Golden Road Advisors
Golden Road Advisors is a fee-only Tampa-based SEC-registered RIA serving approximately 230 households of high-net-worth individuals, professionals, and business owners with integrated financial planning, evidence-based investment management, direct indexing, and proactive tax planning; assets are custodied at Raymond James.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersTampa, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Golden Road Advisors does
Golden Road Advisors is a fee-only Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) founded in 2021 and headquartered in Tampa, Florida. The firm is co-led by Principals Kevin A. Caldwell, CFP, and Jeffrey Kikoler, JD, CFP, CFA, and serves approximately 230 households of high-net-worth individuals, families, and high-earning professionals (including attorneys, healthcare executives, and business owners) across the Tampa Bay area and nationally. SEC-registered under CRD# 314077, it operates without a parent company or private equity backing, charging asset-based advisory fees (1.00% standard, 0.75% above $5M, 0.60% above $10M) and flat-fee planning starting at $7,500 annually, with hourly and project-based engagements also available.
The firm's core offering integrates comprehensive financial planning with evidence-based investment management, with notable capabilities including a Direct Indexing Strategy (separately managed accounts enabling stock-level tax-loss harvesting and capital loss carryforwards), Behavioral Investment Counseling, multi-year Proactive Tax Planning, and Estate and Insurance Review. Client assets are custodied at Raymond James, providing structural separation between advisor and custodian and access to the Raymond James Client Access portal. The technology stack is industry-standard: low-cost index funds, direct indexing SMAs, and a third-party custodial portal, with no proprietary platform or AI-enabled tooling.
The business model is a hybrid advisory practice: ongoing AUM-based fees as the primary recurring revenue stream, supplemented by flat-fee, hourly, and project-based planning engagements for self-directed clients. The firm generates leads primarily through content marketing (blog, email newsletter), earned media placements in Kiplinger, Yahoo! Finance, MarketWatch, Tampa Bay Times, and Law.com, podcast and TV appearances, and community involvement in the Tampa Bay area. Service delivery runs through a structured 4-step process (Fit Call, Discovery Questionnaire, complimentary Strategy Session, Engagement/Onboarding) via in-person Tampa meetings, virtual sessions, and travel as warranted.
Golden Road Advisors firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Golden Road Advisors
- Legal name
- Golden Road Advisors LLC
- Website
- https://goldenroadadvisors.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Golden Road Advisors is a fee-only Tampa-based SEC-registered RIA serving approximately 230 households of high-net-worth individuals, professionals, and business owners with integrated financial planning, evidence-based investment management, direct indexing, and proactive tax planning; assets are custodied at Raymond James.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Golden Road Advisors industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wealth Management & Financial Advisory
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB)
Keywords
Where Golden Road Advisors is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tampa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Golden Road Advisors business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Asset-Based Advisory Fees (AUM): Annual advisory fee calculated as percentage of assets under management. Primary revenue stream for clients engaging for both investment management and comprehensive financial planning. Collected quarterly.
- Flat-Fee Financial Planning: Annual flat fee for clients who manage their own investments but engage firm for financial planning. Scope and complexity determine final fee established before engagement.
- Hourly Financial Planning: Hourly fees for financial planning services at up to $300/hour. Invoiced up to 50% upon execution, balance due upon completion. Negotiable based on complexity and relationship.
- Fixed Project-Based Fees: Fixed project-based fees for financial planning engagements ranging up to $10,000. Invoiced up to 50% upon execution, balance due upon completion. Negotiable.
- Insurance Commissions: In limited circumstances, may earn commissions on life, disability, or long-term care insurance when genuinely warranted by client's plan. Disclosed fully. Not a primary revenue stream.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Quarterly | Standard AUM: 1% annual advisory fee |
| Subscription | Quarterly | High-value AUM: 0.75% annual fee for $5M+ portfolios |
| Subscription | Quarterly | Ultra-high-value AUM: 0.60% annual fee for $10M+ portfolios |
| Subscription | Annual | Standalone Financial Planning: Flat annual fee starting at $7,500 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hourly Planning: Up to $300/hour |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Project-Based Planning: Up to $10,000 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
Golden Road Advisors product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Golden Road Advisors is a fee-based Registered Investment Advisor offering comprehensive financial planning integrated with evidence-based investment management for high-net-worth individuals and families. The firm delivers two primary service tiers—ongoing fee-based financial planning plus investment management (1% AUM) and standalone flat-fee financial planning starting at $7,500/year—supported by specialized capabilities including direct indexing for tax efficiency, behavioral investment counseling, proactive multi-year tax planning, and estate and insurance review.
