Amid financial uncertainty, one of the best monetary advisors can present a gentle hand to buyers in any stage of life or with any stage of wealth.
Whether or not you are early in your profession or nearing your golden years, monetary advisors will help you meet key milestones and handle planning wants comparable to saving for retirement, investing a windfall, funding faculty training, managing portfolio revenue or shaping your legacy.
However discovering monetary advisor is not simple.
To establish monetary advisors who might greatest meet your wants, you’ll be able to ask folks you understand for referrals and use sources comparable to CNBC’s Monetary Advisor 100. Confirm advisors’ credentials and examine for complaints by way of the Monetary Business Regulatory Authority’s BrokerCheck or the U.S. Securities and Alternate Fee‘s Funding Adviser Public Disclosure, then interview these in your quick checklist.
We created CNBC’s Monetary Advisor 100 in 2019 to acknowledge the nation’s greatest monetary advisors and prime monetary advisory corporations. CNBC accepts no fee for placement.
Our workforce makes use of knowledge evaluation, with knowledge companion AccuPoint Options, and editorial evaluation to compile CNBC’s Monetary Advisor 100 checklist. For 2025, the method started with 40,563 registered funding advisor corporations, or RIAs, and that checklist was diminished to 1,015 that met CNBC’s necessities. CNBC surveyed the finalists for extra particulars about their apply and verified responses towards publicly accessible sources. Then AccuPoint used CNBC’s weighted standards to rank the corporations. (Learn extra concerning the methodology beneath.)
For 2025, CNBC’s prime advisors collectively handle $223 billion. The corporations have a median of 32 years in enterprise.
2025 Monetary Advisor 100 Record
| 2025 Rank | Agency | HQ | Whole AUM | Years within the enterprise | Accounts below administration |
| 1 | Parsons Capital Administration | Windfall, Rhode Island | $2B | 31 | 1,864 |
| 2 | Heritage Funding Group | Pompano Seaside, Florida | $1.9B | 32 | 2,358 |
| 3 | Beaird Harris Wealth Administration | Dallas, Texas | $1.9B | 29 | 3,188 |
| 4 | The Burney Firm | Reston, Virginia | $3.4B | 51 | 4,494 |
| 5 | Pittenger & Anderson | Lincoln, Nebraska | $3.1B | 30 | 2,201 |
| 6 | Dana Funding Advisors | Waukesha, Wisconsin | $9.5B | 45 | 1,611 |
| 7 | Howland Capital Administration | Boston, Massachusetts | $3.3B | 58 | 477 |
| 8 | Verus Monetary Companions | Richmond, Virginia | $1B | 32 | 1,907 |
| 9 | RTD Monetary Advisors | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | $2.3B | 42 | 741 |
| 10 | TFC Monetary Administration | Boston, Massachusetts | $1.7B | 45 | 1,900 |
| 11 | SJS Funding Providers | Sylvania, Ohio | $2.5B | 30 | 2,873 |
| 12 | Ferguson Wellman Capital Administration | Portland, Oregon | $10B | 50 | 1,067 |
| 13 | Obermeyer Wealth Companions | Aspen, Colorado | $2.9B | 27 | 660 |
| 14 | Henry H. Armstrong Associates | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | $1.1B | 41 | 525 |
| 15 | Cadinha & Co. | Honolulu, Hawaii | $1B | 46 | 1,420 |
| 16 | FMP Wealth Advisers | Austin, Texas | $1.1B | 37 | 2,749 |
| 17 | Edgemoor Funding Advisors | Bethesda, Maryland | $1.4B | 26 | 783 |
| 18 | Vacation spot Wealth Administration | Walnut Creek, California | $4.1B | 28 | 5,732 |
