TL Financial

What TL Financial does

TL Financial Group is a fiduciary financial advisory firm headquartered in Southgate, Michigan, serving individual and small-business clients in Southeast Michigan. The firm delivers a comprehensive suite of advisory services including wealth management, financial planning, tax-efficient investing, estate planning, and insurance strategies, with a distinctive focus on guiding clients through life transitions such as retirement, divorce, career change, and widowhood. Its core go-to-market is a direct, sales-led advisory model built on personalized consultations and dedicated advisor relationships, supplemented by educational content, interactive financial calculators, market updates, and a client portal. TL Financial differentiates through its 360-degree planning approach, fiduciary commitment certified by the Center for Fiduciary Studies, and collaborative coordination with clients' CPAs and attorneys.

Revenue is generated through fee-based, recurring advisory engagements with pricing tailored to individual client needs; specific fee schedules are not publicly disclosed and consultations are complimentary. The firm targets five primary customer segments — pre-retirees/retirees (primary), divorcing and divorced individuals, career transitioners, widowed individuals, and business owners — and operates a Business Services line covering Retirement Solutions for Employers, Business Succession Planning, and Professional Alliance Partnerships. No proprietary technology platform is disclosed; the underlying stack relies on conventional advisory tools, client portal, and Merit's marketing and compliance infrastructure.

Effective January 23, 2026, TL Financial Group joined Merit Financial Advisors, an SEC-registered investment adviser (Merit Financial Group, LLC), combining teams and resources to deliver expanded wealth management, tax, insurance, and business capabilities while preserving the TL Financial brand and local Southgate team. The partnership provides access to Merit Financial Advisors' broader service catalog, integrated marketing infrastructure, and digital presence, positioning the combined entity for incremental growth in Southeast Michigan and through Bank Partnerships and CPA Connect referral channels.

Name

TL Financial

Legal name

TL Financial Group

Website

https://tlfgroup.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TL Financial Group is a fiduciary financial advisory firm based in Southgate, Michigan, providing wealth management, financial planning, tax, and insurance services to individuals and business owners, primarily serving pre-retirees, retirees, and clients navigating life transitions in Southeast Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991)

akta.pro primary industry

Fiduciary Agency & Trustee-for-Hire Services (FSAAANAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family Office Trust & Fiduciary Services (FSAEAKAF)

Keywords

• Wealth management services
• Financial planning advisory
• Retirement planning services
• Fiduciary investment advisory
• Tax-efficient investing

Headquarters

HQ city

Southgate

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

Revenue model

1. Financial Advisory Services: TL Financial Group generates revenue through fee-based financial advisory and wealth management services. As fiduciary asset managers, they provide comprehensive financial planning, tax-efficient investing, estate planning, and life transition advisory services. Revenue is likely earned through advisory fees, though specific fee structures are not publicly disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

TL Financial Group is a fiduciary investment advisory firm offering comprehensive financial planning, wealth management, tax-efficient investing, estate planning, and life transitions advisory services. The firm serves individual clients through major life events such as retirement, divorce, career change, and widowhood, while also providing business-focused services including retirement plan solutions for employers and business succession planning. Services are delivered through personalized consultation with certified fiduciary advisors trained in Center for Fiduciary Studies best practices.

Product overview

TL Financial Group offers a comprehensive suite of financial services through a unified advisory platform. The core offerings include life transitions services (retirement, divorce, career change, widowhood), wealth management, financial planning, tax services, and insurance strategies. For business clients, the firm provides retirement solutions for employers, business succession planning, and professional alliance partnerships with CPAs and attorneys. The service delivery includes client portal access, educational resources, financial calculators, and market updates. The firm operates as fiduciary asset managers trained in Center for Fiduciary Studies best practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Life Transitions Services Comprehensive financial guidance services addressing significant life changes including retirement planning, divorce transitions, career transitions, and widowhood support, designed for individuals navigating major life events.
• Wealth Management Holistic wealth management services focused on growing, protecting, and preserving client wealth through strategic investment management and fiduciary asset management for individual clients.
• Financial Planning Comprehensive financial planning services designed to help individual clients achieve their financial goals through personalized strategic guidance, covering investments, taxes, and estate planning.
• Tax Services Tax preparation and planning services to support individual clients in tax-efficient investing and overall financial strategy.
• Insurance Strategies Insurance planning and risk management solutions designed to protect clients' financial security and assets.
• Retirement Solutions for Employers Retirement planning and management solutions designed for business owners to support their employees' retirement needs.
• Business Succession Planning Strategic planning services to help business owners prepare for ownership transitions, exit strategies, and succession.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Merit Financial AdvisorsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2026TL Financial Group announced partnership with Merit Financial Advisors effective January 23, 2026. Under this partnership, TL Financial Group joins Merit Financial Advisors while maintaining their team and resources. The partnership provides expanded support and services while preserving the same thoughtful guidance, long-term vision, and personalized service clients expect. The combined entity offers enhanced wealth management capabilities and broader service offerings.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cetera Advisor Networks: Independent advisor platform serving thousands of financial professionals with wealth management, financial planning, and practice management support. Comparable to the platform-level support TL Financial Group gains through its Merit partnership.
• Carson Group: Large RIA and advisor partnership platform providing wealth management, coaching, and technology to independent advisors. Comparable fiduciary advisory offering with a partnership/affiliation model similar in concept to TL Financial's new Merit relationship, but at platform scale.
• LPL Financial: Largest independent broker-dealer and RIA custodian in the U.S., supporting thousands of independent advisors. While a custodian/platform rather than a direct competitor, LPL represents the kind of scaled infrastructure TL Financial Group now accesses indirectly via Merit Financial Advisors.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: National wealth advisory firm offering financial planning, investment management, tax, estate, and retirement plan services. Directly comparable comprehensive offering, but at much greater scale and geographic reach than TL Financial.
• Edelman Financial Engines: One of the largest independent RIAs in the U.S., offering comprehensive financial planning, wealth management, and 401(k) advisory. Competes in the same holistic-planning and life-stage advisory space as TL Financial, but with national scale, proprietary technology, and significantly larger AUM.
• Commonwealth Financial Network: Independent RIA and broker-dealer supporting financial advisors with holistic planning, wealth management, and practice solutions. Conceptually comparable to the support model TL Financial Group is joining through Merit Financial Advisors.
• Northwestern Mutual: Large U.S. financial services company providing life insurance, investment products, and financial planning. Competes with TL Financial's insurance strategies and life-transitions offerings, particularly for retirement and widowhood planning, at significantly greater scale.
• Creative Planning: Large national RIA providing wealth management, financial planning, tax, estate, and business succession services. Comparable to TL Financial's holistic 360-degree model, but with hundreds of advisors and billions in AUM.

Direct peers

• Merit Financial Advisors: SEC-registered investment adviser and now TL Financial Group's strategic partner (effective Jan 23, 2026). Offers the same comprehensive financial planning, wealth management, tax, and life-transitions services, but at much larger scale across multiple U.S. locations. Direct parent and platform peer.
• SageView Advisory Group: Mid-sized national RIA specializing in retirement plan advisory and personalized financial planning for individuals and business owners. Directly comparable to TL Financial's Retirement Solutions for Employers and business-owner segments, with similar holistic planning positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 TL Financial