Financial Sense Advisors provides financial planning, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, selecting other managers, insurance, and retirement plan services. Financial planning was provided to 11–25 clients last fiscal year.
Financial Sense Advisors reports 597 clients. They include 399 individual clients, 189 high-net-worth individuals, and 6 corporations and other businesses. Of its assets, 100.0% ($836M across 1,116 accounts) are managed with discretion. Of its clients, 1% are outside the U.S.
| Client type | Clients | Assets |
|---|---|---|
| Individuals (other than HNW) | 67% | 25% |
| High-net-worth individuals | 32% | 73% |
| Pension and profit-sharing plans | <1% | <1% |
| Corporations and other businesses | 1% | 2% |
Client breakdown and activity details
| Client type | Clients | Regulatory AUM | AUM share | Avg. per client |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individuals (other than HNW) | 399 | $206M | 24.7% | $516K |
| High-net-worth individuals | 189 | $607M | 72.6% | $3.21M |
| Pension and profit-sharing plans | 3 | $3.05M | 0.4% | $1.02M |
| Corporations and other businesses | 6 | $19.8M | 2.4% | $3.3M |
| Total | 597 | $836M | 100% | $1.4M |
- Clients
- 399
- Regulatory AUM
- $206M
- AUM share
- 24.7%
- Avg. per client
- $516K
- Clients
- 189
- Regulatory AUM
- $607M
- AUM share
- 72.6%
- Avg. per client
- $3.21M
- Clients
- 3
- Regulatory AUM
- $3.05M
- AUM share
- 0.4%
- Avg. per client
- $1.02M
- Clients
- 6
- Regulatory AUM
- $19.8M
- AUM share
- 2.4%
- Avg. per client
- $3.3M
Total
- Clients
- 597
- Regulatory AUM
- $836M
- AUM share
- 100%
- Avg. per client
- $1.4M
- Clients outside the U.S.
- 1%
- Clients advised without assets under management last fiscal year
- 0
- Private funds advised
- 0
- Financial planning clients last fiscal year
- 11–25
Financial Sense Advisors is paid through a percentage of assets under management, hourly charges and fixed fees (other than subscription fees). The reviewed brochures do not disclose an asset-based fee rate. Read the SEC-filed brochure. The brochure also prices 3 other services, listed under fee details.
Fee details and sources
Other fees
- Comprehensive financial planning
- Comprehensive financial planning is a fixed fee, typically $1,500 to $5,000, or an hourly fee of $200 to $300 an hour, by mutual agreement.
- Fee based annuity advice
- Advice on the underlying investment options in certain annuities is charged a fixed fee set out in the Fee Based Annuity Agreement; no amount is stated.
- Retirement plan participant accounts
- Discretionary management of held-away 401(k) participant accounts is charged 0.60% to 1% a year, based on account assets.
James Puplava owns 75% or more of Financial Sense Advisors. The leadership team of Financial Sense Advisors includes President James Puplava. It has 11 employees, 8 of them in advisory roles.
Leadership
- James PuplavaPresident
- Ryan PreissCOO
Investment adviser representatives
10 representatives listed in the SEC register as of 9 October 2026.
- William Terry Puplava
- Xavier I Stonehouse
Staff
- 11 employees
- 8 in advisory functions
- 8 state-registered reps
- 8 broker-dealer reps
- 5 insurance agents
- Owns 75% or more of Financial Sense Advisors, Inc.
James Puplava
Control person · since March 1985
Financial Sense Advisors’ regulatory assets grew from $562M (March 2021) to $836M (August 2026); clients fell from 993 to 597 and employees from 17 to 11.
Figures from each annual filing
| Filed | Regulatory AUM | Clients | Employees | Offices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | $836M | 597 | 11 | 1 |
| April 2025 | $681M | 1,037 | 13 | 1 |
| May 2024 | $568M | 1,069 | 12 | 1 |
| June 2023 | $585M | 1,045 | 15 | 1 |
| March 2022 | $601M | 1,050 | 15 | 1 |
| March 2021 | $562M | 993 | 17 | 1 |
Besides its headquarters, Financial Sense Advisors has 0 offices, with 1 listed address in California.
