Top Financial Advisors in Knoxville, TN

Find an Advisor

Rather & Kittrell is a fee-based firm that leads off our list of the top-rated financial advisors in Knoxville. Rather & Kittrell works with individuals and high-net-worth individuals, businesses, banks, pension and profit-sharing plans, insurance companies, as well as state and local government entities. The firm has an account minimum of $500,000.

The advisory team has various professional certifications including the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), accredited investment fiduciary (AIF), certified investment management analyst (CIMA) and certified kingdom advisor (CKA) designations, among others. 

Rather & Kittrell advisors may receive commissions when recommending or selling insurance products to its clients. Some of the firm's associates are also registered representatives of a broker-dealer, and they may limit their securities recommendations to those offered or approved by that broker-dealer. The firm may also earn commissions from certain trades in client portfolios. While these all represent potential conflicts of interest, the firm has a fiduciary duty to put its clients' best interests before its own.

Founded in 2000, Rather & Kittrell is also ranked among the top firms in the state of Tennessee by SmartAsset.

The practice offers wealth management services, encompassing investment management, estate planning, tax mitigation, asset protection and charitable giving. The firm also offers financial planning services outside of its portfolio management services, guiding clients on matters such as budgeting, insurance planning, retirement planning and death and disability planning.

Rather & Kittrell tailors its investment advice to clients' unique needs. So like many firms, its wealth management process begins with personal consultations during which the advisor establishes a client's investment objectives, current financial situation, risk tolerance, time horizon, tax situation and liquidity needs.

Based on that information, Rather & Kittrell determines an appropriate asset allocation. For its discretionary accounts, the firm typically relies on its model allocations, which offer different risk profiles that range from a focus on preserving capital to achieving aggressive growth. The firm says that its core investment strategy consists of "globally diversified, multi-asset class model portfolios designed to deliver expected long-term returns within well-defined ranges of risk."

Find an Advisor

Patriot Investment Management Group Inc. is a fee-only practice, meaning its advisors do not earn third-party compensation for selling securities or insurance. The firm's advisory staff holds various financial certifications, such as the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), certified public accountant (CPA), chartered retirement plans specialist (CRPS) and chartered financial analyst (CFA) designations.

The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations and other business entities. It does not require a minimum account size to open an account.

Fees for portfolio management are based on a percentage of a client's assets under management. Financial planning services may be provided on a hourly or fixed fee basis. Patriot Investment Management Group has been providing investment advisory services since 1998. In addition to this list, Patriot also appears our rankings of the top financial advisor firms in the state.

Patriot offers portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting and the selection of third-party asset managers. The firm assists clients with retirement planning, insurance, estate and college planning and more. 

Like many other firms, Patriot tailors its advice to fit the financial situations of its clients. The firm's investment process begins with the identification of a client's risk tolerance, goals and objectives. Next it creates a plan based on that information.

When researching and selecting investments, the firm employs a combination of fundamental and cyclical methods of analysis. While former involves analyzing individual companies and their industry groups to measure their true value, the latter relies on evaluating recurring price patterns and trends. 

Notably, the firm says that tax efficiency isn't one of its primary considerations when constructing client portfolios. It recommends that its clients consult with a tax professional before and during the investment process.

Find an Advisor

Next on our list of the top financial advisors in Knoxville is Tennessee Valley Asset Management Partners (TVAMP). This fee-based firm primarily serves individuals, including a small percentage of high-net-worth individuals. The firm also works with pension and profit-sharing plans, as well as charitable organizations.

A minimum of $100,000 is typically required to open an account, though certain strategies may have different minimums ranging from $25,000 to $250,000. TVAMP charges an asset-based fee for portfolio management and also offers a wrap fee program through LPL Financial's Strategic Wealth Management plaform.

As a fee-based firm, TVAMP is also a licensed insurance agency. Its employees may work as insurance agents, and they are also representatives of LPL Financial. In these roles, they may earn commissions. Additionally, the firm includes solicitation fees from other investment advisory firms in its fee structure. However, the firm and its employees are bound by their fiduciary duty to act in their clients' best interests.

The team includes advisors and executives who hold the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), chartered financial analyst (CFA) and chartered financial consultant (ChFC) credentials, among othres. Notably, the firm's investment advisor representatives may either be employees or independent contractors.

