Finding a Top Financial Advisor Firm in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
No doubt, there’s a lot to consider when choosing a financial advisor. It’s partly what makes the important decision so hard. To help you, we collected a number of factors you should take into account - fundamentals such as assets under management (AUM), fee basis and investment strategy. Then we put all the info together here for convenient comparing and contrasting. Start your search with this list of the top financial advisor firms in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Then use SmartAsset’s free financial advisor matching tool to connect with up to three advisors who serve your area.
Find a Fiduciary Financial Advisor
We match more than 50,000 people with financial advisors per month. Get connected to an advisor that serves your area today.Rank | Financial Advisor | Assets Managed | Minimum Assets | Financial Services | More Information |
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1 | Lake Street Advisors Find an Advisor | $2,888,383,638 | $20,000,000 |
| Minimum Assets$20,000,000Financial Services
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2 | Charter Oak Capital Management Find an Advisor | $983,419,357 | $350,000 |
| Minimum Assets$350,000Financial Services
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3 | Measured Wealth Private Client Group, LLC Find an Advisor | $447,857,247 | $250,000 |
| Minimum Assets$250,000Financial Services
|
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4 | Harbor Advisory Corporation Find an Advisor | $391,747,800 | $20,000 minimum annual fee |
| Minimum Assets$20,000 minimum annual feeFinancial Services
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5 | Cornerstone Financial Planning, LLC Find an Advisor | $266,577,193 | $750,000 |
| Minimum Assets$750,000Financial Services
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6 | Secure Planning Find an Advisor | $176,668,505 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
|
7 | Granite Bay Wealth Management, LLC Find an Advisor | $252,513,654 | $250,000 |
| Minimum Assets$250,000Financial Services
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8 | Seascape Capital Management, LLC Find an Advisor | $299,978,752 | $1,000,000 |
| Minimum Assets$1,000,000Financial Services
|
9 | Creegan & Nassoura Financial Group, LLC Find an Advisor | $229,178,817 | $500,000 |
| Minimum Assets$500,000Financial Services
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10 | Clark Asset Management, LLC Find an Advisor | $199,376,740 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
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What We Use in Our Methodology
To find the top financial advisors in Portsmouth, we first identified all firms registered with the SEC in the city. Next, we filtered out firms that don't offer financial planning services, those that don't serve primarily individual clients and those that have disclosures on their record. The qualifying firms were then ranked according to the following criteria:
- AUMFirms with more total assets under management are ranked higher.
- Individual Client CountFirms who serve more individual clients (as opposed to institutional clients) are ranked higher.
- Clients Per AdvisorFirms with a lower ratio of clients per financial advisor are ranked higher.
- Age of FirmFirms that have been in business longer are ranked higher.
All information is obtained through public records and is updated annually after the firms’ form ADV filing. This list may include firms that have a business relationship with SmartAsset, in which SmartAsset is compensated for lead referrals. Such relationships have no impact on our rankings, and firms are included and ranked based strictly on the above criteria. SmartAsset is not a client of the aforementioned firms, and did not receive compensation for including any of the firms on the aforementioned list.
Lake Street Advisors
Lake Street Advisors is a fee-only financial advisor firm that's headquartered in Portsmouth. The firm also operates a secondary branch in Boston. The advisory staff here holds a few different types of certifications, including certified financial planner (CFP), certified private wealth advisor (CPWA), chartered financial analyst (CFA) and more.
The firm primarily serves high-net-worth individuals and pension and profit-sharing plans. Investors are required to have a minimum investment of $20 million. Accounts are managed on a discretionary and non-discretionary basis.
Lake Street Advisors Background
Founded in 2003, Lake Street Advisors is an indirect, majority-owned subsidiary of Focus Financial Partners, LLC. CEO Buddy Webb and three other firm managers own small stakes in the firm.
Lake Street offers investment management and stand-alone financial planning. It also provides multi-family office and wealth management services, including holistic financial planning, asset allocation, investment management, financial reporting, cash flow and liquidity reporting, gift and estate planning, insurance and asset protection planning, income tax planning, bill payment administration and concierge services.
Lake Street Advisors Investment Strategy
Lake Street assigns to each client a team composed of a partner and a dedicated relationship manager (financial planner) who will coordinate with the investment team, which in turn includes an investment manager and investment analyst. Once the client’s portfolio has been constructed, customized to goals and other key factors, the investment team will monitor and periodically rebalance it. The firm notes that its “recommendations are not limited to any specific product or service offered by a broker-dealer, investment company, or insurer.”
Charter Oak Capital Management
Charter Oak Capital Management is a fee-only firm, which means all of its compensation comes from client-paid fees. The team of advisors who work here includes eight certified financial planners (CFPs), one certified public accountant (CPA), one financial paraplanner qualified professional (FPQP), two chartered retirement planning counselors (CRPCs) and more.
Investment management accounts are primarily on a discretionary basis, which means that Charter Oak will make trades without asking for client consent. The minimum investment is $350,000 . Still, the vast majority of clients are not high-net-worth individuals. The firm also serves high-net-worth individuals and charitable organizations.
