Finding a Top Financial Advisor Firm in Columbia, South Carolina
It can be difficult to find the best advisor for your financial situation, especially when your area offers multiple options. To help you narrow down your search, we’ve identified the top advisors in the Columbia area, comparing each firm’s investment strategies, advisory services, fee structure, assets under management (AUM) and more. If you don’t have a financial advisor yet, finding one 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.
Find a Fiduciary Financial Advisor
We match nearly 50,000 people with financial advisors per month. Get connected to an advisor that serves your area today.| Rank | Financial Advisor | Assets Managed | Minimum Assets | Financial Services | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SouthState Advisory  Find an Advisor | $3,783,729,428 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
|
| 2 | Anchor Investment Management, LLC  Find an Advisor | $1,358,433,102 | $500,000 |
| Minimum Assets$500,000Financial Services
|
| 3 | Hobbs Group Advisors, LLC  Find an Advisor | $479,100,000 | Varies based on account type |
| Minimum AssetsVaries based on account typeFinancial Services
|
| 4 | DaVinci Financial Designs, LLC  Find an Advisor | $198,331,653 | Varies based on account type |
| Minimum AssetsVaries based on account typeFinancial Services
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| 5 | William B. Walkup & Associates, Inc. Find an Advisor | $158,986,862 | No minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo minimumFinancial Services
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| 6 | Beers Kight Financial Advisors, LLC Find an Advisor | $180,754,966 | $300,000 |
| Minimum Assets$300,000Financial Services
|
| 7 | Allison Investment Management, LLC  Find an Advisor | $138,205,000 | $500,000 |
| Minimum Assets$500,000Financial Services
|
What We Use in Our Methodology
To find the top financial advisors in Columbia, we first identified all firms registered with the SEC in the city. Next, we filtered out firms that don't offer financial planning services, those that don't serve primarily individual clients and those that have disclosures on their record. The qualifying firms were then ranked according to the following criteria:
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AUMFirms with more total assets under management are ranked higher. -
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Individual Client CountFirms who serve more individual clients (as opposed to institutional clients) are ranked higher. -
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Clients Per AdvisorFirms with a lower ratio of clients per financial advisor are ranked higher. -
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Age of FirmFirms that have been in business longer are ranked higher.
All information is obtained through public records and is updated annually after the firms’ form ADV filing. This list may include firms that have a business relationship with SmartAsset, in which SmartAsset is compensated for lead referrals. Such relationships have no impact on our rankings, and firms are included and ranked based strictly on the above criteria. SmartAsset is not a client of the aforementioned firms, and did not receive compensation for including any of the firms on the aforementioned list.
SouthState Advisory
SouthState Advisory is a fee-only firm that serves both high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth individuals, as well as banking or thrift institutions, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, state or municipal governments, insurance companies, corporations and other investment advisors.
There is no minimum balance to open or maintain an account at South State Advisory. There may, however, be minimum fees that clients incur, so it's important to contact the firm and your advisor if you have specific questions.
The firm provides investment advisory, financial planning and retirement plan services.
As described on its firm brochure, in general, South State Advisory's investment philosophy "balances the higher return potential available in stocks with the relative historical safety available in cash and fixed income investments."
Furthermore, SouthState Advisory says that it selects stocks based on their average growth prospect and selling price. Fixed-income investments are selected to seek safety of principal while pursuing the best available yield.
The firm invests in stocks, fixed-income and cash equivalents, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and may also recommend retirement asset rollovers.
Anchor Investment Management
Fee-only financial advisor firm Anchor Investment Management, LLC serves non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, corporations and trusts.
The firm is compensated solely for the services it provides, and it charges clients fees that consist of a percentage of AUM. Anchor Investment also charges fixed fees.
The firm imposes an account minimum size requirement of $500,000.
Anchor Investment Management describes on its website that it strives to provide long-term, tax efficient financial solutions. The firm generally invests in equity securities, but advisors may also use ETFs and mutual funds where applicable.
Advisors use fundamental analysis when selecting equity securities, and the firm says it also takes into account price earnings ratios, dividend yields, financial strength ratios and growth rate-to-price earnings ratios.
The firm may also invest in debt securities, corporate or municipal bonds or U.S. government debt instruments, depending on client circumstances.
Hobbs Group Advisors
Fee-based financial advisor firm Hobbs Group Advisors, LLC serves non-high-net-worth individuals and high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, corporations and other businesses.