| 19 | Austin Asset | Austin, Texas | $1.7B | 37 | 2,138 |
| 20 | Trumbower Monetary Advisors | Bethesda, Maryland | $1.8B | 29 | 951 |
| 21 | California Monetary Advisors | San Ramon, California | $2.2B | 27 | 3,538 |
| 22 | Eubel Brady & Suttman Funding & Wealth Administration | Miamisburg, Ohio | $1.8B | 32 | 1,822 |
| 23 | Woodley Farra Manion Portfolio Administration | Indianapolis, Indiana | $2.2B | 30 | 1,380 |
| 24 | Steele Capital Administration | Dubuque, Iowa | $3B | 29 | 4,184 |
| 25 | Sage Monetary Group | Conshohocken, Pennsylvania | $3.6B | 36 | 660 |
| 26 | Salem Funding Counselors | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | $4.2B | 46 | 3,000 |
| 27 | Roffman Miller Wealth Administration | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | $3.2B | 35 | 1,610 |
| 28 | Albion Monetary Group | Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah | $2B | 43 | 2,260 |
| 29 | Wingate Wealth Advisors | Lexington, Massachusetts | $1.4B | 39 | 2,891 |
| 30 | North Star Asset Administration | Neenah, Wisconsin | $3B | 28 | 3,290 |
| 31 | Foster & Motley Wealth Administration | Cincinnati, Ohio | $2.7B | 28 | 857 |
| 32 | Conrad Siegel Funding Advisors | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | $10.1B | 23 | 1,011 |
| 33 | Lee Monetary Firm | Dallas, Texas | $1.4B | 50 | 1,677 |
| 34 | Chilton Capital Administration | Houston, Texas | $3.2B | 29 | 2,100 |
| 35 | Sheets Smith Wealth Administration | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | $1.2B | 43 | 1,052 |
| 36 | Cornerstone Capital | Palo Alto, California | $1.3B | 47 | 275 |
| 37 | JMG Monetary Group | Downers Grove, Illinois | $6.3B | 40 | 5,763 |
| 38 | Petersen Hastings Wealth Advisors | Kennewick, Washington | $1.5B | 63 | 3,331 |
| 39 | Bristlecone Advisors | Bellevue, Washington | $2.1B | 26 | 1,263 |
| 40 | Signet Monetary Administration | Parsippany, New Jersey | $1B | 37 | 1,907 |
| 41 | KEB Wealth Advisers | Springfield, Illinois | $1B | 21 | 2,168 |
| 42 | Birch Hill Funding Advisors | Boston, Massachusetts | $2.6B | 18 | 190 |
| 43 | Van Hulzen Asset Administration | El Dorado Hills, California | $2B | 26 | 2,842 |
| 44 | Smith Salley Wealth Administration | Greensboro, North Carolina | $2.3B | 22 | 2,791 |
| 45 | Telos Capital Administration | San Diego, California | $1.4B | 16 | 2,322 |
| 46 | Henssler Monetary | Kennesaw, Georgia | $3.5B | 38 | 1,695 |
| 47 | Moderately & Kittrell | Knoxville, Tennessee | $1.8B | 25 | 3,129 |
| 48 | Nicholas Hoffman & Firm | Atlanta, Georgia | $7.1B | 17 | 2,215 |
| 49 | Pinnacle Advisors | Mansfield, Ohio | $1.9B | 28 | 3,513 |
| 50 | Meritage Portfolio Administration | Overland Park, Kansas | $2.4B | 34 | 2,806 |
| 51 | BLBB Advisors | Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania | $3B | 61 | 1,587 |
| 52 | Index Fund Advisors | Irvine, California | $5.2B | 26 | 2,159 |
| 53 | Sheaff Brock Funding Advisors | Indianapolis, Indiana | $1.8B | 24 | 1,114 |
| 54 | Licensed Monetary Group | Altamonte Springs, Florida | $2.9B | 36 | 2,437 |
| 55 | Howard Monetary Providers | Dallas, Texas | $1.4B | 30 | 1,485 |
| 56 | Acropolis Funding Administration | St. Louis, Missouri | $2.7B | 23 | 1,100 |
| 57 | Guyasuta Funding Advisors | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | $2.3B | 42 | 1,370 |
| 58 | Tanglewood Whole Wealth Administration | Houston, Texas | $1.5B | 46 | 1,287 |
