Client First Investment Management
Client First Investment Management is a privately held, SEC-registered investment adviser in West Bend, Wisconsin, offering integrated TrueHolistic financial planning — combining investments, tax, insurance, estate, Social Security, and Medicare advisory — to over 400 households with $120M+ AUM, supported by its proprietary Adaptiv system and the Adaptiv Select ETF.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersWest Bend, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Client First Investment Management does
Client First Investment Management LLC, doing business as Client First Tax and Wealth Advisors, is a privately held, SEC-registered investment adviser founded in 2011 and headquartered in West Bend, Wisconsin. The firm operates a holistic wealth-management model branded as TrueHolistic Financial Planning, which integrates financial planning, investment management, tax preparation, insurance, estate planning, Social Security optimization, and Medicare advisory into a single coordinated engagement delivered by a multi-disciplinary team of CFP and CMT-credentialed professionals. It serves over 400 households with more than $120 million in assets under management, drawing clients from across the United States and U.S. citizens domiciled overseas.
The firm's core technology is the proprietary Adaptiv Investment Management System, a rules-based quantitative platform that analyzes price action, supply and demand, momentum, and relative strength across 35,000+ investable assets to drive weekly portfolio reconstitution decisions. In November 2022, Client First productized this system into the Adaptiv Select ETF (ticker: ADPV), an actively managed large-cap ETF listed on the NYSE that holds the 25 highest-ranked U.S. large-cap stocks during uptrends and shifts to cash and short-term T-Bills during downtrends, with US Bank as custodian, Exchange Traded Concepts as sub-advisor, Global Trading Systems as market maker, and Quasar Distributors handling distribution. The firm also operates Client First Insurance Agency, a wholly owned independent insurance agency with 16+ carrier relationships providing auto, home, business, life, and Medicare coverage, expanded in May 2022 through the acquisition of American Insurance Agency's property and casualty book.
Revenue is generated through recurring advisory fees on AUM, financial planning retainers, tax preparation fees, insurance carrier commissions, and ETF management fees. The go-to-market is consultative and sales-led, driven by no-fee initial consultations, monthly Lunch & Learn educational events, content marketing, and direct advisor relationships, with no external equity funding or institutional ownership disclosed.
Client First Investment Management firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Client First Investment Management
- Legal name
- Client First Investment Management LLC
- Website
- https://clientfirsttaxandwealth.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Client First Investment Management is a privately held, SEC-registered investment adviser in West Bend, Wisconsin, offering integrated TrueHolistic financial planning — combining investments, tax, insurance, estate, Social Security, and Medicare advisory — to over 400 households with $120M+ AUM, supported by its proprietary Adaptiv system and the Adaptiv Select ETF.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Client First Investment Management industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wealth Management
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525), Finance and Insurance (52)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Managed Accounts & Model Portfolios (SMA/UMA) (FSAAAAAG), Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary) (FSAAABAD), Business Owner & Executive Financial Planning (FSAEAAAO)
Keywords
Where Client First Investment Management is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- West Bend
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Client First Investment Management business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Financial Planning Fees: Revenue from providing comprehensive financial planning services through the TrueHolistic Planning Process. Clients receive ongoing financial planning advice and coordination of all financial aspects.
- Investment Management (AUM): Revenue from managing client investment assets under advisory agreements. The firm manages $120M+ in assets for over 400 households.
- Insurance Products: Revenue from insurance product sales including auto, home, business, life insurance, and Medicare plans through the independent insurance agency.
- ETF Management Fees: Management fees from the Adaptiv Select ETF (ADPV) launched in partnership with US Bank, Exchange Traded Concepts, and Quasar Distributors.
- Tax Preparation Services: Revenue from tax preparation and planning services for individual clients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | No Fee Consultation - Initial meeting at no charge |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Client First Investment Management product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Client First Investment Management (DBA Client First Tax and Wealth Advisors) provides comprehensive TrueHolistic financial planning services that integrate financial planning, investment management, tax preparation and planning, insurance placement, estate planning, Social Security optimization, and Medicare planning under a single coordinated team. The firm serves affluent individuals and families nationwide, managing $120M+ in assets across 400+ households and operating the proprietary Adaptiv Investment Management System and the Adaptiv Select ETF (ADPV).
Product overview
Client First Investment Management offers a unified TrueHolistic® Financial Planning service that integrates multiple financial disciplines — taxes, investments, estate planning, insurance, Social Security, and Medicare — under one team of licensed experts. This core service is supported by proprietary investment tools: the Adaptiv™ Investment Management System (a rules-based quantitative model analyzing 35,000+ assets for trend and relative strength) and the Adaptiv™ Select ETF (ADPV), the company's first exchange-traded fund launched in November 2022 using the same Momentum-based large-cap stock selection strategy in a tax-efficient ETF wrapper. The product portfolio also includes standalone Tax Services, Insurance Agency Services (offered through Client First Insurance Agency), Estate Planning, and Social Security Planning.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Adaptiv Select ETF: Proprietary actively managed large-cap stock selection ETF (ticker: ADPV) that identifies 25 highest-ranked U.S. Large Cap stocks using momentum and relative strength when market is in uptrend, and shifts to cash/T-Bills during downtrends.
