Tidemark Financial Partners
Tidemark Financial Partners is an independent, fee-only registered investment advisor in San Diego serving biotech executives, engineers, educators, and tech employees with specialized financial planning, equity compensation (RSU/ESPP/10b5-1) advisory, and tiered AUM-based investment management services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Tidemark Financial Partners does
Tidemark Financial Partners, operating through Tidemark LLC, is an independent registered investment advisor (RIA) founded around 2010 and headquartered in San Diego, California, with a secondary office in Atascadero serving the Central Coast and Inland Empire markets. The firm delivers fee-only wealth management and comprehensive financial planning services to professionals with complex, industry-specific compensation packages — primarily biotech and life sciences executives, engineers, educators (with CalSTRS/CalPERS pensions), and tech employees. Services are organized around two core offerings: flat-fee financial planning ($800–$10,000, with estate planning at $2,000, fee-waived for clients holding $500K+ in assets) and tiered asset-based investment management (0.50%–1.50% annually). Specialized service modules cover 401(k) strategies, employer stock plans (RSU/ESPP), 10b5-1 insider trading plans, concentration risk management, tax planning, estate planning, life insurance, and college planning.\n\nThe firm has no proprietary technology platform and operates on a stack of third-party tools, including LPL Financial for securities execution and custody (Member FINRA/SIPC), RightCapital for client-facing financial planning software, and Account View Online for client account management; email marketing runs on Constant Contact. Its principal differentiator is a proprietary six-step advisory methodology — the "Tidemark Process" (Meet & Greet, Explore, Get Organized, Analyze, Implement, Monitor) — combined with deep domain specialization by vertical, supported by a team of credentialed specialists (CFP, AIF, CFA, CDFA, CPFA). Distribution is direct and relationship-driven: clients book complimentary consultations via online scheduling (go.oncehub.com), with each specialist maintaining a dedicated booking calendar; top-of-funnel demand is generated through content marketing, a podcast presence (Tech San Diego Spotlight), earned media across Forbes, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, Nasdaq, and US News, and community involvement with the San Diego Biotech Network and CA Life Sciences Association. Named employer logos (Illumina, Pfizer, Hologic, Tesla, Solar Turbines, Microsoft, Nvidia) reflect individual employee clients, not corporate contracts.
Tidemark Financial Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tidemark Financial Partners
- Legal name
- Tidemark LLC
- Website
- https://tidemarkfp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tidemark Financial Partners is an independent, fee-only registered investment advisor in San Diego serving biotech executives, engineers, educators, and tech employees with specialized financial planning, equity compensation (RSU/ESPP/10b5-1) advisory, and tiered AUM-based investment management services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tidemark Financial Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wealth Management
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fee-Only Advisory (FSAEAAAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB), Specialized/Niche-Vertical RIAs (e.g., Medical, Tech, Executives, Athletes) (FSAAACAL), Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) Wealth Management (FSAEABAA)
Keywords
Where Tidemark Financial Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Tidemark Financial Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Financial Planning Fees: Flat-fee financial planning services ranging from $800 to $10,000 for comprehensive in-depth financial plans covering retirement planning, income projections, portfolio reviews, and education planning. Estate planning service available separately for $2,000. Waived for clients with over $500k in assets held with the firm.
- Investment Management Fees: Annual asset-based fees ranging from 0.50% to 1.50% based on asset size and complexity of strategy. Includes comprehensive, ongoing financial planning and guidance. Fee structure is tiered based on client asset level.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Financial Planning Flat Fee — $800 to $10,000 |
| Subscription | Annual | Investment Management — 0.50% to 1.50% annual AUM |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Tidemark Financial Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tidemark Financial Partners is an independent, fee-only Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) that delivers personalized wealth management and comprehensive financial planning to professionals working in biotech, engineering, education, and technology. The firm manages investments on an asset-based fee (0.50%–1.50% AUM) and offers financial planning engagements on a flat-fee basis ($800–$10,000), with deep specialization in equity compensation (RSUs, ESPPs, 10b5-1 plans), retirement plans (401(k), pension, 403(b)), tax and estate planning, concentration risk management, and life insurance for Southern California clients.
Product overview
Tidemark Financial Partners is an independent wealth management and comprehensive financial planning services firm. The firm operates two core offerings: (1) Investment Management with tiered annual fees (0.50%–1.50%) providing ongoing portfolio management and financial guidance, and (2) Financial Planning services at flat fees ($800–$10,000) covering retirement planning, income projections, portfolio reviews, and education planning. The firm specializes in serving biotech executives, educators, and engineers, offering specialized service modules including 401(k) strategies, employer stock plans (RSU/ESPP), 10b5-1 planning, tax planning, estate planning, life insurance, and college planning. Securities are offered through LPL Financial and investment advice through Tidemark LLC, a registered investment advisor.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Investment Management Ongoing discretionary portfolio management services provided to clients on an asset-under-management (AUM) fee basis (0.50%–1.50% annually), implemented through LPL Financial custody for individual professionals, executives, and households.
- Financial Planning Comprehensive, flat-fee financial planning engagement priced between $800 and $10,000 covering cash flow, retirement, tax, equity compensation, estate, and insurance planning, delivered to individual professionals and households through a structured six-step Tidemark process.
