Keating & Associates

What Keating & Associates does

Keating & Associates is a privately held, SEC-registered investment advisory firm founded in 1975 by Patrick Keating in Manhattan, Kansas. The company operates a multi-vertical financial services platform serving three primary customer segments: individuals and families seeking comprehensive financial planning and investment management; business owners needing retirement plan administration, employee benefits, insurance, and succession planning; and independent financial advisors who join the firm through the Advisor Freedom Solution, a channel that provides operational infrastructure, custodian access, compliance support, and competitive payouts in exchange for affiliation. Revenue is generated through five streams: SEC-registered investment advisory fees (discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management), financial planning service fees, insurance product commissions (life, disability, long-term care, Medicare), third-party administration fees for retirement and flex benefit plans (FSA, HSA, dependent care), and transaction-based fees from broker-dealer activity through Raymond James.

The technology stack is built on integrations with institutional partners rather than proprietary systems. Keating uses Raymond James and Charles Schwab as dual custodians, Alerus for retirement plan recordkeeping (supporting 8,500+ employer-sponsored plans and $305M+ in plan assets), Fidelity for retirement plan financial management, and additional recordkeepers including Nationwide, John Hancock, Vanguard, American Funds, and Ascensus. eMoney supports financial planning workflows, WEX Health powers flex benefits administration, and Kolbe Corp provides the licensed KOLBE behavioral assessment. Proprietary offerings include the Keating Premier Platform (retirement plan administration), the Entrepreneurs Navigator System (ENS, a structured business owner planning process), and the Advisor Freedom Solution (independent advisor enablement).

The firm distributes through 6 physical offices (Manhattan KS, Overland Park KS, Wichita KS, Lawrence KS, Chicago IL, Rockford IL) and a network of 30+ independent advisor partners operating under sub-brands such as Purposeful Wealth Advisors, Steadfast Wealth Group, The Weddle Team, Meinhardt, Tony Hayden Financial Advisor, and Gideon Dowers. Marketing is content-driven (blog, YouTube, LinkedIn) with client acquisition heavily reliant on advisor referral networks and CPA/attorney partnerships. The company remains founder/principal-owned under Patrick J. Keating with no external private equity, venture, or public market capital; no acquisitions, divestitures, or leadership changes are disclosed in the source material.

Name

Keating & Associates

Legal name

Keating & Associates, Inc.

Website

https://keatinginc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Keating & Associates is a privately held, SEC-registered investment advisory firm founded in 1975, serving individuals, business owners, and independent financial advisors across 6 Midwest offices with investment management, financial planning, insurance, retirement plan administration, and an advisor platform offering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Advisory Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Fee-Only Advisory (FSAEAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Employer Retirement Plan Advisory (401(k)/Pension) (FSAEABAE)

Keywords

• Financial planning services
• Investment management services
• Retirement plan administration
• Insurance advisory services
• Wealth management advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Investment Advisory Services: SEC-registered investment adviser offering discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services. Advisory fees charged for portfolio management and consulting services to pension and employee benefit plans and individual clients.
2. Financial Planning Services: Comprehensive financial planning services including cash flow analysis, education savings, retirement planning, risk and insurance analysis, estate planning, portfolio analysis, and charitable giving. May be offered as modular services or combined packages.
3. Insurance Services: Insurance products including life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, Medicare solutions, and key employee benefits. Revenue generated through insurance commissions.
4. Third Party Administration Services: Retirement plan administration and flex benefits administration (FSA, HSA, dependent care FSA) provided to employer clients. Revenue from administration fees.
5. Broker-Dealer Services: Investment management through Raymond James as broker-dealer partner, providing clearing and custodial services along with Charles Schwab.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Keating & Associates is a financial services firm offering investment management, wealth planning, insurance, retirement plan administration, Medicare solutions, and business consulting for individuals and businesses. The firm also operates the Advisor Freedom Solution platform, providing operational support, custodian access, and back-office infrastructure to independent financial advisors. Additional proprietary offerings include the Keating Premier Platform for retirement plan administration and the Entrepreneurs Navigator System (ENS) for business owners.

Product overview

Keating & Associates operates as a financial services firm offering a platform-plus-services model. The core offering includes the Keating Premier Platform for retirement plan administration, the proprietary Entrepreneurs Navigator System (ENS) for business planning, and the Advisor Freedom Solution for independent advisors. Services span investment management, wealth planning, insurance, employee benefits, Medicare sales, and business consulting. The firm supports advisors with operational infrastructure including access to multiple custodians (Charles Schwab, Raymond James) and recordkeeping platforms (Alerus, Nationwide, John Hancock, Vanguard, American Funds, Ascensus), plus flex benefits administration through WEX Health. KOLBE behavioral assessments are offered as an add-on for team optimization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Keating Premier Platform: Customized retirement planning platform for businesses and employees, featuring administration through Alerus, recordkeeping, and financial management through Fidelity.
• The Entrepreneurs Navigator System (ENS)
• KOLBE
• Advisor Freedom Solution
• Purposeful Wealth Advisors
• Steadfast Wealth Group
• Tony Hayden Financial Advisor
• Meinhardt
• Gideon Dowers
• The Weddle Team

