Private Investment Management (PIM®) program

Your investment account through the PIM® program is structured to let your Portfolio Manager make investment decisions on your behalf based on your risk tolerance and financial objectives. When selecting the securities for your portfolio, your Portfolio Manager conducts a detailed analysis of companies, industries, and overall economic conditions. In managing the account, your Portfolio Manager constructs a suitable asset allocation strategy based on his or her personal investment style. The construction process attempts to maximize returns while minimizing risk to the overall portfolio.

The criteria for entry into the PIM® certification program are more stringent than most other programs Wells Fargo Advisors offers. The full process to obtain the PIM® designation can take 60 days to complete and includes a three-step process. The first step is meeting basic eligibility requirements, which include a minimum of two years of experience as a portfolio manager, five years of industry experience, successful completion of various securities exams, and approval of branch and regional managers. Only then can a Financial Advisor complete an application, which includes questions covering investment style, strategy, philosophy, and research methods. Once approved, the Financial Advisor must complete advanced training, including an ethics exam, proxy exam, and an advanced 40-hour portfolio management training course.

Less than 10 percent of the firm’s Financial Advisors have met the criteria to act as PIM® Portfolio Managers.

Your Portfolio Manager can utilize the resources of an array of research analysts who have the skills and tools to help you meet your financial goals. When constructing your portfolio, your Portfolio Manager can draw upon Wells Fargo Advisors’ internal research capabilities as well as those of correspondent research firms to whom Wells Fargo Advisors subscribes.

With a PIM® account, there is an ability to hold a wide range of asset types within one portfolio, eliminating the need for multiple accounts. The PIM® program offers customized investment portfolios that can include cash alternatives, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, closed-end funds, option strategies, and exchange-traded funds in a single account for an all-inclusive quarterly fee¹.

¹Fees for the PIM® program include advisory services, performance measurement, transaction costs, custody services and trading. They do not cover the ongoing fees and expenses of certain investments held in the account and customary brokerage charges may apply to non-program assets. Fees are based on the assets in the account and are assessed quarterly. There is a minimum fee of $250 per calendar quarter to maintain this type of account. Advisory accounts are not designed for excessively traded or inactive accounts and may not be suitable for all investors. During periods of lower trading activity, your costs might be lower if our compensation was based on commissions. Please carefully review the Wells Fargo Advisors advisory disclosure document for a full description of our services, including fees and expenses. The minimum account size for this program is $50,000.

Advisory products are not designed for excessively traded or inactive accounts and are not suitable for all clients. You must have a reasonable basis to believe that the specific program, investment manager or strategy you recommend is suitable for the particular client based on that client’s investment profile, which takes into account, among other things, the client’s investment objectives, investment experience, time horizon, liquidity needs and risk tolerance. You and your client should carefully review the Wells Fargo Advisory Disclosure Document associated with the program for a full description of our services, including fees and expenses and those fees or expenses that may be excluded. The minimum account size for these programs is between $25,000 and $2,000,000 depending on the program or strategy selected. If the program involves mutual funds or exchange-traded funds, your clients should consider that product’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. Prior to recommending and opening advisory program accounts, Financial Advisors must be properly registered in their place of business state.