Aspen Wealth Management is a investment adviser based in Overland Park, KS, that holds a 90.0/100 Fidelon TransparencyScore (57th percentile among state-registered advisers), with 3 registered advisors. Score based on public SEC and FINRA filings.
Aspen Wealth Management
Aspen Wealth Management, INC. · CRD #116061
A registered investment adviser held to a fiduciary standard.
Fidelon Fact Sheet
Aspen Wealth Management, INC. is a state-registered investment adviser in Overland Park, KS. It used to be called Aspen Advisors, INC. Its 3 registered advisors typically serve individuals and families, nonprofit organizations and trusts and estates. It manages $83.4 million across 323 client accounts. It charges a yearly percentage of your account that gets smaller as the account grows, and it does not report earning commissions. Its services include financial planning, portfolio management, educational seminars and investment newsletters. Its filing reports disclosures.
Peer Context
4th of 15,825
state-registered advisers
Top 43%
1st of 147
state-registered advisers in KS
#1 ranked
1st of 53
state-registered advisers in Overland park, KS
#1 ranked
How This Firm Works
Registration & Standard of Care
Investment Adviser — this firm is a registered investment adviser, held to a fiduciary standard — legally required to act in clients' best interests.
How This Firm Gets Paid
- Charges a percentage of assets under management
- Charges fixed fees for specific services
- Does not earn commissions on product sales
What you’d pay
Blended across 1 tiers, from $0 - $1,000,000.
This fee is negotiable
“Fees are negotiable and may vary based on the size of the account, complexity of the portfolio, extent of activity in the account or other reasons agreed upon by Aspen and the client.”
From their Form ADV Part 2A. Most investors never ask.
Not included above
- • Clients will separately pay all securities trading commissions, transaction costs, and other charges
- • fees charged by custodians, brokers, third party investment managers, mutual funds, exchange traded funds, insurance companies, deferred sales charges, transfer taxes, wire transfer and electronic fund fees, and other fees and taxes on brokerage accounts and securities transactions.
Estimated from the firm’s Form ADV Part 2A brochure — not a quote. Actual fees are set in your agreement and may differ. Costs charged by others (custodians, fund managers) are not included.
What This Firm Charges
| Account Size | Annual Fee |
|---|---|
| $0 - $1,000,000 | 1.00% |
| $1,000,001 - $3,000,000 | 0.70% |
| $3,000,001 and above | 0.50% |
Billed quarterly in arrears
Extracted from Form ADV Part 2A brochure
Specializations
Extracted from Form ADV Part 2A brochure
Who They Typically Serve
Extracted from Form ADV Part 2A brochure
Key Findings
Strengths
- Fee-only compensation — no commission income reported
- Registered as investment adviser with fiduciary obligation
- No broker-dealer registration — advisory services only
- Transparent fee structure — charges advisory fees, no commissions
- TransparencyScore in the top 43% of state-registered advisers
Things You Should Know
- Has regulatory disclosures on file — count not available yet
- Its brochure says it receives research or services from brokers, but it does not say those perks can shape which broker it picks for you, say the firm benefits by not paying for those things, or list what the firm gets from brokers for free. Ask how the firm chooses the broker for your trades and whether perks play any part.Item 12.A.1
- Its brochure says its people can earn commissions on products, but it does not say you can buy the same products elsewhere or commissions can shape what they recommend. Ask whether you could buy any recommended product through another broker or insurer.Item 5.E
Conflict Audit
Zero material conflicts identified in regulatory filings.
Source: Form ADV Part 1, Items 6-8; Part 2A, Items 10-14
Regulatory Track Record
On file
Disclosures
Count not available
—
Total Fines
Not available
Regulatory Events
TransparencyScore Dimensions
Disclosure Record
Customer complaints, arbitrations, and fines. Frequency and recency matter.
98/100
Strong
Avg for investment adviser firms: 82.6 | Top 10%: 99.5
Filing Quality
How clearly the firm describes services, fees, and investment approach in regulatory filings.
