485APOS 1 bitcoin-485apos_051721.htm POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 17, 2021

Registration No. 333-148723

Registration No. 811-22172

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM N-1A

   
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
   
Pre-Effective Amendment No.
Post-Effective Amendment No. (388)

 

and/or

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
   
Amendment No. (389)

 

WORLD FUNDS TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, VA 23235

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(804) 267-7400

(Registrant’s Telephone Number)

 

 The Corporation Trust Co.

Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange St., Wilmington, DE 19801

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

With Copy to:

John H. Lively

 Practus, LLP

11300 Tomahawk Creek Parkway, Suite 310

Leawood, KS 66211

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

 

  immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b);
  On __________ pursuant to paragraph (b);
  60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1);
  on ____________ pursuant to paragraph (a)(1);
  75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2); or
  on _____________ (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

 

If appropriate, check the following box:

☐  This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
Title of Securities Being Registered: shares of beneficial interest.

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

The Cboe Vest Family of Funds

 

PROSPECTUS

July __, 2021

 

Cboe Vest Bitcoin Target Volatility Strategy Fund

Investor Class Shares (________)

Institutional Class Shares (__________)

Class Y Shares (__________)

 

This prospectus describes the Cboe Vest Bitcoin Target Volatility Strategy Fund. The Cboe Vest Bitcoin Target Volatility Strategy Fund is authorized to offer 3 classes of shares, three of which are offered by this prospectus.

 

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF SUCH STATE.

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
Fund Summary 1
Investment Objective 1
Fees and Expenses of the Fund 1
Portfolio Turnover 2
Principal Investment Strategies 2
Principal Risks 5
Performance History 11
Investment Adviser 11
Portfolio Managers 11
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares 11
Tax Information 12
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Intermediaries 12
Additional Information About the Fund’s Investments 12
Additional Information About Risk 15
Management 25
How to Buy Shares 28
How to Sell Shares 30
General Information 32
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes 34
Net Asset Value 36
Share Class Alternatives 37
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions 37
Distribution Arrangements 39
Financial Highlights 39
For More Information 40

 

 

 

FUND SUMMARY

 

Investment Objective

 

The investment objective of the Cboe Vest Bitcoin Target Volatility Strategy Fund (the “Fund”) is to seek total return.

 

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

 

Shareholder Fees

(fees paid directly from your investment)

Investor
Class Shares

Institutional
Class Shares

Class
Y Shares

Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases

(as a percentage of offering price)

None None None

Maximum deferred sales charges (load)

(as a percentage of the NAV at time of purchase)

None None None
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of the amount redeemed on shares after holding them for 30 days or less) 2.00% None None
Exchange Fee None None None

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

   
Management Fee [1.75%] [1.75%] [1.75%]
Distribution (12b-1) and Service Fees x.xx% None None
Other Expenses (1) x.xx% x.xx% x.xx%
Shareholder Services Plan(1) x.xx% x.xx% None
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses x.xx% x.xx % x.xx %
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements(2) (x.xx%) (x.xx%) (x.xx%)

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(after fee waivers and expense reimbursements)(2)

x.xx % x.xx % x.xx%
       
1.Other Expenses, Shareholder Services Plan, and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are estimated for the Fund’s first full fiscal year.
2.Cboe VestSM Financial LLC (the “Adviser”) has entered into a written expense limitation agreement under which it has agreed to limit the total expenses of the Fund (exclusive of interest, distribution fees pursuant to Rule 12b-1 Plans, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and dividend expense on short sales) to an annual rate of 1.95% of the average daily net assets of each class of shares of the Fund, except for the Class Y shares where the Adviser has agreed to limit the total expenses to 1.70%. The Adviser may not terminate this expense limitation agreement prior to ______________, 2022. Each waiver or reimbursement of an expense by the Adviser is subject to repayment by the Fund within three years following the date such waiver and/or reimbursement was made, provided that the 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. The Trust and the Adviser may terminate this expense limitation agreement prior to _______________, 2022 only by mutual written consent.

 

 1

 

 

Example

 

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The effect of the Adviser’s agreement to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses is only reflected in the first year of each example shown below. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

Share Class 1 Year 3 Years
Investor Class Shares $xxx $xxx
Institutional Class Shares $xxx $xxx
Class Y Shares $xxx $xxx

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund has not yet commenced operations as of the date of this prospectus, no portfolio turnover rate is available.

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

The Fund seeks to achieve total return by constructing a dynamic portfolio with the aim of both managing the volatility of the Fund and limiting losses due to severe sustained declines in the market performance of Bitcoin, which it will do through the use of exchange-traded derivative contracts ( “Bitcoin Investments”). The Fund seeks to achieve these objectives by allocating weightings among the futures and any one or more of the following: U.S. Treasuries, other U.S. government obligations, money market funds, cash and cash-like equivalents (e.g., high quality commercial paper and similar instruments that are rated investment grade or, if unrated, of comparable quality, as the Adviser determines), treasury inflation-protected securities, sovereign debt obligations of non-U.S. countries and repurchase agreements (“Cash Investments”) (collectively, Bitcoin Investments and Cash Investments are referred to as “Constituent Investments”). The weight of each Constituent Investment may vary from 0% to 100% of the Fund, and the sum of their weights will equal 100%.

 

The Fund is managed using a quantitative strategy (“Target Volatility Strategy”) designed to address increases in volatility and reduce the effect of severe sustained declines by changing the allocations among the Constituent Investments. If the annualized volatility of the Bitcoin Investments increases, the Fund’s allocation to the Bitcoin Investments may be reduced and the remainder allocated to the Cash Investments. Conversely, a subsequent decrease in the annualized volatility of Bitcoin Investments may result in an increase in allocation to the Bitcoin Investments and a decreased allocation to the Cash Investments.

 

 2

 

 

Overview of Bitcoin and Market

 

Bitcoin are not issued by any government, bank or central organization. Bitcoins have a value based on the value token of the decentralized, open-source protocol of the peer-to-peer computer networks (the “Network”). The Network hosts the decentralized public transaction ledger, known as the “Blockchain,” on which all the Bitcoin transactions are recorded. Bitcoin can be transferred among parties via the Internet, without the use of a central administrator or clearing agency. The Network software governs the creation of Bitcoin and secures and verifies the transactions. The Network software can interpret the Blockchain to determine the exact Bitcoin balance, if any, of any public Bitcoin address listed in the Blockchain that has taken part in a transaction on the Network. A Bitcoin private key controls the transfer or “spending” of Bitcoin from its associated public Bitcoin address. A Bitcoin “wallet” is a collection of private keys and their associated public Bitcoin addresses. The Network is a recent technological innovation, and the Bitcoin that are created, transferred, used and stored by entities and individuals have certain features associated with several types of assets, most notably commodities and currencies.

 

Markets for Bitcoin are currently supported by many exchanges and infrastructure that has developed around the Network. Users can purchase Bitcoin on such exchange platforms’ websites. Bitcoin can be converted to fiat currencies, such as the U.S. Dollar, or to other Bitcoin, at rates determined on such exchanges or in individual end-user-to-end-user transactions under a barter system.

 

The Fund’s Strategy

 

The Fund invests substantially all of its assets in a combination of Bitcoin Investments and Cash Investments whose collective performance is designed to achieve total return with the aim of both managing the volatility of the Fund and limiting losses. The Fund seeks to gain exposure to Bitcoin Investments, in whole or in part, through investments in a subsidiary organized in the Cayman Islands (the “CboeVest Subsidiary”). The CboeVest Subsidiary is wholly-owned and controlled by the Fund. The Fund will seek to gain exposure to the Bitcoin markets exclusively through investments in options, futures and forward contracts, swap transactions and other derivative transactions and primarily through exchange-traded futures contracts. The Fund may also invest in structured notes that provide exposure to Bitcoin. As the markets and instruments that provide exposure to Bitcoin are in the very early stages of developments, new products and investment transactions are likely to develop in the future that the Fund may invest or take part in that will have varying degrees of opportunity and risks for the Fund. The Fund will also likely have significant investments Cash Investments. The Fund also may enter into repurchase agreements with counterparties that are deemed to present acceptable credit risks.

 

The Fund will seek to gain exposure to the Bitcoin markets primarily through exchange-traded futures contracts that are cash-settled in U.S. dollars and are traded on, or subject to the rules of, commodity exchanges registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”). Futures contracts are financial contracts the value of which depends on, or is derived from, the underlying reference asset. In the case of Bitcoin Investment contracts, the underlying reference asset is Bitcoin.

 

 3

 

A futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific financial instrument (e.g., units of a stock index) for a specified price, date, time and place designated at the time the contract is made. Brokerage fees are paid when a futures contract is bought or sold, and margin deposits must be maintained. Entering into a contract to buy is commonly referred to as buying or purchasing a contract or holding a long position. Entering into a contract to sell is commonly referred to as selling a contract or holding a short position.

 

Unlike when the Fund purchases or sells a security, no price would be paid or received by the Fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Upon entering into a futures contract, and to maintain the Fund’s open positions in futures contracts, the Fund would be required to deposit with its custodian or futures broker in a segregated account in the name of the futures broker an amount of cash, U.S. government securities, suitable money market instruments, or other liquid securities, known as “initial margin.” The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margins that may range upward from less than 5% of the value of the contract being traded.

 

A cash-settled future contract means that when the relevant futures contract expires, if the value of the underlying asset exceeds the futures contract price, the seller pays to the purchaser cash in the amount of that excess, and if the futures contract price exceeds the value of the underlying asset, the purchaser pays to the seller cash in the amount of that excess. In a cash-settled futures contract on Bitcoin, the amount of cash to be paid is equal to the difference between the value of the Bitcoin underlying the futures contract at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the futures contract price specified in the agreement. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (the “CME”) has specified that the value of Bitcoin underlying Bitcoin futures contracts traded on the CME will be determined by reference to the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate which provides an indication of the price of Bitcoin across certain Bitcoin exchanges.

 

The CboeVest Subsidiary is wholly-owned and controlled by the Fund. The Fund’s investment in the CboeVest Subsidiary may not exceed 25% of the Fund’s total assets. The Fund’s investment in the CboeVest Subsidiary is intended to provide the Fund with exposure to Bitcoin returns while enabling the Fund to satisfy source-of-income requirements that apply to regulated investment companies under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Except as noted, references to the investment strategies and risks of the Fund include the investment strategies and risks of the CboeVest Subsidiary. The Subsidiary has the same investment objective as the Fund and will follow the same general investment policies and restrictions, except that unlike the Fund, it may invest without limit in Bitcoin Investments.

 

The Fund may also invest in pooled investment vehicles and exchange-traded products that provide exposure to Bitcoin. The Fund may borrow for investment purposes. The Fund may invest in “Restricted Securities” (defined below in the Principal Risks), which generally involves investments in securities that are not registered with any governmental regulator.

 

The Fund (and the CboeVest Subsidiary, as applicable) expects to invest its remaining assets in any one or more of the following Cash Investments: U.S. Treasuries, other U.S. government obligations, money market funds, cash and cash-like equivalents (e.g., high quality commercial paper and similar instruments that are rated investment grade or, if unrated, of comparable quality, as the Adviser determines), treasury inflation-protected securities, sovereign debt obligations of non-U.S. countries and repurchase agreements that provide liquidity, serve as margin or collateralize the Fund’s and/or the CboeVest Subsidiary’s investments in Bitcoin.

 4

 

 

The Fund is classified as a non-diversified fund under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer.

 

Principal Risks

 

Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund, each of which could significantly and adversely affect the value of an investment in the Fund.

 

Bitcoin Risks

 

The following risk are specifically attributable to making investments in Bitcoin. Each of these risks could adversely impact the value of an investment in the Fund.

 

New Technology Adoption Risks. Investing in Bitcoin represents an investment is a new technological innovation with a limited history. The limited market trading history may limit the ability of the Adviser to assess opportunities and risks.

 

Industry Uncertainty Risks. Bitcoin and the marketplace for Bitcoin is relatively new, which means that this type of investment is subject to a high degree of uncertainty. Uncertainty surrounding the adoption of Bitcoin, growth in its usage and in the blockchain for various applications and an accommodating regulatory environment creates a risk for the Fund.

 

Bitcoin Volatility Risks. Bitcoin trading prices are volatile. As a result, Bitcoin may be more likely to fluctuate in value due to changing investor confidence in future appreciation in the price of Bitcoin.

 

Regulatory Risks. Both domestic and foreign regulators and governments have focused on regulation of Bitcoin. To the extent that future regulatory actions or policies limit or restrict Bitcoin usage, Bitcoin trading or the ability to convert Bitcoin to government currencies, the demand for Bitcoin may be reduced, which may adversely affect an investment in the Fund. Moreover, additional regulation or changes to existing regulation may also require changes to the Fund’s investment strategies.

 

Excess Supply Risks.  Newly created Bitcoin are generated through a process referred to as “mining,” and such Bitcoin are referred to as “newly mined Bitcoin.” If entities engaged in Bitcoin mining choose not to hold the newly mined Bitcoin, and, instead, make them available for sale, this increase in the supply of such Bitcoin can create downward pressure on the price of Bitcoin.

 

 5

 

 

Disruptions and Failures at Bitcoin. Bitcoin exchanges operate websites on which users can trade Bitcoin for U.S. dollars, other government currencies or other digital assets. Bitcoin exchanges have a limited history with a record of disruptions. In many of these instances, the customers of such exchanges were not compensated or made whole for the partial or complete losses of their funds held at the exchanges. The potential for instability of Bitcoin exchanges and the closure or temporary shutdown of exchanges due to fraud, business failure, hackers, distributed denial of service attacks or malware, or government-mandated regulation may reduce confidence in Bitcoin, which may result in greater volatility in Bitcoin.

 

Risks Associated with Demand for Specific Digital Assets. As the market for Bitcoin evolves, it is possible that a digital asset other than Bitcoin held by the Fund could have features that make it more desirable to a material portion of the digital asset user base, resulting in a reduction in demand for Bitcoin held by the Fund (and thus negatively impacting the value of the Fund). Certain Bitcoin hold a “first-to-market” advantage over other digital assets. Despite the market first-mover advantage of certain Bitcoin, it is possible that other Bitcoin could become materially popular due to either a perceived or exposed shortcoming of a network protocol that is not immediately addressed or a perceived advantage of an alternative Bitcoin that includes features not incorporated into Bitcoin held by the Fund. In such circumstances, the demand for the Bitcoin held by the Fund could be negatively impacted. Decreased demand for Bitcoin may adversely affect its price, which may adversely affect an investment in the Fund.

 

Risks from Decreased Incentives for Miners. Miners generate revenue from both newly created Bitcoin (known as the “block reward”) and from fees taken upon verification of transactions. If the aggregate revenue from transaction fees and the block reward is below a miner’s cost, the miner may cease operations. An acute cessation of mining operations would reduce the collective processing power on the blockchain. Any reduction in confidence in the transaction verification process or mining processing power may adversely impact the price of Bitcoin. Furthermore, the block reward will decrease over time. As the block reward continues to decrease over time, the mining incentive structure will transition to a higher reliance on transaction verification fees in order to incentivize miners to continue to dedicate processing power to the blockchain. If transaction verification fees become too high, the marketplace may be reluctant to use Bitcoin. Decreased demand for Bitcoin may adversely affect its price, which may adversely affect an investment in the Fund.

 

Risks of Changes to Bitcoin Network. A small group of individuals can propose refinements or improvements to the Bitcoin Network’s source code through one or more software upgrades that alter the protocols and software that govern the Bitcoin network and the properties of Bitcoin, including the irreversibility of transactions and limitations on the mining of new Bitcoin. However, if less than a substantial majority of users and miners consent to the proposed modification, and the modification is not compatible with the software prior to its modification, the consequence would be what is known as a “fork” (i.e., “split”) of the Bitcoin network (and the blockchain), with one prong running the pre-modified software and the other running the modified software. The effect of such a fork would be the existence of two versions of the Bitcoin network running in parallel, but with each version’s Bitcoin (the asset) lacking interchangeability. It is possible, however, that a substantial number of Bitcoin users and miners could adopt an incompatible version of Bitcoin while resisting community-led efforts to merge the two chains. It is unclear how such actions will affect the long-term viability of Bitcoin and, accordingly, may adversely affect an investment in the Fund.

 

 6

 

 

Risks Associated with Intellectual Property Rights. Third parties may assert intellectual property claims relating to the holding and transfer of certain Bitcoin and their source code. Regardless of the merit of any intellectual property or other legal action, any threatened action that reduces confidence in the Bitcoin network’s long-term viability or the ability of end-users to hold and transfer Bitcoin may adversely affect an investment in the Fund.

 

Risk Factors Related to Bitcoin and Bitcoin’s Network. Bitcoin can only be transferred with the private key associated with the public Bitcoin address in which the Bitcoin is held. The loss or destruction of a private key required to transfer the Fund’s Bitcoin holdings may be irreversible. The Fund’s loss of access to a private key associated with a public Bitcoin address that holds the Fund’s assets could adversely affect an investment in the Fund.

 

Other General Fund Risks

 

Risk of Limited Exposure. Due to the Fund’s investment strategy of limiting its volatility, the Fund’s investment in Bitcoin may be a small proportion of the Fund’s assets.

 

Risk of Investing in Futures. The Fund may invest in exchange-traded Bitcoin futures contracts (either directly or through the CboeVest Subsidiary). Futures contracts can be highly volatile and using futures can increase the volatility of the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) and/or lower total return. Additionally, a relatively small movement in the price or value of a futures transaction may result in substantial losses to the Fund, and the potential loss from futures can exceed the Fund’s initial investment in such contracts. Futures contracts involve the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in the value of a futures contract may not correlate perfectly with the underlying indicator. A liquid secondary market may not always exist for the Fund’s futures contract positions at any time.

 

Bitcoin Futures Market Risk. Unlike other more developed futures markets, the market for exchange-traded Bitcoin futures contracts has limited trading history and operational experience and may be riskier, less liquid, more volatile and more vulnerable to economic, market and industry changes than more established futures markets.

 

Options Risk. Options on futures contracts are similar to options on securities or currencies except that options on futures contracts give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. The risk of loss in trading uncovered call options in some strategies is potentially unlimited. The purchase of put or call options could be based upon predictions by the Adviser as to anticipated trends; such predictions could prove incorrect and a part or all of the premium paid therefore could be lost.

 

 7

 

 

Risk of Investing in Derivatives. The Fund may invest in derivative securities. These are financial instruments that derive their performance from the performance of an underlying asset or index. Derivatives can be volatile and involve various types and degrees of risks, depending upon the characteristics of a particular derivative. Derivatives may entail investment exposures that are greater than their cost would suggest, meaning that a small investment in a derivative could have a large potential impact on the performance of the Fund. The Fund could experience a loss if derivatives do not perform as anticipated, or are not correlated with the performance of other investments which are used to hedge or if the Fund is unable to liquidate a position because of an illiquid secondary market. The market for many derivatives is, or suddenly can become, illiquid. Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the prices for derivatives.

 

Valuation Risk. In certain circumstances, portfolio assets may be valued using techniques other than market quotations. The value established for a portfolio asset may be different from what would be produced through the use of another methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. There is no assurance that the Fund could sell a portfolio asset for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio asset is sold at a discount to its established value.

 

Liquidity Risk. The Fund invests in Bitcoin Instruments and Restricted Securities (as defined below), which may be less liquid than other types of investments. The illiquidity of Bitcoin Instruments and Restricted Securities could have a negative effect on the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective and may result in losses to Fund shareholders. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of the Fund’s shares may begin to mirror those of the underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than the Fund’s shares.

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may experience high portfolio turnover. The Fund’s high levels of turnover of certain Bitcoin positions may result in higher taxes when an investment in the Fund is held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example thereunder, may affect the Fund’s performance.

 

Volatility Risk. Frequent or significant short-term price movements of Bitcoin, and thus Bitcoin Instruments, could adversely impact the performance of the Fund. In addition, the NAV of the Fund over short-term periods may be more volatile than other investment options because of the Fund’s significant use of financial instruments that have a leveraging effect.

 

Margin Call Risk. Margin requirements are computed by brokers, and may be computed after-hours or when the futures exchanges on which each of the Bitcoin Instruments typically trade is closed. If the margin call is not met within a reasonable time, or if the Fund is not provided sufficient notice of the margin call, the broker may close out all or a portion of the CboeVest Subsidiary’s positions at any time. Margin calls may be accompanied by periods of pronounced market volatility and low liquidity which may exacerbate losses to the Fund.

 

 8

 

 

Clearing Broker Risk. The Fund’s investments in exchange-traded futures contracts expose it to the risks of a clearing broker (or a futures commission merchant (“FCM”)). The failure or bankruptcy of the Fund’s clearing broker could result in a substantial loss of Fund assets.

 

Credit Risk. The Fund’s non-Bitcoin Instrument investments may be subject to credit risk. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to make dividend, interest and/ or principal payments when due and the related risk that the value of a security may decline because of concerns about the issuer’s ability to make such payments.

 

CboeVest Subsidiary Investment Risk. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands, under which the Fund and the CboeVest Subsidiary are organized, respectively, could result in the inability of the Fund to operate as intended and could negatively affect the Fund and its shareholders. The CboeVest Subsidiary is not registered under the 1940 Act and is not subject to all the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Thus, the Fund, as an investor in the CboeVest Subsidiary, will not have all the protections offered to investors in registered investment companies.

 

Tax Risk. Historically, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has issued private letter rulings in which the IRS specifically concluded that income and gains from investments in a wholly-owned foreign subsidiary that invests in commodity-linked instruments are “qualifying income” for purposes of compliance with Subchapter M of the Code. The Fund has not received such a private letter ruling, and is not able to rely on private letter rulings issued to other taxpayers. Additionally, the IRS has suspended the granting of such private letter rulings. The IRS also recently issued proposed regulations that, if finalized, would generally treat a fund’s income inclusion with respect to a subsidiary as qualifying income only if there is a distribution out of the earnings and profits of a subsidiary that are attributable to such income inclusion. The proposed regulations, if adopted, would apply to taxable years beginning on or after 90 days after the regulations are published as final.

 

Based on the principles underlying private letter rulings previously issued to other taxpayers, the Fund intends to treat its income from the CboeVest Subsidiary as qualifying income without any such ruling from the IRS. The tax treatment of the Fund’s investments in the CboeVest Subsidiary may be adversely affected by future legislation, court decisions, Treasury Regulations and/or guidance issued by the IRS that could affect whether income derived from such investments is “qualifying income” under Subchapter M of the Code, or otherwise affect the character, timing and/or amount of the Fund’s taxable income or any gains and distributions made by the Fund.

 

Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed. In managing the Fund’s portfolio, the Adviser will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results.

 

 9

 

Borrowing and Leverage Risk. To the extent that the Fund borrows money or utilizes certain derivatives, it may be leveraged. Such exposure will make the Fund more sensitive to movement in the value of those instruments. In particular, investments in options and derivative instruments may provide the economic effect of financial leverage by creating additional investment exposure such that increases or decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified.

 

Market Risk. The value of your investment may fall over time because the Fund is subject to market risk. Because prices of the Bitcoin Investments tend to fluctuate, the value of your investment in the Fund may increase or decrease. The shares of the Fund at any point in time may be worth less than the original investment.

