What buckingham asset management (bam) does

Focus Partners | Advisor Solutions, formerly Buckingham Strategic Partners (rebranded January 2025), is a privately held Turnkey Asset Management Platform (TAMP) headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, and operating as a subsidiary of Focus Financial Partners, LLC. The firm provides a comprehensive, integrated platform to independent financial advisors in the United States, combining back-office support, investment models, practice management, operational tools, and a vetted technology stack. As of December 31, 2025, the platform oversaw $19.49 billion in discretionary regulatory assets under management, $16.91 billion in non-discretionary regulatory assets under management, and provided administrative, back-office, and retirement plan services to an additional $14.09 billion in assets — aggregating to $50.59 billion in total AUM/AUA. As of April 30, 2026, the firm served 983 independent advisor members in its community, of whom 316 had been with the platform for over 15 years.

The core product architecture is anchored by the Focus Advisor Solutions platform and the SA Funds – Investment Trust, a family of ten asset class mutual funds founded in 1999, the majority of which are sub-advised by Dimensional Fund Advisors and distributed via Foreside Financial Services. Proprietary technology components include a Portfolio Analytics Center, a branded end-client portal and mobile app, multi-custodial oversight systems for account opening and transfer management, and risk assessment tools. The platform integrates third-party systems including MoneyGuideElite (financial planning), DocuSign (onboarding and transitions), and Envestnet (client login and advisor access). Distribution is conducted through four regional managing directors covering the Northeast (James Boylan), West (Ben Slater), Southeast (Mike Ozburn), and Central (Sean Brooks) U.S. territories. The senior leadership team includes Adam Birenbaum (Chairman/CEO), Jonathan Scheid (President), Kevin Grogan (CIO, Systematic Strategies), Jeffrey Levine (Chief Planning Officer), Michael Kitces (Head of Planning Strategy), and Jeffrey Yorg (Head of Legal/CCO).

Revenue is generated primarily through AUM-based advisory fees on regulatory assets under management, supplemented by fees for administrative, back-office, and retirement plan services. Pricing is quote-based, customized to advisor needs and AUM size, and is not publicly disclosed. End-customer segments are independent financial advisors (primary) and the high-net-worth individuals those advisors serve. The firm maintains compliance with SEC registration (Form ADV Parts 2A and 2B, Form CRS), CCPA, and WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards.

Name

buckingham asset management (bam)

Legal name

Focus Partners | Advisor Solutions, LLC

Website

https://bamadvisor.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Focus Partners | Advisor Solutions (formerly Buckingham Strategic Partners) is a U.S. TAMP serving 983 independent financial advisors with back-office, investment, practice management, and technology services across $50.59B AUM/AUA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management TAMP / Turnkey Asset Management Platform

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Open-End Investment Funds (525910), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Wealth Platforms for Advisors (TAMP/Advisor Tech) (FSAGAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB), Portfolio Management–Led RIAs (Discretionary/Model-Based) (FSAAACAC), Managed Account Platforms (Separately Managed Accounts / Customized Portfolios) (FSAHAKAC), Sub-Accounting & Platform Servicing (Omnibus, Intermediary/NSCC, Retirement Platforms) (FSAAAMAI), Investment Management Advisory (RIA) (FSAEAAAB)

Keywords

• Wealth management platform
• Turnkey asset management
• Independent advisor services
• Investment management solutions
• Financial advisory support

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. AUM-Based Advisory Fees: Fees based on assets under management or administration, typical for TAMP (Turnkey Asset Management Platform) business models. Focus provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management services with fees calculated on regulatory assets under management.
2. Administrative and Back Office Services: Fees for administrative, back office and retirement plan services provided to independent firms. Focus provides services to $14.09 billion of assets managed or advised by independent firms that hire Focus for its services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Buckingham Asset Management, operating as Focus Partners | Advisor Solutions, provides a comprehensive Turnkey Asset Management Platform (TAMP) that delivers back-office operations, investment management, practice management, and technology solutions to independent financial advisors. The platform serves 983 advisor members with $50.59 billion in assets under management or administration, combining the SA Funds family of asset class mutual funds with operational, marketing, compliance, and advanced planning support.

Product overview

Focus Advisor Solutions (formerly Buckingham Strategic Partners, LLC) is a comprehensive wealth management platform for independent financial advisors. The offering is structured as a unified platform combining SA Funds (a family of ten asset class mutual funds sub-advised by Dimensional Fund Advisors) with extensive advisor support services including Marketing Support, Practice Management, Investment Models, Operational Tools, Back Office Support, Technology Stack (featuring MoneyGuideElite), Advanced Analytics Tools, Advanced Planning Team, Specialty Services, Personalized Client Experience, Network of Peer Planners, and Full Business Lifecycle Support. The platform serves 983 independent advisors managing $50.59 billion in total assets under management or administration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SA Funds – Investment Trust: A family of ten asset class mutual funds advised by Focus Advisor Solutions and available exclusively through select independent advisors. The majority of SA Funds are sub-advised by Dimensional Fund Advisors.