| 59 | WealthCrossing | Richmond, Virginia | $1.2B | 20 | 1,289 |
| 60 | Sather Monetary Group | Victoria, Texas | $2.1B | 26 | 448 |
| 61 | Northeast Funding Administration | Boston, Massachusetts | $2.9B | 40 | 1,597 |
| 62 | Phillips Monetary | Fort Wayne, Indiana | $2.2B | 21 | 3,084 |
| 63 | WBH Advisory | Baltimore, Maryland | $1.6B | 39 | 2,149 |
| 64 | Brownson, Rehmus & Foxworth | Chicago, Illinois | $4.2B | 10 | 3,359 |
| 65 | SFMG Wealth Advisors | Plano, Texas | $2.4B | 23 | 900 |
| 66 | Patriot Funding Administration Group | Knoxville, Tennessee | $1.7B | 32 | 4,136 |
| 67 | Heritage Monetary Providers | Westwood, Massachusetts | $3.1B | 30 | 1,287 |
| 68 | Bedel Monetary Consulting | Indianapolis, Indiana | $2.7B | 37 | 5,000 |
| 69 | Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo | Orlando, Florida | $1.3B | 27 | 4,800 |
| 70 | Wealthquest Company | Cincinnati, Ohio | $2.1B | 19 | 1,582 |
| 71 | Allegheny Monetary Group | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | $4.9B | 48 | 12,950 |
| 72 | Advance Capital Administration | Southfield, Michigan | $4.5B | 39 | 15,661 |
| 73 | Waters, Parkerson & Co. | New Orleans, Louisiana | $2.6B | 52 | 1,898 |
| 74 | Windward Capital Administration | Los Angeles, California | $1.3B | 29 | 207 |
| 75 | Avity Funding Administration | Greenwich, Connecticut | $2B | 55 | 828 |
| 76 | Funding Consulting Group | Davenport, Iowa | $2.7B | 35 | 492 |
| 77 | Conservest Capital Advisors | Wynnewood, Pennsylvania | $1.8B | 32 | 300 |
| 78 | Prudent Administration Associates | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | $1.1B | 41 | 616 |
| 79 | Zemenick & Walker | St. Louis, Missouri | $2.4B | 26 | 256 |
| 80 | Cabot Wealth Administration | Beverly, Massachusetts | $1B | 41 | 1,748 |
| 81 | Garde Capital | Seattle, Washington | $2.2B | 15 | 490 |
| 82 | Silvercrest Asset Administration Group | New York, New York | $36.4B | 23 | 1,234 |
| 83 | Anderson Hoagland & Co. | St. Louis, Missouri | $1.2B | 45 | 383 |
| 84 | Octagon Monetary Providers | McLean, Virginia | $1.3B | 41 | 461 |
| 85 | Constitution Oak Capital Administration | Portsmouth, New Hampshire | $1.4B | 19 | 1,359 |
| 86 | Retirement Revenue Options | Ann Arbor, Michigan | $2.6B | 16 | 1,268 |
| 87 | Halbert Hargrove World Advisors | Lengthy Seaside, California | $3.5B | 36 | 4,671 |
| 88 | CRA Monetary Providers | Northfield, New Jersey | $1.4B | 21 | 1,366 |
| 89 | Evergreen Capital Administration | Bellevue, Washington | $5.2B | 41 | 3,147 |
| 90 | Wescott Monetary Advisory | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | $4B | 38 | 500 |
| 91 | Chevy Chase Belief Firm | Bethesda, Maryland | $12.7B | 26 | 5,218 |
| 92 | Captrust Wealth Advisors | Holland, Michigan | $1.8B | 10 | 2,912 |
| 93 | YHB Funding Advisors | West Hartford, Connecticut | $2.1B | 35 | 1,165 |
| 94 | Plancorp | St. Louis, Missouri | $8B | 42 | 1,600 |
| 95 | Mainstay Capital Administration | Grand Blanc, Michigan | $4.5B | 25 | 3,463 |
| 96 | Constellation Wealth Advisors | Cincinnati, Ohio | $4.6B | 16 | 2,454 |
| 97 | Trek Monetary | Scottsdale, Arizona | $2.4B | 27 | 11,057 |
| 98 | Palisade Capital Administration | Fort Lee, New Jersey | $4.2B | 35 | 2,412 |
| 99 | RubinBrown Advisors | St. Louis, Missouri | $3.2B | 22 | 3,918 |
| 100 | Apriem Advisors | Irvine, California | $1.4B | 27 | 2,914 |
What’s a fiduciary monetary advisor?
