Forest Hills Financial Group

What Forest Hills Financial Group does

Forest Hills Financial Group (FHFG) is an independent, privately-held financial services firm founded in 1980 by Nathan M. Perlmutter in New York. Operating as a General Agency of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, the firm delivers a suite of integrated advisory services across insurance, wealth management, retirement planning, estate planning, group benefits, and business succession planning to individuals, families, and business owners. The firm serves over 40,000 clients across all 50 U.S. states, supported by a team of more than 100 financial professionals across three offices in New York City, Melville (Long Island), and Berkeley Heights, NJ.

FHFG's operational backbone combines a relationship-driven sales model with a proprietary digital planning tool called the Living Balance Sheet, an interactive web-based platform that consolidates each client's assets, liabilities, insurance protection, and cash flow into a unified daily-updated view. Core product offerings include life insurance (term and whole), disability income insurance, wealth management, retirement planning services (Social Security optimization and pension distribution analysis), estate planning, employee benefits packages for businesses, and succession planning. The firm complements these products with consumer-facing digital tools such as online quoting for disability and term life insurance and a financial health quiz to drive top-of-funnel engagement.

FHFG generates revenue through three principal streams: insurance commissions on life and disability products placed with Guardian and more than 50 other industry-leading carriers, securities and investment transaction-related fees routed through a partnership with Park Avenue Securities (a Guardian-owned broker-dealer), and recurring financial advisory fees for comprehensive planning services. Custodial services are provided through Pershing, a Bank of New York Mellon subsidiary. The firm operates a hybrid go-to-market model combining a sales-led, advisor-driven relationship approach with direct-to-consumer digital channels, and is structured around a multi-generational leadership team including founder Nat Perlmutter (CEO), COO Andie Perlmutter, and Managing Partners David Perlmutter and Amy Salo.

Name

Forest Hills Financial Group

Legal name

Forest Hills Financial Group NY LLC

Website

https://fhfg.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Forest Hills Financial Group is an independent, privately-held financial advisory firm founded in 1980 that serves 40,000+ individuals, families, and business owners across 50 U.S. states with integrated insurance, wealth management, retirement, estate, and succession planning through 100+ advisors in the New York tri-state region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rego Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Products: Commissions from sale of life insurance, disability insurance, and related insurance products through Guardian and other carriers.
2. Securities and Investment Services: Investment management and securities-related services offered through partnership with Park Avenue Securities, a registered broker-dealer and investment advisor.
3. Financial Advisory Fees: Advisory fees for comprehensive financial planning services including retirement planning, estate planning, wealth management, and business succession planning.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Forest Hills Financial Group is an independent financial advisory firm that delivers customized financial planning through 100+ financial advisors across three U.S. offices. Core offerings include life insurance, disability insurance, wealth management, retirement planning, estate planning, group benefits, and business succession planning, all anchored by its proprietary Living Balance Sheet digital financial dashboard.

