Kenneth Alter is a Managing Director at Planning Alliance and serves as Chair of the firm’s Investment Committee. He works with ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, and family and multi-family offices on complex financial matters, often helping to coordinate across investment, insurance, transactional, and planning disciplines.
His work spans investment management, insurance and enterprise risk management, transactional advisory, and advanced estate, tax, and philanthropic planning. Kenneth is particularly focused on situations where capital, control, and long-term objectives intersect, helping clients evaluate tradeoffs and implement durable strategies aligned with both financial and personal priorities.
Alongside his work at the individual and family-office level and on broader financial-planning matters, he is frequently engaged by closely held businesses and their stakeholders to advise on ownership transitions, liquidity events, capital structuring, and risk management, including transactions involving employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). He works closely with owners, fiduciaries, and external advisors to assess feasibility, structure transactions, and integrate business-transition strategies into broader succession and estate frameworks, with a focus on executive compensation and retention structures that reinforce long-term alignment, continuity of control, and enterprise value.
Kenneth is a regular speaker within the financial services community and serves as a faculty member of the Living Balance Sheet, where he helps lead the advanced financial planning curriculum. He is also engaged in advocacy efforts on behalf of the financial services industry before the United States Congress and various federal regulatory agencies.
In 2023, Kenneth was recognized by Forbes as one of the top ten financial security professionals in the United States. He is known for a thoughtful, analytical approach and for helping clients navigate complex decisions with clarity, discipline, and care.
Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. *This award is endorsed but not issued by Guardian or its subsidiaries. The annual Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors List [2022] is based on criteria developed and obtained by SHOOK Research, LLC. No compensation was provided in connection with obtaining this rating; however, advisors may choose to pay fees to Forbes and Shook for premium listing features; including, usage rights of the ranking logo. Past performance is not an indication of future results.