FPA
FPA Wealth Management is an independent, fee-based RIA in West Chester, PA that delivers comprehensive wealth management, business exit planning, and retirement services to business owners, entrepreneurs, executives, and families across the Mid-Atlantic and Florida via its proprietary "Advice for Life" process.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersWest Chester, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What FPA does
FPA Wealth Management (legal entity Financial Planning Associates, LLC) is an independent, fee-based wealth management firm headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, founded in 1991 by Thomas H. Vickers, III after taking over from his father. The firm employs 14 professionals with 279 combined years of experience and 28 advanced designations, delivering comprehensive wealth management services — investment management, tax and estate planning, retirement income planning, business exit and succession planning, insurance planning, education funding, and qualified retirement plan optimization — through a proprietary six-phase process branded "Advice for Life."
The firm serves two primary client segments: business owners and entrepreneurs (typically with $500k+ annual income planning a business transition within 3-5 years) and executives, individuals, and families seeking holistic financial planning. Its go-to-market is sales-led and consultative, anchored by free no-obligation introductory consultations, free Riskalyze-based portfolio risk assessments, and a deliberately limited client load to deliver "Ritz Carlton-like" personalized service. Revenue is generated through recurring advisory fees (likely AUM-based or flat planning fees), with no disclosed product commissions.
Technically, FPA owns no proprietary technology; it relies on integrated third-party platforms for client engagement: WealthVision (personal financial homepage), RightCapital (financial planning), Riskalyze (risk assessment), ExitMap (business exit assessment), SEI (portfolio access), AccountView (account access), and OnceHub (scheduling). Securities are offered through LPL Financial (Member FINRA/SIPC) and investment advice is provided through Private Advisor Group, a registered investment advisor — FPA and Private Advisor Group are separate entities. The firm maintains a regional footprint serving clients in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, and New York, and has executed one inorganic growth event: the June 2021 merger with the Comprehensive Wealth Management Group (CWMG).
FPA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FPA
- Legal name
- Financial Planning Associates, LLC
- Website
- https://fpawealthmgmt.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- FPA Wealth Management is an independent, fee-based RIA in West Chester, PA that delivers comprehensive wealth management, business exit planning, and retirement services to business owners, entrepreneurs, executives, and families across the Mid-Atlantic and Florida via its proprietary "Advice for Life" process.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FPA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wealth Management and Financial Advisory Services
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Retirement & Pension Wealth (401(k)/IRA/SIPP/Superannuation Retail) (FSAAAAAJ), Discretionary Portfolio Management (Retail) (FSAAAAAH), Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary) (FSAAABAD), Insurance-Integrated Wealth Managers (RIA + Insurance Solutions) (FSAAACAI)
Keywords
Where FPA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- West Chester
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
FPA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Fee-Based Advisory Services: The firm provides comprehensive wealth management services including investment management, financial planning, tax strategies, estate planning, insurance planning, and business planning. Securities are offered through LPL Financial (Member FINRA/SIPC) and investment advice is provided through Private Advisor Group (registered investment advisor). Revenue is generated through advisory fees, likely based on assets under management (AUM) or flat-rate planning fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Fee-based advisory services structured to align advisor and client interests |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
FPA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FPA Wealth Management delivers fee-based wealth management through its proprietary "Advice for Life" six-phase process, combining personalized investment management with advanced financial planning. Core services include investment management, financial and strategic tax planning, retirement income and asset accumulation planning, estate and insurance planning, business and exit planning, education funding, and qualified retirement plan optimization. Securities are executed through LPL Financial and investment advice is delivered through Private Advisor Group, with clients served primarily in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, and New York.
Product overview
FPA Wealth Management offers comprehensive wealth management services through its proprietary 'Advice for Life' process—a unified approach that combines personalized investment consulting with advanced financial planning. The core offering includes Investment Management, Financial & Strategic Tax Planning, Business & Exit Planning, Retirement Income & Asset Accumulation, Estate & Insurance Planning, College Education & Cash Flow Strategies, and Qualified Retirement Plan Optimization. Client-facing technology includes WealthVision (personal financial homepage), supplemented by third-party platforms for financial planning, risk assessment, and account access.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FPA Owner Transitions: Business exit planning and transition services for business owners, coaching entrepreneurs through business transitions and exits
- FPA Generations Team
- FPA Business Solutions
Products and services
- Advice for Life Wealth Management Process
Companies that use FPA
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
FPA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature2 records
FPA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- LPL FinancialcoreSecurities are offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. LPL provides the brokerage infrastructure, execution services, and technology platforms (AccountView) for client accounts. This is the primary brokerage relationship for all client securities transactions.
