Franklin Wealth Management

What Franklin Wealth Management does

Franklin Wealth Management is a fee-only, fiduciary wealth management firm headquartered in Hixson, Tennessee (Chattanooga), operating as an SEC-registered investment adviser (advisory services offered through the affiliated Franklin Wealth Advisory, LLC). The firm serves individual households, business owners, retirees, and select institutions nationwide from a single office, delivering integrated financial planning, investment management, tax planning, estate planning, retirement planning, 401(k) management, Social Security optimization, business succession planning, and education planning. Service delivery is orchestrated around the proprietary WealthFit™ Process (Discovery, Plan Design, Implementation, Conditioning), tracked by the WealthFit™ Meter, and supplemented by the Family Index Number, Profit & Protect Investment Process, Global Income Portfolios, Retirement Income Harvesting Strategy, and a biblically-based financial planning framework affiliated with Kingdom Advisors. Joe D. Franklin, CFP® is President and Chief Compliance Officer; he is also CEO of the affiliated Innovative Advisory Partners.

The firm operates a recurring-revenue business model anchored by tiered asset management fees on assets under management, complemented by project-based financial planning fees (typically rebated when clients convert to investment management within six months) and an optional commission-based engagement for clients who prefer it. Discretionary managed accounts are rebalanced on a roughly six-month cycle. Client-facing technology is provided through an ecosystem of third-party platforms rather than proprietary software: Charles Schwab (custody), Orion Advisor (reporting), Interactive Brokers (Global Income Portfolios direct-foreign-exchange trading), Pontera (401(k) management), Cash Max / MaxMyInterest (high-yield cash optimization across nine banks), eMoney Advisor (wealth planning portal), and Formsite (client intake forms). The go-to-market is content-led and PR-driven, built on Joe Franklin's long-running media footprint in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Bloomberg, Kiplinger, USA Today, US News, MarketWatch, WealthManagement.com, Financial Planning, ThinkAdvisor, and InvestmentNews, supported by the Franklin Backstage Pass blog/newsletter and the Mustard Seed YouTube channel. Community affiliations (Kingdom Advisors, Ronald McDonald House, United Way, Chamber of Commerce) reinforce a faith-based, family-oriented brand that drives referrals from multi-generational stewards and small-business owners.

The firm is privately held with no disclosed outside investors; control resides with founder Joe Franklin. No revenue, AUM, or growth metrics are publicly disclosed.

Name

Franklin Wealth Management

Legal name

Franklin Wealth Management, LLC

Website

https://franklin-wealth.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Franklin Wealth Management is a fee-only, SEC-registered fiduciary wealth management firm in Hixson, Tennessee, serving multi-generational families, business owners, and retirees nationwide through proprietary WealthFit™ processes, investment management, retirement planning, and biblically-based financial planning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) Wealth Management (FSAEABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Financial Planning & Goals-Based Advice (Mass Affluent) (FSAAAAAF)

Keywords

• Wealth management services
• Financial planning advisory
• Retirement planning services
• Investment management advisory
• Estate and tax planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Hixson

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Asset Management Fees (AUM-based): Primary recurring revenue: asset management fees charged on a tiered scale based on assets under management and occasionally net worth. Fee-only structure — no commissions from product sales on standard engagements.
2. Financial Planning Fees (project-based): Initial planning engagements are charged a fixed fee agreed in advance based on complexity and number of areas covered. Typically partially prepaid and invoiced on completion; usually rebated if the client converts to investment management within six months.
3. Commission-based Engagements (optional): Optional commission-based arrangement available for clients who prefer it for specific investment types, though the firm prefers fee-based engagements to minimize conflicts of interest.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Franklin Wealth Management is a fee-only, fiduciary SEC-registered investment advisory firm that delivers comprehensive financial planning, discretionary investment management, retirement income planning, tax planning, estate planning, and business succession services to individuals, families, and business owners. Its advisory platform is organized around the proprietary WealthFit™ Process (Discovery, Plan Design, Implementation, Conditioning) and is supported by branded investment frameworks such as Profit & Protect, Global Income Portfolios, Retirement Income Harvesting, and the Family Index Number.

