Gearhart & Associates

What Gearhart & Associates does

Gearhart & Associates LLC is an SEC registered investment adviser headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in 2022 by Kyle Gearhart. The firm provides personalized financial planning and investment management services to individual investors and savers, with a distinguishing specialization in closed-end funds where it leverages Raymond James' research platform to identify funds trading at discounts to net asset value on secondary markets. Service offerings include comprehensive financial planning covering retirement, tax, estate, and legacy planning, delivered through CFP-certified professionals using a conservative, fiduciary investment philosophy. The firm's client base spans individual savers pursuing wealth growth and preservation, with a secondary segment serving organizations and institutions with financial planning needs.

The business operates on a professional services revenue model typical of registered investment advisers, with fees likely structured around assets under management or fee-for-service arrangements (specific pricing is not publicly disclosed). Go-to-market relies on direct advisor-client consultations, regional presence in the Cincinnati market, content marketing through website blogs and social media, and annual client events such as the Year Ahead series at Kenwood Country Club. The firm is sole-proprietor-owned by Kyle Gearhart, who serves as President and CIO with 30 years of industry experience and prior recognition on Raymond James' Global Top 50 Advisors list. Operationally, the firm depends on Raymond James as a core partnership for client portal access, custody, research, vault, and tax reporting infrastructure. The team has expanded incrementally since founding with the addition of a VP-level Financial Advisor, a CPA, and operations staff, though the firm remains small at 1-10 employees with no external institutional backing, no funding rounds, and no disclosed revenue.

Name

Gearhart & Associates

Legal name

Gearhart & Associates LLC

Website

https://gearhart-assoc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gearhart & Associates is a Cincinnati-based SEC registered investment adviser founded in 2022, providing personalized financial planning and wealth management to individual investors, with a specialty in closed-end fund investing supported by Raymond James' research platform.

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)

akta.pro primary industry

Portfolio Construction & Asset Allocation Advisory (FSAEAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Broker-Dealer Affiliated Wealth Advisory (FSAEABAB)

Keywords

• Financial advisory services
• Wealth management
• Investment planning
• Closed-end funds
• Retirement planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Financial Advisory Services: The firm generates revenue through financial advisory and investment management services. As an SEC registered investment adviser operating under the fiduciary standard, they provide personalized investment planning, portfolio management, and wealth advisory services to individual clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gearhart & Associates is an SEC registered investment adviser that delivers personalized financial planning and investment management services to individual investors. The firm specializes in closed-end fund strategies, sourcing opportunities on secondary markets where shares trade below net asset value, while also providing broader wealth management, retirement, estate, and tax planning guidance under a fiduciary standard.

Product overview

Gearhart & Associates operates as a single-service financial advisory firm offering personalized wealth management and investment planning. The core offering consists of financial planning and advisory services delivered by CFP® certified professionals, complemented by specialized closed-end fund investment expertise. Additional support is provided through client resources and educational materials including news, market insights, and third-party tools for account management. The firm does not operate a platform-plus-modules architecture but rather provides integrated advisory services tailored to individual client needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Financial Planning and Advisory Services
• Closed-End Fund Investment Services

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Raymond JamescoreTechnology or IntegrationGearhart & Associates operates as an independent practice while leveraging Raymond James' institutional research platform and closed-end fund research capabilities. The firm relies on Raymond James' specialized expertise and extensive closed-end fund research to find opportunities for clients. Clients access accounts through Raymond James client portal and the firm uses their operational infrastructure including vault services and tax reporting systems.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Independent, fee-only RIA focused on evidence-based financial planning and wealth management for individuals. Closely comparable to Gearhart in fiduciary stance, planning-first orientation, and boutique scale.
• Edward Jones: Large traditional wealth advisory firm serving individual investors with conservative, planning-led advice. Comparable in client demographic (retirees/savers) and conservative-investment philosophy.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: National RIA offering comprehensive financial planning and investment management to individuals and institutions with a fiduciary model similar to Gearhart's. Comparable in offering breadth and client-centric positioning.
• Carson Group: Wealth management firm that supports independent advisors and serves individual investors with holistic planning. Comparable in advisor-supported model and emphasis on planning-centric, fiduciary advice.
• Commonwealth Financial Network: Independent broker-dealer and RIA that provides custody, technology, and practice management support to independent financial advisors — structurally analogous to how Raymond James supports Gearhart.
• Raymond James Financial: Gearhart & Associates operates as an independent practice on Raymond James' platform, using its custody, client portal, research, and back-office infrastructure. Raymond James is the most directly comparable counterparty given the embedded operating relationship.

Broad incumbents

• Stifel Financial: Diversified wealth management and investment banking firm with a sizable independent-advisor channel. Comparable as a full-service incumbent offering planning and investment management to individual clients similar to Gearhart's.
• Cetera Financial Group: Independent broker-dealer and RIA support platform serving independent financial advisors across the U.S. Comparable as a competing 'home' for fiduciary-minded independent practices similar to Gearhart.
• Focus Financial Partners: Partnership of independent RIAs providing scale, capital, and back-office support to fiduciary advisory firms. Comparable as a structural model that Gearhart could grow into, and competes for the same advisor-talent pool.
• LPL Financial: Largest independent broker-dealer in the U.S., supporting thousands of independent RIAs with custody, research, and technology. A broader incumbent playing the same 'platform for independent advisors' role as Raymond James.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gearhartassociates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gearhart-associates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Gearhart & Associates