to the Adviser or its affiliates. The Adviser may not consider sales of shares of the Funds as a factor in the selection of brokers and dealers, but may place portfolio transactions with brokers and dealers that promote or sell a Fund’s shares so long as such transactions are done in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the Trustees that are designed to ensure that the selection is based on the quality of execution and not on sales efforts. When placing portfolio transactions with a broker or dealer, the Adviser may aggregate securities to be sold or purchased for the Funds with those to be sold or purchased for other advisory accounts managed by the Adviser, if any. In aggregating such securities, the Adviser will average the transaction as to price and will allocate available investments in a manner that the Adviser believes to be fair and reasonable to the Funds and such other advisory accounts. An aggregated order will generally be allocated on a pro rata basis among all participating accounts, based on the relative dollar values of the participating accounts, or using any other method deemed to be fair to the participating accounts, with any exceptions to such methods involving the Trust being reported to the Trustees.

 

Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”) permits the Adviser, under certain circumstances, to cause the Funds to pay a broker or dealer a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction in recognition of the value of brokerage and research services provided by the broker or dealer. In addition to agency transactions, the Adviser may receive brokerage and research services in connection with certain riskless principal transactions, in accordance with applicable SEC guidance. Brokerage and research services include: (1) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; (2) furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, Fund strategy, and the performance of accounts; and (3) effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as clearance, settlement, and custody). To the extent that the Adviser receives research services, the Adviser will have a reasonable belief that access to independent investment research is beneficial to its investment decision- making processes and, therefore, to the Funds. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, the Adviser did not acquire research services.

 

To the extent that research services may be a factor in selecting brokers, such services may be in written form or through direct contact with individuals and may include information as to particular companies and securities as well as market, economic, or institutional areas and information which assists in the valuation and pricing of investments. Examples of research-oriented services for which the Adviser might utilize Fund commissions include research reports and other information on the economy, industries, sectors, groups of securities, individual companies, statistical information, political developments, technical market action, pricing and appraisal services, credit analysis, risk measurement analysis, performance and other analysis. The Adviser may use research services furnished by brokers in servicing all client accounts and not all services may necessarily be used in connection with the account that paid commissions to the broker providing such services. Information so received by the Adviser will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Funds’ Adviser under the Advisory Agreement. Any advisory or other fees paid to the Adviser are not reduced as a result of the receipt of research services.

 

In some cases, the Adviser may receive a service from a broker that has both a “research” and a “non-research” use. When this occurs, the Adviser makes a good faith allocation, under all the circumstances, between the research and non-research uses of the service. The percentage of the service that is used for research purposes may be paid for with client commissions, while the Adviser will use its own funds to pay for the percentage of the service that is used for non-research purposes. In making this good faith allocation, the Adviser faces a potential conflict of interest, but the Adviser believes that its allocation procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that it appropriately allocates the anticipated use of such services to their research and non-research uses.

 

Brokerage with Fund Affiliates. The Funds may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of either the Funds, the Adviser or the Distributor for a commission in conformity with the 1940 Act, the 1934 Act and rules promulgated by the SEC. These rules further require that commissions paid to the affiliate by the Funds for exchange transactions not exceed “usual and customary” brokerage commissions. The rules define “usual and customary” commissions to include amounts which are “reasonable and fair compared to the commission, fee or other remuneration received or to be received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on a securities exchange during a comparable period of time.”

 

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Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealers”. The Funds are required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) which the Funds may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. The Funds invest exclusively in mutual funds and ETFs and did not hold securities of its regular brokers or dealers as of the date of this SAI.

 

Allocation. When two or more clients managed by the Adviser are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the transactions are allocated in a manner deemed equitable to each client. In some cases, this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security as far as the Funds are concerned. In other cases, however, the ability to participate in volume transactions will be beneficial to the Funds.

 

Brokerage Commissions. The aggregate amount of brokerage commissions paid for the past three fiscal years for the Funds are shown below. Material variation in a Fund’s brokerage commissions for the most recently completed fiscal year, compared to the Fund’s prior two fiscal years, is due to variation in the Fund’s portfolio turnover.

