CNBC's Financial Advisor 100: Best financial advisors, top firms for 2025 ranked

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Amid economic uncertainty, the champion fiscal advisors tin supply a dependable manus to investors successful immoderate signifier of beingness oregon with immoderate level of wealth.

Whether you're aboriginal successful your vocation oregon nearing your aureate years, fiscal advisors tin assistance you conscionable cardinal milestones and code readying needs specified arsenic redeeming for retirement, investing a windfall, funding assemblage education, managing portfolio income oregon shaping your legacy.  

But uncovering a bully fiscal advisor isn't easy. 

To place fiscal advisors who whitethorn champion conscionable your needs, you tin inquire radical you cognize for referrals and usage resources specified arsenic CNBC's Financial Advisor 100. Verify advisors' credentials and cheque for complaints via the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's BrokerCheck oregon the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure, past interrogation those connected your abbreviated list.

We created CNBC's Financial Advisor 100 successful 2019 to admit the country's champion fiscal advisors and apical fiscal advisory firms. CNBC accepts nary outgo for placement. 

Our squad uses information analysis, with information spouse AccuPoint Solutions, and editorial reappraisal to compile CNBC's Financial Advisor 100 list. For 2025, the process began with 40,563 registered concern advisor firms, oregon RIAs, and that database was reduced to 1,015 that met CNBC's requirements. CNBC surveyed the finalists for much details astir their signifier and verified responses against publically disposable resources. Then AccuPoint utilized CNBC's weighted criteria to fertile the firms. (Read much astir the methodology below.)

For 2025, CNBC's apical advisors collectively negociate $223 billion. The firms person an mean of 32 years successful business.

