Freedom Investment Counsel

What Freedom Investment Counsel does

Freedom Investment Counsel, LLC is a private, family-owned independent registered investment advisory firm headquartered in Corpus Christi, Texas. Founded by Marty Evans — a former U.S. Army commissioned officer who has served as a fee-based discretionary portfolio manager since 2001 — the firm operates as a Dave Ramsey SmartVestor Pro and delivers advisory services through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., with securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. Its product offering is bifurcated into asset-based advisory accounts (discretionary or non-discretionary portfolio management with consolidated performance reporting and periodic investment plan updates) and commission-based relationships involving mutual funds and annuities, supplemented by Financial Goal Planning for retirement-age clients. The client base is concentrated in South Texas and spans business owners, self-employed professionals, retired couples, young families, and individuals from oilfield and refinery, healthcare, education, agriculture, law enforcement, and military backgrounds.

The firm has no proprietary technology platform. Its operating stack is assembled entirely from third-party providers: Charles Schwab for asset custody, American Funds for mutual fund holdings, CIR Statements for consolidated account reporting, and NetXInvestor for client account access. Client acquisition is community-led and referral-driven, relying on Marty Evans's facilitation of Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University at local churches since 2004, the SmartVestor Pro referral network, and local in-person networking — rather than traditional advertising or digital marketing. The leadership team currently consists of three licensed advisors: founder Marty Evans, his son Jeff Evans (joined summer 2016 after 12.5 years in federal law enforcement), and Alana Saenz (joined 2022, licensed January 2025). The firm is licensed to offer securities products across approximately 18 states, though its active service geography is concentrated in South Texas.

Customer concentration is low by construction: no anchor enterprise clients are disclosed, revenue is generated across a long tail of individual households and small businesses paying per-account asset-based fees or transaction commissions, and the firm is privately held with no institutional ownership or external funding. The business model is accordingly a small, lifestyle-oriented RIA with limited operating leverage, modest growth investment, and succession risk concentrated in a three-person advisor bench.

Name

Freedom Investment Counsel

Legal name

Freedom Investment Counsel, LLC

Website

https://freedom-ic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Freedom Investment Counsel is a family-owned, independent RIA in Corpus Christi, Texas, offering asset-based advisory and commission-based investment services to individuals, families, and small businesses in South Texas through the Dave Ramsey SmartVestor Pro program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Advisory Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Fee-Only Advisory (FSAEAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary) (FSAAABAD)

Keywords

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

Headquarters

HQ city

Corpus Christi

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advisory Services (Asset-Based Fee): Advisory clients pay an asset-based fee covering all services. The firm manages accounts with discretionary authority when granted, or in non-discretionary arrangements where clients retain full control. Includes performance reporting and periodic investment plan updates.
2. Commission-Based Products: Commission-based revenue from mutual fund and annuity investments. Comparative cost analysis provided to clients to evaluate commission-based vs fee-based suitability. Financial Goal Planning offered for retirement-age clients accumulating significant assets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Freedom Investment Counsel is a local, family-owned independent registered investment advisory firm that provides personalized investment management and financial planning to individuals, families, small businesses, and trusts in the South Texas community. The firm offers two principal account structures—asset-based fee Advisory Services (with discretionary or non-discretionary portfolio management and consolidated performance reporting) and Commission-Based Relationships (mutual fund and annuity investments with financial goal planning)—and delivers its services under the Dave Ramsey SmartVestor Pro sub-brand through face-to-face consultations at its Corpus Christi office.

Product overview

Freedom Investment Counsel is a financial advisory firm operating as a platform offering two primary account structures: Advisory Services with asset-based fees providing discretionary or non-discretionary portfolio management, and Commission-Based Relationships for mutual fund and annuity investments. The firm is organized under the SmartVestor Pro sub-brand (Dave Ramsey endorsed) and delivers services through a structured financial planning process that includes data gathering, goal setting, plan development, investment selection, implementation, and ongoing monitoring. Advisory clients receive consolidated account reporting through CIR Statements, with access to custody options through Charles Schwab and American Funds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SmartVestor Pro: Dave Ramsey SmartVestor Pro advisor program - financial planning and investment advisory services based on Dave Ramsey's financial principles.

