PKS Investment Advisors

What PKS Investment Advisors does

PKS Investment Advisors is a privately-held Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) founded in 1999 and headquartered in Salisbury, Maryland, with additional offices in Ocean City, Maryland, and Lewes, Delaware. The firm delivers integrated wealth management services — financial planning, retirement income planning, investment management, employer retirement plans, tax management, and estate and trust planning — to individuals, families, and business owners across the Delmarva Peninsula. It operates with a six-advisor team under an evidence-based investment philosophy rooted in Modern Portfolio Theory and Efficient Markets Theory.

The firm is structurally affiliated with PKS & Company, P.A., a CPA firm established in 1978, enabling cross-referral between tax preparation and investment advisory services. PKS Investment Advisors also partners with Buckingham Strategic Partners for outsourced investment platform support, and runs the PKS Gives Back Fund as a community-philanthropy initiative. Revenue is generated primarily through a fee-based model tied to assets under management, supplemented by hourly advisory fees and insurance commissions. There is no public disclosure of AUM, revenue, or financial performance, and the firm shows no AI/ML capabilities, no fundraising history, and no M&A activity, consistent with a stable, owner-operated retail RIA.

Name

PKS Investment Advisors

Legal name

PKS Investment Advisors LLC

Website

https://pksadvisors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PKS Investment Advisors is a privately-held registered investment advisor serving individuals, families, and business owners on the Delmarva Peninsula with integrated financial planning, investment management, retirement, and tax management services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management and Financial Advisory Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fee-Based Advisory (FSAEAAAM), Tax-Aware Investment Planning (FSAEAAAE)

Keywords

• Fee-based financial planning
• Retirement income planning
• Investment management services
• Estate and trust planning
• Employer retirement plans

Headquarters

HQ city

Salisbury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 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 Asset Management: Fees based on a percentage of assets under management (AUM). Tier-based fee structure with breakpoints that decrease with additional assets. Asset aggregation for families to determine fees while managing each portfolio according to distinct policies.
2. Hourly Rate Advisory: Hourly rate basis for individuals with smaller investment accounts who desire investment guidance and ongoing financial planning.
3. Insurance Commissions: Commissions from insurance and annuity product placements. Assets for which commissions are received are excluded from fee-based calculations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

PKS Investment Advisors LLC provides fee-based financial advisory services to individuals, families, and business owners across the Delmarva Peninsula. Its core offerings span comprehensive financial planning, retirement income planning, evidence-based investment management, employer retirement plan services, tax management coordinated with affiliated CPA firm PKS & Company, P.A., and estate and trust planning. Services are delivered through consultative, in-person relationships rather than digital self-service channels.