Product overview
Golden Road Advisors is a fee-based Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) offering a unified financial planning and investment management platform centered on comprehensive wealth advisory services. The core offering consists of two primary service tiers: (1) Fee-Based Financial Planning + Investment Management, combining comprehensive written financial plans with evidence-based investment portfolios using index strategies, and (2) Flat-Fee Financial Planning for self-directed investors. Supporting the core services are specialized capabilities including a Direct Indexing Strategy (tax-efficient separately managed accounts enabling stock-level tax-loss harvesting), Behavioral Investment Counseling, Proactive Tax Planning, and Estate and Insurance Review. The firm also provides educational resources including a High-Earner's Guide to Home Ownership and ongoing blog content. Client access is facilitated through a Raymond James-hosted client portal.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fee-Based Financial Planning + Investment Management Ongoing comprehensive financial planning integrated with evidence-based investment management using index strategies, delivered for clients who engage the firm to manage their investments at an annual advisory fee of 1% on assets under management with tiered pricing (0.75% above $5M; 0.60% above $10M).
- Flat-Fee Financial Planning Standalone financial planning service for clients who manage their own investments but want professional insight, offered on a flat annual fee beginning at $7,500, with scope and complexity determining the final fee.
- Hourly Financial Planning
Quantifiable outcome
- Fee structure: 1% AUM (standard), 0.75% ($5M+), 0.60% ($10M+); Standalone planning from $7,500/year; Direct indexing fee premium of ~0.20-0.35% can generate 1-2% annual tax value, typically 5x the cost in active harvesting years
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Golden Road Advisors
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Golden Road Advisors technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Golden Road Advisors partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Raymond JamescoreClient assets held in custody at Raymond James, one of the most established financial services firms in the country. This separation between advisor and custodian is a foundational safeguard ensuring client assets are independently held, independently reported, and independently verified. Raymond James Client Access portal provides online account access for clients.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Golden Road Advisors competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Creative Planning: Comprehensive fee-only RIA with similar financial planning-led model and willingness to serve HNW clients nationwide. Direct peer in the planning-led RIA category, though materially larger in scale.
- Carson Group (Carson Wealth): RIA network providing marketing, technology, and back-office support to affiliated advisors, with a similar comprehensive financial planning value proposition. Comparable in serving HNW clients and offering turnkey advisor support.
- Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Long-standing fee-only RIA with evidence-based investment philosophy and direct indexing capabilities similar to Golden Road. Operates a planning-led, fiduciary model serving HNW households with similar tiered AUM pricing.
- Merit Financial Advisors: Fee-only RIA offering comprehensive financial planning and investment management with a planning-first philosophy. Similar size and growth trajectory to Golden Road with a comparable fiduciary, fee-only model.
Broad incumbents
- Hightower Advisors: National RIA platform serving HNW clients with comprehensive wealth management. Operates in the same advisor category but with substantially broader footprint and more sophisticated service offerings.
- CAPTRUST: Large RIA with dedicated financial planning and investment management for HNW individuals and families. Comparable in service model and target client base, but with greater geographic and segment coverage.
- Mariner Wealth Advisors: Large independent RIA offering comprehensive financial planning, investment management, and tax services to HNW clients. Wider scope and scale than Golden Road but operates in the same advisory category.
Emerging players
- Zoe Financial: Digital marketplace connecting HNW clients with vetted fee-only RIAs. Competes for the same HNW persona that Golden Road serves, but through a curated advisor matching platform rather than a direct advisory practice.
- Facet Wealth: Tech-enabled RIA delivering comprehensive financial planning with flat-fee pricing for HNW clients. Overlaps with Golden Road's flat-fee planning service but uses a virtual-first delivery model.
Regional players
- Brown Wealth Management: Florida-based RIA serving HNW clients with comprehensive wealth advisory services. Closely comparable in regional footprint and target client profile, though operates in different Florida markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Golden Road Advisors social profiles
Digital presenceGolden Road Advisors compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Golden Road Advisors financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Golden Road Advisors leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Golden Road Advisors funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Golden Road Advisors M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Golden Road Advisors
What does Golden Road Advisors do?
Golden Road Advisors is a fee-based Registered Investment Advisor offering comprehensive financial planning integrated with evidence-based investment management for high-net-worth individuals and families. The firm delivers two primary service tiers—ongoing fee-based financial planning plus investment management (1% AUM) and standalone flat-fee financial planning starting at $7,500/year—supported by specialized capabilities including direct indexing for tax efficiency, behavioral investment counseling, proactive multi-year tax planning, and estate and insurance review.
Is Golden Road Advisors a public or private company?
Golden Road Advisors is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Golden Road Advisors founded?
Golden Road Advisors was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Golden Road Advisors based?
Golden Road Advisors is headquartered in Tampa, United States, in the North America region.
How does Golden Road Advisors make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Asset-Based Advisory Fees (AUM) is the primary driver. The others are flat-Fee Financial Planning, hourly Financial Planning, fixed Project-Based Fees and insurance Commissions.
Who are Golden Road Advisors's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Creative Planning, Carson Group (Carson Wealth), Buckingham Strategic Wealth and Merit Financial Advisors. Broad incumbents are Hightower Advisors, CAPTRUST and Mariner Wealth Advisors. Emerging players are Zoe Financial and Facet Wealth. Brown Wealth Management is listed as a regional player.
Does Golden Road Advisors have an API?
No public API is recorded for Golden Road Advisors.
What industry is Golden Road Advisors in?
Golden Road Advisors's product category is Wealth Management & Financial Advisory. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAACAB, Financial Planning–Led RIAs. Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.