DFX Intelligence

RIA Intelligence

Registered investment advisers, the advisors registered through them, the capital they report, the private vehicles they run and the people who own them, as a graph with a filing date behind every number. RAUM is what the adviser filed, a move is two registration dates, and a class is a rule you can read.

SEC-registered adviser

Planning Alternatives Ltd

Independent wealth managerBirmingham, MichiganCRD 110268SEC 801-18310websiteIAPD
Latest filing Aug 7, 2026
First filing on the tape Mar 28, 2012 · 41 filings
SEC status approved since Feb 2, 1983
RAUM
$1.5B
reported, Item 5.F
Discretionary
100%
of RAUM
Private clients
96%
$1.5B individuals and HNW
Advisors
10
registered through the firm on IAPD
RAUM per advisor
$154M
derived; firm RAUM over IAPD count
Employees
20
9 advisory (5.B.1)
Offices
2
beyond the principal office
Private funds
0
reported on Schedule D
History
41 filings and snapshots on the tape
RAUM$1.5B as of Aug 7, 2026
Mar 28, 2012$450M then
HNW client RAUM$1.3B as of Aug 7, 2026
Mar 28, 2018$811M then
State-registered IARs (5.B.3)8 as of Aug 7, 2026
Mar 27, 20139 then
Employees (5.A)20 as of Aug 7, 2026
Mar 27, 201312 then
Private funds: no history
RAUM +20% over the last fiscal year+15% a year over threeIARs 6 to 8
Practice profile
derived from the filing of Aug 7, 2026; every figure names its basis
Archetypes, each a printed rule
  • Independent boutique · a wealth manager with no broker-dealer, bank or insurance affiliate, 2 to 25 advisors, one to three offices, no public reporting company control
  • Planning-led practice · financial planning activity (5.G.1), at least 100 financial planning clients (5.H), and hourly, fixed or subscription compensation (5.E)
RAUM per advisor
$154MderivedRAUM over IAPD advisors; not a book size
Clients per advisor
67derivedindividual and HNW clients (5.D) over advisors
Average HNW client
$4.1MderivedHNW RAUM over HNW clients
Average account
$2.2MderivedRAUM over accounts (5.F.2.f)
Discretionary
100%derivedof RAUM
Institutional
2.1%derivedpensions, charities, corporations, government, insurance, banks, other advisers
Employees per advisor
2.0derivedItem 5.A over advisors
Advisors per office
3.3derived3 offices incl. principal (1.F.5)
RAUM growth, one year
+20%derivedbetween the last two annual amendments
Advisor growth, one year
+33%derivedItem 5.B.3 between annual amendments
Client growth, one year
+2.6%derived
Compensation
percentage of assets, hourly, fixed feesreportedItem 5.E
Advisory activities
financial planning, portfolio management for individualsreportedItem 5.G
Financial planning clients
693reportedItem 5.H
Custody
$418M, 411 clientsreportedItem 9.A
Ownership
no PE, bank or public-company owner found on Schedule Aderived
Advisor book size
not public; not estimatedreported
Also answered yes on Form ADV
  • buys or sells securities as principal to or from clients (8.A.2)
  • has discretionary authority over which securities are bought or sold (8.C.1)
  • receives research or other products from a broker-dealer, soft dollars (8.E)
  • has custody of client cash or bank accounts (9.A.1.a)
  • has custody of client securities (9.A.1.b)
Where the RAUM sits
Form ADV Item 5.D, latest filing
  • High-net-worth individuals$1.3B87%
  • Individuals$140M9.1%
  • Corporations and businesses$27.5M1.8%
  • Pension and profit-sharing plans$23.4M1.5%
  • Charitable organizations$8.7M0.6%
Individual clients
345reported
HNW clients
324reported
Pension plan clients
8reported
Charitable clients
3reported
Accounts
693reported
Financial planning clients
693reported
