Smith Moore

What Smith Moore does

Smith Moore and Co. is a 100% employee-owned, SEC-registered investment advisor and FINRA-registered broker-dealer headquartered in Clayton, Missouri. Founded in 1913, the firm is one of the oldest continuously operating investment firms west of the Mississippi River and participated in the 1956 Ford Motor Company IPO; it remains one of only 11 firms from that original syndicate still independent and privately owned. Smith Moore delivers full-service wealth management to individual investors and families, business owners and executives, and institutional clients through 11 branch offices across Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, and Mississippi. The firm operates as a Sub-chapter S Corporation with no external parent, private equity, or venture capital ownership.

The core product is the proprietary LifePhase180° financial planning methodology, which structures client relationships across three life stages: Accumulation, Distribution, and Legacy. This framework is supported by a Wealth Management Solutions suite covering life cycle planning, business succession, insurance blueprints, banking and lending, education and family planning, benefits and compensation, philanthropy, retirement roadmapping, investment strategy, titling and beneficiaries, estate distribution, and tax planning. Client-facing technology includes the Riskalyze portfolio risk analysis tool (third-party) for risk scoring (1-100 scale), gap identification, and scenario modeling, and the Investor Connect online client portal for account access, statements, trade confirmations, tax documents, email alerts, and goal calculators. The firm also offers FDIC-insured Certificates of Deposit in terms ranging from 6 months to 10 years.

Smith Moore's business model combines fee-based investment advisory revenue, transaction-based brokerage commissions executed through its clearing relationship with RBC Correspondent Services, and commissions on insurance products (long-term care, life, annuities). Advisory fees are quote-based and determined by client needs, assets under management, and service complexity; no standard published fee schedule exists. Client acquisition is relationship-driven, relying on referrals, community involvement (including an annual Arts & Appreciation Event benefiting St. Louis Children's Hospital), educational content, and paid advertising through the Ramsey Solutions SmartVestor program in select geographies. Under CEO Jim Deutsch's leadership since 2003, client assets have grown from $400 million to over $3.8 billion, and the firm has expanded from a single office to 11 branches. The firm employs 51-100 people and is governed by a seven-member Executive Committee.

Name

Smith Moore

Legal name

Smith Moore and Co

Website

https://smithmoore.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Smith Moore is a 100% employee-owned wealth management firm founded in 1913 that delivers comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and advisory services through 11 branch offices across Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, and Mississippi, serving individual investors, families, business owners, and institutional clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB), Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) Wealth Management (FSAEABAA)

Keywords

• Wealth management services
• Financial planning advisory
• Investment portfolio management
• Retirement planning services
• Estate planning solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Clinton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brokerage Commissions: Transaction-based commissions from securities trading and investment products executed for clients through the firm's clearing relationship with RBC Correspondent Services.
2. Investment Advisory Fees: Fee-based revenue from advisory services including wealth management, financial planning, and portfolio management services for individual and institutional clients.
3. Insurance Products: Revenue from insurance products including long-term care, life, and annuity products offered through the wealth management solutions platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Smith Moore is a privately held, 100% employee-owned wealth management firm that delivers full-service financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals, families, business owners, and institutions. Its core offering centers on the proprietary LifePhase180˚ methodology (Accumulation, Distribution, Legacy) and a comprehensive suite of Wealth Management Solutions including investment strategy, retirement, estate, tax, business succession, insurance, banking, education, and philanthropy planning.

Product overview

Smith Moore offers a unified wealth management platform centered on LifePhase180˚, its proprietary three-phase financial planning methodology (Accumulation, Distribution, Legacy). This core framework is supported by a comprehensive suite of Wealth Management Solutions addressing life cycle planning, business succession, insurance, banking, education funding, retirement, estate planning, and tax planning. The firm supplements its advisory services with Riskalyze (portfolio risk analysis), a Client Portal (Investor Connect) for account access, and Certificates of Deposit products. The offering architecture combines personalized advisory services with technology-enabled tools for client portfolio management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LifePhase180°: A comprehensive financial planning approach that helps clients through three key phases of life: Accumulation, Distribution, and Legacy.

