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RIA / WealthRegistered adviserindependent wealth managerSEC registeredRAUM 100m 1b

MERKLE RETIREMENT PLANNING

ELITE RETIREMENT PLANNING, LLC, CRD 297942

GRIMES, IA

This is the graph view. The full profile, with its team, deals and sources, is on RIA / Wealth Management.Open the full profile →

Search this name across graphsid dfx:ria:975d717d-4de3-bc15-7a9c-a0aedaa19c76

Data as of Mar 30, 2026 (this record's last observation) from federal regulator filings. Page built Sep 19, 2026, 6:25 AM UTC and rebuilt at most every 15 minutes.

Relationships: 20
Dated events: 3
On other graphs: 0
Observed: Mar 27, 2020 to Mar 30, 2026
16 observations

Across DFX

This entity has not been resolved onto another DFX graph by a shared identifier. A name match elsewhere would be a candidate, never an identity, and none is recorded.

Facts

fact = as filed or announced; derived = computed by DFX; estimate = a band, never a point

Firm class: independent wealth managerderivedprivate_client_share=1.0 fund_share=0.0 institutional_share=0.0 related_bd=false related_bank=false bd_reps=0.0
Regulatory AUM: $569MItem 5.F on the latest filing (2026-03-30); as reported, and an affiliate's assets may be counted again on its own filing
Discretionary RAUM: $569M
Private client RAUM: $566MderivedItem 5.D individuals plus high net worth individuals
Private client share: 100%derivedprivate client RAUM over total RAUM
Advisors on IAPD: 14
RAUM per advisor: $40.6Mderivedthe firm's RAUM over its IAPD headcount: a firm average, never a person's book
Employees: 30
Advisory employees: 10
Offices: 0Schedule D 1.F, beyond the principal office
Accounts: 2,896
Individual clients: 728
High net worth clients: 287
SEC number: 801-118564
CRD: 297942
Filings on the tape: 16
First filed: Mar 27, 2020
Latest filed: Mar 30, 2026
Organised: Limited Liability Company, IA
Website: merkleplan.com

Advisors on IAPD

current investment adviser representatives on the IAPD individual feed, longest tenure first

Advisor	Designations	Branch	Years here	In industry	Prior firms	Dual registered
LOREN JAMES MERKLE	Certified Financial Planner	Grimes, IA	8	27	3	no
CHAWN FRANCIS HONKOMP	n/a	GRIMES, IA	7	12	2	no
Haley Lauren Danforth	n/a	GRIMES, IA	6	11	n/a	no
Allyson Elizabeth Martens	n/a	GRIMES, IA	6	10	n/a	no
Melissa Ann Gray	n/a	GRIMES, IA	5	12	n/a	no
ALISHA LYNNE MULLIN	n/a	GRIMES, IA	5	10	n/a	no
Ryan Nicklaus Bierma	n/a	GRIMES, IA	4	12	n/a	no
Clint Simpson Huntrods	n/a	GRIMES, IA	4	14	n/a	no
KAILEY ANN Hanson	n/a	GRIMES, IA	3	12	n/a	no
Katharine Bertness	n/a	GRIMES, IA	3	11	n/a	no
Brady M Auderer	n/a	GRIMES, IA	3	10	n/a	no
JEREMY ALAN LYONS	n/a	GRIMES, IA	3	19	7	no
Stacey Lynn Perkins	n/a	GRIMES, IA	1	13	n/a	no
Nkiru Dominique Nwachukwu	n/a	GRIMES, IA	0	10	n/a	no

Owners and control persons

Schedule A and B as filed; ownership codes are the form's bands (NA under 5%, A 5 to 10%, B 10 to 25%, C 25 to 50%, D 50 to 75%, E over 75%); people are listed as filed and never merged by name

Owner	Title	Ownership code	Control person	Acquired	First seen	Last seen
MERKLE, LOREN, JAMES	DIRECTOR, VICE PRESIDENT AND TREASURER	E	yes	06/2018	Mar 27, 2020	Mar 25, 2024
MERKLE, LOREN, JAMES	CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER	Na	yes	04/2019	Mar 27, 2020	Mar 25, 2024
MRP HOLDINGS, INC.	MEMBER AND DIRECT OWNER	E	yes	06/2018	Mar 27, 2020	Mar 25, 2024

