Capital South Wealth Management

What Capital South Wealth Management does

Capital South Wealth Management, LLC is a fee-based Registered Investment Adviser founded in 2012 by James Bayard and Ryan Gisclair in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The firm provides fiduciary wealth management services to individuals, families, and business owners, with particular emphasis on clients navigating major life transitions including the death of a loved one, divorce, and retirement, as well as families with special needs dependents. Service offerings span comprehensive financial planning ($5,000 initial plan, $2,500/year ongoing), tiered portfolio management on a percentage-of-AUM basis (1.25% on the first $500,000 declining to 0.60% above $5 million), insurance products, trust administration coordination, hourly consulting, and a bundled Concierge Wealth Management offering that positions the firm's CFP® professionals as a family's Chief Financial Officer.

The firm operates without proprietary technology, instead relying on third-party client portals and infrastructure including Schwab Alliance, Advyzon, and Wealth Manager, with research and custody relationships through Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, and LPL Financial. Trust services are delivered via partnerships with Charles Schwab Trust Company and Advisors Private Wealth Trust, allowing the firm to retain investment management while outsourcing trust administration. Differentiated expertise is concentrated in special needs planning (anchored by Ryan Gisclair's ChSNC® designation and prior 10-year Life Care Planning experience), retirement income planning, and life-transition advisory work.

The revenue model combines recurring AUM-based fees, recurring financial planning subscriptions, hourly professional services for discrete consulting engagements, and insurance commissions on life, disability, long-term care, and annuity products. The firm markets primarily through content (blog, email/newsletter subscriptions), thought leadership (notably a March 2023 panel at the Blue Vault Bowman Investment Summit), and direct advisory relationships, serving a regional client base concentrated in Louisiana with stated ability to operate in other states where exemption thresholds apply. As of early-to-mid 2024, the team has grown to five members with the addition of two associate advisors and an office manager, signaling a transition from a founder-led practice toward a team-based advisory model.

Name

Capital South Wealth Management

Legal name

Capital South Wealth Management, LLC.

Website

https://capitalsouthwm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Capital South Wealth Management is a fee-based Registered Investment Adviser in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, providing fiduciary financial planning, portfolio management, insurance, and trust services to individuals, families, and business owners — with specialization in life transitions and special needs planning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSAAAAAB

Bank-Affiliated Retail Wealth Management

Financial & Insurance/Asset & Wealth Management/Retail & Mass-Affluent Wealth Management

Keywords

• Wealth management services
• Financial planning
• Portfolio management
• Investment advisory
• Insurance planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Baton Rouge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Portfolio Management (AUM Fees): Fee-based investment advisory services charged as a percentage of assets under management. Tiered fee schedule ranges from 1.25% for first $500,000 down to 0.60% for assets above $5 million.
2. Financial Planning: Comprehensive financial planning services. Initial Financial Plan: $5,000. Ongoing Financial Planning: $2,500/year after first year.
3. Consulting Services: Hourly-based consulting engagements for specific financial wellness projects including portfolio reviews, social security strategies, retirement projections, education planning, and insurance reviews.
4. Insurance Products: Commissions paid to advisors by insurance companies for life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, and annuities. The firm is an independent insurance agency.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Capital South Wealth Management is a fee-based Registered Investment Adviser delivering comprehensive financial planning and wealth management services to individuals, families, and business owners. Its core offerings include ongoing financial planning, fee-based portfolio management, insurance planning (life, long-term care, disability, annuities), trust services coordination, and specialized modules for special needs families, divorce, retirement transitions, and small business exit strategies. The firm provides fiduciary advice through CFP® professionals with no proprietary products to sell.