Founded in 2011, the firm offers investment management, including through several advisory programs sponsored by broker-dealer LPL Financial, LLC, as well as financial planning and consulting services. Advice can cover investment planning, retirement planning, insurance planning, education planning, portfolio review and divorce financial consulting. The firm also provides pension consulting services to both plan sponsors and individual participants. It occasionally hosts seminars and educational workshops on topics like college planning and retirement planning.

The investment management process at TVAMP begins with honest discussions. These lead to the development of an investment strategy focused on actively managing risk according to a client's financial goals. From there, the firm researches investment options using a range of methods of analysis, including charting, cyclical, fundamental and technical analysis. A client's asset allocation is then implemented, primarily with mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). 

Find an Advisor

PYA Waltman Capital is a fee-based advisory firm, meaning advisors on staff may earn additional compensation for selling financial products and services. While this is a conflict of interest, the firm has a fiduciary duty to always act in clients' best interests.

The PYA Waltman Capital team features Certified Financial Planners™ (CFP®), certified public accountants (CPA), a chartered financial analyst (CFA) and financial paraplanner qualified professionals (FPQP). The firm works with individuals, high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations and corporations. PYW Waltman Capital requires a minimum account size of $500,000 for asset managment and financial planning. 

PYA Waltman Capital was established in 2005, and its principal owners are J. William Waltman Jr. and Douglas Yoakley. The firm offers investment supervisory services, investment management services, retirement plan consulting services and financial planning services. The latter may cover retirement planning, estate planning, insurance review and analysis, education funding planning and cash flow and net worth analysis.

When it comes to analyzing securities, PYA Waltman relies most heavily on fundamental analysis, which involves assessing the economic wellbeing of a company or financial entity instead of looking only at its price movements. The firm typically offers advice on investment products including but not limited to mutual funds, index funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), limited partnerships, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and annuities.

Find an Advisor

WMG Financial Advisors is another fee-based firm, so despite advisors being able to earn commissions from the sale of financial products, the firm is still a fiduciary ogbligated to act in the best interests of clients. There is no set account minimum at WMG and clients are mostly non-high-net-worth individuals. Institutional clients of the firm include pension and profit-sharing plans, as well as pooled investment vehicles.

Asset management fees are based on a client's percentage of assets under management with a maximum fee of 1.5%. Financial planning fees are charged at a fixed rate between $1,500 and $10,000. The firm also offers a wrap fee program, which consolidates fees for management, transactions, fund expenses, as well as various administrative fees into a single fee.

Founded in 2004, WMG Financial Advisors offers portfolio management, asset selection, regular portfolio monitoring, retirement plan consulting, financial planning selection of other advisors, retirement planning, education planning and life insurance.

Modern portfolio theory is the foundation of WMG's investing strategy. This looks to maximize a portfolio's expected return based on a level of risk tolerance, or to minimize risk given an expected return. Long-term trading is the principal strategy used by advisors at WMG. This means that the firm will look to hold onto client investments for at least a year at a time.

Find an Advisor

Proffitt & Goodson is a fee-only firm working mostly with individual clients, the majority of whom have a high-net-worth. The firm also works with several institutional clients, including pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations and corporations. The recomended account minimum is $1 million, though there is no set account minimum.

Fees for asset management are charged at a flat rate of 1% of the total assets under management. Fees may be negotiable. Wealth planning is billed at an hourly rate, generally between $300 and $400. Pension consulting is charged at a flat rate of 0.50% of assets under management.

The team members have a number of credentials, including the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), chartered financial analyst (CFA) and certified public accountant (CPA) designations. As a fee-only firm, advisors at Proffitt & Goodson do not sell insurance or securities. The sole source of the firm's revenue is the advisory fees that clients pay. 

Proffitt & Goodson was founded in 1986 by Jim Proffitt and David Goodson. Today, the firm offers portfolio management, wealth planning and pension consulting services. Specifically, advisors can help clients with retirement income planning, estate planning, tax planning, cash flow planning and investment policy design.