California · 1 listed address
- 10920 Via Frontera, Suite 500, San DiegoHQ
Other business names
Financial Sense Advisors has reported 1 other business name to the SEC.
- Financial Sense Wealth Management
Contact and registration details
- Legal name
- Financial Sense Advisors, Inc.
- Headquarters
- 10920 Via Frontera, Suite 500, San Diego, CA 92127
- Website
- Not reported
- Phone
- 858-487-3939
- SEC file
- 801-25937
- Founded
- 1985
- Structure
- California corporation
- Fiscal year end
- December
Financial Sense Advisors uses Fidelity ($871M) as custodian for its separately managed accounts. Financial Sense Advisors has custody of $544M in client assets for 587 clients.
The filed custodian amounts total more than regulatory assets under management. Each amount is shown as filed.
- FidelityNational Financial Services LLC · Boston, MA · $871M100%
At year end, Financial Sense Advisors’ separately managed accounts were mostly in stocks (62%) and bonds (29%). Its reported 13F holdings for the quarter ended 30 June 2026 total $508M across 137 positions; the largest are Vanguard Index Fds (7.9%), iShares TR (6.4%) and Boeing CO (5.1%).
What the accounts hold
- Stocks62%
- Bonds29%
- High-yield corporate bonds13%
- State and local bonds10%
- U.S. government and agency bonds4%
- Investment grade corporate bonds2%
- Cash7%
- Other2%
- Derivatives1%
- Bullion1%
Reported 13F holdings
- $508M
- Reported 13F value
- 137
- Positions
- 46.5%
- In the 10 largest
- +3.2%
- Value vs. prior quarter
- Vanguard Index Fds · S&P 500 ETF Shs7.9%
- iShares TR · JPMORGAN Usd Emg6.4%
- Boeing CO · Dep Conv Pfd A5.1%
- Freeport Mcmoran Inc. · CL B4.6%
- Northern Oil & Gas Inc. · Note 3.625% 4/14.5%
- Tesla Inc.4.4%
- Nextera Energy Inc. · Unit 11/01/20274.2%
- iShares TR · Fltg Rate NT ETF3.4%
- Chevron Corporation3.1%
- SPDR Series Trust · SP O&g Expl Pro2.7%
Together, the ten largest are 46.5% of reported value.
How many clients does Financial Sense Advisors have?
Financial Sense Advisors has 597 clients and manages $836 million for them, as of August 2026. They include 399 individual clients, 189 high-net-worth individuals, and 6 corporations and other businesses.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.D and 5.F, filed 31 August 2026
What services does Financial Sense Advisors offer?
Financial Sense Advisors provides financial planning, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, selecting other managers, insurance, and retirement plan services.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Item 5.G, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file; Part 2A brochure, Item 4
Which custodians does Financial Sense Advisors use?
Financial Sense Advisors’ separately managed account assets are held at National Financial Services LLC (Boston, MA), with $871M. Only custodians holding at least a tenth of those assets are named.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Schedule D, Section 5.K.(3), filed 31 August 2026
How many financial advisors does Financial Sense Advisors have?
Financial Sense Advisors has 8 investment adviser representatives registered with state securities authorities, out of 11 employees, and 8 perform investment advisory functions. 8 employees are registered representatives of a broker-dealer and 5 employees are licensed insurance agents.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.A and 5.B, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file
What does Financial Sense Advisors invest in?
At the end of its last fiscal year, Financial Sense Advisors’ separately managed accounts held 62% exchange-traded equities, 13% high-yield corporate bonds, 10% state and local bonds, 7% cash and equivalents, 4% U.S. government and agency bonds, 2% investment grade corporate bonds, 1% derivatives and 1% other. The 1% other category is described as: Bullion.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.K.(1) and 7.B, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file
Who owns Financial Sense Advisors?
Financial Sense Advisors’ direct owner is James Puplava (75% or more).
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Schedules A and B, filed 31 August 2026
How does Financial Sense Advisors get paid?
Financial Sense Advisors is paid through a percentage of assets under management, hourly charges 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
How do I contact Financial Sense Advisors?
Financial Sense Advisors’ main office is at 10920 Via Frontera, Suite 500, San Diego, CA 92127. Its phone number is 858-487-3939.