93/100
Strong
Avg for investment adviser firms: 84.1 | Top 10%: 100
Conflict Disclosure
How openly the firm explains who pays it and what it's paid to sell. The conflict isn't the problem — hiding it is.
42/100
Weak
Avg for investment adviser firms: 54 | Top 10%: 67
Enforcement History
Self-reported legal and disciplinary history from Form ADV Item 11.
100/100
Strong
Avg for investment adviser firms: 99.7 | Top 10%: 100
Their two-page relationship summary
The SEC requires every SEC-registered investment adviser to hand you this summary, called a Form CRS, and says what it must cover. We checked this firm's against that list. What is a Form CRS?
Not required
This firm is not required to file a Form CRS.
Without a Form CRS, the score above cannot go over 90. A firm that gives us one is scored on the same yardstick and can earn up to 10 more points.
What their brochure tells you
The firm must give you this brochure, Form ADV Part 2A, before you sign. We read it against the SEC's own instructions, item by item. Quotes are the firm's own words; page numbers refer to the filed brochure. What is in a brochure?
Can you tell what you'd pay and when?Brochure Fee Clarity100/100
The SEC asks every brochure to spell out the fee schedule, whether fees can be negotiated, how and when you are billed, the other costs you pay, and refunds.
The brochure answers every one of these.
- Can you tell what you'd pay?CoveredItem 5.A
Without a fee schedule you cannot compare this firm with any other.
Standard Asset Management Fee(s) (e.g., allocated portfolio, private placements, etc.): Market Value of the Managed Assets Annual Management Fees (%) $0 to $1,000,000 1.00%; $1,000,001 to $3,000,000 0.70% $3,000,001 and over 0.50%p. 7
- Does it say whether the fee can be negotiated?CoveredItem 5.A
If fees are negotiable, other clients may be paying less than you for the same service.
Fees are negotiable and may vary based on the size of the account, complexity of the portfolio, extent of activity in the account or other reasons agreed upon by Aspen and the client.p. 6
- Does it say whether the fee comes out of your account or gets billed?CoveredItem 5.B
A fee taken straight from your account is easy to stop noticing.
Along with the execution of the Investment Management Services Agreement, you will be asked to authorize the custodian of any of your account(s) to debit such account(s) the amount of any service fees owed to Aspen and remit such to Aspen.p. 8
- Does it say how often you're charged?CoveredItem 5.B
Monthly, quarterly, in advance or in arrears changes what you owe when you leave.
Aspen’s standard fees for investment management services shall be paid quarterly in arrearsp. 6
- Does it list the other costs you pay, like fund and custodian fees?CoveredItem 5.C
The advisory fee is rarely the whole bill; fund, trading and custody costs come on top.
Clients may incur certain charges imposed by custodians, brokers, third party investment and other third parties such as fees charged by managers, custodial fees, deferred sales charges, transfer taxes, wire transfer and electronic fund fees, and other fees and taxes on brokerage accounts and securities transactions.p. 8
- Does it say how you get money back if you leave mid-period?CoveredItem 5.D
If you pay in advance and leave early, the refund rule decides what you get back.
Fees are fully refundable for seven days following the execution of the client agreement.p. 8
Does it explain each conflict of interest and what it could cost you?Brochure Conflict SpecificityNot applicable
Not applicable: the brochure names no material conflict of interest
Do they earn commissions on products, and do they say so?Brochure Sales Compensation55/100
When a firm or its people sell products for a commission, the SEC asks the brochure to say so, name the pull, and tell you whether you could buy elsewhere.
Each point is marked Covered or Not found. When a point is not found, we say what to ask.
- Does it say that earning commissions is a conflict of interest?CoveredItem 5.E.1
A firm paid to sell a product has a reason to recommend it that has nothing to do with you.
Adviser may, from time to time, receive a portion or commission of certain management fees charged by third parties for certain investment products that may have been recommended to Adviser’s clients by Adviser.p. 6
- Does it say commissions can shape what they recommend?Not found in the brochureItem 5.E.1
Naming the pull is the first step to controlling it; silence leaves it working on you.
What to askAsk how the firm keeps commissions from steering the advice you get.
