RAP

What RAP does

Rutherford Asset Planning, Inc. (RAP) is a privately held, fee-only financial advisory firm headquartered in Tampa, Florida, founded in 1986 by Ron Rutherford and Suzzette Rutherford. The firm provides integrated wealth management services to high net-worth families and individuals with a minimum investable asset threshold of $2,000,000, spanning six practice areas: portfolio management, estate planning, tax strategy, retirement planning, insurance planning, and wealth transition and legacy planning. Services are delivered through a high-touch, relationship-based model anchored by three principals — CEO Keith Amburgey (former Morgan Stanley Managing Director, CFA, CFP), Founder Ron Rutherford (CFP, MBA from NYU, published author and early NAPFA member), and Co-founder Suzzette Rutherford (CFP, estate and trust attorney, former IBM). The firm maintains a 4.9+ client rating across 571 reviews and has been recognized by Worth Magazine as a "Top Advisors" firm.

The firm operates on a fiduciary, fee-only compensation model, charging 1% annually on the first $1,000,000 in assets under management and 0.5% on assets above that threshold, with comprehensive financial planning generally bundled into the AUM fee. It explicitly rejects commissions, rebates, and soft-dollar arrangements, positioning against commission-based broker-dealers. Technology infrastructure is intentionally lean: a third-party web portal (myadvisorlink.com) provides 24/7 client account access, and client assets are custodied by independent third parties (notably Charles Schwab), structurally separating custody from advisory functions. There is no proprietary technology, no AI/ML capability disclosed, and no app or API surface.

Distribution is direct-to-client and concentrated in the Tampa / Southeast Florida market, relying on referrals within the HNW community, the firm website, published testimonials, and a "Book a Call" entry point. The firm is founder-owned with no disclosed PE, VC, or institutional investor involvement, no M&A activity, no funding rounds, and operates as a single-office practice serving clients regionally rather than nationally.

Name

RAP

Legal name

Rutherford Asset Planning, Inc.

Website

https://rutherfordasset.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Rutherford Asset Planning is a fee-only, fiduciary financial advisory firm founded in 1986 in Tampa, Florida, serving high net-worth families with $2M+ investable assets through integrated portfolio management, estate, tax, retirement, insurance, and wealth transition services delivered by three principals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Financial Planning (FSAEAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Estate & Legacy Planning Advisory (FSAEAAAG)

Keywords

• Fee-only financial planning
• Wealth management services
• Estate planning services
• Portfolio management advisory
• Retirement planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

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. Assets Under Management (AUM) Fees: Fee-only AUM-based recurring revenue model. Charges 1% annually on the first $1,000,000 in assets under management and 0.5% on amounts exceeding $1,000,000. For typical clients, comprehensive financial planning services are bundled into the asset management fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rutherford Asset Planning (RAP) is a fee-only financial advisory firm providing integrated wealth management services to high net-worth families. The firm delivers six core service areas — Portfolio Management, Estate Planning, Tax Strategy, Retirement Planning, Insurance Planning, and Wealth Transition & Legacy Planning — bundled into a single comprehensive engagement, compensated through assets-under-management (AUM) fees rather than commissions or product sales.

Product overview

RAP offers a unified suite of fee-only financial planning services focused on holistic wealth management. The core offering encompasses six integrated service areas: Portfolio Management (strategic asset allocation and investment management), Estate Planning, Tax Strategy, Retirement Planning, Insurance Planning, and Wealth Transition & Legacy Planning. These services are designed to work together as a comprehensive financial planning approach, addressing all aspects of clients' financial lives from investment management to estate succession planning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Portfolio Management Strategic asset allocation and investment management tailored to clients' risk tolerance and financial goals, with diversified asset allocation designed for sustainable growth and income for high net-worth families.
• Estate Planning Comprehensive estate planning solutions that protect client assets and preserve legacy through tax-efficient and adaptable strategies, leveraging internal legal expertise in estate and trust law.
• Tax Strategy Strategic tax planning to minimize tax burdens across various assets and business interests, helping clients preserve and grow wealth efficiently through navigation of complex tax laws.
• Retirement Planning Tailored retirement strategies designed to achieve financial independence, maximize retirement enjoyment, and mitigate the risk of outliving savings for high net-worth clients.
• Insurance Planning Objective analysis of insurance needs to ensure proper protection against life's uncertainties including illness, disability, death, property loss, and liability, without accepting commissions.
• Wealth Transition & Legacy Planning Strategic guidance for transferring wealth to future generations while minimizing tax implications, including business succession, charitable giving, and multigenerational estate planning for high net-worth families.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

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

One partnership is on record.

• Third-Party CustodianscoreOthersClient accounts are held with independent, third-party custodians ensuring asset security and separation of advisory services from custody functions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Personal Capital (now Empower Personal Dashboard): Personal Capital is a hybrid digital/human advisory RIA serving affluent households with comprehensive financial planning and investment management at a percentage-of-AUM fee. It competes with RAP for the same HNW persona but at much larger scale and through a tech-enabled onboarding and dashboard model.
• Facet Wealth: Facet Wealth is a digital-first, fee-only RIA delivering comprehensive financial planning to HNW households via virtual advisors at a flat subscription fee. It competes with RAP for the same HNW persona but through a tech-enabled, lower-friction delivery model that contrasts with RAP's in-person Tampa model.

Direct peers

• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Buckingham is a fee-only RIA focused on evidence-based investment management and comprehensive financial planning for affluent households. Like RAP, it operates on a fiduciary, fee-only basis, charges AUM-based fees, and targets HNW clients seeking objective advice without commissions.
• Ritholtz Wealth Management: Ritholtz is a fee-only RIA serving HNW families with comprehensive financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. It shares RAP's fiduciary-only, AUM-fee revenue model and emphasis on objective, conflict-free advice, though it operates nationally and runs a sizable media/content presence.

Broad incumbents

• Creative Planning: Creative Planning is one of the largest independent, fee-only RIAs in the U.S., offering comprehensive financial planning, investment management, tax, and estate services to HNW clients. It is highly comparable to RAP in fiduciary model and service breadth but operates at vastly greater scale with a national footprint.
• Fisher Investments: Fisher Investments is a large independent investment management firm serving high net-worth and institutional clients with discretionary portfolio management. It is comparable to RAP in the HNW asset management niche but operates at vastly greater scale and focuses primarily on investment management rather than comprehensive planning.
• Carson Group: Carson Group is a large RIA and wealth management firm offering financial planning, investment management, and coaching through its advisor network. Comparable to RAP in fee-based advisory services for HNW clients, but operates at much greater scale via partner offices and institutional support.
• Edelman Financial Engines: Edelman Financial Engines is one of the largest fee-only RIAs, providing comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and retirement planning. Its fee-only model and HNW household focus mirror RAP, though it operates at much larger scale through its workplace and individual channels.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Mariner is a large national RIA offering investment advisory, tax, estate, retirement, and wealth transition services to HNW clients. It is comparable to RAP in service breadth and HNW focus but is far larger, multi-office, and operates through both organic growth and acquisitions.
• Focus Financial Partners: Focus is a leading partnership of independent, fee-only and fee-based RIAs serving HNW clients with comprehensive wealth management. Its constituent firms share RAP's fiduciary orientation and HNW service model, and Focus itself is a likely acquirer profile for firms of RAP's size and stage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

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 RAP