Summit Financial Working with People You Trust logo

Summit Financial Working with People You Trust

Updated today

Client assets under management

$184,398,652

Clients

1,081

8% high-net-worth

Advisors

6

of 6 employees

Firm type

Team

5-30 advisors or >$500M in AUM

Clients per advisor

180

Very High

Average account size

$170,582

About

Summit Financial serves a broad retail client base that includes a large proportion of retirees and pre‑retirees, as well as high‑net‑worth individuals, trusts, retirement plans and businesses. The firm provides discretionary asset management, written financial planning and ERISA plan advisory services, and supplements investment work with insurance‑based products and consultation services.

Investment strategies are implemented through model portfolios built primarily from no‑load mutual funds and ETFs, spanning conservative bond‑heavy allocations to aggressive all‑equity rotations, and are informed by fundamental, technical and cyclical analysis. Summit Financial commonly delegates portfolio management to sub‑advisors and third‑party platforms while retaining discretionary oversight and conducting periodic reviews and client communications.

Noteworthy features that distinguish the firm from many peers are its publication and use of performance reporting and its regular public educational seminars and workshops, both of which are uncommon among similar team firms. Summit also operates through multiple third‑party relationships (including a co‑advisor arrangement and platform access) and occasionally employs strategies such as inverse positions and options, which are operational and strategy details prospective clients may want to consider.

Client services

Financial planning Portfolio management Selection of other advisers Educational seminars or workshops

Expertise

Retirement income strategy General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Life insurance needs analysis Long-term care insurance

Occupation focus

Retired

Demographic focus

Approaching retirement Retired

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Fee options

Fixed

up to $5,000 for financial planning

Percentage

$0 - $500,000: 1.50% annually $500,001 - $1,000,000: 1.25% annually Over $1,000,000+: 1.00% annually

Project-based

$300 per hour

Other

Account minimum: $500,000

Main office location

Summit Financial Working with People You Trust

43409 Schoenherr Road

Sterling Heights MI 48313, United States

Number of offices

1

Most active in

California · Florida · Michigan · Texas

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

Zachary B

CFP®, Series 63, Series 65

Sterling Heights, MI

Summit Financial Working with People You Trust

Zachary Bachner is a CFP® professional with seven years of experience in financial advising, currently with Summit Financial Working with People You Trust in Sterling Heights, MI. His prior experience includes a role at Edward Jones and ownership of several related businesses focused on financial planning, insurance sales, and tax services. He is also involved in health and property & casualty insurance activities as an agent. Summit Financial serves individual clients, retirees, trusts, business entities, and retirement plans, offering discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and insurance products. The firm uses model portfolios with no-load mutual funds and ETFs, emphasizing principal preservation for retirees, and employs a combination of fundamental and technical research alongside sub-advisors and platform relationships.

Retirement income strategy General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Life insurance needs analysis Long-term care insurance Retired Approaching retirement
user avatar

James B

Series 63, Series 65

Sterling Heights, MI

Summit Financial Working with People You Trust

James Baldwin is a financial advisor with Summit Financial Working with People You Trust in Sterling Heights, MI. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has four years of industry experience. Prior to joining Summit Financial, he worked at Gradient Securities, LLC and has held roles related to insurance sales and investment advisory services. Baldwin also serves as a co-trustee of a revocable living trust. Summit Financial serves a diverse client base including individual retirees and pre-retirees, trusts, business entities, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and insurance-based products, utilizing model portfolios composed mainly of no-load mutual funds and ETFs with an emphasis on principal preservation for retirees.

Retirement income strategy General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Life insurance needs analysis Long-term care insurance Retired Approaching retirement
user avatar

Daniel L

Series 63, Series 65

Sterling Heights, MI

Summit Financial Working with People You Trust

Daniel Ladzinski is a financial advisor with Summit Financial Working with People You Trust, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and one year of industry experience. He has worked at several firms including Strategic Wealth Advisors Group and American Retirement Advisors, and operates as a sole proprietor. Outside of advisory services, he owns a retail sales business, DAL Essentials LLC, and is licensed to sell insurance products. Summit Financial serves a diverse client base including retirees, trusts, business entities, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and insurance products, utilizing model portfolios with no-load mutual funds and ETFs that range from conservative to aggressive allocations.

Retirement income strategy General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Life insurance needs analysis Long-term care insurance Retired Approaching retirement
user avatar

Robert W

Series 63, Series 65

Sterling Heights, MI

Summit Financial Working with People You Trust

Robert Wink is a financial advisor with Summit Financial Working with People You Trust, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 38 years of industry experience. He has been involved with multiple related firms, including Summit Financial Consulting LLC and Gradient Securities, LLC, and also provides tax planning and preparation services through Summit Tax Services LLC. Summit Financial serves a diverse client base that includes retirees, trusts, businesses, and retirement plans, offering discretionary asset management, written financial planning, ERISA plan services, and insurance-based products. The firm employs model portfolios with a range of allocation strategies and utilizes fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis along with third-party research and sub-advisors to support its investment approach.

Retirement income strategy General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Life insurance needs analysis Long-term care insurance Retired Approaching retirement
user avatar

James W

Series 63, Series 66

Sterling Heights, MI

Summit Financial Working with People You Trust

James Wink is a financial advisor with Summit Financial Working with People You Trust in Sterling Heights, MI, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 19 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Gradient Securities, LLC and various Summit-affiliated entities, with involvement in tax services, insurance sales, and investment advisory. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as president of the Anchor Bay Community Foundation’s Kaarto Christian School Fund Scholarships, where he processes and evaluates scholarship applications. Summit Financial serves individual clients, trusts, business entities, and retirement plans, offering discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and insurance products. The firm employs model portfolios primarily using no-load mutual funds and ETFs, with strategies ranging from conservative to aggressive, and emphasizes principal preservation for retirees.

Retirement income strategy General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Life insurance needs analysis Long-term care insurance Retired Approaching retirement
user avatar

Kenneth W

Series 63, Series 65

Sterling Heights, MI

Summit Financial Working with People You Trust

Kenneth Wink is an advisor at Summit Financial Working with People You Trust in Sterling Heights, MI, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations with 23 years of industry experience. His career includes roles at Summit Tax Services LLC, Gradient Securities LLC, and several entities he manages, such as Kwink, Inc. and Summit Financial Consulting LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved in tax planning, tax return preparation, and health insurance sales through affiliated businesses. Summit Financial serves a diverse client base including retirees, pre-retirees, trusts, business entities, and retirement plans. The firm offers discretionary asset management, financial planning, ERISA plan services, and insurance products, using model portfolios primarily composed of no-load mutual funds and ETFs with a focus on principal preservation for retirees.

Retirement income strategy General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Life insurance needs analysis Long-term care insurance Retired Approaching retirement
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