Top Financial Advisors in Annapolis, MD

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Scarborough Capital Management is a fee-based firm that serves both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth invidividuals.

The advisor team holds multiple certifications, including chartered retirement planning consultant (CRPCs), Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), chartered mutual fund counselor (CMFC), certified college planning specialist (CCPS), retirement income certified professional (RICP), accredited investment fiduciary (AIF) and chartered federal employees benefits consultant (ChFEBC).

Many of its advisors are also brokers and licensed insurance agents who can earn commissions on certain transactions, which can present a conflict of interest. Despite being fee-based, Scarborough Capital advisors must act in the best interest of their clients. 

Scarborough acts as a sub-adviser to Retirement Management Systems, which offers advice to plan participants regarding their employer-sponsored plans. The firm does not impose an account minimum.

The practice offers discretionary investment management services, financial planning, consulting services and educational seminars. It also provides 401(k) and 403(b) plan management as a sub-advisor to Retirement Management Systems Inc.

The firm seeks to optimize portfolios for return and risk by using the principles of asset allocation and diversification. In designing client portfolios, advisors utilize model portfolios provided by an independent third-party research company. The models, which range from conservative to aggressive, are guidelines, and advisors may deviate from them — or not use them at all. 

Investments may include mutual funds, stocks and cash holdings. The firm uses both long-term purchases (buying securities and holding them for at least a year) and short-term purchases (buying securities with the intent to sell them within a year).

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Curio Wealth is a fee-only financial planning and investment advisory firm headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland. The firm works with individuals, families, trusts, estates, small businesses and charitable organizations, offering both investment management and comprehensive financial planning services.

While there is no stated minimum asset requirement, the firm does maintain a minimum annual fee of $4,000, which may result in a higher effective percentage fee for clients with smaller portfolios.

Curio operates on a strictly fee-only basis, meaning it does not accept commissions, referral fees or third-party compensation for the sale of financial products. Its advisors do not sell insurance or investment products and are not affiliated with broker-dealers. As a registered investment adviser, the firm upholds a fiduciary obligation to act in the best interests of clients at all times.

The firm provides tailored services based on each client’s investment objectives, income needs, tax situation, risk tolerance and financial goals. Curio’s advisory team includes professionals with backgrounds in financial planning, tax strategy and investment research. Additional planning areas often covered include estate planning, education funding, insurance analysis and retirement income planning.

Curio relies on a team-based approach to construct diversified portfolios using individual stocks and bonds, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Its investment process includes charting, fundamental analysis, technical analysis and cyclical analysis. The firm emphasizes long-term investing, global fixed income and the use of low-cost, no-load funds. Curio aims to reduce volatility through strategic asset allocation and periodic portfolio reviews based on client objectives and market conditions.

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Marks Wealth Management (MWM), a fee-only firm, works with non-high-net-worth individuals.

There is no set account minimum for new clients and advisory fees are based on a percentage of a client's assets under management.

In addition to asset management, MWM offers a variety of financial planning services, including business planning, cash flow forecasting, trust and estate planning, financial reporting, investment consulting, insurance planning, retirement planning, risk management, charitable giving, education planning and tax planning. 

Like many other firms, MWM manages accounts on a discretionary basis. The firm creates custom portfolios that primarily allocate assets among various exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds and individual debt and equity securities. 

MWM tailors its services to the needs of individual clients, taking into consideration a person's time horizon, risk tolerance, liquidity constraints and investment objectives. Investment decisions are often made using both fundamental and technical research.

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1 North Wealth Services (1NWS) is a fee-only firm. The advisory team holds muliple certifications, including the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), certified fundraising executive (CFRE) and chartered advisor in philanthropy (CAP) designations.

Most individual clients do not have a high net worth, but many do. 1NWS also serves corporations and charities.

The firm sets the minimum for investment accounts at $500,000, though it may waive the requirement at its discretion.

The primary business of 1NWS is providing investment advice and discretionary asset management services. It also offers financial planning on an hourly or fixed-fee basis, covering topics that include retirement planning, tax planning and strategy, risk assessment, cash flow analysis, education funding, life transition planning, pension planning, charitable giving, divorce and business succession. 