Products and services

• Investment Management Goal-focused financial strategies including asset management, wealth protection, retirement income planning, tax-loss harvesting, legacy planning, trust management, charitable gifting strategies, and investment analysis delivered through partner advisors with multiple custodial options including Charles Schwab and Raymond James.
• Wealth Planning Solutions Comprehensive financial planning services including retirement planning, cash flow analysis, estate planning, insurance planning, tax planning, charitable gifting strategies, education planning, Medicare planning, Social Security planning, and business succession planning for individuals and families.
• Third Party Administration Services Retirement plan administration and flex benefits administration including FSA, HSA, and dependent care FSA management. Services include compliance supervision, recordkeeping, and plan documents compliant with IRS and HIPAA regulations for employer clients.
• Insurance Services Individual and business insurance services including life insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance, Medicare solutions, and key employee benefits. Customized protection plans delivered as standalone offerings.
• Employee Benefits Custom-tailored employee benefit plans for businesses including retirement plans (Safe-harbor 401k, SEP, one-person 401k), flex benefit programs, and partnership with multiple providers for individualized company plans.
• Business Insurance Services Key employee benefits including life insurance, disability insurance, deferred compensation plans, and long-term care insurance for select employees, designed to attract and retain key personnel for business clients.
• Business Consulting Business consulting services for business owners including succession planning, quarterly coaching sessions, planning tools, and KOLBE consulting for team optimization and improved communication.
• Keating Premier Platform Customized retirement plan administration platform that streamlines plan management, fulfills fiduciary responsibilities, and provides plan enhancements, education, and ongoing investment reviews for businesses and their employees. Administration by Keating & Associates with recordkeeping through Alerus and financial management through Fidelity.
• The Entrepreneurs Navigator System (ENS) Proprietary process for estate planning, insurance consulting, and educational workshops that helps business owners manage personal and business pursuits more effectively, facilitating personal development and business growth.
• Advisor Freedom Solution Platform providing independent financial advisors with operational support, compliance handling, trading infrastructure, technology integration, access to top-tier custodians (Charles Schwab, Raymond James), competitive payouts, and a collaborative advisor network to scale their advisory practice.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 305M in retirement plan assets managed through Keating Premier Platform
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Raymond JamescoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary broker-dealer partner providing clearing and custodial services for investment management. Raymond James delivers industry-leading support, technology and resources enabling Keating to create custom investment strategies for clients.
• Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary custodian option for client accounts since 1987. Provides wide range of products and services including technology and service support so investors can access all accounts online and view positions, balances and account histories in one place.
• AleruscoreTechnology or IntegrationRecordkeeping partner for the Keating Premier Platform retirement plan administration. Manages over 8,500 employer sponsored retirement plans covering thousands of participants nationwide.
• Fidelity InvestmentscoreTechnology or IntegrationFinancial management partner for Keating Premier Platform. Provides infrastructure supporting trillion-dollar asset class for retirement plan management.
• Purposeful Wealth AdvisorsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent advisor team operating under the Keating umbrella, serving clients with financial planning and wealth management services.
• The Weddle TeamminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent advisor team operating under Keating, providing comprehensive financial services.
• Steadfast Wealth GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent advisor team affiliated with Keating serving clients with wealth management services.
• Laura WartaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent advisor partner operating under Keating brand with CFP and ChFC designations.
• Meinhardt (Bryson Meinhardt)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdvisor partner serving individuals, families, farmers, ranchers, and small business owners in the Midwest with personalized financial planning.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kestra Financial: PE-backed independent advisor platform that recruits breakaway advisors and supports them with operations, compliance and technology infrastructure. Directly comparable in value proposition and target customer (independent advisors) to Keating's Advisor Freedom Solution.
• Cambridge Investment Research: Independent broker-dealer supporting thousands of financial advisors with practice management, compliance and back-office services — closely analogous to Keating's Advisor Freedom model, with comparable multi-custodian flexibility and a focus on advisor independence.
• Cetera Financial Group: Independent advisor-support platform that provides broker-dealer, RIA custody and practice-management services to thousands of advisors and small firms. Competes with Keating in attracting advisors seeking independence with operational backbone.
• Commonwealth Financial Network: Independent broker-dealer/RIA serving independent financial advisors with back-office, technology and transition support — a near-twin to Keating's Advisor Freedom Solution, focused squarely on helping advisors scale practices while retaining autonomy.
• Sanctuary Wealth Group: Independent advisor partnership model that supports breakaway advisors and small advisory firms with platform services, transition support and multi-custodian choice — virtually identical positioning to Keating's Advisor Freedom Solution, including the multi-brand independent advisor structure.

Broad incumbents

• Focus Financial Partners: Leading consolidator of independent RIAs and wealth management firms, providing capital, infrastructure and operations to partner firms. Comparable in offering advisor onboarding and infrastructure support, but with a much larger consolidated AUM base and PE-style equity participation model.
• LPL Financial: Largest U.S. independent broker-dealer and RIA custody platform. Directly comparable to Keating's Advisor Freedom Solution in serving breakaway and independent advisors with operations, compliance, and custodian access, but at vastly greater scale (~$1.5T+ in advisory assets) and broader national reach.
• Advisor Group: Large independent broker-dealer and wealth management platform supporting thousands of advisors. Overlaps with Keating in offering advisor transition and back-office services, but operates at substantially greater national scale.

Emerging players

• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Multi-office national RIA offering comprehensive financial planning, investment management and retirement plan services — closely comparable to Keating's integrated platform model of retirement plan administration plus wealth and insurance services across multiple geographies.
• Plancorp: Mid-market RIA offering wealth management, retirement plan services and family office solutions to HNW individuals and business owners. Comparable to Keating's Individuals/Businesses/ENS service mix, with overlapping client segments and similar integrated advice model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3SU53nLy300EQknr1gkd-A/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/keating-advisorsolutions
• Xx.com/keatinginc
• Facebookfacebook.com/keatingassociates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Keating & Associates