Office address: 901 3rd Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Website: ameriprise.com
Year established: 1894
Company type: financial services
Employees: 21,000+
Expertise: financial planning, investment management, retirement solutions, insurance, asset management, mutual funds, alternative investments, college savings, advisory services, structured products
Parent company: N/A
Key people: James Cracchiolo (CEO); Walter Berman (CFO); Gumer Alvero (president); William Davies (global chief investment officer); Deirdre McGraw, Heather Melloh, and Kelli Petruzillo (EVPs)
Financing status: corporation
Ameriprise Financial is a Minneapolis-based financial services company, serving more than 3.5 million clients and managing over $1.4 trillion in assets as of 2024. The firm offers financial planning, investment management, insurance, and retirement solutions. Ameriprise is known for its one-to-one advisor relationships and the Confident Retirement approach.
Ameriprise Financial began in 1894, when John Tappan, just 24 years old, founded Investors Syndicate. By the end of that first year, the company managed $2,500 in assets.
Over the next decades, Ameriprise grew through the Great Depression and paid every dollar owed to certificate owners, even as markets crashed and times were tough.
The company moved into mutual funds in 1940, starting with Investors Mutual Fund and adding more by 1945. In 1949, it adopted the name Investors Diversified Services, then joined American Express in 1984. By 1995, it operated as American Express Financial Advisors, with James Cracchiolo taking over as president and CEO in 2000.
The firm became an independent, publicly traded company in 2005 after one of the largest spin-offs in US history. It launched new brands, expanded its reach, and continued to acquire businesses, including H&R Block Financial Advisors during the Great Recession.
The company also introduced the Confident Retirement approach in 2014, which shaped its personalized advice model.
The company celebrated its 130th anniversary in 2024 as it marked more than a century of putting clients first. The company now manages over $1.4 trillion in assets and serves millions of clients.
In 2025, Ameriprise Financial welcomed The Atlantic Group from Oppenheimer. This team manages more than $1.6 billion in client assets, further strengthening the advisor network.
Ameriprise Financial provides personalized investment options to match different goals and risk levels:
Ameriprise Financial also provides digital tools for easy account access and goal tracking. Clients benefit from ongoing, personalized advice and a strong advisor relationship.
Ameriprise Financial says that it has a values-based and inclusive culture that supports individual differences and encourages achievement. The company also reports that it values work-life balance and career growth for its employees. Their stated values include:
Ameriprise Financial states employees receive competitive pay, incentives, and access to many workplace resources. Benefits include:
In terms of community impact, the firm donated $18 million in 2024 through grants, matching, and individual gifts. The company supported 7,800 nonprofits and recorded 50,000 volunteer hours that year as well. Since 2009, Ameriprise Financial has partnered with Feeding America to provide 124 million meals and nearly 408,000 volunteer hours.
James M. Cracchiolo is chairperson and CEO of Ameriprise Financial, leading a firm with a 130-year legacy. Cracchiolo has guided Ameriprise and its earlier company since 2000, building on over 45 years in financial services. He earned both his bachelor’s and MBA degrees from New York University.
The executive team at Ameriprise Financial includes leaders with deep experience and unique responsibilities:
The Ameriprise Financial leadership team works to build a client-focused culture and support a workforce of over 21,000 people. Their goal is to keep employees engaged and deliver strong results for clients.
In 2025, the firm began actively recruiting leading advisors from major firms, including Commonwealth. This strategy aims to expand Ameriprise Financial’s advisor network and strengthen its future offerings for clients.
Ameriprise also set a new record in its wealth division, reaching over $1 trillion in client assets during the third quarter of 2025. It grew advisor productivity to $1.1 million per advisor and welcomed 90 experienced advisors, which showed steady expansion. These results help the firm boost its financial position and support its growth.
The wirehouse now joins a growing list of other financial-services companies sued for similar reasons.
Another financial services company has been targeted for costly proprietary investments in its 401(k) plan, leading to allegations of self-dealing at the expense of employees.
The insurer joins other financial services companies such as Ameriprise and Principal, who've detailed rising compliance costs associated with the regulation.
The expense speaks to the difficulty broker-dealers are facing to comply with the controversial new regulation.
The firm is selling a majority stake of NFP Advisor Services to funds managed by private equity shop Stone Point Capital.
Invest in Others and <i>InvestmentNews</i> recognize charitable works of advisers and corporate programs for employees.
Plaintiffs allege the asset management firm populated the retirement plan with proprietary investments for its own gain.
The retirement plan provider joins a list of other financial firms that have settled excessive-fee lawsuits with their own employees.
The asset management firm joins the likes of American Century Investments and New York Life, which were also sued by employees for using proprietary funds in their 401(k) plans.
Employees are suing for alleged self-dealing and fees charged by a company-affiliated index fund, which plaintiffs claim enriched New York Life at the expense of employees' retirement savings.
Such a strategy is meant to reduce the appearance of a conflict of interest when using commission products in retirement accounts.
The insurer joins other firms such as Fidelity Investments and Ameriprise Financial in settling allegations over excessive 401(k) fees in their own company plans.
The DOL fiduciary rule will forever change financial advice, and the industry now faces the challenge of adapting to the new regulation.
The firm's CEO sees opportunities in the looming disruption. <b><i>(Fiduciary Focus: <a href="//www.investmentnews.com/section/fiduciary-focus"" target=""_blank"" rel="noopener noreferrer">Follow the latest news and developments on the DOL rule change</a>)</i></b>
New business models, heavy compliance costs and figuring out 'reasonable' fees are among the items giving IBDs fits.
