How Your Account is Protected at Equity Trust

Nothing is more important than the confidence you place in those who handle your retirement funds. Equity Trust operates as a regulated custodian that earns trust each and every day.

Below are intensive measures Equity Trust goes through to ensure your accounts are protected.

Equity Trust: A Regulated Financial Institution

High Standards for IRA Custodians

• The Internal Revenue Code sets high standards for being a qualified Custodian of IRA accounts.
• Equity Trust Company and its affiliates have operated as a qualified IRA custodian since 1983.
• Equity Trust accurately and completely complies with numerous complex IRS reporting and record-keeping requirements..

Governmental Regulators

• Equity Trust Company operates as a trust company under authority granted by the state of South Dakota.
• Equity Trust meets the state trust company capital requirements and complies with all the state statutes and regulations.
• South Dakota law mandates regular audits of trust companies performed by state auditors.
• The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulate Equity Trust's brokerage affiliate, Mid-Ohio Securities.
• The Department of Labor (DOL) regulates qualified plans provided by Equity Trust.

Cash Protection/Deposit Insurance

• Equity Trust deposits all un-invested cash in FDIC insured accounts
• IRA deposits are insured by the Federal Depository Insurance Corporation (FDIC) up to $250,000.

Investment Protection

• All publicly traded investments (stocks, mutual funds etc.) at Equity Trust's brokerage affiliate are protected through the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) up to $250,000.
• Please note: Non FDIC insured investments are not insured by any federal government agency; are subject to risk, including possible loss of the principal amount invested.

Commercial Insurance

Equity Trust carries its insurance with a leading national insurance company for the following:

• Errors and Omissions
• Financial Institution Fidelity Bond

Internal Controls

• Equity Trust Company's board of directors, officers and employees work within a well established system of internal controls.
• The system of internal controls ensures the effectiveness and efficiency of operations and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Internal Auditor

• Equity Trust Company's internal auditor operates with independence and reports directly to the Audit Committee of the board of directors.

Independent Audit Performed Yearly by Certified Public Accountants

• Annually, Cohen and Company, Certified Public Accountants, audit the company's financial statements.
• The auditors also evaluate the company's internal control environment and assess the "tone at the top".
• Their findings are reported to the Audit Committee of the board of directors.

Audit Committee

• The audit committee of the board of directors oversees the activities of both the company's internal and external auditors and receives reports directly from the auditors.