The Top Financial Advisors in the U.S.

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CAPTRUST has far and away the highest asset base of any firm on our list. This firm is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, but has branches across the country. It serves both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, as well as a number of institutional clients. Services available through the firm's individual-centric programs include wealth planning, investment management, retirement planning and advice, risk management, tax review, estate planning, charitable gift planning, cash flow planning and more.

In general, the firm does not require an overarching minimum account size. However, some programs may have their own minimums. Additionally, certain on-staff advisors at fee-based CAPTRUST can earn commissions from insurance sales. Despite the potential conflict of interest this creates, the firm is bound by fiduciary duty to act in clients' best interests.

The advisory team at CAPTRUST holds multiple certifications, including certified public accountants (CPAs), accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs), chartered financial analysts (CFAs), certified fund specialists (CFSs), certified investment management analysts (CIMAs), Certified Financial Planners™ (CFPs®) and chartered financial consultants (ChFCs), among other designations.

CAPTRUST utilizes an investment philosophy that features the customization of a portfolio for each individual client. While clients are allowed to set some restrictions to how their money is managed, portfolios will generally be based on their personal risk tolerance, financial goals, time horizon, income needs, tax situation, net worth and any other applicable factors. As client portfolios age and returns affect their allocations, the firm may decide to either reallocate assets or redesign the portfolio entirely.

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Fisher Investments is a fee-only financial advisor firm based in Texas, though it has other locations across the U.S. and globally. It has hundreds of thousands of non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individual clients. If you're interested in working with Fisher, you'll generally need at least $1 million in investable assets, though this minimum may be waivable at the firm's discretion.

Fisher offers a vast range of services to its individual clients. These include creating and managing investment portfolios, retirement planning services and financial planning services, like financial goal planning, tax planning and more.

According to its SEC-filed Form ADV, Fisher Investments principal goal is "maximizing returns relative to risk compared to particular benchmarks." Depending on your long- or short-term goals, risk tolerance and time horizon, the firm will recommend a distinct set of investments.

For example, riskier investors may have portfolios centered around common stock and cash equivalents. Risk-averse investors may have their assets invested more in fixed-income securities, such as bonds and cash. For those in between those two extremes, Fisher may recommend a blended portfolio that features some proportionate allocation of stocks, fixed-income and cash.

Ken Fisher, a popular figure in the investment space, founded the firm, as well as had a hand in creating the theory behind the "Price-to-Sales Ratio." Fisher has also been ranked on Forbes' list of the Richest Americans, as well as its list of Global Billionaires.

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Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services (WEAS) has one of the largest client bases of any firm on this list. In fact, tens of thousands of individuals have a client-advisor relationship with the firm, with over three-quarters of these individuals having less than a high net worth. Investment minimums at WEAS vary by service, with requirements beginning at $50,000 and reaching up to $5 million.

The firm's advisory staff holds a wide range of certifications. These include Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), chartered financial consultant (ChFC), chartered financial analyst (CFA) and more.

Clients of WEAS will find its services are largely customized to their personal needs. For example, its offerings can cover investment management, general financial goal-setting, estate planning, tax minimization, risk management, business owner consulting, retirement income planning and more. Within these, there are four main principles advisors here use when managing client investments, according to its website: active management, diversification, tax efficiency and cost efficiency.

WEAS operates using a fee-based compensation structure, which means some advisors can receive commissions for selling certain financial products to clients. Although this is a potential conflict of interest, the firm abides by fiduciary duty.

Wealth Enhancement also holds a spot on SmartAsset's list of the top financial advisors in Minnesota. Additionally, the firm has branches all over the U.S., including in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

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SageView Advisory Group is a large individual- and institutional-centric financial advisor firm that's based in Newport Beach, California. It primarily works with individuals and their families, including those with and without a high net worth. It also provides advisory services to a number of other client types, such as retirement plan sponsors, government entities, businesses, charities and more.

For those looking to work with an advisor at SageView, there is no explicit minimum investment requirement. The firm primarily provides investment management services, but also has a plethora of financial planning offerings. These include retirement planning, tax guidance, legacy and estate planning, education fund planning, debt management and more.

The advisory staff at SageView boasts a wide range of certifications. These include Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), chartered financial consultant (ChFC), retirement income certified professional (RICP), accredited wealth management advisor (AWMA), accredited asset management specialist (AAMS), chartered financial analyst (CFA) and more.

When it comes to how the firm manages clients' investments, it tends to do so with a specific approach for each client. In turn, clients work with their advisor to identify a few characteristics about their profile, such as risk tolerance, investment goals and experience, time horizon and more. Based on these findings, investments could include stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options, ETFs, variable annuities, alternative investments and more. The firm may also use separately managed accounts, model portfolios or third-party money managers within client portfolios.

SageView is a fee-based firm, meaning some of its advisors can receive commissions or other forms of compensation for the sale of insurance products or securities. The firm abides by fiduciary duty despite the potential conflict of interest this presents.

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Pathstone is a New Jersey-based financial advisor firm that works with a fairly small client base considering its asset size. Although it has some institutional clients, the firm works with a majority of high-net-worth individuals, as well as a group of non-high-net-worth individuals. This should come as no surprise, as the firm tends to work with clients who have at least $10 million in investable assets.

As a fee-only firm, Pathstone earn all of its compensation directly from client-paid fees, avoiding third-party compensation like insurance commissions entirely. The firm also has a wide range services available to clients, such as portoflio management, financial planning, cash flow management, risk management, tax planning, estate planning and more. The team of advisors here holds a number of certifications, including chartered financial analyst (CFA), certificate in investment performance measurement (CIPM), Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and more.

