Pinnacle Retirement Advisors

What Pinnacle Retirement Advisors does

Pinnacle Retirement Advisors is a privately-held financial advisory firm headquartered at 1328 SE 25th Loop, Suite 103, Ocala, Florida, that serves pre-retirees, retirees, and high-net-worth individuals across Central Florida. The firm operates a dual-license business model: insurance products — annuities, life insurance, long-term care, and Medicare-related coverage — are sold through its own insurance business, while investment advisory services and wealth management are delivered as an Investment Advisory practice offering products and services through AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM), a Registered Investment Adviser. The core planning methodology is the proprietary "Retirement Atlas" process, which maps post-workforce years, evaluates how money is being used, addresses contingency scenarios, and outlines legacy planning; this methodology underpins the firm's individualized retirement income, wealth management, tax-efficient, and estate plans. The firm does not operate proprietary technology platforms and leans on industry infrastructure (e.g., Orion Advisor client login) for client servicing.

The firm is co-founded by Gary W. Crawford (RICP®, CLTC®; 20+ years in the financial industry since 2002) and Dawn Crawford, supported by a team of approximately 10 staff including a Director of Insurance Operations, a Director of First Impressions, licensed insurance agents, client engagement coordinators, and a Community Outreach Ambassador. Go-to-market is high-touch and sales-led, combining one-on-one advisory consultations, recurring dinner workshops at named local venues (e.g., Ipanema Brazilian Steak House), a weekly radio show on WOCA 96.3 FM, a multi-platform podcast, social media (Facebook, Instagram), a content library of Wealth Reports and tax/MECare guides, and the "Pinnacle Cares" community giving program supporting Kimberly's Center for Child Protection, Hospice of Marion County, and the Nancy Renyhart Dementia Education Program. Revenue is generated through insurance commissions, asset-based advisory fees on assets managed through AEWM, and professional-service fees for Medicare planning and estate/legacy coordination, with quote-based personalized pricing and complimentary initial consultations. The firm holds no external funding, operates a single office, and has been consecutively recognized as "Best Wealth Management in Central Florida" in the Best of the 352 community survey for 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Name

Pinnacle Retirement Advisors

Legal name

Pinnacle Retirement Advisors, LLC

Website

https://retirementwithpinnacle.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pinnacle Retirement Advisors is an Ocala, Florida-based private financial advisory firm serving pre-retirees, retirees, and high-net-worth individuals ($3M+) in Central Florida with retirement income planning, wealth management, insurance products, Medicare navigation, and estate/legacy coordination through its proprietary Retirement Atlas process.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retirement Planning Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Retirement Income Planning & Decumulation Advisory (FSAEABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Insurance-Integrated Wealth Managers (RIA + Insurance Solutions) (FSAAACAI), Retirement & Distribution Planning RIAs (401(k)/IRA/Pension Rollovers) (FSAAACAE), Annuity & Insurance-Based Retirement Solutions Advisory (FSAEABAH), Financial Planning & Goals-Based Advice (Mass Affluent) (FSAAAAAF)

Keywords

• Retirement planning
• Wealth management
• Financial advisory
• Medicare planning
• Estate planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Ocala

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Products: Insurance products including annuities, life insurance, long-term care insurance, and Medicare-related insurance offered through Pinnacle Retirement Advisors' insurance business.
2. Investment Advisory Services: Investment advisory services and wealth management offered through AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM), a Registered Investment Adviser. Includes IRA/401(k) rollovers and investment management.
3. Medicare Planning Services: Medicare plan navigation and enrollment services, including annual coverage reviews, plan comparisons, and application paperwork processing.
4. Estate and Legacy Planning Coordination: Coordination with attorneys and tax professionals for trusts, probate, charitable giving, estate planning, and tax planning strategies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Pinnacle Retirement Advisors provides personalized retirement income planning and wealth management services to individuals in Central Florida. The firm delivers financial advisory services through its proprietary "Retirement Atlas" methodology, combining annuities, investments, IRA/401(k) rollovers, life and long-term care insurance, tax planning, Medicare navigation, and estate/legacy coordination. Services are offered both directly through the firm's insurance business and via AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM) for investment advisory offerings.

