Clark Planning & Investment Advisory

Name

Clark Planning & Investment Advisory

Legal name

Clark Planning & Investment Advisory

Website

https://clarkplanning.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Fee-Only Advisory (FSAEAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Comprehensive Financial Planning (FSAEAAAA), Portfolio Construction & Asset Allocation Advisory (FSAEAAAC)

Keywords

• Fee-only financial planning
• Investment management services
• Registered investment advisor
• Wealth management advisory
• Portfolio management

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

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. Assets Under Management (AUM) Fee: Primary revenue source based on percentage of client assets managed. Fee is calculated quarterly (one-fourth of annual percentage) and deducted directly from TD Ameritrade client accounts after the quarter ends. Includes basic financial planning and quarterly client meetings.
2. Hourly Consulting Services: Additional services including tax return preparation, comprehensive life insurance analysis, estate planning, and business planning billed at $110 per hour.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Clark Planning & Investment Advisory is an independent, fee-only financial planning and investment advisory firm that provides asset management, portfolio construction, and comprehensive financial planning services to affluent individual clients. The firm charges a tiered percentage-based fee on assets under management held at TD Ameritrade, plus hourly fees for additional services such as tax, estate, and insurance planning. As a Registered Investment Advisor, it operates under a fiduciary duty with no commissions or third-party product sales.

Product overview

Clark Planning & Investment Advisory is a fee-only financial advisory firm offering three integrated service lines: Fee Only Advisor Services (asset-based fee structure), Investment Management (portfolio construction and monitoring using Modern Portfolio Theory), and Financial Planning (comprehensive planning including estate, tax, and retirement planning). All services are delivered by credentialed professionals (CPA/PFS, CFP®, ChFC) and coordinated through a fiduciary relationship. The firm also provides Investment Commentary content to educate clients on market conditions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fee Only Advisor Service Fee-only financial advisory service where compensation is based on a percentage of assets under management (1.00% up to $500K, 0.75% from $500K to $1M, 0.50% over $1M), including basic financial planning and quarterly consultations. Designed for affluent individual investors seeking fiduciary, conflict-free advice.
• Investment Management Portfolio management service applying Modern Portfolio Theory to optimize risk and reward through asset allocation, diversification, and ongoing monitoring, aligned with client Investment Policy Statements. Intended for individual clients seeking ongoing management of personal investment portfolios.
• Financial Planning Comprehensive financial planning covering estate planning, investment planning, income tax planning, retirement planning, and risk management, delivered by a Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) credential holder. Targeted at individual clients seeking holistic financial strategy development.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• TD Ameritrade Institutional ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationTD Ameritrade serves as the custodian for client investment accounts. Assets under management consist of account balances held at TD Ameritrade where Gary Clark serves as Registered Investment Advisor. This custodial relationship enables the fee-only model by providing independent account administration.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Emerging players

• Betterment: Leading robo-advisor offering automated, fee-based portfolio management and financial planning tools. Targets mass-affluent rather than HNW segment, but represents the digital-native competitive alternative to small traditional RIAs.
• Personal Capital (Empower): Hybrid robo-advisor and human advisory platform offering fee-based financial planning and wealth management. Targets similar affluent individual investor segment but competes via digital tools and lower-cost scalability.
• Facet Wealth: Tech-enabled flat-fee financial planning service delivering CFP advice to mass-affluent clients virtually. Competes with traditional small RIAs by offering remote, lower-cost fiduciary planning that appeals to clients unwilling to pay 1% AUM fees.

Broad incumbents

• Fisher Investments: Large fee-based investment advisor serving affluent individuals with portfolio management services. Operates at significantly greater scale than Clark Planning but competes for the same affluent individual client segment seeking active investment management.
• Edelman Financial Engines: Major RIA providing fee-only financial planning and investment management to individuals nationwide. Comparable fiduciary, fee-only model and target audience of affluent investors, though at materially larger scale with a robo-advisor component.
• Carson Group: RIA support platform serving independent advisors with coaching, technology, and back-office services, enabling fee-only practitioners to scale. Highly comparable given focus on the fee-only advisor business model and affluent clientele.
• Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium: Schwab's advisory offering combining automated portfolios with access to CFP professionals for goal-based planning. Competes for the same affluent client seeking fiduciary investment management at potentially lower fee levels, with strong brand and digital reach.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Multi-state RIA roll-up providing comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and tax/estate services to affluent individuals and families. Comparable service mix and fiduciary positioning, with national footprint and aggressive acquisition strategy targeting smaller RIAs.
• Vanguard Personal Advisor Services: Vanguard's hybrid digital-plus-human advisory service applying Modern Portfolio Theory-style asset allocation for affluent investors. Comparable on philosophy (MPT-based portfolio construction, fiduciary stance) and target market, with vastly larger scale and brand.

Regional players

• Savant Wealth Management: Mid-size fee-only RIA serving affluent individuals and families with comprehensive financial planning and investment management across the Midwest. Comparable on fiduciary, fee-only model and holistic service mix, with a similar founder-led growth history.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/clarkplanning

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Clark Planning & Investment Advisory