Menu burger Close thin Facebook Twitter Google plus Linked in Reddit Email arrow-right-sm arrow-right
Loading
Tap on the profile icon to edit
your financial details.

Polaris Wealth Advisory Group Review

Your Details Done
by Updated

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.

With billions in client assets under management, Polaris Wealth Advisory Group is one of the largest financial advisors in San Rafael, California. The financial advisor firm manages money for a variety of clients, the majority of whom are individuals. It offers a traditional lineup of financial planning, consulting and investment management services.

Polaris is a fee-only firm, meaning it only receives income from the advisory fees that clients pay. That's different from a fee-based firm, whose representatives might also earn commissions for insurance sales or certain securities transactions.

The firm also appears on our San Rafael top financial advisors list. The firm has five locations aside from its headquarters including in Costa Mesa, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Dallas, Houston, Chicago and Troy, Michigan.

Polaris Wealth Advisory Group Background

Polaris Wealth Advisers formed in 2011 and merged with Greystone Financial Group in 2015. The firm changed its name to Polaris Wealth Advisory Group in August 2020. The firm is currently owned by Advisor Investments, which is owned by investment vehicles within Summit Partners, LP's suite of funds.

Polaris Wealth Advisory Group Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes

Polaris Wealth Advisory Group serves a range of individual and institutional clients. The firm's individual clients are mostly non-high-net-worth, but some do come in above the high-net-worth threshold. Other clients of the firms include pension and profit-sharing plans and businesses.

The firm typically requires a minimum initial investment of at least $500,000, but the firm may waive this requirement under certain circumstances. 

Services Offered by Polaris Wealth Advisory Group

Polaris Wealth Advisory Group offers investment portfolio management, financial planning and financial consulting services to clients. When it comes to financial planning and consulting, advisors offer a comprehensive range of services, assisting clients with:

  • General financial planning
  • Educational fund planning
  • Retirement planning
  • Estate planning
  • Investment planning
  • Tax planning
  • Risk management
  • Business planning
  • Business succession planning

Polaris Wealth Advisory Group Investment Philosophy

Whether providing financial planning or investment management services, Polaris Wealth Advisory Group looks to tailor its advice to clients' ultimate goals and objectives. This requires gathering significant amounts of information about each client's desired time horizon, investment history, risk tolerance and more. Using this information, the firm invests client assets in strategies that match up with their investor profile. Strategies offered by the firm include diversified exchange-traded fund (ETF) strategies and stock strategies.

When it comes to evaluating investments for client portfolios, Polaris Wealth Advisory Group uses internal research, as well as research from third parties. Advisors use a few methods of analysis, including fundamental analysis, technical analysis, macro-economic analysis, sentiment evaluations and asset allocation analysis. The firm uses a top-down and quantitatively driven investment selection process.

Polaris Wealth Advisory Group Fees

Polaris Wealth Advisory Group charges investment management fees based on each client's total assets under management (AUM). Individual and institutional clients are charged slightly different rates. These rates apply for both discretionary and non-discretionary accounts. Fees are calculated and billed on a quarterly basis, in advance.

Individual Client Fee Schedule
Account Size Annual Fee
First $500K 1.50%
Next $500K 1.25%
Next $4MM 1.00%
Next $5MM 0.90%
Next $10MM 0.80%
Over $20MM 0.70%

Here is the estimated dollar amount you'd pay in advisory fees (as an individual client) based on the size of your account:

*Estimated investment management fees do not include brokerage, custodial, third-party manager or other fees, which can vary in amount.
Estimated Individual Client Investment Management Fees at Polaris Wealth Advisory Group*
Your Assets Polaris Wealth Advisory Group Fee Amounts
$500K $7,500
$1MM $13,750
$5MM $53,750
$10MM $98,750

What to Watch Out For

Polaris Wealth Advisory Group has no disclosures listed on its Form ADV, and there generally isn't much to be wary of when investing with the firm.

Opening an Account With Polaris Wealth Advisory Group

For those looking to open an account with Polaris Wealth Advisory Group, go online to the firm's website and submit a contact form or send an email. You can also call (415) 263-5600 if you prefer working over the phone.

Tips for Financial Planning

  • Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
  • SmartAsset’s investment calculator can help you understand how your money will grow over time. To find out what your specific blend of investments should look like, check out our asset allocation calculator.

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

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