HEIRMARK
HEIRMARK is a Cleveland-based life insurance advisory firm serving affluent families and business owners across 13 U.S. states. As an M Financial Group member, it places policies using a multi-carrier underwriting methodology with exclusive institutional-priced products, supported by a six-person team.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersCleveland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What HEIRMARK does
HEIRMARK, LTD is a privately held life insurance advisory firm headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, founded in 2007 by Raymond Nash. The firm serves affluent families, closely-held business owners, and key executives across 13 U.S. states, delivering acquisition, placement, and ongoing servicing of life insurance policies for wealth transfer, estate planning, buy-sell funding, key person coverage, and executive benefits. Since 2009, HEIRMARK has operated as a member firm of M Financial Group, granting exclusive access to proprietary institutional-priced insurance products not available through standard distribution.
The firm's core differentiator is a multi-carrier underwriting methodology: rather than applying to a single carrier, HEIRMARK solicits dozens of underwriting offers and pairs the most competitive one with an appropriate product. A dedicated Director of Underwriting with 25 years of experience oversees a custom-packaged health assessment process designed to position client health favorably with carriers. The service portfolio spans personal planning, business planning, insurance policy audits, life settlements, premium financing, intentionally defective grantor trust (IDGT) structures, generational split dollar arrangements, and policy loan rescue. A fee-only 20/20 Insurance Review service provides third-party policy assessment without replacement bias.
The business model is primarily commission-based on placed policies, supplemented by fee-only advisory reviews and securities distribution through M Holdings Securities, Inc. (FINRA/SIPC). The team of approximately six operates from a Cleveland headquarters and a Portland, Oregon Office of Supervisory Jurisdiction. Customer acquisition is driven by referral partnerships with attorneys, accountants, wealth managers, and financial advisors, rather than direct consumer marketing. HEIRMARK is independently owned, with no disclosed outside institutional investment.
HEIRMARK firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HEIRMARK
- Legal name
- HEIRMARK, LTD
- Website
- https://heirmark.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- HEIRMARK is a Cleveland-based life insurance advisory firm serving affluent families and business owners across 13 U.S. states. As an M Financial Group member, it places policies using a multi-carrier underwriting methodology with exclusive institutional-priced products, supported by a six-person team.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HEIRMARK industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Life Insurance Advisory Services
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Life Insurance (6311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Insurance-Integrated Wealth Managers (RIA + Insurance Solutions) (FSAAACAI)
Keywords
Where HEIRMARK is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cleveland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
HEIRMARK business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Insurance Commission Revenue: Heirmark earns commissions from insurance carriers for placing life insurance policies. As a member of M Financial Group, they have exclusive access to proprietary life insurance products with institutional pricing advantages.
- Fee-Only Policy Reviews: 20/20 Insurance Reviews are conducted on a fee-only basis, providing an experienced, third-party review of existing life insurance plans without bias towards replacing a policy with a new commissionable product.
- Securities and Investment Advisory Services: Securities and Investment advisory services offered through M Holdings Securities, Inc., a registered broker/dealer and investment advisor, member FINRA/SIPC. Variable life and annuity products as well as other securities products may be sold in certain states.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Fee-Only Policy Review |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
HEIRMARK product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HEIRMARK, LTD is a life insurance advisory firm that acquires, places, and services life insurance policies for affluent families, business owners, and key executives. Through its Transparent Planning Model, the firm offers personal planning (wealth transfer, estate planning, charitable giving, premium financing), business planning (buy-sell funding, key person insurance, executive benefits, deferred compensation), and specialized services (insurance policy audits, 20/20 fee-only reviews, life settlements, policy loan rescue). Operating as a member of M Financial Group, HEIRMARK casts a wide net across multiple carriers to obtain dozens of underwriting offers, delivering custom packaged health assessments and ongoing active policy monitoring.
Product overview
Heirmark is a life insurance advisory firm offering a comprehensive suite of planning services rather than a single software product. The core offering consists of advisory and placement services for life insurance, including personal planning (wealth transfer, estate, and charitable planning), business planning (buy-sell funding, key person insurance, executive benefits), and specialized services including insurance policy audits, 20/20 insurance reviews, life settlements, premium financing, and policy loan rescue. All services are delivered through Heirmark's Transparent Planning Model, with exclusive access to M Financial Group's proprietary insurance products that offer institutional pricing advantages unavailable through standard distribution channels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Personal Planning Life insurance strategies tailored for individual wealth transfer, estate planning, and charitable giving objectives, utilizing techniques such as premium financing, generational split dollar, and intentionally defective grantor trusts; for affluent families and high net worth individuals.
- Business Planning Comprehensive business insurance solutions including buy-sell funding, key person insurance, and executive benefits designed for closely-held businesses and family enterprises.
- Insurance Policy Audits Analysis and review service that evaluates existing life insurance policies, stress-tests performance under various interest rate scenarios, and identifies product alternatives across multiple carriers to optimize coverage efficiency.
- 20/20 Insurance Reviews Fee-only third-party review service that educates policyholders about existing life insurance plans, analyzing policy performance, competitiveness, and providing funding scenario projections without bias toward replacement.
- Life Settlements Sale of unwanted life insurance policies to qualified institutional buyers in exchange for immediate cash, providing value exceeding cash surrender values for policy owners.
- Premium Financing Strategy leveraging third-party bank financing to minimize out-of-pocket life insurance premium expenses, where policy owners pay only annual loan interest rather than full premiums.
- Buy-Sell Funding Life insurance-based funding solutions for business succession planning, providing immediate funding at the exact point in time needed for buy-sell agreements.
- Key Person Insurance Business protection strategy offsetting revenue loss or hiring costs if a key employee dies unexpectedly, insuring personnel vital to company success.
