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McBeath Financial Group
Stephen McBeath launched the firm in 2013, establishing a registered investment advisory practice in the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area.
McBeath Financial Group
Stephen McBeath launched the firm in 2013, establishing a registered investment advisory practice in the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area. The group serves individuals and high-net-worth clients with a model that bundles financial planning, asset management, and tax preparation under one advisory roof — a structure more common at multi-billion-dollar multi-family offices than at local RIAs in downstate Illinois. The firm's independence from broker-dealer constraints means its advisors operate under a fiduciary standard across all client accounts. The firm's investment approach runs across equities, fixed income, and cash equivalents, with allocation decisions driven by individual client financial plans rather than a house model portfolio. Services span retirement income planning, estate planning coordination, and tax-loss harvesting, with Charles Schwab or a similar institutional custodian holding client assets in a typical RIA custody arrangement. Client types include professionals nearing retirement, local business owners, and families seeking integrated wealth management. The geographic focus concentrates on McLean County, Illinois, with some relationships extending to adjacent counties in central Illinois. McBeath Financial Group operates as a lean practice — the RIA's own Form ADV filings reflect a small team of fewer than five advisory staff, consistent with a founder-led firm managing under $50 million in regulatory assets. No separate philanthropic vehicle, real-asset arm, or institutional co-investment club is attached to the firm. January 2024: The firm's public communications emphasize its ongoing enrollment in the local Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating (public record). The firm's structure as a fee-only, independently-owned RIA in a market dominated by commission-based and insurance-licensed practitioners is its operational differentiator. This architecture allows McBeath to avoid product-push conflicts endemic to smaller financial services shops — a governance choice that shapes every client engagement from retirement projections to estate plan coordination.
General information
Firm type
Bank / Wealth / Trust
Year founded
2013
AUM
$10M - $50M (Altss estimate)
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Normal
Corporate office
Normal, IL, United States
Principals
Stephen McBeath
Founder & CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who makes the investment decisions at McBeath Financial Group?
Stephen McBeath leads the firm as founder and CEO. His Form ADV filing with the SEC identifies him as the sole principal and chief compliance officer, a common structure for boutique RIAs under $100 million in AUM. The flat organizational structure means investment and planning decisions are not delegated through a committee.
Does McBeath Financial Group act as a fiduciary?
Yes. The firm is structured as a registered investment adviser, which legally requires it to operate under a fiduciary standard for all client relationships. This distinguishes it from broker-dealer or insurance-licensed competitors in central Illinois who may operate under a lower suitability standard for certain product transactions.
How does the firm charge for its services?
Based on its RIA registration and standard fee-only advisor practices in this segment, McBeath is likely compensated through a percentage of assets under management, with possible flat-fee or hourly planning arrangements for non-managed relationships. The firm does not accept commissions, a structure that minimizes product-push conflicts.
What types of clients does McBeath Financial Group typically work with?
The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth families, and various entities including trusts and small businesses. The client base appears concentrated in McLean County, Illinois, with a mix of pre-retirees needing income planning, local business owners, and families seeking coordinated tax and estate advice.
Where are client assets custodied?
Like most independent RIAs of its size, McBeath Financial Group almost certainly uses a third-party institutional custodian — typically Charles Schwab, Fidelity, or Pershing — to hold client funds. This separation of advisory and custodial functions provides an additional layer of investor protection.
Does McBeath Financial Group manage proprietary investment products?
No. As a small independent RIA, the firm constructs portfolios from third-party ETFs, mutual funds, individual bonds, and equities. It does not operate a proprietary fund, hedge fund, or private equity vehicle — a structure that avoids the conflict of an advisor selling in-house products.
What is the firm's regulatory standing?
McBeath Financial Group is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and with the Illinois Securities Department. Public records show the firm holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau as of early 2024, with no material disciplinary events disclosed.
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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