This brochure supplement provides information about Philip M. Mecca that supplements the Unity Financial LLC brochure. You should have received a copy of that brochure. Please contact Unity Financial LLC if you did not receive that brochure or if you have any questions about the contents of this supplement.
Additional information about Philip M. Mecca is also available on the SEC's website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
Form ADV Part 2B – Individual Disclosure Brochure
for
Philip M. Mecca
Personal CRD Number: 1502383
Investment Advisor Representative
Unity Financial LLC
950 West Ryan Street -P. O. Box 7
Brillion, Wisconsin 54110
(920)756-2272
Phil@UnityFinancialLLC.com
UPDATED: 03/2012
PHILIP M. MECCA, CFP
Education
Mr. Mecca holds a Bachelor’s Degree in the Health Sciences from Arizona State University. He also acquired the CFP designation (certified financial planner) in 1994 from the College of Financial Planning and has completed numerous studies in the CEBS Program (Certified Employee Benefit Specialist) through the International Foundation of Employee Benefits. In addition, he holds a state of Wisconsin insurance license and is authorized to offer LTC insurance under the State’s Partnership Program.
The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® and federally registered CFP (with flame design) marks (collectively, the “CFP® marks”) are professional certification marks granted in the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (“CFP Board”).
The CFP® certification is a voluntary certification; no federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold CFP® certification. It is recognized in the United States and a number of other countries for its (1) high standard of professional education; (2) stringent code of conduct and standards of practice; and (3) ethical requirements that govern professional engagements with clients. Currently, more than 62,000 individuals have obtained CFP® certification in the United States .
To attain the right to use the CFP® marks, an individual must satisfactorily fulfill the following requirements:
· Education – Complete an advanced college-level course of study addressing the financial planning subject areas that CFP Board’s studies have determined as necessary for the competent and professional delivery of financial planning services, and attain a Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university (or its equivalent from a foreign university). CFP Board’s financial planning subject areas include insurance planning and risk management, employee benefits planning, investment planning, income tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning;
· Examination – Pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination. The examination, administered in 10 hours over a two-day period, includes case studies and client scenarios designed to test one’s ability to correctly diagnose financial planning issues and apply one’s knowledge of financial planning to real world circumstances;
· Experience – Complete at least three years of full-time financial planning-related experience (or the equivalent, measured as 2,000 hours per year); and
· Ethics – Agree to be bound by CFP Board’s Standards of Professional Conduct , a set of documents outlining the ethical and practice standards for CFP® professionals.
Individuals who become certified must complete the following ongoing education and ethics requirements in order to maintain the right to continue to use the CFP® marks:
· Continuing Education – Complete 30 hours of continuing education hours every two years, including two hours on the Code of Ethics and other parts of the Standards of Professional Conduct , to maintain competence and keep up with developments in the financial planning field; and
· Ethics – Renew an agreement to be bound by the Standards of Professional Conduct . The Standards prominently require that CFP® professionals provide financial planning services at a fiduciary standard of care. This means CFP® professionals must provide financial planning services in the best interests of their clients.
CFP® professionals who fail to comply with the above standards and requirements may be subject to CFP Board’s enforcement process, which could result in suspension or permanent revocation of their CFP® certification.
Business Background
Mr. Mecca has over 20 years experience in the financial services industry ranging from work as a medical underwriter with several national insurance carriers, to owning and operating his own financial planning business for over 8 years. He also has experience in nursing home administration and was previously a licensed nursing home administrator. Currently, he offers financial planning services to his clients with a special emphasis on matters related to long-term care and special needs planning. Prior to joining Unity Financial LLC as an Advisory Representative, Mr. Mecca owned his own company, Integra Financial, where he was an Advisory Representative with H. D. Vest Advisory Services and a Registered Representative with H. D. Vest Insurance Services.
Disciplinary Information
There are no legal or disciplinary events that are material to a client's or prospective client's evaluation of this business.
Other Business Activities
Philip M. Mecca is a licensed insurance agent. From time to time, he will offer clients advice or products from those activities. Clients should be aware that insurance services pay a commission and involve a possible conflict of interest, as commission-able products can conflict with the fiduciary duties of a registered investment advisor. Unity Financial LLC always acts in the best interest of the client; including the sale of commission-able products to advisory clients. Clients are in no way required to implement the plan through any representative of Unity Financial LLC in their capacity as an insurance agent.
Philip is also currently employed at West Business Services of Appleton, Wisconsin.
Additional Compensation
Other than salary, annual bonuses, regular bonuses, Philip M. Mecca does not receive any economic benefit from any person, company, or organization, in exchange for providing clients advisory services through Unity Financial LLC.
Supervision
Philip Mecca is supervised by Mr. Andrew Schneider, sole member and investment manager of Unity Financial LLC. Mr. Schneider can be reached at (920) 756-2272 or Andy@UnityFinancialLLC.com.
Supervision of Mr. Mecca is in the form of discussing all cases, reviewing of financial planning, reviewing and implementation of investment strategies, and personal communication with all clients. All strategies, purchases of annuities, life insurance, long term care insurance products are reviewed and approved by Mr. Schneider.