Top Financial Advisors in Columbus, OH

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Hamilton Capital leads off our list of Columbus' top financial advisors. The fee-only firm's staff includes Certified Financial Planners™ (CFPs®), chartered financial analysts (CFAs), certified public accountants (CPAs) and a number of other financial certifications.

The firm has a $500,000 suggested asset minimum, and it requires wealth and investment management clients to pay a minimum quarterly annual fee of $1,250. Fees are based on a percentage of assets under management.

Hamilton Capital Background

Robert Matthew Hamilton, a CFP®, owns the majority of the firm. He’s also its founder, chairman and CEO. In the past, Hamilton Capital has been also named to the Financial Times' Top Financial Advisors list a number of times, including every year from 2014-2020. 

This firm offers investment management, wealth management, services to fiduciaries and 401(k) plans.

Hamilton Capital Investment Strategy

The firm believes its process is what sets it apart from other financial advisors. The investment committee uses fundamental analysis to assess asset classes, not just individual securities, which is the common method. The company looks at a six-month to 24-month timeline and invests for the long term.

Hamilton Capital doesn’t use model portfolios. The firm specializes in top-down portfolio management and selects outside management firms for bottom-up security selection. This helps each manager complement each other’s style.

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Fee-only firm Summitt Financial Strategies manages a significant amount in AUM, and its team includes Certified Financial Planners™ (CFPs®), chartered financial counselors (ChFC), chartered financial analysts (CFA) and a number of other certifications.

There is no minimum account size requirement, but you are subject to a $2,500 minimum annual fee for investment advisory services. The minimum fee is $10,000 for wealth management services and $500 for eSummit, an automated portfolio management system, more commonly referred to as a robo-advisor.

Summit Financial Strategies Background

Summit was founded in 1994. Ted Saneholtz is the founder of Summit Financial, though it's now owned by Samantha Macchia, Brian Sutliff, Liam Hurley, Wendy Trout, Michael Scherer and Timothy Swain, all of whom still work at Summit.

Summit Financial offers wealth management (including financial planning) and investment advisory services.

Summit Financial Strategies Investment Strategy

Summit Financial believes that markets are generally efficient. Modern portfolio theory, the popular investment theory of the last several decades, establishes that sentiment. The ratio of cash, core bonds, marked diversifiers and equities is what helps or hurts your portfolio in the long run. To build your portfolio, your advisor will ask you about your risk tolerance, time horizon, tax bracket, family situation and cash-flow needs. Generally, your assets will be invested in exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, cash equivalents, individual equity and fixed-income securities.

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Windsor Advisory Group is an advisor firm serving both individual and institutional clients. The majority of the firm’s individual clients are high-net-worth. Its institutional clients include pooled investment vehicles, retirement plans, charitable organizations and corporations. Windsor's staff includes advisors with such certifications as Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), certified investment management analyst (CIMA), certified public accountant (CPA) and more.

Fees at Windsor may be based on a percentage of assets under management, a fixed rate or some combination of the two. Advisors do not make commissions for selling securities or financial products, making this a fee-only firm. The firm generally wants clients with a net worth of at least $10 million, but it has the discretion to lower this threshold.

Windsor Advisory Group Background

Windsor Advisory Group was founded in 2002. The firm is principally owned by Harry M. Dye, III, Jonathon Eesley, John Mozola and Clayton Hall. All four work as principals and advisors at the firm.

Windsor's services include:

• Advisory services
• Portfolio management
• Private investment fund

Windsor Advisory Group Investment Strategy

Advisors at Windsor put together an individual investment plan for each client. Asset classes that may be used include:

• Cash
• Debt
• Equities
• Real estate
• Private equity
• Private debt
• Commodities
• Mutual funds
• Exchange-traded funds (ETFs)

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Gryphon Financial Partners is a fee-based financial advisor firm managing billions in client assets under management (AUM). The majority of the firm’s individual clients are high-net-worth, though it also manages money for non-high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations. The firm also has a small institutional business managing money for pension and profit-sharing plans.

Gryphon's staff includes a few Certified Financial Planners™ (CFPs®), among others. Fees for services may be based on a percentage of assets under management, a fixed fee or an hourly fee. There is no minimum fee or investment at Gryphon, though it does state that its services and fees may be cost-prohibitive for those with less than $1 million in investable assets.

Some of the advisors at Gryphon can sell securities on a commission basis. While this presents a potential conflict of interest, the firm's fiduciary duty means it must act in clients' best interests.