- Executive Benefits Structured executive compensation programs using insurance tools to incentivize and retain key personnel while providing tax advantages for employers.
- M Financial Group Proprietary Products Exclusive access to institutional-priced life insurance products designed for affluent buyers, available only through M Financial Group member firms.
Quantifiable outcome
- Premium reduction of over 30% for same death benefit through policy audit process
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use HEIRMARK
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
HEIRMARK technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
HEIRMARK partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- M Financial GroupcoreHeirmark joined M Financial Group in 2009 to provide clients with products priced exclusively for them. As a member firm, Heirmark has exclusive access to proprietary life insurance products available through highly rated insurance companies. M Financial Group designs insurance tools not available to the general population through average advisors, built on decades of research proving affluent buyers' lifestyles should positively impact product development and pricing. M member firm sales represent over $1 billion in annual first year life insurance premiums.
- M Holdings Securities, Inc.coreSecurities and Investment advisory services offered through M Holdings Securities, Inc., a registered broker/dealer and investment advisor, member FINRA/SIPC. Variable life and annuity products as well as other securities products are offered through this partnership.
- Attorneys, Accountants & Wealth ManagersmajorMany new client relationships come directly from attorneys, accountants and wealth managers who have gained trust in Heirmark. These advisors refer their clients to Heirmark for life insurance acquisition and placement services.
- Financial & Insurance AdvisorsmajorStrategic alliances with financial and insurance advisors to provide their clients with additional business and estate planning tools, techniques, and access to proprietary life insurance products. Since Heirmark is exclusively focused on advanced life insurance strategies, they pose no threat to the core operations of these advisors.
- Insurance Carriers (Multiple)coreHeirmark has established strong carrier relationships and works very closely with underwriters to secure the best and most competitive offers for clients. Their approach casts a wide net into the insurance marketplace, obtaining dozens of underwriting offers from multiple carriers.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
HEIRMARK competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lenox Advisors: Boutique New York-based wealth advisory firm specializing in life insurance, executive benefits, and business planning for HNW families and business owners. Closely comparable to Heirmark in target market (affluent/business-owner clientele) and life-insurance-centric advisory model.
- Highland Capital Brokerage: Life insurance brokerage and wealth distribution firm serving HNW clients with multi-carrier underwriting access and advanced life insurance strategies. Comparable to Heirmark's multi-carrier placement model and HNW/affluent-client focus.
- Biltmore Capital: Independent insurance and wealth advisory firm focused on advanced life insurance planning, premium financing, and estate strategies for affluent families and business owners. Direct peer in advanced life insurance placement and HNW planning niche.
- Insurance Designers of America: Life insurance brokerage specializing in advanced underwriting, impaired-risk cases, and HNW placement across multiple carriers. Comparable to Heirmark's underwriting-driven, multi-carrier placement model.
Emerging players
- Ballast Point Financial: Wealth advisory firm with significant life insurance, estate planning, and business succession offerings for HNW individuals. Partial overlap with Heirmark's planning-centric, life-insurance-led advisory model.
- Clarfeld Financial Advisors: Independent wealth advisory firm serving HNW families and business owners with holistic planning including insurance, estate, and business succession. Comparable client base and planning approach, with broader wealth services beyond insurance.
- Coldstream Wealth Management: Independent wealth management firm serving HNW families, entrepreneurs, and business owners with integrated financial planning including life insurance and estate strategies. Comparable target market with broader wealth offering.
- Signature Estate & Investment Advisors: Independent wealth advisory firm serving HNW individuals, families, and business owners with comprehensive planning including life insurance and legacy strategies. Comparable HNW/affluent client focus with broader investment services.
Broad incumbents
- M Financial Group: Network of 130 financial services firms providing proprietary life insurance products and institutional pricing to member firms like Heirmark. Comparable as the umbrella organization whose products and distribution model Heirmark operates within.
- Northwestern Mutual: Large, established insurance and wealth management company with captive career-agent distribution and broad life insurance offerings. Identified by M Financial as a comparable incumbent channel and benchmark for scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
HEIRMARK social profiles
Digital presenceHEIRMARK financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HEIRMARK leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
HEIRMARK funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HEIRMARK M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HEIRMARK
What does HEIRMARK do?
HEIRMARK, LTD is a life insurance advisory firm that acquires, places, and services life insurance policies for affluent families, business owners, and key executives. Through its Transparent Planning Model, the firm offers personal planning (wealth transfer, estate planning, charitable giving, premium financing), business planning (buy-sell funding, key person insurance, executive benefits, deferred compensation), and specialized services (insurance policy audits, 20/20 fee-only reviews, life settlements, policy loan rescue). Operating as a member of M Financial Group, HEIRMARK casts a wide net across multiple carriers to obtain dozens of underwriting offers, delivering custom packaged health assessments and ongoing active policy monitoring.
Is HEIRMARK a public or private company?
HEIRMARK is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was HEIRMARK founded?
HEIRMARK was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is HEIRMARK based?
HEIRMARK is headquartered in Cleveland, United States, in the North America region.
How does HEIRMARK make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Insurance Commission Revenue is the primary driver. The others are fee-Only Policy Reviews and securities and Investment Advisory Services.
Who are HEIRMARK's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lenox Advisors, Highland Capital Brokerage, Biltmore Capital and Insurance Designers of America. Emerging players are Ballast Point Financial, Clarfeld Financial Advisors, Coldstream Wealth Management and Signature Estate & Investment Advisors. Broad incumbents are M Financial Group and Northwestern Mutual.
Does HEIRMARK have an API?
No public API is recorded for HEIRMARK.
What industry is HEIRMARK in?
HEIRMARK's product category is Life Insurance Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAACAI, Insurance-Integrated Wealth Managers (RIA + Insurance Solutions). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6311.