Product overview

Franklin Wealth Management (FWM) is a fee-only, fiduciary wealth-management firm headquartered in Hixson, Tennessee (Chattanooga), offering a unified advisory platform organized around the proprietary WealthFit™ Process. The WealthFit™ Process (Discovery → Plan Design → Implementation → Conditioning, tracked by the WealthFit™ Meter) sits at the core and orchestrates a suite of named modules and services: Financial Planning, Profit & Protect Investment Process, Family Index Number, Global Income Portfolios, Retirement Income Harvesting Strategy, Asset Management, Investment Management, Retirement Planning, 401(k) Management (including via Pontera), Tax Planning, Business Succession Planning, Education Planning, Estate Planning, Cash Max / Lazy Dollar Solutions, Annuity Rescue, Wealth Advisors, Social Security Advisors, and EOS Consulting. Educational and engagement layers—Franklin Backstage Pass, the Publications library, and the Biblically-Based Financial Planning framework—extend the platform with faith-based planning principles (Financial Stewardship, Charitable Giving, Inter-Generational Education & Planning). Client delivery is enabled by integrations with Charles Schwab, Orion Advisor, eMoney Advisor, Interactive Brokers, MaxMyInterest (Cash Max), and Pontera, plus Formsite-based intake forms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WealthFit™ Process Signature four-stage client engagement framework: WealthFit™ Discovery, WealthFit™ Plan Design, WealthFit™ Implementation, and WealthFit™ Conditioning, supported by a proprietary WealthFit™ Meter for tracking ongoing financial fitness. Designed for clients engaging Franklin Wealth Management for comprehensive planning.
• Profit & Protect Investment Process Five-step discretionary managed-account investment model that dynamically reallocates across asset and sector classes, uses quantitative analysis tools to optimize buy/sell decisions, and reassesses portfolio cash flows and family risk parameters as often as every six months. Includes a V-Deca stress test.
• Family Index Number A personalized rate-of-return target on portfolio assets calculated to achieve client goals while sustaining resources through their anticipated lifetime, used to insulate clients from market index volatility and noise.
• Global Income Portfolios Dynamic diversified equity-income portfolios investing in US and foreign companies via American Depository Receipts and direct ownership on local exchanges (through Interactive Brokers), managed via a five-step process for clients seeking global dividend exposure.
• Retirement Income Harvesting Strategy Three-phase retirement income approach (protected assets/storage, income production/mature trees, growth phase/young trees) designed to minimize emotional decision-making, reduce risk, overcome market volatility, and deliver inflation-adjusted income for life.
• Cash Max (Lazy Dollar Solutions) High-yield cash management solution offering automatic optimization of interest rates across nine banks, providing up to $2.25M FDIC insurance per individual and $4.5M per couple. Accessed via the Cash Max client login.
• 401(k) Management via Pontera Program that regularly rebalances and updates externally-held 401(k) portfolios with little to no ongoing involvement from clients, leveraging the Pontera platform to manage held-away retirement assets.
• Annuity Rescue Service for clients holding underperforming annuities with excessive costs, evaluating options to rescue clients from unsuitable annuity contracts.
• Financial Planning Comprehensive fee-only financial planning covering budgeting, investment management, retirement planning, tax planning, estate planning, and risk management, executed through a five-stage process.
• Retirement Planning Retirement planning service supporting 401(k), Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, and SIMPLE 401(k) plans, including expense estimation, income determination, shortfall analysis, and ongoing monitoring.
• Tax Planning Tax planning covering individual, business, estate, retirement, asset/investment, and charitable giving strategies, including implementation of Roth conversions.
• Business Succession Planning Systematic succession planning covering family succession, management buyout (MBO), ESOP, co-owner buyout, third-party sale, and liquidation scenarios, including stress testing and knowledge-transfer planning for business owners.
• Education Planning Education planning service guiding tax-efficient saving strategies and creating customized education financial plans aligned with broader financial objectives.
• Estate Planning Estate planning service providing comprehensive and customized solutions to ensure family security, addressing distribution of wealth to family, church, charities, or government.
• Asset Management Asset management service providing professional management of client assets and investments to help achieve financial success.
• Investment Management Comprehensive and detail-oriented investment management service tailoring portfolios, asset allocation, and stock research to individual client needs.
• Wealth Advisors Service Advisory service working with clients of all income levels to create comprehensive financial plans including budgeting, retirement planning, investment strategies, and estate planning.
• Social Security Advisors Service helping clients maximize Social Security benefits and navigate Social Security rules and regulations.
• EOS Consulting EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) consulting offered as part of Franklin Wealth Management's holistic service portfolio for business-owning clients.
• 401(k) Management Specialized 401(k) management for Traditional, Safe Harbor, SIMPLE, and Roth 401(k) plans, providing personalized consultation, comprehensive analysis, strategic planning, and ongoing review with transparent communication.
• Biblically-Based Financial Planning Faith-based planning framework built around three pillars — Financial Stewardship, Charitable Giving, and Inter-Generational Education & Planning — offered alongside the firm's wealth management practice for clients seeking biblically-aligned planning.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Charles SchwabcoreTechnology or IntegrationSchwab Alliance Portal is provided as a client login for account access and custody. Schwab acts as the primary custodian relationship enabling Franklin Wealth Management's fee-only advisory service.
• Orion Advisor (Orion Client Portal)coreTechnology or IntegrationFWM Orion Client Portal is offered for client account information access, supporting Franklin Wealth Management's discretionary managed account reporting.
• Pontera (formerly Easy(K))coreTechnology or IntegrationPontera powers Franklin Wealth Management's 401(k) Management Services, allowing the firm to regularly rebalance and update 401(k) portfolios with little to no ongoing client involvement.
• Interactive BrokerscoreTechnology or IntegrationInteractive Brokers enables Franklin Wealth Management's Global Income Portfolios, allowing direct foreign-exchange ownership for clients wishing to invest directly in companies on foreign exchanges.
• Cash Max (MaxMyInterest)coreTechnology or IntegrationThrough an association with TD Ameritrade (now Charles Schwab), Franklin Wealth Management offers Cash Max savings optimization that automatically places cash across up to 9 banks to maximize FDIC-insured interest, providing up to $2.25M FDIC coverage per individual ($4.5M per couple).
• LPL Financial / EMAPlan (Franklin Wealth Plan Portal)coreTechnology or IntegrationFranklin Wealth Plan login is hosted via emaplan.com (LPL Franklin Planning), powering the firm's client-facing wealth plan portal.
• Kingdom AdvisorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKingdom Advisors is the faith-based affiliation through which Franklin Wealth Management's advisors have been "refocusing on more biblically based planning, learning and growing," shaping the firm's biblically-based financial planning approach.
• Innovative Advisory PartnersflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoe D. Franklin serves as CEO of Innovative Advisory Partners and as President of Franklin Wealth Management, indicating a closely affiliated corporate relationship. The 2019 Forbes announcement credits both titles jointly.
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)coreOthersFranklin Wealth Management is an SEC-registered investment adviser; advisory services are offered through Franklin Wealth Advisory, LLC. The firm maintains Form ADV Part 2A and complies with federal filing requirements.
• Community Partner Network (Ronald McDonald House, Children's Miracle Network, Hamilton County Schools, Chamber of Commerce, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Bethel Bible Village, Humane Educational Society of Chattanooga, Kids on the Block, Junior League, Chattanooga Breakfast Rotary, United Way, National MS Society, Chattanooga Sertoma Club, McKamey Animal Center, Chattanooga Food Bank)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmployees at Franklin Wealth Management have volunteered with these community organizations, supporting the firm's faith-based, family-oriented brand and local referral network.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ronald Blue Trust: Faith-based, fee-only wealth management firm offering biblical financial planning, investment management, and estate services to Christian families — the closest direct comparable to Franklin Wealth Management's biblically-based planning niche.
• Covenant Wealth Advisors: Faith-based fee-only RIA serving Christian families and business owners with comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and legacy planning — a close direct peer in the biblically-aligned wealth management segment.
• True Vine Wealth Advisors: Christian-focused, fee-only financial planning and investment management firm serving faith-committed families with biblically-aligned stewardship — directly comparable to FWM's mission, business model, and client profile.
• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Fee-only, fiduciary wealth management firm offering comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and tax strategies to households nationwide — closely mirrors FWM's fee-only, planning-led, multi-service RIA model at a larger scale.

