Forge Financial Group

What Forge Financial Group does

Forge Financial Group, operating as Forge Financial Services, LLC, is a privately held, faith-based registered investment advisor founded in 2002 by Charlotte Williams in Edmond, Oklahoma (previously known as Shaw Financial Services LLC). The firm delivers investment planning, retirement planning, insurance planning, 401(k)/403(b) transition assistance, and relationship management for individuals and families, integrating Dave Ramsey's 7 Baby Steps methodology into every client engagement. Securities and broker-dealer services are provided through a core partnership with LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC, which also supplies the account management and client portal infrastructure; Forge operates as a separate RIA entity from LPL.

The company is differentiated by its more than 20-year relationship with Dave Ramsey Solutions and its designation as Oklahoma's longest-tenured SmartVestor Pro (and the second-longest nationally), which drives a steady referral pipeline. It serves three primary client segments: individuals and families seeking financial guidance, Dave Ramsey followers and SmartVestor seekers, and pre-retirees/retirees facing rollover and retirement income decisions. The firm holds a fiduciary commitment and uses a personal, relationship-driven sales approach with dedicated financial consultants supported by client service managers.

The team comprises approximately 13 financial consultants across two offices (Edmond headquarters and Tulsa), led by Williams as CEO, Christie Hughes as Vice President (and Williams's daughter), Doug Burleson as CFO/Chief Compliance Officer, John Dotson as CIO, and Toni Selph as Tulsa Manager and part-owner. Operating geographies are restricted to Oklahoma and to U.S. states in which LPL-registered representatives are properly licensed, meaning near-term expansion is geographically contained. Revenue is generated via recurring AUM-based or flat advisory fees, with specific rates not publicly disclosed, and no external funding rounds, parent company, or M&A activity has been disclosed.

Name

Forge Financial Group

Legal name

Forge Financial Services, LLC

Website

https://forgefinancial.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Forge Financial Group is a privately held, faith-based registered investment advisor in Edmond, Oklahoma, providing investment, retirement, insurance, and 401(k) planning to individuals and families via LPL Financial. It is Oklahoma's longest-tenured Dave Ramsey SmartVestor Pro.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Wealth Planning (Tax, Estate & Succession) (FSAAABAE), Estate Planning & Trust Structuring Advisory (FSAEAKAC)

Keywords

• Investment planning
• Retirement planning
• Financial advisory
• Wealth management
• Insurance planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Financial Advisory Services: Fee-based financial advisory services provided through registered investment advisor. Securities and investment products offered through LPL Financial, a registered broker-dealer and investment advisor. Revenue generated from advisory fees on client assets under management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Forge Financial Group provides faith-based financial advisory services including investment planning, retirement planning, insurance planning, and relationship management for individual investors and families. The firm operates as a registered investment advisor with securities offered through LPL Financial, applying Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps methodology to long-term wealth-building strategies. Services include portfolio management, 401(k)/403(b) rollovers, and term life insurance for clients across Oklahoma.

Product overview

Forge Financial Group offers a suite of financial advisory services centered around investment planning, retirement planning, insurance planning, and relationship management. The firm operates as a faith-based financial advisory practice using Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps methodology. Core services include investment management, 401(k)/403(b) transitions, term life insurance, and retirement planning. The company is also a SmartVestor Pro certified practice affiliated with Dave Ramsey's network of financial advisors. Services are provided through their affiliation with LPL Financial for securities transactions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

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

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• LPL FinancialcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSecurities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. LPL Financial is the broker-dealer through which Forge Financial provides investment products and services. Forge operates as a registered investment advisor separate from but affiliated with LPL Financial.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ronald Blue Trust: Faith-based Registered Investment Advisor providing biblically-aligned investment management, financial planning, and estate services. Most directly comparable to Forge given shared faith-based positioning, multi-advisor model, and planning-led approach serving individuals and families.

Broad incumbents

• Steward Partners: Independent wealth management firm offering investment, retirement, tax, and estate planning through advisor teams. Comparable in team-based multi-advisor model serving households with comprehensive planning needs.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: National wealth advisory firm providing investment management, financial planning, tax, and estate services to individuals and families. Comparable in full-service planning-led RIA model and team-based advisor coverage.
• Raymond James Financial: Diversified financial services firm offering wealth management, investment advisory, and retirement planning through affiliated advisors. Comparable in the independent-advisor-affiliation model (similar to Forge's LPL affiliation) and household-level planning focus.
• Edward Jones: Large national broker-dealer and RIA with thousands of branch-office financial advisors serving individuals and families. Comparable in advisor-led, relationship-driven, regional branch model and broad service suite covering investments, retirement, and insurance planning.
• Cetera Financial Group: Independent broker-dealer and RIA platform supporting thousands of financial professionals in investment, retirement, and insurance services. Closely comparable business model to Forge's LPL-affiliated RIA structure at scale.
• Focus Financial Partners: RIA aggregator partnering with independent wealth management firms. Comparable as a multi-affiliated RIA platform serving high-net-worth individuals, though with a private equity-backed multi-firm structure rather than a single-brand practice.
• Cambridge Investment Research: Independent broker-dealer and RIA platform supporting independent financial advisors nationally. Comparable independent-advisor model, broad household financial planning services, and reliance on a parent IBD platform for back-office infrastructure.
• Creative Planning: Large national RIA offering wealth management, retirement, tax, and estate planning to individuals and families. Comparable in comprehensive household financial planning services and multi-advisor team structure, though at materially larger scale.

Emerging players

• Facet Wealth: Digital-first RIA providing flat-fee financial planning and investment management to individuals nationwide. Comparable in target market (individuals/families seeking financial guidance) but differentiated by technology-enabled delivery versus Forge's in-person model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Forge Financial Group