Wrap fee programs
noreported
Custody of client assets
$418M for 411 clientsreported
Compensation
% of AUM, fixed, hourlyreported
Class basis
private_client_share=0.96 fund_share=0.0 institutional_share=0.02 related_bd=false related_bank=false bd_reps=0.0derived
Advisors registered through the firm
10 on IAPD today, longest tenure first
NameBranchHere sinceIn industryPrior firms
Stacey Marie GomezBirmingham, MiJun 17, 201029 y0
Nathan Mark MersereauCertified Financial PlannerBirmingham, MiFeb 14, 201832 y3
Kent W. GolightlyCertified Financial PlannerBirmingham, MiSep 6, 201910 y0
Thomas Edward GraneyCertified Financial PlannerBirmingham, Mi Jan 28, 202235 y2
Timothy HannaChartered Financial AnalystBirmingham, MiJul 10, 202514 y0
Gary Steven RosenbergCertified Financial PlannerHuntington Woods, Mi Dec 11, 202544 y1
Heather Elizabeth FultonCertified Financial PlannerJackson, Wy Dec 16, 202512 y2
David Walter TutakChartered Financial AnalystBirmingham, MiMar 16, 202613 y0
Bradley James ImprotaCertified Financial PlannerJackson, Wy Mar 16, 202610 y0
Tracey Anne LabrecqueNaples, Fl Aug 13, 202630 y3
Advisor movement
1 left, 3 joined in 12 months
net +2 in 12 months0 left in 90 days1 joined in 90 daysdeparture rate 10% of current headcount2 left over 36 months
Left, latest
Joined, latest
Teams: two or more advisors moving together within fourteen days, from one state
Private funds
No private fund reported.
Owners and control persons
Schedule A and B, latest filing
  • Mark Nathan Mersereau · Presidentcontrol
    since 05/2013 · owns 75% or more
  • S Andrew Warning · Chief Compliance Officer
    since 09/2024 · owns less than 5%
Related persons
Schedule D 7.A
No related person reported.
Advisers that list Planning Alternatives Ltd as a related person
Office movement
IAPD branch city; joins and departures in 12 months
OfficeAdvisorsJoinedLeftTeams outForming
Birmingham, Mi · principal1051
Jackson, Wy220
Naples, Fl210
Offices
Schedule D 1.F, the 25 largest
  • Jackson, WY1 employees
  • Naples, FL1 employees
What changed
consecutive filings, newest first
  • Accounts · 683 to 693
    Jul 15, 2025 to Mar 25, 2026
  • Advisory employees · 11 to 9
    Jul 15, 2025 to Mar 25, 2026
  • Corporate clients · 19 to 13
    Jul 15, 2025 to Mar 25, 2026
  • HNW clients · 303 to 324
    Jul 15, 2025 to Mar 25, 2026
  • Individual clients · 349 to 345
    Jul 15, 2025 to Mar 25, 2026
  • Pension plan clients · 9 to 8
    Jul 15, 2025 to Mar 25, 2026
  • Assets in custody · $452M to $418M
    Jul 15, 2025 to Mar 25, 2026
  • Employees · 24 to 20
    Jul 15, 2025 to Mar 25, 2026
  • State-registered IARs · 6 to 8
    Jul 15, 2025 to Mar 25, 2026
  • Discretionary RAUM · $1.3B to $1.5B
    Jul 15, 2025 to Mar 25, 2026
  • HNW RAUM · $1.1B to $1.3B
    Jul 15, 2025 to Mar 25, 2026
  • Individual RAUM · $146M to $140M
    Jul 15, 2025 to Mar 25, 2026
  • Pension RAUM · $22.8M to $23.4M
    Jul 15, 2025 to Mar 25, 2026
  • RAUM · $1.3B to $1.5B
    Jul 15, 2025 to Mar 25, 2026
  • Financial planning clients · More than 500 to More than 500
    Mar 14, 2025 to Jul 15, 2025
  • Accounts · 667 to 683
    Nov 5, 2024 to Mar 14, 2025
  • Advisory employees · 9 to 11
    Nov 5, 2024 to Mar 14, 2025
  • Charity clients · 0 to 3
    Nov 5, 2024 to Mar 14, 2025
  • Corporate clients · 18 to 19
    Nov 5, 2024 to Mar 14, 2025
  • HNW clients · 286 to 303
    Nov 5, 2024 to Mar 14, 2025
  • Individual clients · 351 to 349
    Nov 5, 2024 to Mar 14, 2025
  • Pension plan clients · 8 to 9
    Nov 5, 2024 to Mar 14, 2025
  • Assets in custody · $382M to $452M
    Nov 5, 2024 to Mar 14, 2025