Gryphon Financial Partners Background

Gryphon was founded in 2014. The managing members are Joel J. Guth and Catherine Z. Cory, who are also the firm's founders.

Services that Gryphon offers to clients include:

• Investment management
• Non-discretionary investment consulting
• Financial planning
• Estate planning
• Retirement planning
• Tax planning
• Wrap fee programs

Gryphon Financial Partners Investment Strategy

Gryphon Financial Partners uses a number of types of analysis to come up with investment strategies for its clients. This includes fundamental analysis, charting and asset allocation. After coming up with a strategy, the following types of strategies may be used:

• Long-term purchases
• Short-term purchases
• Margin transactions
• Options trading
• Exchange-traded funds (ETFs)

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TCP Asset Management is an advisory firm that works almost entirely with just one type of client: non-high-net-worth individuals. It also has some high-net-worth clients, as well as a small business client base.

TCP doesn't have a minimum account size requirement. It is, however, a fee-based firm. Advisors at the firm can sell insurance and securities in exchange for commissions, and this creates a potential conflict of interest. Despite this, the firm is still a fiduciary.

TCP Asset Management Background

Founded in 2016, TCP Asset Management is one of the youngest firms on our Columbus list. The firm is princiaplly owned by Phillip J. Susi, Joshua Richard Allen, Philip Hunter Bervig and Branda Rhae Allen.

TCP provides clients with financial planning and portfolio management services. It also provides access to model portfolios to help clients achieve their financial goals.

TCP Asset Management Investment Strategy

As is the case with most financial advisory firms, TCP Asset Management works with clients to determine their overall financial profile and objectives so that they can tailor their advisory services to each client. This process involves meeting with clients and gathering such information as a client's risk tolerance, tax levels and income.

Advisors at TCP Asset Management use both fundamental and technical methods of analysis to help inform investment decisions. Advisors trade investment on a long-term basis.

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AA Financial Advisors (Antolio & Associates) is a fee-based firm that works mostly with non-high-net-worth clients. Among the hundreds of clients AA Financial Advisors serves, others are high-net-worth individuals, those with pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations and corporations.

AA Financial Advisors' team consists of Certified Financial Planners™ (CFPs®), chartered life underwriters (CLUs) and chartered financial consultants (ChFCs) designations. In addition, the firm has no minimum account size requirement.

AA Financial Advisors' Background

AA Financial Advisors was founded in 1985 and is owned by F7 Company, LLC. The firm offers services such as income tax planning, estate tax minimization, retirement plan income optimization, retirement plan contribution maximization, health/benefits insurance, life insurance, long-term care insurance, employee stock ownership plans and more.

AA Financial Advisors' Investment Strategy 

AA Financial Advisors' investment strategy consists of three main components: Foundational approach, strategic asset management and intelligent portfolios.

The foundational approach is designed to allow the firm to customize client's portfolios with mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), diversified passive or active portfolios, individual bonds real estate investments and private equity. The firm will also incorporate tax management strategies to help improve after-tax returns.

Intelligent portfolios are used with technology to bring automatic rebalancing and it comes with no transaction fees. The strategy comes with opening an account digitally. With strategic asset management, the strategy comes with technical analysis which is designed to protect the client's portfolio from market downturns.

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Up next on our list of the top advisors in Columbus is John E. Sestina and Company, a firm that works with almost exclusively individual clients. Of these individuals, about 90% are non-high-net-worth individuals. The remaining 10% have a high net worth, and the slight majority of the firm's assets under management come from these high-net-worth clients.

Financial planning services at the firm carry a minimum $4,000 annual fee. Portfolio management services, on the other hand, carry a minimum investment requirement of $100,000. John E. Sestina and Company is a fee-only firm, meaning its advisors do not earn third-party commissions.

John E. Sestina and Company Background

John E. Sestina and Company was founded in 1970, making it the oldest firm on our Columbus list. MTBW, LLC is the sole shareholder of the firm. MTBW, LLC is in turn owned by four entities: Lukan Enterprises, LLC (owned by Stephen A. Lukan), Int2Own, LLC (owned by Tyler V. Cook), Hilde, LLC (owned by Anthony W. Payne) and Constantinovich, LLC (owned by Craig A. Constantinovich). Each of the listed individuals are financial advisors at John E. Sestina and Company.

John E. Sestina and Company provides clients with full service financial planning, portfolio management and financially educational seminars. It may provide multiple services at the same time.

