Oneascent Family Offices is a investment adviser based in Birmingham, AL, that holds a 81.4/100 Fidelon TransparencyScore (27th percentile among SEC-registered advisers), with 9 registered advisors. Score based on public SEC and FINRA filings.
Oneascent Family Offices
Oneascent Family Office · CRD #323305
A registered investment adviser with a clean regulatory record.
Fidelon Fact Sheet
Oneascent Family Offices is an SEC-registered investment adviser in Birmingham, AL. It used to be called Oneascent Family Office LLC. Its 9 registered advisors typically serve individuals and families and high-net-worth individuals. It manages $544.5 million across 292 client accounts. It charges a percentage of the money it manages for you, and it can also earn commissions when it sells you a product. Its services include financial planning and portfolio management. It reports that it can hold or access client money, which the SEC requires firms to disclose. Its record shows no customer complaints, regulatory actions or fines.
Peer Context
7,844th of 10,815
SEC-registered advisers
Bottom 27%
50th of 79
SEC-registered advisers in AL
Bottom 37%
21st of 37
SEC-registered advisers in Birmingham, AL
Bottom 43%
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
- Can earn money selling products alongside advice — the product company pays that, so it never appears on an advisory invoice
Specializations
Extracted from Form ADV Part 2A brochure
Who They Typically Serve
Extracted from Form ADV Part 2A brochure
Key Findings
Strengths
- Registered as investment adviser with fiduciary obligation
- Clean regulatory record — no disclosures, arbitrations, or fines
Things You Should Know
- Its brochure names payments received for referring clients elsewhere or an affiliated adviser or private fund as conflicts, but it does not name this conflict where the SEC requires, say what the firm is paid for it, or explain what this arrangement tempts the firm to do. Ask whether the firm is paid when it sends you to another company, and by whom.Items 10, 11, 12.B and 14
Conflict Audit
Our analysis identified 1 potential conflict of interest in regulatory filings.
Source: Form ADV Part 1, Items 6-8; Part 2A, Items 10-14
What this firm says about how it gets paid
“A conflict of interest exists where OneAscent has an incentive to encourage you to place more assets under management with them as they will receive more compensation from advisory fees.”
“Certain owners of OAFO are also owners of OAIS.”
Source: the firm’s own Form CRS, filed 2026-01-06 — quoted directly
Regulatory Track Record
0
Disclosures
Clean record — no disclosures found
$0
Total Fines
Clean record — no fines found
Regulatory Events
TransparencyScore Dimensions
Disclosure Record
Customer complaints, arbitrations, and fines. Frequency and recency matter.
100/100
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.
92/100
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.
52/100
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?
- Does it include everything the SEC requires?
- Required sections
- 76/100
- Does it explain how the firm's conflicts affect you?
- Conflicts of interest
- 80/100
- Can you tell what you would pay?
- What you pay
- 92/100
- Is it written in plain English?
- Plain language
- 94/100
This firm's Form CRS averages 86 out of 100. It adds 6.38 points once the firm's filings and record score 90 on their own; they score 81.38 today.
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.
Generally, fees may vary from 0.50% to 2.00% per annum of the market value of a client’s assets in the UMA.p. 8
- 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, based on the nature of the account.p. 8
- 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.
Investment advisory fees will generally be debited directly from each client’s account.p. 9
- 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.
The advisory fee is paid on a quarterly basis, in advance, with adjustments made for deposits and withdrawals greater than $25,000 intra-quarter.p. 9
- 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.
You will be responsible for fees including transaction fees for the purchase or sale of other securities, including commissions for the purchase or sale of a stock or exchange traded fund.p. 11
- 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.
If you terminate our relationship during a billing period, you will be entitled to a refund of any pre-paid and unearned management fees for the remainder of the billing period.p. 11
Does it explain each conflict of interest and what it could cost you?Brochure Conflict Specificity52/100
The SEC asks the brochure to name each way the firm gets paid besides your fee, what that tempts the firm to do, and what it can cost you.
Each point is marked Covered or Not found. When a point is not found, we say what to ask.
If it has an affiliated adviser or private fund, does it explain what that means for you?
An affiliated adviser or private fund
- Does the brochure name this conflict where the SEC requires?CoveredItems 10/11/12.B/14
A conflict named in the right place is one the firm has thought about; one buried elsewhere is easy to miss.
OneAscent has a conflict of interest because OneAscent has the incentive to refer clients to OAWM, because of common ownership, and therefore are likely to receive greater overall compensation if assets are allocated to their respective affiliated firms as opposed to a different third-party manager or in-house management.p. 19
- Does it explain what this arrangement tempts the firm to do?CoveredStaff Bulletin Q11
You can only judge advice when you know which way it is being pulled.