 

    Brokerage Commissions Paid
    Fiscal Year Ended September 30
E-Valuator Fund   2022   2021   2020
E-Valuator Very Conservative (0%-15%) RMS Fund   $ 3,538     $ 7,103     $ 10,205  
E-Valuator Conservative (15%-30%) RMS Fund     7,536       25,062       39,870  
E-Valuator Conservative/Moderate (30%-50%) RMS Fund     3,303       10,375       9,759  
E-Valuator Moderate (50%-70%) RMS Fund     22,939       78,070       98,779  
E-Valuator Growth (70%-85%) RMS Fund     30, 764       110,764       160,716  
E-Valuator Aggressive Growth (85%-99%) RMS Fund     17,080       61,656       66,440  

 

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES HOLDINGS

 

The Trust has adopted a Disclosure of Portfolio Securities Holdings Policy (the “Policy”), which governs the disclosure of the portfolio securities holdings of each series of the Trust. The Trust maintains this Policy to ensure that disclosure of information about portfolio securities is in the best interests of the Fund. The Board reviews these policies and procedures as necessary and compliance will be periodically assessed by the Board in connection with a report from the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer. In addition, the Board has reviewed and approved the provision of portfolio holdings information to entities described below that may be prior to and more frequently than the public disclosure of such information (i.e., “non-standard disclosure”). The Board has also delegated authority to the officers of the Trust and Adviser to provide such information in certain circumstances (see below).

 

The Trust is required by the SEC to file its complete portfolio holdings schedule with the SEC on a quarterly basis. This schedule is filed with the Trust’s annual and semi-annual reports on Form N-CSR for the second and fourth fiscal quarters and on Form N-PORT for the first and third fiscal quarters. The portfolio holdings information provided in these reports is as of the end of the respective quarter. Form N-CSR must be filed with the SEC no later than ten (10) calendar days after the Trust transmits its annual or semi-annual report to its shareholders. Form N-PORT must be filed with the SEC no later than sixty (60) calendar days after the end of the applicable quarter.

 

Additionally, the Trust’s service providers which have contracted to provide services to the Trust and its funds, including, for example, the custodian and the fund accountants, and other service providers assisting with materials utilized in the Board’s annual advisory contract renewal processes, and that require portfolio holdings information in order to perform those services, may receive non-standard disclosure. Non-standard disclosure of portfolio holdings information may also be provided to a third party when the Trust has a legitimate business purpose for doing so. The Trust has the following ongoing arrangements with certain third parties to provide the Fund’s portfolio holdings information:

 

1. to the Trust's auditors within sixty (60) days after the applicable fiscal period or other periods as necessary for use in providing audit opinions and other advice related to financial, regulatory, or tax reporting;

 

2. to financial printers within sixty (60) days after the applicable fiscal period for the purpose of preparing Trust regulatory filings; and

 

3. to the Trust's administrator, custodian, transfer agent and accounting services provider on a daily basis in connection with their providing services to the Fund.

 

The Trust’s service providers may also disclose non-public portfolio holdings information if such disclosure is required by applicable laws, rules or regulations, or by regulatory authorities. Additionally, the Adviser may establish ongoing arrangements with certain third parties to provide the Fund’s portfolio holdings information that the Adviser determines that the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for doing so and the recipient is subject to a duty of confidentiality. These third parties may include:

 

1. financial data processing companies that provide automated data scanning and monitoring services for the Fund;

 

2. research companies that allow the Adviser to perform attribution analysis for the Fund; and

 

3. the Adviser's proxy voting agent to assess and vote proxies on behalf of the Fund.

 

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From time to time, employees of the Adviser may express their views orally or in writing on the Fund’s portfolio securities or may state that the Fund has recently purchased or sold, or continues to own, one or more securities. The securities subject to these views and statements may be ones that were purchased or sold since a Fund’s most recent quarter-end and therefore may not be reflected on the list of the Fund’s most recent quarter-end portfolio holdings. These views and statements may be made to various persons, including members of the press, brokers and other financial intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund, shareholders in the Fund, persons considering investing in the Fund or representatives of such shareholders or potential shareholders, such as fiduciaries of a 401(k) plan or a trust and their advisers, and other entities for which the Adviser may determine. The nature and content of the views and statements provided to each of these persons may differ. From time to time, employees of the Adviser also may provide oral or written information (“portfolio commentary”) about the Fund, including, but not limited to, how the Fund’s investments are divided among various sectors, industries, countries, investment styles and capitalization sizes, and among stocks, bonds, currencies and cash, security types, bond maturities, bond coupons and bond credit quality ratings. This portfolio commentary may also include information on how these various weightings and factors contributed to Fund performance. The Adviser may also provide oral or written information (“statistical information”) about various financial characteristics of the Fund or its underlying portfolio securities including, but not limited to, alpha, beta, R-squared, coefficient of determination, duration, maturity, information ratio, Sharpe ratio, earnings growth, payout ratio, price/book value, projected earnings growth, return on equity, standard deviation, tracking error, weighted average quality, market capitalization, percent debt to equity, price to cash flow, dividend yield or growth, default rate, portfolio turnover, and risk and style characteristics. This portfolio commentary and statistical information about the Fund may be based on the Fund’s portfolio as of the most recent quarter-end or the end of some other interim period, such as month-end. The portfolio commentary and statistical information may be provided to various persons, including those described in the preceding paragraph. The nature and content of the information provided to each of these persons may differ.

