Top Financial Advisors in California

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Edelman Financial Engines is a fee-only firm that works with both high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth individuals, charitable organizations, retirement and profit-sharing plans, other investment advisors and businesses.

Account minimums vary based on the service. Workplace defined contribution clients generally need at least $5 before transactions begin, while workplace IRA clients generally have a $10,000 minimum that may be waived. Legacy EFS wrap fee program clients generally have a $5,000 household minimum, while institutional wrap program accounts generally have a $500,000 minimum.

As a fee-only firm, advisors at Edelman Financial Engines says that "no client facing personnel receive commissions, sales credits, or other compensation" from the sale of third-party products.

The firm offers financial planning, retirement planning, discretionary investment management, workplace retirement account management, IRA management, tax planning guidance, estate planning guidance, insurance reviews, sub-advisory services and plan sponsor services, among other services.

Edelman Financial Engines generally uses diversified asset allocation, model portfolios and long-term investment strategies. Its process may incorporate Modern Portfolio Theory, efficient frontier optimization, behavioral finance principles, periodic rebalancing, tax-loss harvesting and tax-efficient portfolio design.

Investments may include customized portfolios, separately managed accounts, direct indexing, fixed income ladders, ESG strategies, digital asset exposure, alternative investments and individual equities, depending on the client and program.

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Beacon Pointe Advisors is a fee-based firm located in Newport Beach. Individuals with and without a high net worth make up the majority of the firm's client base. Institutional clients also include banks, investment companies and other pooled investments, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, government entities, insurance companies and businesses.

You'll need to have a minimum of $1 million to become a client at Beacon Pointe. The firm's advisors hold multiple certifications, including Certified Financial Planners™ (CFPs®) and chartered financial analysts (CFAs), among other designations.

Because some of Beacon Pointe's advisors sell insurance and securities on a commission basis, the firm is considered fee-based. Despite the potential conflict of interest that commission-based compensation creates, Beacon Pointe is a fiduciary and must act in its client's best interests.

Beacon Pointe's investment strategies focus on asset preservation and growth. The firm uses asset allocation modeling programs and its own analysis to develop investment plans for its clients. Advisors rely on "core" asset classes of domestic and foreign equities, emerging markets, U.S. fixed income, global fixed income, public and private real estate, hedge funds, real assets and others.

The firm's investment philosophy is heavily based on diversification. "Proper asset allocation diversification produces a portfolio with more appealing risk/return characteristics than investing in one single asset class or with one investment manager," the firm states.

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Allworth Financial is a fee-based firm that charges clients a minimum annual fee of $2,500, and a maximum of 2% of assets under management for those in the Wrap Fee Program.

Advisors at the firm hold multiple certifications, including Certified Financial Planners™ (CFPs®) and certified fund specialists (CFSs), among other designations.

As a fee-based firm, some advisors collect commissions in addition to advisory fees. This creates a potential conflict of interest, but advisors still must act in the client's best interests.

Allworth serves both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations and business entities.

Allworth typically builds client portfolios using low-fee mutual funds, no-load mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The firm generally does not attempt to time the market but it will increase cash holdings when appropriate.

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EP Wealth Advisors, a fee-only firm headquartered in Torrance, works with non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, pensions and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations and corporations.

The minimum account size here is $500,000, though the firm may be willing to waive this.

The firm's large team of advisors features Certified Financial Planners™ (CFPs®), accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs) and other accredited professionals.

Fees are generally based on assets under management, though hourly fees may also apply.

Investment management and financial planning are the primary services offered at EP, although the firm also provides tax preparation services, estate planning, retirement planning and help selecting other advisors, including private fund managers.

Advisors at the firm use charting, technical analysis, fundamental analysis and cyclical analysis to make investment choices for clients. Long- and short-term purchases may be used, plus margin transactions and options trading.

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Perigon Wealth Management is a fee-based company that advises both high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth individuals, as well as pensions, profit-sharing plans, charities and corporations. The firm does not have a minimum account size requirement.

Advisors at the firm hold multiple certifications, including Certified Financial Planners™ (CFPs®) and chartered financial analysts (CFAs), among other designations.

As a fee-based firm, some of the firm's advisors may earn commissions for selling certain products. Despite the potential conflict of interest that commission-based compensation can create, Perigon is a fiduciary and must act in its client's best interests.

Like other financial advisor firms, Perigon works with clients to understand their investment goals, risk tolerance and financial situation. Based on those factors, the firm will either use an independent manager to manage portions of a client's portfolio or place their assets in one of Perigon's model portfolios.

Perigon typically assumes a long-term investment approach, but advisors may sell or reallocate positions that have been held for under a year. Advisors may use mutual funds, ETFs, individual stocks and bonds or options contracts, depending on an individual client's needs.

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Lido Advisors is a fee-based firm that serves both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth clients, as well as investment companies and other pooled investments, charities, insurance companies and corporations.

Certain Lido representatives are also representatives of a securities broker-dealer and those individuals may receive commissions or fees for the sale of these products in a client’s advisory account. Lido Advisors generally requires a $1 million account minimum.

