Mason Investment Advisory Services, Inc.

Customer Relationship Summary

June 2022

Introduction

Mason Investment Advisory Services, Inc. (MIAS) is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as an investment advisor. Brokerage and investment advisory services and fees differ between these two businesses, and it is important for you to understand these differences. There are tools available to research firms and financial professionals at www.investor.gov/CRS which also provides educational materials about broker-dealers, investment advisors, and investing.

Relationships and Services: What investment services and advice can you provide me?

We offer investment advisory services and financial planning to investors. We provide investors with comprehensive investment asset management. There are three phases of the process. The first phase involves designing an asset allocation strategy to accommodate the unique financial circumstances and investment objectives of each investor. The second phase is implementation, or the selection and acquisition of the actual investment vehicles to be used in the portfolio. The third phase includes account maintenance, monitoring, and reporting.  Once a client’s objectives and risk tolerance have been determined, we craft what we believe is an appropriate asset allocation and implementation strategy. We do not utilize any proprietary products. We utilize software that allows us to monitor the clients’ portfolio and make suggested changes when necessary. Our clients may choose to give us discretionary authority to change an asset allocation or to rebalance the portfolio when necessary. For non-discretionary clients, the client makes the ultimate decision regarding the purchase or sale of investments. We do not have proprietary products. We generally require a minimum account size of $1 million to open and manage.

For our financial planning clients, we use an interview approach which is interactive and thorough and does not rely on standard questionnaires or checklists. We then design a custom financial plan specific to their circumstances. We update our clients’ plans to reflect changes in their situation and to provide current recommendations as tax and planning strategies evolve. Often the focus of the planning process is to assist our clients in working towards the goal of meeting their financial needs throughout the various stages of their lives. The financial plan is customized to the specific needs and circumstances of each client.

Conversation starter:  Ask your financial professional:

  • Given my financial situation, should I choose a brokerage service or investment advisory service? Why or why not?
  • How will you choose investments to recommend to me?
  • What is your relevant experience, including your licenses, education, and other qualifications? What do those qualifications mean?

Fees, Costs, Conflicts, and Standard of Conduct: What fees will I pay?

Depending on your account size, we charge you a certain percentage of your AUM (assets under management) with us. You will be charged a transaction fee by the custodian for each trade that we recommend. For financial planning we charge a flat fee to be payable in three installments. There are no further costs to you other than your fees addressed above.

You will pay fees and costs whether you make or lose money on your investments. Fees and costs will reduce any amount of money you make on your investments over time. Please make sure you understand what fees and costs you are paying.

Conversation starter: Ask your financial professional: Assist me in understanding how these fees and costs might affect my investments if for example, I give MIAS $10,000 to invest, how much will go to fees and costs, and how much will be invested for me? What are your legal obligations to me when acting as my investment adviser? How else does your firm make money and what conflicts of interest do you have?

When we provide you with a recommendation as your investment adviser, we are required to act in your best interest and not put our interest ahead of yours. At the same time, the way we make money may create some conflicts with your interests. You should understand and ask us about these conflicts because they can affect the investment advice that we provide you.

Conversation Starter: Ask your financial advisor how might these conflicts of interest affect me and how will you address them?

How does your financial advisor make money?  Most of MIAS’ financial advisors earn a salary along with a discretionary bonus.  This is not based on products sold or revenue from advisory services, but on merit. In lieu of a salary, a few of the financial advisors receive a percentage of the gross revenue generated from the clients they assisted in obtaining or that they helped service. One planner receives a combination of both.

Disciplinary History: Do you or your financial advisors have legal or disciplinary history to disclose?

Neither MIAS nor any financial advisors have any legal or disciplinary history to disclose. Visit www.Investor.gov/CRS for a free and simple search tool to research you and your financial professionals.

Additional information

For additional information about our services or a copy of this disclosure, please call 703.716.6000 and ask your financial advisor to send you one.

Conversation Starter: Ask your financial professional:

Who is my primary contact person? Is he or she a representative of an investment adviser or a broker-dealer? Who can I talk to if I have concerns about how this person is treating me