Some monetary advisors, comparable to RIAs, are sure by the fiduciary normal. Nevertheless, funding brokers should comply with a suitability normal, which signifies that suggestions could also be applicable however not essentially the best choice.
What steps ought to somebody take when selecting a monetary advisor?
Relying in your wants, you’ll be able to examine for advisors’ energetic credentials, comparable to licensed monetary planner, or CFP; licensed public accountant, or CPA; or chartered monetary analyst, or CFA.
You can too examine for regulatory violations and buyer complaints, additionally known as disclosures, by way of BrokerCheck from FINRA, and the Funding Adviser Public Disclosure web site from the SEC. State regulators might present extra data for smaller corporations.
Earlier than selecting a monetary advisor, it’s best to meet and interview potential candidates. These 10 questions from the CFP Board might assist slender down your checklist:
1. What are your {qualifications} and credentials?
2. What companies do you supply?
3. Will you could have a fiduciary responsibility to me?
4. What’s your strategy to monetary planning?
5. What kinds of purchasers do you sometimes work with?
6. Will you be the one advisor working with me?
7. How will I pay to your companies?
8. How a lot do you sometimes cost?
9. Do others stand to achieve from the monetary recommendation you give me?
10. Have you ever ever been publicly disciplined for unethical or illegal actions in your profession?
What is the distinction between a fee-only monetary advisor and a commission-based advisor?
Earlier than hiring a monetary advisor, it is necessary to grasp their compensation construction and the way it might affect their suggestions.
Usually, monetary advisors are paid by way of fee, charges or a hybrid of the 2. Payment-only means the advisor doesn’t obtain a fee from merchandise. Some fee-only examples might embody flat quantities for one-time initiatives, hourly charges, month-to-month retainers or belongings below administration, or AUM.
Fee-based recommendation often is the lowest-cost possibility for recommendation a few particular monetary product. Nevertheless, commission-based recommendation can current a battle of curiosity in some circumstances.
By comparability, AUM is mostly a set proportion every year, however the quantity paid varies primarily based on the dimensions of your portfolio. Some advisors paid by way of AUM have minimal asset necessities, which will be much less inclusive to buyers with a smaller portfolio.
What are the professionals and cons of utilizing a robo-advisor vs. a human monetary advisor?
In contrast, a human monetary advisor can supply tailor-made, complete monetary planning to fulfill particular objectives. This may increasingly embody steerage on investing, taxes, insurance coverage, retirement planning, property planning and different areas.
In 2024, the median robo-advisor price was round 0.25% of belongings per 12 months, primarily based on 16 U.S.-based platforms, in line with Morningstar’s 2025 Robo-Advisor Report. Nevertheless, charges will be considerably larger, relying on the platform. To match, monetary advisors sometimes cost round 1% of belongings below administration, or 100 foundation factors, relying on the dimensions of your portfolio.
When you’re new to investing, most consultants suggest beginning along with your office 401(okay), quite than a robo-advisor, and contributing not less than as much as your employer’s matching contribution. With out a office plan, you could possibly contemplate a Roth particular person retirement account, which gives tax-free progress, amongst different advantages.
Constancy recommends aiming for not less than 15% of pretax revenue for retirement, together with your employer match. The most well-liked 401(okay) funding, target-date funds, additionally supply automated asset allocation, relying in your deliberate retirement date.
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Monetary advisor FAQs
What are the necessities for an authorized monetary planner?
