Benchmark Asset Management

What Benchmark Asset Management does

Benchmark Asset Management, LLC is a privately held registered investment advisory firm founded in 1989 by Managing Member John A. Kinney, AIF®. Headquartered in Madison, Connecticut, the firm provides fee-based financial planning and asset management services to individual investors, pre-retirees, and small business owners across 11 U.S. states (CA, CT, FL, GA, MA, NJ, NV, NY, PA, TX, VT). Core services include personal financial planning, retirement planning, estate planning, asset management, tax-efficient investing, and insurance products (life, annuities, long-term care, key employee), alongside business financial planning offerings such as 401(k) administration, buy/sell agreements, and corporate stock option financing. The firm's stated differentiators are the fiduciary standard, non-proprietary independent review, and long-term personalized relationship management.

The firm operates a sales-led, referral-driven go-to-market model, with client referrals as the primary growth channel supplemented by digital content (website, video library, calculator library, newsletter) and a Twitter presence. Complimentary financial reviews are offered with no charge or obligation as the acquisition mechanism. Securities and asset management services are transacted through a core partnership with LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor and FINRA/SIPC member broker-dealer; John Kinney holds Series 7, 65, and 24 licenses through LPL. The technology stack is limited to LPL's platform and standard web tools — no proprietary technology, no mobile application, no APIs, and no AI/ML capabilities are evident.

Revenue is generated through fee-based advisory arrangements and commission-based compensation for securities transactions and insurance products, with no publicly disclosed pricing tiers or fee schedules. The firm is privately owned by its founder, with no disclosed headcount, no institutional or private equity backing, no funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no regulatory actions. The business model is essentially that of a solo-practitioner or very small RIA, with all strategic and operational dependence concentrated in the Managing Member.

Name

Benchmark Asset Management

Legal name

Benchmark Asset Management, LLC

Website

https://benchmarkasset.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Benchmark Asset Management, LLC is a privately held registered investment advisory firm founded in 1989 in Madison, Connecticut, providing fee-based financial planning, retirement, estate, and asset management services to individual investors, pre-retirees, and small business owners across 11 U.S. states through LPL Financial.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSAAABAD

Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary)

Financial & Insurance/Asset & Wealth Management/Private Banking & HNW/UHNW Wealth Management

SECONDARYFSAAAAAH

Discretionary Portfolio Management (Retail)

Financial & Insurance/Asset & Wealth Management/Retail & Mass-Affluent Wealth Management

Keywords

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

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

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. Financial Advisory Services: The firm provides comprehensive financial planning and advisory services including personal financial planning, business financial planning, retirement planning, estate planning, and asset management. Revenue is generated through fee-based advisory arrangements and potentially commission-based compensation for securities transactions and insurance products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Benchmark Asset Management is an independent registered investment advisory firm that delivers personalized financial planning, asset management, retirement and estate planning, and insurance products (life insurance, annuities, long-term care, key employee coverage) to individual investors and small business owners. Securities and asset management services are transacted through its broker-dealer relationship with LPL Financial, with revenue generated via fee-based advisory arrangements and commission compensation.

Product overview

Benchmark Asset Management is an independent registered investment advisory firm offering a comprehensive suite of financial planning and asset management services. The firm provides personal and business financial planning, asset management, retirement planning, estate planning, and various insurance products (life insurance, annuities, long-term care insurance, key employee insurance). Business-specific services include employee benefits administration, 401(k) enrollment and investment, pension administration, buy/sell agreements, and corporate stock option financing. The firm also offers complementary digital tools including a financial calculator library (covering retirement, savings, insurance, taxation, home mortgage, college, cash flow, credit, paycheck, and auto topics) and a video library with educational content on fiduciary responsibility and tax planning. Services are securities and asset management offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personal Financial Planning Comprehensive financial planning services focused on individual client needs, including assessment of personal financial situations and tailored advice for individual investors and pre-retirees.
• Business Financial Planning Financial planning services for small business owners addressing company financial goals, including business succession planning and employee benefits administration.
• Asset Management Professional management of investment portfolios tailored to individual client risk profiles and financial objectives, offered through LPL Financial.
• Retirement Planning Planning services for retirement including 401(k) enrollment and investment, pension administration, and retirement income strategies for individuals and small businesses.
• Estate Planning Planning services for estate and trust arrangements, including strategies for wealth transfer and preservation for individual clients.
• Life Insurance Life insurance products including term, whole, and universal life coverage options for individuals and business owners.
• Annuities Annuity products providing tax-advantaged income streams for retirement planning.
• Long Term Care Insurance Insurance products and planning strategies for long-term care coverage for individuals.
• Key Employee Insurance Insurance solutions designed to protect small businesses against the loss of key employees.
• Buy/Sell Agreements Business succession planning agreements that facilitate ownership transfers between business partners.
• Employee Benefits Consulting services for employee benefit program design and administration for small business clients.
• Tax Efficient Investing Investment strategies designed to minimize tax liability and maximize after-tax returns for individual clients.
• Corporate Stock Option Financing Financing solutions for corporate stock option plans and equity compensation for business clients.
• Education Funding Planning services for education expenses including 529 plans and Coverdell ESAs for families.
• Account Consolidation Services to consolidate multiple financial accounts for simplified management and oversight.
• Quarterly Performance Reviews Regular portfolio review meetings to assess performance and adjust strategies as part of the ongoing advisory engagement.

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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.

• LPL FinancialcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSecurities and asset management services are offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC. The firm operates as an independent practice utilizing LPL's broker-dealer platform for securities transactions. John Kinney holds Series 7, 65, and 24 licenses with LPL Financial. This is a core operational relationship enabling the firm to offer securities products and advisory services.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Focus Financial Partners: Leading RIA partnership platform aggregating independent advisory firms, including fiduciary-focused practices serving HNW individuals. Comparable to Benchmark in fiduciary positioning and individual wealth management focus.
• Edelman Financial Engines: Large independent RIA focused on financial planning and investment management for individuals, including workplace retirement plan participants. Overlaps with Benchmark's retirement planning focus and individual client base.
• Creative Planning: Large independent RIA providing comprehensive financial planning and wealth management to individuals and business owners nationwide. Comparable service model to Benchmark but at significantly greater scale.
• Cetera Financial Group: Large independent broker-dealer and RIA platform serving thousands of financial professionals. Comparable to Benchmark in the independent RIA/broker-dealer ecosystem but at materially greater scale.

Direct peers

• Kestra Financial: Independent wealth management platform supporting RIAs and financial advisors with comprehensive practice support. Comparable to Benchmark as an independent advisor leveraging a larger back-office platform.
• Commonwealth Financial Network: Independent broker-dealer and RIA platform supporting thousands of independent financial advisors. Comparable to Benchmark as a small independent RIA operating through a custodian/broker-dealer partnership model serving individual clients.
• Carson Wealth: Independent RIA and wealth management firm serving individuals, families, and business owners. Comparable to Benchmark in client mix, fiduciary positioning, and comprehensive financial planning service offering.
• Cambridge Investment Research: Independent broker-dealer supporting RIAs and financial advisors with a similar model to LPL Financial. Comparable as the underlying platform alternative for independent advisory practices like Benchmark.
• Sequoia Financial Group: Independent wealth advisory firm offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement services. Comparable to Benchmark in serving individuals and small businesses with fiduciary, fee-based advisory.

Emerging players

• Hightower Advisors: RIA partnership firm that aggregates high-performing independent advisors. Comparable to Benchmark in target client (HNW individuals, retirees) and fiduciary positioning, but operates a partnership/scale model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/benchmark-asset-management

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 Benchmark Asset Management