Business Continuity Plan Summary

Overview

Securities industry regulations require that financial firms inform their clients of their plans to address the possibility of a significant business disruption (“SBD”) that may result from power outages, natural disasters, or other similar events. WorthNet, LLC (“WorthNet”) must be able to provide continuous, uninterrupted services to its clients, and the firm’s critical systems must remain operational during such interruptions, allowing the firm to resume operations as quickly as possible, given the scope and severity of the SBD. WorthNet must meet its obligations to clients, counterparties, and other business relationships during an emergency or SBD.

Since the timing and impact of disasters and disruptions are unpredictable, WorthNet must also be flexible in responding to actual events as they occur. Well-thought-out, advanced preparations and effective procedures efficiently minimize downtime in the face of a disaster or outage, enabling the firm to meet existing client obligations.

Firm Policy

To satisfy this requirement, WorthNet has developed a comprehensive Business Continuity Plan (“BCP”), which is reviewed, tested, and updated at least annually, detailing how the firm responds to an SBD event and assisting clients in making informed decisions about whether to conduct business with us. WorthNet’s guiding principle is that protecting clients, employees, and family members always takes precedence over preserving business assets. The firm’s policy is to respond to an SBD by first ensuring the safety of clients, employees, and firm property, followed by conducting a financial and operational assessment, rapidly recovering and resuming operations, enabling clients to continue transacting business, and safeguarding the firm’s books and records. If it is determined that the firm cannot continue its business, we will promptly advise our clients and other business relationships and assist them with the next steps as appropriate for our business model.

BCP Summary

While no contingency plan can eliminate all risks of service interruption, WorthNet’s BCP strives to mitigate all reasonable risks while keeping up with changes to the firm’s operations, structure, business, and location (as applicable). Our BCP, which is subject to revision, anticipates two kinds of SBDs: internal and external. Internal SBDs affect only the firm’s ability to communicate and do business, such as a fire in the building. External SBDs prevent the operation of the securities markets for several firms and include a terrorist attack, a city flood, or a wide-scale regional disruption.

WorthNet’s BCP addresses mission-critical systems, office closing/relocation procedures, and the alternative physical location of employees. Operational risk systems and assessment procedures are defined to ensure ongoing communication with clients, employees, and our critical business constituents, including banks, counterparties, and regulators. A Succession Plan is in place in the event of key personnel absence, as are procedures for the safety of the data backup and recovery of firm books and records. Furthermore, WorthNet requests that its primary internal and external application providers periodically test their backup capabilities to ensure they can promptly provide the critical information and applications needed to continue or resume the firm’s business in an emergency or SBD situation.

When a minor or significant event occurs or appears to be developing, WorthNet’s Disaster Recovery Executive Coordinator (“DREC”) will be notified. Upon notification or becoming aware of an SBD event, the DREC will implement BCP emergency procedures, secure the headquarters as much as possible, refer to actions contained within our complete BCP, and advise all employees to either call the firm’s emergency call line directly at (667) 312-3548 or contact the DREC directly.

If a business disruption affects only WorthNet or a specific area within the firm, WorthNet will transfer its operations to a local worksite. In the event of a disruption affecting the firm’s business district, city, or region, operations will be transferred to an alternate worksite located outside the affected area. In either situation, WorthNet plans to continue conducting business and notify its clients how to contact the firm through a voice message reached via its main phone number and notification provided on its website. Telephone service will continue at any alternate worksites, and regular work processes will resume at the alternate location(s).

Recovery times may vary depending on the nature and severity of the disruption; however, the recovery time objective for mission-critical operations is 0-72 hours.

If the significant business disruption is so severe that it prevents the firm from conducting business, WorthNet will update its voice message and website appropriately, according to the BCP’s provisions.

Contacting Us & More Information

Our Business Continuity Plan is designed to enable us to continue providing the high-quality service you have come to expect from WorthNet. Questions about our Plan should be directed to T: (667) 312-3548 or 16 W. Madison Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.