56 Capital Partners

What 56 Capital Partners does

56 Capital Partners is a privately held, SEC-registered investment advisor (RIA) headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, founded in 2017 by Derek Martin. The firm operates a small advisory practice — effectively a two-advisor team comprising Martin (CFP, ChFC, CLU, RICP, CLTC, MBA) and Erin Watkins (MBA, COO) — serving individuals, families, pre-retirees/retirees and business owners primarily through high-touch, concierge-style financial advisory services.

Its service portfolio centers on three core offerings: investment management (including proprietary hedging strategies using derivatives and asset allocation adjustments), retirement income planning, and fee-based financial planning delivered through the CFP planning process. Supporting services include education planning, estate planning coordination with attorneys, and a quarterly client newsletter (the 1776 Report). The technology stack is entirely third-party: Interactive Brokers LLC provides custody and trading for client accounts, Advizr hosts the client financial plan portal ("My Plan"), and Wealth Management Systems Inc. powers the public-facing educational calculators. The firm emphasizes a fiduciary standard, transparent flat-fee pricing for financial plans and percentage-based AUM fees, and long-tenure client relationships (targeting 30-year horizons).

Revenue is generated through two recurring streams: percentage-of-AUM advisory fees on assets custodied at Interactive Brokers, and flat-fee charges for comprehensive financial plans established on a per-case basis. The firm is licensed to discuss and transact securities in eight states (CO, CA, GA, IN, MI, MT, TX, VA) and serves clients nationwide and globally via remote communication, though it has no disclosed parent company, no institutional funding and no M&A activity. The firm maintains an active content marketing presence through its blog and 1776 Report but does not advertise proprietary technology, AI capabilities or scalable enterprise offerings.

Name

56 Capital Partners

Legal name

56 Capital Partners

Website

https://56capitalpartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

56 Capital Partners is a small, SEC-registered investment advisor in Colorado Springs, CO, offering fiduciary investment management, retirement planning, and fee-based financial planning to individuals, families, and business owners, primarily through a two-advisor concierge model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory (BPAHADAB)

Keywords

• Financial advisory services
• Retirement planning
• Investment management
• Fiduciary financial planning
• Estate planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Fee-Based Financial Planning: Flat fee for comprehensive financial plans, established on a per-case basis. Fees disclosed in writing ahead of time so clients know exactly what they are being charged.
2. Assets Under Management (AUM): Percentage-based fees charged on assets under management. Securities business introduced through Interactive Brokers LLC, member FINRA & SIPC.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

56 Capital Partners is a Registered Investment Advisor that sells fee-based financial advisory services to individuals and families. Its core deliverables are Investment Management (tailored portfolios with proprietary hedging strategies using derivatives), Retirement Planning (income, Social Security, pension, and legacy planning), and Fee-based Financial Planning following the CFP planning process. Supporting paid offerings include Education Planning (529 Plans, UGMA/UTMA, Coverdell ESA) and Estate Planning (wills, trusts, beneficiary accounts coordinated with attorneys).

Product overview

56 Capital Partners is a Registered Investment Advisor offering a suite of financial advisory services centered on investment management, retirement planning, and fee-based financial planning. The core offering consists of three main services: Investment Management (with proprietary hedging strategies and portfolio management), Retirement Planning (comprehensive retirement income and legacy planning), and Fee-based Financial Planning (following CFP planning process). Additional supporting services include Education Planning (529 Plans, education savings accounts), Estate Planning assistance, Financial Calculators, and an educational blog. The firm operates as a concierge-style advisory practice serving clients across multiple states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Investment Management Tailored portfolio management for individuals and families, including account consolidation, rebalancing, ongoing monitoring, and the application of proprietary hedging strategies using derivatives and asset allocation adjustments to mitigate portfolio volatility and generate additional income. Accounts are custodied at Interactive Brokers.
• Retirement Planning Comprehensive retirement planning service offering personalized solutions, fiduciary analysis, education on plan implementation, regular reviews, and legacy planning. Covers Social Security optimization, pension strategies, business sale planning, and emergency fund establishment for individuals approaching or in retirement.
• Fee-based Financial Planning Individual financial plans following the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) planning process, providing an assessment of the client's current financial position relative to their goals with detailed plans including pros and cons that clients can implement with their chosen specialists. Charged as a flat fee established on a per case basis, disclosed in writing ahead of time.
• Education Planning Education expense planning service for families, covering 529 Plans, UGMA/UTMA plans, Coverdell ESA accounts, and other education savings vehicles, helping determine which options suit family needs.
• Estate Planning Strategic planning for estate distribution and end-of-life financial strategies. The firm coordinates with estate planning attorneys to establish appropriate documents including wills, trusts, beneficiary accounts, and business transfers.
• Financial Calculators Self-help interactive financial calculators available to the public, including a Budget Calculator, Car Loan Calculator, Mortgage Calculator, Retirement Calculator, and Simple Savings Calculator, provided by Wealth Management Systems Inc.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clients can avoid probate and reduce estate taxes with proper planning
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Interactive Brokers LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationInteractive Brokers provides custody and trading platform for client accounts. Securities introduced through Interactive Brokers LLC, member FINRA & SIPC. Clients access accounts through IB portal for investment management.
• AdvizrcoreTechnology or IntegrationFinancial planning software platform used for the My Plan client portal, providing comprehensive financial plan management and document storage.
• Estate Planning AttorneysstrategicImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFirm acts as quarterback coordinating with estate planning attorneys to establish appropriate legal documents including wills, trusts, and powers of attorneys.
• CPAs/Tax ProfessionalsstrategicImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCoordinate with CPAs for tax planning and preparation. Firm helps clients find tax professionals and ensures tax strategies align with overall financial plans.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Facet Wealth: Flat-fee digital RIA serving individuals and families across multiple states; directly comparable business model combining subscription financial planning with AUM-based investment management for mass-affluent clients.
• Carson Group: Fee-based RIA platform delivering concierge financial planning and investment management to individuals and business owners; closely comparable service mix, fiduciary positioning, and educational content marketing.

Broad incumbents

• Creative Planning: Large national RIA offering comprehensive wealth management, retirement, and estate planning to individuals and families; same suite of services but at substantially greater scale and geographic reach.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: National RIA platform providing investment management, retirement, and estate planning to individuals and business owners; comparable offering but materially larger scale and broader service portfolio.
• Edelman Financial Engines: Large RIA combining flat-fee financial planning with AUM-based investment management for individuals and families across the U.S.; similar dual-pricing model and fiduciary service suite at much greater scale.
• Schwab Personal Advisor Services: Charles Schwab's retail advisory service delivering investment management and financial planning to individuals; comparable retirement and wealth advisory services but at scale with significantly lower fees.
• Vanguard Personal Advisor Services: Vanguard's hybrid robo-plus-human advisory service offering ongoing investment advice, retirement planning, and goal-based advice to individual investors; overlapping retail wealth offering with cost-leader positioning.
• Empower Personal Advisory: Large retirement-focused wealth manager (formerly Personal Capital) offering investment management and financial planning to individuals; comparable suite of retirement and wealth planning services at much greater scale.
• Fisher Investments: Large private wealth manager delivering portfolio management and retirement planning to high-net-worth individuals; overlapping investment management and retirement income service categories, though it focuses on HNW clients.

Emerging players

• XY Planning Network: Network of fee-only financial advisors serving Gen X and Gen Y clients with flat-fee planning and AUM-based investment management; similar target market, fee-only model, and tech-forward advisor tooling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/56CapPartners
• Facebookfacebook.com/56capitalpartners
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/56-capital-partners

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 56 Capital Partners