- Estate Planning A separately priced estate planning service offered at a flat fee of $2,000 that can be engaged independently of, or alongside, the broader financial planning engagement for individual clients needing wills, trusts, and legacy documents.
- RSU & ESPP Advisory Specialized advisory service for biotech and other corporate professionals holding restricted stock units (RSUs) and Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) holdings, addressing vesting, diversification, and tax strategy of concentrated employer stock positions.
- Concentration Risk Management Specialized service targeting individuals with significant concentrated single-stock exposure (common among biotech and tech executives), providing strategies to mitigate position-specific risk while managing tax implications.
Quantifiable outcome
- Helped clients recoup hundreds of thousands of dollars in unnecessary RSU double taxation through proper cost basis reporting and IRS form corrections
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Tidemark Financial Partners
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Tidemark Financial Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature1 record
Tidemark Financial Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- San Diego Biotech Network (SDBN)minorTidemark Financial Partners is a supporter of the San Diego Biotech Network, a local industry organization for the biotech community in San Diego. The firm participates in the local biotech ecosystem as a recognized supporter.
- CA Life Sciences Association (CLSA)minorTidemark Financial Partners is a supporter of the CA Life Sciences Association, a regional industry organization representing the life sciences sector. The firm supports this organization as part of its community involvement in the biotech/life sciences cluster.
- LPL FinancialcoreSecurities and investment management services are executed through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Tidemark LLC is a registered investment advisor separate from LPL Financial. This is a core operational partnership for regulatory and custodial services.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Tidemark Financial Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Carson Group: Partnership/roll-up RIA platform providing turnkey operations, tech, and compliance support to independent advisors — directly analogous to the turnkey-platform vision described by Tidemark's COO.
- Pure Financial Advisors: San Diego-based, fee-only independent RIA serving California clients with comprehensive financial planning and investment management. Highly comparable business model, geography, and fee structure to Tidemark.
Broad incumbents
- Mercer Advisors: National fee-only RIA roll-up offering financial planning, investment management, tax, and estate services to individuals and families. Similar fee-only fiduciary positioning and full-service offering.
- Mariner Wealth Advisors: Large multi-practice RIA with dedicated advisor teams and full wealth-planning services including tax, estate, and equity-comp strategies. Comparable comprehensive service mix at much greater scale.
- Edelman Financial Engines: Large national fee-only RIA offering financial planning and investment management to individuals across career stages. Same fee-only fiduciary model, but vastly larger scale and broader, less vertically specialized client base.
- Cetera Advisor Networks: Independent advisor network supporting hybrid RIA/broker-dealer practices with planning, investment, and equity-comp services. Overlaps with Tidemark's LPL-affiliated independent RIA model.
- Creative Planning: Large fee-only RIA offering comprehensive wealth management, tax, and estate planning to individuals and executives nationwide. Comparable fee-only fiduciary model and full-service offering, but with much broader, less specialized client base.
Emerging players
- Sanctuary Wealth: Partnership-based RIA platform supporting independent advisors with custody, tech, and compliance infrastructure. Comparable turnkey-platform model that enables vertical specialization across partner firms.
- Facet Wealth: Digital-first fee-only financial planning firm targeting high-earning professionals with flat-fee planning plus AUM — directly overlapping Tidemark's fee structure and target persona (tech/biotech employees).
- Hightower Advisors: Multi-practice RIA with several specialized vertical teams serving corporate executives, equity-comp recipients, and niche professional segments. Comparable vertical specialization strategy at a larger consolidated scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tidemark Financial Partners social profiles
Digital presenceTidemark Financial Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tidemark Financial Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Tidemark Financial Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tidemark Financial Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tidemark Financial Partners
What does Tidemark Financial Partners do?
Tidemark Financial Partners is an independent, fee-only Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) that delivers personalized wealth management and comprehensive financial planning to professionals working in biotech, engineering, education, and technology. The firm manages investments on an asset-based fee (0.50%–1.50% AUM) and offers financial planning engagements on a flat-fee basis ($800–$10,000), with deep specialization in equity compensation (RSUs, ESPPs, 10b5-1 plans), retirement plans (401(k), pension, 403(b)), tax and estate planning, concentration risk management, and life insurance for Southern California clients.
Is Tidemark Financial Partners a public or private company?
Tidemark Financial Partners is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Tidemark Financial Partners founded?
Tidemark Financial Partners was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tidemark Financial Partners based?
Tidemark Financial Partners is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tidemark Financial Partners make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Financial Planning Fees are the primary driver. The others are investment Management Fees.
Who are Tidemark Financial Partners's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Carson Group and Pure Financial Advisors. Broad incumbents are Mercer Advisors, Mariner Wealth Advisors, Edelman Financial Engines, Cetera Advisor Networks and Creative Planning. Emerging players are Sanctuary Wealth, Facet Wealth and Hightower Advisors.
Does Tidemark Financial Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tidemark Financial Partners.
What industry is Tidemark Financial Partners in?
Tidemark Financial Partners's product category is Wealth Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAAAL, Fee-Only Advisory, with a secondary code of FSAAACAB, Financial Planning–Led RIAs. Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.