Founders Financial Alliance, LLC logo

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

Updated today

Client AUM

$1,133,282,777

Clients

2,354

Advisors

31

across 14 offices

About

Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary, fee‑based investment management and financial planning to individual and high‑net‑worth clients, as well as charitable organizations and corporate retirement plans. The firm also offers retirement plan consulting, participant account management for held‑away plan assets, third‑party manager introductions, and a FlatFeeCIO program that bundles family‑office style coordination and discretionary ETF model portfolios (including funds from Vanguard, State Street and BlackRock) for a negotiated flat annual fee.

The firm’s investment approach is evidence‑based and tailored to individual goals and risk tolerances, incorporating asset allocation, periodic rebalancing and a mix of strategies (modern portfolio theory, fundamental and technical analysis) and third‑party manager solutions where appropriate. In addition to client services, Founders provides turnkey advisor support—administrative, coaching, marketing, technology and compliance—and operates as a hybrid RIA with a network of investment adviser representatives who may also be registered with broker/dealers and use multiple custodial platforms.

Compared with many peers, Founders combines a sizable advisor team and institutional scale (about $1.18 billion in AUM across 32 advisors) with a multi‑pronged business model that includes affiliated insurance and tax preparation entities, office/OSJ support for advisors, and structured fee‑sharing or referral arrangements with third‑party managers and custodians. Those custodial and transition relationships (and occasional oversight or referral payments) are disclosed in its brochure and represent potential conflicts of interest that clients should review when selecting services.

Client services

Financial planning Portfolio management Pension consulting Selection of other advisers Consulting services

Expertise

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k)

Occupation focus

Founder/Business Owner Executive

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Fee options

Fixed

Flat fee for pension consulting: $2,000 to $5,000 annually; FlatFeeCIO program annual flat fee up to $30,000

Commissions

IARs may receive brokerage or mutual fund trail commissions from sales of securities in their capacity as registered representatives of LPL Financial

Project-based

Hourly financial planning fees generally range from $200 to $500 per hour

Other

Minimum fee: Minimum flat fee range for pension consulting: generally $2,000 to $5,000 annually Fee-only: Hourly financial planning fees generally range from $200 to $500 per hour; fixed fees range from $200 to $15,000

Main office

See office

9212 Falls of Neuse Road, Suite 221

Raleigh NC 27615

Advisors at this office

11

Most active in

Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Missouri · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · South Carolina · Tennessee · Texas · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin

Also doing business as

Bryan Financial Group · Ceccato Wealth Partners, LLC · Colonnade Wealth Management Group, LLC · Cornerstone Wealth Advisors · Defranco Financial · Diamond & Associates Wealth Management · Du Lac Wealth Services · Elite Wealth Management · Elite Wealth Management, LLC · Fiduciary Asset Management · Flatfee Cio · Flatfeecio · Founders Financial Alliance · Founders Financial Alliance, LLC · Founders Wealth Advisors, LLC · Founders Wealth Partners, LLC · Innerbanks Wealth Management · Mainsail Triangle Investment Management · Mitro Wealth Management · Mjm Wealth Management, LLC · Owens & Associates · The Sovran · Western Community Financial

Disclosures

Exclamation point means they have disclosures of this type. Check mark means no disclosures of this type were found.

Business activities & affiliations

Advisors at this firm

user avatar

Hantz S

CFP®, Series 63, Series 66

Sarasota, FL

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

Hantz Serrao is a CFP® professional with 21 years of industry experience, currently serving at Founders Financial Alliance, LLC since 2024. Prior to this, he worked at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Advisors from 2016 to 2024. Outside of his advisory role, Serrao is involved in IT consulting through BMORE CONSULTING LLC, which he co-owns with his spouse. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary, fee-based investment management and financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate retirement plans. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach tailored to client goals and risk tolerances, combining modern portfolio theory, fundamental and technical analysis, and third-party manager solutions.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Brian T N

Series 63, Series 65

Cary, NC

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

Brian T Nelan is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and offering 19 years of industry experience. He worked at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney from 2016 to 2018 before joining Founders Financial Alliance in 2018. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary, fee-based investment management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate retirement plans. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach tailored to clients’ goals and risk tolerances, incorporating asset allocation, rebalancing, and a mix of strategies with third-party manager solutions where appropriate.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Ralph A

Series 66

Raleigh, NC

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

Ralph Aiello is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 25 years of industry experience. He has worked at Founders Financial Alliance since 2017 and previously held roles at WealthPLAN Partners and LPL Financial LLC. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and related advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs an evidence-based investment process using ETFs, third-party managers, and ongoing portfolio monitoring, and offers a family-office style program under a flat fee arrangement.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Don R

Series 63, Series 65, Series 66

Raleigh, NC

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

Don Rudolph is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC, holding Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses and 29 years of industry experience. He has been with Founders Financial Alliance and LPL Financial LLC since 2016. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and related advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs an evidence-based investment process using ETFs, third-party managers, and regular portfolio monitoring, and offers a family-office style program called FlatFeeCIO that combines management, planning, and tax analysis under a flat fee.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Jeffrey T