Depending on the client’s profile and goals, 1NWS generally applies a blend of the following investment strategies:

• Capital Preservation Strategy: Used to preserve capital while earning a higher return than cash.
• Total Return Strategy: Assets are invested in fixed income instruments such as corporate bonds, mortgage-backed bonds, municipal bonds, as well as mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This strategy may also include the purchase of high dividend-paying stocks, preferred stock and shares of master limited partnerships (MLPs).
• Growth Strategy: Money is invested in assets whose returns come mostly from market appreciation, such as individual stocks and stock or bond mutual funds/ETFs.
• Alternative Strategy: This strategy may invest in mutual funds and ETFs that hold long/short equity or bond positions, precious metals, commodities and real estate .
• Sustainable investing strategy: This strategy is built to incorporate ESG investments.

In choosing securities, 1NWS primarily uses fundamental analysis and to a lesser extent, technical analysis. 

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HF Advisory Group is a fee-based firm which works almost exclusively with individuals, most of whom are not high-net-worth. The only institutional clients are corporations.

The team includes a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®). 

Portfolio management fees are based on a percentage of assets under management. Financial planning fees can be charted at a fixed rate or hourly.

Services include investment strategy, portfolio management, asset allocation, risk tolerance, financial planning, retirement planning and college planning.

Investments at the firm are mostly split between individual stocks and RIA assets like mutual funds and ETFs. The rest is split between bonds and cash holdings. 

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The Ellerson Group is a fee-only firm that works with both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals.

Fees for asset management are based on a percentage of assets under management, while financial planning services are charged hourly.

The Ellerson Group imposes a minimum account size of $1 million, though it may waive that requirement.

The Ellerson Group offers investment management services, as well as financial planning and consulting services that include estate planning, tax planning, retirement plan support, college savings plans, philanthropic planning, executive compensation monitoring and insider stock sales management. 

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ValueWealth is a fee-based firm that serves both high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth individuals. There are no institutional clients at the firm.

Some advisors are registered as broker-dealers and/or insurance agents, meaning they could earn commissions. This is a conflict of interest, but all must act in the best interest of the client when serving as an advisor.

Fees for investment management services are based on a percentage of assets under management, while financial planning fees are charged either hourly or at a flat rate. The firm doesn't impose an account minimum.

ValueWealth manages portfolios based on their clients' individual goals, time horizons, tax statuses, liquidity needs, objectives and tolerance for risk. All of those factors go into the investment plan the firm creates for each individual client.

ValueWealth generally invests in mutual funds, individual equities, options, equity-linked certificates of deposit, structured notes, as well as exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded notes. The firm relies on fundamental, technical and cyclical methods of analysis to evaluate and select investments. 

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RCS Financial Planning is a fee-only firm that has a team with multiple certifications, including the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and chartered financial analyst (CFA) designations.

With no minimum requirement to open an investment account, the firm serves far more individuals who do not have a high net worth than those who do. It also works with pension and profit-sharing plans.

The boutique practice provides discretionary portfolio management services. It also offers financial planning, selection of other advisors and pension consulting services. RCS Financial additionally works with clients on their life insurance needs, tax concerns, retirement planning, college planning and debit/credit planning.

The firm centers its strategy on Modern Portfolio Theory, a philosophy that seeks maximum returns for a given amount risk. Advisors at RCS Financial generally use long-term trading strategies.

According to the most recent SEC data, assets under RCS Financial’s management were mostly (96%) allocated to securities issued by registered investment companies (such as mutual funds) or business development companies. Stocks and cash holdings are also used.

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Accordant Advisory Group (AAG) works with a mix of non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, charities and corporations.

The firm requires a $10,000 minimum investment to participate in the Ambassador Program. Clients engaging in protfolio management will also have to pay a fee based on a percentage of assets under management. This could range from 1.25% to 2.25% annually.

As a fee-based firm, AAG advisors may get commissions from products that they buy or sell to clients. And this could pose a conflict of interest. However, the firm upholds a fiduciary standard that requires advisors to put the interests of their clients first.

The firm offers financial planning and portfolio management services.

AAG takes into account your personal circumstances such as short- and- long-term investment goals, as well as your risk tolerance. It then creates various portfolio models and projects how they may perform based on your circumstances. The firm primarily relies on fundamental and technical forms of analysis to evaluate and select investments. Depending on your profile, it may invest in mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), equities and fixed income.