2025 Financial Advisor 100 List

2025 RankFirmHQTotal AUMYears successful the businessAccounts nether management
1Parsons Capital ManagementProvidence, Rhode Island$2B311,864
2Heritage Investment GroupPompano Beach, Florida$1.9B322,358
3Beaird Harris Wealth ManagementDallas, Texas$1.9B293,188
4The Burney CompanyReston, Virginia$3.4B514,494
5Pittenger & AndersonLincoln, Nebraska$3.1B302,201
6Dana Investment AdvisorsWaukesha, Wisconsin$9.5B451,611
7Howland Capital ManagementBoston, Massachusetts$3.3B58477
8Verus Financial PartnersRichmond, Virginia$1B321,907
9RTD Financial AdvisorsPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania$2.3B42741
10TFC Financial ManagementBoston, Massachusetts$1.7B451,900
11SJS Investment ServicesSylvania, Ohio$2.5B302,873
12Ferguson Wellman Capital ManagementPortland, Oregon$10B501,067
13Obermeyer Wealth PartnersAspen, Colorado$2.9B27660
14Henry H. Armstrong AssociatesPittsburgh, Pennsylvania$1.1B41525
15Cadinha & Co.Honolulu, Hawaii$1B461,420
16FMP Wealth AdvisersAustin, Texas$1.1B372,749
17Edgemoor Investment AdvisorsBethesda, Maryland $1.4B26783
18Destination Wealth ManagementWalnut Creek, California$4.1B285,732
19Austin AssetAustin, Texas$1.7B372,138
20Trumbower Financial AdvisorsBethesda, Maryland$1.8B29951
21California Financial AdvisorsSan Ramon, California$2.2B273,538
22Eubel Brady & Suttman Investment & Wealth ManagementMiamisburg, Ohio$1.8B321,822
23Woodley Farra Manion Portfolio ManagementIndianapolis, Indiana$2.2B301,380
24Steele Capital ManagementDubuque, Iowa$3B294,184
25Sage Financial GroupConshohocken, Pennsylvania$3.6B36660
26Salem Investment CounselorsWinston-Salem, North Carolina$4.2B463,000
27Roffman Miller Wealth ManagementPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania$3.2B351,610
28Albion Financial GroupSalt Lake City, Utah$2B432,260
29Wingate Wealth AdvisorsLexington, Massachusetts$1.4B392,891
30North Star Asset ManagementNeenah, Wisconsin$3B283,290
31Foster & Motley Wealth ManagementCincinnati, Ohio$2.7B28857
32Conrad Siegel Investment AdvisorsHarrisburg, Pennsylvania$10.1B231,011
33Lee Financial CompanyDallas, Texas$1.4B501,677
34Chilton Capital ManagementHouston, Texas$3.2B292,100
35Sheets Smith Wealth ManagementWinston-Salem, North Carolina$1.2B431,052
36Cornerstone CapitalPalo Alto, California$1.3B47275
37JMG Financial GroupDowners Grove, Illinois$6.3B405,763
38Petersen Hastings Wealth AdvisorsKennewick, Washington$1.5B633,331
39Bristlecone AdvisorsBellevue, Washington$2.1B261,263
40Signet Financial ManagementParsippany, New Jersey$1B371,907
41KEB Wealth AdvisersSpringfield, Illinois$1B212,168
42Birch Hill Investment AdvisorsBoston, Massachusetts$2.6B18190
43Van Hulzen Asset ManagementEl Dorado Hills, California$2B262,842
44Smith Salley Wealth ManagementGreensboro, North Carolina$2.3B222,791
45Telos Capital ManagementSan Diego, California$1.4B162,322
46Henssler FinancialKennesaw, Georgia$3.5B381,695
47Rather & KittrellKnoxville, Tennessee$1.8B253,129
48Nicholas Hoffman & CompanyAtlanta, Georgia$7.1B172,215
49Pinnacle AdvisorsMansfield, Ohio$1.9B283,513
50Meritage Portfolio ManagementOverland Park, Kansas$2.4B342,806
51BLBB AdvisorsMontgomeryville, Pennsylvania$3B611,587
52Index Fund AdvisorsIrvine, California$5.2B262,159
53Sheaff Brock Investment AdvisorsIndianapolis, Indiana$1.8B241,114
54Certified Financial GroupAltamonte Springs, Florida$2.9B362,437
55Howard Financial ServicesDallas, Texas$1.4B301,485
56Acropolis Investment ManagementSt. Louis, Missouri$2.7B231,100
57Guyasuta Investment AdvisorsPittsburgh, Pennsylvania$2.3B421,370
58Tanglewood Total Wealth ManagementHouston, Texas$1.5B461,287
59WealthCrossingRichmond, Virginia$1.2B201,289
60Sather Financial GroupVictoria, Texas$2.1B26448
61Northeast Investment ManagementBoston, Massachusetts$2.9B401,597
62Phillips FinancialFort Wayne, Indiana$2.2B213,084
63WBH AdvisoryBaltimore, Maryland$1.6B392,149
64Brownson, Rehmus & FoxworthChicago, Illinois$4.2B103,359
65SFMG Wealth AdvisorsPlano, Texas$2.4B23900
66Patriot Investment Management GroupKnoxville, Tennessee$1.7B324,136
67Heritage Financial ServicesWestwood, Massachusetts$3.1B301,287
68Bedel Financial ConsultingIndianapolis, Indiana$2.7B375,000
69Moisand Fitzgerald TamayoOrlando, Florida$1.3B274,800
70Wealthquest CorporationCincinnati, Ohio$2.1B191,582
71Allegheny Financial GroupPittsburgh, Pennsylvania$4.9B4812,950
72Advance Capital ManagementSouthfield, Michigan$4.5B3915,661
73Waters, Parkerson & Co.New Orleans, Louisiana$2.6B521,898
74Windward Capital ManagementLos Angeles, California$1.3B29207
75Avity Investment ManagementGreenwich, Connecticut$2B55828
76Investment Consulting GroupDavenport, Iowa$2.7B35492
77Conservest Capital AdvisorsWynnewood, Pennsylvania$1.8B32300
78Prudent Management AssociatesPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania$1.1B41616
79Zemenick & WalkerSt. Louis, Missouri$2.4B26256
80Cabot Wealth ManagementBeverly, Massachusetts$1B411,748
81Garde CapitalSeattle, Washington$2.2B15490
82Silvercrest Asset Management GroupNew York, New York$36.4B231,234
83Anderson Hoagland & Co.St. Louis, Missouri$1.2B45383
84Octagon Financial ServicesMcLean, Virginia$1.3B41461
85Charter Oak Capital ManagementPortsmouth, New Hampshire$1.4B191,359
86Retirement Income SolutionsAnn Arbor, Michigan$2.6B161,268
87Halbert Hargrove Global AdvisorsLong Beach, California$3.5B364,671
88CRA Financial ServicesNorthfield, New Jersey$1.4B211,366
89Evergreen Capital ManagementBellevue, Washington$5.2B413,147
90Wescott Financial AdvisoryPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania$4B38500
91Chevy Chase Trust CompanyBethesda, Maryland$12.7B265,218
92Captrust Wealth AdvisorsHolland, Michigan$1.8B102,912
93YHB Investment AdvisorsWest Hartford, Connecticut$2.1B351,165
94PlancorpSt. Louis, Missouri$8B421,600
95Mainstay Capital ManagementGrand Blanc, Michigan$4.5B253,463
96Constellation Wealth AdvisorsCincinnati, Ohio$4.6B162,454
97Trek FinancialScottsdale, Arizona$2.4B2711,057
98Palisade Capital ManagementFort Lee, New Jersey$4.2B352,412
99RubinBrown AdvisorsSt. Louis, Missouri$3.2B223,918
100Apriem AdvisorsIrvine, California$1.4B272,914

