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

Financial Sense Advisors, Inc.

Independent wealth managerSan Diego, CaliforniaCRD 111090SEC 801-25937websiteIAPD
Latest filing Aug 31, 2026
First filing on the tape Feb 8, 2012 · 37 filings
SEC status approved since Dec 31, 1985
RAUM
$836M
reported, Item 5.F
Discretionary
100%
of RAUM
Private clients
97%
$813M individuals and HNW
Advisors
10
registered through the firm on IAPD
RAUM per advisor
$83.6M
derived; firm RAUM over IAPD count
Employees
11
8 advisory (5.B.1)
Offices
0
beyond the principal office
Private funds
0
reported on Schedule D
History
37 filings and snapshots on the tape
RAUM$836M as of Aug 31, 2026
Feb 8, 2012$301M then
HNW client RAUM$607M as of Aug 31, 2026
Mar 28, 2018$61.5M then
State-registered IARs (5.B.3)8 as of Aug 31, 2026
Feb 8, 20120 then
Employees (5.A)11 as of Aug 31, 2026
Mar 13, 201312 then
Private funds: no history
RAUM +23% over the last fiscal year+13% a year over threeIARs 9 to 8
Practice profile
derived from the filing of Aug 31, 2026; every figure names its basis
Archetypes, each a printed rule
  • HNW wealth manager · private-client share of RAUM at least 50 percent and HNW share of private-client RAUM 50 to 90 percent
RAUM per advisor
$83.6MderivedRAUM over IAPD advisors; not a book size
Clients per advisor
59derivedindividual and HNW clients (5.D) over advisors
Average HNW client
$3.2MderivedHNW RAUM over HNW clients
Average account
$748,714derivedRAUM over accounts (5.F.2.f)
Discretionary
100%derivedof RAUM
Institutional
0.4%derivedpensions, charities, corporations, government, insurance, banks, other advisers
Employees per advisor
1.1derivedItem 5.A over advisors
Advisors per office
10.0derived1 offices incl. principal (1.F.5)
RAUM growth, one year
+23%derivedbetween the last two annual amendments
Advisor growth, one year
-11%derivedItem 5.B.3 between annual amendments
Client growth, one year
-41%derived
Compensation
percentage of assets, hourly, fixed feesreportedItem 5.E
Advisory activities
financial planning, portfolio management for individuals, selection of other advisersreportedItem 5.G
Custody
$544M, 587 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$607M73%
  • Individuals$206M25%
  • Corporations and businesses$19.8M2.4%
  • Pension and profit-sharing plans$3.1M0.4%
Individual clients
399reported
HNW clients
189reported
Pension plan clients
3reported
Charitable clients
n/areported
Accounts
1,116reported
Financial planning clients
11-25reported
Wrap fee programs
noreported
Custody of client assets
$544M for 587 clientsreported
Compensation
% of AUM, fixed, hourlyreported
Class basis
private_client_share=0.97 fund_share=0.0 institutional_share=0.0 related_bd=true related_bank=false bd_reps=8.0derived
Advisors registered through the firm
10 on IAPD today, longest tenure first
NameBranchHere sinceIn industryPrior firms
James Joseph PuplavaCertified Financial PlannerSan Diego, CaMar 25, 200444 y0
Christopher Michael PuplavaGilbert, Az Nov 10, 200921 y0
Ryan James PuplavaSan Diego, CaJun 9, 201030 y0
Robert Thomas BernardJensen Beach, Fl Apr 11, 201139 y3
William Terry PuplavaSan Diego, Ca Aug 23, 201732 y1
Crystal K ColbertCertified Financial PlannerSan Diego, CaJun 7, 202210 y2
Xavier I StonehouseSan Diego, CaMar 21, 202414 y0
Nicholas D KileSan Diego, CaDec 6, 202411 y0
Brendan Robert McmurtrieCertified Financial PlannerSan Diego, CaMar 18, 202625 y9
Ryan Douglas PreissSan Diego, CaJun 23, 202610 y2
Advisor movement
0 left, 2 joined in 12 months
net +2 in 12 months0 left in 90 days1 joined in 90 daysdeparture rate 0.0% of current headcount3 left over 36 months
Left, latest
Joined, latest
Every departureEvery arrival
Private funds
No private fund reported.
Owners and control persons
Schedule A and B, latest filing
  • Joseph James Puplava · Presidentcontrol
    since 03/1985 · owns 75% or more
Related persons
Schedule D 7.A
Office movement
IAPD branch city; joins and departures in 12 months
OfficeAdvisorsJoinedLeftTeams outForming
San Diego, Ca · principal1020
Offices
Schedule D 1.F, the 25 largest
No branch office listed.