Product overview

PKS Investment Advisors LLC offers a comprehensive suite of six integrated financial services delivered as a unified advisory platform. The core offerings include Financial Planning (the foundational process encompassing discovery, analysis, and ongoing monitoring), paired with specialized services: Retirement Income Planning (for distribution-phase strategies), Investment Management (evidence-based, low-cost diversified portfolios), Employer Retirement Plans (plan design and fiduciary services), Tax Management (coordinated with affiliated CPA firm), and Estate & Trust Planning (wealth transfer and asset protection). The firm leverages its affiliation with PKS & Company, P.A. to provide integrated financial planning and tax planning under one roof, differentiating it from standalone advisory firms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Financial Planning Comprehensive financial planning process including initial discovery, goal development, analysis, recommendations, implementation, and ongoing monitoring to help clients achieve their financial objectives. Designed for individuals, families, and business owners seeking an integrated, consultative approach to financial decision-making.
• Retirement Income Planning Strategic planning to help clients transition from saving to spending in retirement, addressing questions about retirement readiness, income streams, Social Security timing, and withdrawal strategies. Targeted at individuals and families approaching or in retirement.
• Investment Management Evidence-based investment management utilizing Modern Portfolio Theory and Efficient Markets Theory, focusing on low-cost, globally diversified portfolios with asset allocation appropriate for each client's risk tolerance. Intended for individuals, families, and institutional clients seeking disciplined, research-driven portfolio construction.
• Employer Retirement Plans Comprehensive retirement plan services including plan selection and design, participant education, fiduciary compliance guidance, and investment portfolio design and monitoring for 401(k), 403(b), and 457 plans. Designed for businesses and plan sponsors seeking outsourced retirement plan management.
• Tax Management Tax-efficient investment strategies and coordination with the affiliated CPA firm (PKS & Company, P.A.) to integrate tax planning into investment decisions and reduce clients' tax exposure. Designed for individuals and business owners seeking coordinated investment and tax planning.
• Estate & Trust Planning Wealth transfer and estate planning services leveraging in-house CPA and legal expertise to help preserve assets, minimize estate taxes, and ensure distribution according to clients' wishes. Targeted at individuals, families, and trusts/estate clients seeking structured wealth transfer.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore (CFES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPKS established the PKS Gives Back Fund through partnership with CFES to support charitable organizations and initiatives throughout the Eastern Shore. CFES administers the fund and helps direct charitable contributions to organizations aligned with the firm's values, creating a structured philanthropy program that engages employees in meaningful giving.
• PKS & Company, P.A.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated CPA firm (one of the region's largest on Delmarva, serving since 1978) that provides income tax and estate planning services to investment advisory clients. This affiliation enables integrated financial planning and tax services under one roof, with in-house counsel who is both a CPA and lawyer.
• Buckingham Strategic Partners, LLCsupportingTechnology or IntegrationStrategic network partner providing access to strategic fixed income resources and network of bond dealers for fixed income portfolio construction. Part of Buckingham Family of Financial Services ecosystem.
• Focus Partners Advisor SolutionssupportingTechnology or IntegrationThird-party research and market analysis provider. Content provider for geopolitical and market insights articles on the PKS Insights page.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Edelman Financial Engines: National RIA combining traditional advisor-led planning with digital advice, retirement plan services, and tax coordination. Comparable to PKS in offering integrated planning and employer retirement plans, but at vastly greater scale.
• Focus Financial Partners: National partnership platform supporting independent RIAs including research, technology, and consulting support. PKS already uses Focus Partners Advisor Solutions for market research, making Focus both a vendor and a structural incumbent comparable.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Large national RIA offering comprehensive wealth planning, investment management, retirement plan, tax, and estate services. Overlaps with PKS across nearly all service lines but at significantly larger scale and broader geography.
• Fisher Investments: Large global investment management firm serving HNW individuals and institutions. Comparable in investment management focus and serving similar HNW clients, but at vastly greater scale and active management tilt vs. PKS's evidence-based passive approach.
• Commonwealth Financial Network: Large independent broker-dealer/RIA platform providing practice management and investment solutions to independent advisors. Comparable to PKS in supporting independent advisors with planning resources, but at national scale.

Regional players

• Plante Moran Financial Advisors: Midwest-based RIA affiliated with Plante Moran CPA firm, providing integrated tax and financial planning. Comparable to PKS in the CPA-RIA integration model, but operating in a different geographic territory.

Direct peers

• Carson Group: RIA platform serving independent financial advisors with integrated wealth, tax, and business coaching. Comparable to PKS in offering advisors a holistic planning platform and back-office support for HNW and business-owner clients.
• Waldron Private Wealth: Mid-Atlantic fee-based RIA offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan services to individuals and business owners. Direct peer in size, geography (PA/MD footprint), and integrated planning model.
• Buckingham Wealth Partners: Mid-Atlantic-focused RIA operating on a similar evidence-based, fee-based model and part of the Buckingham Strategic Partners network that PKS also belongs to. Direct peer in philosophy, services, and ecosystem.
• Savant Wealth Management: Fee-only, fiduciary RIA providing financial planning, investment management, and tax services to individuals and businesses. Comparable to PKS in its integrated planning model and fee-only/fee-based advisory stance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pksadvisors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 PKS Investment Advisors