 

Interest Rate Risk. The Fund’s non-Bitcoin Instrument investments may be subject to interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a bond resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates.

 

Restricted Securities. Restricted Securities are securities that are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). They may be less liquid and more difficult to value than other investments because such securities may not be readily marketable. The Fund may not be able to sell Restricted Securities promptly or at a reasonable time or price. Restricted Securities generally cannot be sold to the public and may involve a high degree of business, financial and liquidity risk, which may result in substantial losses to the Fund. Although there may be a substantial institutional market for these securities, it is not possible to predict exactly how the market for such securities will develop or whether it will continue to exist. A restricted security that was liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid and its value may decline as a result.

 

Risk of Investing in Other Investment Companies and ETPs. The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), exchange-traded notes (“ETNs”) and exchange traded products (“ETPs”) that provide exposure to Bitcoin. ETNs are senior, unsecured notes linked to an index. Like ETFs, they may be bought and sold on a securities exchange. However, while ETF shares represent an interest in the ETF’s underlying assets, ETNs are structured products that are an obligation of the issuing bank, broker-dealer or other intermediary, whereby the intermediary agrees to pay a return based on the target index less any fees. ETNs combine certain aspects of bonds and ETFs. Investors can hold an ETN until maturity. Investments in other investment companies and ETPs, which include ETFs and ETNs, will subject the Fund to the additional fees and expenses of the underlying investment company or ETP. At the same time, the Fund would continue to pay its own fees and other expenses.

 

U.S. Government Securities Risk. In addition to its investments in Bitcoin Instruments, the Fund expects to invest a portion of its remaining assets in U.S. Treasuries and other U.S. government obligations. Different U.S. government securities are subject to different levels of credit risk depending on the nature of the particular government support for that security. The market value of U.S. government securities may fluctuate and are subject to investment risks, and the value of U.S. government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates. Certain U.S. government securities may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

 

 10

 

 

Repurchase Agreements Risk.  In addition to its investments in Bitcoin Instruments, the Fund expects to invest a portion of its remaining assets in repurchase agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

 

Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks.

 

Non-Diversified Risk.  The Fund is non-diversified. The performance of a non-diversified fund may be more volatile than the performance of a diversified fund.

 

Performance History

 

The Fund has recently commenced operations and does not have a full calendar year of performance history. In the future, performance information will be presented in this section of the Prospectus. Performance information will contain a bar chart and table that provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing the Fund’s average annual returns for certain time periods as compared to a broad measure of market performance. Investors should be aware that past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

Updated performance information is available at www.cboevestfunds.com or by calling the Fund toll-free at 855-505-VEST (8378).

 

Investment Adviser

 

Cboe VestSM Financial LLC is the investment adviser to the Fund.

 

Portfolio Managers

 

Karan Sood, Managing Director of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager to the Fund since its inception on _______, 2021.

 

Howard Rubin, Managing Director of the Adviser, has served as a portfolio manager to the Fund since its inception on ______, 2021.

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

 

You may purchase, redeem or exchange shares of the Fund on days when the New York Stock Exchange is open for regular trading through a financial advisor, by mail (addressed to the Fund, 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, VA 23235), by wire, or by calling the Fund toll free at 1-855-505-VEST (8378). Purchases and redemptions by telephone are only permitted if you previously established this option on your account. The minimum initial purchase or exchange into the Fund is $1,000 for Investor Class Shares, $100,000 for Institutional Class Shares, and $[30,000,000] for the Class Y Shares. Subsequent investments must be in amounts of $100 or more for Investor Class Shares and Institutional Class Shares. Subsequent investments must be in amounts of $_____ or more for Class Y Shares. The Fund may waive minimums for purchases or exchanges through employer-sponsored retirement plans.

 

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Tax Information

 

The Fund’s distributions will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gain, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account in which case withdrawals will be taxed. Investors are urged to consult their own tax advisers to determine the tax consequences to them of investing in the Fund.

 

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

 

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your sales person to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your sales person or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND’S INVESTMENTS

 

Bitcoin Generally

 

Bitcoin are a type of digital asset that is issued by, and transmitted through, the decentralized, open source protocol of the peer-to-peer Network. The Network hosts the decentralized public transaction ledger, known as the Blockchain, on which all Bitcoin are recorded. No single entity owns or operates the Network; the infrastructure is collectively maintained by a decentralized user base. Bitcoin can be used to pay for goods and services or can be converted to fiat currencies, such as the U.S. Dollar, at rates determined on Exchanges or in individual end-user-to-end-user transactions under a barter system.

 

A Bitcoin is “stored” or reflected on the Blockchain, which is a digital record stored in a decentralized manner on the computers of each Network user. The Network software source code includes the protocols that govern the creation of Bitcoin and the cryptographic system that secures and verifies the Bitcoin transactions. The Blockchain is a canonical record of every Bitcoin, every Bitcoin transaction (including the creation or “mining” of new Bitcoin) and every Bitcoin address associated with a quantity of Bitcoin. The Network and Network software programs can interpret the Blockchain to determine the exact Bitcoin balance, if any, of any public Bitcoin address listed in the Blockchain as having taken part in a transaction on the Network.

 

The Network utilizes the Blockchain to evidence the existence of Bitcoin in any public Bitcoin address. A Bitcoin private key controls the transfer or “spending” of the Bitcoin from its associated public address. A Bitcoin “wallet” is a collection of private keys and their associated public addresses.

 

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The Blockchain is comprised of a digital record, downloaded and stored, in whole or in part, on all Network users’ software programs. The file includes all blocks that have been solved by miners and is updated to include new blocks as they are solved. As each newly solved block refers back to and “connects” with the immediately prior solved block, the addition of a new block adds to the Blockchain in a manner similar to a new link being added to a chain. Each new block records outstanding Bitcoin transactions, and outstanding transactions are settled and validated through such recording. The Blockchain represents a complete, transparent and unbroken history of all transactions on the Bitcoin Network. Each Bitcoin transaction is broadcast to the Network and recorded in the Blockchain.

 

The Network is decentralized and does not rely on either governmental authorities or financial institutions to create, transmit or determine the value of Bitcoin. Rather, each Bitcoin is created and allocated by the Bitcoin Network protocol through a “mining” process subject to a strict, well-known issuance schedule. The value of each Bitcoin is determined by the supply of and demand for that Bitcoin in the exchange market and in private end-user-to-end-user transactions, as well as the number of merchants that accept them. As Bitcoin transactions can be broadcast to the Bitcoin Network by any user’s Bitcoin Network software and Bitcoin can be transferred without the involvement of intermediaries or third parties, there are currently little or no transaction costs in direct peer-to-peer transactions on the Network. Third-party service providers such as Bitcoin Exchanges and third-party Bitcoin payment processing services may charge fees for processing transactions and for converting, or facilitating the conversion of, Bitcoin to or from fiat currency.

 

Bitcoin Futures

 

The Fund will seek to gain exposure to the Bitcoin markets primarily through exchange-traded futures contracts that are cash-settled in U.S. dollars and are traded on, or subject to the rules of, commodity exchanges registered with the CFTC. Futures contracts are financial contracts the value of which depends on, or is derived from, the underlying reference asset. In the case of Bitcoin Investment contracts, the underlying reference asset is Bitcoin.

 

A futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific financial instrument (e.g., units of a stock index) for a specified price, date, time and place designated at the time the contract is made. Brokerage fees are paid when a futures contract is bought or sold, and margin deposits must be maintained. Entering into a contract to buy is commonly referred to as buying or purchasing a contract or holding a long position. Entering into a contract to sell is commonly referred to as selling a contract or holding a short position.

 

Unlike when the Fund purchases or sells a security, no price would be paid or received by the Fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Upon entering into a futures contract, and to maintain the Fund’s open positions in futures contracts, the Fund would be required to deposit with its custodian or futures broker in a segregated account in the name of the futures broker an amount of cash, U.S. government securities, suitable money market instruments, or other liquid securities, known as “initial margin.” The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margins that may range upward from less than 5% of the value of the contract being traded.

 

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A cash-settled future contract means that when the relevant futures contract expires, if the value of the underlying asset exceeds the futures contract price, the seller pays to the purchaser cash in the amount of that excess, and if the futures contract price exceeds the value of the underlying asset, the purchaser pays to the seller cash in the amount of that excess. In a cash-settled futures contract on Bitcoin, the amount of cash to be paid is equal to the difference between the value of the Bitcoin underlying the futures contract at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the futures contract price specified in the agreement. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (the “CME”) has specified that the value of Bitcoin underlying Bitcoin futures contracts traded on the CME will be determined by reference to the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate which provides an indication of the price of Bitcoin across certain Bitcoin exchanges.

 

If the price of an open futures contract changes (by increase in underlying instrument or index in the case of a sale or by decrease in the case of a purchase) so that the loss on the futures contract reaches a point at which the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, the broker will require an increase in the margin. However, if the value of a position increases because of favorable price changes in the futures contract so that the margin deposit exceeds the required margin, the broker will pay the excess to the Fund.

 

These subsequent payments, called “variation margin,” to and from the futures broker, are made on a daily basis as the price of the underlying assets fluctuate making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as “marking to the market.” The Fund expects to earn interest income on margin deposits.

 

Bitcoin futures that trade on, or subject to the rules of, the CME (“CME Bitcoin Futures”) commenced trading on the CME Globex electronic trading platform on December 17, 2017 under the ticker symbol “BTC”. CME Bitcoin Futures are cash-settled in U.S. dollars, based on a volume-weighted composite of U.S. dollar-Bitcoin trading activity on the Bitcoin exchanges (Bitcoin Exchanges). The Bitcoin Exchanges are selected by CF Benchmarks Ltd. Of England (“CF Benchmarks”) based on the Bitcoin Exchange Criteria. CF Benchmarks are subject to United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority Regulation. The Bitcoin Exchange Criteria requires each Bitcoin Exchange to implement policies and procedures to ensure fair and transparent market conditions and to identify and impede illegal, unfair or manipulative trading practices. Additionally, each Bitcoin Exchange must comply with, among other things, capital market regulations, money transmission regulations, client money custody regulations, know-you-client regulations, and anti-money laundering regulations. Each Bitcoin Exchange is reviewed annually by an oversight committee established by CF Benchmarks to confirm that the Bitcoin Exchange continues to meet all criteria.

 

Futures contracts exhibit “futures basis,” which refers to the difference between the current market value of the underlying Bitcoin and the price of the cash-settled futures contracts. A negative futures basis exists when cash-settled Bitcoin futures contracts generally trade at a premium to the current market value of Bitcoin. If a negative futures basis exists, the Fund’s investments in Bitcoin futures contracts will generally underperform a direct investment in Bitcoin.

 

Borrowing Money

 

The Fund may borrow money from a bank up to a limit of one-third of the market value of its assets. The Fund intends to enter into a credit facility to borrow money for temporary, emergency or other purposes, including the funding of shareholder redemption requests, trade settlements and as necessary to distribute to shareholders any income required to maintain the Fund’s status as a regulated investment company. To the extent that the Fund borrows money, it may be leveraged. Leveraging generally exaggerates the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. Leverage generally has the effect of increasing the amount of loss or gain the Fund might realize, and may increase volatility in the value of the Fund’s investments.

 

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Temporary Investments

 

To respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its total assets, without limitation, in high-quality short-term debt securities. These short-term debt securities include but are not limited to: commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, U.S. Government securities, including U.S. Treasury bills, and repurchase agreements. While the Fund is in a defensive position, the opportunity to achieve its investment objective will be limited. The Fund may also invest a substantial portion of its assets in such instruments at any time to maintain liquidity or pending selection of investments in accordance with its policies. When the Fund takes such a position, it may not achieve its investment objective.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT RISK

 

Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund, each of which could significantly and adversely affect the value of an investment in the Fund.

 

Bitcoin Risks

 

The following risk are specifically attributable to making investments in Bitcoin. Each of these risks could adversely impact the value of an investment in the Fund.

 

New Technology Adoption Risks. Investing in Bitcoin represents an investment is a new technological innovation with a limited history. Bitcoin has experienced recent significant growth, but there is no assurance that such growth will continue. Moreover, a contraction in this market may result in increased volatility or a reduction in the price of Bitcoin. The limited market trading history may limit the ability of the Adviser to assess opportunities and risks.

 

Industry Uncertainty Risks. Bitcoin and the marketplace for Bitcoin is relatively new, which means that this type of investment is subject to a high degree of uncertainty. Uncertainty surrounding the adoption of Bitcoin, growth in its usage and in the blockchain for various applications and an accommodating regulatory environment creates a risk for the Fund. Even if growth in Bitcoin adoption occurs in the near or medium-term, there is no assurance that Bitcoin usage will continue to grow over the long-term. A contraction in use of Bitcoin may result in increased volatility or a reduction in the price of Bitcoin. These uncertain factors could adversely affect an investment in the Fund.

 

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Bitcoin Volatility Risks. Bitcoin trading prices are volatile. Speculators and investors who seek to profit from trading and holding Bitcoin generate a significant portion of Bitcoin demand. Bitcoin speculation regarding future appreciation in the value of Bitcoin may inflate and make more volatile the price of a Bitcoin. As a result, Bitcoin may be more likely to fluctuate in value due to changing investor confidence in future appreciation in the price of Bitcoin.

 

Regulatory Risks. Both domestic and foreign regulators and governments have focused on regulation of Bitcoin. In the U.S., Bitcoin is regulated by both federal and state authorities, depending on the context of its usage. Bitcoin market disruptions and resulting governmental interventions are unpredictable, and may make Bitcoin illegal altogether. Future foreign regulations and directives may conflict with those in the U.S., and such regulatory actions may restrict or make Bitcoin illegal in foreign jurisdictions. Future regulations and directives in regulation may impact the demand for Bitcoin, and may also affect the ability of Bitcoin exchanges to operate and for other market participants to enter into Bitcoin transactions. To the extent that future regulatory actions or policies limit or restrict Bitcoin usage, Bitcoin trading or the ability to convert Bitcoin to government currencies, the demand for Bitcoin may be reduced, which may adversely affect an investment in the Fund. Regulation of Bitcoin continues to evolve, the ultimate impact of which remains unclear and may adversely affect, among other things, the availability, value or performance of Bitcoin and, thus, the Bitcoin in which the Fund invests. Moreover, in addition to exposing the Fund to potential new costs and expenses, additional regulation or changes to existing regulation may also require changes to the Fund’s investment strategies.

 

Excess Supply Risks.  Newly created Bitcoin are generated through a process referred to as “mining,” and such Bitcoin are referred to as “newly mined Bitcoin.” If entities engaged in Bitcoin mining choose not to hold the newly mined Bitcoin, and, instead, make them available for sale, this increase in the supply of such Bitcoin can create downward pressure on the price of Bitcoin. A Bitcoin mining operation may be more likely to sell a higher percentage of its newly created Bitcoin, and more rapidly so, if it is operating at a low profit margin, thus reducing the price of Bitcoin. Lower Bitcoin prices may result in further tightening of profit margins for miners and worsening profitability, thereby potentially causing even further selling pressure. Decreasing profit margins and increasing sales of newly mined Bitcoin could result in a reduction in the price of Bitcoin, which could adversely impact an investment in the Fund.

 

Disruptions and Failures at Bitcoin. Bitcoin exchanges operate websites on which users can trade Bitcoin for U.S. dollars, other government currencies or other digital assets. Trades on Bitcoin exchanges are unrelated to transfers of Bitcoin between users via the Bitcoin network. Bitcoin trades on Bitcoin exchanges are recorded on the Bitcoin exchange’s internal ledger only, and each internal ledger entry for a trade will correspond to an entry for an offsetting trade in U.S. dollars, other government currency or other digital asset. Bitcoin exchanges have a limited history with a record of disruptions. Since 2009, several Bitcoin exchanges have been closed or experienced disruptions due to fraud, failure, security breaches or distributed denial of service attacks a/k/a “DDoS Attacks.” In many of these instances, the customers of such exchanges were not compensated or made whole for the partial or complete losses of their funds held at the exchanges. In 2014, the largest Bitcoin exchange at the time, Mt. Gox, filed for bankruptcy in Japan amid reports the exchange lost up to 850,000 Bitcoin, valued then at over $450 million. Bitcoin exchanges are also appealing targets for hackers and malware. In August 2016, Bitfinex, a Bitcoin exchange located in Hong Kong, reported a security breach that resulted in the theft of approximately 120,000 Bitcoin valued at the time at approximately $65 million, a loss which was allocated to all Bitfinex account holders (rather than just specified holders whose wallets were affected directly), regardless of whether the account holder held Bitcoin or cash in their account. The potential for instability of Bitcoin exchanges and the closure or temporary shutdown of exchanges due to fraud, business failure, hackers, DDoS or malware, or government-mandated regulation may reduce confidence in Bitcoin, which may result in greater volatility in Bitcoin.

 

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Risks Associated with Demand for Specific Digital Assets. As the market for Bitcoin evolves, it is possible that a digital asset other than Bitcoin held by the Fund could have features that make it more desirable to a material portion of the digital asset user base, resulting in a reduction in demand for Bitcoin held by the Fund (and thus negatively impacting the value of the Fund). Certain Bitcoin hold a “first-to-market” advantage over other digital assets. This first-to-market advantage is driven in large part by having the largest user base and, more importantly, the largest combined mining power in use to secure the blockchain and transaction verification system. Having a large mining network results in greater user confidence regarding the security and long-term stability of a digital asset’s network and its blockchain. As a result, the advantage of more users and miners may make such Bitcoin more secure, which makes it more attractive to new users and miners, resulting in a network effect that strengthens the first-to-market advantage. Such Bitcoin may also enjoy significantly greater acceptance and usage than other Bitcoin networks in the retail and commercial marketplace, due in large part to the relatively well-funded efforts of payment processing companies, including BitPay and Coinbase. Despite the market first-mover advantage of certain Bitcoin, it is possible that other Bitcoin could become materially popular due to either a perceived or exposed shortcoming of a network protocol that is not immediately addressed or a perceived advantage of an alternative Bitcoin that includes features not incorporated into Bitcoin held by the Fund. in such circumstances, the demand for the Bitcoin held by the Fund could be negatively impacted. Decreased demand for Bitcoin may adversely affect its price, which may adversely affect an investment in the Fund.

 

Risks from Decreased Incentives for Miners. Miners generate revenue from both newly created Bitcoin (known as the “block reward”) and from fees taken upon verification of transactions. If the aggregate revenue from transaction fees and the block reward is below a miner’s cost, the miner may cease operations. An acute cessation of mining operations would reduce the collective processing power on the blockchain, which would adversely affect the transaction verification process by temporarily decreasing the speed at which blocks are added to the blockchain and make the blockchain more vulnerable to a malicious actor obtaining control in excess of 50 percent of the processing power on the blockchain. Reductions in processing power could result in material, though temporary, delays in transaction confirmation time. Any reduction in confidence in the transaction verification process or mining processing power may adversely impact the price of Bitcoin. Furthermore, the block reward will decrease over time. In the summer of 2020, the block reward will reduce from 12.5 to 6.25 Bitcoin, and to 3.125 Bitcoin in 2024. As the block reward continues to decrease over time, the mining incentive structure will transition to a higher reliance on transaction verification fees in order to incentivize miners to continue to dedicate processing power to the blockchain. If transaction verification fees become too high, the marketplace may be reluctant to use Bitcoin. Decreased demand for Bitcoin may adversely affect its price, which may adversely affect an investment in the Fund.

 

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Risks of Changes to Bitcoin Network. A small group of individuals contribute to the Bitcoin core project. These individuals can propose refinements or improvements to the Bitcoin network’s source code through one or more software upgrades that alter the protocols and software that govern the Bitcoin network and the properties of Bitcoin, including the irreversibility of transactions and limitations on the mining of new Bitcoin. However, Bitcoin is an open source project and, although there is an influential group of contributors in the Bitcoin community, there is no designated developer or group of developers who formally control the Bitcoin network. Any individual can download the Bitcoin network software and make any desired modifications, which are proposed to users and miners on the Bitcoin network through modifications typically posted to the Bitcoin development forum. When a modification is introduced and a substantial majority of users and miners consent to the modification, the change is implemented and the Bitcoin network remains uninterrupted. However, if less than a substantial majority of users and miners consent to the proposed modification, and the modification is not compatible with the software prior to its modification, the consequence would be what is known as a “fork” (i.e., “split”) of the Bitcoin network (and the blockchain), with one prong running the pre-modified software and the other running the modified software. The effect of such a fork would be the existence of two versions of the Bitcoin network running in parallel, but with each version’s Bitcoin (the asset) lacking interchangeability. Additionally, a fork could be introduced by an unintentional, unanticipated software flaw in the multiple versions of otherwise compatible software users run. Although several chain forks have been addressed by community-led efforts to merge the two chains, such a fork could adversely affect Bitcoin’s viability. It is possible, however, that a substantial number of Bitcoin users and miners could adopt an incompatible version of Bitcoin while resisting community-led efforts to merge the two chains. This would result in a permanent fork. On August 1, 2017, after extended debates among developers as to how to improve the Bitcoin network’s transaction capacity, the Bitcoin network was forked by a group of developers and miners resulting in the creation of a new blockchain, which underlies the new digital asset “Bitcoin Cash” alongside the original Bitcoin blockchain. Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash now operate on separate, independent blockchains. Although the Bitcoin network remained unchanged after the fork, it is unclear how such actions will affect the long-term viability of Bitcoin and, accordingly, may adversely affect an investment in the Fund.

 

Risks Associated with Intellectual Property Rights. Third parties may assert intellectual property claims relating to the holding and transfer of certain Bitcoin and their source code. Regardless of the merit of any intellectual property or other legal action, any threatened action that reduces confidence in the Bitcoin network’s long-term viability or the ability of end-users to hold and transfer Bitcoin may adversely affect an investment in the Fund. Additionally, a meritorious intellectual property claim could prevent end-users from accessing the Bitcoin network or holding or transferring their Bitcoin. As a result, an intellectual property claim could adversely affect an investment in the Fund.

 

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Risk Factors Related to Bitcoin and Bitcoin’s Network. Bitcoin can only be transferred with the private key associated with the public Bitcoin address in which the Bitcoin is held. The loss or destruction of a private key required to transfer the Fund’s Bitcoin holdings may be irreversible. The Fund’s loss of access to a private key associated with a public Bitcoin address that holds the Fund’s assets could adversely affect an investment in the Fund. The Fund safeguards and securely stores the private keys associated with the Fund’s public Bitcoin addresses by engaging the Fund’s custodian (the “Custodian”) to use its Cold Storage System. To the extent a private key is lost, destroyed, exfiltrated or otherwise compromised and no backup of the private key is accessible, the Custodian will be unable to transfer the Fund’s Bitcoin held in the public Bitcoin addresses associated with that private key. Consequently, such funds will effectively be lost, which could adversely affect an investment in the Fund.

 

Other General Fund Risks

 

Risk of Limited Exposure. Due to the Fund’s investment strategy of limiting its volatility, the Fund’s investment in Bitcoin may be a small proportion of the Fund’s assets.