ADV anomalies
2 against comparable advisers; where to look, not conclusions
  • clients down average size upCombination · filing Mar 31, 2026
    private clients fell 20 percent or more while RAUM per client rose 30 percent or more: a move up-market or the departure of small accounts. RAUM $681,412,925 to $835,564,894, advisors 9 to 8, private clients 1003 to 588, offices 0 to 0 (2025-04-30 to 2026-03-31)
    peers: independent wealth managers, $500M to $1B (1,483)
  • client count collapseChange between filings · filing Mar 31, 2026
    individual and HNW clients (Item 5.D) moved from 1,003.0 to 588.0 (-41.0%) between the annual amendments of 2025-04-30 and 2026-03-31; the peer median change was +5.0% (1216 comparable advisers, 2.0th percentile of changes)
    peers: independent wealth managers, $500M to $1B (1,216) · 2.1% percentile
How anomalies are measured
What changed
consecutive filings, newest first
  • Accounts · 1,104 to 1,116
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • Advisory employees · 9 to 8
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • BD registered reps · 9 to 8
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • Corporate clients · 13 to 6
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • HNW clients · 142 to 189
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • Individual clients · 861 to 399
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • Pension plan clients · 21 to 3
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • Assets in custody · unset to 543574677.0
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • Custody of client assets · false to true
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • Employees · 13 to 11
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • State-registered IARs · 9 to 8
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • Discretionary RAUM · $681M to $836M
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • HNW RAUM · $412M to $607M
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • Individual RAUM · $217M to $206M
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • Pension RAUM · $19.4M to $3.1M
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • RAUM · $681M to $836M
    Sep 4, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
  • Accounts · 1,069 to 1,104
    Dec 18, 2024 to Apr 30, 2025
  • Advisory employees · 8 to 9
    Dec 18, 2024 to Apr 30, 2025
  • BD registered reps · 8 to 9
    Dec 18, 2024 to Apr 30, 2025
  • HNW clients · 100 to 142
    Dec 18, 2024 to Apr 30, 2025
  • Individual clients · 935 to 861
    Dec 18, 2024 to Apr 30, 2025
  • Employees · 12 to 13
    Dec 18, 2024 to Apr 30, 2025
  • Financial planning clients · 11-25 to 11-25
    Dec 18, 2024 to Apr 30, 2025
  • Discretionary RAUM · $568M to $681M
    Dec 18, 2024 to Apr 30, 2025
  • HNW RAUM · $276M to $412M
    Dec 18, 2024 to Apr 30, 2025
  • Individual RAUM · $246M to $217M
    Dec 18, 2024 to Apr 30, 2025
  • Pension RAUM · $16.3M to $19.4M
    Dec 18, 2024 to Apr 30, 2025
  • RAUM · $568M to $681M
    Dec 18, 2024 to Apr 30, 2025
  • Accounts · 1,265 to 1,069
    Aug 22, 2023 to Mar 29, 2024
  • Advisory employees · 10 to 8
    Aug 22, 2023 to Mar 29, 2024
  • Advisory activities · 2 to 3
    Aug 22, 2023 to Mar 29, 2024
  • BD registered reps · 10 to 8
    Aug 22, 2023 to Mar 29, 2024
  • Charity clients · 7.0 to unset
    Aug 22, 2023 to Mar 29, 2024
  • Corporate clients · 10 to 13
    Aug 22, 2023 to Mar 29, 2024
  • HNW clients · 64 to 100
    Aug 22, 2023 to Mar 29, 2024
  • Individual clients · 931 to 935
    Aug 22, 2023 to Mar 29, 2024
  • Pension plan clients · 33 to 21
    Aug 22, 2023 to Mar 29, 2024
  • Employees · 15 to 12
    Aug 22, 2023 to Mar 29, 2024
  • Financial planning clients · 26-50 to 11-25
    Aug 22, 2023 to Mar 29, 2024
  • State-registered IARs · 10 to 9
    Aug 22, 2023 to Mar 29, 2024
Signals
8 dated events
  • Aaron Michael Herrscher left Financial Sense Advisors, Inc. for Strategic Advisers Llc (registered 2025-10-20)
    Apr 8, 2025 · Advisor changed firm · fact
  • Sandra Ann Pappalardo left Financial Sense Advisors, Inc. for Independent Financial Group, Llc (registered 2024-12-03)
    Nov 21, 2024 · Advisor changed firm · fact
  • Aaron Wiegman left Financial Sense Advisors, Inc. for Savvy (registered 2024-01-24)
    Jan 19, 2024 · Advisor changed firm · fact
  • Abdiel Alan Valenzuela left Financial Sense Advisors, Inc. for Avantax Advisory Services (registered 2023-07-11)
    Jun 23, 2023 · Advisor changed firm · fact
  • Joshua Paul Nunn left Financial Sense Advisors, Inc. for Centura Wealth Advisory (registered 2023-05-11)
    Apr 21, 2023 · Advisor changed firm · fact
  • Dale William Walker left Financial Sense Advisors, Inc. for Thepartners Wealth Management (registered 2023-04-12)
    Mar 31, 2023 · Advisor changed firm · fact
  • Crystal K Colbert left Financial Sense Advisors, Inc. for Benefit Financial Services Group (registered 2022-03-03)
    Feb 23, 2022 · Advisor changed firm · fact
  • Ryan Douglas Preiss left Financial Sense Advisors, Inc. for Thepartners Wealth Management (registered 2025-07-21)
    Jan 25, 2022 · Advisor changed firm · fact
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 phone
888-486-3939reportedpublished by the firm, firm site, Sep 15, 2026
Firm profile
linkedin.com/company/financial-sense-wealth-managementreportedpublic record, Form ADV, Sep 17, 2026
Website
financialsense.comreportedpublic record, Form ADV, Sep 17, 2026
Principal office phone
858-487-3939reportedpublic record, Form ADV, Aug 31, 2026
Contact form
financialsense.com/contactreportedpublished 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
$83.6Mderivedfirm RAUM over the IAPD count; not a book size
Loaded
Sep 14, 2026