Affiliates (Item 7.A)

as filed on Item 7.A; a related person with a CRD on the graph links to its own page

Related person	Type	Class on the graph	Its RAUM	Control	Common control	State
MRP INSURANCE, LLC	n/a	n/a	n/a	N	yes	n/a

Regulatory AUM by fiscal year

annual amendments (and the roster's annual snapshot) as filed; where a year was amended twice the later filing draws the line; showing 6 of 7

Fiscal year	Filed	RAUM	Discretionary	Employees	Advisory staff	Private funds	Fund GAV
2025	Mar 30, 2026	$569M	$569M	30	10	n/a	n/a
2024	Mar 31, 2025	$429M	$429M	30	7	n/a	n/a
2023	Mar 6, 2024	$335M	$335M	16	5	n/a	n/a
2022	Mar 19, 2023	$261M	$261M	16	5	n/a	n/a
2021	Mar 18, 2022	$224M	$224M	17	5	n/a	n/a
2020	Mar 15, 2021	$186M	$186M	17	5	n/a	n/a

Advisor flows

derived: registrations beginning and ending at this CRD on IAPD, bulk corporate re-registrations excluded; the rate is departures over IAPD headcount

Joined, 12m	Left, 12m	Net, 12m	Departure rate, 12m	Joined, 90d	Left, 90d	Left, no destination yet	Joined, 36m	Left, 36m
0	1	-1	7.1%	0	0	0	0	1

Growth

derived from consecutive annual filings; RAUM as reported

Latest fiscal year	RAUM	A year earlier	1y change	Three years earlier	3y CAGR	Employees	A year earlier	Offices	A year earlier
2025	$569M	$429M	32.7%	$261M	29.7%	30	30	0	0

Relationships

Registered with (17)

← Nkiru Dominique NwachukwuAdvisorregistration: current employment
Aug 21, 2026 to presentfactForm ADV
← Stacey Lynn PerkinsAdvisorregistration: current employment
Jun 20, 2025 to presentfactForm ADV
← JEREMY ALAN LYONSAdvisorregistration: current employment
Aug 15, 2023 to presentfactForm ADV
← Brady M AudererAdvisorregistration: current employment
Mar 17, 2023 to presentfactForm ADV
← Katharine BertnessAdvisorregistration: current employment
Dec 5, 2022 to presentfactForm ADV
← KAILEY ANN HansonAdvisorregistration: current employment
Nov 22, 2022 to presentfactForm ADV
← Clint Simpson HuntrodsAdvisorregistration: current employment
Jul 1, 2022 to presentfactForm ADV
← Ryan Nicklaus BiermaAdvisorregistration: current employment
May 2, 2022 to presentfactForm ADV
← ALISHA LYNNE MULLINAdvisorregistration: current employment
Sep 17, 2021 to presentfactForm ADV
← Melissa Ann GrayAdvisorregistration: current employment
May 10, 2021 to presentfactForm ADV
← Allyson Elizabeth MartensAdvisorregistration: current employment
Jan 15, 2020 to presentfactForm ADV
← Haley Lauren DanforthAdvisorregistration: current employment
Jan 10, 2020 to presentfactForm ADV
← CHAWN FRANCIS HONKOMPAdvisorregistration: current employment
Jul 11, 2019 to presentfactForm ADV
← LOREN JAMES MERKLEAdvisorregistration: current employment
Aug 20, 2018 to presentfactForm ADV
← Nathan Glen BuckallewAdvisorregistration: previous registration
Nov 25, 2024 to Feb 4, 2026factForm ADV
← Erin Nichole CadyAdvisorregistration: previous registration
Aug 1, 2019 to Nov 5, 2020factForm ADV
← JAMES MERLE WEISSAdvisorregistration: previous registration
Aug 20, 2018 to Apr 3, 2019factForm ADV

Controls (2)

← MERKLE, LOREN, JAMESOwnerDIRECTOR, VICE PRESIDENT AND TREASURER, ownership code E, individual
Mar 27, 2020 to Mar 25, 2024factForm ADV
← MRP HOLDINGS, INC.OwnerMEMBER AND DIRECT OWNER, ownership code E, domestic entity
Mar 27, 2020 to Mar 25, 2024factForm ADV

