Varra Financial Associates

What Varra Financial Associates does

Varra Financial Associates is a privately held, independent financial advisory firm headquartered in Louisville, Colorado, providing financial planning and investment management services to Colorado business owners, young professionals, and pre-retirees. The firm operates a multi-generational team model in which multiple advisors collaborate on each client plan; current leadership includes Founder Gina Varra, CEO and Partner Cameron Dunford, President and Partner James Johnson, Financial Planner Chanda Sloat, and Financial Advisor Matt Danaher, supported by operations and client service staff. Headcount is 1–10 and the firm has no external private equity or venture capital backing.

The service offering is structured as a two-phase engagement. Phase 1 is a 12-month Comprehensive Financial Planning engagement delivered in three published tiers — Core (from $3,000+), Comprehensive (from $5,000+), and Advanced (from $7,500+) — whose scope scales with client complexity. Phase 2 transitions clients into ongoing planning and investment management under a five-band AUM fee schedule that ranges from 1.0% on the first $1M down to 0.5% above $10M. The technology stack is entirely third-party: eMaplan for financial planning delivery, SEI Connect for investment reporting, and LPL AccountView through LPL Financial (member FINRA/SIPC) for securities and custody, while advisory services are offered through the affiliated RIA Varra Wealth Management, LLC.

Revenue is generated through subscription-style annual planning fees and recurring AUM-based management fees, with no revenue figure disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, combining educational content (blog and monthly newsletter), community partnerships with Louisville-area nonprofits (Two Ponds Preservation, Guys Who Give, Women Who Care, Urban Peak), and direct discovery meetings. The firm operates exclusively within Colorado and is constrained by the licensing footprint of its LPL Financial registered representatives; its declared founding year is 1965 (per firmographics), while the current operating entity under Gina Varra and Wayne Varra's joint leadership dates to 2002 per the company timeline.

Name

Varra Financial Associates

Legal name

Varra Financial Associates

Website

https://varrafinancial.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Varra Financial Associates is a privately held, independent financial advisory firm in Louisville, Colorado, providing tiered financial planning and investment management services to Colorado business owners, young professionals, and pre-retirees through a multi-advisor team model under LPL Financial and affiliate RIA Varra Wealth Management, LLC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management and Financial Advisory Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) Wealth Management (FSAEABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Comprehensive Financial Planning (FSAEAAAA), Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB), Portfolio Management–Led RIAs (Discretionary/Model-Based) (FSAAACAC)

Keywords

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

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

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

Revenue model

1. Financial Planning Fees (Phase 1): Comprehensive financial planning services with minimum fee of $3,000, varying by complexity and scope of engagement. Includes one full year of service with regular client meetings.
2. Assets Under Management (AUM) Fees (Phase 2): Ongoing investment management fees based on assets under management, charged as percentage of investable assets. Fee covers both ongoing planning service and investment management, paid directly from investments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Varra Financial Associates delivers fee-based comprehensive financial planning and ongoing investment management to individuals and business owners in Colorado. Engagements are structured as a Phase 1 comprehensive financial plan (starting at $3,000) and an optional Phase 2 of ongoing planning paired with AUM-based investment management. Specialized tracks are offered for business owners, young professionals, and pre-retirees, with services spanning retirement, tax, estate, risk, and succession planning.

Product overview

Varra Financial Associates offers a tiered financial planning service with three levels—Core ($3,000+), Comprehensive ($5,000+), and Advanced ($7,500+)—each as a 12-month engagement with increasing scope and complexity. Services include investment advisory with AUM fees (tiered from 1.0% to 0.5%), and specialized sub-brands targeting Business Owners, Young Professionals, and Pre-Retirees. The firm provides individual services including Wealth Management, Risk Management, Tax Efficiency, Estate Planning, Cash Flow Analysis, and Income Distribution. Advisory services are provided through Varra Wealth Management, LLC (registered investment advisor), with securities through LPL Financial. Clients access planning and reporting through third-party portals (Emaplan, SEI Connect, LPL Account View).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Varra Wealth Management, LLC: Registered investment advisor entity through which advisory services are offered, separate from the main Varra Financial Associates operating entity.