OneAscent has a conflict of interest because OneAscent has the incentive to refer clients to OAWM, because of common ownership, and therefore are likely to receive greater overall compensation if assets are allocated to their respective affiliated firms as opposed to a different third-party manager or in-house management.p. 19
- Does it describe what the arrangement actually is?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
A conflict described in one vague sentence tells you it exists but not how it works.
What to askAsk the advisor to explain this arrangement in plain terms, including who pays whom.
- Does it say what the firm is paid for it?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
The size of the payment tells you how strong the pull is.
What to askAsk how much the firm or its people receive from this arrangement in a typical year.
- Does it say how the firm comes out ahead?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Benefits that are not cash, like free services or referrals, still shape advice.
What to askAsk what the firm gains from this arrangement beyond fees.
- Does it say what it can cost you?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Every conflict has a price; the question is whether the brochure puts it in your hands.
What to askAsk what this arrangement can cost you, in fees, returns or choices you do not get.
- Does it say how the firm keeps this conflict in check?Not assessed yetItems 10.C-D, 11.B-D, 14.A
A conflict with no control on it is left to the advisor's goodwill.
What to askAsk whether any fund or adviser recommended to you is owned by or tied to the firm, and what fees that adds.
If it has an affiliated adviser or private fund, does it explain what that means for you?
An affiliated adviser or private fund
- Does the brochure name this conflict where the SEC requires?CoveredItems 10/11/12.B/14
A conflict named in the right place is one the firm has thought about; one buried elsewhere is easy to miss.
OneAscent has a conflict of interest because OneAscent has the incentive to refer clients to OAIS, because of common ownership, and therefore are likely to receive greater overall compensation if assets are allocated to their respective affiliated firms as opposed to a different third party manager or in-house management.p. 19
- Does it explain what this arrangement tempts the firm to do?CoveredStaff Bulletin Q11
You can only judge advice when you know which way it is being pulled.
OneAscent has a conflict of interest because OneAscent has the incentive to refer clients to OAIS, because of common ownership, and therefore are likely to receive greater overall compensation if assets are allocated to their respective affiliated firms as opposed to a different third party manager or in-house management.p. 19
- Does it describe what the arrangement actually is?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
A conflict described in one vague sentence tells you it exists but not how it works.
What to askAsk the advisor to explain this arrangement in plain terms, including who pays whom.
- Does it say what the firm is paid for it?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
The size of the payment tells you how strong the pull is.
What to askAsk how much the firm or its people receive from this arrangement in a typical year.
- Does it say how the firm comes out ahead?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Benefits that are not cash, like free services or referrals, still shape advice.
What to askAsk what the firm gains from this arrangement beyond fees.
- Does it say what it can cost you?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Every conflict has a price; the question is whether the brochure puts it in your hands.
What to askAsk what this arrangement can cost you, in fees, returns or choices you do not get.
- Does it say how the firm keeps this conflict in check?Not assessed yetItems 10.C-D, 11.B-D, 14.A
A conflict with no control on it is left to the advisor's goodwill.
What to askAsk whether any fund or adviser recommended to you is owned by or tied to the firm, and what fees that adds.
If its people can earn insurance commissions, does it explain them?
Insurance commissions
- Does the brochure name this conflict where the SEC requires?CoveredItems 10/11/12.B/14
A conflict named in the right place is one the firm has thought about; one buried elsewhere is easy to miss.
These professionals therefore have incentive to recommend insurance products based on the compensation to be received, rather than on a client’s needs.p. 20
- Does it explain what this arrangement tempts the firm to do?CoveredStaff Bulletin Q11
You can only judge advice when you know which way it is being pulled.
These professionals therefore have incentive to recommend insurance products based on the compensation to be received, rather than on a client’s needs.p. 20
- Does it describe what the arrangement actually is?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
A conflict described in one vague sentence tells you it exists but not how it works.
What to askAsk the advisor to explain this arrangement in plain terms, including who pays whom.
- Does it say what the firm is paid for it?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
The size of the payment tells you how strong the pull is.
What to askAsk how much the firm or its people receive from this arrangement in a typical year.
- Does it say how the firm comes out ahead?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Benefits that are not cash, like free services or referrals, still shape advice.
What to askAsk what the firm gains from this arrangement beyond fees.
- Does it say what it can cost you?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Every conflict has a price; the question is whether the brochure puts it in your hands.
What to askAsk what this arrangement can cost you, in fees, returns or choices you do not get.
- Does it say how the firm keeps this conflict in check?Not assessed yetItems 10.C-D, 11.B-D, 14.A
A conflict with no control on it is left to the advisor's goodwill.