 

Risk of Investing in Futures. The Fund may invest in exchange-traded Bitcoin futures contracts (either directly or through the CboeVest Subsidiary). Futures contracts generally provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified instrument, index or commodity at a specified future time and at a specified price. The value of a futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of the underlying instrument. The prices of futures can be highly volatile and using futures can increase the volatility of the Fund’s NAV and/or lower total return. Additionally, as a result of low collateral deposits normally involved in futures trading, a relatively small movement in the price or value of a futures transaction may result in substantial losses to the Fund, and the potential loss from futures can exceed the Fund’s initial investment in such contracts. Futures contracts involve the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in the value of a futures contract may not correlate perfectly with the underlying indicator. Even a well-conceived futures transaction may be unsuccessful due to market events. There is also the risk of loss by the Fund of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with whom the Fund has an open position in the futures contract. A liquid secondary market may not always exist for the Fund’s futures contract positions at any time.

 

Bitcoin Futures Market Risk. Unlike other more developed futures markets, the market for exchange-traded Bitcoin futures contracts has limited trading history and operational experience and may be riskier, less liquid, more volatile and more vulnerable to economic, market and industry changes than more established futures markets. The liquidity of the market will depend on, among other things, the adoption of Bitcoin and the commercial and speculative interest in the market for the ability to hedge against the price of Bitcoin with exchange-traded Bitcoin futures contracts.

 

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Options Risk. Options on futures contracts are similar to options on securities or currencies except that options on futures contracts give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. The risk of loss in trading uncovered call options in some strategies is potentially unlimited. There also is the risk of loss by the Fund of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with whom the Fund has an open position in the option. The purchase of put or call options could be based upon predictions by the Adviser as to anticipated trends; such predictions could prove incorrect and a part or all of the premium paid therefore could be lost.

 

Risk of Investing in Derivatives. Derivatives are financial instruments whose values are based on the value of one or more reference assets or indicators, such as a security, currency, interest rate or index. The Fund’s use of Bitcoin-linked derivative instruments would involve risks different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in traditional securities. The use of derivatives can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the underlying security, commodity, asset, index or reference rate. Derivative strategies often involve leverage, which may exaggerate a loss, potentially causing the Fund to lose more money than it would have lost had it invested in the underlying security. Also, a liquid secondary market may not always exist for the Fund’s derivative positions at times when the Fund might wish to terminate or sell such positions.

 

Valuation Risk. In certain circumstances, portfolio assets may be valued using techniques other than market quotations. The value established for a portfolio asset may be different from what would be produced through the use of another methodology or if it had been priced using market quotations. Portfolio assets that are valued using techniques other than market quotations, including “fair valued” securities, may be subject to greater fluctuation in their value from one day to the next than would be the case if market quotations were used. In addition, there is no assurance that the Fund could sell a portfolio asset for the value established for it at any time, and it is possible that the Fund would incur a loss because a portfolio asset is sold at a discount to its established value.

 

Liquidity Risk. The Fund invests in Bitcoin Instruments and Restricted Securities , which may be less liquid than other types of investments. The illiquidity of Bitcoin Instruments and Restricted Securities could have a negative effect on the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective and may result in losses to Fund shareholders. In stressed market conditions, the liquidity of the Fund’s shares may begin to mirror those of the underlying portfolio holdings, which can be significantly less liquid than the Fund’s shares.

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions or mark-ups in the bid/offer spread, when it purchases Bitcoin Instruments. Because the Fund may “roll” certain of its Bitcoin Instruments, it may incur high levels of transaction costs. While the turnover of the Bitcoin Instrument positions is not deemed “portfolio turnover” for accounting purposes, the economic impact to the Fund is similar to what could occur if the Fund experienced high portfolio turnover. The Fund’s high levels of turnover of certain Bitcoin positions may result in higher taxes when an investment in the Fund is held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example thereunder, may affect the Fund’s performance.

 

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Volatility Risk. Frequent or significant short-term price movements of Bitcoin, and thus Bitcoin Instruments, could adversely impact the performance of the Fund. In addition, the NAV of the Fund over short-term periods may be more volatile than other investment options because of the Fund’s significant use of financial instruments that have a leveraging effect. For example, because of the low margin deposits required, futures trading involves an extremely high degree of leverage and as a result, a relatively small price movement in a Bitcoin Instrument may result in immediate and substantial losses to the Fund.

 

Margin Call Risk. Margin requirements are computed by brokers, and may be computed after-hours or when the futures exchanges on which each of the Bitcoin Instruments typically trade is closed. When the market value of a particular open futures contract position changes to a point where the margin on deposit does not satisfy maintenance margin requirements, a margin call is made by the commodity broker. The Fund will attempt to meet a margin call with available cash or cash equivalents. If the Fund does not have a sufficient amount of cash or cash equivalents to satisfy the margin call, the Fund will be required to liquidate its holdings of Bitcoin Instruments. If the margin call is not met within a reasonable time, or if the Fund is not provided sufficient notice of the margin call, the broker may close out all or a portion of the CboeVest Subsidiary’s positions at any time. Margin calls may be accompanied by periods of pronounced market volatility and low liquidity which may exacerbate losses to the Fund.

 

Clearing Broker Risk. The Fund’s investments in exchange-traded futures contracts expose it to the risks of a clearing broker (or an FCM). The failure or bankruptcy of the Fund’s clearing broker could result in a substantial loss of Fund assets. Under current CFTC regulations, a clearing broker maintains customers’ assets in a bulk segregated account. If a clearing broker fails to do so, or is unable to satisfy a substantial deficit in a customer account, its other customers may be subject to risk of loss of their funds in the event of that clearing broker’s bankruptcy. In that event, the clearing broker’s customers, such as the Fund and the CboeVest Subsidiary, are entitled to recover, even in respect of property specifically traceable to them, only a proportional share of all property available for distribution to all of that clearing broker’s customers.

 

Credit Risk. The Fund’s non-Bitcoin Instrument investments may be subject to credit risk. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling to make dividend, interest and/ or principal payments when due and the related risk that the value of a security may decline because of concerns about the issuer’s ability to make such payments. Fixed income securities are subject to varying degrees of credit risk which may be reflected in credit ratings. There is a possibility that the credit rating of a fixed income security may be downgraded after purchase or the perception of an issuer’s credit worthiness may decline, which may adversely affect the value of the security.

 

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CboeVest Subsidiary Investment Risk. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands, under which the Fund and the CboeVest Subsidiary are organized, respectively, could result in the inability of the Fund to operate as intended and could negatively affect the Fund and its shareholders. The CboeVest Subsidiary is not registered under the 1940 Act and is not subject to all the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Thus, the Fund, as an investor in the CboeVest Subsidiary, will not have all the protections offered to investors in registered investment companies.

 

Tax Risk. Historically, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has issued private letter rulings in which the IRS specifically concluded that income and gains from investments in a wholly-owned foreign subsidiary that invests in commodity-linked instruments are “qualifying income” for purposes of compliance with Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. The Fund has not received such a private letter ruling, and is not able to rely on private letter rulings issued to other taxpayers. Additionally, the IRS has suspended the granting of such private letter rulings. The IRS also recently issued proposed regulations that, if finalized, would generally treat a fund’s income inclusion with respect to a subsidiary as qualifying income only if there is a distribution out of the earnings and profits of a subsidiary that are attributable to such income inclusion. The proposed regulations, if adopted, would apply to taxable years beginning on or after 90 days after the regulations are published as final.

 

Based on the principles underlying private letter rulings previously issued to other taxpayers, the Fund intends to treat its income from the CboeVest Subsidiary as qualifying income without any such ruling from the IRS. The tax treatment of the Fund’s investments in the CboeVest Subsidiary may be adversely affected by future legislation, court decisions, Treasury Regulations and/or guidance issued by the IRS that could affect whether income derived from such investments is “qualifying income” under Subchapter M of the Code, or otherwise affect the character, timing and/or amount of the Fund’s taxable income or any gains and distributions made by the Fund.

 

Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed. In managing the Fund’s portfolio, the Adviser will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results.

 

Borrowing and Leverage Risk. To the extent that the Fund borrows money or utilizes certain derivatives, it may be leveraged. The utilization of leverage, such as borrowings, involves certain risks to the Fund’s shareholders and generally exaggerates the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

 

Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions and sudden and unpredictable drops in value. An investment in the Fund may lose money.

 

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Interest Rate Risk. The Fund’s non-Bitcoin Instrument investments may be subject to interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a bond resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most bonds go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most bonds go up. The historically low interest rate environment increases the risk associated with rising interest rates, including the potential for periods of volatility and increased redemptions. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk, since the U.S. Federal Reserve Board recently ended its quantitative easing program and has begun to raise rates.

 

Restricted Securities. Restricted Securities are securities that are not registered under the Securities Act. They may be less liquid and more difficult to value than other investments because such securities may not be readily marketable. The Fund may not be able to sell Restricted Securities promptly or at a reasonable time or price. Restricted Securities generally cannot be sold to the public and may involve a high degree of business, financial and liquidity risk, which may result in substantial losses to the Fund. Although there may be a substantial institutional market for these securities, it is not possible to predict exactly how the market for such securities will develop or whether it will continue to exist. A restricted security that was liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid and its value may decline as a result. In addition, transaction costs may be higher for restricted securities than for more liquid securities. The Fund may have to bear the expense of registering restricted securities for resale and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration.

 

Risk of Investing in Other Investment Companies and ETPs. The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including ETFs, ETNs and ETPs that provide exposure to Bitcoin. ETNs are senior, unsecured notes linked to an index. Like ETFs, they may be bought and sold on a securities exchange. However, while ETF shares represent an interest in the ETF’s underlying assets, ETNs are structured products that are an obligation of the issuing bank, broker-dealer or other intermediary, whereby the intermediary agrees to pay a return based on the target index less any fees. ETNs combine certain aspects of bonds and ETFs. Investors can hold an ETN until maturity. Additionally, the value of an ETN may be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying market (e.g., the commodities market), changes in interest rates or the issuer’s credit rating, and other economic, legal, political or geographic events. Investments in other investment companies and ETPs, which include ETFs and ETNs, will subject the Fund to the additional fees and expenses of the underlying investment company or ETP. At the same time, the Fund would continue to pay its own fees and other expenses.

 

U.S. Government Securities Risk. In addition to its investments in Bitcoin Instruments, the Fund expects to invest a portion of its remaining assets in U.S. Treasuries and other U.S. government obligations. Different U.S. government securities are subject to different levels of credit risk depending on the nature of the particular government support for that security. U.S. government securities may be supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, the issuer’s ability to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, the credit of the issuing agency, instrumentality or government-sponsored entity, pools of assets (e.g. mortgage-backed securities) or the United States in some other way. The market value of U.S. government securities may fluctuate and are subject to investment risks, and the value of U.S. government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates. Certain U.S. government securities may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. In addition, it is possible that the issuers of some U.S. government securities will not be able to timely meet their payment obligations in the future, and there is a risk of default. With respect to certain agency-issued securities, there is no guarantee the U.S. government will support the agency if it is unable to meet its obligations.

 

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Repurchase Agreements Risk.  In addition to its investments in Bitcoin Instruments, the Fund expects to invest a portion of its remaining assets in repurchase agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or system failures.

 

Non-Diversified Risk. The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” fund under the 1940 Act. Therefore, the Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in obligations of a single issuer. Moreover, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.

 

Health Crisis Risk. A widespread health crisis, such as a global pandemic, could cause substantial market volatility, exchange trading suspensions or restrictions and closures of securities exchanges and businesses, impact the ability to complete redemptions, and adversely impact Fund performance. An outbreak of an infectious respiratory illness, COVID-19, caused by a novel coronavirus, was first detected in China in December 2019 and spread globally. As of the date of this prospectus, this outbreak has resulted in travel restrictions, closed international borders, enhanced health screenings at ports of entry and elsewhere, disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, prolonged quarantines, cancellations, supply chain disruptions, disruptions in markets, lower consumer demand, layoffs, defaults and other significant economic impacts, as well as general concern and uncertainty. These types of market disruptions may adversely impact the Fund’s investments, including impairing hedging activity to the extent the Fund engages in such activity, as expected correlations between related markets or instruments may no longer apply. In addition, to the extent the Fund invests in short-term instruments that have negative yields, the Fund’s value may be impaired as a result. Any suspension of trading in markets in which the Fund invests will have an impact on the Fund and its investments and will impact the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell securities in those markets. The impact of this outbreak has adversely affected the economies of many nations and the entire global economy and may impact individual issuers and capital markets in ways that cannot be foreseen. The duration of the outbreak and its effects cannot be determined with any certainty.

 

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In the past, governmental and quasigovernmental authorities and regulators throughout the world have responded to major economic disruptions with a variety of fiscal and monetary policy changes, including direct capital infusions into companies and other issuers, new monetary policy tools, and lower interest rates. An unexpected or sudden reversal of these policies, or the ineffectiveness of such policies, is likely to increase market volatility, which could adversely affect the Fund’s investments.

 

The outbreak could also impair the information technology and other operational systems upon which the Fund’s service providers rely and could otherwise disrupt the ability of employees of the Fund’s service providers to perform critical tasks relating to the Fund. Other infectious illness outbreaks that may arise in the future could have similar or other unforeseen effects. Public health crises may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social, and economic risks in certain countries or globally.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

The Investment Adviser

 

Cboe VestSM Financial LLC , 1765 Greensboro Station Pl, 9th Floor, McLean, VA 22102, serves as investment adviser to the Fund. Subject to the authority of the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is responsible for management of the Fund’s investment portfolio. The Adviser is responsible for selecting the Fund’s investments according to the Fund’s investment objective, policies and restrictions. The Adviser was established in September 2012. As of the date of this prospectus, the Adviser is the investment adviser to 3 other funds in the Trust and is designated as investment adviser to other institutions, sub-advised pooled investment accounts and ETFs. As of __________, 2021, the Adviser had approximately $____ million in assets under management.

 

The Adviser also furnishes the Fund with office space and certain administrative services. For its services, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual management fee calculated daily and payable monthly, at a rate of 1.75% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.

 

The Adviser has entered into a written expense limitation agreement under which it has agreed to limit the total expenses of the Fund (exclusive of interest, distribution fees pursuant to Rule 12b-1 Plans, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and dividend expense on short sales) to an annual rate of 1.95% of the average daily net assets of each class of shares of the Fund offered in this prospectus, except for the Class Y shares where the Adviser has agreed to limit the total expenses to 1.70%. This expense limitation agreement may be terminated by the Adviser or the Trust at any time after ____________, 2022. Each waiver or reimbursement of an expense by the Adviser is subject to repayment by a Fund within three years following the date such waiver and/or reimbursement was made, provided that the 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. The expense limitation agreement shall terminate automatically upon the termination of the Adviser’s Advisory Agreement with the Trust; provided, however, that the obligation of the Trust to reimburse the Adviser with respect to the Fund shall survive the termination of the expense limitation agreement unless the Trust and the Adviser agree otherwise.

 

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A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the investment advisory agreement for the Fund will be available in the Fund’s annual report for the period ending ____________, 2022.

 

The Portfolio Managers

 

The Fund is managed on a day-to-day basis by Karan Sood and Howard Rubin.

 

Mr. Sood has over ten years of experience in derivative based investment strategy design and trading. Mr. Sood joined the Adviser in 2012. Prior to joining the Adviser, Mr. Sood worked as a senior manager in new product development at ProShares Advisors LLC. At ProShares he was instrumental in developing several first-to-market derivative-based ETFs. Prior to ProShares, Mr. Sood worked as a Vice President at Barclays Capital. Last based in New York, he was responsible for using derivatives to design structured investment strategies and solutions for the firm’s institutional clients in the Americas. Prior to his role in New York, Mr. Sood worked in similar capacity in London with Barclays Capital’s European clients. Mr. Sood received a master’s degree in Decision Sciences & Operations Research from London School of Economics & Political Science, London. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

 

Mr. Rubin has over twenty years of experience as a Portfolio Manager. Mr. Rubin joined the Adviser in 2017. Prior to joining the Adviser, Mr. Rubin has served as Director of Portfolio Management at ProShare Advisors LLC from December 2007 to September 2013. Mr. Rubin has also served as Senior Portfolio Manager of ProFund Advisors LLC since November 2004 and Portfolio Manager of ProFund Advisors LLC from April 2000 through November 2004. Mr. Rubin holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Mr. Rubin received a master’s degree in finance from George Washington University. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wharton School of Finance, University of Pennsylvania.

 

The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) provides additional information about each portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio manager, and the portfolio manager’s ownership in the Fund.  

 

The Trust

 

The Fund is a series of the World Funds Trust, an open-end management investment company organized as a Delaware statutory trust on April 9, 2007. The Trustees supervise the operations of the Fund according to applicable state and federal law, and the Trustees are responsible for the overall management of the Fund’s business affairs.

 

Rule 12b-1 Fees

 

The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan for the Fund’s Investor Class (the “12b-1 Plan”) in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan, the Fund may finance from the assets of a particular class certain activities or expenses that are intended primarily to result in the sale of shares of such class. The Fund finances these distribution and service activities through payments made to the Fund’s principal underwriter (the “Distributor”). The fee paid to the Distributor by each class is computed on an annualized basis reflecting the average daily net assets of a class, up to a maximum of 0.25% for Investor Class Shares. Because these fees are paid out of a class’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges.

 

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The 12b-1 Plan, while primarily intended to compensation for shareholder services and expenses, was adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and it therefore may be used to pay for certain expenditures related to financing distribution related activities for the Fund.

 

Shareholder Servicing Plan

 

The Fund has adopted a shareholder service plan on behalf of its Investor Class and Institutional Shares. Under a shareholder services plan, the Fund may pay an authorized firm up to 0.15% 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, such as: (i) arranging for bank wires; (ii) responding to inquiries from shareholders concerning their investment in the Funds; (iii) assisting shareholders in changing dividend options, account designations and addresses; (iv) providing information periodically to shareholders showing their position in shares; (v) forwarding shareholder communications from the Funds such as proxies, shareholder reports, annual reports, and dividend distribution and tax notices to shareholders; (vi) processing purchase, exchange and redemption requests from shareholders and placing orders with the Funds or their service providers; (vii) providing sub-accounting with respect to shares beneficially owned by shareholders; and (viii) processing dividend payments from the Funds on behalf of shareholders.

 

Because the Fund has adopted the shareholder services plan to compensate authorized firms for providing the types of services described above, the Fund believes the shareholder services plan is not covered by Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which relates to payment of distribution fees. The Fund, however, follows the procedural requirements of Rule 12b-1 in connection with the implementation and administration of each shareholder services plan.

 

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 Fund 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 Fund does not monitor the actual services being performed by an authorized firm under the plan and related service agreement. The Fund also does 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 Fund and any compensation the authorized firm may receive directly from its clients.

 

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Shareholder Servicing

 

Certain financial intermediaries that maintain “street name” or omnibus accounts with the Fund provide sub-accounting, recordkeeping and/or administrative services to the Fund and are compensated for such services by the Fund. These service fees may be paid in addition to the fees paid under the 12b-1 Plan. For more information, please refer to the SAI.

 

Other Expenses

 

In addition to the 12b-1 fees and the investment advisory fees, the Fund pays all expenses not assumed by the Adviser, including, without limitation, the following: the fees and expenses of administrators, transfer agents, independent accountants and legal counsel; the costs of printing and mailing to shareholders annual and semi-annual reports, proxy statements, prospectuses, statements of additional information, and supplements thereto; the costs of printing registration statements; bank transaction charges and custodian’s fees; any proxy solicitors’ fees and expenses; filing fees; any federal, state, or local income or other taxes; any interest; any membership fees of the Investment Company Institute and similar organizations; fidelity bond and Trustees’ liability insurance premiums; and any extraordinary expenses, such as indemnification payments or damages awarded in litigation or settlements made.

 

Portfolio Holdings

 

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI. Complete holdings (as of the dates of such reports) are available in reports on Form N-PORT and Form N-CSR, and were previously available in reports on Form N-Q, filed with the SEC.

 

HOW TO BUY SHARES

 

You may purchase shares of the Fund through financial intermediaries, such as fund supermarkets or through brokers or dealers who are authorized by the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund (collectively, “Financial Intermediaries”). You may also purchase shares directly from the Distributor. You may request a copy of this prospectus by calling toll free at 855-505-VEST (8378). Financial Intermediaries may require the payment of fees from their individual clients, which may be different from those described in this prospectus. For example, Financial Intermediaries may charge transaction fees or set different minimum investment amounts. Financial Intermediaries may also have policies and procedures that are different from those contained in this prospectus. Investors should consult their Financial Intermediary regarding its procedures for purchasing and selling shares of the Fund as the policies and procedures may be different. The price you pay for a share of the Fund is the NAV next determined upon receipt by the Transfer Agent (See below) or financial intermediary. The Fund will be deemed to have received your purchase or redemption order when the Financial Intermediary receives the order. Such Financial Intermediaries are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Fund’s behalf.

 

Certain Financial Intermediaries may have agreements with the Fund that allow them to enter confirmed purchase and redemption orders on behalf of clients and customers. Under this arrangement, the Financial Intermediary must send your payment to the Fund by the time the Fund prices its shares on the following business day.

 

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The Fund is not responsible for ensuring that a Financial Intermediary carries out its obligations. You should look to the Financial Intermediary through whom you wish to invest for specific instructions on how to purchase or redeem shares of the Fund.

 

Minimum Investments. The minimum initial investment for Investor Class Shares is $1,000, Institutional Class Shares is $100,000 and Class Y Shares is $[30,000,000]. Subsequent investments must be in amounts of $100 or more for the Investor and Institutional Class Shares and $_____ for the Class Y Shares. The Trust may waive the minimum initial investment requirement for purchases made by directors, officers and employees of the Trust, the Adviser or any of their respective affiliates. The Trust may also waive the minimum investment requirement for purchases by its affiliated entities and certain related advisory accounts and retirement accounts (such as IRAs). The Trust may also change or waive policies concerning minimum investment amounts at any time. The Trust retains the right to refuse to accept an order.

 

Financial advisers with clients holding accounts in Classes of the Fund with lower initial investment minimums may aggregate the value of those individual client accounts in order for each of those accounts to qualify for a Class with a higher investment minimum. Please contact the Adviser if you believe you qualify under these criteria.

 

Plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may choose to impose qualification requirements for plans that differ from the Fund’s share class eligibility standards. In certain cases, this could result in the selection of a share class with higher service and distribution-related fees than those of another class available under the Fund’s share class eligibility criteria. The Fund is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary to impose such differing requirements. Please consult with your plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary for more information about available share classes as not all share classes may be made available.

 

Customer Identification Program. Federal regulations require that the Trust obtain certain personal information about you when opening a new account. As a result, the Trust must obtain the following information for each person that opens a new account:

 

Name;
Date of birth (for individuals);
Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.

 

You may also be asked for a copy of your driver’s license, passport, or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities.

 

After an account is opened, the Trust may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Trust also may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time.

 

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If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.

 

Purchases by Mail. For initial purchases, the account application, which accompanies this prospectus, should be completed, signed and mailed to Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. (the “Transfer Agent”), the Fund’s transfer and dividend disbursing agent, at 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, VA 23235 together with your check payable to the Fund. When you buy shares, be sure to specify the Fund and class of shares in which you choose to invest. For subsequent purchases, include with your check the tear-off stub from a prior purchase confirmation or otherwise identify the name(s) of the registered owner(s) and social security number(s).

