SBC Financial

What SBC Financial does

SBC Financial (legal entity: Security Benefits Center, LLC) is a privately held independent financial advisory firm founded in 2008 by Curtis Cottle and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The firm serves pre-retirees and retirees — primarily individuals and couples in Michigan — through six integrated core services: Retirement Planning, Tax Reduction Planning, Estate Planning, Social Security Strategies, Life Insurance/Long-Term Care, and Medicare and Health Insurance advisory. Investment advisory services are offered through an affiliated SEC-registered adviser, Simplicity Wealth, LLC, while insurance products are sold through licensed carrier partnerships.

The firm's technical backbone is centered on specialized third-party financial planning software, most notably a Social Security Strategies platform that evaluates over 2,700 program rules to calculate hundreds of claiming permutations for individual clients. An internal "Gold Medal Services" program adds a secure client dashboard for ongoing account visibility, and client-facing tools include a secure file-upload portal and an online withdrawal request form. SBC Financial does not develop proprietary AI/ML technology; its analytics capabilities appear to rely on rules-based engines and deterministic retirement-income projection software rather than trained machine learning models.

The business operates on a professional services revenue model combining advisory fees (AUM-based) with insurance commissions, generated through a consultative, event-driven go-to-market motion. Lead acquisition is driven primarily by monthly educational seminars and workshops held across Michigan (Shelbyville, Greenville, Grand Rapids, Grandville), complemented by an employer-facing Financial Education Division, downloadable guides, content marketing, broadcast media appearances, and a Refer-a-Friend program. The firm employed 17 staff as of the data window, with a two-partner leadership structure and dedicated operations, partnerships, and health-division functions supporting client delivery.

Name

SBC Financial

Legal name

Security Benefits Center, LLC

Website

https://gosbc.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SBC Financial is an independent Michigan-based financial advisory firm founded in 2008 serving pre-retirees and retirees with integrated retirement, tax, estate, Social Security, insurance, and Medicare planning delivered via a seminar-driven, consultative model with 17 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Financial Planning and Advisory Services: Fee-based financial advisory services delivered through a fiduciary framework. Services include retirement planning, tax reduction planning, estate planning, Social Security strategies, life insurance, long-term care planning, and Medicare guidance. Revenue is generated through advisory fees and insurance commissions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SBC Financial is an independent financial advisory firm that delivers fee-based retirement planning, tax reduction planning, estate planning coordination, Social Security claiming optimization, life insurance and long-term care advisory, and Medicare and health insurance guidance to pre-retirees and retirees. Services are sold through direct consultative engagements and supported by ongoing account management (Gold Medal Services) and an employer-focused Financial Education Division. Investment advisory services are provided through Simplicity Wealth, LLC.

