Pinnacle Investments

What Pinnacle Investments does

Pinnacle Investments, LLC is a dually registered broker-dealer and registered investment advisor (RIA) founded in 1996 in Syracuse, NY, by Gregg Kidd and Dan Raite. The firm operates across 22 US offices (East Syracuse HQ plus locations in NY, FL, NJ, PA, MA, and OH), employs 51-100 people, and manages $3B+ in client assets as part of the Pinnacle Family of Companies under Pinnacle Holding Company, LLC.

The platform combines fee-based advisory accounts (asset-based fees under fiduciary obligation, typically billed quarterly) and commission-based transactional brokerage accounts, with custody split across Wells Fargo Clearing Services (First Clearing) and Charles Schwab. Service lines span investment management, holistic financial planning (retirement, estate, tax, insurance), insurance and annuity distribution (Mutual of Omaha, Nationwide, OneAmerica, National Guardian Life), workplace retirement plan administration (401(k), 403(b), 457, defined benefit, SEP/SIMPLE IRAs), and two specialty practices: a Sports & Entertainment division (serving professional athletes and entertainers) and a practice succession/transition service for financial advisors. Underlying technology consists of multi-custodian integrations, reporting (Black Diamond, ASK Brokerage), CRM, workflow automation, and client communication tools, with a Financial Wellness Quiz used as top-of-funnel lead generation.

The go-to-market is relationship-led via a network of locally-embedded financial advisors, supplemented by content marketing (The Pinnacle Posts blog), email/newsletter (e.g., 2026 Tax Guide), digital paid search, and in-person workplace enrollment events. Revenue mechanics are diversified across recurring AUM-based advisory fees, transactional commissions, insurance/annuity commissions, and professional services fees for plan administration and advisor transition work. The firm has no disclosed outside private equity or venture capital investment.

Name

Pinnacle Investments

Legal name

Pinnacle Investments, LLC

Website

https://pinnacleinvestments.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Pinnacle Investments is a dually registered broker-dealer and RIA founded in 1996, managing $3B+ across 22 US offices. It serves high-net-worth individuals, families, athletes, employers, and financial advisors with fee-based advisory, brokerage, financial planning, insurance, and workplace retirement services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523), Finance and Insurance (52)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive/Full-Service RIAs & Independent Wealth Managers (FSAAACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Retirement Plan Advisory RIAs (ERISA 401(k)/403(b)) (FSAAACAF), Retirement & Distribution Planning RIAs (401(k)/IRA/Pension Rollovers) (FSAAACAE), Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) Wealth Management (FSAEABAA), Investment Management Advisory (RIA) (FSAEAAAB)

Keywords

• Wealth management services
• Fiduciary financial advisory
• Retirement planning solutions
• Broker-dealer services
• Investment management

Headquarters

HQ city

Syracuse

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fee-Based Advisory Services: Asset-based fee model where clients pay a percentage fee based on assets under management (AUM), typically charged quarterly. Covers ongoing investment advice, portfolio management, and regular account reviews. As fiduciaries, advisors provide objective guidance aligned with client best interests.
2. Transactional Brokerage Commissions: Commission-based trading where clients pay per-transaction for securities including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs. Suitable for self-directed investors who prefer active portfolio management with lower ongoing fees.
3. Insurance and Annuities Products: Revenue from insurance products including term life, permanent life (whole, variable, universal), disability insurance, long-term care insurance, and annuities (fixed, variable, indexed). Works with carriers including Mutual of Omaha, Nationwide, OneAmerica, National Guardian Life.
4. Workplace Retirement Plan Services: Professional services for employer-sponsored retirement plans including 401(k), 403(b), 457, defined benefit, SEP IRA, and SIMPLE IRA plans. Revenue includes plan management fees and potential asset-based charges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pinnacle Investments operates as a dually registered broker-dealer and registered investment advisor (RIA) offering both fee-based managed accounts and transactional brokerage accounts. The firm delivers holistic financial planning, insurance and annuity products, and workplace retirement plan administration across 22 U.S. locations, supported by a network of fiduciary financial advisors.