Advisors at the firm hold multiple certifications, including Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), certified public accountant (CPA), certified investment management analyzt (CIMA) and accredited investment fiduciary (AIF), among other designations.

Lido Advisors uses stocks and bonds and aims to invest in assets that are not highly correlated.

The firm offers clients investment management, asset allocation and financial planning, among other services.

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IEQ Capital, LLC is a fee-based firm headquartered in Foster City. The firm also does business as EPIQ Capital Group, LLC and works primarily with high-net-worth individuals and families. It also serves charities. 

IEQ generally targets separately managed account clients with a net worth of $10 million or more, though it may accept clients below that level. Certain clients are also subject to a minimum management fee starting at $6,250 per quarter. Private fund investors must typically meet accredited investor, qualified purchaser or knowledgeable employee standards.

The firm provides portfolio management, separately managed account advisory services, private fund access, retirement plan consulting, donor advised fund services, outsourced chief investment officer services and family office services. Its family office offering may include consolidated reporting, cash flow analysis, liquidity management, investment tax strategy, estate and wealth transfer planning analysis, insurance analysis, debt evaluation, charitable giving support and family dynamics support.

IEQ uses fundamental, technical and cyclical macroeconomic analysis to help guide asset allocation. The firm may also assist with 10b5-1 trading plans, bill payment, special purpose vehicle administration and monitoring of non-advisory assets.

Client portfolios may include stocks, exchange-traded securities, mutual funds, index funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), fixed income, options, private equity, venture capital, real estate funds, opportunity zone funds, secondary interests and other alternative investments. The firm may also use short selling, margin or leverage strategies, variable forward contracts, digital asset exposure and impact-oriented investments when appropriate for a client's situation.

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SEIA (Signature Estate & Investment Advisors, LLC) is a fee-based firm, which means that certain advisors are licensed to sell insurance and investment products, and could earn commissions on those transactions. However, the firm’s advisors have a fiduciary duty that requires them to act in the best interests of their clients.

Account minimum depends on the account option. Its lowest account minimum, for its equity/blended portfolios, is $250,000. For the fee-based firm’s fixed-income portfolios, it’s $500,000.

SEIA's financial advisor team holds many certifications, including Certified Financial Planners™ (CFPs®) and accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs), among other certifications.

SEIA’s Department of Investment Management and Economic Strategy (DIMES) heads up the firm’s research and development of its asset allocationstrategies for portfolios. The team is guided by the principles of strategic macro asset allocation, which considers asset class and style and tactical micro allocation, which looks at business cycles, global and domestic economic conditions and event-driven opportunities.

SEIA portfolios are primarily composed of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, closed-end mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, trusts, certificates of deposit, and options, among other investments.

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HBW Advisory Services LLC is a fee-based firm that works primarily with individuals and also serves businesses.

The firm generally does not require a minimum dollar amount to open or maintain an advisory account. However, certain custodians or third-party investment advisers may impose their own requirements. Fees are generally based on assets under management, though fixed or hourly fees may also apply for financial planning.

Advisor certifications are not listed at the firm level. Individual credentials, if applicable, are provided in each investment adviser representative’s Form ADV Part 2B brochure.

As a fee-based firm, some of HBW Advisory Services' investment adviser representatives may earn commissions from securities or insurance products. This creates a potential conflict of interest, though the firm's fiduciary duty means it must act in clients' best interests.

HBW Advisory Services offers discretionary asset management, limited non-discretionary asset management, financial planning and consulting, third-party money manager selection and co-advisor management. The firm also provides online portfolio management through Betterment Institutional, sub-advisory services to registered investment advisers and subscription services for company-sponsored retirement plans.

Financial planning services may address retirement planning, investment planning and asset allocation, estate planning, college planning, mortgage and debt analysis, insurance analysis and other business or personal financial planning needs.

The firm may use a buy-and-hold approach, tactical asset allocation or a blended approach that combines tactical positioning with fixed income allocations. HBW Advisory Services also uses diversified, multi-manager platforms and may incorporate strategic, tactical and alternative strategies through third-party money managers.

Depending on the program or account type, portfolios may include ETFs, model portfolios, customized brokerage accounts, structured products, private placements, fixed income, cash positions or quality-focused investment strategies.

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NWF Advisory Services, Inc. is a fee-based firm that serves both high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth individuals.

NWF generally requires a $50,000 minimum for its VISION 2020 Advisor Managed Portfolio programs. Certain model portfolio, SMA and UMA programs may have minimums starting at $5,500, while financial planning and retirement plan consulting services do not have stated minimums.

As a fee-based firm, some of NWF's advisors may earn commissions through broker-dealer or insurance-related activities in addition to advisory fees. This creates a potential conflict of interest, but the firm's fiduciary duty means it must act in clients' best interests.

Investment management, financial planning and retirement plan consulting are the primary services offered at NWF. The firm also provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, wrap and non-wrap advisory programs, education planning, insurance planning, wealth management and educational seminars.

NWF generally takes a long-term investment approach that may include stocks, bonds and mutual funds. The firm may also use short-term tactical strategies, margin transactions, asset allocation models, third-party program managers, separately managed accounts and unified managed accounts, depending on the client's program and circumstances.