What CIG Financial does

CIG Financial Services is a privately-held, family-owned financial advisory firm headquartered in Archbold, Ohio, founded in 1984 by Ray Childs and now led by his son Mike Childs, who assumed full ownership in 2005. The firm delivers investment management, comprehensive financial planning, retirement-plan services, brokerage, and insurance products to individuals, families, corporations, small businesses, charities, foundations, and nonprofit organizations across 23 states, managing more than $350 million in assets for over 1,500 households through a team of 7 investment adviser representatives and approximately 9 support staff.

The business operates through two physical offices — Archbold, Ohio (headquarters) and Fort Wayne, Indiana — using an enterprise field-sales motion built on personalized advisor-client relationships. Revenue is generated across four streams: fee-based investment advisory services delivered through affiliated registered investment advisers 724 Capital LLC and Childs Investment Group; securities and brokerage transactions executed via Independent Financial Group (IFG); insurance product commissions covering life, disability, long-term care, and medical coverage; and professional-services fees for financial planning, estate planning, and business advising. Pricing is individualized, with institutional pricing available for qualified clients and no publicly disclosed fee schedule.

CIG's technology stack is conventional for the RIA segment, relying on third-party integrations (Albridge, Black Diamond, Fidelity) for portfolio reporting and account access, with no proprietary platform or AI capabilities disclosed. The firm differentiates via its 724 Capital partnership, which provides access to a CIO, CFAs, research analysts, and institutional-grade operating systems, and via its Riskalyze-powered Learning Center for client risk profiling. Strategic growth has been deliberate and organic, including the 2020 Kirk Weldy Financial Group merger, the Fort Wayne office opening, and a 2025 leadership refresh anchored by Mike Mishler's hire as part of a succession plan, alongside expanded operational leadership from Kelli Childs.

Name

CIG Financial

Legal name

CIG Financial Services

Website

https://cigfinancialservices.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CIG Financial Services is a privately-held financial advisory firm founded in 1984 offering investment management, financial planning, insurance, and brokerage services to individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits across 23 states, managing over $350 million in assets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Advisory Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Fee-Only Advisory (FSAEAAAL)

Keywords

• Financial advisory services
• Wealth management
• Retirement planning
• Estate planning
• Investment management

Headquarters

HQ city

Archbold

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fee-Based Investment Advisory Services: Fee-based investment advisory services offered through partnerships with registered investment advisers including 724 Capital, LLC and Childs Investment Group. Services available to residents of specific states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
2. Securities and Brokerage Services: Securities offered through Independent Financial Group, LLC (IFG), a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA/SIPC. Services include stocks, bonds, mutual funds, money market accounts, and brokered certificates of deposit.
3. Insurance Products: Complete insurance coverage including term, universal, index universal, and variable universal life insurance, last survivor estate policies, disability, long-term care, and medical insurance. Available in select states including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
4. Financial Planning Services: Comprehensive financial planning services including retirement planning, estate planning, investment management, and business advising offered as part of the advisory relationship.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CIG Financial Services provides fee-based investment advisory, retirement planning, estate planning, brokerage, business advising, and insurance services to individuals, families, corporations, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Securities are offered through Independent Financial Group, LLC (FINRA/SIPC), advisory services through 724 Capital, LLC, and financial planning through affiliated Childs Investment Group, Inc.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Investment & Asset Management
• Estate Planning & Management
• Retirement Planning
• Brokerage Services
• Business Advising & Management
• Insurance Coverage
• Financial Planning Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving over 1,500 households
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 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

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• 724 Capital LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner724 Capital LLC is a registered investment adviser and SEC-registered firm that CIG has partnered with to provide diversified, institutionally driven wealth management strategies. Through this partnership, CIG gains access to a Chief Investment Officer, research analysts, and CFAs who constantly monitor markets and investments. 724 Capital also provides CIG access to advanced operating systems and data in the industry.
• Independent Financial Group (IFG)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent Financial Group, LLC is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA/SIPC. Securities are offered through IFG. IFG Registered Representatives associated with the CIG website may discuss and/or transact business only with residents of the states in which they are properly registered or licensed.
• Childs Investment Group, InccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChilds Investment Group, Inc is a Registered Investment Adviser through which CIG Financial Services offers financial planning services. The firm is an affiliated entity under common ownership with CIG Financial Services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hightower Advisors: Independent RIA platform that partners with advisor teams to provide wealth management, investment banking, and planning services. Comparable to CIG as an independent advisor-led model, with similar emphasis on advisor autonomy and institutional support.
• Edward Jones: Large independent financial advisory firm serving individual investors and small businesses with comprehensive financial planning, investments, and insurance. CIG advisor Andy Peterson previously worked at Edward Jones, and CIG operates a similar full-service Main Street advisory model.
• Thrivent: Member-owned financial services organization offering investment, insurance, and planning to individuals and families, with a community-engagement ethos. CIG advisor Trevor Rupp previously worked at Thrivent, and the firms share faith-aligned, community-rooted positioning.
• Carson Group: Independent advisor support platform providing investment research, technology, and operations to advisor teams serving individuals and small businesses. CIG's 724 Capital partnership mirrors Carson's institutional research access model for independent advisors.
• Commonwealth Financial Network: Independent broker-dealer and RIA serving mid-sized advisor practices with planning, investment, and insurance resources. Comparable in supporting independent advisors with multi-product wealth management offerings, similar to CIG's model.
• Mercer Advisors: Independent national RIA delivering wealth management, tax, estate, and retirement plan services to households and small businesses. Comparable in service breadth and household-centric planning, with an active M&A roll-up approach similar to CIG's Kirk Weldy merger.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Independent national RIA offering investment management, financial planning, tax, and estate services to individuals and institutions. Closely comparable business model and service mix to CIG, though at significantly larger scale.
• Creative Planning: Independent, fee-only RIA providing comprehensive wealth management, estate planning, tax, and business advisory to individuals and families. Directly comparable to CIG in offering breadth, fiduciary model, and household-level planning focus.

Broad incumbents

• Cetera Financial Group: Independent broker-dealer and RIA support platform serving thousands of financial professionals with products, technology, and compliance. CIG uses IFG for brokerage in a similar independent-broker-dealer relationship, making Cetera an adjacent incumbent peer.
• Lincoln Financial Group: Large diversified financial services firm offering insurance, retirement plans, and wealth management. CIG advisor Mike Mishler spent the early part of his career at Lincoln National, and CIG's retirement plan and insurance offerings overlap directly.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cig-financial-services-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 CIG Financial