Merkle Retirement Planning

Name

Merkle Retirement Planning

Legal name

Merkle Retirement Planning, LLC

Website

https://merkleretirementplanning.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retirement Planning Services

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Retirement Income Planning & Decumulation Advisory (FSAEABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retirement & Pension Planning (401(k)/IRA) (FSAEAAAD), Retirement Benefits & Social Security/Medicare Planning (FSAEABAI), Annuity & Insurance-Based Retirement Solutions Advisory (FSAEABAH)

Keywords

• Retirement planning services
• Financial advisory services
• Investment advisory
• Medicare planning services
• Retirement tax planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Grimes

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Investment Advisory Services: Fee-based investment advisory services offered through Elite Retirement Planning, LLC (SEC-registered RIA). Services include portfolio analysis, investment strategy, and ongoing retirement planning advice.
2. Insurance Products: Insurance products including annuities, life insurance, and Medicare-related coverage offered through MRP Insurance, LLC. Commissions earned on insurance product sales.
3. Medicare Services: Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare Supplement Plans, and Prescription Drug Plans offered through MRP Insurance, LLC. The company represents 5 organizations offering 22 products.
4. Tax Planning Services: Tax planning services offered through Merkle Tax Solutions, LLC, including Roth conversion strategies and long-term tax planning.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Merkle Retirement Planning provides personalized retirement planning services to pre-retirees and retirees through its proprietary RetireSecure Roadmap framework, a written six-pillar plan covering lifestyle, income, taxes, investments, health care, and legacy. The firm delivers fee-based investment advisory services through affiliated SEC-registered Elite Retirement Planning LLC, insurance products (annuities, life insurance, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, and Part D plans) through MRP Insurance LLC, and tax planning services through Merkle Tax Solutions LLC.

Product overview

Merkle Retirement Planning is an independent financial advisory firm offering a unified retirement planning methodology centered on the RetireSecure Roadmap. The core offering is a written, six-pillar retirement plan (lifestyle, income, taxes, investments, health care, and legacy) developed through a three-step process: Connect, Strategize, and Plan. This core planning methodology is supported by a suite of educational and engagement products including the Journey to Retirement online workshop, in-person dinner workshops, Retiring Today Magazine (a digital milestone guide), the Retiring Today TV show on local Des Moines stations, Visual Insights Newsletter, and community lifestyle events (Lifestyle Events, Lifestyle Groups, Lunch & Learns). The firm also offers a RetireReady Call for initial consultations. All services are delivered through licensed CFP and RICP professionals and are coordinated with affiliated entities (Elite Retirement Planning for advisory services, MRP Insurance for insurance products, and Merkle Tax Solutions for tax planning).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RetireSecure Roadmap: The company's proprietary retirement planning framework covering six pillars: lifestyle, income, taxes, investments, health care, and legacy.
• Retiring Today with Loren Merkle
• Retiring Today Magazine

Products and services

• RetireSecure Roadmap A written, customized retirement planning methodology organized around six pillars (lifestyle, income, taxes, investments, health care, and legacy), designed as a personalized blueprint to guide individuals to and through retirement.
• Investment Advisory Services Fee-based investment advisory services including portfolio analysis, investment strategy, and ongoing retirement planning advice, delivered through affiliated SEC-registered Elite Retirement Planning, LLC.
• Insurance Products Insurance products including annuities and life insurance offered through affiliated MRP Insurance, LLC, with commissions earned on product sales.
• Medicare Services Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare Supplement Plans, and Prescription Drug Plans offered through MRP Insurance, LLC, representing 5 organizations and 22 Medicare/health insurance products for Medicare-eligible individuals.
• Tax Planning Services Tax planning services including Roth conversion strategies and long-term tax planning, delivered through affiliated Merkle Tax Solutions, LLC.
• Retiring Today Magazine A digital magazine providing retirement milestone guidance for ages 50 through 70+, featuring action steps and the Adventurous Angie retirement journey narrative.