Series 66

Raleigh, NC

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

Jeffrey Talley is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC in Raleigh, NC, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. He has been with Founders Financial Alliance, Founders Wealth Advisors, and LPL Financial since 2016. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary, fee-based investment management and financial planning for individual and high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate retirement plans. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach tailored to clients' goals and risk tolerances, combining asset allocation, rebalancing, and various strategies alongside third-party manager solutions.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

John B

Series 66

Raleigh, NC

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

John Billiter is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. He has worked at Founders Financial Alliance and LPL Financial since 2020 and previously spent nine years with UBS Financial Services. Outside of his advisory role, he is involved with Elite Wealth Management, LLC, an entity established for business and tax purposes. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and related services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs an evidence-based investment process using ETFs, third-party managers, and ongoing portfolio monitoring, and offers a family-office style program that integrates multiple advisory services under a flat fee.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Nicholas L

CFP®, Series 66

Raleigh, NC

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

Nicholas Livecchi is a CFP® professional with 15 years of industry experience. He is currently affiliated with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC and LPL Financial, LLC, having previously worked at Bank of America and Merrill Lynch. Outside of his advisory roles, he is the author of "Finding the 'Right Fit' Financial Advisor." Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach using ETFs, third-party managers, and portfolio monitoring, and offers a family-office style program that integrates multiple advisory services under a flat fee arrangement.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Susan P

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 63, Series 65

Bluffton, SC

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

Susan Pokwatka is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC, holding CFP® and ChFC® designations and over 30 years of industry experience. She has been with Founders Financial Alliance since 2016 and previously worked at LPL Financial for 20 years. Outside of her advisory role, she is involved in an insurance business through Underwriters Brokerage Services. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and related advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs an evidence-based investment process using ETFs, third-party managers, and portfolio monitoring, and offers a family-office style program and support services to advisors.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

James S

Series 63, Series 66

Raleigh, NC

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

James Sloop is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and possessing 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Founders Financial Alliance since 2015 and also maintains an affiliation with LPL Financial since 2014. Outside of his advisory work, he creates content focused on electronic entertainment for platforms such as YouTube and Twitch. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and related advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs an evidence-based investment process using ETFs, third-party managers, and regular portfolio monitoring, and offers a flat-fee family-office style program that integrates multiple advisory services.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Tommy P

Series 63, Series 65

Raleigh, NC

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

Tommy Porter is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC in Raleigh, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Founders Financial Alliance and LPL Financial LLC since 2014. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and related advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs an evidence-based investment process that customizes portfolios to client goals using ETFs, third-party managers, and ongoing monitoring, and offers a family-office style program under a flat fee arrangement.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Dustin D

Series 66

Wheeling, WV

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

Dustin Defranco is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has worked with Founders Financial Alliance and LPL Financial since 2016. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary, fee-based investment management and financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate retirement plans. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach tailored to individual goals and risk tolerances, combining asset allocation, rebalancing, and a mix of strategies, alongside turnkey support for advisors.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Heather D

Series 66

Wheeling, WV

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

Heather De Franco is a financial advisor at Founders Financial Alliance, LLC with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to entering the financial industry, she worked as a homemaker and operated a photography business for nearly a decade. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary, fee-based investment management and financial planning to individual and high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate retirement plans. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach tailored to clients’ goals and risk tolerances and offers comprehensive advisor support alongside its multi-pronged business model.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Karen D

Series 63, Series 65, Series 66

Sarasota, FL

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

Karen Diamond is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 36 years of industry experience. Her prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, and Wells Fargo Clearing from 2016 to 2024. Outside of her advisory work, she owns and oversees a boat charter business in Sarasota, Florida. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary, fee-based investment management and financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate retirement plans. The firm uses an evidence-based investment approach tailored to client goals and risk tolerances, combining various strategies and third-party manager solutions as appropriate.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Terrence D

Series 63, Series 66

Durham, NC

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

Terrence Donoghue is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and over 47 years of industry experience. He has been with Founders Financial Alliance and affiliated with LPL Financial since 2016, previously working at Invest Financial Corporation and National Equities Management Co. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary, fee-based investment management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate retirement plans. The firm employs an evidence-based investment approach tailored to client goals and risk tolerances, combining asset allocation, rebalancing, and multiple strategies along with third-party manager solutions.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
user avatar

Paul B

Series 66

Wheeling, WV

Founders Financial Alliance, LLC

Paul Barnette is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 25 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC and Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. Barnette provides investment advisory services primarily through Founders Financial Alliance. Founders Financial Alliance offers discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs an evidence-based investment process using ETFs, third-party managers, and portfolio monitoring, and provides a family-office style program under a flat fee arrangement.

General retirement planning Retirement income strategy General tax planning Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Founder/Business Owner Executive
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