Charter Oak Capital Management Background
Jeffrey Troiano started Charter Oak in 2002. He is the majority owner, while four other partners have minority stakes.
The firm portfolio management, financial planning and retirement plan consulting services.
Charter Oak Capital Management Investing Strategy
Using charting, fundamental and technical analysis as well as analysis of economic, market, industry, firm and product cycles and trends, Charter Oak’s investment strategies include long-term purchases (securities held at least a year), short-term purchases (securities sold within a year) and trading (securities sold within 30 days).
The firm makes option transactions when clients make a special request. That said, for accounts whose discretionary investment authority it controls, the firm does not use options or other derivatives.
Measured Wealth Private Client Group
Founded in 2014, Measured Wealth Private Client Group is headquartered in Portsmouth and has a branch in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Some of the advisors here hold certifications, including two certified financial planners (CFPs), two chartered retirement planning counselors (CRPCs), one chartered financial analyst (CFA), one certified public accountant (CPA), one chartered retirement plans specialist (CRPS) and one chartered mutual fund counselor (CMFC).
As a fee-based firm, certain advisors here can sell financial products on a commission basis. While this presents a potential conflict of interest, the firm's fiduciary duty requires it to act in clients' best interests.
The vast majority of clients do not have a high net worth. The firm also serves trusts, estates, pension and profit sharing plans, charitable organizations and businesses. The minimum investment here is $250,000.
Measured Wealth Private Client Group Background
Founder and president Edward Benway owns the firm entirely. The practice especially caters to medical professionals and federal employees, on top of individuals and their families. It offers portfolio management, financial planning, risk management, estate planning, independent legal advice and independent tax advice.
Measured Wealth Private Client Group Investment Strategy
Measured Wealth says that it generally constructs portfolios with individual stocks or bonds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), options, mutual funds and other public and private securities or investments. Of course, the specific mix depends on the client’s goals and profile. The firm may use margin transactions, if deemed appropriate. It may also utilize independent money managers.
Harbor Advisory Corporation
Harbor Advisory Corporation is a fee-only practice that seeks to keep its client-to-advisor ratio around 50 to 1. This enables its small team of advisors to speak to their clients monthly - or meet with them in their homes or businesses.
Harbor’s clients include both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, as well as pension plans and charitable organizations. There is no minimum investment to open an account, though the firm does have a minimum annual fee of $20,000.
Harbor Advisory Corporation Background
After working at Merrill Lynch for 13 years, Robert Butler founded Harbor Advisory in 1972. Now his son Weld Butler heads the firm. He’s the majority owner, with chief investment officer (CIO) Jack De Gan and senior counsel Daniel R. Zibinskas.
The practice primarily offers asset management services. The firm can also advise clients on retirement planning, estate planning, educational funding, insurance issues, debt management and tax planning.
Harbor Advisory Corporation Investment Strategy
Basing portfolios on client objectives, risk profile and other factors, Harbor uses fundamental and technical analyses to implement asset allocation. It may utilize long-term purchases (securities held at least one year) and short-term purchases (securities held more than 30 days but less than one year). Clients with philosophical or ideological objections to particular companies or industries may impose restrictions on what goes into their portfolios.
Cornerstone Financial Planning
Cornerstone Financial Planning works primarily with high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth individuals. As a fee-only firm, Cornerstone earns compensation solely from clients. This means that the advisory team does not collect any compensation from third-party financial services firms or insurance companies for investing client assets in their products.
Cornerstone generally requires $750,000 minimum to engage in services. Clients are charged investment management fees that are based on a percentage of assets under management.
Cornerstone Financial Planning Background
Headquartered in Portsmouth, Cornerstone Financial Planning was founded as a limited liability company in 2004. The principal owners of Cornerstone are Jill Boynton and Susan Veligor.
The advisor team here includes seven certified financial planners (CFPs).
Cornerstone Financial Planning Strategy
The firm manages and evaluates portfolios based on client goals and objectives. Its investment strategies include long-term purchases, short-term purchases, margin transactions and options writing.
Services include:
- Financial planning
- Divorce planning
- Investment management
- Estate planning
- Insurance planning
- Retirement planning
- Tax planning
Secure Planning
Secure Planning primarily advises clients on the asset allocation programs offered by other companies, namely SEI Investment Management Corporation, SEI Investments Distribution Company and SEI Trust Company and TD Ameritrade Institutional Services.
The team holds multiple accreditations, including two certified financial planners (CFPs) and one certified life underwriter (CLU). As the CLU designation suggests, there are insurance agents as well as broker-dealer representatives in the office. These professionals are fee-based, which means they receive commissions as compensation. However, the firm is required to act in clients' best interests due to its fiduciary duty.
The firm serves mostly individuals who are not high net worth. It also offers services to trusts, estates, charitable organizations and high-net-worth indnviduals. The firm does not specify an investment minimum.