 

Additionally, employees of the Adviser may disclose one or more of the portfolio securities of the Fund when purchasing and selling securities through broker-dealers, requesting bids on securities, obtaining price quotations on securities, or in connection with litigation involving the Fund’s portfolio securities. The Adviser does not enter into formal non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements in connection with these situations; however, the Fund would not continue to conduct business with a person who the Adviser believed was misusing the disclosed information.

 

The Adviser or its affiliates may manage products sponsored by companies other than itself, including investment companies, offshore funds, and separate accounts and affiliates of the Adviser may provide investment related services, including research services, to other companies, including other investment companies, offshore funds, institutional investors and other entities. In each of these instances, the sponsors of these other companies and the affiliates of the Adviser may receive compensation for their services. In many cases, these other products are managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus have similar portfolio holdings, and the other investment related services provided by affiliates of the Adviser may involve disclosure of information that is also utilized by the Adviser in managing the Fund. The sponsors of these other products may disclose the portfolio holdings of their products at different times than the Adviser discloses portfolio holdings for the Fund, and affiliates of the Adviser may provide investment related services to its clients at times that are different than the times disclosed to the Fund.

 

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The Trust and the Adviser currently have no other arrangements for the provision of non-standard disclosure to any party or shareholder. Other than the non-standard disclosure discussed above, if a third party requests specific, current information regarding the Fund’s portfolio holdings, the Trust will refer the third party to the latest regulatory filing.

 

All of the arrangements above are subject to the policies and procedures adopted by the Board to ensure such disclosure is for a legitimate business purpose and is in the best interests of the Trust. The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for monitoring the use and disclosure of information relating to portfolio securities. Although no material conflicts of interest are believed to exist that could disadvantage the Fund, various safeguards have been implemented to protect the Fund from conflicts of interest, including: the adoption of Codes of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act designed to prevent fraudulent, deceptive or manipulative acts by officers and employees of the Trust and the Adviser in connection with their personal securities transactions; the adoption by the Adviser of insider trading policies and procedures designed to prevent their employees’ misuse of material non-public information; and the adoption by the Trust of a Code of Ethics for Officers that requires the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Trust to report to the Board any affiliations or other relationships that could potentially create a conflict of interest with the Fund. There may be instances where the interests of the Trust’s shareholders respecting the disclosure of information about portfolio holdings may conflict or appear to conflict with the interests of the Adviser, any principal underwriter for the Trust or an affiliated person of the Trust, the Adviser or the Distributor. In such situations, the conflict must be disclosed to the Board and the Board will attempt to resolve the situation in a manner that it deems in the best interests of the Fund.

 

Affiliated persons of the Trust who receive non-standard disclosure are subject to restrictions and limitations on the use and handling of such information, including requirements to maintain the confidentiality of such information, pre-clear securities trades and report securities transactions activity, as applicable. Except as provided above, affiliated persons of the Trust and third-party service providers of the Trust receiving such non-standard disclosure will be instructed that such information must be kept confidential and that no trading on such information should be allowed.

 

Neither the Trust, the Fund nor the Adviser receives compensation or other consideration in connection with the non-standard disclosure of information about portfolio securities.

 

DESCRIPTION OF SHARES

 

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 10, 2020. The Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust authorizes the Board to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest in the Trust and to classify or reclassify any unissued shares into one or more series of shares. The Agreement and Declaration of Trust further authorizes the trustees to classify or reclassify any series of shares into one or more classes. The Trust’s shares of beneficial interest have no par value.

 

The Funds are authorized to issue two classes of shares: R4 Class Shares imposing no front-end or deferred sales charges and a 0.25% Rule 12b-1 fee; and Service Class Shares imposing no front-end or deferred sales charges, no Rule 12b-1 fee and no shareholder services fee. Class R4 Shares may also pay up to 0.25% in shareholder service fees pursuant to a shareholder services plan.

 

Shares have no preemptive rights and only such conversion or exchange rights as the Board may grant in its discretion. When issued for payment as described in the applicable prospectus, shares will be fully paid and non-assessable. In the event of a liquidation or dissolution of the Trust or an individual fund, shareholders of a fund are entitled to receive the assets available for distribution belonging to the particular fund, and a proportionate distribution, based upon the relative asset values of the respective fund, of any general assets of the Trust not belonging to any particular fund which are available for distribution.

