FA 100

CNBC charts Top 100 fee-only wealth managers of 2014

The CNBC Digital editorial team presents, for 2014, our inaugural list of the Top 100 Fee-Only Wealth Management Firms. Click here for the full firm financial and contact details.

Top 100 Fee-Only Wealth Management Firms

Rank Firm Name Total AUM<br> ($ in millions) Years In <br>Business AUM<br>Annualized<br> 5 yr (%) Total<br>Rank
1Creative Planning10005.33158.58.3
2Halbert Hargrove3974.62629.78
3Wescott Financial Advisory Group1820.12713.37.8
4Burt Wealth Advisors500.92912.37.7
5Point View Wealth Management179.42121.47.7
6Adams Hall Wealth Advisors2107.81819.87.6
7SMF Financial Advisors552.5632.67.6
8Silveroak Wealth Management489.71323.87.6
9Carl Domino282.41011.17.6
10Regency Investment Advisors2742116.27.6
11Signature3133.1209.47.5
12Inverness Counsel2491.4232.87.5
13Foster Group14562315.57.5
14Bloom Asset Management1029.119157.5
15Lodestar Private Asset Management 359.82411.87.5
16Carlson Capital Management1176.52410.37.4
17CPS Investment Advisors754.82517.27.4
18Jackson Thornton Asset Management777.51213.87.4
19Jones Barclay Boston & Co.307.22016.57.4
20Financial Designs Corporation266.119177.4
21Segall Bryant & Hamill9468.12018.37.3
22BKD Wealth Advisors1975.71512.17.3
23LB&C20414418.57.3
24Warren Averett Asset Management1729.51335.57.3
25LBMC Investment Advisors904.21625.67.3
26Durbin Bennett Peterson Private Wealth Management867.313177.3
27Capital Performance Advisors LLP1006.614147.3
28Windham Brannon Financial Group8611419.47.3
29Heritage Investment Group816.31312.27.3
30Sanderson Wealth Management6051212.87.3
31Lutz Financial6121126.97.3
32PBMares Wealth Management 3401129.87.3
33KR Financial Services3071123.97.3
34Kraft Asset Management216.9819.97.3
35Buckingham Asset Management5601.4731.97.2
36Balasa Dinverno Foltz 2769.21318.67.2
37South Texas Money Management2170.1149.17.2
38SignatureFD2035.21318.47.2
39Waddell & Associates 771.528187.2
40Beaird Harris Wealth Management656.71821.47.2
41Sandhill Investment Management503.21033.97.2
42DT Investment Partners494.3318.67.2
43Schenck Investment Solutions4811219.87.2
44Wagner Bowman Management Corp389.1287.57.2
45Fiduciary Financial Services Of The Southwest 3772410.77.2
46HBC Financial Services193.5921.37.2
47Lowery Thomas1431412.67.2
48Matter Family Office2487.72428.97.1
49Empirical Wealth Management808.3340.67.1
50Grandfield & Dodd885.5138.57.1
51AKT Wealth Advisors674.2626.87.1
52PrairieView Partners300.4727.27.1
53Kuntz Lesher Capital 297.7821.27.1
54Tellone Management Group 305.22714.67.1
55Mason Road Wealth Advisors277.1825.57.1
56Pennington Financial Group190.6149.67.1
57McCarthy Asset Management1731215.97.1
58Geller Family Office Services 2158.59-12.27.05
59Jacobsen Capital Management161.31019.97.05
60Disciplined Investments159.51044.17.05
61Brighton Jones25171417.87
62Foster & Motley 913.21814.37
63Dean Investments548.43911.67
64SB Capital Management499.51111.27
65The Proper Analysis Corporation328.32211.67
66Thor Investment Management 324.32213.97
67Asset Strategies299.61215.37
68White Oaks Wealth Advisors 429.91819.57
69East Coast Asset Management377.4657.57
70GreerWalker Wealth Management 327.212107
71William Mack & Associates 259.122-2.87
72Whitener Capital Management 151.527117
73Crowley Wealth Management158.82716.67
74Pathstone Family Office1812.9554.26.95
75Raffa Wealth Management 435.4727.36.95
76Kyle Financial Services187.21214.86.95
77Mercer Global Advisors5512.5616.26.9
78Smith & Howard Wealth Management511.21526.36.9
79Lehman Financial Resources418.588.66.9
80Cranbrook Wealth Management438.4816.56.9
81Rockbridge Investment Management336.81320.96.9
82Grant/GrossMendelsohn275.51813.86.9
83Alexander Randolph Advisory 271.2237.26.9
84Commonwealth Advisory Group258.21313.46.9
85Weaver C. Barksdale & Associates4055.6306.26.85
86TFO Phoenix1317.13105.36.85
87New Wealth Advisors2758486.85
88The Golub Group1014.61114.36.8
89GHP Investment Advisors 821.71918.16.8
90Valicenti Advisory Services 376.73196.8
91KEB Asset Management336.21020.96.8
92Daniels + Tansey263.3109.46.8
93Carter Asset Management218.41320.16.8
94Investment Advisory Professionals 1771513.36.8
95Tricapital Advisors 188.1169.66.8
96Pathway Financial Advisors210.3913.56.8
97Red Door Wealth Management102.94526.8
98Landmark Wealth Management98.3928.56.8
99Onyx Financial Advisors92.2926.36.8
100The Mosaic Financial Group441.414-5.86.75

Source: CNBC/Meridian-IQ/AdviceIQ

Methodology

The CNBC Digital editorial team, along with Meridian-IQ, created the following ranking methodology for its Top 100 Fee-Only Wealth Management Firms rankings. Scores for each measure listed below were weighted according to a proprietary formula to arrive at a final total rank:

  • Assets under management
  • Having staff with professional designations such as a CFP or CFA
  • Working with third-party professionals such as attorneys or CPAs
  • Average account size
  • Client segmentation
  • Growth of assets
  • Years in business
  • Number of advisory clients
  • Providing advice on insurance solutions

Firms with greater AUM totals were given a higher ranking in the case of numerical ties of the above formula. The Meridian/AdviceIQ team then applied the formula to the Meridian-IQ database of all RIAs to create the list. The final step to create the Top 100 Fee-Only Wealth Management Firms list for CNBC.com was to apply the AdviceIQ Regulatory Compliance Review (RCR) process to the master list and eliminate any firm that failed the RCR process. The RCR process is a due-diligence process whereby each advisory firm was compared with the RCR database of all regulatory actions from all four primary regulators: SEC, FINRA, state regulators and state insurance commissioners. In order to pass the RCR process, an advisory firm cannot have any complaints, actions or disclosures from any of the above regulators.