Personal Capital is owned by Empower, which operates the brand as Empower Personal Wealth after acquiring the company in 2020.
Personal Capital built its reputation on a free financial dashboard that lets users track net worth, spending and investments across every linked account in one place, alongside a paid hybrid wealth management service.
The company was founded in 2009 in Redwood Shores, California, and grew into one of the best known digital wealth platforms before being folded into a much larger retirement services giant.
So how did a fintech startup built to compete with traditional banks end up as part of a company that already manages retirement plans for millions of American workers?
This article looks at Personal Capital ownership structure, its leadership, its founding story, its acquisition by Empower, how large the business has grown, the services it offers, and how to contact support.
So let us get started.
Table of Contents
Who Owns Personal Capital
Personal Capital is fully owned by Empower, a large retirement and wealth services provider that acquired the company in August 2020.
Visit the official Empower website to see the full range of retirement, investing and personal wealth services now offered under one roof.
Since the acquisition, the Personal Capital brand has been folded into Empower’s operations and is now marketed primarily as Empower Personal Wealth, though the Personal Capital name and app still appear in some contexts.
Empower itself is a subsidiary of Great-West Lifeco, a Canadian financial services holding company that is in turn controlled by Power Corporation of Canada.
| Company Overview | Details |
| Brand name | Personal Capital, now Empower Personal Wealth |
| Ownership | Wholly owned subsidiary of Empower |
| Parent company | Empower, owned by Great-West Lifeco |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founders | Bill Harris, Rob Foregger, Louie Gasparini |
| Empower CEO | Edmund F. Murphy III |
| Headquarters | Greenwood Village, Colorado |
| Ownership type | Private, owned by a public parent |
| Assets under advisement | Over 100 billion dollars |
Is Personal Capital Publicly Traded or Privately Owned
Personal Capital itself is not publicly traded and has not been since it was acquired by Empower in 2020.
Empower is a privately held operating company, but its ultimate parent, Power Corporation of Canada, is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker POW.
That means everyday users of the Personal Capital app are not shareholders in the business, but investors can gain indirect exposure by owning shares of Power Corporation or Great-West Lifeco.
No individual founder retains a controlling ownership stake in the platform today, since Empower fully absorbed the company as part of its acquisition.
Who Owns Empower, the Parent of Personal Capital
Great-West Lifeco owns Empower outright, using it as the primary vehicle for its United States retirement and wealth management business.
Great-West Lifeco is itself majority controlled by Power Corporation of Canada, a diversified holding company with interests across insurance, asset management and financial services.
The Desmarais family has long held a controlling position in Power Corporation, giving the family lasting influence over the entire chain of ownership that ultimately controls Personal Capital.
Readers interested in a competing wealth platform still owned by its original operator can see our guide on who owns Charles Schwab.
Who Is the CEO Behind Personal Capital Today
Edmund F. Murphy III serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Empower, overseeing the combined retirement and personal wealth business that includes Personal Capital.
Jay Shah, who joined through the original Personal Capital leadership team, has continued to lead the Personal Capital and Empower Personal Wealth business line following the acquisition.
Founder Bill Harris, previously CEO of both PayPal and Intuit before starting Personal Capital, is no longer involved in daily operations after the Empower acquisition closed.
Day to day, product and advisory decisions for Personal Capital now run through Empower’s broader executive structure rather than an independent board.
Who Founded Personal Capital
Bill Harris founded Personal Capital in 2009 alongside co-founders Rob Foregger and Louie Gasparini, aiming to combine free financial software with professional wealth advice.
Harris brought significant fintech credibility to the venture, having previously served as CEO of both PayPal and Intuit earlier in his career.
According to Wikipedia, the company built its early growth around a free net worth and investment tracking tool that served as a lead generator for its paid advisory service.
That freemium model, pairing free software with paid human advice, remains central to how Empower Personal Wealth operates today.
How Has Personal Capital Ownership Changed Over Time
Personal Capital raised several rounds of venture capital funding as a startup before its ownership changed dramatically in 2020.
Empower Retirement announced its acquisition of Personal Capital in June 2020 and completed the deal that August, in a transaction valued at up to 1 billion dollars including performance based payments.
Following the deal, Personal Capital operated for several years under the combined branding of Personal Capital, an Empower Company, before Empower moved the business further under its own name as Empower Personal Wealth.