The firm charges clients asset-based fees and hourly and fixed fees. The firm’s account minimum annual fee is $6,250.
Hobbs Group’s advisory services include portfolio management, financial planning and consulting, pension consulting and advisor referrals. The firm’s financial planning services offer guidance in various other areas of wealth management, including:
- Personal
- Tax and cash flow
- Investments
- Insurance
- Retirement
- Death and disability
- Estate
Hobbs Group Advisors’ dominant investment methods include asset allocation, fundamental analysis, mutual fund and/or ETF analysis and long-term purchases.
The firm invests in a range of securities, including foreign issuers, warrants, OTC securities, exchange-listed securities, corporate debt securities, commercial paper, certificates of deposit (CDs), municipal securities and U.S. government securities.
Advisors may also use variable life insurance, variable annuities, mutual fund shares and interests in partnerships.
DaVinci Financial Designs
DaVinci Financial Designs, LLC is a fee-based firm in Columbia. Its client base consists of non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, charitable organizations and corporations.
DaVinci Financial’s fee-based fee structure allows advisors to earn commission-based compensation from the sale of insurance products. This is because some of the firm’s representatives are separately licensed as insurance agents or broker-dealers. Any compensation received would be in addition to the other advisory services the firm provides. This could create a conflict of interest if advisors favor these products over client needs, but the firm’s fiduciary duty prevents this.
The firm's account minimums vary based on account. It also requires minimum fees and minimum account investment amounts for certain services. Account minimums vary from $10,000 to $250,000.
When making investment decisions, DaVinci Financial Designs uses outside investment research, as well as technical and fundamental analysis. The firm’s investment strategies also consist of modern portfolio theory (MPT) and long-term purchases.
DaVinci Financial generally builds client portfolios using mutual funds, individual stocks, ETFs and bonds. The firm also employs portfolio diversification, and it says it uses equity investments to maximize the long-term growth of client assets.
William B. Walkup & Associates
William B. Walkup & Associates provides investment supervisory and management services to individuals, pooled investment vehicles and corporations.
These services, which are offered on a discretionary basis, include portfolio selection, oversight, maintenance and regular portfolio review to ensure compliance with the investment guidelines and objectives of the portfolio.
The firm has an unusual requirement to be a client: "A requirement of all clients is that they be friends whom William B. Walkup or Christopher J. Walkup or Richard B. Newsome know and trust and about whom William B. Walkup or Christopher J. Walkup or Richard B. Newsome have obtained extensive knowledge of their financial status, goals, and financial needs as well as their risk tolerance and the appropriateness of asset allocations in their portfolio."
An initial interview and data-gathering questionnaire is undertaken to determine the client's financial situation and investment objectives and to give the client the opportunity to impose reasonable restrictions on the management of the account.
The firm invests client assets in stocks, bonds, real estate, mortgages, treasuries, CDs and notes.
Individual securities are monitored on a daily or weekly basis. Since investments are made on a medium-to-long-term basis, a low volume of trading activity occurs.
Beers Kight Financial Advisors
Beers Kight Financial Advisors, LLC is a fee-only firm in Columbia, South Carolina. The firm serves high-net-worth individuals, pensions and profit-sharing plans. Clients pay asset-based, hourly and fixed fees for the firm’s advisory services.
Beers Kight’s two advisors impose a minimum account size requirement of $300,000, and the firm also requires a minimum annual fee of $3,000 for portfolio management services.
The firm says that it typically recommends stocks, bonds and mutual funds. It then builds portfolios according to each client’s investment objectives, risk tolerance, time horizons and liquidity needs.
Beers Kight describes on its firm brochure that it strives to create a diversified mix of assets that will generate long-term returns.
When analyzing securities, advisors fundamental, technical and mutual fund and ETF analysis. Beers Kight also invests in cash and cash equivalents and real estate investment trusts (REITs).
Allison Investment Management
Allison Investment Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services to individuals, pension plans, profit-sharing plans, charities and corporate entities. The fee-based firm also manages wrap fee programs.
As a fee-based firm some advisors may receive commissions from third-parties for the sale of insurance products like annuities to firm clients. However, as a fiduciary, the firm is obligated to always act in the best interests of clients.
The firm is not bound to a specific investment strategy for the management of investment portfolios but rather considers the risk tolerance levels pre-determined at the account opening, as well as on an on-going basis.
Allison uses asset allocation, dollar-cost averaging, technical analysis, long-term purchases and short-term purchases to create and maintain client portfolios.
