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Ballentine Partners Review

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This review was produced by SmartAsset based on publicly available information. The named firm and its financial professionals have not reviewed, approved, or endorsed this review and are not responsible for its accuracy. Review content is produced by SmartAsset independently of any business relationships that might exist between SmartAsset and the named firm and its financial professionals, and firms and financial professionals having business relationships with SmartAsset receive no special treatment or consideration in SmartAsset’s reviews. This page contains links to SmartAsset’s financial advisor matching tool, which may or may not match you with the firm mentioned in this review or its financial professionals.

Ballentine Partners is a financial advisory firm that distinguishes itself by specializing in privately-owned wealth and helping high-net-worth families achieve their financial goals. It currently holds billions in assets under management, with a large team of on-staff advisors. The firm also ranks on SmartAsset's lists of the top financial advisors in Waltham and top financial advisors in Massachusetts.

As a fee-only firm, Ballentine Partners only receives client-paid fees as its compensation. This differs from the structure of a fee-based firm, which is one that earns income from both client fees and third-party commissions.

Ballentine Partners Background

Ballentine Partners can trace its history back to 1984 when it was originally created by Roy Ballentine. However, the firm has existed in its current form since only 2010. In 2016, Drew McMorrow became CEO after having worked for the firm since 2002. The owners of Ballentine Partners are senior employees of the firm and Perspecta Investments, LLC.

Ballentine Partners Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes 

According to its SEC-filed Form ADV, Ballentine Partners currently advises only high-net-worth individuals and families, as well as their trusts, estates and retirement plans.

Ballentine Partners generally serves families with at least $3.5 million in investable assets. The firm states that most of its clients are wealthy families with complex financial situations and needs. The account could be terminated if it doesn't meet the firm's minimum fee requirement. 

Services Offered by Ballentine Partners

Ballentine Partners focuses on managing privately owned wealth. It aims to provide a holistic suite of financial planning and investment management services. Depending on your needs, your financial plan may cover: 

  • Cash flow analysis
  • Budgeting
  • Retirement savings
  • Trust fund management
  • Estate planning
  • Debt management
  • Income tax planning
  • Insurance coverage

In addition, the firm can manage portfolios with both private and non-private investments. The firm can also manage accounts that are on a discretionary or non-discretionary basis. The latter means that clients must authorize transactions first. 

Ballentine Partners Investment Philosophy

The firm utilizes statistical and mathematical tools along with scenario analysis when devising portfolios. Scenario analysis allows Ballentine Partners to project how the client’s portfolio may perform under different situations. Ballentine Partners wealth managers can draw from this data along with other research to make better investment decisions.

When designing your portfolio, the firm will consider several factors such as your tax situation, current assets and risk tolerance to devise an appropriate asset allocation. The firm does not limit itself to certain security types and may invest in a variety, as it deems appropriate to your situation. 

Your portfolio may invest in some or all of the following: 

  • Stocks
  • Bonds
  • Cash 
  • Real estate funds
  • Energy funds
  • Commodity funds 
  • Hedge funds
  • Private equity
  • Venture capital funds
  • Managed futures funds
  • Timber funds

Ballentine Partners Fees

For investment advisory services, Ballentine Partners typically charges a fee as a percentage of your AUM. But for financial planning and consulting services, it usually charge fees on a flat-fee basis. Fees may be negotiable, but they ultimately depend on the scope of the services provided.

That said, you should know that advisory fees don’t apply to other fees such as custodial fees and underlying fund expenses. Ballentine Partners doesn’t charge these fees but they can affect your account. This type of arrangement is universal in the financial services space. You can find additional details in documents like the prospectus sheets of the funds you’re invested in as well as your investment advisory agreement with Ballentine Partners. 

What to Watch Out For

Ballentine Partners has no legal or regulatory disclosures listed on its SEC record.

Opening an Account With Ballentine Partners

To contact Ballentine Partners, call (781) 314-1300 or send an email to info@ballentinepartners.com.

All information was accurate as of the writing of this article.

Tips for Finding the Right Financial Advisor

  • When picking a financial advisor to work with, knowing where to start can be tough. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
  • Before you agree to work with an advisor, make sure you know the five questions to ask when choosing a financial advisor. 

How Long $1mm Lasts in Retirement

SmartAsset's interactive map highlights places where $1 million will last the longest in retirement. Zoom between states and the national map to see the top spots in each region. Also, scroll over any city to learn about the cost of living in retirement for that location.

Least
Most
Rank City Housing Expenses Food Expenses Healthcare Expenses Utilities Expenses Transportation Expenses

Methodology We analyzed data on average expenditures for seniors, cost of living and investment returns to determine how many years of retirement a $1 million nest egg would cover in cities across America.

First, we looked at data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on the average annual expenditures of seniors. We then applied cost of living data from the Council for Community and Economic Research to adjust those national average spending levels based on the costs of each expense category (housing, food, healthcare, utilities, transportation and other) in each city. Using this data, SmartAsset calculated the average cost of living for retirees in the largest U.S. cities.

We assumed the $1 million would grow at a real return (interest minus inflation) of 2%. Then, we divided $1 million by the sum of each of those annual numbers to determine how long $1 million would cover retirement expenses in each of the cities in our study. Cities where $1 million lasted the longest ranked the highest in the study.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Council for Community and Economic Research