M.J. Baker Financial Advisors

What M.J. Baker Financial Advisors does

M.J. Baker Financial Advisors is a privately held wealth management advisory firm headquartered in Avon Lake, Ohio. The company was founded in 1996 as an accounting practice, expanded into financial services in 1999, and in 2011 divested its accounting business to concentrate exclusively on wealth advisory. It operates as a small, family-led firm with 1-10 employees (8 listed team members) holding CPA, CFP, CRPS, AAMS, and CRPC credentials, enabling integrated retirement, estate, tax, risk management, and investment planning under a single relationship.

The firm delivers its services through Commonwealth Financial Network as its broker-dealer and custodian, with planning and analytics built on third-party vendor tools including eMoney, MoneyGuide, RightCapital, and Riskalyze, supplemented by a client portal and educational content hubs (Learning with Lola, Senior Learning Center). The technology stack is therefore an integrated, vendor-assembled planning platform rather than proprietary infrastructure, and there is no evidence of in-house AI/ML capabilities.

M.J. Baker's business model is fee-based, charging a percentage of assets under management on a sliding scale. Its stated "ideal client" profile requires at least $500,000 in investable assets, positioning the firm in the HNW and emerging-HNW segment. Distribution is largely regional across Northeast Ohio and a limited set of additionally registered states, driven by referrals, community sponsorship, and educational seminars rather than paid marketing. The firm earned Five Star Wealth Manager recognition each year from 2013-2020 and reached Commonwealth Financial Network's President's Club (top 17%) in 2015, marking its principal public signals of standing within the independent advisor channel.

Name

M.J. Baker Financial Advisors

Legal name

M.J. Baker Financial Advisors

Website

https://mjb-financial.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

M.J. Baker Financial Advisors is a privately held, fee-based wealth advisory firm in Avon Lake, Ohio, serving HNW households (typically $500K+ investable assets) with integrated retirement, estate, tax, risk, and investment planning through Commonwealth Financial Network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management Advisory

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Broker-Dealer Affiliated Wealth Advisory (FSAEABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fee-Based Advisory (FSAEAAAM)

Keywords

• Wealth management advisory
• Retirement planning services
• Estate planning services
• Tax planning preparation
• Investment advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Avon Lake

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Asset Management Fees: Fee-based compensation widely used throughout the securities industry. The asset management fee is based on assets managed rather than commissions or transactions. All services are bundled under one asset management fee. Fee schedules are provided at initial meetings.
2. Wealth Management Fees: Comprehensive and modular financial planning services. These plans form long-term strategies to help clients accomplish financial goals. Fee schedules provided at initial meeting.
3. Tax Preparation Services: Tax planning and return preparation included in annual fee. Tax services through M.J. Baker and Associates Inc. are separate from Commonwealth Financial Network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

M.J. Baker Financial Advisors is an independent wealth management advisory firm offering retirement planning, estate planning, tax planning and preparation, risk management, and investment planning services. All advisory services are bundled under a single asset-based management fee tied to assets under management, with separately delivered tax preparation through M.J. Baker and Associates Inc. Services are delivered by a team of credentialed advisors affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network as broker-dealer and Registered Investment Adviser.

