Columbus, OH Office

Arete WealthAdvisors provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a broad client base including individuals (including high‑net‑worth clients), pension and profit‑sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and other corporate or business entities. Services include discretionary portfolio management, investment consulting, comprehensive and limited financial planning, and retirement plan advisory and administrative services, as well as access to wrap programs and third‑party money managers.

The firm primarily manages assets on a discretionary basis after documenting client objectives and risk tolerances in its Investment Advisory Contract, and it employs both advisor‑driven allocation and several proprietary, rule‑based model allocations (GDAA for ETFs/ETNs, VQMT for small‑company stocks, and QVLI for larger company value with income). Arete also uses third‑party sub‑advisers and a due‑diligence process for recommended managers and private investments, and it monitors accounts regularly while acting as an ERISA fiduciary when applicable.

What distinguishes Arete from many peers is its integration with affiliated financial businesses and product channels: some advisors are registered representatives of an affiliated broker‑dealer and may sell insurance through an affiliated insurance agency, the affiliate may underwrite and receive compensation related to certain funds, and the firm routinely acts as a solicitor for third‑party money managers that pay referral fees. The firm also maintains proprietary model disclosures and firm publications/conferences as part of its advisor support and has noted atypical advisor onboarding arrangements (such as forgivable loans or ownership interests) disclosed in its brochure.