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Great Waters Financial
Founded in 2012, Great Waters Financial operates as a registered investment advisor anchored in Shoreview, Minnesota. The firm emerged to serve a practical...
Great Waters Financial
Founded in 2012, Great Waters Financial operates as a registered investment advisor anchored in Shoreview, Minnesota. The firm emerged to serve a practical need in the Twin Cities northern suburbs — providing financial and estate planning, portfolio management, and retirement income guidance to individuals, business entities, and organizations that typically fall below the asset thresholds of larger wealth management shops. Its focus on retirement distribution planning reflects the demographic profile of its client base. The firm's advisory services span investment management, financial planning, and estate planning, with investment strategies built around retirement income generation rather than pure accumulation. Great Waters Financial deploys client assets across portfolios likely structured around mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and fixed-income instruments — the standard toolkit for a Main Street-focused RIA. Geographic concentration remains heavily weighted toward Minnesota and the surrounding Upper Midwest states, where the firm's physical presence and regional reputation carry the most weight among pre-retiree and retiree households. Operational scale remains private — Great Waters Financial does not publicly disclose assets under management, total advisor headcount, or client household numbers. The firm's website points to a small team of advisors serving a localized base, with no indication of satellite offices or expansion beyond its Minnesota core. No adjacent philanthropic vehicles, real-asset arms, or operating businesses appear in public records tied to the firm. Great Waters Financial's structural distinction lies in its posture as a planning-centric RIA rather than a product-distribution platform. During a period when many advisory practices have consolidated into aggregator platforms or private-equity-backed roll-ups, the firm's apparent independence keeps decision-making tied to its local principals rather than distant capital allocators. This architecture aligns advisor incentives with ongoing client relationships — a model that resonates in a market where retirement-plan distribution strategy is the primary client concern.
General information
Firm type
Bank / Wealth / Trust
Year founded
2012
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Shoreview
Corporate office
Shoreview, MN, United States
Frequently asked questions
Is Great Waters Financial a fiduciary?
As a registered investment advisor, Great Waters Financial operates under a fiduciary duty to act in its clients' best interests when providing investment advice. This legal obligation distinguishes RIAs from broker-dealers, who operate under a lower suitability standard. Clients should confirm current regulatory registration directly through the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database.
Does Great Waters Financial serve institutional clients or solely individuals?
The firm advises individuals, business entities, and other organizations, though its marketing emphasis falls squarely on individual retirement planning. No public record indicates a dedicated institutional consulting practice, a pension-advisory unit, or an outsourced chief investment officer service for endowments or foundations. Its client mix appears weighted toward mass-affluent retirees and small-business owners in the Twin Cities metro area.
What investment vehicles does Great Waters Financial use for client portfolios?
Based on its planning-first, fiduciary structure, Great Waters Financial likely constructs client portfolios using individual securities, mutual funds, and ETFs rather than proprietary products or structured notes. The firm's retirement-income focus suggests a heavy allocation to dividend-paying equities, fixed-income ladders, and annuities. Without public disclosure of model portfolios, the specific vehicle mix remains an inference from standard RIA practice.
Is Great Waters Financial affiliated with a larger financial institution or aggregator?
No evidence suggests Great Waters Financial is part of a private-equity-backed roll-up, an aggregator platform, or a larger financial services parent. The firm's public identity — a single-location RIA in Shoreview, Minnesota — points to independent ownership by its founding principals. This separation protects the firm from product-push incentives that can emerge in consolidated advisory enterprises.
How does Great Waters Financial charge for its services?
The firm's Form ADV, the regulatory disclosure document filed by all RIAs, would specify whether compensation comes through asset-based fees, hourly charges, flat retainers, or commissions on certain products. Without that document in hand, the likely model — given the firm's structure — is an asset-based advisory fee, the dominant compensation method for planning-oriented RIAs serving retirees. Clients should request a current Form ADV Part 2A before engaging.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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