Retirewise Tax And Wealth Advisors is a investment adviser based in Topeka, KS, that holds a 72.2/100 Fidelon TransparencyScore (5th percentile among SEC-registered advisers), with 8 registered advisors. Score based on public SEC and FINRA filings.
Retirewise Tax And Wealth Advisors
Retirewise Tax And Wealth Advisors, INC. · CRD #284394
A fee-only investment adviser with a clean regulatory record and fiduciary commitment.
Fidelon Fact Sheet
Retirewise Tax And Wealth Advisors, INC. is an SEC-registered investment adviser in Topeka, KS. It used to be called Cfg Retirement Advisors INC. and Cfg Trusted Advisors INC. Its 8 registered advisors typically serve individuals and families, retirees and business owners. It manages $242.8 million across 979 client accounts. It charges a percentage of the money it manages for you, and it does not report earning commissions. Its services include financial planning, portfolio management and investment newsletters. 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
10,238th of 10,815
SEC-registered advisers
Bottom 5%
115th of 119
SEC-registered advisers in KS
Bottom 3%
7th of 9
SEC-registered advisers in Topeka, KS
Bottom 22%
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
- Does not earn commissions on product sales
What you’d pay
Your balance falls in the All accounts band, charged at up to 1.50% on the full amount. The brochure files this rate as a maximum, not a price. What you actually pay is set in your agreement and may be lower.
Not included above
- • Additional fees and expenses include management fees and other fund expenses for mutual funds and exchange traded funds
- • transaction charges and/or brokerage fees imposed by the broker-dealer or custodian
- • and commission-based compensation for selling insurance products through licensed representatives.
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 |
|---|---|
| All accounts | Up to 1.50% |
Billed for charles schwab & co., inc. accounts, monthly in arrears; for capital group, billed at the end of each quarter
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
- Clean regulatory record — no disclosures, arbitrations, or fines
- Transparent fee structure — charges advisory fees, no commissions
Things You Should Know
- 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, whether every client benefits or only some, or whether those perks stay within what the law allows. Ask how the firm chooses the broker for your trades and whether perks play any part.Item 12.A.1
- Its brochure names research or services received from a custodian or broker (soft dollars) as a conflict, but it does not explain what this arrangement tempts the firm to do, say what the firm is paid for it, or say what it can cost you. Ask what the firm receives from the custodian or broker it uses for you, and whether that costs you anything.Items 10, 11, 12.B and 14
Conflict Audit
Zero material conflicts identified 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
“Because our fee is based upon the value of your account, we have an incentive to recommend that you increase the level of assets in your account.”
“Custodians we recommend to clients make free services available to us, including consulting, access to research, and conferences on practice management.”
Source: the firm’s own Form CRS, filed 2024-03-07 — 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.
75/100
Fair
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.
59/100
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
- 95/100
- Does it explain how the firm's conflicts affect you?
- Conflicts of interest
- 91/100
- 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 93 out of 100. It adds 8.25 points once the firm's filings and record score 90 on their own; they score 72.2 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.
Our annual fee for investment advisory services is not to exceed 1.5% of assets in the account, and varies based on individual client circumstances and services received from RetireWise such as, but not limited to CPA services, estate and Trust document preparation, and/or time spent with an attorney or the client, relative complexity or simplicity of certain client financial situations, and whether the Client has purchased insurance products from RetireWise Tax and Wealth Advisors, Inc.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.
Some advisory fees may be reduced by client specific circumstances and said clients’ negotiating fees.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.
The investment advisory fees that you pay will be deducted from your account.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.
For Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. accounts, investment advisory fees are charged based on a percentage of assets in the client’s account(s), and directly deducted monthly in arrears based on the average daily balance of the account(s) during the current billing period.p. 8
- 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.
The fees that clients pay our firm for investment advisory services are separate and distinct from the fees and expenses charged by these investment products (described in each fund's prospectus) to their shareholders.p. 9
- 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.
You will incur a pro rata charge for services rendered prior to the termination of the agreement, which means you will incur advisory and/or planning fees only in proportion to the number of days in the month for which you are a client.p. 8
Does it explain each conflict of interest and what it could cost you?Brochure Conflict Specificity56/100
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 the firm gets research or services from a custodian or broker, does it explain them?
Research or services received from a custodian or broker (soft dollars)
- 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.
