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Ferguson Wellman 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.

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, Inc.

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, Inc. is a large financial advisor firm with its headquarters located in Portland, Oregon. The firm ranks on SmartAsset's list of the top financial advisor firms in Portland, as well as the top firms in the state of Oregon.

Advisors at Ferguson Wellman provide clients with investment management services as well as wealth management services, including financial planning.

Clients of this fee-only firm include both institutions and individuals.

In addition to being on two of SmartAsset's top financial advisor lists, Ferguson Wellman has a few awards and accolades to boast. Notably, the firm was named a 2020 top registered investment advisor (RIA) by Barron's, as well as a Top 50 Money Manager by the Portland Business Journal in 2019.

Ferguson Wellman Background

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management was founded in 1975 and is employee-owned.

The firm also has a separate investment divison called West Bearing Investments, through which it offers certain investment advisory services.

There are several financially certified employees at Ferguson Wellman Capital Management. These include chartered financial analysts (CFAs) and certified financial planners (CFPs), among others. 

Ferguson Wellman Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes

Ferguson Wellman works with both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, pensions and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations and corporations or businesses.

If you're interested in opening an account with Ferguson Wellman, there is a $4 million minimum account size requirement. For those who work with West Bearing, the minimum is $1 million.

Services Offered by Ferguson Wellman

Ferguson Wellman provides investment management services, along with wealth management. The firm looks to be comprehensive when advising clients, taking into account their entire financial situation when making decisions. Wealth management includes a multitude of financial planning services, like financial forecasting, budget management, estate planning, tax guidance and charitable gift planning.

Ferguson Wellman's other investment management division, West Bearing, provides similar services to clients. Individuals working with West Bearing have access to personalized wealth management services and institutional clients can receive investment management services. This division of Ferguson Wellman tends to focus on building customized separately managed portfolios.

Ferguson Wellman Investment Philosophy

At the dawn of every client relationship, Ferguson Wellman and West Bearing work with them to determine their financial goals and objectives. This way, advisors are able to tailor their investment strategies to the individual needs of each client. This process includes taking note of a client's tolerance for risk, time horizon, income needs and desired investment strategies. Clients may limit the types of investments made on their behalf, as long as such restrictions are deemed reasonable.

While individual portfolios are personalized, the firm still uses an investment policy committee (IPC) to determine overall economic trends and asset allocation targets within the firm. Advisors use a wide range of investments and asset classes when building out client portfolios. With several specific investment strategies to potentially choose from, portfolios are typically constructed using mulitple strategies.

Fees Under Ferguson Wellman

Fees for investment management at Ferguson Wellman are charged based on a percentage of each client's total assets under management (AUM). There are three distinct fee schedules that are set up this way:

Equity-Only and Balanced Portfolio
Total AUM Annual Fee
First $5MM 0.85%
Next $5MM 0.70%
Above $10MM 0.50%

 

Fixed-Income Only Portfolio
Total AUM Annual Fee
First $10MM 0.45%
Next $10MM 0.35%
Above $20MM 0.25%

 

West Bearing Investments
Total AUM Annual Fee
First $2MM 1.00%
Above $2MM 0.85%
Above $3MM Eligible for alternate fee schedule

These fees may be debited directly from clients' accounts, but they are also payable by check. Brokerage, transaction and other fees may also apply.

What to Watch Out For

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management has a clean legal and regulatory record according to its latest SEC filing.

Opening an Account with Ferguson Wellman

Those interested in opening an account with Ferguson Wellman can go to the firm's website or call (503) 226-1444. You can also visit the firm at its Portland office or connect over social media.

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

Tips for Finding the Right Financial Advisor

  • 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.
  • Investing is difficult, so make sure you do your research before your delve into your assets. Check out SmartAsset's investment calculator and asset allocation calculator to learn more.

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