Product overview

Pinnacle Retirement Advisors is a financial advisory firm offering a comprehensive suite of retirement planning services. The core offering centers on personalized retirement income strategies delivered through their proprietary Retirement Atlas Process, which maps clients' post-retirement years and creates individualized financial roadmaps. The firm provides three main service pillars: Growth Opportunities (investments, annuities, IRA rollovers), Protection Strategies (life insurance, long-term care, legacy planning), and Giving/Estate Planning. Specialized High Net Worth Services target clients with $3M+ in assets, addressing advanced needs including tax reduction, business succession, and charitable giving strategies. Additional offerings include Medicare navigation, educational workshops, a podcast (Retirement with Pinnacle), downloadable wealth reports and guides, and the Pinnacle Cares community giving program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Financial Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 20+ years of financial industry experience supporting client retirement planning

Named customers1 record

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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAEWM is a Registered Investment Adviser through which Pinnacle Retirement Advisors offers investment advisory services and wealth management products. Pinnacle Retirement Advisors operates as an Investment Advisory practice offering products and services through AEWM. AEWM does not offer insurance products.
• Tax Professionals and AttorneyscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStrategic partnerships with tax professionals and attorneys who provide tax planning and legal/estate planning advice for clients. Pinnacle has a strategic partnership with an elder law attorney for estate planning education.
• The American CollegesupportingOthersThe American College in Bryn Mawr, PA administers the RICP (Retirement Income Certified Professional) designation that Gary Crawford holds. The College is accredited by The Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
• Kimberly's Center for Child ProtectionminorOthersLocal charity supported through Pinnacle Cares initiative. The firm donates time and money to this worthy cause as part of community giving back efforts.
• Hospice of Marion CountyminorOthersLocal hospice organization supported through Pinnacle Cares initiative, including The Nancy Renyhart Dementia Education Program and the annual golf tournament.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Fisher Investments: Large investment manager with substantial HNW and retiree client base and a media-driven thought leadership presence. Overlaps with Pinnacle in retirement-oriented wealth management and active content marketing to retirees.
• Kestra Financial: Independent wealth platform supporting hybrid advisor practices across retirement, insurance, and investment services. Comparable in business model to AEWM and competes for practices like Pinnacle's.
• Edelman Financial Engines: One of the largest US RIAs with deep retirement-income and 401(k) rollover focus. Overlaps with Pinnacle's core retirement planning and IRA/401(k) rollover services but operates at much greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Cetera Financial Group: Large independent advisor network supporting hybrid insurance and investment advisory practices serving retirees and HNW clients. Provides the type of back-office RIA platform that Pinnacle currently obtains from AEWM.
• Commonwealth Financial Network: Independent broker-dealer/RIA platform supporting advisor practices serving retirement-age households with wealth, protection, and legacy solutions. Comparable structural alternative to AEWM for practices like Pinnacle.
• Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors: Long-standing wealth management firm serving mass-affluent and HNW households with retirement, insurance, and advisory solutions. Comparable in target clientele and integrated retirement/wealth service mix, though operating at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Large national RIA focused on retirement, tax, estate, and legacy planning for HNW households. Comparable in its retirement-decumulation specialization and use of a centralized advisory platform supporting regional practices.
• Carson Wealth: National RIA platform serving retiree- and HNW-focused practices via an affiliated/advisor model. Highly comparable in offering retirement income, legacy, and tax planning through partner offices, with similar advisor economics and hybrid insurance/wealth services.
• AE Wealth Management: Registered Investment Adviser and platform partner through which Pinnacle delivers its investment advisory services. Operates an affiliated-practice model similar to Pinnacle's, making it both a partner and the closest structural peer.
• Hilltop Wealth Advisors: Regional retirement-income advisory practice with a similar owner-operated model and HNW/pre-retiree focus. Direct peer in scale, target market, and high-touch service delivery style.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pinnacleretirementadvisors
• Instagraminstagram.com/pinnacleretirement
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pinnacle-retirement-advisors-llc

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Pinnacle Retirement Advisors