While, as a fiduciary, RetireWise endeavors to act in its clients’ best interests, RetireWise’s recommendation/requirement that clients maintain their assets in accounts at Schwab may be based in part on the benefit to RetireWise of the availability of some of the foregoing products and services and other arrangements and not solely on the nature, cost or quality of custody and brokerage services provided by Schwab, which may create a potential conflict of interest.p. 14
- 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?CoveredStaff Bulletin Q11
A conflict described in one vague sentence tells you it exists but not how it works.
Schwab also makes available to RetireWise other products and services.p. 14
- 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?CoveredStaff Bulletin Q11
Benefits that are not cash, like free services or referrals, still shape advice.
These services may include professional compliance, legal and business consulting, publications and conferences on practice management, information technology, business succession, regulatory compliance, employee benefits providers, human capital consultants, insurance, and marketing.p. 14
- 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 what the firm receives from the custodian or broker it uses for you, and whether that costs you anything.
If its people can earn insurance commissions, does it explain them?
Insurance commissions
An adviser's own license, not the firm's — scored once under Sales Compensation
When acting in their separate capacity as an insurance agent, our personnel can sell, for commissions, general insurance products.p. 12
- Hedged wording
While, as a fiduciary, RetireWise endeavors to act in its clients’ best interests, RetireWise’s recommendation/requirement that clients maintain their assets in accounts at Schwab may be based in part on the benefit to RetireWise of the availability of some of the foregoing products and services and other arrangements and not solely on the nature, cost or quality of custody and brokerage services provided by Schwab, which may create a potential conflict of interest.p. 14
Do they earn commissions on products, and do they say so?Brochure Sales Compensation85/100
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.
This receipt of commissions creates an incentive for our personnel to recommend those products for which they will receive a commission in their separate capacity as an insurance agent.p. 12
- Does it say commissions can shape what they recommend?CoveredItem 5.E.1
Naming the pull is the first step to controlling it; silence leaves it working on you.
This receipt of commissions creates an incentive for our personnel to recommend those products for which they will receive a commission in their separate capacity as an insurance agent.p. 12
- Does it say you can buy the same products elsewhere?CoveredItem 5.E.2
You may be able to buy the same product for less somewhere else.
Insurance products recommended by RetireWise supervised persons may also be available from other providers on more favorable terms, and clients can purchase insurance products recommended by RetireWise or its supervised persons through other, un-affiliated insurance agencies.p. 12
- Does it say whether commissions lower your advisory fee?Not found in the brochureItem 5.E.4
If the firm earns a commission and the full advisory fee, you pay twice for one recommendation.
What to askAsk whether any commission the firm earns is credited against your advisory fee.
Do they get free research or services from brokers, and does it affect you?Brochure Soft Dollars41/100
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?CoveredItem 12.A.1.e
Research, software and data paid for by your trades are a cost you never see.
These include software and other technology (and related technological training) that provide access to client account data (such as trade confirmations and account statements), facilitate trade execution (and allocation of aggregated trade orders for multiple client accounts), provide research, pricing information and other market data, facilitate payment of RetireWise fees from its clients’ accounts, and assist with back-office training and support functions, recordkeeping and client reporting.p. 14
- Does it say the firm benefits by not paying for those things?CoveredItem 12.A.1.a
A perk the firm would otherwise buy is money in the firm's pocket, paid with your trades.
Schwab Advisor Services also makes available to RetireWise other services intended to help RetireWise manage and further develop its business enterprise.p. 14
- 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?Not found in the brochureItem 12.A.1.e note
The law allows research paid for with client trades only within limits; outside them, it is your money.
What to askAsk whether everything the firm receives from brokers is research the law lets it take in return for your trades.
- 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?Not found in the brochureItem 12.A.1.d
Your trades may be paying for research that helps other clients' accounts, not yours.
What to askAsk whether the research your trades help pay for is used for your account.
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
8 advisors
| Advisor | CRD | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Michael Vogel | 6163358 | — | — |
| Zachary Christopher Hogan | 6582798 | — | — |
| Tyler Paul Feist | 7732689 | — | — |
| Andrew Brent Vogel | 7954006 | — | — |
| Travis Heath Jantz | 8050104 | — | — |
| Zebadiah T. Elliott | 8144326 | — | — |
| Jeffry Alan Vogel | 1633200 | — | — |
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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 #284394