DeGraaf Financial

What DeGraaf Financial does

Wheeler DeGraaf Financial is a privately held financial advisory firm headquartered in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, that provides wealth management, retirement planning, insurance, and employee benefits services. Founded in 1992 by Larry and Jeannie DeGraaf, the firm merged with Wheeler Associates in May 2019 and now operates under the combined name Wheeler DeGraaf Financial. The firm primarily targets individual retirees and pre-retirees as its core client segment, with secondary service lines aimed at small-to-mid-sized businesses seeking qualified plan administration and employee benefits consulting. It operates a referral-only practice model that emphasizes personalized, hands-on advisory relationships over product sales pressure.

The firm's core services include wealth management (guiding clients through the transition from wealth creation to accumulation to distribution), qualified retirement plan administration (delivered through WheelerRP.com), individual insurance solutions, and employee benefits/strategic benefit consulting. Advisory services are technically delivered through an affiliation with Commonwealth Financial Network, a Registered Investment Adviser that provides the regulatory and compliance framework for fiduciary-based advice. Revenue is generated primarily through fee-based advisory relationships, with additional income streams from insurance product placement (one-time/commission) and professional services for qualified plan administration and employee benefits consulting. The firm maintains a small team of 1-10 employees.

The company's digital platform consists of a website-based presence featuring financial calculators, market updates, and an extensive resource center covering retirement, investment, estate, insurance, tax, and lifestyle topics. Marketing is conducted through content-driven channels including blog resources, SEO, email newsletters, and direct contact consultations. The firm is CCPA-compliant as of January 2020 and operates as a Registered Investment Adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 via its Commonwealth Financial Network affiliation. Geographic focus is regional within Minnesota, with no disclosed institutional investment, venture capital, or private equity backing.

Name

DeGraaf Financial

Legal name

Wheeler DeGraaf Financial

Website

https://degraaffinancial.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wheeler DeGraaf Financial is a privately held Saint Cloud, Minnesota-based financial advisory firm providing wealth management, retirement planning, individual insurance, and employee benefits services to retirees and small businesses through a Commonwealth Financial Network RIA affiliation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Health and Welfare Funds (525120), Pension Funds (525110)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Retirement Income Planning & Decumulation Advisory (FSAEABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employee Benefits Brokerage & Consulting (FSAEADAC), Trust, Fiduciary & Estate Planning Services (FSABADAG)

Keywords

• Wealth management services
• Retirement planning
• Financial advisory
• Estate planning
• Qualified retirement plans

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Cloud

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. Wealth Management Advisory Services: Fee-based financial advisory services provided through Commonwealth Financial Network as a Registered Investment Adviser, offering personalized financial strategies and wealth management solutions.
2. Insurance Products: Individual insurance solutions including comprehensive coverage options for financial protection and well-being.
3. Employee Benefits Consulting: Strategic benefit consulting services providing customized benefit programs for employers and their employees.
4. Qualified Plans Administration: Retirement plan services including administration and management of qualified retirement plans for businesses, accessible through WheelerRP.com.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wheeler DeGraaf Financial provides personalized wealth management, qualified retirement plan administration, individual insurance solutions, and employee benefits consulting to individual retirees and pre-retirees as well as small to mid-sized employers. Services are delivered as fee-based advisory work through its Registered Investment Adviser affiliation with Commonwealth Financial Network, supplemented by insurance product placement and professional benefit consulting.

Product overview

Wheeler DeGraaf Financial is a financial advisory firm offering a comprehensive suite of wealth management and retirement planning services. The core offering includes Wealth Management for personalized financial strategies, Qualified Plans for retirement planning, Individual Insurance for coverage solutions, and Employee Benefits/Strategic Benefit Consulting for business clients. The firm also provides supporting resources including Financial Calculators, Financial Guidance content, Market Updates, and Retirement Plan News. The company operates as a referral-only practice with a focus on personalized, hands-on customer service throughout the client financial journey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wealth Management Personalized financial strategies aligned with individual client goals and long-term security, guiding clients through the transition from wealth creation to wealth accumulation and ultimately to wealth distribution. Delivered via fee-based advisory relationships through Commonwealth Financial Network, a Registered Investment Adviser.
• Qualified Plans Retirement planning services including resources on retirement strategies, social security optimization, and estate planning for retirement plan participants, with administration and management of qualified retirement plans for businesses accessed through WheelerRP.com.
• Individual Insurance Comprehensive coverage options designed to protect individuals' financial well-being, providing comfort and confidence through various personal insurance products distributed through the firm's advisory relationships.
• Employee Benefits / Strategic Benefit Consulting Customized, value-driven benefit programs designed to support employees and their families, delivered as strategic consulting to small and mid-sized employers seeking competitive employee benefits offerings.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Wheeler AssociatesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2019Merger partner in May 2019 that created Wheeler DeGraaf Financial. The merger with Wheeler Associates marked a new generation for the business, blending the original DeGraaf vision with fresh perspectives and innovative approaches. Combined team of like-minded professionals.
• Commonwealth Financial NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegistered Investment Adviser affiliation providing the regulatory framework and infrastructure for delivering advisory services. Advisory services are offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, a Registered Investment Adviser. The firm operates under their compliance and advisory network umbrella.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Independent, fee-only RIA providing comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and retirement plan services to individuals and businesses. Closely comparable fiduciary, multi-service RIA model with similar target clientele.
• Northwestern Mutual: Mutual financial services firm combining wealth management, retirement planning, and individual insurance through a network of local advisors. Comparable to Wheeler DeGraaf in product breadth, advisor-led delivery, and emphasis on personalized planning for individuals and business owners.
• Edelman Financial Engines: Large independent RIA offering wealth management, financial planning, retirement plan services, and workplace advice. Comparable across the full Wheeler DeGraaf service stack including employer-sponsored retirement plans, though at substantially greater national scale.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Independent wealth advisory firm offering comprehensive financial planning, investment management, retirement plan services, and insurance solutions to individuals and institutions. Comparable to Wheeler DeGraaf in service breadth and target clientele.
• Edward Jones: National financial advisory firm with a localized branch-office model serving individual investors with wealth management, retirement, and insurance solutions. Highly comparable to Wheeler DeGraaf in client segment and advisory-led service model, though at vastly greater scale.
• Creative Planning: Large independent RIA offering comprehensive wealth management, retirement, estate, and tax planning for high-net-worth individuals and businesses. Comparable business model — fiduciary, fee-based, multi-service — though at substantially greater scale and geographic footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Ameriprise Financial: Large diversified financial services company offering wealth management, retirement planning, insurance, and employee benefits through a network of independent advisors. Overlaps with Wheeler DeGraaf across all four service lines but operates at national scale and as a publicly traded parent.
• Fidelity Wealth Services: Wealth management division of Fidelity Investments offering financial planning, investment advisory, retirement, and estate services to individual investors. Overlaps with Wheeler DeGraaf on retirement and wealth management for individuals but at national scale with proprietary technology.
• Charles Schwab Private Client: Wealth management offering from Charles Schwab serving individual investors with personalized financial planning, investment advice, and retirement solutions. Competes for the same retiree/pre-retiree segment but delivers at much larger scale with heavy technology enablement.

Others

• Commonwealth Financial Network: Registered Investment Adviser and broker-dealer through which Wheeler DeGraaf delivers its advisory services. Not a competitor but the platform affiliate; included as a relevant ecosystem participant given the operational and regulatory centrality of the relationship.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 DeGraaf Financial