Product overview

M.J. Baker Financial Advisors is a wealth management firm offering a comprehensive suite of financial services including retirement planning, estate planning, tax planning and preparation, risk management, and investment planning. The firm operates on a fee-based model with two primary compensation structures: Asset Management fees (bundled services under one fee based on assets under management) and Wealth Management fees (for comprehensive financial planning). Additional offerings include educational resources through their Learning With Lola program covering senior health topics, and a suite of financial calculators. Services are delivered through multiple client portal integrations including Investor360°, eMoney, MoneyGuide, RightCapital, and other platforms, all processed through their broker/dealer partner Commonwealth Financial Network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retirement Planning Comprehensive retirement planning services helping clients identify spending habits and income sources, implement savings programs, and manage risk throughout retirement for individuals and households approaching or in retirement.
• Estate Planning Estate planning services creating a master plan for asset management during life and distribution at death, including will preparation, powers of attorney, asset titling, and trust evaluation for individuals and families.
• Tax Planning Tax planning services integrated with tax return preparation that analyze clients' financial situations to minimize tax obligations, delivered for individual and business-owner clients seeking year-round tax strategy in coordination with investment planning.
• Risk Management Comprehensive risk management planning to protect clients' financial plans from potential losses and unexpected events, including insurance review and coordination with overall wealth management strategy for households and small business owners.
• Investment Planning Investment planning services designed to match investments to clients' risk tolerance and time horizons, with ongoing portfolio monitoring and adjustments based on market conditions, utilizing access to stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, alternatives, and managed accounts through Commonwealth.
• Second Opinion Service Complimentary consultation where potential clients discuss financial concerns and receive analysis of their current portfolio with recommendations, used as a prospect engagement and conversion mechanism into the firm's full advisory services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Five Star Wealth Manager Award recognition 2013-2020 by Five Star Professional
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Commonwealth Financial NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1979Commonwealth is a Registered Investment Adviser-broker/dealer that provides back-office support, regulatory supervision, technology platform, research, and operational services. As of December 31, 2024, Commonwealth oversees $344 billion in total account assets and supports over 2,000 affiliated financial professionals. Commonwealth's culture emphasizes objective advice in clients' best interest.
• Fidelity Investments / National Financial Services LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationFidelity Investments provides clearing, custody, and other brokerage services to Commonwealth through National Financial Services LLC (NFS). NFS is an industry leader providing trade execution, statement processing, and comprehensive reporting. Both NFS and Commonwealth are SIPC members with additional excess SIPC coverage through Fidelity.
• Lola TarascominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLola Tarasco is a registered nurse, certified dementia practitioner, and gerontology certified professional who partners with M.J. Baker to provide educational content on senior health topics including fall prevention, arthritis, hydration, dementia, and brain health through their Learning With Lola program.
• National United Medicare AdvisorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSuzanne McClain of National United Medicare Advisors conducted a Medicare webinar for M.J. Baker clients covering Medicare planning, coverages, premiums, supplemental prescription drug plans, and Medicare Advantage plans.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Hightower Advisors: Independent RIA platform serving HNW individuals and families with holistic wealth management including tax, estate, and investment planning. Comparable in fee-based, multi-advisor team model targeting similar client demographics.
• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Independent, fee-only RIA providing comprehensive financial planning, tax, and investment management to HNW clients. Directly comparable in fee-only philosophy, service breadth, and HNW/retiree target market.
• Carson Group: Partnered RIA platform serving independent financial advisors with comprehensive wealth management, coaching, and back-office support. Comparable in serving independent advisors offering holistic financial planning, though as a partner platform rather than single practice.
• Creative Planning: Large independent RIA offering comprehensive wealth management, tax, and estate planning on a fee-based AUM model. Directly comparable to M.J. Baker in service mix and bundling philosophy, though at vastly greater scale and national footprint.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: National independent RIA providing comprehensive financial planning, tax, and estate services to HNW clients on a fee-based model. Closely comparable in integrated service model and target HNW/retiree segment.

Broad incumbents

• Ameriprise Financial: Large diversified financial services company with an independent advisor network offering comprehensive wealth and retirement planning. Comparable holistic planning services and HNW target, but operates at national scale with broader product suite.
• Edward Jones: National broker-dealer affiliated advisor network offering retirement, estate, and investment planning to mass-affluent and HNW clients through local offices. Comparable service mix and target demographic, but operates at vastly larger scale with thousands of offices.

Regional players

• Budros, Ruhlin & Roe: Ohio-based fee-only RIA providing comprehensive wealth management to HNW individuals and families in the Midwest. Directly comparable in fee-only model, Ohio geography, and HNW/retiree focus, making it a strong regional peer.
• Meeder Investment Management: Ohio-based investment advisory firm offering wealth management and financial planning to individuals and institutions. Comparable in regional Ohio footprint and investment/retirement planning focus, though serves broader retail and institutional segments.

Emerging players

• Wealthfront: Leading digital wealth management platform offering automated investment management and financial planning at low fees. Competes for the same HNW/retiree segment with significantly lower cost structure, representing a structural threat to traditional advisors like M.J. Baker.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/m-j-baker-financial-advisors

Compliance3 records

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 M.J. Baker Financial Advisors