Secure Planning Background
Edward Mallon founded the firm in 1990 and remains the majority owner through his own trust. Mallon has nearly 30 years of experience in the financial services industry.
In addition to asset management, Secure Planning offers financial planning that can include:
- Portfolio analysis
- Retirement planning
- Small business consulting
- Estate planning
- Tax management
- Charitable giving
- College funding
Secure Planning Investment Strategy
Secure Planning will construct an asset allocation based on client objectives and profile and implement it primarily using funds in one of the three earlier mentioned programs. Not surprisingly, it reported in its latest filing with the SEC that the assets under its management are primarily in securities issued by registered investment companies (such as mutual funds).
Granite Bay Wealth Management
The team at Granite Bay Wealth Management holds multiple professional certifications, including two certified financial planners (CFPs), one chartered life underwriter (CLU), one chartered financial consultant (ChFC), one certified employee benefit specialist (CEBS) and two certified portfolio managers (CPMs).
Most of the clients at this firm are non-high-net-worth individuals. The minimum required to open an account is $250,000, though the firm may waive it under special circumstances.
As a fee-based firm, some advisors here have the ability to sell insurance products and securities on a commission basis. While this is a potential conflict of interest, the firm must act in clients' best interests due to its fiduciary duty.
Granite Bay Wealth Management Background
Principal owners Joseph Skees and Paul Stanley founded Granite Bay in 2015. The duo has spent a combined 40-plus years working in various areas of the financial services industry, like at Fortune 500 companies and on Wall Street.
In addition to high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth individuals, the firm also works with charitable organizations.
Granite Bay Wealth Management Investing Strategy
In constructing client portfolios, Granite Bay primarily uses exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and mutual funds. It places clients on an asset allocation scale that ranges from aggressive, to moderately aggressive, to moderate, to moderately conservative, to conservative.
Bonds and stocks are also used for investments.
Seascape Capital Management
Seascape Capital Management is a fee-only firm. Its team holds multiple professional accreditations, including two chartered financial analysts (CFAs), one certified financial planner (CFP), two certified divorce financial analysts (CDFAs), one chartered market technician (CMT) and one certified trust and financial analyst (CTFA).
The boutique firm primarily serves both high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations and businesses.. All accounts are on a discretionary basis. The minimum investment is $1,000,000, though this may be negotiable.
Seascape Capital Management Background
Monica McCarthy runs Seascape Capital Management. She joined it two years after its founding in 2003 and took the helm after her husband and Seascape Capital founder James McCarthy died in 2015. Their trusts primarily own the firm.
Seascape offers investment management integrated with financial planning. The latter can include tax and estate planning, retirement planning, divorce financial analysis and business owner strategies. Unlike many firms, Seascape does not charge separate fees for its financial planning services.
Seascape Capital Management Investing Strategy
Using fundamental and technical factors to identify investments with above-average growth opportunities, the firm focuses on a mix of individual stocks, bonds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in a variety of asset classes. It also employs quantitative metrics with a qualitative assessment of the economic and political environment.
Mutual funds, stocks and bonds are all used for client investment.
Creegan & Nassoura Financial Group
Fee-only firm Creegan & Nassoura Financial Group manages assets for clients who are high-net-worth individuals and those who are not. The firm's institutional client base includes pension plans and businesses.
The firm requires a minimum $500,000 investment to engage its services. However, the firm may be willing to make exceptions to this rule.
Creegan & Nassoura Financial Group Background
Creegan and Nassoura registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2004, though it was actually founded in 2000. The two principals are Robert Creegan and Steven Nassoura. Both are certified financial planners (CFPs).
The practice offers investment management and financial planning, which includes investment advice, retirement and estate-planning advice, insurance advice, tax advice, risk management advice and general business advice.
Creegan & Nassoura Financial Group Investment Strategy
When providing investment advice or managing assets, the firm may use fundamental, technical and charting analysis. Its strategies include long-term purchases (held for at least one year), short-term purchases (held less than a year) and option writing (e.g., covered options). Stocks and bonds are the most common investments, though mutual funds and cash holdings are also used.
Clark Asset Management
Clark Asset Management (CAM) works primarily with high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth individuals. As a fee-only firm, CAM earns compensation solely from clients. This means that the advisory team does not collect any compensation from third-party financial services firms for investing client assets in their products.
CAM does not impose a minimum account requirement to engage in services. However, the firm says that its wealth management service is best suited for clients who have between $1 to $10 million in investable assets.
Clark Asset Management Background
Headquartered in Portsmouth, the firm was founded in 2016. The principal owner of CAM is Bradley A. Clark.
The advisor team here includes four certified financial planners (CFPs) and one chartered life underwriter (CLU).
Clark Asset Management Strategy
The firm manages and evaluates portfolios based on client goals and objectives. CAM’s strategy focuses primarily on passive investment management, which involves building portfolios that are made up of different asset classes.
Services include:
- Investment management
- Financial planning
- Retirement planning
- Tax planning