Others

• Kingdom Advisors: Faith-based advisor affiliation, training, and certification body that Franklin Wealth Management itself partners with; comparable as the organizing body shaping FWM's biblically-based planning approach and as a peer in the faith-aligned financial services ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Facet Wealth: Flat-fee, virtual-first financial planning firm combining CFP® advisors with digital tools to deliver comprehensive planning at a national scale — an emerging digital-native competitor targeting the same middle-market households FWM serves.

Broad incumbents

• Creative Planning: One of the largest independent fee-only RIAs in the U.S., offering comprehensive wealth management, tax, estate, and business planning to high-net-worth households — a broad incumbent whose scale and breadth contrast with FWM's boutique positioning.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: National, fee-based RIA providing financial planning, investment advisory, tax, retirement plan, and estate services — operates in the same comprehensive wealth management category as FWM but at vastly greater scale.
• Carson Group: Large national wealth management firm offering coaching, technology, and advisory services to advisors and their clients — competes for the same advisor-led, planning-driven RIA client relationships FWM serves.
• Edelman Financial Engines: Largest independent RIA in the U.S., offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan services to millions of households — a broad incumbent competitor in the fee-based wealth management category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2FFranklinWealth_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCe4HLgZfsYSmEgfd27OKamA
• Facebookweb.facebook.com/FranklinWealthManagementLLC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/franklin-wealth-management-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/franklinwealthm

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Franklin Wealth Management