 

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Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each full share held, and a proportionate fractional vote for each fractional share held, and will vote in the aggregate and not by class, except as otherwise expressly required by law or when the Board determines that the matter to be voted on affects only the interests of shareholders of a particular class. Voting rights are not cumulative and, accordingly, the holders of more than 50% of the aggregate of the Trust’s outstanding shares may elect all of the trustees, irrespective of the votes of other shareholders.

 

Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required to be submitted to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Trust shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each fund affected by the matter. A particular fund is deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each fund in the matter are substantially identical or that the matter does not affect any interest of the fund. Under the Rule, the approval of an investment management agreement or any change in an investment objective, if fundamental, or in a fundamental investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a fund only if approved by a majority of the outstanding shares of such fund. However, the Rule also provides that the ratification of the appointment of independent public accountants, the approval of principal underwriting contracts and the election of trustees may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of the Trust voting without regard to series or class.

 

The Trust does not presently intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders except as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law. Upon the written request of shareholders owning at least one third of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, the Trust will call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more trustees and other certain matters. To the extent required by law, the Trust will assist in shareholder communication in such matters.

 

The Board has full power and authority, in its sole discretion, and without obtaining shareholder approval, to divide or combine the shares of any class or series thereof into a greater or lesser number, to classify or reclassify any issued shares or any class or series thereof into one or more classes or series of shares, and to take such other action with respect to the Trust’s shares as the Board may deem desirable. The Agreement and Declaration of Trust authorizes the trustees, without shareholder approval, to cause the Trust to merge or to consolidate with any corporation, association, trust or other organization in order to change the form of organization and/or domicile of the Trust or to sell or exchange all or substantially all of the assets of the Trust, or any series or class thereof, in dissolution of the Trust, or any series or class thereof. The Agreement and Declaration of Trust permits the termination of the Trust or of any series or class of the Trust by the trustees without shareholder approval. However, the exercise of such authority by the Board without shareholder approval may be subject to certain restrictions or limitations under the 1940 Act.

 

PROXY VOTING

 

The Board of Trustees of the Trust has delegated responsibility for decisions regarding proxy voting for securities held by the Funds to the Adviser. The Adviser will vote such proxies in accordance with its proxy policies and procedures, which are included in Exhibit A to this SAI. The Board of Trustees will periodically review the Fund’s proxy voting record.

 

The Trust is required to disclose annually each Fund’s complete proxy voting record on Form N-PX. Any material changes to the proxy policies and procedures will be submitted to the Board for approval. Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent 12- month period ending June 30, will be available (1) without charge, upon request by calling 888-507-2798 or by writing to the Fund, at 235 W. Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212; and (2) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

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CODES OF ETHICS

 

The Trust and the Adviser have adopted a joint Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j- 1 under the 1940 Act. In addition, the Distributor and Administrator have each adopted Codes of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1. These Codes of Ethics apply to the personal investing activities of trustees, officers and certain employees (“access persons”). Rule 17j-1 and the Codes of Ethics are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by access persons. Under each Code of Ethics, access persons are permitted to engage in personal securities transactions, but are required to report their personal securities transactions for monitoring purposes. The personnel subject to the Codes are permitted to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds. In addition, certain access persons are required to obtain approval before investing in initial public offerings or private placements, or are prohibited from making such investments. Copies of these Codes of Ethics are on file with the SEC, and are available to the public on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

In conjunction with the Reorganizations, each Fund has adopted the financial statements of its corresponding Predecessor Fund. The Funds’ audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, including the notes thereto and the report of Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, included in the Funds’ Annual Report are incorporated into this SAI by reference.

 

E-Valuator Funds Trust

7760 France Avenue South, Suite 925

Bloomington, Minnesota 55435

(855) 621-9877

 

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EXHIBIT A 

 

Proxy Voting Policy

Systelligence, LLC, the (“Firm”)

 

PROXY VOTING POLICY

 

Policy Statement

 

This policy applies to all proxies voted by the Firm. The Firm reserves the right to deviate from the general provisions contained within any part of this policy, and to vote against any issue regardless of the nature of the issue, if by doing so we protect the shareholder’s interest and value. In the event of such deviation, documentation regarding such vote will be maintained in the Firm’s books and records or maintained electronically.

 

It will generally be the responsibility of the Firm to vote all proxies provided the Firm is notified of such vote and receives the proper information in a timely fashion. The Firm will generally vote proxies in accordance with management recommendations.

 

The President of the Firm will make all final determinations with respect to this policy.

