Stearns Financial Group

Name

Stearns Financial Group

Legal name

Stearns Financial Group

Website

https://stearnsfinancial.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Tax-Aware Investment Planning (FSAEAAAE), Capital Raising Advisory (Equity & Equity-Linked) (FSAEAGAC), Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) Wealth Management (FSAEABAA)

Keywords

• Wealth management services
• Financial planning advisory
• Investment management services
• Retirement planning advisory
• Business exit planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Greensboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Assets Under Management (AUM) Fees: Fees structured as a percentage of managed assets, billed quarterly. Stearns manages over $2.2 billion in client assets as of 3/31/25. The firm is entirely transparent about fees, which are dependent on services provided.
2. Business Planning and Valuation Services: Through partnership with Hightower Advisors, delivers business valuations, investment banking services, real estate solutions including UPREIT transactions, concentrated stock strategies and tax solutions for business clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Stearns Financial Group is a fee-only registered investment advisor that delivers integrated wealth management combining comprehensive financial planning with investment management for affluent individuals, families, and business owners. Their services leverage a trademarked Financial Independence Roadmap methodology for personalized multi-scenario planning and an open-architecture platform for diversified investment management, supported by a multidisciplinary team of CFPs, CPAs, CFAs, and MBAs.

Product overview

Stearns Financial Group is a comprehensive wealth management practice offering an integrated platform that combines Financial Planning (centered on their proprietary Financial Independence Roadmap℠ methodology) with Investment Management services. Their portfolio includes specialized modules for Divorce Financial Planning, Retirement Planning, Business Owner Services (featuring Private Business Moat Analysis and Exit Plan Strategies), Alternative Investments (private equity, venture capital, private credit, real estate), Women in Motion Services, and Multigenerational Family Wealth Services. Through their Hightower Advisors partnership, they also provide business-specific services including business valuations, investment banking, commercial real estate solutions, concentrated stock solutions, and advanced tax strategies. The practice serves clients through their SFG Client Portal with both legacy and new Well-Th portal options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wealth Management
• Financial Planning
• Financial Independence Roadmap
• Investment Management
• Alternative Investments
• Divorce Financial Planning
• Retirement Planning
• Business Owner Services
• Wealth Builder Services
• Women in Motion Services
• Multigenerational Family Wealth Services
• SFG Client Portal

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $2.2 billion in client assets managed as of 3/31/25
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered significant and core.

• North Carolina Central University - Peggy Ward Financial Literacy CentersignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Stearns Financial Group is the first practice to join the Wealth Management Board of Advisors for the Peggy Ward Financial Literacy Center and Wealth Management Program. The program encourages diversity in the financial advisory industry and financial literacy to underserved markets. Team members teach classes in financial planning at the university.
• Hightower AdvisorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStearns Financial Group is affiliated with Hightower Advisors, a growth-focused wealth management firm with a multi-custodian platform. Hightower provides operational, business, technology, and human resources support. Through this partnership, Stearns offers clients high-touch personalized wealth management plus sophisticated investment and technology solutions.
• Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationIndependent fee-only advisory practice with client assets held at Charles Schwab as the primary custodian. Open architecture platform maintains independence and avoids potential conflicts of interest.
• CPAs and Estate AttorneyscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStearns collaborates with business and personal CPAs, estate attorneys, business lawyers and other professionals to bring business owners and families sophisticated planning services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hightower Advisors: Hightower Advisors is Stearns' parent affiliation and a national RIA platform that provides operational, technology, and capital-markets support to partner practices. It is the most direct structural peer given the formal affiliation and overlapping wealth management business model.
• CAPTRUST Financial Advisors: CAPTRUST is a large, fee-only RIA with an institutional and private wealth practice, headquartered in the Southeast. It is closely comparable to Stearns in fee-only fiduciary model, multi-advisor structure, and CFP/CFA credentialed team. Several SFG team members previously worked at CAPTRUST.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Mariner is a national, fee-based wealth advisory firm offering financial planning, investment management, and concierge services to HNW families. It operates at comparable scale and with a similar integrated planning-plus-investment delivery model.
• Aspiriant: Aspiriant is a national, fee-only RIA focused on wealthy individuals, families, and business owners, with deep financial planning expertise. It mirrors Stearns' planning-led, fee-only model and CFP-rich advisor bench.
• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Buckingham is a large, fee-only RIA serving HNW clients with evidence-based investment management and comprehensive financial planning. Its scale, client segmentation, and open-architecture approach closely parallel Stearns' positioning.
• Cresset Asset Management: Cresset is a multi-family office-style RIA serving UHNW individuals and families with integrated planning, investment management, and alternative investments. It is comparable in target client (UHNW), breadth of services, and use of alternative investments.

Broad incumbents

• Brown Brothers Harriman Wealth Management: BBH's Wealth Management division serves UHNW families with integrated planning, trusts, and investment management. It is a broader incumbent focused on a higher client net-worth segment than Stearns but with the same fiduciary planning-led delivery model.
• Focus Financial Partners: Focus is a national consolidator of RIAs and wealth management firms, providing capital, technology, and operational support to partner practices. It is an indirect peer through its role as a strategic acquirer of firms structurally similar to Stearns.

Emerging players

• GenTrust Wealth Management: GenTrust is a growing, fee-based RIA serving HNW families and business owners across the U.S. with financial planning and business exit services. It is comparable in mid-sized scale, business-owner focus, and exit/valuation offerings.
• Fiducient Advisors: Fiducient Advisors is a national, fee-only RIA serving institutional clients, foundations, and HNW families. It is comparable as a fee-only fiduciary practice with a planning-led approach, though more institutional-weighted than Stearns.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stearnsfinancialgroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stearns-financial-services-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Stearns Financial Group