Product overview

Pinnacle Investments operates as a dually registered broker-dealer and investment advisor offering an integrated wealth management platform. The core offering combines fee-based investment management (with fiduciary obligation) and transactional brokerage accounts, supported by comprehensive financial planning services. The product suite spans investment management, retirement planning, insurance and annuities, workplace retirement solutions for employers, and specialized services for athletes and entertainers. Additional services include practice succession planning for financial advisors. Account types include IRAs (Traditional, Roth, Rollover, SEP, SIMPLE, Beneficiary, Spousal), taxable brokerage accounts, education savings (529 plans), and employer-sponsored plans (401k, 403b, 457).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pinnacle Sports & Entertainment: Specialized financial planning division serving athletes and entertainers with services including financial architecture, wealth management, tax-optimized planning, and post-career wealth strategy.

Products and services

• Fee-Based Investment Management Advisory accounts delivering professional investment management with a transparent, asset-based fee model. Portfolios include stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, and alternative investments managed under fiduciary obligation for individuals, families, and retirees.
• Transactional Brokerage Account Self-directed investment account allowing clients to buy and sell securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs) with per-transaction commission-based pricing, suitable for active self-directed investors.
• Financial Planning Holistic financial planning service covering investments, retirement planning, estate planning, income taxes, insurance, and education planning, delivered by CFP professionals for individuals and families.
• Insurance and Annuities Distribution of life insurance (term and permanent), disability insurance, long-term care insurance, and annuity products (fixed, variable, indexed) from partner carriers to protect families and provide retirement income.
• Workplace Retirement Solutions Employer-sponsored retirement plan services including 401(k), 403(b), 457 plans, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, and defined-benefit plans, with plan benchmarking, fiduciary support, in-person enrollments, and participant financial planning.
• Sports & Entertainment Division Specialized financial planning services for professional athletes and entertainers, offering family-office care, tax-optimized planning, cashflow management, and post-career wealth strategy.
• Succession Planning for Financial Advisors Practice transition services for financial advisors including valuation, retirement strategy design, successor identification, ownership transition, and client retention planning.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wells Fargo Clearing Services (First Clearing)coreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary custodial partner providing trade execution, clearing, and related account services. Wells Fargo First Clearing Advantage Program serves as the main platform for client accounts. The firm has announced transition to Brokerage Cash Services and Access Online programs.
• Charles Schwab & Co.coreTechnology or IntegrationCustodial partner providing brokerage services and account infrastructure. Charles Schwab is a registered broker-dealer providing account administration and trading services.
• Ash BrokerageminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInsurance product distribution partner providing access to insurance and annuity products through the Pinnacle platform.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Commonwealth Financial Network: Large independent broker-dealer/RIA supporting independent advisors across the U.S. with fee-based and commission-based options — directly comparable to Pinnacle's hybrid business model.
• SageView Advisory Group: Independent RIA specializing in workplace retirement plan advisory — directly comparable to Pinnacle's workplace retirement solutions practice and 401(k) advisory focus.
• Kestra Financial: Independent broker-dealer and RIA platform supporting independent financial advisors with fee-based and commission-based services — comparable hybrid model and focus on advisor practice growth and succession.
• Cetera Financial Group: Independent broker-dealer/RIA platform serving independent financial advisors with a similar hybrid advisory and brokerage offering; comparable in product breadth and multi-office footprint.
• Raymond James Financial Services: Independent contractor channel of Raymond James offering dually registered advisor services with fee-based advisory and brokerage accounts — directly competitive with Pinnacle for independent advisor recruitment.
• Cambridge Investment Research: Independent hybrid broker-dealer/RIA platform serving independent financial advisors with custody, technology, and practice management support — closely matching Pinnacle's dually registered model and advisor-centric distribution.

Broad incumbents

• LPL Financial: The largest independent broker-dealer in the U.S., offering hybrid advisory and brokerage services to independent advisors — operates at much greater scale than Pinnacle but in the same product category.
• Advisor Group: Wealth management platform supporting thousands of independent advisors across multiple broker-dealer and RIA subsidiaries; competes with Pinnacle for advisor talent and offers similar custodial relationships.
• Janney Montgomery Scott: Full-service wealth management and investment bank with an independent advisor channel; competes with Pinnacle for advisor teams and HNW clients across the Northeast.
• Stifel Independent Advisors: Independent advisor channel of Stifel Financial serving hybrid advisor practices; competes with Pinnacle for advisor recruiting and provides similar multi-custodian infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pinnacleinvestments
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pinnacle-investments-llc-syr

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pinnacle Investments