Focus Partners Wealth is a large financial advisor firm with a massive footprint that extends from coast to coast. Most commonly known as Focus Partners, the firm offers a range of advisory services to individuals, businesses and other institutions.
Focus Partners Wealth Background
Founded in 2004, Focus Partners is a wholly owned subsidiary of Focus LLC, which also owns other registered investment advisors (RIAs), broker-dealers and financial services firms. Focus Partners, which has offices in most states, moved its headquarters from Boston to St. Louis in 2025.
Focus Partners has merged with a number of other RIA firms over the years, and as a result, has team of thousands of advisors across the country. Members of the firm's advisory team hold a range of professional certifications, including the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), chartered financial analyst (CFA), chartered retirement planning counselor (CRPC), retirement income certified professional (RICP), certified public accountant (CPA) designations, among others.
Focus Partners Wealth Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes
Focus Partners works with a wide array of individual and institutional clients. The firm serves tens of thousands of individuals, both above and below the high-net-worth threshold. This is in addition to hundreds of retirement plans, charities, businesses and other entities.
The firm does not apply a single universal account minimum. Instead, account size requirements vary by engagement type. For example, its Institutional Consulting services generally require a minimum relationship size of $25 million, though this can be negotiated. Meanwhile, clients who receive investment management services are typically subject to a $5,000 annual minimum fee.
Services Offered by Focus Partners Wealth
Focus Partners Wealth offers a broad set of services that can be grouped into several key categories:
- Investment Management: The firm builds and manages customized portfolios using stocks, fixed-income, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), private funds and alternative investments. It may also use third-party managers and advises on held-away assets like 401(k)s, 529 plans and annuities.
- Financial Counseling and Planning: These services take a holistic view of a client’s finances, covering retirement, tax, estate, cash flow, education and risk management planning.
- Investment Consulting: Provided on a non-discretionary basis, this includes portfolio reporting, performance monitoring, asset allocation guidance and advice on assets not directly managed by the firm.
- Family Office Services: Includes family office support, budgeting and integrated wealth management for specific professions.
- Retirement Plan Services: The firm advises ERISA plans, offering fiduciary and non-fiduciary services such as investment selection, reporting and participant education.
- Tax and Financial Services: Includes tax planning, preparation, compliance and broader financial management services.
- Business and Consulting Services: Encompasses bookkeeping and cash flow management, along with valuation, succession planning and dispute resolution.
- Other Services: The firm also provides sub-advisory services to other advisors, access to private and registered funds, concierge services (including health and cybersecurity resources), and cash management through third parties.
Focus Partners Wealth Investment Philosophy
Focus Partners Wealth takes a long-term and client-specific approach to investing, with a strong eye toward tax efficiency and keeping costs reasonable. The firm can manage accounts on either a discretionary or non-discretionary basis, depending on whether the client wants to give the firm full autonomy to trade within their account.
The firm builds customized portfolios around each client's risk tolerance, return objectives and liquidity needs, using what they call an "enhanced open architecture" model that can incorporate both active and passive strategies. In practice, that means portfolios can include equities, fixed-income securities, mutual funds, ETFs, alternative investments and third-party managers.
Fees Under Focus Partners Wealth
While Focus Partners doesn’t publish a set fee schedule in its Form ADV, the firm does describe its fee structures and policies. As a client, you can expect your fee to be based on a percentage of assets under management (AUM). Ultimately, your fee will depend on the size of your account, the scope of services you require and the complexity of the engagement.
The firm notes that there’s a $5,000 minimum annual fee for investment management services. As a result, accounts with less than $500,000 may end up paying an AUM fee that’s in excess of 1%.
While the firm does have a wrap-fee program, it is only offered to a limited number of institutional clients. The firm notes in its Form ADV brochure that it doesn’t intend to offer the program to new advisory clients. Wrap-fee programs bundle investment advisory and brokerage services into a single fee.
What to Watch Out For
Focus Partners operates using a fee-based structure, which means its advisors can earn additional compensation related to the sale of products and/or securities. This is distinct from a fee-only firm, which derives compensation solely from the fees that advisory clients pay. While third-party forms of compensation can create a potential conflict of interest, Focus Partners is a fiduciary and must always put the best interests of clients ahead of its own.
The firm has one regulatory disclosure on its SEC-filed Form ADV. This disclosure is attributed to an affiliate of the firm.
Opening an Account With Focus Partners Wealth
To open an account with Focus Partners, you’ll first need to book an initial phone call or virtual meeting with the firm’s client development team. You can book directly on the firm’s website. You may also email the firm by filling out a contact form on the website, as well.
Financial Planning Tips
- Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with 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.
- There are many different ways to build a financial plan for you and your family. Check out our list of the top financial planning software options to learn more.
