Investment Services

What Investment Services does

Investment Services is a solo financial advisory practice headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, founded in 1999 and operated by a single named financial advisor, Douglas I. Donald (MBA, CPA, PFS, CRPC, CDFA). The firm delivers tax-focused wealth management, retirement planning, estate strategy, business planning, education planning, cash flow management, and insurance solutions to individuals, small business owners, and women investors, with a stated specialization in the unique needs of women and individuals navigating divorce.

The practice operates as an affiliated office within the Avantax community of Cetera Wealth Services LLC and Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, accessing the Avantax Intelligent Planning framework (a seven-area holistic planning platform spanning tax, retirement, family risk, business, legacy, education, and cash flow) and the Avantax Portfolio Management Group for centralized due diligence and asset allocation. The firm does not develop proprietary technology: its website runs on FMG Suite, and client-facing tools, research (Cetera Market Perspectives), and back-office operations are sourced from Avantax and Cetera platforms. Securities are offered through Cetera Wealth Services LLC (member FINRA/SIPC), and advisory services through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC.

Investment Services generates revenue through three streams: transaction-based brokerage commissions (Registered Representative capacity), recurring advisory fees on assets under management (Investment Adviser Representative capacity), and insurance product commissions (disability, life, long-term care). Pricing is custom-quoted; clients may engage the advisor under either or both compensation structures. Go-to-market combines content marketing (educational articles, calculators, videos), community engagement (Central Kentucky Second Saturday Divorce Workshop delivered via Zoom), FINRA BrokerCheck credentialing, and direct consultation scheduling. The practice serves clients across the United States through Cetera's regulatory footprint but is physically anchored in Lexington, KY.

Name

Investment Services

Legal name

Investment Services

Website

https://investmentservicesinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Investment Services is a Lexington, Kentucky-based solo financial advisory practice operated by Douglas I. Donald, providing tax-focused wealth management, retirement, estate, business, and divorce financial planning to individuals and small business owners through the Avantax community of Cetera Wealth Services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Advisory and Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Financial Investment Activities (5239)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Tax-Aware Investment Planning (FSAEAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Banking Business Owners & Entrepreneur Solutions (Liquidity Events, Pre-IPO) (FSABADAK), Investor Education, Research & Portfolio Analytics Services (Retail) (FSAAAAAO), Affluent / Mass-Affluent Private Banking (FSABADAC)

Keywords

• Financial planning services
• Wealth management advisory
• Retirement planning solutions
• Tax-focused investing
• Divorce financial planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Lexington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brokerage Services: Transaction-based compensation (commissions) for registered representatives offering brokerage services and securities products.
2. Investment Advisory Services: Fee-based advisory services where Investment Adviser Representatives receive fees based on assets under management.
3. Insurance Products: Insurance products including disability income insurance, life insurance, and long-term care insurance offered through the firm.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Investment Services is a solo financial advisory practice delivering tax-focused wealth management, retirement planning, estate planning, and financial planning services to individuals, families, and small business owners in the Lexington, Kentucky area. Core services include brokerage and investment advisory services offered through Cetera Wealth Services LLC and Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, insurance products (disability, life, long-term care), and specialized financial planning for women and individuals navigating divorce.

Product overview

Investment Services is a financial advisory firm offering a comprehensive suite of wealth management and planning services through the Avantax platform. The core offering consists of seven integrated planning areas: Tax-Focused Investment Strategies, Retirement Planning and Withdrawal Strategies, Family Risk Management, Business Planning, Legacy Planning, Education Planning, and Cash Flow Management. These services are delivered through Avantax Intelligent Planning (the holistic planning platform) and Avantax Portfolio Management Group (investment management). The firm also provides specialized services including Women & Investing, Divorce Financial Planning, and hosts the Central Kentucky Second Saturday Divorce Workshop. All services leverage a tax-intelligent approach and are backed by Cetera Wealth Services, with access to Cetera Market Perspectives research. The product portfolio spans investment vehicles (stocks, bonds, treasury securities, annuities), retirement accounts (Traditional/Roth/SEP/SIMPLE IRAs, 401k, 403b), insurance products, and financial planning services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Avantax: A distinct community within Cetera Wealth Services LLC providing tax-focused financial planning and investment advisory services. Avantax offers a network of independent tax and financial professionals providing comprehensive financial services to families, individuals and small businesses.
• Avantax Portfolio Management Group
• Avantax Intelligent Planning

