Carstens Financial Group

What Carstens Financial Group does

Carstens Financial Group is a privately held, independent financial advisory firm headquartered in Arnolds Park, Iowa, operating as an Investment Advisor Representative with 11-50 employees. The firm is led by President Kirt Carstens, CLU, ChFC, who has over two decades of experience building long-term client relationships. Carstens focuses on retirement planning for pre-retirees and retirees, with a secondary segment of business owners seeking insurance and estate strategies. The core service offering bundles retirement income strategies, tax-efficient solutions, investment planning, long-term care planning, estate preservation, and securities services.

Securities and advisory services are delivered through affiliations with CreativeOne Securities, LLC and Client One Securities, LLC, both FINRA/SIPC member broker-dealers (Carstens Financial Group explicitly states it is not affiliated with CreativeOne Securities). A related entity, Creative Marketing Wealth, Inc., is registered as an investment advisor with the state of Kansas. The firm also operates as a Licensed Insurance Professional offering life insurance and long-term care insurance products. No proprietary technology platform is built; the technology stack relies on standard industry tools, supplemented by basic online financial calculators and educational guides.

The business model is sales-led and relationship-based, with direct personal consultations and a lifetime servicing model. Revenue is generated through advisory fees and commissions on investment products and insurance policies. Go-to-market relies on top-of-funnel content marketing (an extensive blog archive dating to 2014), organic social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, email newsletters, an SEO-optimized website with free downloadable guides, and local community engagement through an annual Pro-Am Golf Tournament supporting the Wounded Warrior Project (which has raised approximately $81,849.51 over five years). The firm's geographic footprint is concentrated in Iowa with selective registration reach via its Kansas-registered RIA entity.

Name

Carstens Financial Group

Legal name

Creative Marketing Wealth, Inc.

Website

https://kcarstens.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Carstens Financial Group is an independent Iowa-based financial advisory firm led by President Kirt Carstens, providing retirement income, tax, estate, long-term care, and securities services to pre-retirees, retirees, and select business owners through affiliations with FINRA/SIPC broker-dealers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Advisory services

NAICS

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

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Life Insurance (6311)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Banking Advisory & Discretionary Portfolio Management (FSABADAD)

Keywords

• Retirement income planning
• Financial advisory services
• Estate preservation planning
• Investment management
• Long-term care insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Arnolds Park

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. Investment Advisory Services: Securities and advisory services offered through CreativeOne Securities, LLC Member FINRA/SIPC. Revenue appears to be generated through advisory fees and/or commissions on investment products sold to clients.
2. Insurance Products: Life insurance and long-term care insurance products offered through independent insurance licensing. Commissions on insurance policies sold.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Carstens Financial Group provides personalized financial advisory services for individuals approaching or in retirement, including retirement income planning, tax-efficient strategies, investment planning, long-term care solutions, and estate preservation. Securities and advisory services are offered through affiliated broker-dealers CreativeOne Securities, LLC and Client One Securities, LLC. The firm also services a smaller segment of business owners seeking insurance and estate planning solutions.

Product overview

Carstens Financial Group offers a suite of financial advisory services focused on retirement planning for individuals near or in retirement. The core offerings include Retirement Income Strategies, Tax-Efficient Solutions, Investment Planning, Long-Term Care planning, Estate Preservation, and Securities services. These services are delivered through affiliated broker-dealers (Client One Securities, LLC and CreativeOne Securities, LLC). The firm also provides supplementary tools including financial calculators and educational guides covering topics such as annuities, 401(k) management, and retirement income planning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retirement Income Strategies Comprehensive retirement income planning services designed to help clients create sustainable income streams during retirement, addressing individual needs through estate strategies and pre-retirement planning.
• Tax-Efficient Solutions Strategies focused on minimizing tax burden through various vehicles including Roth IRA conversions, health savings accounts, and strategic distribution planning to optimize after-tax retirement income.
• Investment Planning Asset allocation and investment strategy development tailored to individual risk tolerance and time horizons, with focus on protecting assets while providing moderate returns for clients near retirement.
• Long-Term Care Insurance consultation and planning services to help clients navigate options for covering long-term care needs, including hybrid life insurance products with flexible benefits.
• Estate Preservation Estate planning strategies to help clients protect and transfer wealth to heirs, minimizing tax impact and ensuring proper distribution of assets according to client wishes.
• Securities Securities and advisory services offered through affiliated broker-dealer Client One Securities, LLC and CreativeOne Securities, LLC, providing comprehensive asset management and investment solutions.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CreativeOne Securities, LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationSecurities and Advisory Services offered through CreativeOne Securities, LLC Member FINRA/SIPC. Carstens Financial Group operates as an independent Registered Representative providing financial solutions tailored to client goals.
• Client One Securities, LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationIndependent Registered Representative offering securities through Client One Securities, LLC Member FINRA/SIPC and Investment Advisor.
• Creative Marketing Wealth, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationRegistered as an investment advisor with the state of Kansas. The firm only transacts business in states where properly registered, or excluded from registration requirements.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• Cambridge Investment Research: Independent broker-dealer supporting thousands of financial advisors across the US. Similar function to CreativeOne/Client One in providing the regulatory and product infrastructure used by independent advisory practices like Carstens.
• LPL Financial: Largest independent broker-dealer in the US, providing the back-office, technology, and compliance infrastructure that underpins many independent RIAs like Carstens. Comparable not as a competitor but as the type of infrastructure partner that supports the Carstens business model.
• Cetera Financial Group: Independent broker-dealer supporting a network of financial advisors serving retail retirement and investment clients. Similar role to Carstens' B/D partners (CreativeOne, Client One) in providing execution, custody, and compliance infrastructure.
• CreativeOne Securities, LLC: FINRA/SIPC-member broker-dealer already partnered with Carstens Financial Group for securities and advisory execution. Included as a peer to reflect the firm's existing infrastructure partner relationship.

Broad incumbents

• Raymond James Financial Services: Independent contractor channel serving advisors who provide retirement and investment planning to individuals, similar to Carstens' model. Overlap is in target customer and product mix; Raymond James operates at much larger scale and offers in-house technology and research.
• Edward Jones: Large, branch-based US financial advisory franchise serving mass-affluent and pre-retiree households with retirement, investment, and estate planning. Highly comparable to Carstens in target client and service mix; broader scale, national footprint, and proprietary technology stack set it apart.
• Ameriprise Financial: Diversified financial services firm with a large independent advisor channel focused on retirement income, investment, and insurance planning. Comparable client base and product breadth; significantly larger scale and brand.
• Charles Schwab Wealth Advisory: Large retail wealth manager offering retirement planning, investment management, and advisory services to individuals. Comparable in serving retirement-focused clients; offers a hybrid advisor-plus-digital experience that pressures independent advisors' economics.
• Edelman Financial Engines: Large US financial advisory firm focused on retirement planning, investment management, and planning for mass-affluent and high-net-worth households. Closely comparable service mix to Carstens; much larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Fidelity Wealth Services: Diversified retail wealth manager with extensive retirement planning, investment advisory, and digital tools targeting pre-retirees and retirees. Comparable client segment and service breadth; vastly larger scale and technology investment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kirtcarstens
• Facebookfacebook.com/CarstensFG
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carstens-financial-group-l.l.c.

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 Carstens Financial Group