Products and services

• Focus Advisor Solutions TAMP Platform A comprehensive suite of advisor solutions providing back-office support, practice management, investment models, and technology tools for independent financial advisors managing $50.59 billion in assets under management or administration.
• SA Funds – Investment Trust A family of ten asset class mutual funds sub-advised by Dimensional Fund Advisors, designed as building blocks for fee-based advisors to create diversified portfolios for their clients; distributed by Foreside Financial Services.
• Practice Management Services Practice consulting, legal and compliance support, business transition resources, leadership coaching, advisor learning and development, client segmentation, and business succession planning for independent advisor practices.
• Investment Models and Research Evidence-driven investment models with capital market assumptions, approved and recommended securities lists, custom fixed income team, asset location, tax management, ESG solutions, and direct management of held-away accounts.
• Back Office and Operational Support Multi-custodial oversight, account opening, transfer oversight, NIGO resolution, account maintenance, performance reporting, billing, trading and rebalancing, cash management, and tax loss harvesting.
• Advanced Planning Team Services Complex case consultations and guidance across retirement planning, income tax planning, estate planning, risk management, health considerations, education planning, business owner planning, and charitable planning.
• Specialty Services Retirement plan services, institutional investment services, small business valuation, high-yield cash management, lending partners, personal trust services, and curated partnerships and industry discounts.
• Full Business Lifecycle Support Startup best practices, growth solutions, exit planning with CEPA-certified support, and partnership throughout all phases of the advisor's business lifecycle.

Quantifiable outcome

• 983 independent advisor members in the community
• +2 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

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Dimensional Fund Advisors LPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDimensional Fund Advisors serves as sub-adviser for the SA Funds - Investment Trust, a family of ten asset class mutual funds founded in 1999. The majority of SA Funds are sub-advised by Dimensional, with each fund having distinct risk/reward characteristics and investment objectives. Dimensional is one of the most respected money managers in America.
• Foreside Financial Services, LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorForeside Financial Services serves as the distributor for SA Funds - Investment Trust mutual funds, providing regulatory and distribution services for the fund family.
• MoneyGuideElitecoreTechnology or IntegrationMoneyGuideElite planning platform is part of Focus's vetted technology stack, integrated into the technology offerings provided to independent advisors for financial planning purposes.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brinker Capital (Orion Advisor Technology): Brinker Capital is a long-standing TAMP serving independent advisors with model portfolios, UMA platforms, and advisor technology; following its acquisition by Orion it sits in the same direct competitive set as Focus Advisor Solutions.
• Envestnet (Tamarac): Envestnet provides managed-portfolio platforms, advisor workstations, and reporting used by RIAs — directly competing with Focus Advisor Solutions' investment models, operational tools, and multi-custodial oversight offerings.
• SEI Advisor Network: SEI's Advisor Network provides turnkey asset management and technology services to independent advisors — closely overlapping Focus Advisor Solutions' TAMP value proposition including back office, models, and practice support.
• AssetMark: AssetMark is a TAMP serving independent advisors with model portfolios, practice consulting, and technology — comparable scale, channel (independent advisors), and product suite to Focus Advisor Solutions.
• Orion Advisor Solutions: Orion offers advisor technology, model marketplace, and TAMP-style services to independent RIAs — competing head-to-head with Focus Advisor Solutions' investment models, rebalancing, and reporting stack.

Broad incumbents

• LPL Financial (Advisor/Corporate RIA): LPL provides custody, TAMP-style services, and a broad product shelf to a large independent-advisor base — a broader incumbent whose advisor offerings overlap with Focus Advisor Solutions across custody, models, and practice support.
• Schwab Advisor Services: Schwab serves RIAs with custody and increasingly bundled TAMP-style offerings through Schwab Wealth Advisory; while broader than a pure-play TAMP, it competes for the same independent-advisor wallet.
• Fidelity Institutional Wealth Adviser: Fidelity Institutional provides custody, brokerage, and advisor technology to RIAs across the U.S. — competing for independent-advisor relationships with overlapping back-office, planning, and custody features.
• Cetera Financial Group: Cetera is a large IBD/wealth management firm offering advisor platforms, TAMP-style support, and practice management to independent advisors — a broad incumbent with overlapping solutions.

Others

• Dimensional Fund Advisors: Dimensional is the sub-adviser for the majority of SA Funds offered through Focus Advisor Solutions; it is an ecosystem participant (supplier of investment strategies) rather than a direct TAMP competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FocusPartnersAS
• Facebookfacebook.com/FocusPartnersAdvisorSolutions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buckinghamsw

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 buckingham asset management (bam)