- TrueHolistic Financial Plan
- Adaptiv Investment Management System
Products and services
- TrueHolistic Financial Plan
Companies that use Client First Investment Management
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Client First Investment Management technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Client First Investment Management partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Exchange Traded Concepts (ETC)coreExchange Traded Concepts serves as sub-advisor for the Adaptiv Select ETF, providing operational expertise for the actively managed ETF structure.
- Quasar DistributorscoreQuasar Distributors serves as the distributor for the Adaptiv Select ETF, handling the regulatory distribution and sales aspects of the fund.
- Global Trading Systems (GTS)coreGTS serves as lead market maker for the Adaptiv Select ETF, providing liquidity and market-making services for the fund's trading on the NYSE.
- Multiple Insurance CarrierscoreAs an independent insurance agency, Client First works with multiple highly-rated insurance companies to provide auto, home, business, life, and Medicare insurance products. The firm has access to 16+ insurance carrier relationships for placing client coverage.
- Fire Recovery WisconsinminorGuest speaker partnership for insurance education presentations, providing industry expertise on property claims including water backup, roof damage, and fire damage claims processing.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Client First Investment Management competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Edelman Financial Engines: One of the largest independent RIAs in the U.S., offering comprehensive planning and investment management nationally — represents the scaled, established incumbent peer against which Client First's holistic offering must compete.
- LPL Financial: Largest independent broker-dealer in the U.S., providing custody, technology, and practice management to thousands of RIAs — the dominant platform incumbent that small RIAs like Client First often rely on for back-office infrastructure.
- Commonwealth Financial Network: Independent broker-dealer and RIA platform supporting financial advisors with planning, investment, and insurance capabilities — a broader incumbent in the same independent-wealth ecosystem Client First operates in.
- Fisher Investments: Large active asset manager running quantitatively driven, top-down global allocation strategies for affluent and institutional clients — a scaled parallel to Client First's active, trend-aware Adaptiv approach.
Direct peers
- Carson Group: RIA and wealth management firm combining financial planning, investment management, and insurance solutions for advisors and clients — a close parallel to Client First's integrated planning plus insurance-agency structure.
- Mariner Wealth Advisors: National RIA providing unified financial planning, investment management, tax, and estate services — a scaled, multi-discipline peer whose Truepoint-style offering mirrors Client First's TrueHolistic approach.
- Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Independent RIA built on evidence-based, holistic financial planning for affluent clients — comparable service mix and target segment as Client First, with an academic/research-driven investment philosophy analogous to the Adaptiv system.
- Creative Planning: Large independent RIA offering holistic financial planning, investment management, tax, and estate services to affluent households — directly comparable to Client First's TrueHolistic model, but at materially greater scale (~$300B+ AUM).
Emerging players
- Cambria Funds: Independent, employee-owned ETF sponsor known for actively managed, rules-based strategies (e.g., trend-following and quantitative equity ETFs) — directly comparable to the Adaptiv Select ETF (ADPV) in product category and methodology.
Regional players
- Savant Wealth Management: Midwest-based independent RIA offering financial planning, investment management, tax, and estate services to affluent clients — a regional, multi-discipline peer operating from a comparable footprint to Client First's Wisconsin base.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Client First Investment Management social profiles
Digital presenceClient First Investment Management compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Client First Investment Management financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Client First Investment Management leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Client First Investment Management subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Client First Investment Management funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Client First Investment Management M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Client First Investment Management
What does Client First Investment Management do?
Client First Investment Management (DBA Client First Tax and Wealth Advisors) provides comprehensive TrueHolistic financial planning services that integrate financial planning, investment management, tax preparation and planning, insurance placement, estate planning, Social Security optimization, and Medicare planning under a single coordinated team. The firm serves affluent individuals and families nationwide, managing $120M+ in assets across 400+ households and operating the proprietary Adaptiv Investment Management System and the Adaptiv Select ETF (ADPV).
Is Client First Investment Management a public or private company?
Client First Investment Management is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Client First Investment Management founded?
Client First Investment Management was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Client First Investment Management based?
Client First Investment Management is headquartered in West Bend, United States, in the North America region.
How does Client First Investment Management make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Financial Planning Fees are the primary driver. The others are investment Management (AUM), insurance Products, ETF Management Fees and tax Preparation Services.
Who are Client First Investment Management's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Edelman Financial Engines, LPL Financial, Commonwealth Financial Network and Fisher Investments. Direct peers are Carson Group, Mariner Wealth Advisors, Buckingham Strategic Wealth and Creative Planning. Cambria Funds is listed as an emerging player. Savant Wealth Management is listed as a regional player.
Does Client First Investment Management have an API?
No public API is recorded for Client First Investment Management.
What industry is Client First Investment Management in?
Client First Investment Management's product category is Wealth Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAACAB, Financial Planning–Led RIAs, with a secondary code of FSAAAAAG, Managed Accounts & Model Portfolios (SMA/UMA). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.