Elm Tree Capital

What Elm Tree Capital does

Elm Tree Capital is a privately held boutique financial planning and wealth management firm headquartered in Hingham, Massachusetts, serving individuals and families seeking comprehensive personal financial advice. The firm is led by founder and President Eric P. Zine, Esq., CFP®, CDFA®, a 25-year industry veteran who holds FINRA Series 7, 31, 63, and 65 certifications, a J.D. from New England Law | Boston, and state insurance licenses. Elm Tree offers an integrated service package spanning investment management, retirement and Social Security planning, estate strategy, college savings, life insurance, tax efficiency, Medicare planning, and debt management, delivered through a single-advisor, relationship-driven model.

The firm operates on a dually registered basis: brokerage services are provided through Bolton Global Capital (a FINRA/SIPC broker-dealer licensed in all 50 US states) and fiduciary advisory services through Bolton Global Asset Management (an SEC-registered RIA). Client assets are custodied at Pershing LLC, a BNY Mellon subsidiary, and the firm uses MoneyGuidePro as its client planning portal and NetX Investor for client login. There is no proprietary technology platform; the operating stack is composed of best-of-breed third-party vendor tools.

Revenue is generated through three streams: flat annual financial planning fees, AUM-based investment management fees, and transaction commissions on insurance products (term, permanent, long-term care, and fixed annuity) sold through Elm Tree Capital LLC separately from the Bolton entities. The go-to-market motion is consultative and referral-driven, supplemented by a content marketing apparatus (educational website, 30+ financial calculators, weekly blog, and free downloadable eBooks) designed to capture top-of-funnel leads. The firm has no stated portfolio minimum and emphasizes exploratory-fit conversations over scale.

Name

Elm Tree Capital

Legal name

Elm Tree Capital LLC

Website

https://elmtreecapital.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Elm Tree Capital is a privately held boutique wealth management firm in Hingham, MA, founded by Eric Zine, that delivers comprehensive financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals and families via Bolton Global Capital and Pershing LLC infrastructure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

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

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Business Owner & Executive Financial Planning (FSAEAAAO)

Keywords

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

Headquarters

HQ city

Hingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Financial Planning Fees: Elm Tree Capital charges a flat, annual financial planning fee for comprehensive planning services covering investments, retirement, estate, insurance, tax efficiency, debt management, and more.
2. Investment Management (AUM-based): Investment management fees are charged as a competitive percentage of assets under management (AUM), aligning the firm's success with client outcomes.
3. Insurance Product Sales: Term, permanent, long-term care and fixed annuity insurance products are sold through Elm Tree Capital, LLC, separate from Bolton Global Capital and/or Bolton Global Asset Management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Elm Tree Capital provides comprehensive financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals and families, covering investment management, retirement planning, estate strategy, insurance analysis, tax efficiency, college savings, and Social Security optimization. The firm operates as a dually registered advisor through Bolton Global Capital (broker-dealer) and Bolton Global Asset Management (SEC-registered RIA), with client assets custodied on Pershing LLC's platform.

Product overview

Elm Tree Capital operates as a single, unified financial planning and investment advisory firm offering comprehensive wealth management services. The core offering combines Financial Planning with Investment Advisory Services as an integrated package, supplemented by specialized planning modules for Retirement Planning, College Savings Planning, Estate Strategy, Social Security Planning, Life Insurance Planning, and Tax Planning. The firm also provides financial calculators as a free tool resource. All services are delivered through founder Eric Zine, a CFP professional, with support from affiliated broker-dealer Bolton Global Capital and custodian Pershing LLC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Comprehensive Financial Planning Comprehensive financial planning services covering investment, college, retirement, debt, health, insurance, and advanced estate planning for individuals and families. Delivered as a flat annual fee engagement by founder Eric P. Zine.
• Investment Advisory Services Investment management and advisory services with a transparent, competitive fee structure based on a percentage of assets under management (AUM), aligning the firm's success with client outcomes. Provided under a fiduciary arrangement through Bolton Global Asset Management.
• Retirement Planning Strategies for retirement savings, Social Security benefits optimization, and retirement income planning for individuals and families approaching or in retirement.
• College Savings Planning Education funding strategies including 529 Plans, Coverdell ESAs, and college savings planning for families preparing for future education expenses.
• Estate Strategy Estate planning services including will establishment, beneficiary naming, probate guidance, and business succession strategies for individuals and families.
• Social Security Planning Social Security benefits optimization including analysis of spousal and survivor benefits, and timing strategies to maximize lifetime benefits.
• Life Insurance Planning
• Tax Planning Tax efficiency strategies and capital gains management for investment portfolios and broader personal financial planning.
• Insurance Products Sale of term, permanent, long-term care, and fixed annuity insurance products, sourced through Elm Tree Capital, LLC on a commission basis.