What is simply a fiduciary fiscal advisor?

A fiduciary fiscal advisor acts successful the champion involvement of the client, careless of however that affects their concern oregon bottommost line.

Some fiscal advisors, specified arsenic RIAs, are bound by the fiduciary standard. However, concern brokers indispensable travel a suitability standard, which means that recommendations whitethorn beryllium due but not needfully the champion option.

What steps should idiosyncratic instrumentality erstwhile choosing a fiscal advisor?

Finding the right fiscal advisor whitethorn necessitate immoderate homework, but you tin commencement with referrals from trusted colleagues, friends oregon household members.

Depending connected your needs, you tin cheque for advisors' progressive credentials, specified arsenic certified fiscal planner, oregon CFP; certified nationalist accountant, oregon CPA; oregon chartered fiscal analyst, oregon CFA.

You tin besides cheque for regulatory violations and lawsuit complaints, besides called disclosures, via BrokerCheck from FINRA, and the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website from the SEC. State regulators whitethorn supply much accusation for smaller firms.

Before choosing a fiscal advisor, you should conscionable and interrogation prospective candidates. These 10 questions from the CFP Board could assistance constrictive down your list:

1. What are your qualifications and credentials?
2. What services bash you offer?
3. Will you person a fiduciary work to me?
4. What is your attack to fiscal planning?
5. What types of clients bash you typically enactment with?
6. Will you beryllium the lone advisor moving with me?
7. How volition I wage for your services?
8. How overmuch bash you typically charge?
9. Do others basal to summation from the fiscal proposal you springiness me?
10. Have you ever been publically disciplined for unethical oregon unlawful actions successful your career?

What's the quality betwixt a fee-only fiscal advisor and a commission-based advisor?

Before hiring a fiscal advisor, it's important to recognize their compensation structure and however it could power their recommendations.  

Typically, fiscal advisors are paid via commission, fees oregon a hybrid of the two. Fee-only means the advisor does not person a committee from products. Some fee-only examples whitethorn include flat amounts for one-time projects, hourly fees, monthly retainers oregon assets nether management, oregon AUM.

Commission-based proposal whitethorn beryllium the lowest-cost enactment for proposal astir a circumstantial fiscal product. However, commission-based proposal tin contiguous a conflict of interest successful immoderate cases. 

By comparison, AUM is mostly a acceptable percent each year, but the magnitude paid varies based connected the size of your portfolio. Some advisors paid via AUM person minimum plus requirements, which tin beryllium little inclusive to investors with a smaller portfolio.  

What are the pros and cons of utilizing a robo-advisor vs. a quality fiscal advisor?

Robo-advisors are algorithms developed by companies to automatically put your wealth based connected your hazard tolerance. Some robo-advisors connection further features, specified arsenic entree to a quality advisor and tax-loss harvesting, which uses losses to offset different portfolio gains.  

By contrast, a quality fiscal advisor tin connection tailored, broad fiscal readying to conscionable circumstantial goals. This whitethorn see guidance connected investing, taxes, insurance, status planning, property readying and different areas.

More from CNBC's Financial Advisor 100:

In 2024, the median robo-advisor interest was astir 0.25% of assets per year, based connected 16 U.S.-based platforms, according to Morningstar's 2025 Robo-Advisor Report. However, fees tin beryllium importantly higher, depending connected the platform. To compare, fiscal advisors typically complaint astir 1% of assets nether management, oregon 100 ground points, depending connected the size of your portfolio.   

If you're caller to investing, astir experts urge starting with your workplace 401(k), alternatively than a robo-advisor, and contributing astatine slightest up to your employer's matching contribution. Without a workplace plan, you could see a Roth idiosyncratic status account, which provides tax-free growth, among different benefits.