Product overview

Capital South Wealth Management is a fee-only registered investment advisory firm offering a comprehensive suite of wealth management services centered around financial planning. The firm operates as a unified service offering, with Financial Planning as the foundational core product, supported by Portfolio Management (investments), Insurance Planning, Trust Services, and specialized modules including Special Needs Planning, Concierge Wealth Management, Consulting, and Business Services. The CFP®-led team provides fiduciary advice across all engagements, integrating traditional and alternative investment strategies with comprehensive planning for individuals, families, and business owners navigating major life transitions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Financial Planning Comprehensive financial planning services delivered by CFP® professionals covering goal setting, budgeting, debt management, emergency fund planning, risk and insurance review, education funding, portfolio review, retirement projections, estate planning, charitable giving, tax strategies, retirement income planning, and small business exit strategies. Designed as a living document that can be adjusted as client goals and needs change.
• Portfolio Management Fee-based investment advisory service managing client portfolios according to their stated goals, risk tolerance, and risk capacity. Portfolios utilize traditional asset classes (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, separately managed accounts) as well as alternative investment strategies, with back-office research support from TD Ameritrade and Charles Schwab.
• Insurance Planning Insurance advice and product placement including life insurance (term, whole life, variable), long-term care insurance, disability insurance, and annuity contracts (fixed and variable). Offered through the firm's independent insurance agency so advisors are not beholden to a single carrier.
• Trust Services Trust administration services coordinated through partner trust companies (Advisors Private Wealth Trust, Charles Schwab Trust Company, and The Private Trust Company N.A. via LPL Financial). Service offerings include special needs trusts, grantor trusts, survivors trusts, charitable lead/remainder trusts, rabbi trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, and private foundations.
• Concierge Wealth Management Comprehensive wealth management package combining financial planning, investment management, consulting, and insurance services into a single offering. CFP® professionals act as the family's Chief Financial Officer, coordinating with CPAs, estate attorneys, and other professionals.
• Special Needs Planning Specialized planning services for families with members who have special needs, including estate planning, special needs trusts, insurance planning, and coordination with life care planners, attorneys, and trustees to preserve eligibility for means-tested government benefits.
• Consulting Hourly financial wellness engagements for clients who need targeted advice rather than ongoing management, including financial health analysis, portfolio second opinions, survivor needs analysis, social security claiming strategy, retirement success projections, education planning, and insurance reviews.
• Business Services Services for business owners including retirement plan selection and design (SEP IRA, 401(k), SIMPLE IRA, Solo 401(k), profit sharing, defined benefit plans), employee education, deferred compensation, business insurance, and buy/sell agreement funding.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Blue VaultminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2023Blue Vault is a leading aggregator of alternative investment data and analysis. James Bayard serves on the Blue Vault advisory board alongside sixteen other financial professionals nationwide.
• The Bowman Law FirmminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2023The Bowman Law Firm conducts legal and financial due diligence on various alternative investment products. They host the Bowman Investment Summit where James Bayard spoke on a panel.
• Charles Schwab Trust Company (CSTC)coreTechnology or IntegrationTrust services are offered through Charles Schwab Trust Company. Schwab's Personal Trust Service provides trust expertise with a single online system for maximum flexibility, including income/principal distributions, accounting, tax preparation/filing, and monthly reporting.
• Advisors Private Wealth TrustcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe firm has access to Advisors Private Wealth Trust for trust administration services including accounting, tax preparation, and trustee services. Their model allows clients to maintain the firm for investment management while trust assets are administered through the partner.
• LPL FinancialcoreTechnology or IntegrationLPL Financial Representatives offer access to Trust Services through The Private Trust Company N.A., an affiliate of LPL Financial.
• TD Ameritrade and Charles Schwab & Co.coreTechnology or IntegrationThe firm's team is backed by investment professionals at TD Ameritrade and Charles Schwab & Co. for research capabilities. The firm has no proprietary products to sell and no investment banking relationships, allowing for objective advice.
• The Academy of Special Needs PlannersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Academy consists of special needs planning professionals including attorneys, financial planners, and trust officers. Ryan Gisclair, CFP®, ChSNC® is a member, providing access to latest information on legal developments and best practices.
• Financial Planning Association (FPA)minorOthersProfessional membership organization for financial planners. Both James Bayard and Ryan Gisclair are members of FPA.
• Junior Achievement of Greater Baton RougeminorOthersRyan Gisclair serves on the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement of Greater Baton Rouge.
• Louisiana Legacy Golf TournamentminorOthersRyan Gisclair serves on the Board of Governors of the Louisiana Legacy Golf Tournament.
• Jones Creek Area Business AssociationminorOthersCade Taylor serves on the Board of Directors for the Jones Creek Area Business Association.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Fee-only, fiduciary RIA offering comprehensive financial planning and portfolio management, similarly focused on evidence-based investing and objective advice. Closely comparable in service mix, fee structure, and client-first positioning to Capital South.
• Halbert Hargrove: Independent, fee-only RIA providing financial planning, investment management, and trust services to individuals and families. Comparable in size, fiduciary structure, and emphasis on comprehensive, values-aligned planning for life-stage transitions.

Broad incumbents

• Carson Wealth: Large RIA that partners with and acquires independent advisor practices, offering similar financial planning, portfolio management, and insurance services through a national platform. Comparable in service breadth but far larger and operating a partnership model.
• Creative Planning: One of the largest independent, fee-only RIAs in the U.S., providing unified financial planning, investment management, tax, and estate services. Comparable in fiduciary, fee-only model and comprehensive service offering, but operates at materially greater scale.
• Mercer Advisors: National RIA built through acquisition of independent advisory practices, offering financial planning, investment management, tax, and trust services. Comparable in offering breadth and fee-based model, with active interest in acquiring firms like Capital South.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Large national RIA providing comprehensive wealth planning, investment management, and trust/fiduciary services. Comparable in integrated service model and emphasis on coordinating with CPAs and attorneys, though operating at significantly greater scale.
• Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management: Concierge wealth management arm of Goldman Sachs offering financial planning, investment management, and banking services to high-net-worth individuals. Comparable in its concierge-style comprehensive service model, though at a much higher AUM threshold.
• Edward Jones: National financial services firm with a large network of local branch advisors offering financial planning, investments, and insurance to individuals and families. Comparable in local-relationship model and insurance product offering, but far larger and partly commission-based.

Emerging players

• Facet Wealth: Tech-enabled, flat-fee RIA providing financial planning and investment management to mass-affluent clients digitally. Comparable in fiduciary, planning-led approach but differentiates through a digital delivery model rather than in-person local relationships.

Others

• Charles Schwab Intelligent Portfolios: Robo-advisor product of Capital South's primary custody partner, Schwab, providing automated portfolio management to retail investors. Comparable in using Schwab custody and a fee-based model, but offers no human advisory, financial planning, or life-transition specialization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/capitalsouthwealthmanagement
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/capital-south-wealth-management-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Capital South Wealth Management