 

Purchases by Wire. You may purchase shares by requesting your bank to transmit by wire directly to the Transfer Agent. To invest by wire, please call the Fund toll free at 855-505-VEST (8378) or the Transfer Agent at (800) 628-4077 to advise the Trust of your investment and to receive further instructions. Your bank may charge you a small fee for this service. Once you have arranged to purchase shares by wire, please complete and mail the account application promptly to the Transfer Agent. This account application is required to complete the Fund’s records. You will not have access to your shares until the purchase order is completed in good form, which includes the receipt of completed account information by the Transfer Agent. Once your account is opened, you may make additional investments using the wire procedure described above. Be sure to include your name and account number in the wire instructions you provide your bank.

 

Purchases by Telephone. You may also purchase shares by telephone, by contacting the Fund toll free at 855-505-VEST (8378) or the Transfer Agent at (800) 628-4077.

 

Other Purchase Information. You may purchase and redeem Fund shares, or exchange shares of the Fund for those of another, by contacting any broker authorized by the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund, by contacting the Fund toll free at 855-505-VEST (8378) or by contacting the Transfer Agent, at 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, VA 23235 or by telephoning (800) 628-4077. Brokers may charge transaction fees for the purchase or sale of the Fund’s shares, depending on your arrangement with the broker.

 

HOW TO SELL SHARES

 

You may redeem your shares of the Fund at any time and in any amount by contacting your Financial Intermediary or by contacting the Fund by mail or telephone. For your protection, the Transfer Agent will not redeem your shares until it has received all information and documents necessary for your request to be considered in “proper form.” The Transfer Agent will promptly notify you if your redemption request is not in proper form. The Transfer Agent cannot accept redemption requests which specify a particular date for redemption or which specify any special conditions.

 

The Fund’s procedure is to redeem shares at the NAV next determined after the Transfer Agent or authorized Financial Intermediary receives the redemption request in proper form. Payment of redemption proceeds will be made promptly, as instructed by check, wire, or automated clearing house (ACH), but no later than the seventh calendar day following the receipt of the request in proper form. The Fund may suspend the right to redeem shares for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is closed or the SEC determines that there is an emergency. In such circumstances you may withdraw your redemption request or permit your request to be held for processing after the suspension is terminated.

 

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The Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests through cash holdings or cash equivalents and anticipates using these types of holdings on a regular basis. The Fund typically expects to pay redemption proceeds for shares redeemed within the following days after receipt by the Transfer Agent of a redemption request in proper form: (i) for payment by check, the Fund typically expects to mail the check within two business days; and (ii) for payment by wire or ACH, the Fund typically expects to process the payment within two business days. Payment of redemption proceeds may take up to 7 days as permitted under the 1940 Act. Under unusual circumstances as permitted by the, the Fund may suspend the right of redemption or delay payment of redemption proceeds for more than 7 days. When shares are purchased by check or through ACH, the proceeds from the redemption of those shares will not be paid until the purchase check or ACH transfer has been converted to federal funds, which could take up to 15 calendar days.

 

To the extent cash holdings or cash equivalents are not available to meet redemption requests, the Fund will meet redemption requests by either (i) rebalancing their overweight securities or (ii) selling portfolio assets. In addition, unless the Fund determines that it would be detrimental to the best interest of the Fund’s remaining shareholders to make payment in kind, the Fund may pay redemption proceeds in whole or in part by a distribution-in-kind of readily marketable securities.

 

If you sell your Fund shares through a securities dealer or investment professional, it is such person’s responsibility to transmit the order to the Fund in a timely fashion. Any loss to you resulting from failure to do so must be settled between you and such person.

 

Delivery of the proceeds of a redemption of shares purchased and paid for by check shortly before the receipt of the redemption request may be delayed until the Fund determines that the Transfer Agent has completed collection of the purchase check, which may take up to 15 days. Also, payment of the proceeds of a redemption request for an account for which purchases were made by wire may be delayed until the Fund receives a completed account application for the account to permit the Fund to verify the identity of the person redeeming the shares and to eliminate the need for backup withholding.

 

Redemption by Mail. To redeem shares by mail, send a written request for redemption, signed by the registered owner(s) exactly as the account is registered, to: the name of the Fund, Attn: Redemptions, 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, VA 23235. Certain written requests to redeem shares may require signature guarantees. For example, signature guarantees may be required if you sell a large number of shares, if your address of record on the account application has been changed within the last 30 days, or if you ask that the proceeds be sent to a different person or address. Signature guarantees are used to help protect you and the Fund. You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks or securities dealers, but not from a Notary Public. Please call the Transfer Agent at (800) 628-4077 to learn if a signature guarantee is needed or to make sure that it is completed appropriately in order to avoid any processing delays. There is no charge to shareholders for redemptions by mail.

 

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Redemption by Telephone. You may redeem your shares by telephone provided that you requested this service on your initial account application. If you request this service at a later date, you must send a written request along with a signature guarantee to the Transfer Agent. Once your telephone authorization is in effect, you may redeem shares by calling the Transfer Agent at (800) 628-4077. There is no charge to shareholders for redemptions by telephone. If it should become difficult to reach the Transfer Agent by telephone during periods when market or economic conditions lead to an unusually large volume of telephone requests, a shareholder may send a redemption request by overnight mail to the Transfer Agent at 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, VA 23235.

 

Redemption by Wire. If you request that your redemption proceeds be wired to you, please call your bank for instructions prior to writing or calling the Transfer Agent. Be sure to include your name, Fund name, Fund account number, your account number at your bank and wire information from your bank in your request to redeem by wire.

 

The Fund will not be responsible for any losses resulting from unauthorized transactions (such as purchases, sales or exchanges) if it follows reasonable security procedures designed to verify the identity of the investor. You should verify the accuracy of your confirmation statements immediately after you receive them. There is no charge to shareholders for redemptions by wire.

 

Redemption in Kind. The Fund typically expects to satisfy requests by using holdings of cash or cash equivalents or selling portfolio assets. On a less regular basis, and if the Adviser believes it is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders not to sell portfolio assets, the Fund may satisfy redemption requests by using short-term borrowing from the Custodian to the extent such arrangements are in place with the Custodian. In addition to paying redemption proceeds in cash, the Fund reserves the right to make payment for a redemption in securities rather than cash, which is known as a “redemption in kind.” In such a case, the Trustees may authorize payment to be made in readily marketable portfolio securities of the Fund, either through the distribution of selected individual portfolio securities or a pro-rata distribution of all portfolio securities held by the Fund. Securities delivered in payment of redemptions would be valued at the same value assigned to them in computing the Fund’s NAV per share. Shareholders receiving them may incur brokerage costs when these securities are sold and will be subject to market risk until such securities are sold. An irrevocable election has been filed under Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, wherein the Fund must pay redemptions in cash, rather than in kind, to any shareholder of record of the Fund who redeems during any 90-day period, the lesser of (a) $250,000 or (b) 1% of the Fund’s net assets at the beginning of such period. Redemption requests in excess of this limit may be satisfied in cash or in kind at the Fund’s election. The Fund’s methods of satisfying shareholder redemption requests will normally be used during both regular and stressed market conditions.

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Signature Guarantees. To help protect you and the Fund from fraud, signature guarantees are required for: (1) all redemptions ordered by mail if you require that the check be made payable to another person or that the check be mailed to an address other than the one indicated on the account registration; (2) all requests to transfer the registration of shares to another owner; and (3) all authorizations to establish or change telephone redemption service, other than through your initial account application. Signature guarantees may be required for certain other reasons. For example, a signature guarantee may be required if you sell a large number of shares or if your address of record on the account has been changed within the last thirty (30) days.

 

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In the case of redemption by mail, signature guarantees must appear on either: (1) the written request for redemption; or (2) a separate instrument of assignment (usually referred to as a “stock power”) specifying the total number of shares being redeemed. The Trust may waive these requirements in certain instances.

 

An original signature guarantee assures that a signature is genuine so that you are protected from unauthorized account transactions. Notarization is not an acceptable substitute. Acceptable guarantors only include participants in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP2000). Participants in STAMP2000 may include financial institutions such as banks, savings and loan associations, trust companies, credit unions, broker-dealers and member firms of a national securities exchange.

 

Proper Form. Your order to buy shares is in proper form when your completed and signed account application and check or wire payment is received. Your written request to sell or exchange shares is in proper form when written instructions signed by all registered owners, with a signature guarantee if necessary, is received by the Fund.

 

Small Account Balances. If the value of your account falls below the minimum account balance of $1,000, the Fund may ask you to increase your balance. If the account value is still below the minimum balance after 60 days, the Fund may close your account and send you the proceeds. The Fund will not close your account if it falls below this amount solely as a result of Fund performance. Please check with your Financial Intermediary concerning required minimum account balances. You should note that should such a redemption occur with regards to a non-retirement account, such redemption would be subject to taxation. Please refer to the section entitled “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes” below.

 

Automatic Investment Plan. Existing shareholders, who wish to make regular monthly investments in amounts of $100 or more, may do so through the Automatic Investment Plan. Under the Automatic Investment Plan, your designated bank or other financial institution debits a pre-authorized amount from your account on or about the 15th day of each month and applies the amount to the purchase of Fund shares. To use this service, you must authorize the transfer of funds by completing the Automatic Investment Plan section of the account application and sending a blank voided check.

 

Exchange Privilege. To the extent that the Adviser manages other funds in the Trust, you may exchange all or a portion of your shares in the Fund for shares of the same class of certain other funds of the Trust managed by the Adviser having different investment objectives, provided that the shares of the fund you are exchanging into are registered for sale in your state of residence. An exchange is treated as a redemption and purchase and may result in realization of a taxable gain or loss on the transaction. As of the date of this prospectus, the Adviser is designated as the investment adviser to 4 funds in the Trust. The Adviser also serves as, and is designated as investment adviser to other institutions, sub-advised pooled-investment accounts and ETFs.

 

Frequent purchases and redemptions (“Frequent Trading”) (as discussed below) can adversely impact Fund performance and shareholders. Therefore, the Trust reserves the right to temporarily or permanently modify or terminate the Exchange Privilege. The Trust also reserves the right to refuse exchange requests by any person or group if, in the Trust’s judgment, the Fund would be unable to invest the money effectively in accordance with their investment objective and policies, or would otherwise potentially be adversely affected. The Trust further reserves the right to restrict or refuse an exchange request if the Trust has received or anticipates simultaneous orders affecting significant portions of the Fund’s assets or detects a pattern of exchange requests that coincides with a “market timing” strategy. Although the Trust will attempt to give you prior notice when reasonable to do so, the Trust may modify or terminate the Exchange Privilege at any time.

 

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How to Transfer Shares. If you wish to transfer shares to another owner, send a written request to the Transfer Agent at 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, VA 23235. Your request should include: (i) the name of the Fund and existing account registration; (ii) signature(s) of the registered owner(s); (iii) the new account registration, address, taxpayer identification number and how dividends and capital gains are to be distributed; (iv) any stock certificates which have been issued for the shares being transferred; (v) signature guarantees (See “Signature Guarantees”); and (vi) any additional documents which are required for transfer by corporations, administrators, executors, trustees, guardians, etc. If you have any questions about transferring shares, call the Transfer Agent at (800) 628-4077.

 

Account Statements and Shareholder Reports. Each time you purchase, redeem or transfer shares of the Fund, you will receive a written confirmation. You will also receive a year-end statement of your account if any dividends or capital gains have been distributed, and an annual and a semi-annual report.

 

Shareholder Communications. The Fund may eliminate duplicate mailings of portfolio materials to shareholders who reside at the same address, unless instructed to the contrary. Investors may request that the Fund send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Fund toll free at 855-505-VEST (8378).

 

General. The Fund will not be responsible for any losses from unauthorized transactions (such as purchases, sales or exchanges) if it follows reasonable security procedures designed to verify the identity of the investor. You should verify the accuracy of your confirmation statements immediately after you receive them.

 

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

 

Dividends and Capital Gain Distributions. Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid quarterly for the Fund. The Fund intends to distribute annually any net capital gains.

 

Dividends and distributions will automatically be reinvested in additional shares of the Fund, unless you elect to have the distributions paid to you in cash. There are no sales charges or transaction fees for reinvested dividends and all shares will be purchased at NAV. Shareholders will be subject to tax on all dividends and distributions whether paid to them in cash or reinvested in shares. If the investment in shares is made within an IRA, all dividends and capital gain distributions must be reinvested.

 

Unless you are investing through a tax deferred retirement account, such as an IRA, it is not to your advantage to buy shares of the Fund shortly before the next distribution, because doing so can cost you money in taxes. This is known as “buying a dividend”. To avoid buying a dividend, check the Fund’s distribution schedule before you invest.

 

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Taxes. In general, the Fund distributions are taxable to you as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gain. This is true whether you reinvest your distributions in additional shares of the Fund or receive them in cash. Any long-term capital gain the Fund distributes are taxable to you as long-term capital gain no matter how long you have owned your shares. Other Fund distributions (including distributions attributable to short-term capital gain of the Fund) will generally be taxable to you as ordinary income, except that distributions that are designated as “qualified dividend income” will be taxable at the rates applicable to long-term capital gain. Every January, you will receive a Form 1099 that shows the tax status of distributions you received for the previous year. Distributions declared in December but paid in January are taxable as if they were paid in December. The one major exception to these tax principles is that distributions on, and sales, exchanges and redemptions of, shares held in an IRA (or other tax-deferred retirement account) will not be currently taxable.

 

When you sell shares of the Fund, you may have a capital gain or loss. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares of the Fund for shares of a different fund of the Trust is the same as a sale. The individual tax rate on any gain from the sale or exchange of your shares depends on how long you have held your shares.

 

Fund distributions and gains from the sale or exchange of your shares will generally be subject to state and local income tax. Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax. You should consult with your tax adviser about the federal, state, local or foreign tax consequences of your investment in the Fund.

 

By law, the Fund must withhold 28% of your taxable distributions and proceeds if you do not provide your correct taxpayer identification number (TIN) or fail to certify that your TIN is correct and that you are a U.S. person, or if the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) has notified you that you are subject to backup withholding and instructs the Fund to do so.

 

Cost Basis Reporting. Federal law requires that mutual fund companies report their shareholders’ cost basis, gain/loss, and holding period to the Internal Revenue Service on the Fund’s 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 Fund has chosen average cost as the standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders. A tax lot identification method is the way the Fund 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 Fund has chosen average cost as its standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders. The Fund’s 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 Fund’s 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 Fund is responsible for maintaining accurate cost basis and tax lot information for tax reporting purposes. The Fund is not responsible for the reliability or accuracy of the information for those securities that are not “covered.” The Fund and its 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.

 

Possible Tax Law Changes. At the time that this prospectus is being prepared, various administrative and legislative changes to the federal tax laws are under consideration, but it is not possible at this time to determine whether any of these changes will take place or what the changes might entail.

 

NET ASSET VALUE

 

The Fund’s share price, called the NAV per share, is determined as of the close of trading on the NYSE (generally, 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each business day that the NYSE is open (the “Valuation Time”). As of the date of this prospectus, the Fund has been informed that the NYSE observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. NAV per share is computed by adding the total value of the Fund’s investments and other assets attributable to the Fund’s Investor Class and Institutional Class shares, subtracting any liabilities attributable to the applicable class and then dividing by the total number of the applicable classes’ shares outstanding. Due to the fact that different expenses may be charged against shares of different classes of the Fund, the NAV of the different classes may vary.

 

Shares of the Fund are bought or exchanged at the public offering price per share next determined after a request has been received in proper form. The public offering price of the Fund’s shares is equal to the NAV plus the applicable front-end sales charge, if any. Shares of the Fund held by you are sold or exchanged at the NAV per share next determined after a request has been received in proper form, less any applicable deferred sales charge. Any request received in proper form before the Valuation Time, will be processed the same business day. Any request received in proper form after the Valuation Time, will be processed the next business day.

 

The Fund’s securities are valued at current market prices. Investments in securities traded on national securities exchanges are valued at the last reported sale price. For securities traded on the NASDAQ National Market System, the NASDAQ Official Closing Price will be used. Other securities traded in the over-the-counter market and listed securities for which no sales are reported on a given date are valued at the last reported bid price. Debt securities are valued by appraising them at prices supplied by a pricing agent approved by the Trust, which prices may reflect broker-dealer supplied valuations and electronic data processing techniques. Short-term debt securities (less than 60 days to maturity) are valued at their fair market value using amortized cost. Other assets for which market prices are not readily available are valued at their fair value as determined in good faith by the administrator, in consultation with the Adviser, under procedures set by the Board. Generally, trading in corporate bonds, U.S. government securities and money market instruments is substantially completed each day at various times before the scheduled close of the NYSE. The value of these securities used in computing the NAV is determined as of such times.

 

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The Trust has a policy that contemplates the use of fair value pricing to determine the NAV per share of the Fund when market prices are unavailable as well as under special circumstances, such as: (i) if the primary market for a portfolio security suspends or limits trading or price movements of the security; and (ii) when an event occurs after the close of the exchange on which a portfolio security is principally traded that is likely to have changed the value of the security. Since most of the Fund’s investments are traded on U.S. securities exchanges, it is anticipated that the use of fair value pricing will be limited.

 

When the Trust uses fair value pricing to determine the NAV per share of the Fund, securities will not be priced on the basis of quotations from the primary market in which they are traded, but rather may be priced by another method that the Board believes accurately reflects fair value. Any method used will be approved by the Board and results will be monitored to evaluate accuracy. The Trust’s policy is intended to result in a calculation of a Fund’s NAV that fairly reflects security values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values determined pursuant to the Trust’s procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain for a security if it were to dispose of that security as of the time of pricing.

 

SHARE CLASS ALTERNATIVES

 

The Fund offers investors three different classes of shares through this prospectus. The different classes of shares represent investments in the same portfolio of securities, but the classes are subject to different expenses and may have different share prices and minimum investment requirements. When you buy shares be sure to specify the class of shares in which you choose to invest. Because each share class has a different combination of sales charges, expenses and other features, you should consult your financial adviser to determine which class best meets your financial objectives.

 

Investor Class Shares

 

Investor Class Shares are offered with no front-end or contingent deferred sales charge and are subject to a 0.25% Rule 12b-1 fee.

 

Institutional Class Shares and Class Y Shares

 

Institutional Class Shares are offered with no front-end or contingent deferred sales charge and are not subject to any Rule 12b-1 fees. Class Y Shares are distinguished from Institutional Class Shares in that they are offered without the imposition of a shareholder services plan fee and they are subject to a high minimum investment threshold.

 

FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS

 

Frequent purchases and redemptions (“Frequent Trading”) of shares of the Fund may present a number of risks to other shareholders of the Fund. These risks may include, among other things, dilution in the value of shares of the Fund held by long-term shareholders, interference with the efficient management by the Adviser of the Fund’s portfolio holdings, and increased brokerage and administration costs. Due to the potential of an overall adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions affecting the sale price of portfolio securities, the Fund could face untimely losses as a result of having to sell portfolio securities prematurely to meet redemptions. Current shareholders of the Fund may face unfavorable impacts as portfolio securities concentrated in certain sectors may be more volatile than investments across broader ranges of industries as sector-specific market or economic developments may make it more difficult to sell a significant amount of shares at favorable prices to meet redemptions. Frequent Trading may also increase portfolio turnover, which may result in increased capital gains taxes for shareholders of the Fund. These capital gains could include short-term capital gains taxed at ordinary income tax rates.


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The Fund will assess a 2.00% redemption fee of Investor Class Shares of the Fund redeemed within 30 days of purchase as a percentage of amount redeemed. The redemption fee is deducted from your proceeds and is retained by the Fund for the benefit of long-term shareholders. The “first in-first out” (“FIFO”) method is used to determine the holding period; this means that if you purchase shares on different days, the shares you held longest will be redeemed first for purposes of determining whether the redemption fee applies. The fee does not apply to Fund shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and the Automatic Investment Plan or shares redeemed through the Systematic Withdrawal Program. The Fund reserves the right to change the terms and amount of this fee upon at least a 30-day notice to shareholders.

 

The Trustees have adopted a policy that is intended to identify and discourage Frequent Trading by shareholders of the Fund under which the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer and Transfer Agent will monitor Frequent Trading through the use of various surveillance techniques. Under these policies and procedures, shareholders may not engage in more than four “round-trips” (a purchase and sale or an exchange in and then out of a Fund) within a rolling twelve-month period. Shareholders exceeding four round-trips will be investigated by the Fund and if, as a result of this monitoring, the Fund believes that a shareholder has engaged in frequent trading, it may, in its discretion, ask the shareholder to stop such activities or refuse to process purchases in the shareholder’s accounts. The intent of the policies and procedures is not to inhibit legitimate strategies, such as asset allocation, dollar cost averaging or similar activities that may nonetheless result in Frequent Trading of Fund shares. To minimize harm to the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to reject any exchange or purchase of Fund shares with or without prior notice to the account holder. In the event the foregoing purchase and redemption patterns occur, it shall be the policy of the Trust that the shareholder’s account and any other account with the Fund under the same taxpayer identification number shall be precluded from investing in the Fund (including investment that are part of an exchange transaction) for such time period as the Trust deems appropriate based on the facts and circumstances (including, without limitation, the dollar amount involved and whether the Investor has been precluded from investing in the Fund before); provided that such time period shall be at least 30 calendar days after the last redemption transaction. The above policies shall not apply if the Trust determines that a purchase and redemption pattern is not a Frequent Trading pattern or is the result of inadvertent trading errors.

 

These policies and procedures will be applied uniformly to all shareholders and, subject to certain permissible exceptions as described above, the Fund will not accommodate abusive Frequent Trading. The policies also apply to any account, whether an individual account or accounts with Financial Intermediaries such as investment advisers, broker dealers or retirement plan administrators, commonly called omnibus accounts, where the intermediary holds Fund shares for a number of its customers in one account. Omnibus account arrangements permit multiple investors to aggregate their respective share ownership positions and purchase, redeem and exchange Fund shares without the identity of the particular shareholder(s) being known to the Fund. Accordingly, the ability of the Fund to monitor and detect Frequent Trading activity through omnibus accounts may be more limited and there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify shareholders who may be engaging in Frequent Trading through omnibus accounts or to curtail such trading. However, the Fund will establish information sharing agreements with intermediaries as required by Rule 22c-2 under the 1940 Act that require sharing of information about you and your account, and otherwise use reasonable efforts to work with intermediaries to identify excessive short-term trading in underlying accounts.

 

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If the Fund identifies that excessive short-term trading is taking place in a participant-directed employee benefit plan accounts, the Fund or its Adviser or Transfer Agent will contact the plan administrator, sponsor or trustee to request that action be taken to restrict such activity. However, the ability to do so may be constrained by regulatory restrictions or plan policies. In such circumstances, it is generally not the policy of the Fund to close the account of an entire plan due to the activity of a limited number of participants. However, the Fund will take such actions as deemed appropriate in light of all the facts and circumstances.

 

The Fund’s policies provide for ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of current policies and surveillance tools, and the Trustees reserves the right to modify these or adopt additional policies and restrictions in the future. Shareholders should be aware, however, that any surveillance techniques currently employed by the Fund or other techniques that may be adopted in the future, may not be effective, particularly where the trading takes place through certain types of omnibus accounts. As noted above, if the Fund is unable to detect and deter trading abuses, the Fund’s performance, and its long-term shareholders, may be harmed. In addition, shareholders may be harmed by the extra costs and portfolio management inefficiencies that result from Frequent Trading, even when the trading is not for abusive purposes.