  • Employees · 21 to 24
    Nov 5, 2024 to Mar 14, 2025
  • Discretionary RAUM · $1.2B to $1.3B
    Nov 5, 2024 to Mar 14, 2025
  • HNW RAUM · $950M to $1.1B
    Nov 5, 2024 to Mar 14, 2025
  • Individual RAUM · $147M to $146M
    Nov 5, 2024 to Mar 14, 2025
  • Pension RAUM · $21.6M to $22.8M
    Nov 5, 2024 to Mar 14, 2025
  • RAUM · $1.2B to $1.3B
    Nov 5, 2024 to Mar 14, 2025
  • Accounts · 665 to 667
    Mar 29, 2023 to Mar 20, 2024
  • Advisory employees · 12 to 9
    Mar 29, 2023 to Mar 20, 2024
  • Charity clients · 4 to 0
    Mar 29, 2023 to Mar 20, 2024
  • HNW clients · 255 to 286
    Mar 29, 2023 to Mar 20, 2024
  • Individual clients · 380 to 351
    Mar 29, 2023 to Mar 20, 2024
  • Assets in custody · $335M to $382M
    Mar 29, 2023 to Mar 20, 2024
  • Employees · 24 to 21
    Mar 29, 2023 to Mar 20, 2024
  • State-registered IARs · 9 to 6
    Mar 29, 2023 to Mar 20, 2024
  • Discretionary RAUM · $1.0B to $1.2B
    Mar 29, 2023 to Mar 20, 2024
  • HNW RAUM · $814M to $950M
    Mar 29, 2023 to Mar 20, 2024
  • Individual RAUM · $153M to $147M
    Mar 29, 2023 to Mar 20, 2024
Signals
8 dated events
  • Patrick Charles Hannon left Planning Alternatives Ltd for Rwa Wealth Partners (registered 2026-03-25)
    Mar 26, 2026 · Advisor changed firm · fact
  • D Michael Schmidtke (Chief Operating Officer/Treasurer) no longer on Schedule A of Planning Alternatives Ltd (listed 2024-03-20, absent 2024-09-10)
    Sep 10, 2024 · Control person left · inference
  • S Andrew Warning (Chief Compliance Officer) appeared on Schedule A of Planning Alternatives Ltd
    Sep 10, 2024 · Control person joined · fact
  • Michael David Schmidtke left Planning Alternatives Ltd for Csenge Advisory Group, Llc (registered 2024-12-16)
    Aug 15, 2024 · Advisor changed firm · fact
  • Christopher Hylen left Planning Alternatives Ltd for Howard Bailey Securities, Llc (registered 2023-06-25)
    May 26, 2023 · Advisor changed firm · fact
  • Florence Affatato (Chief Legal Officer/Chief Compliance Officer) no longer on Schedule A of Planning Alternatives Ltd (listed 2021-04-06, absent 2021-08-10)
    Aug 10, 2021 · Control person left · inference
  • D Michael Schmidtke (Chief Operating Officer/Treasurer) appeared on Schedule A of Planning Alternatives Ltd
    Jul 2, 2019 · Control person joined · fact
  • Eugene Daniel Cook (Chief Operating Officer) no longer on Schedule A of Planning Alternatives Ltd (listed 2019-03-26, absent 2019-07-02)
    Jul 2, 2019 · Control person left · inference
Across DFX
shared identifiers only, never a name match
No identifier-backed link to the venture, private equity, family office or sponsor graphs.
How to reach
public business contact points only, each with its source
Business email
info@planningalt.comreportedpublished by the firm, firm site, Sep 15, 2026
Business phone
800-645-1710reportedpublished by the firm, firm site, Sep 15, 2026
Firm profile
LINKEDIN.COM/COMPANY/PLANNING-ALTERNATIVESreportedpublic record, Form ADV, Sep 17, 2026
Website
planningalt.comreportedpublic record, Form ADV, Sep 17, 2026
Principal office phone
248-645-1520reportedpublic record, Form ADV, Aug 7, 2026
Team page
planningalt.com/our-teamreportedpublished by the firm, firm site, Sep 15, 2026
Provenance
Form ADV
SEC filing data 2011 to 2024 and the monthly roster 2025 onreportedadviserinfo.sec.gov
Advisors
IAPD individual compilation feed, dailyreportedadviserinfo.sec.gov
Class
Independent wealth managerderiveda rule over Items 5.D and 7.A
RAUM per advisor
$154Mderivedfirm RAUM over the IAPD count; not a book size
Loaded
Sep 14, 2026