Product overview

SBC Financial is a single, integrated financial services firm offering six core services as a unified practice rather than a modular platform: Retirement Planning, Tax Reduction Planning, Estate Planning (in partnership with NBD Law), Social Security Strategies, Life Insurance and Long-Term Care, and Medicare and Health Insurance. These core services are delivered alongside the Gold Medal Services program (an ongoing account dashboard and support module) and a Financial Education Division providing employer-sponsored webinars and consultations. The firm also provides a suite of complementary downloadable guides covering retirement planning, Medicare, estate planning, Social Security optimization, tax planning, and key age milestones, as well as client-facing tools including a Secure File Upload portal and Client Withdrawal Request form. All services are coordinated through the firm's Grand Rapids, MI office under the leadership of founder Curtis Cottle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retirement Planning Strategic financial planning service guiding clients through the transition from wealth accumulation to distribution, encompassing goal identification, income source mapping, risk mitigation, and sustainable income creation for retirement. Targeted at pre-retirees and retirees in Michigan and beyond.
• Tax Reduction Planning Strategic planning service employing techniques such as tax-loss harvesting, Roth conversions, and Social Security tax planning to minimize tax liabilities both during accumulation and retirement distribution phases. Targeted at pre-retirees and retirees seeking to keep more of their assets.
• Estate Planning Comprehensive Trust and Estate Plan service delivered in partnership with NBD Law, covering customized asset distributions, certificates of trust, beneficiary designation strategies, and legacy planning to reduce probate and preserve wealth across generations. Targeted at retirees and pre-retirees concerned with legacy transfer.
• Social Security Strategies Specialized service providing a comprehensive Social Security Strategies Report that evaluates over 2,700 program rules, calculates hundreds of claiming permutations, and delivers personalized guidance on optimal claiming timing, spousal benefits, and survivor benefit coordination. Targeted at pre-retirees and retirees approaching claiming decisions.
• Life Insurance and Long-Term Care Advisory and coordination service helping clients acquire long-term care protection by strategically utilizing life insurance products, including hybrid life insurance policies with long-term care riders, partnered with top-rated insurance carriers. Targeted at retirees and pre-retirees concerned with healthcare costs and family protection.
• Medicare and Health Insurance Health insurance advisory service that reviews clients' current healthcare situations, compares Traditional Medicare versus Medicare Advantage options, evaluates supplemental coverage eligibility, and simplifies plan selection for retirees. Targeted at retirees navigating Medicare enrollment.
• Gold Medal Services Ongoing client service program providing continuous support, guidance, and full visibility into client accounts through a secure SBC dashboard, enabling retirement planning tracking and progress monitoring throughout the client relationship lifecycle. Targeted at existing SBC Financial clients.
• Financial Education Division Employer-focused financial education service delivering curriculum-based webinars and consultations on topics including 401(k) guidance, estate planning, tax reduction, Social Security claiming, Medicare education, and stock market risk management to employees of partner organizations. Targeted at Michigan employers and HR departments seeking employee financial wellness programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• Social Security benefit optimization through hundreds of calculated claiming options
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NBD LawcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSBC Financial works in close coordination with the legal team at NBD Law for estate planning services. The partnership bridges the gap between financial strategy and legal protection, with SBC Financial handling the financial aspects while NBD Law provides the legal drafting and expertise for trusts, wills, and other estate planning documents.
• Top-Rated Insurance CarriersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSBC Financial has partnered with top-rated insurance carriers to provide long-term care insurance solutions. These partnerships enable the firm to offer strategic coaching on insurance protections and help clients find the best solutions for their situations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Carson Group: National partnership of independent financial advisors providing retirement and wealth planning services. Comparable in independent-advisor model and retirement-focused offering, but operates as a larger support organization with technology and back-office infrastructure.
• Fisher Investments: Large independent money manager serving high-net-worth and mass-affluent retirees. Comparable in independent RIA positioning and retirement-focused advisory, but operates at vastly greater scale with institutional marketing.
• Edelman Financial Engines: One of the largest independent RIAs in the U.S. with a strong retirement planning focus. Directly comparable in target market (pre-retirees and retirees) and service offering, but operates at significantly greater scale with national reach and proprietary planning tools.
• Northwestern Mutual (1847Financial): Established financial services firm with strong presence in Michigan offering retirement, insurance, and financial planning services. Comparable client base and bundled service approach, but operates as a larger incumbent with career advisor network.
• Creative Planning: Large independent RIA with a strong retirement income and wealth planning franchise. Comparable in fiduciary service model and target audience, but substantially larger and nationally distributed.

Others

• Cetera Financial Group: Independent broker-dealer supporting thousands of financial advisors with retirement planning and wealth management services. Comparable in supporting independent RIAs and retirement-focused advisors, but operates at the infrastructure/platform layer rather than direct client advice.

Emerging players

• Personal Capital (now Empower): Digital-first wealth management and retirement planning platform with hybrid advisor support. Comparable in serving mass-affluent retirees with holistic planning, but operates with proprietary technology and at significantly greater scale.
• Kingdom Advisors: Network of Christian financial advisors providing biblically-based financial planning services. Comparable in independent RIA model and educational/event-driven marketing approach, though smaller in scale and faith-focused in target market.

Regional players

• Hantz Group: Michigan-based financial services firm offering financial planning, tax, and advisory services to individuals and businesses. Comparable in regional Michigan focus and integrated service offering, but broader in scope including accounting and insurance.

Direct peers

• Sequoia Financial Group: Michigan-based independent RIA providing comprehensive retirement, tax, and estate planning to individuals and families. Closest like-for-like comparable in geography, service mix, and target client segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sbcfinancial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 SBC Financial