Products and services

• Tax-Focused Investment Strategies Managing investments for long-term goals with better after-tax results. Identifies tax-efficient investment opportunities aligned with clients' long-term investment objectives to reduce tax liability.
• Retirement Planning and Withdrawal Strategies Planning for retirement income including saving and investing opportunities, expense estimation, and withdrawal strategies for retirement savings.
• Family Risk Management Protecting clients and families from financial devastation through insurance, emergency funds, and estate planning to minimize the impact of unexpected events.
• Business Planning Strategic planning services for business owners covering growth, retirement, and continuity, including cash flow management, resource allocation, and tax optimization strategies.
• Legacy Planning Strategies for passing on assets, values, and beliefs to loved ones, including estate planning document review, gift strategies, trusts, and charitable donations.
• Education Planning Planning and saving for higher education costs using vehicles including 529 savings plans and Roth IRAs with tax-saving benefits.
• Cash Flow Management Creating spending plans for short and long-term goals, helping clients understand where money is going and improve savings toward financial objectives.
• Insurance Approaches Insurance strategies including disability income insurance, life insurance, and long-term care insurance to protect clients and their families.
• Investment Accounts (Bonds, Stocks, Treasury Securities, Brokerage Accounts, IRAs) Investment vehicles including bonds, common stock, treasury bills, government securities, brokerage accounts, and retirement accounts (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Educational IRA).
• Retirement and Financial Plans (401k, 403b, College Plans, Estate Plans, Money Management) Comprehensive planning services including retirement plans, tax plans, 401k and 403b planning, college savings plans, estate plans, money management, and profit sharing plans.
• Divorce Financial Planning Specialized financial planning services for individuals going through divorce, including CDFA expertise and divorce-related calculators and worksheets for asset division and cash flow planning.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CeteracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023In 2023, Avantax joined Cetera, strengthening the ability to serve more than 3,000 Financial Professionals and approximately $107 billion in assets under administration across all 50 states. Investment Services operates as part of this Cetera network.
• AvantaxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Avantax was formed in 2019 through the unification of HD Vest and 1st Global. The firm provides tax-focused financial services and proprietary planning tools to affiliated financial professionals.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Waddell & Reed Financial: Diversified wealth management and investment advisory firm serving retail and small-business clients with planning, investment, and insurance solutions — overlapping product set and target segments.
• Northwestern Mutual: Established provider of financial planning, investments, and insurance products to individuals and business owners, with a heavy planning-led, relationship-based model comparable to Investment Services.
• LPL Financial: Largest independent broker-dealer in the U.S., supporting thousands of advisors who deliver advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions to retail and mass-affluent clients — directly comparable platform and customer profile.
• Edward Jones: Large national retail financial advisory franchise serving mass-affluent individuals and small business owners with investment, retirement, and insurance planning — overlapping with Investment Services across almost every product and segment.
• Raymond James Financial: Diversified financial services firm supporting a large independent advisor network that delivers brokerage and advisory services plus insurance and retirement planning to retail and small-business clients.
• Cambridge Investment Research: Independent broker-dealer supporting RIAs and financial advisors with advisory, brokerage, and insurance solutions for individuals and small businesses — comparable independent-practice model.
• Ameriprise Financial: Diversified financial services firm with a large independent advisor channel offering investment advisory, retirement planning, insurance, and tax-aware planning — directly comparable products and customer segments.

Emerging players

• Hightower Advisors: Fast-growing RIA platform serving high-net-worth and mass-affluent clients with comprehensive wealth, tax, and legacy planning — overlaps in planning-led delivery and tax-aware positioning.

Direct peers

• Avantax: Direct parent brand within Cetera, focused on tax-focused financial planning for individuals and small businesses. Avantax-affiliated practices share Investment Services' tax-intelligent positioning, product shelf, and target customer.
• Cetera Financial Group: Parent and network of independent financial advisor practices. Investment Services is a Cetera-affiliated practice, and Cetera's affiliated advisor model (transaction plus advisory, multi-state reach) is the most direct structural peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Investment Services