- Does it say you can buy the same products elsewhere?Not found in the brochureItem 5.E.2
You may be able to buy the same product for less somewhere else.
What to askAsk whether you could buy any recommended product through another broker or insurer.
- Does it say whether commissions lower your advisory fee?CoveredItem 5.E.4
If the firm earns a commission and the full advisory fee, you pay twice for one recommendation.
In such cases when additional compensation is received, Manager will adjust the quarterly management fee due from the client as follows.p. 6
Do they get free research or services from brokers, and does it affect you?Brochure Soft Dollars29/100
When brokers give the firm research or services in return for your trades, the SEC asks the brochure to say what the firm gets and what it may cost you.
Each point is marked Covered or Not found. When a point is not found, we say what to ask.
- Does it list what the firm gets from brokers for free?Not found in the brochureItem 12.A.1.e
Research, software and data paid for by your trades are a cost you never see.
What to askAsk what research, tools or services the firm receives from brokers or custodians at no charge.
- Does it say the firm benefits by not paying for those things?Not found in the brochureItem 12.A.1.a
A perk the firm would otherwise buy is money in the firm's pocket, paid with your trades.
What to askAsk what the firm would have to pay for those services if it bought them itself.
- Does it say those perks can shape which broker it picks for you?Not found in the brochureItem 12.A.1.b
Your trades should go where you get the best deal, not where the firm gets the best perks.
What to askAsk how the firm chooses the broker for your trades and whether perks play any part.
- Does it say whether those perks stay within what the law allows?CoveredItem 12.A.1.e note
The law allows research paid for with client trades only within limits; outside them, it is your money.
All securities transactions that may result from Aspen’s use of such information, materials, and/or services, shall be in compliance with Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.p. 14
- Does it say whether you pay more in trading costs because of those perks?Does not applyItem 12.A.1.c
Paying up for trades to earn the firm a perk comes straight out of your returns.
- Does it say whether every client benefits or only some?CoveredItem 12.A.1.d
Your trades may be paying for research that helps other clients' accounts, not yours.
Soft dollar benefits are not proportionally allocated to any accounts that may generate different amounts of the soft dollar benefits.p. 14
A point not found is not a finding against the firm; many points apply only when the firm has that arrangement, and state-registered firms file the same brochure form.
Next Steps
Advisor Roster
3 advisors
| Advisor | CRD | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen James Small | 5400331 | — | — |
| Tavis Craig Holsinger | 3011205 | — | — |
| Trevor Kyle Holsinger | 2816719 | — | — |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the TransparencyScore measure?
The TransparencyScore measures how clearly and completely an advisor or firm discloses important information in their regulatory filings — things like fees, conflicts of interest, disciplinary history, and business practices. A higher score means better disclosure quality, not better investment performance.
Where does this data come from?
All data comes from public regulatory filings: SEC Form ADV (Parts 1, 2, and 3), FINRA BrokerCheck, and the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) database. These are official filings that firms and advisors are legally required to submit.
Does a low score mean they're a bad advisor?
Not necessarily. A low score means the firm's public filings are less transparent — they may use vague language about fees, skip details about conflicts, or have a more complex regulatory history. Some excellent advisors work at firms with poor disclosure practices. The score measures the filing, not the person.
How often is this data updated?
Fidelon refreshes data from SEC and FINRA sources on a regular schedule. Form ADV filings are updated annually by firms (with amendments throughout the year), and BrokerCheck data is updated as events are reported. Scores are recalculated after each data refresh.
Can an advisor or firm improve their score?
Yes. Scores are based on what's in public filings. A firm that rewrites its ADV brochure in clearer language, discloses conflicts more specifically, or resolves outstanding regulatory issues will see its score improve at the next refresh. The incentive structure is intentional.
Data Sources
Scores are generated using Fidelon's published scoring methodology and reflect the quality of public disclosures, not the quality of investment advice. A firm that improves its disclosures will see its score improve. Fidelon does not provide investment advice.
Verify on SEC IAPD
Last scored: · Score version: 3.15 · CRD #116061