 

DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS

 

The Fund is offered through financial supermarkets, investment advisers and consultants, financial planners, brokers, dealers and other investment professionals, and directly through the Distributor. Investment professionals who offer shares may request fees from their individual clients. If you invest through a third party, the policies and fees may be different than those described in this prospectus. For example, third parties may charge transaction fees or set different minimum investment amounts. If you purchase your shares through a broker-dealer, the broker-dealer firm is entitled to receive a percentage of the sales charge you pay in order to purchase Fund shares.

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

Because the Fund has not yet commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus, no financial highlights are available. In the future, financial highlights will be presented in this section of the Prospectus.

 

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You will find more information about the Fund in the following documents:

 

The Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports will contain more information about the Fund. The Fund’s annual report will contain a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that had a significant effect on the Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year.

 

For more information about the Fund, you may wish to refer to the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) dated ______xx, 2021 which is on file with the SEC and incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. You can obtain a free copy of the annual and semi-annual reports, and SAI by writing to World Funds Trust, 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, VA 23235, by calling the Fund toll free at 855-505-VEST (8378), by e-mail at: mail@ccofva.com or on the Fund’s website at www.cboevest.com/mutual-funds/. General inquiries regarding the Fund may also be directed to the above address or telephone number.

 

Reports and other information regarding the Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

(Investment Company Act File No. 811-22172)

 

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STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION  

 

July __, 2021 

 

The Cboe Vest Family of Funds

8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205

Richmond, Virginia 23235

855-505-VEST (8378)

 

Cboe Vest Bitcoin Target Volatility Strategy Fund

Investor Class Shares (XXXXX)

Institutional Class Shares (XXXXX)

Class Y Shares (XXXXX) 

 

Investment Adviser:

Cboe VestSM Financial LLC

1765 Greensboro Station Pl, 9th Floor

McLean, Virginia 22102

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the current prospectus for the Cboe Vest Bitcoin Target Volatility Strategy Fund (the “Fund”) as it may be supplemented or revised from time to time. This SAI is incorporated by reference into the Fund’s prospectus. You may obtain copies of the prospectus of the Fund, the SAI, and when available, the Fund’s Annual Semiannual Reports free of charge, by writing to World Funds Trust (the “Trust”), 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235 or by calling 855-505-VEST (8378).

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page
   
THE TRUST 1
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES 1
DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS 2
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS 9
INVESTMENT ADVISER 11
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS 12
SERVICE PROVIDERS 13
TRUSTEES & OFFICERS OF THE TRUST 15
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 17
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SECURITIES HOLDERS 19
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE 19
DISTRIBUTION 20
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PURCHASES AND SALES 23
ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES 25
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES 25
TAXES 26
BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES 40
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES HOLDINGS 43
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES 46
PROXY VOTING 47
CODES OF ETHICS 48
FINANCIAL INFORMATION 48
EXHIBIT A (proxy voting policies and procedures of adviser) 49
EXHIBIT B (world funds trust proxy voting policies) 51
Exhibit C (nominating and corporate governance committee charter) 53

 

 

 

 

THE TRUST

 

General. World Funds Trust (the “Trust”) was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on April 9, 2007. 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 Agreement and 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 other mutual funds of the Trust, other than the Fund, are described in separate prospectuses and statements of additional information.

 

The Fund. This SAI relates to the CboeVest Bitcoin Target Volatility Strategy Fund and should be read in conjunction with the prospectus of the Fund. This SAI is incorporated by reference into the Fund’s prospectus. No investment in shares should be made without reading the prospectus. The Fund is a separate investment portfolios or series of the Trust. The Fund is “non-diversified” as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and the interpretations thereof.

 

Description of Multiple Classes of Shares. The Fund is authorized to issue three classes of shares: (i) Investor Class Shares imposing no front-end or deferred sales charges and charging a 0.25% 12b-1 fee; (ii) Institutional Class Shares imposing no front-end or deferred sales charges and charging no 12b-1 fee; and (iii) Class Y Shares imposing no front-end or deferred sales charges and charging no 12b-1 fee. Each of the foregoing classes of shares other than Class Y Shares is authorized to pay up to 0.15% to third parties for the provision of shareholder services, including sub-accounting and sub-transfer agency fees.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES

AND POLICIES

 

The Fund’s investment objectives and principal investment strategies are described in the prospectus. 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 Fund’s investment adviser, Cboe VestSM Financial LLC (the “Adviser”), makes purchases and sales for the Fund’s portfolio whenever necessary, in the Adviser’s opinion, to meet the Fund’s objective. Because the Fund has not yet commenced operations as of the date of this SAI, no portfolio turnover rate is available.

 

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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 Fund’s prospectus. In seeking to meet its investment objective, the Fund may invest in any type of security whose characteristics are consistent with its investment programs described below. The Fund may invest in other investment companies and ETFs (defined below) (collectively “Underlying Funds”) – to the extent any of the investments or techniques are described, they may indicate the investments and techniques that the Fund generally will do directly or indirectly through investments in Underlying Funds.

 

Equity Securities. Equity securities in which the Fund invests include common stocks, preferred stocks and securities convertible into common stocks, such as convertible bonds, warrants, rights and options. The value of equity securities varies in response to many factors, including the activities and financial condition of individual companies, the business market in which individual companies compete and general market and economic conditions. Equity securities fluctuate in value, often based on factors unrelated to the value of the issuer of the securities, and such fluctuations can be significant.

 

United States Government Obligations. These consist of debt securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the United States government, including the various types of instruments currently outstanding or which may be offered in the future. Agencies include, among others, the Federal Housing Administration, Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”), Farmer’s Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Maritime Administration, and General Services Administration. Instrumentalities include, for example, each of the Federal Home Loan Banks, the National Bank for Cooperatives, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), the Farm Credit Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”), and the United States Postal Service. These securities are either: (i) backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government (e.g., United States Treasury Bills); (ii) guaranteed by the United States Treasury (e.g., GNMA mortgage-backed securities); (iii) supported by the issuing agency’s or instrumentality’s right to borrow from the United States Treasury (e.g., FNMA Discount Notes); or (iv) supported only by the issuing agency’s or instrumentality’s own credit (e.g., Tennessee Valley Association). On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Authority (the “FHFA”) announced that FNMA and FHLMC had been placed into conservatorship, a statutory process designed to stabilize a troubled institution with the objective of returning the entity to normal business operations. The U.S. Treasury Department and the FHFA at the same time established a secured lending facility and a Secured Stock Purchase Agreement with both FNMA and FHLMC to ensure that each entity had the ability to fulfill its financial obligations. The FHFA announced that it does not anticipate any disruption in pattern of payments or ongoing business operations of FNMA and FHLMC.

 

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Government-related guarantors (i.e. not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government) include FNMA and FHLMC. FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders. It is subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. FNMA purchases conventional (i.e., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved seller/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government.

 

FHLMC was created by Congress in 1970 for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a government-sponsored corporation formerly owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks and now owned entirely by private stockholders. FHLMC issues Participation Certificates (“PC’s”), which represent interests in conventional mortgages from FHLMC’s national portfolio. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government. Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may, in addition, be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such nongovernmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the former pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit. The insurance and guarantees are issued by governmental entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers.

 

Securities of Other Investment Companies. The Fund’s investments in exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), mutual funds and closed-end funds involve certain additional expenses and certain tax results. Generally, the Fund will not purchase securities of another investment company if, as a result: (i) more than 10% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of other investment companies, (ii) such purchase would result in more than 3% of the total outstanding voting securities of any such investment company being held by the Fund, or (iii) more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in any one such investment company. However, many ETFs have obtained exemptive relief from the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to permit unaffiliated funds to invest in the ETFs’ shares beyond the above statutory limitations, subject to certain conditions and pursuant to a contractual arrangement between the particular ETF and the investing fund. The Fund may rely on these exemptive orders to invest in unaffiliated ETFs. In the alternative, the Fund intends to rely on Rule 12d1-3 under the 1940 Act, which allows unaffiliated mutual funds and ETFs to exceed the 5% limitation and the 10% limitation, provided the aggregate sales loads any investor pays (i.e., the combined distribution expenses of both the acquiring fund and the acquired fund) does not exceed the limits on sales loads established by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) for funds of funds. In addition to ETFs, the Fund may invest in other investment companies such as open-end mutual funds or exchange-traded closed-end funds, within the limitations described above. On October 7, 2020, the SEC adopted Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act which became effective January 19, 2021. Subject to certain conditions, Rule 12d1-4 provides an exemption to permit acquiring funds relying on the Rule to invest in other investment companies, including ETFs, in excess of the limits of section 12(d)(1), including those described above.

 

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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. 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.

 

Illiquid Securities. The Fund may hold up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. For this purpose, the term “illiquid securities” means securities that the holder reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the security. Illiquid securities include generally, among other things, certain written over-the-counter options and purchased dealer 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.

 

Securities Options. The Fund may purchase and write (i.e., sell) put and call options. Such options may relate to particular securities or stock indices, and may or may not be listed on a domestic or foreign securities exchange and may or may not be issued by the Options Clearing Corporation (the “OCC”). Options trading is a highly specialized activity that entails greater than ordinary investment risk. Options may be more volatile than the underlying instruments, and therefore, on a percentage basis, an investment in options may be subject to greater fluctuation than an investment in the underlying instruments themselves.

 

A call option for a particular security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer (seller) the obligation to sell, the underlying security at the stated exercise price at any time prior to the expiration of the option, regardless of the market price of the security. The premium paid to the writer is in consideration for undertaking the obligation under the option contract. A put option for a particular security gives the purchaser the right to sell the security at the stated exercise price at any time prior to the expiration date of the option, regardless of the market price of the security.

 

Stock index options are put options and call options on various stock indices. In most respects, they are identical to listed options on common stocks. The primary difference between stock options and index options occurs when index options are exercised. In the case of stock options, the underlying security, common stock, is delivered. However, upon the exercise of an index option, settlement does not occur by delivery of the securities comprising the index. The option holder who exercises the index option receives an amount of cash if the closing level of the stock index upon which the option is based is greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the stock index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple. A stock index fluctuates with changes in the market value of the stocks included in the index. For example, some stock index options are based on a broad market index, such as the Standard & Poor’s 500® Index or the Value Line Composite Index or a narrower market index, such as the Standard & Poor’s 100®. Indices may also be based on an industry or market segment, such as the AMEX Oil and Gas Index or the Computer and Business Equipment Index. Options on stock indices are currently traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Pacific Stock Exchange and the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.

 

 4

 

 

The Fund’s obligation to sell an instrument subject to a call option written by it, or to purchase an instrument subject to a put option written by it, may be terminated prior to the expiration date of the option by the Fund’s execution of a closing purchase transaction, which is effected by purchasing on an exchange an option of the same series (i.e., same underlying instrument, exercise price and expiration date) as the option previously written. A closing purchase transaction will ordinarily be effected to realize a profit on an outstanding option, to prevent an underlying instrument from being called, to permit the sale of the underlying instrument or to permit the writing of a new option containing different terms on such underlying instrument. The cost of such a liquidation purchase plus transactions costs may be greater than the premium received upon the original option, in which event the Fund will have paid a loss in the transaction. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option. An option writer unable to effect a closing purchase transaction will not be able to sell the underlying instrument or liquidate the assets held in a segregated account, as described below, until the option expires or the optioned instrument is delivered upon exercise. In such circumstances, the writer will be subject to the risk of market decline or appreciation in the instrument during such period.

 

If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a loss equal to the premium paid. If the Fund enters into a closing sale transaction on an option purchased by it, the Fund will realize a gain if the premium received by the Fund on the closing transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, or a loss if it is less. If an option written by the Fund expires on the stipulated expiration date or if the fund enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will realize a gain (or loss if the cost of a closing purchase transaction exceeds the net premium received when the option is sold). If an option written by the Fund is exercised, the proceeds of the sale will be increased by the net premium originally received and the Fund will realize a gain or loss.

 

Certain Risks Regarding Options. There are several risks associated with transactions in options. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options, whether traded over-the-counter or on an exchange, may be absent for reasons which include the following: there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities or currencies; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading value; or one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.

 

 5

 

 

Successful use by the Fund of options on stock indices will be subject to the ability of the Adviser to correctly predict movements in the directions of the stock market. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. In addition, the Fund’s ability to effectively hedge all or a portion of the securities in its portfolio, in anticipation of or during a market decline, through transactions in put options on stock indices, depends on the degree to which price movements in the underlying index correlate with the price movements of the securities held by the Fund. Inasmuch as the Fund’s securities will not duplicate the components of an index, the correlation will not be perfect. Consequently, the Fund bears the risk that the prices of its securities being hedged will not move in the same amount as the prices of its put options on the stock indices. It is also possible that there may be a negative correlation between the index and the Fund’s securities that would result in a loss on both such securities and the options on stock indices acquired by the Fund.

 

The hours of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the options markets. The purchase of options is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The purchase of stock index options involves the risk that the premium and transaction costs paid by the Fund in purchasing an option will be lost as a result of unanticipated movements in prices of the securities comprising the stock index on which the option is based.

 

There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an options exchange will exist for any particular option, or at any particular time, and for some options no secondary market on an exchange or elsewhere may exist. If the Fund is unable to close out a call option on securities that it has written before the option is exercised, the Fund may be required to purchase the optioned securities in order to satisfy its obligation under the option to deliver such securities. If the Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options on securities that it has purchased, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit and would incur transaction costs upon the purchase and sale of the underlying securities.

 

Cover for Options Positions. Transactions using options (other than options that the Fund have purchased) expose the Fund to an obligation to another party. The Fund will not enter into any such transactions unless it owns either (i) an offsetting (“covered”) position in securities or other options or (ii) cash or liquid securities with a value sufficient at all times to cover its potential obligations not covered as provided in (i) above. The Fund will comply with SEC guidelines regarding cover for these instruments and, if the guidelines so require, set aside cash or liquid securities in a segregated account with the Fund’s custodian in the prescribed amount. Under current SEC guidelines, the Fund will segregate assets to cover transactions in which the Fund writes or sells options.

 

 6

 

 

Assets used as cover or held in a segregated account cannot be sold while the position in the corresponding option is open, unless they are replaced with similar assets. As a result, the commitment of a large portion of the Fund’s assets as cover and/or to segregated accounts could impede portfolio management or the Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.

 

Options on Futures Contracts. The Fund may purchase and sell options on the same types of futures in which they may invest. Options on futures are similar to options on underlying instruments except that options on futures give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put), rather than to purchase or sell the futures contract, at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of the option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by the delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer’s futures margin account which represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract, at exercise, exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the futures contract. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the exercise date suffer a loss of the premium paid.

 

Dealer Options. The Fund may engage in transactions involving dealer options as well as exchange-traded options. Certain additional risks are specific to dealer options. While the Fund might look to a clearing corporation to exercise exchange-traded options, if the Fund were to purchase a dealer option it would need to rely on the dealer from which it purchased the option to perform if the option were exercised. Failure by the dealer to do so would result in the loss of the premium paid by the Fund as well as loss of the expected benefit of the transaction.

 

Exchange-traded options generally have a continuous liquid market while dealer options may not. Consequently, the Fund may generally be able to realize the value of a dealer option it has purchased only by exercising or reselling the option to the dealer who issued it. Similarly, when the Fund writes a dealer option, it may generally be able to close out the option prior to its expiration only by entering into a closing purchase transaction with the dealer to whom the Fund originally wrote the option. While the Fund will seek to enter into dealer options only with dealers who will agree to and which are expected to be capable of entering into closing transactions with the Fund, there can be no assurance that the Fund will at any time be able to liquidate a dealer option at a favorable price at any time prior to expiration. Unless the Fund, as a covered dealer call option writer, is able to effect a closing purchase transaction, it will not be able to liquidate securities (or other assets) used as cover until the option expires or is exercised. In the event of insolvency of the other party, the Fund may be unable to liquidate a dealer option. With respect to options written by the Fund, the inability to enter into a closing transaction may result in material losses to the Fund. For example, because the Fund must maintain a secured position with respect to any call option on a security it writes, the Fund may not sell the assets which it has segregated to secure the position while it is obligated under the option. This requirement may impair the Fund’s ability to sell portfolio securities at a time when such sale might be advantageous.

 

 7

 

 

The Staff of the SEC has taken the position that purchased dealer options are illiquid securities. The Fund may treat the cover used for written dealer options as liquid if the dealer agrees that the Fund may repurchase the dealer option it has written for a maximum price to be calculated by a predetermined formula. In such cases, the dealer option would be considered illiquid only to the extent the maximum purchase price under the formula exceeds the intrinsic value of the option. Accordingly, the Fund will treat dealer options as subject to the Fund’s limitation on illiquid securities. If the SEC changes its position on the liquidity of dealer options, the Fund will change their treatment of such instruments accordingly.

 

Short Sales. The Fund may sell securities short as an outright investment strategy and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own or have the right to acquire (or that it owns but does not wish to deliver) in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.

 

When the Fund makes a short sale, the broker-dealer through which the short sale is made must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the party purchasing the security. The Fund is required to make a margin deposit in connection with such short sales; the Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and will often be obligated to pay over any dividends and accrued interest on borrowed securities.

 

If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time the Fund covers its short position, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.

 

To the extent the Fund sells securities short, it will provide collateral to the broker-dealer and (except in the case of short sales “against the box”) will maintain additional asset coverage in the form of cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid securities with its custodian in a segregated account in an amount at least equal to the difference between the current market value of the securities sold short and any amounts required to be deposited as collateral with the selling broker (not including the proceeds of the short sale). The Fund does not intend to enter into short sales (other than short sales “against the box”) if immediately after such sales the aggregate of the value of all collateral plus the amount in such segregated account exceeds 30% of the value of the Fund’s net assets. This percentage may be varied by action of the Board of Trustees. A short sale is “against the box” to the extent the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short.

 

Temporary Investments. To maintain cash for redemptions and distributions and for temporary defensive purposes, the Fund 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.

 

 8

 

 

INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

 

Fundamental. The investment limitations described below have been adopted by the Trust with respect to the Fund and are fundamental (“Fundamental”), i.e., they may not be changed without the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund. As used in the Fund’s prospectus and SAI, the term “majority” of the outstanding shares of the Fund 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 the Fund are present or represented at such meeting; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Other investment practices which may be changed by the 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”).

 

The Fund:

 

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 Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter under the federal securities laws, in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities.

 

4.May not concentrate its investments in an industry or group of industries (i.e., invest more than 25% of its total assets in the securities of companies in such particular industry or group of industries), except that if the Fund’s principal investment objective/strategy is to target the performance of a specific index, the Fund will concentrate to approximately the same extent that its target index concentrates in the securities of companies in such particular industry or group of industries. This restriction does not limit the 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.

 

 9

 

 

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 and circumstances where the Fund is required to “cover” their positions, if a percentage or rating restriction on investment or use of assets set forth herein or in the Fund’s 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 Fund is permitted, consistent with the 1940 Act, to borrow, and pledge its shares to secure such borrowing, provided, that immediately thereafter there is asset coverage of at least 300% for all borrowings by the Fund from a bank. If borrowings exceed this 300% asset coverage requirement by reason of a decline in net assets of the 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 Fund to borrow for temporary purposes only in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of the Fund’s 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 the 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. The SEC has indicated, however, that certain types of transactions, which could be deemed “borrowings” (such as firm commitment agreements and reverse repurchase agreements), are permissible if the Fund “covers” the agreements by establishing and maintaining segregated accounts.

 

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 Fund 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 Fund is a series of the Trust) and to divide those series into separate classes. Class Y, Investor and Institutional Class Shares are separate classes of shares of the Fund. The Fund has 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.

 

 10

 

 

Notwithstanding any of the foregoing limitations, any investment company, whether organized as a trust, association or corporation, or a personal holding company, may be merged or consolidated with or acquired by the Trust, provided that if such merger, consolidation or acquisition results in an investment in the securities of any issuer prohibited by said paragraphs, the Trust shall, within ninety days after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or acquisition, dispose of all of the securities of such issuer so acquired or such portion thereof as shall bring the total investment therein within the limitations imposed by said paragraphs above as of the date of consummation.

 

INVESTMENT ADVISER

 

Cboe Vest Financial LLC (the “Adviser”), 1765 Greensboro Station Pl, 9th Floor, McLean, Virginia 22102, is the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Adviser is a Delaware limited liability company. As of February 19, 2021, the Adviser had approximately $2.414 billion in assets under management. First Trust Capital Partners, LLC is the controlling shareholder of the Adviser’s parent company, Cboe Vest Group Inc. (“CboeVG”), and effectively controls the Adviser.

 

The Adviser currently 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 the 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 Fund.

 

For its services with respect to the Fund, 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 the Fund’s average daily net assets according to the following schedule.

 

Asset Level   Fee Rate
$0 - $249,999,999.99   1.75%
$250,000,000 - $749,999,999.99   [1.65%]
$750,000,000 - $1,499,999,999.99   [1.60%]
$1,500,000,000 – $4,999,999,999.99   [1.55%]
>$5,000,000,000   [1.50%]

  

The Adviser retains the right to use the name “Cboe Vest” or any derivative thereof in connection with another investment company or business enterprise with which the Adviser is or may become associated. The Trust’s right to use the name “Cboe Vest” or any derivative thereof automatically ceases ninety days after termination of the Advisory Agreement and may be withdrawn by the Adviser on ninety days’ written notice. The services furnished by the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement are not exclusive, and the Adviser is free to perform similar services for others.

 

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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 Fund believes that there would be no material impact on the Fund or its 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 Fund may from time to time purchase securities issued by financial institutions that provide such services; however, in selecting investments for the Fund, no preference will be shown for such securities.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its advisory fees and reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to keep net operating expenses (excluding interest, fees payable pursuant to Rule 12b-1 Plans, taxes, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees, expenses and extraordinary expenses and dividend expense on short sales) from exceeding the limits set forth below for each class of shares of the Fund until ____________, 2022. Each waiver or reimbursement of an expense by the Adviser is subject to repayment by the Fund within three years following the date such waiver and/or reimbursement was made, provided that the 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.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

 

Portfolio Managers. As described in the Fund’s prospectus, Messrs. Karan Sood and Howard Rubin serve as Portfolio Managers responsible for the day-to-day investment management of the Fund.

 

This section includes information about the Portfolio Managers, including information about other accounts they manage, the dollar range of Fund shares they own and how they are compensated.

 

In addition to the Fund, the Portfolio Managers are responsible for the day-to-day management of certain other accounts, as listed below. The information below is as of the date of this SAI:

 

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)

Karan Sood              
Howard Rubin              

 

Conflicts of Interests. Each Portfolio Manager’s management of “other accounts” may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in connection with his management of the Fund’s investments, on the one hand, and the investments of the other accounts, on the other. The other accounts may have the same investment objective as the Fund. Therefore, a potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the identical investment objectives, whereby a Portfolio Manager could favor one account over another. Another potential conflict could include the Portfolio Manager’s knowledge about the size, timing and possible market impact of Fund trades, whereby a Portfolio Manager could use this information to the advantage of other accounts and to the disadvantage of the Fund. However, the Adviser has established policies and procedures to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities among all accounts it manages are fairly and equitably allocated.