According to its website, Pathstone manages client assets directly based on their "preferences, constraints and targets." As your portfolio develops over time, the firm will also review changes with you to determine a path forward. It also provides strategic and tactical asset allocations, liquidity planning as needed and more.

Pathstone holds the top spot on SmartAsset's list of the top financial advisors in New Jersey.

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Mariner Wealth has thousands of individual clients, including those with and without a high net worth, though the latter outnumbers the former. Minimum account size requirements are a bit complex with the firm, as many of its individual programs or services come with specific guidelines for new clients. The firm, however, does reserve the right to adjust these on an individual basis.

Based in Overland Park, Kansas, Mariner offers a wide range of services for individuals, as well as specifically for business owners. These include wealth planning, investment mangement, estate and trust planning, tax planning, insurance planning, executive financial planning and more.

As a client of Mariner, you'll come across a wide range of advisory certifications. Among these are chartered financial analyst (CFA), Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), accredited investment fiduciary (AIF), enrolled agent (EA), certified divorce financial analyst (CDFA), certified private wealth advisor (CPWA) and more.

The investment strategies implemented by Mariner originate with the firm's investment committee, which is led by its chief investment officer (CIO). All strateiges are implemented on a personalized basis, as wealth advisors at Mariner work with clients to identify their goals and objectives, time horizon, risk tolerance and any other constraints prior to managing their portfolio. Specific investment types include, but are not limited to, fixed-income, private equity, stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, pooled investment vehicles, options, derivatives and more.

As a fee-based firm, some of the advisors at Mariner can earn compensation for the sale of insurance products. While this presents a potential conflict of interest, the firm abides by fiduciary duty.

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Corient is a Miami-based financial advisor firm that typically caters to more high-net-worth individual clients than non-high-net-worth. While the firm doesn't have a strict, overarching minimum, some of its investment strategies do have minimums, which can vary from $250,000 to $5 million.

Generally speaking, Corient prefers to invest client assets using a discretionary relationship. This means clients will sign over control of their investments to the firm, ensuring clients won't need to be involved in minute investing decisions. However, advisors will still keep in contact with clients as developments occur. The firm does this typically through its financial planning services, via which "goals and objectives are established based on each client's unique circumstances," according to its SEC-filed Form ADV.

The firm has branch locations across the U.S., including in over 30 cities like New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver, Phoenix, Dallas and more. As a fee-only operation, Corient's advisors do not receive compensation for the sale of products like insurance or specific securities. On the flip side, a fee-based firm would employ advisors that can earn these types of compensation.

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In business for a half-century, GW&K Investment Management is a fee-only firm headquartered in Boston. The firm namely offers advisory services to high-net-worth individuals, as well as a number of institutional clients. It describes its asset management approach as one that places clients’ interests first and strives to meet investment objectives in the midst of market fluctuations.

GW&K's advisors specialize in active equity and fixed-income investment solutions, and it incorporates equity, municipal bond and taxable bond strategies in its investment process. In addition to its municipal bond strategies, the firm employs small cap and small/mid cap and core fixed-income investment approaches. GW&K manages wrap accounts, and it also participates in certain sub-advisory agreements. 

GW&K offers a variety of services, including portfolio management with investment strategies centered around combinations of equities, taxable bonds and municipal bonds. The firm also believes in rigorous research, disciplined management and a client-driven culture. It seeks to find unexpected investment opportunities and provides personalized management services.

The firm also holds the top spot on SmartAsset's lists of the top financial advisors in Boston and top financial advisors in Massachusetts.

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Moneta Group Investment Advisors has a client base mostly comprised of individuals above and below the high-net-worth threshold. Although the firm works with more high-net-worth individuals than not, it does not have a specific account minimum for new clients. It's also a fee-only firm, which means its advisors earns compensation solely through client-paid management fees, as opposed to other forms of compensation, like commissions.

Individual clients of Moneta will have access to services like investment management, estate planning, risk management, retirement planning, business succession consulting, tax planning and more. At the start of each client relationship, the advisors at Moneta typically review what type of investor the client is. This will involve discussing and determine their risk tolerance, income needs, financial goals, time horizon and investment preferences.

This will eventually dictate how your portfolio is built and managed, though generally speaking the firm tends to invest in the interest of long-term returns. In turn, it usually invests client assets in some combination of fixed-income, equities and alternative investments. As your portfolio ages, the firm will review its allocations and make adjustments as they become necessary.

Moneta Group can trace its history all the way back to 1869, making it by far the oldest firm on this list. The advisory team here holds a number of certifications, including Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), certified public accountant (CPA), chartered financial analyst (CFA), accredited wealth management advisor (AWMA) and more.

SmartAsset also features Moneta Group Investment Advisors on its lists of the top financial advisors in St. Louis and top financial advisors in Missouri.

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Focus Partners Wealth has one of the largest advisor staffs on this list, and has the client base to match. The firm typically works with individuals, though it has more clients with a high net worth than without. Accordingly, it doesn't have an overarching minimum investment requirement, but rather minimums specific to certain of its investment offerings and programs. Focus' headquarters is in St. Louis, Missouri, but it has locations in many states across the country.

There are a wide range of services available to clients of Focus, namely split between financial and wealth planning, as well as investment planning and management. The former includes offerings like tax planning, legacy and estate planning, retirement planning, philanthropic planning, net worth development and more.

The investment side of Focus' services is centered around portfolio monitoring, rebalancing, risk assessment and tolerance, diversification, time horizon, you and your family's goals, annuity analyses and more. The firm typically invests client assets in some combination of stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, alternative investments, separately managed accounts and more.

Focus is a fee-based financial advisor firm. This means that it can receive commissions or other forms of compensation for the sale of insurance products to clients. Although this presents a potential conflict of interest, but the firm abides by fiduciary duty.