The firm uses an evidence-based approach informed by academic and market research. Proffitt & Goodson relies primarily on fundamental analysis, long-term investment strategies and asset allocation aligned with each client’s risk tolerance and financial goals. Portfolios may include individual stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, corporate and government bonds and municipal bonds.

Find an Advisor

In business since 1975, APC Financial Planning is the oldest financial advisory firm on our list. This fee-only practice does not impose an account minimum and currently works primarily with individuals and high-net-worth individuals. However, the firm also offers its services to pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, businesses and non-profit organizations. While there is no account minimum, the firm charges a $2,400 minimum annual fee for asset management. 

The APC team features advisors who hold the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), certified kingdom advisor (CKA) and financial paraplanner qualified professional (FPQP) designations. 

APC was founded in 1975 by P. Kemp Fain Jr. Today, the firm is principally owned by Joseph Ottaviano, an advisor who holds the CFP® and CKA certifications. Despite being legally named Asset Planning Corporation, the firm conducts business as APC Financial Planning. 

APC offers wealth management and related advisory services. The firm's financial planning services may encompass areas including investment strategy, financial independence/retirement planning, education funding, insurance, taxes and estate planning.

With its portfolio management services, APC aims to maximize clients' returns while keeping their goals and risk tolerance in mind. The firm uses strategic asset allocations that emphasize diversification. Typically, it invests its clients' assets in no-load mutual funds and ETFs, but it may also use certificates of deposit (CDs), annuities or individual bonds.

The firm says that it reviews client portfolios at least quarterly and makes adjustments as needed. It contacts clients at least annually to review their portfolios and financial plans.

Find an Advisor

Valor Financial Services is a fee-based practice that offers investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individuals. While the firm does not require a minimum account size, advisors at VFS may also be licensed insurance agents and can earn commissions on insurance product sales, creating a potential conflict of interest. Despite this conflict, the firm has a fiduciary duty to act in clients' best interests. 

Founded in 2020, the firm is owned by William Timm and Brian Russell, both of whom are financial advisors holding the accredited asset management specialist (AAMS) credential. 

Services include personalized portfolio management and financial consulting across areas like estate planning and risk management. The firm tailors strategies to client needs, using approaches such as asset allocation, dollar-cost averaging, and both long- and short-term investing. Portfolios may include stocks, mutual funds, bonds, annuities and cash investments.

Find an Advisor

Moon Capital Management is a fee-only advisory firm that primarily works with high-net-worth individuals, in addition to a handful of retirement plans, pooled investment vehicles and charities. The firm, which has a $500,000 minimum account size requirement, offers invsestment advisory services, retirement planning, estate planning and long-term financial planning. 

Moon Capital Management was founded in 1995 by David Moon, a chartered financial analyst (CFA). As a fee-only practice, Moon and his advisors do not sell products or services for additional compensation. 

Moon Capital Management employs a long-term, value-oriented investment strategy focused on owning a portfolio of fewer than 20 publicly traded equities. The firm seeks to invest in businesses it understands well, prioritizing those with strong financial positions and trading at prices below their intrinsic value. Investment decisions are made collaboratively by the team, and portfolios are managed with discretion, typically avoiding frequent trading or market timing.

Find an Advisor

Founded in 2009, Visionary Horizons rounds out our list of the top financial advisors in Knoxville. The firm serves individuals, retirement plan participants, businesses, trusts, estates and charitable organizations. The firm typically requires a $250,000 minimum to open and maintain an advisory account. Its services include discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting and management of held-away assets such as 401(k) and 403(b) accounts.

The firm’s investment strategy relies on customized asset allocation, supported by research from Helios Quantitative Research. Portfolios may include equities, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, government securities, CDs, options, and in some cases, private placements and alternatives. Visionary uses both internal and sub-advised model portfolios based on client-specific goals, risk tolerance, and financial circumstances.

The Visionary team includes a number of accredited professionals, including serveral Certified Financial Planners™ (CFP®), a chartered retirement planning counselor (CRPC) and certified trust and financial advisor (CTFA).

However, some of the firm’s advisors are also licensed insurance agents and registered representatives of LPL Financial. They may earn commissions for selling securities and insurance products, including 12b-1 fees and annuity sales. This dual role creates potential conflicts of interest, but the firm is required to act in clients' best interests as a fiduciary.