Products and services

• LifePhase180˚ Comprehensive financial planning approach that evolves through three distinct stages—Accumulation (building assets toward financial goals), Distribution (maintaining disciplined planning near retirement), and Legacy (imparting provisions for loved ones or a positive difference for future generations)—targeted at individual and family wealth management clients.
• Wealth Management Solutions Suite of services assisting in creating custom strategies including Life Cycle Planning, Business Succession, Insurance Blueprint, Banking and Lending, Education and Family Planning, Benefits and Compensation, Philanthropy, Retirement Roadmap, Investment Strategy, Titling and Beneficiaries, Estate Distribution, and Tax Planning, for individuals, families, business owners, executives, and institutions.
• Riskalyze (Know Your Risk Score) Portfolio risk analysis service that determines current and desired portfolio risk numbers (1-100), identifies gaps between desired and actual risk, helps develop return expectations, displays real-world scenario performance, and provides probability ranges for predicted future performance, for wealth management clients.
• Investor Connect Client Portal Online client portal providing account management, transaction viewing, access to statements, trade confirmations, tax documents, annual statements, email alerts, market research tools, stock watch, and retirement/investment/savings calculators for existing Smith Moore clients.
• Certificates of Deposit (CDs) Bank-issued, FDIC-insured Certificates of Deposit available in multiple terms (e.g., 6-month 3.95% APY, 1-year 4.05% APY, 3-year 4.25% APY, 5-year 4.25% APY, 7-year 4.35% APY) with a minimum $10,000 investment and a $5.50 administrative service charge per transaction, offered to clients as part of the firm's investment product lineup.

Quantifiable outcome

• Client assets grew from $400 million to over $3.8 billion since 2003

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RBC Correspondent ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationSmith Moore introduces all transactions on a fully disclosed basis to RBC Correspondent Services, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC. RBC handles clearing, execution, and custody services for the firm.
• RiskalyzecoreTechnology or IntegrationSmith Moore uses Riskalyze portfolio risk analysis tool with clients to help determine current and desired portfolio risk numbers, identify risk gaps, develop return expectations, and display real-world portfolio performance scenarios.
• Ramsey Solutions (SmartVestor)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCertain Smith Moore advisors participate in the SmartVestor advertising and referral program operated by Ramsey Solutions. Advisors pay a flat monthly fee to advertise services through the SmartVestor website and receive client referrals from interested consumers in their geographic region.
• St. Louis Children's HospitalminorOthersSmith Moore supports the Art Therapy Program at St. Louis Children's Hospital through annual art supply drives and community events, demonstrating commitment to local community welfare.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Edward Jones: Employee-owned, branch-based wealth management firm with a Midwest heritage and a similar advisor-led, multi-generational client model directly comparable to Smith Moore.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Kansas City-area independent RIA offering comprehensive financial planning, estate and retirement services, and advisor recruit-driven growth comparable to Smith Moore's employee-owned, planning-led model.
• Creative Planning: Large independent, fee-only RIA headquartered in Kansas region with comprehensive wealth management services and rapid branch/advisor expansion, directly comparable to Smith Moore's structure and offerings.
• Larson Financial Group: Mid-sized independent RIA/wealth management firm with similar holistic planning, advisor network, and SEC-registered investment advisory services comparable to Smith Moore's full-service approach.

Broad incumbents

• Stifel Financial: St. Louis-headquartered diversified wealth management and investment bank with significant private client group operations that overlap Smith Moore's Midwest footprint and full-service offering.
• Robert W. Baird & Co. Midwest-headquartered (Milwaukee) full-service wealth management firm with private wealth management and advisor networks comparable in scope and regional focus to Smith Moore.
• Wells Fargo Advisors: Wirehouse wealth management franchise with thousands of financial advisors offering brokerage, advisory, and insurance products; competes with Smith Moore for advisors and clients in overlapping Midwest geographies.
• Merrill Lynch Wealth Management: Largest US wirehouse with comprehensive wealth management offering (advisory, brokerage, banking, insurance) competing with Smith Moore for high-net-worth and mass-affluent clients.
• Charles Schwab Wealth Advisory: Low-cost incumbent offering both self-directed brokerage and a growing roster of RIAs; provides fee competition and an alternative custodian/clearing pathway relevant to Smith Moore.

Others

• LPL Financial: Largest US independent broker-dealer/RIA custodian providing clearing, custody and technology infrastructure to thousands of independent advisors; comparable as a potential strategic partner or alternative to RBC Correspondent Services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/smithmooreandco

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 Smith Moore