The terms on this site, in plain words

Any person who, for compensation, advises others on the value of securities or on whether to invest in, buy, or sell them, whether directly or through publications or writings, or who issues analyses or reports about securities as part of a regular business.

Form ADV Part 2A, cover page.

An investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or a state securities authority. Motiv8 Investments LLC is registered with the SEC. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.

Form ADV Part 2A, cover page.

An individual who gives investment advice on the firm’s behalf. Where required, such a person is registered as an investment adviser representative.

Form ADV Part 2A, Item 4.

Anyone from the firm who is an officer or employee, and every individual providing investment advice on the firm’s behalf.

Form ADV Part 2A, Item 4.

The firm makes investment decisions and places buy or sell orders in the client’s account without contacting the client first. Those decisions are based on the client’s stated investment objectives. The client may limit this authority in writing.

Form ADV Part 2A, Item 4.

The firm must obtain the client’s approval before making any transaction in the account.

Form ADV Part 2A, Item 4.

An independent firm that holds the client’s funds and securities and sends the client account statements at least quarterly. The adviser does not hold client assets. Motiv8 Investments recommends Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Advisor Services for its portfolio management program.

Form ADV Part 2A, Items 4, 5, 12, and 15.

With the client’s written authorization, the custodian deducts the adviser’s fee directly from the client’s account. The deduction appears on the custodian’s account statement.

Form ADV Part 2A, Item 5.

Client accounts at a custodian the adviser cannot access directly, such as defined contribution plan accounts (for example, a 401(k)).

Form ADV Part 2A, Item 4.

The strategy for dividing a client’s investments across types of holdings, set from the client’s goals and how much risk the client should take, and implemented in the client’s account.

Form ADV Part 2A, Item 4.

Adjusting a portfolio when needed as market conditions, the client’s financial circumstances, or both change.

Form ADV Part 2A, Item 4.

A portfolio the firm builds and manages that an advisor matches to a client’s risk tolerance and goals. Motiv8 Investments runs two series, the M8 Method series and the Inspire series, with other strategies beside them.

motiv8investments.com, Portfolio models.

Five model portfolios, from lowest to highest risk: M8 Conservative, M8 Conservative Moderate, M8 Moderate, M8 Growth, and M8 Aggressive. They run from capital preservation to capital appreciation, and each invests in exchange-traded funds selected by Motiv8 Investments across asset classes.

motiv8investments.com, Portfolio models.

The firm’s second series of model portfolios, for needs the five Method models don’t cover. Examples include M8 Buffer 9% and M8 Buffer 15%, which give equity investors a cushion when the stock market drops in exchange for a cap on gains; M8 Market Sector, which spreads a portfolio evenly across every sector of the U.S. stock market; and M8 Quality 40, a concentrated portfolio of 40 large U.S. companies. Buffers and caps are targets, not guarantees.

Motiv8 Inspire Strategies model factsheets.

The document an investment adviser files to describe its qualifications and business practices. The SEC does not approve or verify its contents. Motiv8 Investments’ brochure is available on the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site.

Form ADV Part 2A, cover page.

A short summary of the services and fees an adviser offers to retail investors, also called Form ADV Part 3. Investor.gov/CRS offers free tools to research firms and financial professionals.

Form CRS, Item 1.

A technique that tries to determine a security’s value by focusing on the underlying factors that affect a company’s business and its future prospects, rather than its price movements alone.

Form ADV Part 2A, Item 8.

A technique that relies on the assumption that current market data, such as charts of price, volume, and open interest, can help predict market trends, at least in the short term.

Form ADV Part 2A, Item 8.

A technique that looks at cycles, analyzing the way prices follow certain patterns and trends.

Form ADV Part 2A, Item 8.

A technique that attempts to forecast future market moves by studying historical data on charts.

Form ADV Part 2A, Item 8.

Three strategies the firm may use. Long-term purchases are securities held for over a year. Short-term purchases are securities held for less than a year. Trading means securities sold within 30 days.

Form ADV Part 2A, Item 8.