Independent Financial Advisors Serving the Des Moines Metro
Retirement planning is personal. The advisor you choose should understand your community, your goals, and your life — not hand you off to a call center or fit you into a national firm's product lineup. Heartland Retirement Group is an independent fiduciary firm based in Urbandale, Iowa, with 10 advisors serving pre-retirees and retirees across the Des Moines metro and surrounding counties.
We have no Wall Street affiliations and no proprietary products. Every plan we build is built around the person sitting across from us.
Heartland serves clients throughout the greater Des Moines area, including Polk, Dallas, Warren, Madison, Guthrie, and Jasper counties. Our office is located at 9245 Northpark Drive in Urbandale — and we meet clients where it's most convenient, whether that's in the office, at their home, or virtually.
Serving Families Across the Des Moines Metro Area
Serving Families Across the Des Moines Metro Area
What It Means to Work With a Fiduciary Advisor in Des Moines
The word "fiduciary" gets used a lot in financial services. Here's what it actually means: a fiduciary is legally required to act in your best interest at all times, not just recommend something that clears a minimum suitability threshold.
Many advisors at large national firms and wirehouses operate under a suitability standard — meaning a recommendation only needs to be suitable for someone in your general situation, not necessarily the best option available to you. A fiduciary standard is a higher legal bar, and it changes how advice is structured, what products are considered, and who the advisor is ultimately accountable to.
At Heartland, our entire firm is built around that standard. We're independent, which means we have no parent company directing which products we offer or which funds we use. We work with national custodians Schwab and Fidelity to hold client assets, and every recommendation we make is evaluated against your specific goals — not a firm quota or a commission structure.
Retirement Planning Services for Des Moines Families
Heartland offers a fully integrated planning model — which means income, tax, investment, estate, and insurance planning happen under one roof, with one advisory team that knows your full picture. You don't need to coordinate between a separate CPA, an insurance agent, and a financial planner who've never spoken to each other.
Building a reliable income strategy from Social Security, retirement accounts, and guaranteed income sources
Roth conversions, RMD coordination, and withdrawal sequencing to reduce your lifetime tax burden
Beneficiary reviews, will and trust coordination, and wealth transfer planning for Iowa families
Protecting your retirement income from care costs that Medicare won't cover
Why Des Moines Families Choose an Independent Advisor
There's a meaningful difference between working with an independent firm and working with a branch office of a national brand.
At a large wirehouse or national advisory firm, advisors often work within a constrained product universe, carry firm-wide quotas, and may rotate out of their roles over time. Client relationships are attached to the firm, not the advisor.
At Heartland, your relationship is with a named advisor who knows your full financial picture and will still be here in five years. We built the firm to be independent by design — not because it's a marketing point, but because it's the only way to give advice that's genuinely free of conflicts.
That's what Iowa families deserve when they're planning the income they'll live on for the next 20 or 30 years.
Frequently asked questions
Questions Des Moines Families Ask Before Choosing an Advisor
How do I know if a financial advisor in Des Moines is a fiduciary?
Ask them directly. A fiduciary is required to disclose their status and any conflicts of interest. You can also check an advisor's registration and credentials through FINRA BrokerCheck or the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database. Heartland advisors operate as fiduciaries, and we're happy to walk you through exactly what that means for your plan.
What's the difference between a financial advisor and a retirement planner?
The terms are often used interchangeably, but retirement planning is a specific focus within the broader category of financial advising. A retirement planner concentrates on the income distribution phase — how you create reliable monthly income from your savings, how you manage taxes in retirement, and how you make your money last. That's the primary work Heartland does for Des Moines area clients.
Do I need a lot of money to work with Heartland Retirement Group?
We work with pre-retirees and retirees who have accumulated savings and are moving into the distribution phase of their financial lives. The best way to find out if we're a good fit is to schedule a free strategy session — there's no obligation and no pressure.
Can I meet with an advisor without coming into the office?
Yes. We meet clients at our Urbandale office, in their homes, or virtually — whatever works best. Many of our Des Moines metro clients prefer in-home meetings, and we're comfortable doing that across the full service area.