 

Shares of Registered Investment Companies

 

All funds advised by the Firm are structured as Funds of Funds and invest their assets primarily in other investment companies “underlying funds”. Funds of Funds hold shares in underlying funds and may be solicited to vote on matters pertaining to these underlying funds. Notwithstanding the Firm’s general policy to vote in line with management’s recommendations, the Firm will vote shares of underlying funds consistent with the requirements of the federal securities laws where applicable, including Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and Rule 12d1-4, which under specified circumstances requires the Firm to vote shares in any underlying fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other shareholders in that underlying fund (sometimes called “echo” or “proportionate” voting); provided, however, that in situations where proportionate voting is administratively impractical (i.e. proxy contests) the Firm will cast a vote or, in certain cases, not cast a vote, so long as the action taken does not have an effect on the outcome of the matter being voted upon different than if the Funds of Funds had proportionately voted.

 

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Routine Matters – Management Recommendations

 

One of the primary factors the Firm considers when determining the desirability of investing in a particular fund is the quality and depth of that fund’s management team. Accordingly, the recommendation of management on any issue is a factor that the Firm considers in determining how proxies should be voted. However, the Firm does not consider recommendations from management to be the final determination of the Firm’s ultimate decision. As a matter of practice, the votes with respect to most issues are cast in accordance with the position of the company’s management. Each issue, however, is considered on its own merits, and the Firm will not support the position of a fund’s management in any situation where it determines that the ratification of fund management’s position would adversely affect the investment merits of owning that fund’s shares.

 

On routine matters, the Firm will support fund management and vote in accordance with their suggestion.

 

Shares of Registered Investment Companies

 

All funds advised by the Firm are structured as funds of funds and invest their assets primarily in other investment companies (“Funds of Funds”). Funds of Funds hold shares in underlying funds and may be solicited to vote on matters pertaining to these underlying funds. With respect to such matters, and where the Firm must comply with Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Firm will vote shares in any underlying fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other shareholders in that underlying fund (sometimes called “echo” or “proportionate” voting); provided, however, that in situations where proportionate voting is administratively impractical (i.e. proxy contests) the Firm will cast a vote or, in certain cases, not cast a vote, so long as the action taken does not have an effect on the outcome of the matter being voted upon different than if the Funds of Funds had proportionately voted.

 

Voting Procedures

 

Proxy statements are to be reviewed and voted by the Firm. A record will be made and maintained of all votes. This record may be maintained electronically. The Firm reserves the right to vote contrary to its stated policy if it believes in its sole opinion that to do so would be in the best interests of its fund shareholders.

 

The Firm may abstain from voting a proxy if it concludes that the effect on the client’s or shareholder’s economic interests or the value of the portfolio holding is indeterminable or insignificant. The Firm may also abstain from voting if it concludes the cost of voting is disproportionate to the economic impact the vote would have on the portfolio holdings. A record of reasons for any such abstention by the Firm will be maintained.

 

Conflicts of Interest

 

Any conflict of interest will be resolved in the best interests of the shareholders of the Firm’s funds. If a material conflict of interest is identified or believed to exist, the Firm will review such conflict with its Chief Compliance Officer, however, any final determination will be made by the President of the Firm.

 

The Firm shall also maintain a record of any conflicts of interest that were identified with any specific vote, and if so, what action was taken to resolve the conflict with respect to each vote cast.

 

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Proxy Vote Record Retention

 

The Firm shall maintain records of proxies voted in accordance with Section 204-2 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, including proxy statements, and a record of each vote cast, all of which can be maintained electronically. The Firm shall also keep a copy of its policies and procedures and each written request from a client for proxy voting records and the Firm’s written response to any client request, either written or oral, for such records. Proxy records filed via EDGAR shall be considered maintained by the Firm. All proxy voting records are to be retained for five years, with the first two years in an easily accessible place in the offices of the Firm.

 

Form N-PX Filing Logistics

 

The Firm shall be responsible for ensuring that it maintains a complete proxy log and confirms the timely voting of proxies. The proxy vote log will be maintained in such a manner that the following information is contained within the log in accordance with the requirements of submitting Form N-PX for proxies voted on behalf of the Firm’s funds:

 

the name of the issuer;
the exchange ticker symbol, if available;
the CUSIP number, if available;
the shareholder meeting date;
a brief identification of the matter voted on;
whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or a security holder;
whether the Firm cast its vote on the matter;
how the Firm cast its vote on the matter (for, against, abstain, or withhold regarding the election of directors); and
whether the Firm cast its vote for or against management.

 

The Firm shall provide the information necessary to complete the Form N-PX to the appropriate fund service provider who will timely submit the filings.

 

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