John E. Sestina and Company Investment Strategy

John E. Sestina and Company tailors its advisory services to the financial needs and investment objectives of its clients. It does so on a client-by-client basis, so it's rare that two investment strategies are exactly the same. Advisors primarily use mutual funds to invest client assets, but may also use fixed-income securities, real estate funds, insurance products, equities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), bonds, commodities, venture capital funds and more.

Advisors at John E. Sestina and Company heavily rely on modern portfolio theory to inform their investment decisions. It primarily trades investments on a long-term basis.

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The Joseph Group Capital Management has a $500,000 minimum asset requirement, though the firm may be willing to waive this at its discretion. This is also a fee-only operation, meaning all of its compensation comes from client-paid fees.

The firm's staff includes certifications such as Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), chartered financial analyst (CFA), chartered alternative investment analyst (CAIA), qualified kingdom advisor (QKA), certified public accountant (CPA), chartered retirement plans specialist (CRPS) and more.

The Joseph Group Capital Management Background

Twin brothers, Mark and Matt Palmer, founded The Joseph Group Capital Management in 1999. They indirectly remain the majority owners of the firm. Mark has a law degree, and Matt has a Master's degree.

Services offered by the firm include investment management, retirement plan services and wealth advisory services. 

The Joseph Group Capital Management Investment Strategy

Working with The Joseph Group Capital Management means your portfolio will use a set strategy developed by the firm’s advisors. The five strategies are: the conservation strategy, the provision strategy, the harvest strategy, the abundance strategy and the home grown stock portfolio. Each strategy corresponds with a risk level (volatility) and objective. If you have a smaller account, the firm has the provision seed strategy, the harvest seed strategy and the abundance seed strategy. 

The firm developed the strategies based on the idea that clients have one of four common goals for their money: to protect principal and maintain liquidity, to sustain a certain lifestyle over an extended period of time, to grow assets toward a long-term goal or to get to a higher level of wealth by growing capital.

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Frazier Financial Group, a fee-based firm, has hundreds of clients, with most of them being non-high-net-worth individuals. Other clients are high-net-worth individuals . The firm has a team that consists of Certified Financial Planners™ (CFPs®), chartered financial analysts (CFAs), certified fund specialists (CFSs), retirement plan advisors (RPA) and enrolled agents (EAs). 

The firm has no minimum account size requirement. 

Frazier Financial Group's Background

Frazier Financial Group was founded in 1997 and is owned by Joshua J. Frazier, James A. Frazier, Brian T. Houts, Benjamin M. Foor and Andrew C. Gephart. The firm's advisory services include financial planning, investment management services, investment management of assets as well selections of other advisors. In terms of financial planning, Frazier Financial Group offers services for estate planning and trustee oversight.

Frazier Financial Group's Investment Strategy 

Frazier Financial Group's investment strategy depends on each client's unique situation. The firm works to pick the right investments that are preferred by the client's objectives in terms of risk tolerance as well as financial information and needs. The firm uses multiple strategies which are:

• Fundamental analysis
• Cyclical analysis
• Charting analysis
• Technical analysis
• Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT)
• Short Sales

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Waller Financial Planning Group (WFPG) is a fee-only firm managing hundreds of millions in client assets. The firm's clients include individuals with and without a high net worth and charitable organizations. For advisory services, clients either pay asset-based fees, hourly fees or fixed fees. 

Some of WFPG’s advisors’ industry credentials include the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), chartered financial consultant (ChFC), accredited estate planner (AEP), chartered financial analyst (CFA) and chartered advisor in philanthropy (CAP) designations. The firm does not have a minimum account size requirement, but it does have a $3,000 minimum annual fee.

Waller Financial Planning Group Background

WFPG began its operations in 1985. Founded by Larry Waller, the firm is also equally owned by Charles A. Kerwood, III, Jason A. Eliason, Jason E. Farris and Christopher O. Olsgard. WFPG’s primary advisory services include portfolio management and financial planning.

The firm also participates in a wrap fee program, and it offers periodicals and newsletters. 

Waller Financial Planning Group Investment Strategy 

WFPG mainly uses economic analysis to determine market trends, and the firm relies on other data sources for mutual fund research, according to its firm brochure. The firm’s portfolio construction process consists of asset allocation, sub-asset allocation, active and/or passive allocations, asset location and manager selection. 

The firm largely invests in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and mutual funds.