Quantifiable outcome

• Morningstar research found that hiring a financial adviser for Gamma (superior retirement income strategy decisions) was worth an extra 1.8% per year, enabling a hypothetical retiree to generate nearly 30% more income vs. self-management.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

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.

• Pershing LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationPershing LLC is the world's leading correspondent clearing firm and Elm Tree Capital's primary clearing and custodial partner. As a member of FINRA, NYSE, and SIPC, Pershing provides segregation, safekeeping, servicing, and reporting of client assets. Pershing is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY) and holds approximately $1.8 trillion in global client assets in custody. Pershing provides excess-of-SIPC coverage up to $1 billion aggregate limit via Lloyd's of London and other insurers.
• Bolton Global CapitalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBolton Global Capital is a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer and SIPC member firm licensed to conduct business in all 50 US states. It provides brokerage services and supervision to Elm Tree Capital's advisors. For more than 30 years, Bolton has provided independent wealth management services and has grown to more than 50 affiliated offices worldwide managing over $12 billion in client assets as of December 31, 2021.
• Bolton Global Asset ManagementcoreTechnology or IntegrationBolton Global Asset Management is an SEC registered investment adviser through which Elm Tree Capital provides fiduciary advisory services. The firm is also d/b/a Bolton Securities Corporation. It is part of the Bolton Global group of companies providing the regulatory and advisory infrastructure that enables Elm Tree Capital to serve clients nationwide.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Fisher Investments: Fisher Investments is a large-scale, privately held investment management firm serving HNW individuals and institutions. It competes for the same HNW investor segment but is far larger and more institutional in its client engagement model.
• Commonwealth Financial Network: Commonwealth is a large independent broker-dealer and RIA supporting thousands of independent advisors with planning, investment, and back-office tools. Like Elm Tree, its affiliated advisors operate boutique practices under the firm's regulatory and compliance umbrella.
• Cambridge Investment Research: Cambridge is a major independent broker-dealer/RIA platform supporting independent financial advisors nationally. The advisor-affiliation and compliance-supported model parallels Elm Tree's affiliation with Bolton Global Capital.
• Focus Financial Partners: Focus is an RIA roll-up and partnership platform aggregating high-quality independent wealth management firms. It is the broader-incumbent version of the founder-led, comprehensive-planning RIA archetype that Elm Tree exemplifies.
• LPL Financial: LPL Financial is the largest independent broker-dealer in the U.S., providing custody, clearing, and compliance services to thousands of independent advisors. It represents the scaled version of the broker-dealer/RIA infrastructure Elm Tree leverages through Bolton.

Direct peers

• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Buckingham is a national, advisor-led RIA offering fee-only financial planning and investment management to HNW individuals and families. Both firms share a fiduciary, comprehensive-planning model and target similar client segments with personalized wealth advisory services.
• Creative Planning: Creative Planning is one of the largest independent, fee-only RIAs in the U.S., providing comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and tax services to HNW individuals. It is the closest large-scale analog of Elm Tree's comprehensive, planning-first model.
• Carson Group: Carson Group is a fast-growing advisor-led RIA and wealth management platform providing holistic financial planning, investment advisory, and business coaching to individual clients and advisors. Like Elm Tree, it pairs the boutique planning experience with institutional infrastructure.
• Edelman Financial Engines: Edelman Financial Engines is a large independent RIA providing financial planning and investment advisory services to mass-affluent and HNW individuals. Its combination of digital planning tools and human advisors covers the same HNW planning niche as Elm Tree Capital.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Mariner is an independent, national RIA serving HNW individuals and families with comprehensive wealth planning, investment management, and tax services. Its consolidated, planning-led service model directly mirrors what Elm Tree offers through its founder-led practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elm-tree-capital-llc

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 Elm Tree Capital