 

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Compensation. The Portfolio Managers do not receive compensation that is based upon the Fund, 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 Managers do not receive any special or additional compensation from the Adviser for their service as Portfolio Managers. The Portfolio Managers receive a salary from the Adviser. In addition to a base salary, the Portfolio Managers may receive additional bonus compensation which is tied to the overall financial operating results of the Adviser’s parent company, CboeVG.

 

Fund Shares Owned by the Portfolio Managers. The following table shows the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the Portfolio Managers in the Fund as of the date of this SAI.

 

Name of Portfolio Manager

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund /

Name of Fund

Karan Sood None
Howard Rubin None

 

SERVICE PROVIDERS

 

Administrator, Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent. Pursuant to the Fund Services Agreement, Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. (“CFS”, the “Administrator” or the “Transfer Agent”), 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235, serves as the Fund’s administrator, transfer agent and accounting agent.

 

In its capacity as administrator, CFS supervises all aspects of the operations of the Fund except those performed by the Adviser. CFS 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. CFS, as administrative agent for the Fund, will provide shareholder, recordkeeping, administrative and blue-sky filing services.

 

As transfer agent, CFS provides certain shareholder and other services to the Fund, including furnishing account and transaction information and maintaining shareholder account records. CFS will be responsible for processing orders and payments for share purchases. CFS will mail proxy materials (and receive and tabulate proxies), shareholder reports, confirmation forms for purchases and redemptions and prospectuses to shareholders. CFS 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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CFS also provides accounting services to the Fund. CFS will be responsible for accounting relating to the Fund and its investment transactions; maintaining certain books and records of the Fund; determining daily the net asset value per share of the Fund; and preparing security position, transaction and cash position reports. CFS also monitors periodic distributions of gains or losses on portfolio sales and maintains a daily listing of portfolio holdings. CFS 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.

 

CFS receives, for administrative services, an asset-based fee based computed daily and paid monthly on the average daily net assets of the Fund, subject to a minimum fee plus out-of-pocket expenses. CFS receives, for transfer agency services, per account fees computed daily and paid monthly, subject to a minimum fee plus out-of-pocket expenses. CFS receives, for fund accounting services, an asset-based fee, computed daily and paid monthly on the average daily net assets of the Fund, subject to a minimum fee plus out-of-pocket expenses.

 

Custodian. ____________(the “Custodian”), __________________, serves as the custodian of the Fund’s assets. The Custodian has entered into a foreign sub-custody arrangement with _______________, as the approved foreign custody manager (the Delegate) to perform certain functions with respect to the custody of the Fund’s assets outside of the United States of America. The Delegate shall place and maintain the Fund’s assets with an eligible foreign custodian; provided that, the Delegate shall be required to determine that the Fund’s assets will be subject to reasonable care based on the standards applicable to custodians in the relevant market.

 

Distributor and Principal Underwriter. _____________ (the “Distributor”), located at 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235, serves as the principal underwriter and national distributor for the shares of the Fund pursuant to a Distribution Agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”). Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor serves as the Fund’s principal underwriter and acts as exclusive agent for the Fund 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 Fund shares. 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 FINRA. The offering of the Fund’s shares is continuous.

 

The Distributor received no compensation as a result of the sale of the Fund’s shares. For its underwriting services the Distributor may receive compensation from the Fund’s 12b-1 plans to the extent that such plans generate sufficient fees to compensate for these services; otherwise, the Adviser is responsible for payment for such underwriting services.

 

 14

 

 

Legal Counsel. Practus, LLP, 11300 Tomahawk Creek Parkway, Suite 310, Leawood, KS 66211, serves as legal counsel to the Trust and the Fund.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. The Trustees have selected the firm of ___________, _______________, to serve as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund for the current fiscal year and to audit the annual financial statements of the Fund, and prepare the Fund’s federal, state, and excise tax returns. The independent registered public accounting firm will audit the financial statements of the Fund at least once each year. Shareholders will receive annual audited and semi-annual (unaudited) reports when published and written confirmation of all transactions in their account. A copy of the most recent Annual Report will accompany the SAI whenever a shareholder or a prospective investor requests it.

 

TRUSTEES & OFFICERS OF THE TRUST

 

Trustees and Officers. The Trust is governed by the Board, which is responsible for protecting the interests of shareholders. The Trustees are experienced businesspersons who meet throughout the year to oversee the Trust’s activities, review contractual arrangements with companies that provide services to the Fund and review performance. The names, addresses and ages of the Trustees and officers of the Trust, together with information as to their principal occupations during the past five years, are listed below.

 

Each Trustee was nominated to serve on the Board of Trustees based on their particular experiences, qualifications, attributes and skills. Generally, the Trust believes that each Trustee is competent to serve because of their individual overall merits including: (i) experience; (ii) qualifications; (iii) attributes; and (iv) skills. Mr. David J. Urban has been a Professor of Education since 1989. His strategic planning, organizational and leadership skills help the Board set long-term goals. Ms. Mary Lou H. Ivey has business experience as a practicing tax accountant since 1996 and, as such, brings tax, budgeting and financial reporting skills to the Board. Mr. Theo H. Pitt has experience as an investor, including his role as trustee of several other investment companies and business experience as Senior Partner of a financial consulting company, as a partner of a real estate partnership and as an Account Administrator for a money management firm. The Trust does not believe any one factor is determinative in assessing a Trustee’s qualifications, but that the collective experience of each Trustee makes them each highly qualified.

 

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees is Ms. Ivey, who is not an “interested person” of the Trust, within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Trust also has an independent Audit Committee that allows the Board to access the expertise necessary of oversee the Trust, identify risks, recognize shareholder concerns and needs and highlight opportunities. The Audit Committee is able to focus Board time and attention to matters of interest to shareholders and, through its private sessions with the Trust’s auditor, Chief Compliance Officer and legal counsel, stay fully informed regarding management decisions.

 

Mutual funds face a number of risks, including investment risk, compliance risk and valuation risk. The Board oversees management of the Fund’s risks directly and through its officers. While day-to-day risk management responsibilities rest with the the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, investment advisers and other service providers, the Board monitors and tracks risk by: (1) receiving and reviewing quarterly reports related to the performance and operations of the Fund; (2) reviewing and approving, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust, including the Trust’s valuation policies and transaction procedures; (3) periodically meeting with the portfolio manager to review investment strategies, techniques and related risks; (4) meeting with representatives of key service providers, including the Fund’s investment advisers, administrator, distributor, transfer agent and the independent registered public accounting firm, to discuss the activities of the Fund; (5) engaging the services of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund to monitor and test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service providers; (6) receiving and reviewing reports from the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm regarding the Fund’s financial condition and the Trust’s internal controls; and (7) receiving and reviewing an annual written report prepared by the Chief Compliance Officer reviewing the adequacy of the Trust’s compliance policies and procedures and the effectiveness of their implementation. The Board has concluded that its general oversight of the investment advisers and other service providers as implemented through the reporting and monitoring process outlined above allows the Board to effectively administer its risk oversight function.

 

 15

 

 

Following is a list of the Trustees and executive officers of the Trust and their principal occupation over the last five years. The mailing address of each Trustee and officer is 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond VA, 23235, unless otherwise indicated.

 

NON-INTERESTED TRUSTEES

 

NAME, AGE AND
POSITION WITH
THE TRUST
TERM OF
OFFICE AND
LENGTH OF
TIME SERVED

PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S)
DURING THE PAST FIVE
YEARS

NUMBER OF
FUNDS IN FUND
COMPLEX
OVERSEEN BY
TRUSTEE

OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS
HELD BY TRUSTEE DURING
THE PAST 5 YEARS

David J. Urban

(65)

Trustee

Indefinite, Since June 2010

Dean, Jones College of Business, Middle Tennessee State University since July 2013.

 

22 Independent Trustee for the seven series of the ETF Opportunities Trust (a registered investment company)

Mary Lou H. Ivey

(62)

Trustee 

Indefinite, Since June 2010 Accountant, Harris, Hardy & Johnstone, P.C. (accounting firm), since 2008. 22 Independent Trustee for the seven series of the ETF Opportunities Trust (a registered investment company)

Theo H. Pitt, Jr.

(84)

Trustee

 

Indefinite; Since August 2013 Senior Partner, Community Financial Institutions Consulting (bank consulting) since 1997 to present.

22

 

Independent Trustee of Chesapeake Investment Trust for the one series of that trust; Leeward Investment Trust for the one series of that trust; Hillman Capital Management Investment Trust for the one series of that trust; Starboard Investment Trust for the 12 series of that trust; and ETF Opportunities Trust for the seven series of that Trust (all registered investment companies).

 

 16

 

 

OFFICERS WHO ARE NOT TRUSTEES

 

NAME, AGE AND
POSITION(S) WITH THE
TRUST
TERM OF OFFICE AND LENGTH
OF TIME SERVED

PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) DURING THE PAST FIVE
YEARS

David A. Bogaert

(57)

President

Indefinite, Since August 2017 Managing Director of Business Development, Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., October 2013 – present; Senior Vice President of Business Development and other positions for Huntington Asset Services, Inc. (fund administration and transfer agency) from 1986 to 2013.

Karen M. Shupe

(56)

Treasurer and Principal Executive Officer

Indefinite, Since June 2008 Managing Director of Fund Operations, Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., 2003 to present.

Ann T. MacDonald

(66)

Assistant Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer

Indefinite, Since November 2015 Managing Director, Fund Administration and Fund Accounting, Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., 2003 to present.

John H. Lively

(52)

Secretary

Indefinite, Since November 2013 Attorney, Practus, LLP (law firm), May 2018 to present; Attorney, The Law Offices of John H. Lively & Associates, Inc. (law firm), March 2010 to May 2018.

Holly B. Giangiulio

(59)

Assistant Secretary

Indefinite, Since November 2015 Managing Director, Corporate Operations, Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., January 2015 to present, Corporate Accounting and HR Manager from 2010 to 2015.  

Julian G. Winters

(52)

Chief Compliance Officer

Indefinite, Since August 2013 Managing Member of Watermark Solutions, LLC (investment management compliance and consulting) since March 2007.

Tina H. Bloom

(52)

Assistant Secretary

Indefinite, Since November 2018 Attorney, Practus, LLP, May 2018 to present; Attorney, The Law Offices of John H. Lively & Associates, Inc., November 2017 to May 2018; Director of Fund Administration of Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (fund administration and transfer agency) from 2011-2017.

 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

 

The Board of Trustees oversees the Trust and certain aspects of the services provided by the Adviser and the Fund’s other service providers. Each Trustee will hold office until their successors have been duly elected and qualified or until their earlier resignation or removal. Each officer of the Trust serves at the pleasure of the Board and for a term of one year or until their successors have been duly elected and qualified.

 

The Trust has a standing Audit Committee of the Board composed of Mr. Urban, Ms. Ivey and Mr. Pitt. The functions of the Audit Committee are to meet with the Trust’s independent auditors to review the scope and findings of the annual audit, discuss the Trust’s accounting policies, discuss any recommendations of the independent auditors with respect to the Trust’s management practices, review the impact of changes in accounting standards on the Trust’s financial statements, recommend to the Board the selection of independent registered public accounting firm, and perform such other duties as may be assigned to the Audit Committee by the Board. As of the date of this SAI, the Audit Committee has not met as it relates to the Fund.

 

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is comprised of Mr. Urban, Ms. Ivey and Mr. Pitt. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s purposes, duties and powers are set forth in its written charter, which is described in Exhibit C – the charter also describes the process by which shareholders of the Trust may make nominations. As of the date of this SAI, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has not met as it relates to the Fund.

 

 17

 

 

The Valuation Committee is comprised of Mr. Urban, Ms. Ivey and Mr. Pitt. The Valuation Committee meets as needed in the event that the Fund holds any securities that are subject to valuation and it reviews the fair valuation of such securities on an as needed basis. As of the date of this SAI, the Valuation Committee has not met as it relates to the Fund.

 

The Qualified Legal Compliance Committee is comprised of Mr. Urban, Ms. Ivey and Mr. Pitt. The Qualified Legal Compliance Committee receives, investigates, and makes recommendations as to the appropriate remedial action in connection with any report of evidence of a material violation of the securities laws or breach of fiduciary duty or similar violation by the Trust, its officers, Trustees, or agents. As of the date of this SAI, the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee has not met as it relates to the Fund.

 

Trustee Compensation. Each Trustee who is not an “interested person” of the Trust may receive compensation for their services to the Trust. All Trustees are reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with attendance at meetings. Each Trustee receives an annual retainer of $60,000, paid quarterly. Additionally, each Trustee receives a fee of $2,500 per special meeting attended. Compensation to be received from the Trust for the Fund’s first fiscal year is estimated as follows:

 

Name of Person /
Position
Aggregate
Compensation
from Fund(1)
Pension or Retirement
Benefits Accrued as
Part of Fund Expenses
Estimated Annual
Benefits upon
Retirement
Total Compensation
from Fund and Fund
Complex Paid to
Trustees (*)(1)
David J. Urban, Trustee $ 1,500 $0 $0 $ 1,500
         
Mary Lou H. Ivey, Trustee $ 1,500 $0 $0 $ 1,500
         
Theo H. Pitt, Jr., Trustee $ 1,500 $0 $0 $ 1,500

* Company does not pay deferred compensation.

(1) The Fund commenced operations on or about the date of this SAI.

(2) The “Fund Complex” consists of the Fund.

 

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 Fund of the Trust, as of December 31, 2020, 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.

 

 18

 

 

Name of Trustee Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in the Fund(1)
Aggregate Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in all
Registered Investment
Companies Overseen by the
Trustees in Family of
Investment Companies
Non-Interested Trustees    
David J. Urban A A
Mary Lou H. Ivey A A
Theo H. Pitt, Jr. A A

(1) The Fund commenced operations on or about the date of this SAI.

 

Sales Loads. No front-end or deferred sales charges are applied to purchase of Fund shares by current or former trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust, the Adviser or the Distributor and by the members of their immediate families.

 

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SECURITIES HOLDERS

 

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund or acknowledges the existence of such control. As a controlling shareholder, each of these persons could control the outcome of any proposal submitted to the shareholders for approval, including changes to the Fund’s fundamental policies or the terms of the management agreement with the Adviser. The Fund commenced operations on or about the date of this SAI.

 

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

General Policy. The Fund adheres 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 Board. In complying with the 1940 Act, the Trust relies on guidance provided by the SEC and by the SEC staff in various interpretive letters and other guidance.

 

Equity Securities. Securities listed on a securities exchange, market or automated quotation system for which quotations are readily available (except for securities traded on NASDAQ), including securities traded over the counter, are valued at the last quoted sale price on the primary exchange or market (foreign or domestic) on which they are traded on valuation date (or at approximately 4:00 p.m. ET if a security’s primary exchange is normally open at that time), or, if there is no such reported sale on the valuation date, at the most recent quoted bid price. For securities traded on NASDAQ, the NASDAQ Official Closing Price will be used. If such prices are not available or determined to not represent the fair value of the security as of the Fund’s pricing time, the security will be valued at fair value as determined in good faith using methods approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

 

 19

 

 

Money Market Securities and other Debt Securities. If available, money market securities and other debt securities are priced based upon valuations provided by recognized independent, third-party pricing agents. Such values generally reflect the last reported sales price if the security is actively traded. The third-party pricing agents may also value debt securities by employing methodologies that utilize actual market transactions, broker-supplied valuations, or other methodologies designed to identify the market value for such securities. Such methodologies generally consider such factors as security prices, yields, maturities, call features, ratings and developments relating to specific securities in arriving at valuations. Money market securities and other debt securities with remaining maturities of sixty days or less may be valued at their amortized cost, which approximates market value. If such prices are not available or determined to not represent the fair value of the security as of the Fund’s pricing time, the security will be valued at fair value as determined in good faith using methods approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

 

Use of Third-Party Pricing Agents. Pursuant to contracts with the Administrator, market prices for securities held by the Fund are generally provided daily by third-party independent pricing agents that are approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust. Options pricing may also be obtained through other services offered by Cboe or a Cboe affiliate. These other pricing services may include algorithmically derived prices and therefore would also not be reflective of actual prices, bids or offers posted in any market. These other pricing services may be provided by Cboe or a Cboe affiliate through an independent third-party pricing agent or directly to the Administrator. All valuations provided to the Administrator are reviewed daily by the Administrator. Third-party independent pricing agents as well as any services offered by Cboe or a Cboe affiliate are generally paid services. As a result, all or a portion of the fees that are paid by the Fund for these pricing services may be paid to Cboe (either directly or indirectly through an independent third-party).

 

DISTRIBUTION

 

The Distributor may from time to time offer incentive compensation to dealers (which sell shares of the Fund that are subject to sales charges) allowing such dealers to retain an additional portion of the sales load. A dealer who receives all of the sales load may be considered an underwriter of the Fund’s shares.

 

In connection with promotion of the sales of the Fund, 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.

 

 20

 

 

Plan of Distribution. The Fund has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) for its Investor 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 Fund will pay a fee at an annual rate of 0.25% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s outstanding Investor 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 Fund may pay the fee directly to Financial Intermediaries (see “Additional Payments to Financial Intermediaries” below.

 

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 Fund 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 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 (see “Additional Payments to Financial Intermediaries” below). 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 the Fund. It is anticipated that the Plan will benefit shareholders because an effective sales program typically is necessary for the Fund 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 is terminable at any time with respect to the 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 the 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 Fund, by the Distributor or by the Financial Intermediary. An agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.

 

21 

 

 

As long as the Plan is in effect, the nomination of trustees of the Trust 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.

 

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 Fund; (b) payment of compensation to and expenses of personnel (including personnel of organizations with which the Trust has entered into agreements related to the Plan) who engage in or support distribution of shares of the Fund 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 Fund, and providing such other 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 Fund, forwarding communications from the Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund, including the performance of the Fund; (g) obtaining such information, analyses and reports with respect to marketing and promotional activities as the Trust may, from time to time, deem advisable.

 

Shareholder Services Plan. The Fund has adopted a shareholder services plan on behalf of its Investor Class Shares. Under a shareholder services plan, the Fund may pay an authorized firm up to 0.15% 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) arranging for bank wires; (ii) responding to inquiries from shareholders concerning their investment in the Fund; (iii) assisting shareholders in changing dividend options, account designations and addresses; (iv) providing information periodically to shareholders showing their position in shares; (v) forwarding shareholder communications from the Fund such as proxies, shareholder reports, annual reports, and dividend distribution and tax notices to shareholders; (vi) processing purchase, exchange and redemption requests from shareholders and placing orders with the Fund or their service providers; (vii) providing sub-accounting with respect to Fund shares beneficially owned by shareholders; and (viii) processing dividend payments from the Fund on behalf of shareholders.

 

22 

 

 

Because the Fund has adopted the shareholder services plan to compensate authorized firms for providing the types of services described above, the Fund believes the shareholder services plan is not covered by Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which relates to payment of distribution fees. The Fund, however, follows the procedural requirements of Rule 12b-1 in connection with the implementation and administration of each shareholder services plan.

 

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 Fund 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 Fund does not monitor the actual services being performed by an authorized firm under the plan and related service agreement. The Fund also does 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 Fund and any compensation the authorized firm may receive directly from its clients.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT PURCHASES AND SALES

 

Purchasing Shares. You may purchase shares of the Fund 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 Fund. You will also generally have to address your correspondence or questions regarding the Fund to your authorized institution. The offering price per share is equal to the net asset value next determined after the Fund 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 Fund on time. Certain authorized institutions have agreements with the Fund that allows 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 Fund 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 Trust reserves the right to reject any purchase order and to suspend the offering of shares. The Adviser may waive the minimum initial investment requirement in its sole discretion, for instances including but not limited to, purchases made by directors, officers and employees of the Trust, the Adviser or any of their respective affiliates, purchases by entities affiliated with the Adviser or the Trust, and certain related advisory accounts and retirement accounts (such as IRAs). The Trust may also change or waive policies concerning minimum investment amounts at any time.

 

23 

 

 

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 net asset value. 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 the 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, it is the Fund’s general policy to initially invest in short-term, interest-bearing money market instruments.

 

However, if the Adviser believes that attractive investment opportunities (consistent with the 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 Fund 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 net asset value of the Fund next computed after your request for exchange is received in proper form. See below for additional information on the Fund’s Exchange Privilege.

 

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 Fund 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.

 

24 

 

 

The Fund’s procedure is to redeem shares at the net asset value 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 and/or the Distributor and their respective affiliates may, out of their own resources and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, make payments (sometimes referred to as “revenue sharing”) to solicitors, brokers, dealers, and/or other financial intermediaries (collectively, referred to herein as “Financial Intermediaries”). These payments may be in addition to payments made by the Fund to the Financial Intermediary under the Fund’s Rule 12b-1 Plans and other shareholder servicing plans.

 

SHAREHOLDER SERVICES

 

As described briefly in the prospectus, the Fund offers 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 Fund’s prospectus to open your account.

 

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 Fund employs 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 Fund 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 Fund. 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 (800) 628-4077.

 

25 

 

 

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 Fund 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 Fund at 855-505-VEST (8378). 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. To the extent that the Adviser manages other funds in the Trust, shareholders may exchange their shares for shares of any other series of the Trust managed by the Adviser, 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 net asset value 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.

 

TAXES

 

The following discussion is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its 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 Fund and its shareholders (including shareholders owning large positions in the Fund).  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 Fund.

 

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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 Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund, 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 Fund intends to qualify and remain qualified as a RIC under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”). The 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, the 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 Internal Revenue 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 Fund in the same manner as realized by the partnership or trust.

 

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The Fund intends to invest in ETFs that are taxable as RICs under the Internal Revenue Code. Accordingly, the income the Fund receives from such ETFs should be qualifying income for purposes of the Fund satisfying the 90% Test described above. However, the Fund may also invest in one or more ETFs that are not taxable as RICs under the Internal Revenue Code and that may generate non-qualifying income for purposes of satisfying the 90% Test. The Fund anticipates monitoring their investments in such ETFs so as to keep the Fund’s 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 Fund to inadvertently fail the 90% Test thereby causing the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC. In such a case, the Fund 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 21% penalty. 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, the Fund must diversify their 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.

 

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If the Fund qualifies as a RIC 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 Internal Revenue 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 Fund will be relieved of U.S. federal income tax on any income of the Fund, including long-term capital gains, distributed to shareholders. However, any ordinary income or capital gain retained by the Fund will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate federal income tax rates (currently at a maximum rate of 21%). The Fund intends to distribute at least annually substantially all of their investment company taxable income, net tax-exempt interest, and net capital gain.

 

The Fund 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 the Fund’s ordinary income (computed on a calendar year basis), (ii) 98.2% of the 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 Fund generally intends 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 Fund may be required to recognize taxable income in circumstances in which it does not receive cash. For example, if the Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund in the same taxable year. Because any original issue discount accrued will be included in the Fund’s “investment company taxable income” (discussed above) for the year of accrual, the Fund 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.

 

To the extent that the Fund has capital loss carryforwards from prior tax years, those carryforwards will reduce the net capital gains that can support the Fund’s distribution of capital gain dividends. If the Fund uses net capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning on or before December 22, 2010 (pre-2011 losses), those carryforwards will not reduce the Fund’s current earnings and profits, as losses incurred in later years will. As a result, if the Fund 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 Fund. Capital loss carryforwards are reduced to the extent they offset current-year net realized capital gains, whether the Fund retains 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 Fund, if any, prior to distributing such gains to shareholders.

