Cairn Investment Group

What Cairn Investment Group does

Cairn Investment Group, Inc. is an independent, fee-only Registered Investment Advisor headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, serving high-net-worth individuals, retirees, business owners, and multi-generational families across the Pacific Northwest and select coastal markets (Portland, OR; San Jose, CA; Hilton Head, SC). Founded in 2007 by Jim Parr and Tim Mosier after their departure from a large international brokerage firm, the firm builds customized investment portfolios of publicly traded securities and provides comprehensive financial planning services spanning retirement, estate, education, divorce-settlement, and multi-generational wealth transfer planning. The firm's core technology stack is assembled entirely from third-party platforms: Tamarac powers the Cairn Client Portal for portfolio and quarterly reporting, eMoneyAdvisor delivers the Financial Planning Portal, Pontera enables active management of client 401(k) and employer retirement plan assets, and Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade serve as custodians for client accounts.

Name

Cairn Investment Group

Legal name

Cairn Investment Group, Inc.

Website

https://cairninvestment.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cairn Investment Group is an independent, fee-only Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) that provides customized investment portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning for high-net-worth individuals, retirees, business owners, and multi-generational families across the Pacific Northwest and select U.S. coastal markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Portfolio Construction & Asset Allocation Advisory (FSAEAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary) (FSAAABAD), Broker-Dealer Affiliated Wealth Advisory (FSAEABAB)

Keywords

• Investment advisory services
• Wealth management
• Financial planning
• Portfolio management
• Registered investment advisor

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advisory Fee Management: As a fee-only Registered Investment Advisor, Cairn Investment Group generates revenue through advisory fees, typically charged as a percentage of assets under management. The firm operates under a strict fiduciary standard, providing investment management and financial planning services in exchange for these fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cairn Investment Group is a fee-only Registered Investment Advisor that builds customized investment portfolios of publicly traded equities and fixed-income securities for individual clients, then provides integrated financial planning covering retirement, education, multigenerational wealth, divorce settlement, estate, and legacy gifting needs. The firm delivers its advisory work through personalized, in-depth client relationships supported by custodian platforms (Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade), a Tamarac-powered client portal, an eMoneyAdvisor financial planning portal, and active 401(k) management via Pontera.

Product overview

Cairn Investment Group is an independent, fee-only Registered Investment Advisor offering a unified wealth management platform. The core offering combines investment portfolio management (customized portfolios of publicly traded securities) with integrated financial planning services. Clients access their accounts through the Cairn Client Portal (powered by Tamarac) and Financial Planning Portal (powered by eMoneyAdvisor). Add-on services include active 401(k) management via Pontera for employer retirement plans, and educational webinars such as the Taxes in Retirement series. The firm is transitioning to Cairn Wealth Management branding in 2026 to better reflect its expanded scope.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Investment Portfolio Management Customized investment portfolios consisting of publicly traded equities and fixed-income securities built around each client's individual goals after in-depth consultation, applying a disciplined, valuation-focused approach with emphasis on margin of safety and risk management. Offered to individuals, retirees, business owners, and multi-generational families served by Cairn.
• Financial Planning Services Comprehensive financial planning covering retirement planning, education planning, multigenerational wealth management, divorce settlement planning, estate planning, and legacy gifting, integrated with the client's investment portfolio. Aimed at high-net-worth individuals, retirees, business owners, and multi-generational families.
• 401(k) Management Service Active management of client 401(k) and other employer-sponsored retirement plan accounts using Pontera, coordinating those holdings with the client's overall Cairn wealth strategy and relieving clients of the need to manage rebalancing themselves. Designed for individuals whose retirement assets sit in employer plans.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• TD AmeritradecoreOthersTD Ameritrade serves as an additional custodian platform for client accounts. Cairn Investment Group has relationships with TD Ameritrade for account management and trading services, providing clients with access to this custodian platform.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Empower (formerly Personal Capital): Hybrid RIA/digital wealth platform combining technology-driven portfolio management with human advisor services for HNW clients. Comparable in HNW target market and competing for the same advisor-led wealth management wallet.
• Charles Schwab Wealth Advisory: Custodian-affiliated advisory service leveraging Schwab's scale and platform to serve HNW investors. Comparable in offering managed portfolios and financial planning but benefits from massive distribution and brand reach.

Direct peers

• Moneta Group: Fee-only RIA serving HNW individuals, families, and business owners across multiple U.S. offices. Comparable in fee-only structure, HNW focus, and integrated financial planning model.
• Mercer Advisors: Fee-only RIA focused on HNW and ultra-HNW households with integrated wealth management, estate planning, and tax services. Comparable in HNW focus and comprehensive planning offering.
• Fisher Investments: Large fee-only RIA primarily serving high-net-worth individuals and families with discretionary portfolio management. Directly comparable as a fee-based, independent investment advisor targeting HNW households with customized equity/fixed-income portfolios.
• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Fee-only RIA providing evidence-based investment management and financial planning, primarily to HNW individuals. Directly comparable in fiduciary-only model and emphasis on personalized advisor relationships.
• Carson Group: Network of fee-based financial advisors and wealth management firms serving HNW individuals and families. Comparable as a wealth management platform combining investment management with financial planning for HNW clients.
• Edelman Financial Engines: One of the largest independent RIAs offering fee-only investment advisory and financial planning to individuals and families. Comparable fee-only structure and target customer base of mass-affluent through HNW households.
• Creative Planning: Fee-only RIA offering comprehensive wealth management including financial planning, investment management, and tax planning for HNW individuals. Comparable in fee-only fiduciary model, HNW focus, and integrated planning services.

Emerging players

• Facet Wealth: Tech-enabled fee-only RIA targeting HNW clients with a hybrid digital-plus-advisor model. Comparable in fee-only fiduciary positioning but competes through a more scalable digital delivery model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cairn Investment Group