Products and services

• Advisory Services Asset-based fee advisory accounts providing comprehensive investment management with discretionary or non-discretionary authority, consolidated performance reporting across all accounts via CIR Statements, and periodic updates to the investment plan for individual clients, families, small businesses, and trusts in the South Texas region.
• Commission-Based Investment Relationships Commission-based investment accounts utilizing mutual funds or annuities, with comparative cost analysis presented to clients and Financial Goal Planning added as clients approach retirement and accumulate a sizable nest egg; suitable for retirement-age or near-retirement individuals.
• Financial Planning Process A comprehensive personal financial planning process covering goal establishment, investment selection, plan implementation, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation for individuals, families, small businesses, and trusts.
• SmartVestor Pro Advisory Program Investment advisory program delivered under the Dave Ramsey SmartVestor Pro endorsement, providing clients with a useful understanding of their overall financial situation based on the proven Financial Peace principles of saving, debt avoidance, and long-term investing.

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

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSecurities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a registered investment advisory firm. This partnership enables Freedom Investment Counsel to operate as an independent advisor while utilizing Cambridge's brokerage infrastructure and regulatory coverage.
• Dave Ramsey SmartVestor ProcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFirm operates as a Dave Ramsey SmartVestor Pro, an endorsed local provider for investment advice. Marty Evans became the only Dave Ramsey Endorsed Local Provider in the local area in 2007, which has evolved into the SmartVestor Pro program. This partnership provides marketing referrals and brand credibility within the Ramsey audience.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Creative Planning: Large independent RIA offering fee-based investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals and families. Comparable to Freedom Investment Counsel's core business model of discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management for mass-affluent clients, scaled nationally.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Independent, fee-based RIA providing comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and retirement planning to individuals and families. Comparable to Freedom Investment Counsel in service mix and target client base, expanded through acquisitions.
• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Independent, fee-only RIA specializing in evidence-based financial planning and investment management for individuals. Comparable to Freedom Investment Counsel's objective, advice-led approach to portfolio management and financial planning for mass-affluent clients.
• Carson Group: Independent wealth management firm supporting financial advisors with coaching, technology, and back-office infrastructure. Comparable to Freedom Investment Counsel's RIA-plus-financial-planning model, with a parallel focus on advisor succession and growth.

Broad incumbents

• Commonwealth Financial Network: Independent broker-dealer and RIA platform supporting independent financial advisors with custody, technology, and compliance. Comparable to the role Cambridge Investment Research plays for Freedom Investment Counsel, as a broader scaled version of the same independent-advice ecosystem.
• Edward Jones: Large national brokerage serving individuals and families with retirement and investment planning through a network of local branch advisors. Competes with Freedom Investment Counsel in the same retail financial-advice market but with a wired, captive product model rather than independent RIA structure.
• Edelman Financial Engines: Large independent RIA combining financial planning with workplace retirement plan services and individual investment advice. Comparable to Freedom Investment Counsel's investment advisory work and retirement-focused segment, but at significantly greater scale and with proprietary technology.
• Fisher Investments: Large independent investment management firm serving high-net-worth individuals and institutions with discretionary portfolio management. Comparable to Freedom Investment Counsel's discretionary asset-based advisory offering, but serving a larger and more affluent client base.
• LPL Financial: Largest independent broker-dealer in the U.S., supporting thousands of independent financial advisors with custody, technology, and clearing. Operates in the same independent-advice ecosystem as Freedom Investment Counsel, though at vastly greater scale and through a captive-affiliated RIA.

Others

• Cambridge Investment Research: The broker-dealer and RIA platform that Freedom Investment Counsel partners with for securities and advisory infrastructure. Although not a direct competitor (it is the firm's host platform), it is a direct structural comparison for the independent RIA business model and the channel through which Freedom Investment Counsel reaches clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FreedomInvestmentCounsel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/24801277

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Freedom Investment Counsel