- Private Advisor GroupcoreInvestment advice is offered through Private Advisor Group, a registered investment advisor. FPA advisors operate as representatives under this RIA, which provides compliance oversight and investment advisory infrastructure. FPA and Private Advisor Group are separate entities.
- WealthVisioncoreWealthVision is the proprietary personal financial homepage platform provided to clients, allowing aggregate view of entire financial life for monitoring and planning purposes.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
FPA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Mercer Advisors: National RIA providing wealth management, financial planning, estate, and tax services primarily to HNW clients. Comparable as a fee-based RIA with comprehensive planning services targeting HNW individuals, retirees, and business owners.
- Carson Group: Large RIA and broker-dealer supporting independent advisors with wealth management, financial planning, and business coaching services. Comparable as an independent advisory platform serving HNW clients, and operates a similar partnership-with-LPL-style model at greater scale.
- Mariner Wealth Advisors: National independent RIA offering comprehensive wealth advisory, tax, estate, and retirement planning to HNW individuals and families. Comparable fee-based RIA serving similar client profiles with comparable service breadth; significantly larger and more geographically diversified than FPA.
- Edelman Financial Engines: Large independent RIA offering wealth planning, investment management, and retirement plan services to individuals and families. Comparable as a fee-based advisory firm serving HNW clients with goals-based planning, though at much greater scale and with broader geographic reach.
- Creative Planning: One of the largest independent RIAs in the US, providing fee-based wealth management, financial planning, and investment services to HNW individuals and families. Directly comparable as an independent, fee-based RIA serving HNW clients with comprehensive planning, though at vastly greater scale than FPA.
Others
- Private Advisor Group: The RIA through which FPA Wealth Management delivers investment advisory services. Indirect peer/partner rather than direct competitor, but provides comparable RIA infrastructure, compliance oversight, and service offerings to independent advisor firms.
- Focus Financial Partners: Consolidator of independent RIAs and wealth management firms, providing capital, infrastructure, and growth support. Not a direct competitor but represents the consolidator ecosystem that targets firms like FPA for acquisition and is a likely counterparty in any future exit transaction.
Direct peers
- Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Independent, fee-only RIA providing evidence-based financial planning and wealth management to HNW individuals and families. Closely comparable as a fiduciary, fee-only advisory firm of similar mid-market scale with comparable financial-planning-led service model.
- Sequoia Financial Group: Independent, fee-based wealth management firm offering financial planning, investment management, and tax services to HNW individuals and families. Comparable as a mid-sized independent RIA with goals-based planning and team-based advisory model.
Regional players
- Belford & Company Wealth Management: Mid-Atlantic based independent wealth management firm providing personalized financial planning and investment advisory services. Comparable as a regional independent RIA serving HNW individuals, families, and business owners in the Greater Philadelphia / Northeast market.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
FPA social profiles
Digital presenceFPA compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
FPA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FPA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles22 records
FPA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FPA 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 FPA
What does FPA do?
FPA Wealth Management delivers fee-based wealth management through its proprietary "Advice for Life" six-phase process, combining personalized investment management with advanced financial planning. Core services include investment management, financial and strategic tax planning, retirement income and asset accumulation planning, estate and insurance planning, business and exit planning, education funding, and qualified retirement plan optimization. Securities are executed through LPL Financial and investment advice is delivered through Private Advisor Group, with clients served primarily in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, and New York.
Is FPA a public or private company?
FPA is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was FPA founded?
FPA was founded in 1991. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is FPA based?
FPA is headquartered in West Chester, United States, in the North America region.
How does FPA make money?
One revenue line is on record: fee-Based Advisory Services.
Who are FPA's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Mercer Advisors, Carson Group, Mariner Wealth Advisors, Edelman Financial Engines and Creative Planning. Others are Private Advisor Group and Focus Financial Partners. Direct peers are Buckingham Strategic Wealth and Sequoia Financial Group. Belford & Company Wealth Management is listed as a regional player.
Does FPA have an API?
No public API is recorded for FPA.
What industry is FPA in?
FPA's product category is Wealth Management and Financial Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAACAB, Financial Planning–Led RIAs, with a secondary code of FSAAAAAJ, Retirement & Pension Wealth (401(k)/IRA/SIPP/Superannuation Retail). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.