Dated events

Occurred
Mar 30, 2026
Regulatory AUM changed
Merkle Retirement Planning reported RAUM $568.8M, up 33% from $428.5M (2026-01-13 to 2026-03-30)
Form ADVobserved 4 days ago
$140M
Occurred
Feb 4, 2026
Advisor changed firm
Nathan Glen Buckallew left Merkle Retirement Planning for Foster Group, Inc. (registered 2026-03-09)
Form ADVobserved 4 days ago
Occurred
Mar 27, 2020
First Form ADV filing
Elite Retirement Planning, Llc filed its initial SEC registration (Form ADV)
Form ADVobserved 4 days ago

Provenance

Graph: RIA / Wealth Management
Canonical id: dfx:ria:975d717d-4de3-bc15-7a9c-a0aedaa19c76
First observed: Mar 27, 2020
Last observed: Mar 30, 2026 5 months ago
Source families: Federal regulator filings
3 registered feeds stand behind this record; each fact above carries its own dates and, where the publisher serves one, its document.
Resolution: Identity across graphs by shared identifier (CRD, CIK, EIN, ADV fund id, individual CRD) or citation; a name match is shown as a candidate and never merged.

MERKLE RETIREMENT PLANNING

ELITE RETIREMENT PLANNING, LLC, CRD 297942

GRIMES, IA

This is the graph view. The full profile, with its team, deals and sources, is on RIA / Wealth Management.Open the full profile →

Search this name across graphsid dfx:ria:975d717d-4de3-bc15-7a9c-a0aedaa19c76

Data as of Mar 30, 2026 (this record's last observation) from federal regulator filings. Page built Sep 19, 2026, 6:25 AM UTC and rebuilt at most every 15 minutes.

Advisor

Designations

Branch

Years here

In industry

Prior firms

Dual registered

LOREN JAMES MERKLE

Certified Financial Planner

Grimes, IA

CHAWN FRANCIS HONKOMP

n/a

GRIMES, IA

Haley Lauren Danforth

n/a

GRIMES, IA

n/a

Allyson Elizabeth Martens

n/a

GRIMES, IA

n/a

Melissa Ann Gray

n/a

GRIMES, IA

n/a

ALISHA LYNNE MULLIN

n/a

GRIMES, IA

n/a

Ryan Nicklaus Bierma

n/a

GRIMES, IA

n/a

Clint Simpson Huntrods

n/a

GRIMES, IA

n/a

KAILEY ANN Hanson

n/a

GRIMES, IA

n/a

Katharine Bertness

n/a

GRIMES, IA

n/a

Brady M Auderer

n/a

GRIMES, IA

n/a

JEREMY ALAN LYONS

n/a

GRIMES, IA

Stacey Lynn Perkins

n/a

GRIMES, IA

n/a

Nkiru Dominique Nwachukwu

n/a

GRIMES, IA

n/a

Owner

Title

Ownership code

Control person

Acquired

First seen

Last seen

MERKLE, LOREN, JAMES

DIRECTOR, VICE PRESIDENT AND TREASURER

yes

06/2018

Mar 27, 2020

Mar 25, 2024

MERKLE, LOREN, JAMES

CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER

yes

04/2019

Mar 27, 2020

Mar 25, 2024

MRP HOLDINGS, INC.

MEMBER AND DIRECT OWNER

yes

06/2018

Mar 27, 2020

Mar 25, 2024

Related person

Type

Class on the graph

Its RAUM

Control

Common control

State

MRP INSURANCE, LLC

n/a

yes

n/a

Fiscal year

Filed

RAUM

Discretionary

Employees

Advisory staff

Offices

Private funds

Fund GAV

2025

Mar 30, 2026

$569M

n/a

2024

Mar 31, 2025

$429M

n/a

2023

Mar 6, 2024

$335M

n/a

2022

Mar 19, 2023

$261M

n/a

2021

Mar 18, 2022

$224M

n/a

2020

Mar 15, 2021

$186M

n/a

Joined, 12m

Left, 12m

Net, 12m

Departure rate, 12m

Joined, 90d

Left, 90d

Left, no destination yet

Joined, 36m

Left, 36m

-1

7.1%

Latest fiscal year

RAUM

A year earlier

1y change

Three years earlier

3y CAGR

Employees

A year earlier

Offices

A year earlier

2025

$569M

$429M

32.7%

$261M

29.7%