The rebranding reflected Empower’s strategy of consolidating retirement plan participants, workplace savers and self directed investors under one unified brand.
Insurance and Financial Holding Company
US Retirement and Wealth Services
Formerly Personal Capital
Major Personal Capital Milestones
Bill Harris launches Personal Capital in Redwood Shores, California.
Personal Capital releases its free net worth and investment tracking tool.
Empower Retirement completes its acquisition of Personal Capital for up to 1 billion dollars.
Empower begins transitioning the business toward the Empower Personal Wealth name.
Empower Personal Wealth surpasses 100 billion dollars in assets under advisement.
How Much Is Personal Capital Worth
Empower acquired Personal Capital in a deal valued at up to 1 billion dollars, made up of 825 million dollars at closing plus up to 175 million dollars tied to future growth targets.
Because Personal Capital no longer operates as a standalone company, it does not report its own separate revenue or valuation today.
The clearest recent measure of scale is assets under advisement, with Empower Personal Wealth surpassing 100 billion dollars in client assets.
| Financial Metric | Value |
| Acquisition price, 2020 | Up to 1 billion dollars |
| Assets under advisement | Over 100 billion dollars |
| Parent company earnings | Empower reported record annual earnings in 2026 |
| Founded | 2009 |
What Services Does Personal Capital Offer
Personal Capital, now branded Empower Personal Wealth, offers a free financial dashboard that aggregates bank, credit card, investment and retirement accounts into one net worth view.
Its paid Personal Strategy service pairs users with a dedicated financial advisor and builds a managed investment portfolio, blending automated technology with human guidance.
The platform also offers retirement planning tools, a fee analyzer for spotting hidden costs in old 401k plans, and a cash account product through Empower Personal Cash.
Readers who want to compare this hybrid model with a fully self directed brokerage can see our guide on who owns Charles Schwab.
How Do You Contact Personal Capital Customer Support
Existing Personal Capital and Empower Personal Wealth clients are generally directed to log into their account and contact their assigned advisor directly.
Workers with a workplace retirement plan administered by Empower should call the dedicated retirement plan line at 855 756 4738 rather than the personal wealth team.
Financial professionals looking to explore a relationship with Empower can reach the firm at 877 630 4015.
| Support Type | Contact Information |
| Workplace retirement plans | 855 756 4738 |
| Personal wealth clients | Log in and contact your advisor |
| Financial professionals | 877 630 4015 |
| Headquarters | Greenwood Village, Colorado |
| Website | empower.com |
Where Is Personal Capital Headquartered
Personal Capital was originally headquartered in Redwood Shores, California, before later moving its main office to San Francisco as it grew.
Since the Empower acquisition, the business now operates under Empower’s corporate structure, which is headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado, in the Denver metro area.
Is Personal Capital a Good Wealth Management Option
Personal Capital remains popular for its free financial dashboard, which many users keep even if they never sign up for the paid advisory service.
Its hybrid model of a dedicated advisor plus automated portfolio management appeals to investors who want more guidance than a pure robo advisor but do not want traditional full service brokerage fees.
On the downside, the paid advisory service carries a relatively high account minimum and management fee compared to low cost robo advisors, which can make it less attractive for smaller portfolios.
Overall, the free tools remain a strong option for tracking finances, while the paid service suits investors who specifically want a named human advisor backed by Empower’s scale.
Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Capital
Who owns Personal Capital
Personal Capital is owned by Empower, which acquired the company in 2020 and now operates it as Empower Personal Wealth.
Is Personal Capital the same as Empower Personal Wealth
Yes, Empower rebranded Personal Capital as Empower Personal Wealth after several years of operating it under the combined Personal Capital, an Empower Company name.
Who is the CEO of Empower
Edmund F. Murphy III serves as President and CEO of Empower, the parent company of Personal Capital.
Who founded Personal Capital
Bill Harris founded Personal Capital in 2009 along with co-founders Rob Foregger and Louie Gasparini.
Is Personal Capital publicly traded
No, Personal Capital is privately held by Empower, though Empower’s ultimate parent, Power Corporation of Canada, trades publicly in Canada.
How much did Empower pay for Personal Capital
Empower paid up to 1 billion dollars for Personal Capital in a deal completed in August 2020.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.