History

Founded in September, 1981 by Jim King, the firm initially consulted to a large financial services company on the feasibility of starting a financial planning division in its branch network. Incorporated as J. P. King Financial Advisors, Inc. in 1982, the firm registered as an Investment Advisor with the SEC and began offering financial advice on a fee basis, one of only a handful of such firms in the S.F. Bay Area doing so at that time. The first employee was hired in January, 1982, and the first professional associate joined two months later.

The firm grew rapidly, with several new associates and staff being added over the ensuing five years. Total employees peaked at ten in 1986. In addition to fee financial planning, associates also sold investments and insurance products during this period, which accounted for much of the dramatic growth. With the passage of the Tax Reform Act of October, 1986, followed by the market crash of 1987, and due to significant changes in the personal lives of some of the associates, the firm contracted from 1987 through 1992 to three people. At that point, the strategic direction of the firm was shifted. While still continuing to offer fee financial planning as before, the firm added fee asset management to replace investment product sales. An association with Schwab Institutional was begun, augmented in 2001 with a similar association with Fidelity Institutional Wealth Services. The firm has gradually expanded since 1992, adding two additional associates to bring total personnel to five: three professional and two administrative. Assets under management have grown steadily from less than $5 million in 1992 to over $200 million in 2008. The firm is accepting new clients and expects to continue growing at a healthy pace for many years to come.