 

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

 

Failure to Qualify as a RIC. If the Fund is unable to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement or otherwise fail to qualify as a RIC in any year, they 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 the Fund’s shareholders of such income and gain will not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income. In such event, the 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 in taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2013, provided in each case that certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied.

 

Distributions in excess of the 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 Fund 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 Fund failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. Subject to a limited exception applicable to RICs that qualified as such under the Internal Revenue 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 Fund would be subject to tax on any unrealized built-in gains in the assets held by it during the period in which the Fund failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC that are recognized within the subsequent 10 years, unless the Fund 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 the 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 Internal Revenue 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 Internal Revenue 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 Fund, are taxable to such shareholder as long-term capital gain if they have been properly designated by the Fund, regardless of the length of time such shareholder owned the shares of the Fund. The maximum tax rate on capital gain dividends received by individuals is generally 20%. Distributions in excess of the 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 Fund is 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.

 

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As RICs, the Fund will be subject to the AMT, but any items that are treated differently for AMT purposes must be apportioned between the Fund and the shareholders and this may affect the shareholders’ AMT liabilities. The Fund intends 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).

 

For purpose 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 Fund 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 Fund makes 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 Fund 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 Fund intends to distribute all realized capital gains, if any, at least annually. If, however, the Fund were to retain any net capital gain, the Fund 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 Fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim reFund to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. If such an event occurs, the tax basis of shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund 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.

 

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Sales and other dispositions of the shares, such as exchanges, of the Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund’s 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 Fund has chosen average cost as the standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders. A tax lot identification method is the way the Fund will determine which specific shares are deemed to be sold when there are multiple purchases on different dates at differing net asset values, and the entire position is not sold at one time. The Fund has chosen average cost as its standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders. The Fund’s 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 Fund’s 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

 

For those securities defined as “covered” under current Internal Revenue Service cost basis tax reporting regulations, the Fund is responsible for maintaining accurate cost basis and tax lot information for tax reporting purposes. The Fund is not responsible for the reliability or accuracy of the information for those securities that are not “covered.” The Fund and its 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.

 

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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 Fund 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 Fund.

 

Straddles. When the 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 the Fund in conjunction with any other position held by the 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:

 

The Fund may have to wait to deduct any losses. If the Fund has a capital gain in one position of a straddle and a capital loss in the other, the Fund 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.

 

The Fund’s capital gain holding period may get clipped. The moment the Fund enters into a typical straddle, the capital gains holding period on its offsetting positions is frozen. If the 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.

 

The 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 Fund 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 the Fund’s taxable income (and required to be distributed by the Fund) 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 Fund 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 Fund may elect to accrue market discount currently, in which case the Fund will be required to include the accrued market discount in the 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 the 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 Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund holding the security receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year.

 

If the Fund holds 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 Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary (including when it is not advantageous to do so). The Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event the Fund realizes 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 Fund, the Fund 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 Fund. Tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund 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 Fund should recognize market discount on a debt obligation, and if so, what amount of market discount the Fund should recognize. These and other related issues will be addressed by the Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund 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 Fund, 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 Fund if shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 514(b). Furthermore, a tax-exempt shareholder may recognize UBTI if the Fund recognizes “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 Fund exceeds the 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 Internal Revenue 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 Fund 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 Fund that recognizes “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 Fund 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 Fund. The Fund has not yet determined whether such an election will be made.

 

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CRTs and other tax-exempt investors are urged to consult their tax advisers concerning the consequences of investing in the Fund.

 

Foreign Taxation. Income received by the Fund 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 Fund invests 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 Fund invests 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 Fund, subject to certain limitations.

 

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 Fund satisfies this requirement or if they meet certain other requirements, which include a requirement that more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets at the close of its taxable year consist of stocks or securities of foreign corporations, then the Fund 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 Fund, 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 Fund to a shareholder that is not a “U.S. person” within the meaning of the Internal Revenue 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 Fund 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 Fund invests in an underlying fund that pays such distributions to the Fund, such distributions retain their character as not subject to withholding if properly reported when paid by the Fund to foreign persons.

 

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The Fund is 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 Fund 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 Fund reporst 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 Fund 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 Fund or to the Capital Gain Dividend the foreign shareholder received (as described below).

 

Special rules would apply if the Fund 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 Fund were a USRPHC or would be a USRPHC but for the exceptions referred to above, any distributions by the Fund to a foreign shareholder (including, in certain cases, distributions made by the Fund in redemption of its shares) attributable to gains realized by the Fund on the disposition of USRPIs or to distributions received by the Fund from a lower-tier regulated investment company or real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that the Fund 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 Fund. 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.

 

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In addition, if the Fund 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 Fund is characterized as a USRPHC will depend upon the nature and mix of the Fund’s assets. The Fund 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 Fund.

 

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.

 

Backup Withholding. The Fund generally is 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 Fund with a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify to the Fund 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.

 

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Tax Shelter Reporting Regulations. Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the 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 Fund’s “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 Fund 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 Fund with such certifications or other documentation, including, to the extent required, with regard to such shareholders’ direct and indirect owners, as the Fund requires to comply with the new rules. Persons investing in the Fund through an intermediary should contact their intermediary regarding the application of the new reporting and withholding regime to their investments in the Fund.

 

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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 Fund 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 the Fund after June 30, 2014 and (b) certain capital gain distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund shares paid by the 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. The 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 the 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 Internal Revenue 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.

 

Possible Tax Law Changes. At the time that this SAI is being prepared, the coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting the United States. Various administrative and legislative changes to the federal tax laws are under consideration, but it is not possible at this time to determine whether any of these changes will take place or what the changes might entail.

 

BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES

 

Brokerage Transactions. Generally, equity securities are bought and sold 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 Fund executes transactions in the over-the-counter market, it will generally deal with primary market makers unless prices that are more favorable are otherwise obtainable.

 

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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 Fund as a factor in the selection of brokers and dealers, but may place portfolio transactions with brokers and dealers that promote or sell the 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 Fund with those to be sold or purchased for other advisory accounts managed by the Adviser. 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 Fund 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”) Act permits the Adviser, under certain circumstances, to cause the Fund 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). In the case of research services, the Adviser believes that access to independent investment research is beneficial to its investment decision-making processes and, therefore, to the Fund.

 

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 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.

 

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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.

 

From time to time, the Fund may purchase new issues of securities in a fixed price offering. In these situations, the seller may be a member of the selling group that will, in addition to selling securities, provide the Adviser with research services. FINRA has adopted rules expressly permitting these types of arrangements under certain circumstances. Generally, the seller will provide research “credits” in these situations at a rate that is higher than that which is available for typical secondary market transactions. These arrangements may not fall within the safe harbor of Section 28(e).

 

Brokerage with Fund Affiliates. The Fund may execute brokerage or other agency transactions through registered broker-dealer affiliates of the Fund, 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 Fund 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.” The Trustees, including those who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, have adopted procedures for evaluating the reasonableness of commissions paid to affiliates and review these procedures periodically.

 

Securities of “Regular Broker-Dealers”. The Fund is required to identify any securities of its “regular brokers and dealers” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) which the Fund may hold at the close of its most recent fiscal year. The Fund commenced operations on or about 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 Fund is concerned. In other cases, however, the ability to participate in volume transactions will be beneficial to the Fund. The Board believes that these advantages, when combined with the other benefits available because of the Adviser’s organization, outweigh the disadvantages that may exist from this treatment of transactions.

 

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DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO SECURITIES HOLDINGS

 

This Disclosure of Portfolio Securities Holdings Policy (the “Policy”) shall govern 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 and the Fund’s shareholders. 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 publicly 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. Certain portfolio information is also included on Form N-PORT that is filed for the second and fourth 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 and will be made publicly available 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 15c process, 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.

 

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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.

 

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 the 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 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. Additionally, the Adviser may disclose periodically on the Fund’s website for each of the Buffer Fund, and Enhanced Growth Fund, the most recent portfolio holdings when the options belonging to a certain tranche have just expired and are being rolled into a new annual tranche, with such disclosure occurring for a few days before or after such period. Further, regarding the Dividend Aristocrats Fund, the Adviser may disclose periodically on that Fund’s website historical data, including portfolio holdings statistics, data regarding the average percentage overwrite for that Fund and premium income collected for the prior month. 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 or the expiry of a set of options holdings of the Fund or a few days before or after such period. 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.

 

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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 trading 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.

 

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 and its shareholders. 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 and its shareholders, various safeguards have been implemented to protect the Fund and its shareholders 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, the Adviser and the Distributor in connection with their personal securities transactions; the adoption by the Adviser and Distributor 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.

 

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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’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 Fund is authorized to issue three classes of shares: Investor Class shares imposing no front-end or deferred sales charges and a 0.25% 12b-1 fee, Institutional Class shares imposing no front-end or deferred sales charges and no 12b-1 fee, and Class Y shares imposing no front-end or deferred sales charges, no 12b-1 fee and no fees for shareholder services to third parties. The Investor Class and Institutional Class shares of the Fund are authorized to pay up to 0.25% to third parties for the provision of shareholder services, including sub-accounting and sub-transfer agency fees.

 

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 Fund’s 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.

 

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.

 

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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 25% of the Trust’s shares, 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 Fund 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 proxy voting policies and procedures of the Trust are included as Exhibit B to this SAI.

 

The Trust is required to disclose annually the 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 Fund 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 855-505-VEST (8378) or by writing to the Fund at 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, VA 23235; and (2) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

47 

 

 

CODES OF ETHICS

 

The Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Trust, has adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. In addition, the Adviser and 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 Fund. 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

 

The Annual Report for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020 has been filed with the SEC. The financial statements contained in the Annual Report are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The financial statements and financial highlights for the Fund included in the Annual Report have been audited by the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, Cohen & Company, Ltd., whose report thereon also appears in such Annual Report and is also incorporated herein by reference. No other parts of the Annual Report are incorporated by reference herein. The financial statements in the Annual Report have been incorporated herein in reliance upon such report given upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing. You may request a copy of the annual and semi-annual reports for the Fund, once available, at no charge by contacting the Fund at:

 

The Cboe Vest Family of Funds 

c/o World Funds Trust 

8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205 

Richmond, Virginia 23235 

Telephone: 855-505-VEST (8378)

48 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Proxy Voting Policy

 

 

of Cboe Vest Financial, LLC, the (“Firm”)

 

The Firm reserves the right to deviate from the general provisions contained within any part of this policy, including the separate proxy voting guidelines, and to vote for or against any issue regardless of the nature of the issue, if by doing so the Firm protects its client’s and shareholder’s interest and value.

 

The Firm has contracted with a third-party vendor of proxy voting services. We utilize ISS and their proprietary service, Proxy Exchange. Proxy Exchange provides voting services including voting recommendations. The Firm utilizes proxy voting guidelines developed by ISS which it has reviewed and which it deems to be the most consistent and compatible with its strategy and in providing shareholder value. It will generally be the responsibility of the Firm to vote all proxies, where authorized. It is contemplated that the Firm will be active in all proxy voting issues, however, there may be occasions when a vote is missed by Firm personnel. In the event a vote is missed by Firm personnel, for any reason, that vote will be automatically cast in accordance with the Firm’s previously authorized proxy voting guidelines it has chosen and has provided to Proxy Exchange.

 

The Firm’s separate proxy voting guidelines are available upon request.

 

Voting Procedures

 

The voting recommendations are provided by Proxy Exchange for each meeting. Internally, the Firm provides oversight of the proxy voting process. The Firm through a Portfolio Manager or other designated person will review the proxy vote statements and recommendations. In the event a vote is inadvertently missed, the ballot will be cast automatically in accordance with our proxy voting guidelines. A record will be made and maintained of all votes.

 

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.

 

Conflicts of Interest

 

Any conflict of interest will be resolved in the best interests of the Firm’s clients and fund shareholders. In the event a material conflict of interest is identified or believed to exist, the Firm may choose to defer to the voting recommendation of its third-party vendor’s voting recommendations.

 

The Firm shall also maintain records 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.

 

49 

 

 

Proxy Vote Record Retention

 

The Firm shall maintain records of proxies voted in accordance with Section 204-2 of the Act, including proxy statements, and a record of each vote cast. 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 voting 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 the offices of the Firm. All records may be maintained electronically.

 

Form N-PX Filing Logistics

 

The Firm is responsible for ensuring that the third-party proxy vote service maintains the 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 Fund:

 

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 submit the filings in a timely manner.

 

50 

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

World Funds Trust

 

PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES

 

The World Funds Trust (the “Trust”) is registered as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”). The Trust offers multiple series (each a “Fund” and, collectively, the “Funds”). Consistent with its fiduciary duties and pursuant to Rule 30b1-4 under the 1940 Act (the “Proxy Rule”), the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) has adopted this proxy voting policy on behalf of the Trust (the “Policy”) to reflect its commitment to ensure that proxies are voted in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Funds’ shareholders.

 

Delegation of Proxy Voting Authority to Fund Advisers

 

The Board believes that the investment adviser, or the investment sub-adviser as appropriate, of each Fund (each an “Adviser”), as the entity that selects the individual securities that comprise its Fund’s portfolio, is the most knowledgeable and best-suited to make decisions on how to vote proxies of portfolio companies held by that Fund. The Trust shall therefore defer to, and rely on, the Adviser of each Fund to make decisions on how to cast proxy votes on behalf of such Fund.

 

The Trust hereby designates the Adviser of each Fund as the entity responsible for exercising proxy voting authority with regard to securities held in the Fund’s investment portfolio. Consistent with its duties under this Policy, each Adviser shall monitor and review corporate transactions of corporations in which the Fund has invested, obtain all information sufficient to allow an informed vote on all proxy solicitations, ensure that all proxy votes are cast in a timely fashion, and maintain all records required to be maintained by the Fund under the Proxy Rule and the 1940 Act. Each Adviser shall perform these duties in accordance with the Adviser’s proxy voting policy, a copy of which shall be presented to this Board for its review. Each Adviser shall promptly provide to the Board updates to its proxy voting policy as they are adopted and implemented.

 

Conflict of Interest Transactions

 

In some instances, an Adviser may be asked to cast a proxy vote that presents a conflict between the interests of a Fund’s shareholders and those of the Adviser or an affiliated person of the Adviser. In such case, the Adviser is instructed to abstain from making a voting decision and to forward all necessary proxy voting materials to the Trust to enable the Board to make a voting decision. When the Board is required to make a proxy voting decision, only the Trustees without a conflict of interest with regard to the security in question or the matter to be voted upon shall be permitted to participate in the decision of how the Fund’s vote will be cast. In the event that the Board is required to vote a proxy because an Adviser has a conflict of interest with respect to the proxy, the Board will vote such proxy in accordance with the Adviser’s proxy voting policy, to the extent consistent with the shareholders’ best interests, as determined by the Board in its discretion. The Board shall notify the Adviser of its final decision on the matter and the Adviser shall vote in accordance with the Board’s decision. 

 

51 

 

 

Availability of Proxy Voting Policy and Records Available to Fund Shareholders

 

If a Fund has a website, the Fund may post a copy of its Adviser’s proxy voting policy and this Policy on such website. A copy of such policies and of each Fund’s proxy voting record shall also be made available, without charge, upon request of any shareholder of the Fund, by calling the applicable Fund’s toll-free telephone number as printed in the Fund’s prospectus. The Trust’s administrator shall reply to any Fund shareholder request within three business days of receipt of the request, by first-class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery.

 

Each Adviser shall provide a complete voting record, as required by the Proxy Rule, for each series of the Trust for which it acts as adviser, to the Trust’s administrator within 30 days following the end of each 12-month period ending June 30. The Trust’s administrator will file a report based on such record on Form N-PX on an annual basis with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission no later than August 31st of each year.

 

Adopted: November 26, 2013

 

Last Amended: February 20, 2019

 

52 

 

Exhibit C

 

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter

 

World Funds Trust

 

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Membership

 

 1.The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of World Funds Trust (the “Trust”) shall be composed entirely of Independent Trustees.

 

Board Nominations and Functions

 

 1.The Committee shall make nominations for Trustee membership on the Board of Trustees, including the Independent Trustees. The Committee shall evaluate candidates’ qualifications for Board membership and their independence from the investment advisers to the Trust’s series portfolios and the Trust’s other principal service providers. Persons selected as Independent Trustees must not be “interested person” as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, nor shall Independent Trustee have and affiliations or associations that shall preclude them from voting as an Independent Trustee on matters involving approvals and continuations of Rule 12b-1 Plans, Investment Advisory Agreements and such other standards as the Committee shall deem appropriate.  The Committee shall also consider the effect of any relationships beyond those delineated in the 1940 Act that might impair independence, e.g., business, financial or family relationships with managers or service providers.  See Appendix A for Procedures with Respect to Nominees to the Board.

 

 2.The Committee shall periodically review Board governance procedures and shall recommend any appropriate changes to the full Board of Trustees.

 

 3.The Committee shall periodically review the composition of the Board of Trustees to determine whether it may be appropriate to add individuals with different backgrounds or skill sets from those already on the Board.

 

 4.The Committee shall periodically review trustee compensation and shall recommend any appropriate changes to the Independent Trustees as a group.

 

Committee Nominations and Functions

 

 1.The Committee shall make nominations for membership on all committees and shall review committee assignments at least annually.

 

 2.The Committee shall review, as necessary, the responsibilities of any committees of the Board, whether there is a continuing need for each committee, whether there is a need for additional committees of the Board, and whether committees should be combined or reorganized. The Committee shall make recommendations for any such action to the full Board.

 

53 

 

Other Powers and Responsibilities

 

 1.The Committee shall have the resources and authority appropriate to discharge its responsibilities, including authority to retain special counsel and other experts or consultants at the expense of the Trust.

 

 2.The Committee shall review this Charter at least annually and recommend any changes to the full Board of Trustees.

  

Adopted: August 2, 2013

 

54 

 

APPENDIX A TO THE NOMINATING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHARTER

 

WORLD FUNDS TRUST

 

PROCEDURES WITH RESPECT TO NOMINEES TO THE BOARD

 

I.Identification of Candidates. When a vacancy on the Board of Trustees exists or is anticipated, and such vacancy is to be filled by an Independent Trustee, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall identify candidates by obtaining referrals from such sources as it may deem appropriate, which may include current Trustees, management of the Trust, counsel and other advisors to the Trustees, and shareholders of the Trust who submit recommendations in accordance with these procedures. In no event shall the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee consider as a candidate to fill any such vacancy an individual recommended by any investment adviser of any series portfolio of the Trust, unless the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has invited management to make such a recommendation.

 

II.

Shareholder Candidates. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall, when identifying candidates for the position of Independent Trustee, consider any such candidate recommended by a shareholder if such recommendation contains: (i) sufficient background information concerning the candidate, including evidence the candidate is willing to serve as an Independent Trustee if selected for the position; and (ii) is received in a sufficiently timely manner as determined by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee in its discretion.  Shareholders shall be directed to address any such recommendations in writing to the attention of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, c/o the Secretary of the Trust. The Secretary shall retain copies of any shareholder recommendations which meet the foregoing requirements for a period of not more than 12 months following receipt.  The Secretary shall have no obligation to acknowledge receipt

of any shareholder recommendations.

 

III.Evaluation of Candidates. In evaluating a candidate for a position on the Board of Trustees, including any candidate recommended by shareholders of the Trust, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall consider the following: (i) the candidate’s knowledge in matters relating to the mutual fund industry; (ii) any experience possessed by the candidate as a director or senior officer of public companies; (iii) the candidate’s educational background; (iv) the candidate’s reputation for high ethical standards and professional integrity; (v) any specific financial, technical or other expertise possessed by the candidate, and the extent to which such expertise would complement the Board’s existing mix of skills, core competencies and qualifications; (vi) the candidate’s perceived ability to contribute to the ongoing functions of the Board, including the candidate’s ability and commitment to attend meetings regularly and work collaboratively with other members of the Board; (vii) the candidate’s ability to qualify as an Independent Trustee and any other actual or potential conflicts of interest involving the candidate and the Trust; and (viii) such other factors as the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee determines to be relevant in light of the existing composition of the Board and any anticipated vacancies. Prior to making a final recommendation to the Board, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall conduct personal interviews with those candidates it concludes are the most qualified candidates.

 

 55 

 

 

OTHER INFORMATION 

 

Item 28. Exhibits

 

(a)(1)   Certificate of Trust of World Funds Trust (formerly, Abacus World Funds Trust) (the “Registrant”) dated April 9, 2007 is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     
(a)(2)   Certificate of Amendment dated January 7, 2008 to the Registrant’s Certificate of Trust dated April 9, 2007 is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     
(a)(3)   Registrant’s Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated April 9, 2007 and amended on June 23, 2008 and November 16, 2016 is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 237 on Form N-1A filed on August 28, 2017.
     
(b)   Registrant’s Amended and Restated By-Laws dated November 16, 2016 is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 237 on Form N-1A filed on August 28, 2017.
     
(c)   Not applicable.
     
(d)(1)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Union Street Partners, LLC with respect to the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 on Form N-1A filed on November 20, 2015.
     
(d)(2)   Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Union Street Partners, LLC and McGinn Investment Management, Inc. with respect to the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 on Form N-1A filed on November 20, 2015.
     
(d)(3)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Perkins Capital Management, Inc. with respect to the Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 361 on Form N-1A filed on June 29, 2020.
     
(d)(4)   Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Applied Finance Advisors, LLC with respect to the Applied Finance Core Fund, Applied Finance Explorer Fund and Applied Finance Select Fund (collectively, the “Applied Finance Funds”) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(d)(5)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Real Estate Management Services Group, LLC with respect to the REMS International Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund and the REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 323 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2019.
     
(d)(6)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Clifford Capital Partners, LLC with respect to the Clifford Capital Partners Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 155 on Form N-1A filed on February 8, 2016.

 

 

 

 

(d)(7)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Clifford Capital Partners, LLC with respect to the Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(d)(8)   Amended Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Cboe Vest Financial LLC, with respect to the Cboe Vest S&P 500® Buffer Strategy Fund, Cboe Vest S&P 500® Enhanced Growth Strategy Fund, and Cboe Vest S&P 500® Dividend Aristocrats Target Income Fund (collectively the “Cboe Vest Family of Funds”) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 355 on Form N-1A filed on February 28, 2020.
     
(d)(9)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Cboe Vest Financial LLC, with respect to the Cboe Vest Bitcoin Target Volatility Strategy Fund (To Be Filed by Amendment).
     
(d)(10)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Systelligence, LLC with respect to 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”) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 361 on Form N-1A filed on  June 29, 2020.
     
(d)(11)   Amended Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Secure Investment Management, LLC, with respect to the SIM U.S Managed Accumulation Fund, SIM Global Managed Accumulation Fund and SIM Income Fund (“the SIM Funds”)  is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(d)(12)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Strategic Asset Management, Ltd. with respect to the OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(d)(13)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Rule One Partners, LLC with respect to the Rule One Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(d)(14)   Interim Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Third Avenue Management Services Group, LLC with respect to the Third Avenue Real Estate Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 374 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2021.
     
(d)(15)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Kanen Wealth Management, LLC with respect to the Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(e)(1)   Principal Underwriter Agreement dated February 18, 2016 between the Registrant and First Dominion Capital Corp is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 157 on Form N-1A filed on February 23, 2016.
     