Licensed monetary planners, or CFPs, meet 4 necessities: training, examination, expertise and ethics. They have to full a CFP Board-registered program and maintain a bachelor’s diploma. Professionals additionally should show information and competency by passing an examination, finishing expertise hours and assembly ongoing ethics and persevering with training requirements.
What are the crimson flags or warning indicators of a nasty monetary advisor?
- There are lots of of 1000’s of monetary advisors within the U.S., and selecting the correct one can really feel overwhelming. Nevertheless, there are methods to examine for crimson flags and slender down your prospect checklist.
- One crimson flag is an absence of transparency about advisor compensation, which is required in Kind ADV Half 2A for RIAs.
- One other crimson flag might be an advisor who pushes merchandise and not using a agency understanding of your objectives, threat tolerance and timeline.
- You possibly can confirm credentials by way of issuing organizations, such because the CFP Board. You can too discover regulatory violations and buyer complaints by way of FINRA’s BrokerCheck and the SEC’s Funding Adviser Public Disclosure web site.
How do you select a monetary advisor for retirement planning?
- Advisors who concentrate on retirement planning sometimes have experience in funding administration, portfolio distribution, taxes, Social Safety, Medicare, long-term care, legacy planning and different key points.
- Credentials comparable to CFP or RICP — retirement revenue licensed skilled — might sign experience, however you must also weigh years of expertise and different specialised coaching.
- Whereas interviewing prospects, it’s best to ask about their philosophy for retirement revenue and lifelong tax planning.
- The precise candidate will talk about their holistic strategy to assembly your monetary objectives, quite than instantly pushing merchandise.
What are frequent monetary methods really useful by monetary advisors?
- When you’re fighting money circulate or debt points, your monetary advisor might begin by reviewing your month-to-month revenue and spending to create a practical funds.
- With a clearer image of money circulate, an advisor could make investing suggestions primarily based in your objectives, threat tolerance and timeline.
- Your advisor can also suggest tax methods, primarily based in your monetary objectives, to assist reduce your yearly and lifelong tax legal responsibility.
- Lengthy-term investing objectives might embody funding training to your kids or saving for retirement.
- It is also necessary to handle legacy objectives by creating an property plan.
How do I discover one of the best monetary advisor close to me for younger professionals?
- Younger professionals might search a monetary advisor to assist juggle competing monetary priorities whereas constructing their profession.
- Key planning points might embody beginning to make investments, paying off pupil loans, navigating worker advantages, shopping for a primary residence and saving for a marriage or having kids.
- Some monetary advisors work with youthful buyers and haven’t got minimal asset necessities. These planners might cost one-time, hourly or month-to-month charges quite than a proportion for belongings below administration.
- You should use directories from the CFP Board, XY Planning Community or the Nationwide Affiliation of Private Monetary Advisors to discover a fiduciary monetary advisor.
Methodology: How we picked one of the best monetary advisors for 2025
CNBC used knowledge evaluation and editorial evaluation to compile its seventh annual Monetary Advisor 100 checklist.
For 2025, we began with 40,563 RIAs from the SEC’s regulatory database. That checklist was filtered to 1,015 corporations, and the finalists accomplished surveys to confirm key particulars. CNBC carried out an editorial evaluation of entries, earlier than knowledge companion AccuPoint Options utilized our proprietary weighted standards to slender down the checklist and rank the corporations.
Amongst different standards, we thought-about:
- Property below administration
- Agency location and states registered
- Regulatory and compliance data
- Agency measurement and years in enterprise
- Variety of licensed monetary planners
- Variety of funding advisors registered with the agency
You possibly can be taught extra by studying our full methodology for figuring out one of the best monetary advisors.
CNBC private finance reporters Jessica Dickler, Gregory Iacurci, Lorie Konish, Annie Nova and Ana Teresa Solá contributed to this story.
CNBC receives no compensation from putting monetary advisory corporations on our Monetary Advisor 100 checklist. Moreover, a agency’s or advisor’s look in our rating doesn’t represent a person endorsement by CNBC of any agency or advisor.