Fidelity recommends aiming for astatine slightest 15% of pretax income for retirement, including your leader match. The astir fashionable 401(k) investment, target-date funds, besides connection automated plus allocation, depending connected your planned status date.  

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Financial advisor FAQs

What are the requirements for a certified fiscal planner?

Certified fiscal planners, oregon CFPs, conscionable four requirements: education, exam, acquisition and ethics. They indispensable implicit a CFP Board-registered program and clasp a bachelor's degree. Professionals besides indispensable beryllium cognition and competency by passing an exam, completing experience hours and gathering ongoing ethics and continuing acquisition standards.

What are the reddish flags oregon informing signs of a atrocious fiscal advisor?

  • There are hundreds of thousands of fiscal advisors successful the U.S., and picking the close 1 tin consciousness overwhelming. However, determination are ways to check for reddish flags and constrictive down your imaginable list.
  • One reddish emblem is simply a deficiency of transparency astir advisor compensation, which is required successful Form ADV Part 2A for RIAs.
  • Another reddish emblem could beryllium an advisor who pushes products without a steadfast knowing of your goals, hazard tolerance and timeline.
  • You tin verify credentials via issuing organizations, specified arsenic the CFP Board. You tin besides find regulatory violations and lawsuit complaints via FINRA's BrokerCheck and the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website.  

How bash you take a fiscal advisor for status planning?

  • Advisors who specialize successful status readying typically person expertise successful concern management, portfolio distribution, taxes, Social Security, Medicare, semipermanent care, bequest readying and different cardinal issues. 
  • Credentials specified arsenic CFP oregon RICP — status income certified nonrecreational — whitethorn awesome expertise, but you should besides measurement years of acquisition and different specialized training.
  • While interviewing prospects, you should inquire astir their doctrine for status income and beingness taxation planning.
  • The close campaigner volition sermon their holistic attack to gathering your fiscal goals, alternatively than instantly pushing products.   

What are communal fiscal strategies recommended by fiscal advisors?

  • If you're struggling with currency travel oregon debt issues, your fiscal advisor whitethorn commencement by reviewing your monthly income and spending to make a realistic budget.
  • With a clearer representation of currency flow, an advisor tin marque investing recommendations based connected your goals, hazard tolerance and timeline.
  • Your advisor whitethorn besides urge tax strategies, based connected your fiscal goals, to assistance minimize your yearly and beingness taxation liability.
  • Long-term investing goals whitethorn see funding education for your children oregon redeeming for retirement.
  • It's besides important to code bequest goals by creating an property plan.

How bash I find the champion fiscal advisor adjacent maine for young professionals?

  • Young professionals whitethorn question a fiscal advisor to assistance juggle competing fiscal priorities portion gathering their career.
  • Key readying issues whitethorn see starting to invest, paying disconnected student loans, navigating worker benefits, buying a archetypal home and redeeming for a wedding oregon having children.
  • Some fiscal advisors enactment with younger investors and don't person minimum plus requirements. These planners whitethorn complaint one-time, hourly oregon monthly fees alternatively than a percent for assets nether management.
  • You tin usage directories from the CFP Board, XY Planning Network oregon the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors to find a fiduciary fiscal advisor. 

Methodology: How we picked the champion fiscal advisors for 2025 

CNBC utilized information investigation and editorial reappraisal to compile its seventh yearly Financial Advisor 100 list.

For 2025, we started with 40,563 RIAs from the SEC's regulatory database. That database was filtered to 1,015 firms, and the finalists completed surveys to verify cardinal details. CNBC conducted an editorial reappraisal of entries, earlier information spouse AccuPoint Solutions applied our proprietary weighted criteria to constrictive down the database and fertile the firms.

Among different criteria, we considered:

  • Assets nether management
  • Firm determination and states registered
  • Regulatory and compliance records
  • Firm size and years successful business
  • Number of certified fiscal planners
  • Number of concern advisors registered with the firm

You tin larn much by speechmaking our afloat methodology for determining the champion fiscal advisors.

CNBC idiosyncratic concern reporters Jessica Dickler, Gregory Iacurci, Lorie Konish, Annie Nova and Ana Teresa Solá contributed to this story. 

CNBC receives nary compensation from placing fiscal advisory firms connected our Financial Advisor 100 list. Additionally, a firm's oregon advisor's quality successful our ranking does not represent an idiosyncratic endorsement by CNBC of immoderate steadfast oregon advisor.

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