(e)(2)   Schedule A to the Principal Underwriter Agreement dated February 18, 2016 between the Registrant and First Dominion Capital Corp. with respect to the Union Street Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 208 on Form N-1A filed on January 30, 2017.

 

 

 

 

(e)(3)   Schedule A to the Principal Underwriter Agreement dated February 18, 2016 between the Registrant and First Dominion Capital Corp. with respect to the Clifford Capital Partners Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 207 on Form N-1A filed on January 30, 2017.
     
(e)(4)   Schedule A to the Principal Underwriter Agreement dated August 29, 2019 between the Registrant and First Dominion Capital Corp. with respect to the Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(e)(5)   Schedule A to the Principal Underwriter Agreement dated February 18, 2016 between the Registrant and First Dominion Capital Corp. with respect to the Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 190 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2016.
     
(e)(6)   Schedule A to the Principal Underwriter Agreement dated February 18, 2016 between the Registrant and First Dominion Capital Corp. with respect to the REMS International Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund, the REMS Real Estate Income 50/50 Fund and the REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund (collectively the “REMS Funds”) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 166 on Form N-1A filed on April 29, 2016.
     
(e)(7)   Schedule A to the Principal Underwriter Agreement dated April 21, 2016 between the Registrant and First Dominion Capital Corp with respect to the Cboe Vest Family of Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 195 on Form N-1A filed on August 23, 2016.
     
(e)(8)   Schedule A to the Principal Underwriter Agreement dated August 24, 2016 between the Registrant and First Dominion Capital Corp with respect to the Cboe Vest Enhanced Growth Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 203 on Form N-1A filed on December 12, 2016.
     
(e)(9)   Schedule A to the Principal Underwriter Agreement dated April 21, 2016 between the Registrant and First Dominion Capital Corp with respect to The E-Valuator Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 173 on Form N-1A filed on May 26, 2016.
     
(e)(10)   Principal Underwriter Agreement dated August 31, 2019 between the Registrant and First Dominion Capital Corp with respect to the Applied Finance Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(e)(11)   Amended Principal Underwriter Agreement dated May 16, 2018 between the Registrant and First Dominion Capital Corp with respect to the SIM Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 302 on Form N-1A filed on June 28, 2018.
     
(e)(12)   Schedule A to the Principal Underwriter Agreement dated February 20, 2019 between the Registrant and First Dominion Capital Corp. with respect to the OTG Latin American Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(e)(13)   Schedule A to the Principal Underwriter Agreement dated February 20, 2019 between the Registrant and First Dominion Capital Corp. with respect to the Rule One Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(e)(14)   Principal Underwriter Agreement between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC with respect to the Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.

 

 

 

 

(f)   Not applicable.
     
(g)(1)   Custody Agreement dated July 30, 2008 between the Registrant and UMB Bank, N.A., is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     
(g)(2)   Amended Appendix B and revised Appendix C to the Custody Agreement, dated July 30, 2008, between the Registrant and UMB Bank, N.A., to include the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 on Form N-1A filed on August 15, 2014.
     
(g)(3)   Amended Appendix B and revised Appendix C to the Custody Agreement, dated July 30, 2008, between the Registrant and UMB Bank, N.A., to include the Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 on Form N-1A filed on August 15, 2014.
   
(g)(4)   Amended Appendix B and revised Appendix C to the Custody Agreement, dated August 15, 2014 between the Registrant and UMB Bank, N.A., to include the REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 on Form N-1A filed on August 15, 2014.
   
(g)(5)   Amended Exhibit A to the Custody Agreement between the Registrant and Fifth Third Bank on behalf of certain portfolio series (To be Filed by Amendment).
   
(g)(6)   Amended Appendix B and revised Appendix C to the Custody Agreement dated June 15, 2008 between the Registrant and UMB Bank, N.A., to include the OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 365 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2020.
     
(g)(7)   Amended Exhibit A to the Custody Agreement between the Registrant and Fifth Third Bank on behalf of the Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(h)(1)   Fund Services Agreement dated December 1, 2015 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 157 on Form N-1A filed on February 23, 2016.
     
(h)(2)   Amendment No. 1 and Exhibit A to the Fund Services Agreement dated December 1, 2015 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 275 on Form N-1A filed on January 29, 2018.
     
(h)(3)   Exhibit A to the Fund Services Agreement dated December 1, 2015 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 190 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2016.
     
(h)(4)   Fund Services Agreement dated January 1, 2016 and Amended March 1, 2018 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the REMS Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 323 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2019.
     
(h)(5)   Fund Services Agreement dated August 29, 2019 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Clifford Capital Partners Fund and Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.

 

 

 

 

(h)(6)   Exhibit A to the Fund Services Agreement between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Cboe Vest Family of Funds (To be Filed by Amendment).
     
(h)(7)   Exhibit A to the Fund Services Agreement dated August 24, 2016 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Cboe Vest Enhanced Growth Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 203 on Form N-1A filed on December 12, 2016.
     
(h)(8)   Amended Fund Services Agreement dated July 14, 2017 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Cboe Vest S&P 500® Dividend Aristocrats Target Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 230 on Form N-1A filed on July 25, 2017.
     
(h)(9)   Exhibit A to the Fund Services Agreement dated December 1, 2015 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of The E-Valuator Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 342 on Form N-1A filed on June 28, 2019.
     
(h)(10)   Fund Services Agreement dated August 29, 2019 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Applied Finance Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(h)(11)   Fund Services Agreement dated April 24, 2018 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the SIM Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 302 on Form N-1A filed on June 28, 2018.
     
(h)(12)   Fund Services Agreement dated February 20, 2019 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(h)(13)   Fund Services Agreement dated February 20, 2019 between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Rule One Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(h)(14)   Amended and Restated Schedule A dated February 29, 2016 to the Accounting Services Agreement between the Registrant and UMB Fund Services, Inc. with respect to OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 365 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2020.
     
(h)(15)   Fund Services Agreement between the Registrant and Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc. on behalf of the Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(h)(16)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Union Street Partners, LLC with respect to the shares of the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 375 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2021.
     
(h)(17)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Perkins Capital Management, Inc. with respect to shares of the Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 363 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2020.

 

 

 

 

(h)(18)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Real Estate Management Services Group, LLC with respect to the REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 385 on For N-1a filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(h)(19)   Amended Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Applied Finance Advisors, LLC with respect to the Applied Finance Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(h)(20)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Cboe Vest Financial LLC, with respect to the Cboe Vest Family of Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 357 on Form N-1A filed on April 29, 2020.
     
(h)(21)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Cboe Vest Financial LLC, with respect to the Cboe Vest Bitcoin Target Volatility Strategy Fund (To be Filed by Amendment).
     
(h)(22)   Amended Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Systelligence, LLC, with respect to The E-Valuator Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 323 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2019.
     
(h)(23)   Amended Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Secure Investment Management, LLC, with respect to the SIM Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(h)(24)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Strategic Asset
Management, Ltd. with respect to the OTG Latin America is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 365 on Form N-1A filed on  July 29, 2020.
     
(h)(25)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Rule One Partners, LLC with respect to the Rule One Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(h)(26)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Clifford Capital Partners, LLC with respect to the Clifford Capital Partners Fund and Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 354 on Form N-1A filed on February 28, 2020.
     
(h)(27)   Interim Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Third Avenue Management LLC with respect to the Third Avenue International Real Estate Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 374 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2021.
     
(h)(28)   Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Kanen Wealth Management, LLC with respect to the Philotimo Focused  Growth and Income Fund (is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(h)(29)   Shareholder Services Plan, dated December 21, 2016 (Schedule A amended August 29, 2019), with respect to Institutional Class Shares and Investor Class Shares to the Applied Finance Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(h)(30)   Shareholder Services Plan, dated April 21, 2016, with respect to the Cboe Vest Family of Funds Class A Shares and Class C Shares is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 195 on Form N-1A filed on August 23, 2016.

 

 

 

 

(h)(31)   Shareholder Services Plan, dated August 24, 2016, with respect to the Cboe Vest Enhanced Growth Fund Class A Shares and Class C Shares is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 203 on Form N-1A filed on December 12, 2016.
     
(h)(32)   Shareholder Services Plan, with respect to the Cboe Vest Bitcoin Target Volatility Strategy Fund Investor Class Shares and Institutional Class Shares (To be Filed by Amendment).
     
(h)(33)   Amended Shareholder Services Plan, dated July 14, 2017, with respect to the Cboe Vest S&P 500® Dividend Aristocrats Target Income Fund Class A Shares, Class C Shares, Institutional and Investor Class Shares is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 230 on Form N-1A filed on July 25, 2017.
     
(h)(34)   Amended Shareholder Services Plan with respect to the REMS Real Estate Income 50/50 Fund, REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund and the REMS International Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 on Form N-1A filed on June 30, 2017.
     
(h)(35)   Amended Shareholder Services Plan with respect to The E-Valuator Funds is herein incorporated by reference form the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 376 on Form N-1A on January 28, 2021.
     
(h)(36)   Shareholder Services Plan, dated February 20, 2019, with respect to the OTG Latin America Fund Class A Shares and Class C Shares is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(h)(37)   Shareholder Services Plan with respect to the Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund Institutional Shares is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(h)(38)   Administrative Services Agreement dated April 18, 2018, with respect to the SIM Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 306 on Form N-1A filed on July 30, 2018.
     
(i)(1)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     
(i)(2)   Consent of Legal Counsel for Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 375 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2021.
     
(i)(3)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     
(i)(4)   Consent of Legal Counsel for Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 363 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2020.   
     
(i)(5)   Consent of Legal Counsel for Applied Finance Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 369 on Form N-1A filed on August 28, 2020.
     
(i)(6)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Applied Finance Core Fund (formerly Toreador Core Fund) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 117 on Form N-1A filed on May 8, 2015.

 

 

 

 

(i)(7)   Opinion of Legal Counsel for Applied Finance Core Fund (formerly Toreador Core Fund) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 117 on Form N-1A filed on May 8, 2015.
     
(i)(8)   Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding tax matters for the reorganization of the Applied Finance Core Fund (formerly Toreador Core Fund) from the Unified Series Trust into World Funds Trust is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 129 on Form N-1A filed on August 6, 2015.
     
(i)(9)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Applied Finance Explorer Fund (formerly Toreador Explorer Fund) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 115 on Form N-1A filed on April 29, 2015.
     
(i)(10)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Applied Finance Select Fund (formerly Toreador Select Fund) is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 183 on Form N-1A filed on June 30, 2016.
     
(i)(11)   Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding tax matters for the reorganization of the Applied Finance Dividend Fund into the Applied Finance Core Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 369 on Form N-1A filed on August 28, 2020.
     
(i)(12)   Opinion of Legal Counsel for the Applied Finance Core Fund and Applied Finance Dividend Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 369 on Form N-1A filed on August 28, 2020.
     
(i)(13)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 on Form N-1A filed on August 28, 2014.
     
(i)(14)   Opinion of Legal Counsel for REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2015.
     
(i)(15)   Opinion of Legal Counsel for the REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 380 on Form N-1A filed on March 1, 2021.  
     
(i)(16)   Consent of Legal Counsel for the REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 385 on For N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(i)(17)   Opinion of Legal Counsel regarding tax matters for the reorganization of REMS Real Estate Income 50/50 Fund into the REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 385 on For N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(i)(18)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Clifford Capital Partners Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 155 on Form N-1A filed on February 8, 2016.
     
(i)(19)   Consent of Legal Counsel for Clifford Capital Partners Fund and Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 374 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2021.
     
(i)(20)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.

 

 

 

 

(i)(21)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for the Cboe Vest Family of Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 195 on Form N-1A filed on August 23, 2016.
     
(i)(22)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Cboe Vest Enhanced Growth Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 203 on Form N-1A filed on December 12, 2016.
     
(i)(23)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Cboe Vest Bitcoin Target Volatility Strategy Fund (To Be filed by Amendment).
     
(i)(24)   Consent of Legal Counsel for the Cboe Vest Family of Funds is herein incorporated by reference form the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 380 on Form N-1A filed on March 1, 2021.
     
(i)(25)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Cboe Vest S&P 500® Dividend Aristocrats Target Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 230 on Form N-1A filed on July 25, 2017.
     
(i)(26)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for the Cboe Vest Family of Funds with respect to the Class Y Shares is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 285 on Form N-1A filed on February 27, 2018.
     
(i)(27)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for The E-Valuator Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 173 on Form N-1A filed on May 26, 2016.
     
(i)(28)   Consent of Legal Counsel for The E-Valuator Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 376 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2021.
     
(i)(29)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for the SIM Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 292 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2018.
     
(i)(30)   Consent of Legal Counsel for SIM Funds is herein incorporated by reference form the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 381 on Form N-1A filed on March 1, 2021.   
     
(i)(31)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 on Form N-1A filed on February 27, 2019.
     
(i)(32)   Consent of Legal Counsel for OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 365 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2020.
     
(i)(33)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for Rule One Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(i)(34)   Consent of Legal Counsel for the Rule One Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(i)(35)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for the Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.

 

 

 

 

(i)(36)   Opinion and Consent of Legal Counsel for the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 385 on For N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(i)(37)   Opinion of Legal Counsel regarding tax matters for the reorganization of the Mission-Auour Risk-Managed Global Equity Fund into the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 385 on For N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(j)(1)   Consent of Independent Public Accountants for Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 375 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2021.
     
(j)(2)   Consent of Independent Public Accountants for Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 363 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2020.
     
(j)(3)   Consent of Independent Public Accountants for REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 385 on For N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(j)(4)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the Applied Finance Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 369 on Form N-1A filed on August 28, 2020.  
     
(j)(5)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for Clifford Capital Partners Fund and Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 374 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2021.
     
(j)(6)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for the Cboe Vest Family of Funds is herein incorporated by reference form the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 380 on Form N-1A filed on March 1, 2021.
     
(j)(7)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for The E-Valuator Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 376 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2021.
     
(j)(8)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for SIM Funds is incorporated by reference form the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 381 on Form N-1A filed on March 1, 2021.
     
(j)(9)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No 365 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2020.
     
(j)(10)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting firm for Rule One Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(k)   Not applicable.
     
(l)   Not applicable.
     
(m)(1)   Amended Schedule A to the Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 on Form N-1A filed on October 31, 2014.

 

 

 

 

(m)(2)   Fixed Compensation Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for Perkins Discovery Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 78 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2014.
     
(m)(3)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, dated August 31, 2019, for the Investor Class Shares of the Applied Finance Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(m)(4)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, dated August 15, 2014, for the Platform Class Shares of the REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 on Form N-1A filed on August 15, 2014.
     
(m)(5)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, dated November 10, 2015, for the Clifford Capital Partners Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 155 on Form N-1A filed on February 8, 2016.
     
(m)(6)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, dated August 29, 2019, for the Clifford Capital Partners Fund and Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(m)(7)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, dated July 6, 2016, for the Cboe Vest Family of Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 195 on Form N-1A filed on August 23, 2016.
     
(m)(8)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, dated August 24, 2016, for the Cboe Vest Enhanced Growth Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 203 on Form N-1A filed on December 12, 2016.
     
(m)(9)   Amended Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, dated July 14, 2017 for the Cboe Vest S&P 500® Dividend Aristocrats Target Income Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 230 on Form N-1A filed on July 25, 2017.
     
(m)(10)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, for the Cboe Vest Bitcoin Target Volatility Strategy Fund (To be Filed by Amendment).
     
(m)(11)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, dated April 21, 2016, for The E-Valuator Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 173 on Form N-1A filed on May 26, 2016.
     
(m)(12)   Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, dated February 20, 2019 for the OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(n)(1)   Rule 18f-3 Multiple Class Plan for the Union Street Partners Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 275 on Form N-1A filed on January 29, 2018.
     
(n)(2)   Rule 18f-3 Multiple Class Plan for the Applied Finance Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(n)(3)   Amended Rule 18f-3 Multiple Class Plan for the REMS Real Estate Income 50/50 Fund, REMS International Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund and the REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 284 on Form N-1A filed on February 23, 2018.

 

 

 

 

(n)(4)   Rule 18f-3 Multiple Class Plan for the Clifford Capital Partners and Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 349 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2020.
     
(n)(5)   Rule 18f-3 Multiple Class Plan for the Cboe Vest Family of Funds (To be Filed by Amendment).
     
(n)(6)   Rule 18f-3 Multiple Class Plan for The E-Valuator Funds is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 173 on Form N-1A filed on May 26, 2016.
     
(n)(7)   Rule 18f-3 Multiple Class Plan for the OTG Latin America Fund is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(o)   Reserved.
     
(p)(1)   Code of Ethics for the Registrant is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 237 on Form N-1A filed on August 28, 2017.
     
(p)(2)   Code of Ethics for Principal Underwriter is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 302 on Form N-1A filed on June 28, 2018.
     
(p)(3)   Code of Ethics for Union Street Partners, LLC. is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     
(p)(4)   Code of Ethics for McGinn Investment Management, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 87 on Form N-1A filed on August 15, 2014.
     
(p)(5)   Code of Ethics for Perkins Capital Management, Inc. is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     
(p)(6)   Code of Ethics for Real Estate Management Services Group, LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 374 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2021.
     
(p)(7)   Code of Ethics for Applied Finance Advisors, LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 363 on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2020.
     
(p)(8)   Code of Ethics for Strategic Asset Management, Ltd. is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 on Form N-1A filed on October 31, 2014.
     
(p)(9)   Code of Ethics for Clifford Capital Partners, LLC. is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 354 on Form N-1A filed on February 28, 2020.
     
(p)(10)   Code of Ethics for Cboe Vest Financial LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 355 on Form N-1A filed on February 28, 2020.
     
(p)(11)   Code of Ethics for Systelligence, LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 374 on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2021.
     
(p)(12)   Code of Ethics for Secure Investment Management, LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 292 on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2018.

 

 

 

 

(p)(13)   Code of Ethics for Rule One Partners, LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 on Form N-1A filed on March 27, 2019.
     
(p)(14)   Code of Ethics for Kanen Wealth Management, LLC is herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 384 on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 2021.
     
(q)   Powers of Attorney are herein incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 241 on Form N-1A filed on October 4, 2017.
     

 

Item 29. Persons Controlled By or Under Common Control With Registrant

 

None.

 

Item 30. Indemnification

 

See Article VIII, Section 2 of the Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and the section titled “Indemnification of Trustees, Officers, Employees and Other Agents” in the Registrant’s By-Laws.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant by the Registrant pursuant to the Declaration of Trust or otherwise, the Registrant is aware that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and, therefore, is unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by trustees, officers or controlling persons of the Registrant in connection with the successful defense of any act, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustees, officers or controlling persons in connection with the shares being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issues.

 

Item 31. Business and other Connections of the Investment Adviser

 

The list required by this Item 31 as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each of the investment advisers and sub-advisers, and each director, officer or partner of such investment advisers or sub-advisers, is or has been engaged within the last two fiscal years for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee, is incorporated herein by reference to Schedules A and D of each investment adviser’s or sub-adviser’s Form ADV listed opposite such investment adviser’s or sub-adviser’s name below, which is currently on file with the SEC as required by the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. 

 

Name of Investment Adviser / Sub-Adviser Form ADV File No.
Union Street Partners, LLC   801-72120
McGinn Investment Management, Inc. 801-40578
Perkins Capital Management, Inc. 801-22888
Real Estate Management Services Group, LLC 801-61061
Applied Finance Advisors, LLC 801-66461
Strategic Asset Management, Ltd. 801-70903
Clifford Capital Partners, LLC 801-78911
Cboe Vest Financial LLC 801-77463
Systelligence, LLC 801-107695
Secure Investment Management, LLC 801-80752
Rule One Partners, LLC 801-114860
Kanen Wealth Management, LLC 801-116998

 

 

 

 

Item 32. Principal Underwriters

 

a)   Not applicable.
     
b)   First Dominion Capital Corp. The information required by this Item 32(b) with respect to each director, officer or partner of FDCC is incorporated herein by reference to Schedule A of Form BD, filed by FDCC with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (File No. 8-33719).
     
c)   Not applicable.


 

Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records

 

The accounts, books or other documents of the Registrant required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder are kept in several locations:

 

a)   Commonwealth Fund Services, Inc., 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235 (records relating to its function as transfer agent to the Funds).
     
b)   First Dominion Capital Corporation, 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 205, Richmond, Virginia 23235 (records relating to its function as distributor to the Funds).
     
c)   Union Street Partners LLC, 1421 Prince Street, Suite 400 Alexandria, Virginia 22314. (records relating to its function as investment adviser to the Union Street Partners Value Fund).
     
d)   McGinn Investment Management, Inc., 201 North Union Street, Suite 101, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 (records relating to its function as sub-adviser to the Union Street Partners Value Fund).
     
e)   Perkins Capital Management, Inc., 730 East Lake Street, Wayzata, Minnesota 55391-1769 (records relating to its function as investment adviser to the Perkins Discovery Fund).
     
f)   Real Estate Management Services Group, LLC, 1100 Fifth Avenue, South, Suite 301, Naples, Florida 34102-6407 (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to REMS Real Estate Income 50/50 Fund and REMS Real Estate Value-Opportunity Fund).
     
g)   Applied Finance Advisors, LLC, 17806 IH 10, Suite 300, San Antonio, Texas  78257 (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to the Applied Finance Funds).
     
h)   Strategic Asset Management, Ltd., Calle Ayacucho No. 277, La Paz, Bolivia (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to the OTG Latin America Fund).
     
i)   Clifford Capital Partners, LLC, 395 S. Main Street, #203 Alpine, Utah 84020 (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to the Clifford Capital Partners Fund and the Clifford Capital Focused Small Cap Value Fund).
     
j)   Cboe Vest Financial LLC, 1765 Greensboro Station Place, 9th Floor, McLean, Virginia 22102 (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to the Cboe Vest Family of Funds).
     
k)   Systelligence, LLC, 7760 France Avenue South, Suite 620, Bloomington, Minnesota 55435 (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to The E-Valuator Funds).
     
l)   Secure Investment Management, LLC, 3067 W Ina Road, Suite 125, Tucson, Arizona 85741 (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to the SIM Funds).
     
m)   Rule One Partners, LLC, 891 Bear Creek Road, Moreland, Georgia 30259, (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to the Rule One Fund).

 

 

 

 

n)  

Kanen Wealth Management, LLC, 5850 Coral Ridge Drive, Suite 309, Coral Springs, FL 33076 (records relating to its function as the investment adviser to the Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund).

 

Item 34. Management Services

 

There are no management-related service contracts not discussed in Parts A or B of this Form.

 

Item 35. Undertakings

 

Not applicable.

 

 

 

  

SIGNATURES 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 388 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Richmond, Commonwealth of Virginia on the 17th day of May, 2021.

 

WORLD FUNDS TRUST  
   
By: /s/ Karen M. Shupe  
Karen M. Shupe  
Treasurer and Principal Executive Officer  

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 388 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature Title Date
     
*David J. Urban Trustee May 17, 2021
     
*Mary Lou H. Ivey Trustee May 17, 2021
     
*Theo H. Pitt, Jr. Trustee May 17, 2021
     
/s/ Karen M. Shupe Treasurer and Principal Executive Officer May 17, 2021
     
/s/ Ann T. MacDonald Assistant Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer May 17, 2021
     
*By: /s/ Karen M. Shupe    
     

*Attorney-in-fact pursuant to Powers of Attorney