Products and services

• Core — Initial Financial Plan Entry-level comprehensive financial planning engagement priced at $3,000+ with a 12-month commitment, targeted at individuals and families seeking foundational planning. Includes portfolio strategies, retirement outlook, life and long-term care insurance needs analysis, basic estate plan review, and RMDs and withdrawal strategies.
• Comprehensive — Initial Financial Plan Mid-tier comprehensive financial planning engagement priced at $5,000+ with a 12-month commitment. Includes financing strategies, education and family wealth planning, estate and philanthropy analysis, income tax analysis, small business planning, and employee stock compensation planning, plus all Core benefits.
• Advanced — Initial Financial Plan Premium comprehensive financial planning engagement priced at $7,500+ with a 12-month commitment. Includes complex portfolio strategies, advanced cash flow analysis, specialized family needs strategies, advanced estate and philanthropy strategies, complex income tax strategies, and advanced business strategies, plus all Comprehensive benefits.
• Phase 1: Comprehensive Financial Planning Initial phase of the firm's engagement model involving a thorough review of the client's current financial situation including goals, values, concerns, risk tolerance, and timelines, and the delivery of tailored recommendations with one full year of service and regular client meetings. Minimum planning fee of $3,000.
• Phase 2: Ongoing Planning and Investment Management Optional follow-on phase combining ongoing financial planning with direct management of client investable assets, with hands-on investment management ensuring alignment with goals and adaptation to changing circumstances. Priced via an AUM-based fee model.
• Investment Advisory Services (Tiered AUM Fee) Direct management of investable assets under a tiered AUM fee schedule: 1.0% for $0–$1M, 0.8% for $1M–$3M, 0.7% for $3M–$5M, 0.6% for $5M–$10M, and 0.5% for $10M+. The fee covers both ongoing planning services and investment management. Securities are offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC.
• Business Financial Planning Services Specialty financial planning track for Colorado business owners at every stage of business development, from start-up through growth, maturity, and transition or sale. Includes risk management, business insurance planning, cash flow analysis, employee benefits, group retirement plans, tax management, estate planning, and business succession and continuity planning.
• Young Professionals Financial Planning Specialty financial planning track for young professional families and individuals seeking to maximize their financial potential. Includes creating a financial plan, benefit reviews, insurance planning, educational planning, employee stock option analysis, investing and asset management, tax planning, and cash flow management.
• Pre-Retirees Financial Planning Specialty financial planning track for individuals approaching or in retirement. Includes income distribution strategies, ROTH conversion strategies, charitable giving strategies, life insurance and long-term care planning, estate and legacy planning, social security and pension analysis, and cash flow analysis.
• Wealth Management Inclusive wealth management service covering all aspects of clients' financial lives through a comprehensive, independent advisory approach seeking the best possible services and products for clients.
• Risk Management Risk management service that analyzes clients' financial situations, identifies vulnerable aspects, and works with clients to build financial plans that strengthen their position and provide security in their investments.
• Tax Efficiency Tax efficiency service providing awareness of different strategies that may be more advantageous for clients' tax situations and helping clients understand the right questions to ask their accountant regarding tax planning.
• Estate Planning Estate planning service ensuring client estates are distributed as intended, working with clients to ensure loved ones are cared for through life's transitions.
• Cash Flow Analysis Dynamic cash flow management service used at all stages of financial planning, proactively reviewing established goals and prioritizing cash flow allocation to align with client goals.
• Income Distribution
• Investment Management Holistic and personalized investment management service grounded in strategic financial planning. Delivered with a fiduciary standard, uncompromising integrity, independent advice, transparency, and disciplined management, and combined with tailored financial planning for a streamlined client experience.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LPL FinancialcoreTechnology or IntegrationSecurities services provider. Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Provides infrastructure for investment management and securities transactions.
• Varra Wealth Management, LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationRegistered investment advisor subsidiary providing advisory services. Separate entity from Varra Financial Associates but affiliated through common ownership.
• Two Ponds PreservationminorOthersLocal Colorado nonprofit focused on outdoor education. Varra Financial supports through donations and volunteer work. James Johnson serves as President of the organization.
• Guys Who GiveminorOthersLocal charitable giving organization in Louisville, Colorado. Varra Financial partners with for community giving initiatives.
• Women Who CareminorOthersLocal women's giving circle in Louisville, Colorado. Varra Financial partners with for community philanthropy.
• Urban PeakminorOthersColorado nonprofit serving youth experiencing homelessness. Varra Financial supports through donations and community involvement.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Modera Wealth Management: Mid-sized fee-only RIA providing financial planning, investment management, and tax services to households and business owners. Comparable operating model with team-based advisor structure.
• Blankenship Steiner Wealth Management: Independent fee-only wealth management firm offering comprehensive financial planning and investment management to business owners and individuals, with a team-based continuity model analogous to Varra.
• Facet Wealth: Flat-fee comprehensive financial planning firm targeting mass-affluent and business-owner clients with a technology-enabled advisory model. Closely comparable Core/Comprehensive/Advanced-tier planning-fee structure.
• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Fee-only RIA focused on comprehensive financial planning and evidence-based investment management for individuals and business owners. Closely comparable in service architecture and client segmentation.
• Glassman Wealth Services: Small team-based independent RIA offering comprehensive fee-only financial planning and investment management to business owners and individuals. Highly comparable in size, fee-for-service + AUM model, and multi-generational team approach.
• One Charles River Wealth Management: Independent fee-based advisory firm offering holistic financial planning and AUM-based investment management to business owners and families. Closely comparable service scope and client persona mix.

Others

• Envestnet | Tamarac: Advisor technology and wealth management platform providing portfolio management, reporting and CRM tools to RIAs including independent firms. Comparable as enabling infrastructure that an RIA like Varra could adopt alongside LPL/SimplyWealth/etc.

Broad incumbents

• Edelman Financial Engines: Large national RIA combining automated investment management with personal advisor support, serving retirement plan participants, individuals, and business owners. Comparable fiduciary RIA positioning at vastly greater scale.
• Carson Wealth Management: Larger national RIA-affiliated firm offering comprehensive financial planning and AUM-based investment management, with corporate-style resources, coaching, and an advisor network. Comparable business model; Varra is a much smaller, single-office analogue.
• Creative Planning: Large fee-only RIA delivering comprehensive financial planning and investment management to business owners and high-net-worth households nationwide. Comparable service mix and fiduciary positioning; much greater scale and geographic reach than Varra.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/varrafinancialassociates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/varra-financial-associates

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 Varra Financial Associates