Product overview

Forest Hills Financial Group offers a suite of financial advisory services centered around a proprietary interactive web-based tool called Living Balance Sheet, which serves as the core client financial dashboard. The firm provides six integrated service lines: Life Insurance (including term and whole life), Disability Insurance, Wealth Management, Retirement Planning, Estate Planning, Group Benefits, and Succession Planning. The Living Balance Sheet tool consolidates all client financial data including assets, liabilities, insurance protection, and cash flow, serving as the foundational platform that ties together advisory recommendations and product offerings. Services are delivered through independent advisors who access Guardian Life Insurance products, Park Avenue Securities for investment services, and Pershing for custodial services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Living Balance Sheet Interactive web-based financial planning platform that provides a consolidated view of assets, liabilities, insurance protection, and cash flow with daily updates, grounded on a philosophy that challenges traditional thinking and prioritizes financial security over increased risk. Serves as the core client dashboard underlying FHFG's advisory recommendations for individuals and families.
• Life Insurance Insurance products including term life and whole life (permanent) insurance that provide death benefit protection and cash value accumulation for asset protection. Offered to individuals and families through Guardian and other carriers, supported by FHFG advisors.
• Disability Insurance Income protection insurance that replaces a portion of income if the policyholder becomes disabled and unable to work. Offered to individuals and business owners as part of FHFG's personal risk management offering.
• Wealth Management Investment planning and portfolio management services that help clients achieve financial goals based on their risk tolerance, timeline, and investment objectives. Delivered through Park Avenue Securities and accessed by FHFG advisors on behalf of individual and family clients.
• Retirement Planning Comprehensive retirement planning services including Social Security optimization, pension distribution analysis, Roth vs. traditional 401k planning, and retirement savings strategies. Targeted at individuals and pre-retirees seeking retirement income and lifestyle planning.
• Estate Planning Estate planning services including will preparation, power of attorney, tax efficiency strategies, trust creation, and asset distribution planning. Targeted at individuals and families planning wealth transfer and protection of legacy assets.
• Group Benefits Employee benefits planning including health insurance, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, retirement plans, 401k, disability insurance, and employee assistance programs. Targeted at business owners and mid-market employers seeking competitive employee benefits packages.
• Succession Planning Business succession planning services to ensure business continuity through buy-sell agreements, key person insurance, and leadership transition strategies. Targeted at business owners planning ownership transitions and continuity of operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000+ clients served across 50 states since 1980
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Guardian Life Insurance Company of AmericaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1980FHFG is an agency of Guardian Life, founded in 1980. As a Guardian agency, FHFG has access to Guardian's full breadth of financial strength, resources, and products. Guardian serves 29 million people and has been in operation since 1860. Guardian provides financial strength ratings of A++ (Superior) from A.M. Best, AA+ from Standard & Poor's, Aa2 from Moody's, and AA+ from Fitch.
• Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSecurities products and services offered through Park Avenue Securities LLC, member FINRA and SIPC. PAS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. FHFG partners with PAS for broker-dealer and registered investment advisor services.
• PershingcoreTechnology or IntegrationPershing serves as custodian for FHFG's brokerage accounts. A subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, Pershing has served financial professionals for 75 years. Pershing maintains electronic records and holds securities for the broker/dealer.
• More than 50 Industry-Leading Insurance CarrierscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFHFG advisors have access to more than 50 other industry-leading carriers beyond Guardian, allowing them to recommend the best financial products to meet client objectives. This independent access enables unbiased product selection.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Northwestern Mutual: Large mutual insurance company with a career-agent financial advisory network. Highly comparable to FHFG's model of insurance-led holistic financial planning delivered through a captive advisor force.
• Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual): Mutual life insurer with a General Agent / agency system structure similar to FHFG's Guardian affiliation. MassMutual agencies offer life insurance, wealth management, and retirement planning through independent financial professionals.
• New York Life Insurance Company: Mutual life insurer with a career-agent model delivering insurance, retirement, and estate planning; headquartered in NYC, overlapping FHFG's geographic base and product mix.
• Edward Jones: National financial advisory firm with a large branch-based advisor network focused on mass-affluent individuals. Highly comparable in delivery model, customer segments, and product breadth.
• Ameriprise Financial: Independent financial advisory franchise model serving individuals and small businesses with comprehensive financial planning, similar in target market and service offering to FHFG.
• Cetera Financial Group: Independent broker-dealer network supporting thousands of financial advisors with insurance, investment, and advisory services. Comparable to FHFG's structure as an advisor firm operating under an independent B-D umbrella.
• Cambridge Investment Research: Large independent broker-dealer supporting independent financial advisors with insurance, investment, and advisory infrastructure. Comparable to FHFG's PAS/Pershing-supported independent advisor model.

Broad incumbents

• Guardian Life Insurance Company of America: FHFG's flagship partner and parent of Park Avenue Securities. Guardian itself operates agency systems and direct channels; comparable as the broader incumbent in the same space where FHFG operates.
• Prudential Advisors: Insurance and financial advisory arm of Prudential Financial, offering life insurance, retirement, and wealth management through financial professionals. Comparable in product mix and customer segments to FHFG.
• Lincoln Financial Group: Insurance and wealth management company offering life insurance, annuities, retirement plans, and group benefits through financial professionals. Comparable in product mix to FHFG's full suite.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Forest Hills Financial Group