Lebel & Harriman LLP

What Lebel & Harriman LLP does

Lebel & Harriman LLP is an independent, privately held limited liability partnership founded in 1978 and headquartered in Falmouth, Maine. The firm operates as a fiduciary investment and insurance brokerage serving families and organizations across New England, structured around two practice areas: Employer Financial Services (retirement plan advisory, ERISA 3(16)/3(21)/3(38) fiduciary services, ESOP advisory, executive benefits, and business succession planning) and Personal Financial Services (financial planning, investment management, and insurance guidance for individuals and households). Across these practices the firm reports advising 250+ ERISA retirement plans representing over $6 billion in plan assets.

The firm's product surface spans retirement plan design and governance, discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, ESOP-specific education and companion 401(k) integration, executive compensation design, and participant financial wellness programs delivered through the Venrollment digital education platform, in-person workshops, monthly webinars, and dual monthly newsletters (Retirement Times for plan sponsors, Financial Times for individuals). Underlying technology is a standard advisory stack — CRM, financial planning software, and portfolio management tools — integrated with recordkeeper platforms. Securities are offered through Valmark Securities, Inc. (FINRA/SIPC) and investment advisory services through Valmark Advisers, Inc. (SEC-registered RIA), which together provide the broker-dealer and RIA regulatory infrastructure for the firm.

Revenue is generated through recurring asset-based advisory fees on the retirement plan practice (typically basis points on plan assets), AUM-based or flat fees on personal financial planning engagements, and securities distribution economics through the Valmark relationship. The firm employs 11-50 staff and pursues a sales-led, relationship-based go-to-market driven by professional referrals, content marketing, and direct advisory engagement. The firm explicitly emphasizes its independence from private equity, bank, and insurance company ownership, which it positions as a core differentiator against the consolidating RIA landscape.

Name

Lebel & Harriman LLP

Legal name

Lebel & Harriman LLP

Website

https://lebelharriman.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lebel & Harriman LLP is an independent, privately held financial advisory firm based in Falmouth, Maine, founded in 1978, providing fiduciary retirement plan advisory and personal wealth management services to employers and individuals across New England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retirement Plan Advisory & Financial Planning

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242), Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Retirement Plan Advisory RIAs (ERISA 401(k)/403(b)) (FSAAACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB), Estate & Legacy Planning Advisory (FSAEAAAG), Insurance-Integrated Wealth Managers (RIA + Insurance Solutions) (FSAAACAI)

Keywords

• Retirement plan advisory
• ERISA fiduciary services
• Financial planning services
• Investment management advisory
• Wealth management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Falmouth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retirement Plan Advisory Services: Fiduciary advisory services to employer retirement plans (401k, ESOP) including investment selection, monitoring, and plan governance. Revenue generated through advisory fees, typically asset-based or flat fee arrangements with plan sponsors.
2. Personal Financial Advisory Services: Comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and retirement income advisory services for individuals. Revenue generated through advisory fees based on assets under management or flat fee planning engagements.
3. Securities Distribution: Securities products offered through Valmark Securities, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. The firm serves as an introducing broker-dealer relationship with Valmark.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lebel & Harriman LLP is an independent financial advisory firm that delivers retirement plan advisory and personal financial planning services to New England employers and individuals. The firm provides ERISA fiduciary services (3(16), 3(21), and 3(38)), 401(k) and ESOP advisory, business succession planning, executive benefits design, and individual financial planning, investment management, and insurance guidance. Securities are offered through Valmark Securities, Inc. and investment advisory services through Valmark Advisers, Inc.

Product overview

Lebel & Harriman LLP operates as a comprehensive financial advisory firm offering two primary service lines: Employer Financial Services and Personal Financial Services. The core offering consists of ERISA fiduciary retirement plan advisory services (including 3(16), 3(21), and 3(38) arrangements) for employers, integrated with personal financial advisory and planning for individuals. Supporting offerings include employee financial wellness education programs delivered via the Venrollment digital platform, business succession planning, executive benefits design, ESOP education services, and insurance guidance. The firm also provides a Learning Center resource hub. All securities services are conducted through Valmark Securities, Inc. (FINRA/SIPC member) and advisory services through Valmark Advisers, Inc. (SEC-registered investment advisor).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Employer Retirement Plan Services Comprehensive retirement plan advisory services for employer plan sponsors including 401(k) plan design, management, fiduciary guidance, business succession planning, executive benefits, and employer-side investment management.
• Personal Financial Advisory Services Integrated financial planning, investment management, and insurance guidance for individuals and families, supporting personal financial goals across life stages.
• ERISA Fiduciary Services Fiduciary advisory services for retirement plans under ERISA, including 3(16) plan administration, 3(21) investment advisory, and 3(38) discretionary investment management arrangements.
• Employee Financial Wellness Education Employee education program including one-on-one counseling, customized group workshops, digital education resources through Venrollment, monthly wellness webinars, and newsletters to support retirement readiness for plan participants.
• Business Succession Planning Strategic planning for business owners to protect their legacy, prepare for ownership transition, and support buy-sell agreement funding solutions.
• Executive Benefits Strategic compensation solutions designed to attract, reward, and retain key organizational leaders while aligning executive compensation programs with long-term business objectives.
• Insurance Services Objective insurance review and guidance to help individuals understand and protect against financial risk with coverage options tailored to their specific needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 250+ ERISA plans served representing $6 billion in assets
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 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.

• National ERISA Advisory CommunityminorOthersActive participation in ERISA advisory industry through thought leadership on fiduciary standards, private equity consolidation impacts, and retirement plan governance. White papers on advisor ownership transparency and PE consolidation effects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Lockton Retirement Services: Largest privately held insurance broker globally with a dedicated retirement services practice. Comparable in fiduciary retirement advisory but operates at vastly larger scale with broader corporate benefits positioning.
• NFP Retirement: Large national insurance broker and benefits consultancy with a substantial retirement plan advisory practice. Broader incumbent with overlapping retirement plan fiduciary services and significantly greater scale.
• Edelman Financial Engines: Large national RIA combining workplace retirement plan advice with personal wealth management. Operates at much greater scale and represents both a competitor for plan sponsor relationships and a possible roll-up acquirer of independent firms like Lebel & Harriman.
• OneDigital: National benefits and retirement advisory platform serving employers with retirement plan, fiduciary, and personal wealth services. PE-backed (Stone Point) and broader in scope than Lebel & Harriman but directly competes for the same mid-market employer segment.

Direct peers

• Sentinel Benefits & Financial Group: Independent advisory firm offering retirement plan, wealth management, and insurance services to employers and individuals. Comparable in its integrated employer + personal service model.
• CAPTRUST: Large independent RIA focused on institutional retirement plan advisory and private wealth management. Most directly comparable to Lebel & Harriman given overlapping retirement plan fiduciary services and investment advisory offerings.
• Strategic Retirement Partners (SRP): Open-architecture retirement plan advisory firm providing fiduciary services to mid-market plan sponsors. Directly comparable in target market and service offering.
• Cammack Retirement Group: Independent retirement plan consulting firm serving plan sponsors with fiduciary advisory and investment management services. Direct comparable in niche specialization and employer-focused model.
• SageView Advisory Group: Specialist retirement plan advisory firm providing 3(21) and 3(38) fiduciary services to corporate plan sponsors. Comparable in its retirement plan focus and independent RIA positioning.

Emerging players

• Fiduciary Wealth Partners: Independent RIA serving high-net-worth individuals and business owners with retirement plan, investment management, and estate planning services. Comparable in fiduciary-led model and integrated employer/personal offering, but typically smaller scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 Lebel & Harriman LLP