What to askAsk whether anyone at the firm earns a commission on insurance recommended to you, and whether it lowers your fee.
If it has an affiliated adviser or private fund, does it explain what that means for you?
An affiliated adviser or private fund
- Does the brochure name this conflict where the SEC requires?CoveredItems 10/11/12.B/14
A conflict named in the right place is one the firm has thought about; one buried elsewhere is easy to miss.
Because OAIS receives a fee from the Registered Funds for managing each Registered Fund, and a fee from the clients whose assets are managed in the strategies that include each Registered Fund (or, as the case may be, the client’s portfolio that contains the Registered Fund directly), OneAscent Family Office LLC has an incentive to recommend one or more Registered Funds to clients because of the potential for an increased fee, as opposed to simply the client’s objectives.p. 23
- Does it explain what this arrangement tempts the firm to do?CoveredStaff Bulletin Q11
You can only judge advice when you know which way it is being pulled.
Because OAIS receives a fee from the Registered Funds for managing each Registered Fund, and a fee from the clients whose assets are managed in the strategies that include each Registered Fund (or, as the case may be, the client’s portfolio that contains the Registered Fund directly), OneAscent Family Office LLC has an incentive to recommend one or more Registered Funds to clients because of the potential for an increased fee, as opposed to simply the client’s objectives.p. 23
- Does it describe what the arrangement actually is?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
A conflict described in one vague sentence tells you it exists but not how it works.
What to askAsk the advisor to explain this arrangement in plain terms, including who pays whom.
- Does it say what the firm is paid for it?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
The size of the payment tells you how strong the pull is.
What to askAsk how much the firm or its people receive from this arrangement in a typical year.
- Does it say how the firm comes out ahead?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Benefits that are not cash, like free services or referrals, still shape advice.
What to askAsk what the firm gains from this arrangement beyond fees.
- Does it say what it can cost you?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Every conflict has a price; the question is whether the brochure puts it in your hands.
What to askAsk what this arrangement can cost you, in fees, returns or choices you do not get.
- Does it say how the firm keeps this conflict in check?Not assessed yetItems 10.C-D, 11.B-D, 14.A
A conflict with no control on it is left to the advisor's goodwill.
What to askAsk whether any fund or adviser recommended to you is owned by or tied to the firm, and what fees that adds.
If the firm is paid for referring clients elsewhere, does it explain those payments?
Payments received for referring clients elsewhere
- Does the brochure name this conflict where the SEC requires?Not found in the brochureItems 10/11/12.B/14
A conflict named in the right place is one the firm has thought about; one buried elsewhere is easy to miss.
What to askAsk the advisor to walk you through every way the firm gets paid besides your fee.
- Does it explain what this arrangement tempts the firm to do?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
You can only judge advice when you know which way it is being pulled.
What to askAsk what this arrangement gives the firm a reason to recommend, and how often that happens.
- Does it describe what the arrangement actually is?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
A conflict described in one vague sentence tells you it exists but not how it works.
What to askAsk the advisor to explain this arrangement in plain terms, including who pays whom.
- Does it say what the firm is paid for it?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
The size of the payment tells you how strong the pull is.
What to askAsk how much the firm or its people receive from this arrangement in a typical year.
- Does it say how the firm comes out ahead?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Benefits that are not cash, like free services or referrals, still shape advice.
What to askAsk what the firm gains from this arrangement beyond fees.
- Does it say what it can cost you?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Every conflict has a price; the question is whether the brochure puts it in your hands.
What to askAsk what this arrangement can cost you, in fees, returns or choices you do not get.
- Does it say how the firm keeps this conflict in check?Not assessed yetItems 10.C-D, 11.B-D, 14.A
A conflict with no control on it is left to the advisor's goodwill.
What to askAsk whether the firm is paid when it sends you to another company, and by whom.
Do they earn commissions on products, and do they say so?Brochure Sales CompensationNot applicable
Not applicable: the brochure describes no product-sales commissions
Do they get free research or services from brokers, and does it affect you?Brochure Soft DollarsNot applicable
Not applicable: the brochure describes no research or services from brokers
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
9 advisors
| Advisor | CRD | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Edward Powell | 1917867 | — | — |
| Martin Nicole Smith | 5694652 | — | — |
| Larry Collin Jones | 7974535 | — | — |
| Joshua Shane Arrington | 4226207 | — | — |
| Michael Chandler Key | 8128173 | — | — |
| Randall Heath Morris | 4437994 | — | — |
| Philip Carl Shaffer | 716363 | — | — |
| Harry Noble Pearson | 2847191 | — | — |
| Justin Charles Cramer | 5968671 | — | — |
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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 #323305