Quantifiable outcome

• Client was able to retire at age 64 instead of 65, one year earlier than expected
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Elite Retirement Planning, LLCcoreOthersSEC-registered investment adviser (RIA) through which Investment Advisory Services are offered. This is an affiliated entity rather than an external partner, providing the regulatory framework for fee-based advisory services.
• MRP Insurance, LLCcoreOthersInsurance services entity through which Insurance Services and Medicare products are offered. Represents 5 organizations offering 22 Medicare/health insurance products. Affiliated entity, not external partner.
• Merkle Tax Solutions, LLCcoreOthersTax planning services entity affiliated with Merkle Retirement Planning. Provides Roth conversion strategies and long-term tax planning as part of the RetireSecure Roadmap.
• AE Wealth ManagementminorOthersThird-party disclosures and compliance resources linked from the disclosures page. Serves as a compliance and regulatory resource.
• Brick Gentry P.C.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw firm specializing in estate planning. Attorney Charlie Bottenberg appears as guest expert on TV show and blog content discussing estate planning topics including SECURE Act implications, probate, and trust strategies. Professional collaboration for educational content.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wealth Enhancement Group: National RIA platform serving mass-affluent and HNW clients with retirement, tax, and wealth planning. Comparable to Merkle Retirement Planning in holistic retirement planning focus and bundling of advisory with adjacent services, though at materially larger scale.
• Carson Group: RIA and business coaching platform supporting independent financial advisors with retirement, tax, and wealth planning services. Comparable to Merkle Retirement Planning in advisor-centric retirement focus and integrated tax/insurance offerings, but operating as a national support platform for affiliated advisors.
• Cetera Financial Group: Broker-dealer and RIA support platform enabling independent financial advisors to deliver retirement, investment, and insurance solutions. Comparable to Merkle Retirement Planning in supporting independent advisors who combine advisory with insurance distribution, though as an infrastructure provider rather than a direct advisory firm.
• Fisher Investments: Large asset manager and RIA serving high-net-worth and mass-affluent retirees with portfolio management and retirement income strategies. Comparable to Merkle Retirement Planning in target audience (mass-affluent retirees) and integrated retirement income/tax focus, though at significantly larger scale.
• Edelman Financial Engines: Largest independent RIA in the U.S., serving mass-affluent clients with comprehensive retirement and investment planning. Comparable to Merkle Retirement Planning as both target pre-retirees and retirees with holistic planning, though Edelman operates nationally at far greater scale.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: National RIA offering retirement, tax, estate, and insurance planning for individuals and families. Comparable to Merkle Retirement Planning in the breadth of services offered across retirement pillars and the bundling of advisory with insurance/tax solutions.
• Creative Planning: National RIA offering comprehensive wealth, retirement, and tax planning to high-net-worth and mass-affluent households. Directly comparable to Merkle Retirement Planning in its six-pillar-style holistic planning approach for the same retiree demographic, though at much larger AUM scale.

Emerging players

• IRA Financial Group: Specialist in self-directed retirement accounts (Solo 401(k), Checkbook IRA). Comparable to Merkle Retirement Planning in the retirement niche focus, but with a much narrower product (self-directed accounts) and a self-serve/online delivery model versus Merkle's high-touch local advisory approach.

Direct peers

• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: National RIA specializing in evidence-based retirement, tax, and estate planning for mass-affluent clients. Directly comparable to Merkle Retirement Planning in fiduciary, fee-based comprehensive retirement planning across income, tax, and legacy pillars.
• Sensible Money: Retirement-focused fee-only RIA providing holistic retirement income, Social Security, and tax planning. Most closely comparable to Merkle Retirement Planning in its narrow focus on pre-retirees/retirees and dedicated retirement income decumulation approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MerkleRetirementPlanning
• Facebookfacebook.com/MerkleRetirementPlanning
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/merkleretirementplanning
• Instagraminstagram.com/merkleretirementplanning

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Merkle Retirement Planning