{"url":"https://nivawealth.com/firms/bates-financial-advisors-116515","iapdUrl":"https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/116515","regulatoryAum":439211752,"crd":"116515","adviserRoster":{"asOf":"2026-10-09","items":[{"crd":"1539381","suffix":null,"lastName":"BATES","firstName":"GEORGE","middleName":"DOUGLAS"},{"crd":"5926713","suffix":null,"lastName":"BATES","firstName":"GEORGE","middleName":"HENRY"},{"crd":"8175351","suffix":null,"lastName":"Bates","firstName":"Matthew","middleName":"Douglas"},{"crd":"2771598","suffix":null,"lastName":"Wimbiscus","firstName":"John","middleName":"William"}],"total":4,"loadedAt":"2026-10-10T00:20:19.761928+00:00","sourceUrl":"https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/reports/CompilationReports/IA_INDVL_Feed_10_09_2026.xml.zip"},"history":[{"filedOn":"2021-03-22","regulatoryAum":529249409,"clients":774,"employees":10,"offices":2},{"filedOn":"2022-03-10","regulatoryAum":550506678,"clients":696,"employees":10,"offices":2},{"filedOn":"2023-06-28","regulatoryAum":451525647,"clients":720,"employees":12,"offices":2},{"filedOn":"2024-05-13","regulatoryAum":430401703,"clients":637,"employees":9,"offices":1},{"filedOn":"2025-03-31","regulatoryAum":395625847,"clients":427,"employees":7,"offices":1},{"filedOn":"2026-06-25","regulatoryAum":439211752,"clients":399,"employees":5,"offices":1}],"secFileNumber":"801-72191","legalName":"Bates Financial Advisors, Inc.","displayName":"Bates Financial Advisors","slug":"bates-financial-advisors-116515","website":"https://batesfinancialadvisors.com/","classification":{"segment":"individuals","segmentLabel":"Wealth management","type":"independent_wealth_manager","typeLabel":"RIA","feeDisclosure":"full"},"founded":"1984","organization":"Illinois corporation","fiscalYearEnd":"December","headquarters":{"street":"8437 Northern Ave","city":"Rockford","state":"IL","stateName":"Illinois","country":"United States","postalCode":"61107"},"tradeNames":[],"registration":{"secApproved":"28 February 2011","noticeFilings":null,"latestNoticeFiling":null},"wealthAumPerClient":1103284.3904282115,"staff":{"employees":5,"advisory":5,"brokerDealerReps":1,"insuranceAgents":1,"promoters":0},"aum":{"regulatory":439211752,"discretionary":438219609,"discretionaryAccounts":1266,"nonDiscretionary":992143,"nonDiscretionaryAccounts":7,"wrapProgram":null,"nonUsClientsPct":0,"nonAumClients":0},"clientTypes":[{"label":"Individuals (other than HNW)","clients":267,"regulatoryAum":126160775},{"label":"High-net-worth individuals","clients":130,"regulatoryAum":311843128},{"label":"Charitable organizations","clients":2,"fewerThan5":true,"regulatoryAum":1207849}],"feePrograms":[{"role":"main","program":"Investment portfolio management services","feeBasis":"range","fee_tiers":null,"sourceUrl":"https://files.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/Content/Common/crd_iapd_Brochure.aspx?BRCHR_VRSN_ID=994996","versionId":994996,"ratePeriod":"annual","fee_billing":"arrears","submittedOn":"2026-04-01","documentName":"BATES FINANCIAL ADVISORS, INC. 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They include 267 individual clients, 130 high-net-worth individuals and 2 charitable organizations.","source":"Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.D and 5.F, filed 25 June 2026","sourceRef":{"doc":"adv1","section":"employees"}},{"question":"What services does Bates Financial Advisors offer?","answer":"Bates Financial Advisors provides financial planning, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, estate planning, insurance, and tax planning.","source":"Form ADV Part 1A, Item 5.G, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file; Part 2A brochure, Item 4","sourceRef":{"doc":"adv1","section":"employees"}},{"question":"How much does Bates Financial Advisors charge?","answer":"Bates Financial Advisors charges 0.25%–1.00% a year for its Investment portfolio management services. The fee is billed in arrears, is negotiable and has a $700 annual minimum.","source":"BATES FINANCIAL ADVISORS, INC. PART 2A BROCHURE, filed 1 April 2026","sourceRef":{"doc":"brochure","section":"fees"}},{"question":"Which custodians does Bates Financial Advisors use?","answer":"Bates Financial Advisors’ separately managed account assets are held at Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (Smithfield, RI), with $293M and Altruist Financial LLC (Kansas City, MO), with $51.2M. Only custodians holding at least a tenth of those assets are named.","source":"Form ADV Part 1A, Schedule D, Section 5.K.(3), filed 25 June 2026","sourceRef":{"doc":"adv1","section":"custodians"}},{"question":"How many financial advisors does Bates Financial Advisors have?","answer":"Bates Financial Advisors has 1 investment adviser representative registered with state securities authorities, out of 5 employees, and 5 perform investment advisory functions. 1 employee is a registered representative of a broker-dealer and 1 employee is a licensed insurance agent.","source":"Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.A and 5.B, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file","sourceRef":{"doc":"adv1","section":"employees"}},{"question":"What does Bates Financial Advisors invest in?","answer":"At the end of its last fiscal year, Bates Financial Advisors’ separately managed accounts held 85% registered funds (mutual funds, ETFs, BDCs), 10% cash and equivalents and 4% exchange-traded equities.","source":"Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.K.(1) and 7.B, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file","sourceRef":{"doc":"adv1","section":"employees"}},{"question":"Who owns Bates Financial Advisors?","answer":"Bates Financial Advisors’ direct owner is George Bates (75% or more).","source":"Form ADV Part 1A, Schedules A and B, filed 25 June 2026","sourceRef":{"doc":"adv1","section":"scheduleA"}},{"question":"How does Bates Financial Advisors get paid?","answer":"Bates Financial Advisors is paid through a percentage of assets under management and fixed fees. Its Form ADV lists no commissions or performance-based fees among how it is paid.","source":"Form ADV Part 1A, Item 5.E, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file","sourceRef":{"doc":"adv1","section":"employees"}},{"question":"How do I contact Bates Financial Advisors?","answer":"Bates Financial Advisors’ main office is at 8437 Northern Ave, Rockford, IL 61107. Its phone number is 815-332-4020. Its website is batesfinancialadvisors.com.","source":"Form ADV Part 1A, Item 1.F, filed 25 June 2026","sourceRef":{"doc":"adv1","section":"offices"}}],"holdings":null,"notice":"Compiled from public SEC Form ADV filings on the dates in `sources`. Facts as filed; not a rating, ranking, or recommendation. Niva is not affiliated with this firm. Disciplinary history is deliberately not included here or on the page; the SEC publishes the complete record at the `iapdUrl` above."}