Summit Financial Working with People You Trust logo

Summit Financial Working with People You Trust

Updated today

Client assets under management

$172,547,578

Clients

971

8% high-net worth

Advisors

6

of 6 employees

Firm type

Team

4-10 advisors or $500M+ in AUM

Clients per advisor

162

Very High

Average account size

$177,701

About

Summit Financial serves individual investors — including a sizable retiree and pre-retiree client base — as well as retirement plans, trusts, estates and businesses. The firm provides discretionary and non-discretionary asset management, written financial planning and consulting, ERISA plan services, and insurance-based products such as life, long-term care, disability insurance and annuities.

The firm constructs model portfolios primarily from no-load mutual funds and ETFs, with options ranging from conservative allocations (for example, portfolios holding a large bond weighting) to aggressive stock-rotation strategies, and draws on third-party research sources including Morningstar, Hedgeye, Riskalyze and YCharts. Summit Financial implements strategies directly and through multiple platform and sub-advisor arrangements — including a co-advisor relationship with Gradient Investments, use of the Envestnet strategist network, Orion solutions and C2P/Valor — and discloses that portfolios may employ derivatives, options and occasional inverse/short positions while accounts are monitored and performance is reported on a regular basis.

Noteworthy among peers, Summit Financial publicly provides performance reporting and routinely distributes market commentary and quarterly performance statements via platforms such as Envestnet, and it operates free educational seminars and workshops for the public. The firm’s multi-platform execution model (sub-advisors, third-party strategist networks and “assets held away” services for retirement plan accounts), combined with its explicit use of short/inverse strategies, differentiates its implementation approach from many team advisory firms.

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.) Long-term care insurance Life insurance needs analysis

Occupation focus

Retired

Fee options

Fixed

Up to $5,000 for financial planning services

Percentage

$0 - $500,000: 1.50% annually $500,001 - $1,000,000: 1.25% annually $1,000,001+: 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.) Long-term care insurance Life insurance needs analysis Retired
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.) Long-term care insurance Life insurance needs analysis Retired
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.) Long-term care insurance Life insurance needs analysis Retired
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.) Long-term care insurance Life insurance needs analysis Retired
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.) Long-term care insurance Life insurance needs analysis Retired
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.) Long-term care insurance Life insurance needs analysis Retired
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