Beacon Wealth Strategies

What Beacon Wealth Strategies does

Beacon Wealth Strategies LLC was an independent financial advisory firm headquartered in Cazenovia, New York, serving high-net-worth individuals and families with estate planning, retirement income strategies, and business planning services. The firm operated with 11-50 employees under a relationship-driven, referral-based model led by founder Tom Cicchini and advisor Alec E. Hoke, with securities and advisory services delivered through a registered representative affiliation with Equity Services, Inc. and client accounts custodied at Raymond James.

The firm's underlying technology was limited to a web-based learning center featuring interactive financial calculators (retirement portfolio lifespan, lifetime earnings, Roth IRA conversion, college funding, etc.), research articles, newsletters, flipbooks, glossary resources, and educational videos. There was no proprietary platform, no mobile application, no API, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities — the digital footprint served primarily as a content marketing and client education layer rather than a differentiated technology stack.

Revenue was generated through fee-based advisory services and commissions on investment products, a standard recurring model for independent RIAs of this profile. The firm was acquired by First Northern Bank on February 17, 2026 and absorbed into its First Northern Advisors division; the founder retired on June 30, 2026, and Beacon no longer operates as an independent entity.

Name

Beacon Wealth Strategies

Legal name

Beacon Wealth Strategies LLC

Website

http://www.beaconwealthstrat.com/

Company type

Private

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Beacon Wealth Strategies LLC was an independent financial advisory firm in Cazenovia, NY, providing estate planning, retirement income, and business planning services to high-net-worth individuals and families, acquired by First Northern Bank in February 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Advisory Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive/Full-Service RIAs & Independent Wealth Managers (FSAAACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Banking & UHNW Wealth Advisory (FSAEABAC), Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB)

Keywords

• Financial advisory services
• Estate planning
• Retirement income planning
• Wealth management
• Business succession planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Cazenovia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Financial Advisory Services: The firm provides comprehensive financial advisory services including estate planning, retirement income strategies, and business planning. Revenue is generated through fee-based advisory services and commissions on investment products sold through the firm's affiliation with Equity Services, Inc., a registered broker/dealer and investment adviser.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Beacon Wealth Strategies is an independent financial advisory firm that provides personalized financial planning and wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals and families. Its core offering centers on comprehensive financial advice covering estate planning, retirement income strategies, and business planning strategies, delivered through registered representatives of Equity Services, Inc., with client accounts managed through Raymond James.

Product overview

Beacon Wealth Strategies operates as an independent financial advisory firm offering a unified suite of wealth management services. The core offering consists of comprehensive financial advisory services, supplemented by specialized modules for estate planning, retirement income strategies, and business planning strategies. The firm also provides client education resources including an online learning center with financial calculators, research articles, newsletters, flipbooks, and videos. Services are delivered through registered representatives of Equity Services, Inc., with client accounts managed through Raymond James following the company's acquisition by First Northern Bank in February 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Financial Advisory Services
• Estate Planning
• Retirement Income Strategies
• Business Planning Strategies

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• First Northern Bank (First Northern Advisors)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2026First Northern Bank acquired Beacon Wealth Strategies on February 17, 2026. The acquisition strengthened First Northern Bank's wealth management platform by adding Beacon's client base and assets under management. Founder Tom Cicchini joined First Northern Advisors ahead of his planned retirement on June 30, 2026.
• Raymond JamescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 February 2026Clients of Beacon Wealth Strategies continue having their accounts managed through Raymond James, ensuring service continuity during and after the acquisition transition.
• Equity Services, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlec E. Hoke is a Registered Representative and Investment Adviser Representative of Equity Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, a Broker/Dealer and Registered Investment Adviser based in Colchester, VT. Securities and investment advisory services are offered solely through registered representatives of Equity Services, Inc.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Cetera Financial Group: Independent broker-dealer and RIA supporting financial advisors serving HNW clients with planning and wealth services. Comparable to Beacon at the broker-dealer/affiliation layer; many of its advisors operate as independent offices similar to Beacon.
• Wealth Enhancement Group: Acquisitive independent RIA that consolidates small-to-mid-sized wealth advisory firms, including HNW-focused practices. Highly comparable to Beacon in business model (comprehensive planning, multi-advisor, M&A-driven growth) and target client.
• Focus Financial Partners: Large partnership of independent RIAs and wealth advisory firms. Focus Financial partners with hundreds of independent advisory businesses of varying size, including HNW-focused practices similar to Beacon Wealth Strategies, making it a comparable platform peer.
• Commonwealth Financial Network: Large independent broker-dealer and RIA supporting thousands of financial advisors serving HNW clients. Comparable to Beacon at the platform/advisor-support layer, since Beacon operates through Equity Services, Inc. as its broker-dealer.
• LPL Financial: Largest independent broker-dealer in the U.S., supporting RIAs and financial advisors with custody, technology, and practice-management resources. Comparable as a custodian/platform peer, particularly given Beacon's reliance on Raymond James for custody and platform services.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: National independent RIA providing comprehensive wealth planning, estate, retirement, and business-owner advisory services to HNW clients. Comparable to Beacon in service mix and HNW focus, though at substantially greater scale.
• Carson Group: Wealth management firm and RIA support platform serving independent advisors serving HNW clients with financial planning, estate, and business-owner advisory. Comparable in planning-led, HNW-targeted service model.
• Edward Jones: National wealth advisory firm with a deep branch-network distribution model serving HNW individuals and retirees with comprehensive planning. Comparable to Beacon in HNW planning focus and client demographics, though far larger and bank-affiliated (similar to Beacon's First Northern ownership).
• Raymond James Financial Services: Major wealth management firm and broker-dealer through which Beacon's client accounts are managed. Directly comparable as a wealth advisory platform that supports HNW advisor practices similar to Beacon's model.

Direct peers

• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Independent, planning-led RIA focused on HNW individuals and families, with academic evidence-based investing and comprehensive financial planning. Closely comparable to Beacon in service scope, client segment, and independent-advice positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 Beacon Wealth Strategies