Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions (FCCS)

Originally established in 1983 as  National Financial Services LLC (NFS), a Fidelity Investments company, is one of the largest providers of brokerage services. As of December 31st, 2016, FCCS serviced 6 million accounts representing $1.7 trillion in assets. FCCS is the custodian and clearing firm for our brokerage accounts. At the direction of our broker-dealer, FCCS is responsible for:

• The execution, clearance, and settlement of securities transactions

• Preparing and sending periodic statements of your account and transaction confirmations

• The custody (or safekeeping), receipt, and delivery of funds and securities

• The extension of margin credit upon approval

Fidelity Clearing and Custody Solutions provides clearing, custody, or other brokerage services through National Financial Services LLC or Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, Members NYSE, SIPC.

How Your Assets Are Protected

Securities in accounts carried by Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions (FCCS) are protected in accordance with the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) up to $500,000. The $500,000 total amount of SIPC protection is inclusive of up to $250,000 protection for claims for cash, subject to periodic adjustments for inflation in accordance with terms of the SIPC statute and approval by SIPC's Board of Directors. FCCS also has arranged for additional protection for cash and covered securities called "excess of SIPC" coverage, from Lloyd's of London together with other insurers¹. This additional protection would only be used when SIPC coverage is exhausted. Total aggregate excess of SIPC coverage available through FCCS's excess of SIPC policy is $1 billion. Within FCCS's excess of SIPC coverage, there is no per account dollar limit on coverage of securities, but there is a per account limit of $1.9 million on coverage of cash awaiting investment.

This is the maximum excess of SIPC protection currently available in the brokerage industry. Neither coverage protects against a decline in the market value of securities, nor do they cover other claims for losses incurred while broker-dealers remain in business. Certain securities are not eligible for SIPC or excess of SIPC coverage². For more details on SIPC, or to request a SIPC brochure, visit www.sipc.org or call 1-202-371-8300. For ratings and more information about Lloyd's please go to http://www.lloyds.com/Lloyds_Market/Ratings/.

¹Fidelity's excess of SIPC insurance is provided by Lloyd's of London together with Axis Specialty Europe Ltd. And Munich Reinsurance Co.



²Among the assets typically not eligible for SIPC or excess of SIPC protection are commodity futures contracts, currency, and precious metals, as well as investment contracts (such as limited partnerships) and fixed annuity contracts that are not registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933.