So you've got some money — maybe it's a bonus, an inheritance, or just years of grinding finally paying off — and now you're staring at a bank account thinking: "What the heck do I actually do with this?"
That's the question most people never get a straight answer to. And honestly? That's the problem.
Most folks either shove everything into a savings account earning nothing, or they jump into the market blind and panic when it dips. Neither is smart. What you actually need is someone in your corner — a real, vetted professional — who can help you build a plan for your money before your money loses its chance to work for you.
That's exactly why asset planning services exist. These aren't just number-crunchers. The good ones sit down with you, figure out what you want your life to look like, and build a financial map to get there — retirement planning, estate planning, tax optimization, investment management, the whole thing.
I've pulled together 50 of the top firms across the country, organized by state, so you can find one close to home. Let's get into it.
What to Look for Before You Pick One
Before we get to the list, here's the cheat sheet for choosing a firm:
- Fiduciary status — They are legally required to act in your best interest, not theirs. Non-negotiable.
- Fee structure — Fee-only (you pay them directly) is cleaner than commission-based (they earn when they sell you products).
- AUM minimum — Some firms won't talk to you unless you walk in with $500K+. Others start at $50K or less.
- Credentials — Look for CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) and/or CFA designations.
- Specialty — Some firms focus on retirees. Others love helping young entrepreneurs or tech workers pre-IPO.
Know what you need. Then match accordingly.
You can also read the Top 10 Wealth Management Services To Grow Your Money
The Top 50 Asset Planning Services, Sorted by State
Arizona
1. Ironwood Financial — Tucson A fee-only RIA that works with retirees and pre-retirees. Known for straightforward financial planning without the sales pressure. Solid for the Southwest crowd thinking about long-term asset protection.
2. McCarthy Asset Management — Scottsdale A smaller boutique that focuses on personalized wealth planning. Good fit if you want a hands-on advisor who actually returns your calls.
California
3. EP Wealth Advisors — Torrance One of the largest fee-only RIAs in the country with over $35 billion in AUM and nearly 50,000 clients. Think comprehensive planning — investments, taxes, retirement, estate — all under one roof.
4. 545 Group — Menlo Park Manages north of $52 billion and specializes in pre-liquidity planning for entrepreneurs, family offices, and private investors. If you're about to have a big exit, these are the people to call first.
5. Jones Zafari Group — Los Angeles Manages roughly $29 billion for ultra-high-net-worth individuals. They go deep on trust and estate planning, liability reduction, and philanthropic strategy.
6. Wetherby Asset Management — San Francisco A long-standing Bay Area firm with a reputation for multi-generational wealth planning. Merged with Laird Norton Wealth Management to expand their capabilities — now offering private investment access and trust services.
7. FSI Wealth Management — San Diego A transparent, fiduciary-first firm with a strong following among aerospace and defense retirees (Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics). Great for industry-specific retirement planning.
Colorado
8. Colorado Financial Management — Denver Boutique RIA focused on long-term financial planning for individuals and families. Clean, conflict-free structure with a focus on retirement income strategies.
Connecticut
9. Cornerstone Advisors — Glastonbury Regional wealth management firm with a reputation for client-centric financial planning. Works well for families and business owners thinking about legacy planning.
Florida
10. Evensky & Katz / Foldes Financial — Coral Gables One of the most respected fee-only planning firms in the Southeast. Harold Evensky literally helped define modern financial planning — the guy wrote the textbook. Manages over $15 billion in AUM.
11. Raymond James Financial — St. Petersburg A Fortune 500 powerhouse headquartered in Florida. Massive network of financial advisors, strong for retirement planning and wealth management at multiple asset levels.
12. Congress Wealth Management — Miami A fast-growing wealth management firm that serves high-net-worth clients across investment strategy, tax planning, and estate planning. Notable for a strong fiduciary commitment.
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Georgia
13. HB Wealth (formerly Homrich Berg) — Atlanta One of the Southeast's premier independent wealth management firms, with nearly $19 billion in AUM and over 19,000 clients. Comprehensive services — think retirement, estate, insurance, and investment planning all in one shop.
Hawaii
14. Cadinha & Co — Honolulu Named to the CNBC Financial Advisor 100 list in 2025. A 46-year-old firm with a deeply client-first philosophy — they literally build their practice around the Hawaiian concept of kuleana (responsibility). One of the most unique cultures in the industry.
Illinois
15. Savant Wealth Management — Rockford A powerhouse fee-only RIA managing nearly $30 billion across 57,000+ client accounts. One of the most recognized fiduciary firms in the Midwest, great for everything from retirement planning to tax-smart investing.
16. Gresham Partners — Chicago Manages over $11.6 billion and caters to ultra-high-net-worth families and single-family offices. Sophisticated stuff — alternative investments, multi-generational planning, customized asset allocation.
Indiana
17. Bedel Financial Consulting — Indianapolis A tight-knit team of fee-only planners working with individuals, families, and business owners. Strong local reputation for honest, conflict-free wealth planning.
Louisiana
18. Argent Financial Group — Ruston One of the South's most established trust and wealth management firms. They specialize in trust administration, estate planning, and investment management — great for clients thinking about what happens to their wealth after they're gone.
Maryland
19. Chevy Chase Trust — Bethesda Manages over $40 billion for a select group of clients. One of the largest fee-only RIAs in the nation with a real focus on family wealth preservation and sophisticated investment management.
Massachusetts
20. Ballentine Partners — Waltham Specializes in ultra-high-net-worth families and entrepreneurs. Known for exceptional planning around liquidity events — i.e., if you're about to sell a business or exercise stock options, these people understand what's at stake.
21. Colony Group — Boston A broad wealth management firm serving both individual investors and institutional clients. Strong reputation for tax-efficient investment strategies and comprehensive financial planning.
Michigan
22. Rehmann Financial — Troy A well-rounded wealth management team embedded within one of the Midwest's top accounting and advisory firms. Great if you want investment management and tax strategy coming from the same house.
Minnesota
23. Sit Investment Associates — Minneapolis An independent investment management firm with decades of experience managing equity and fixed income portfolios. Strong for institutional and individual investors who want active money management.
24. Wealth Enhancement Group — Plymouth A rapidly growing national RIA with roots in Minnesota. Works with clients at multiple wealth levels and has expanded to dozens of offices across the country.
Missouri
25. Moneta Group — St. Louis The largest fee-only RIA in the country by AUM — $42.8 billion managed, over 44,000 client accounts, and 220 investment advisors. Multi-generational wealth planning at scale, and they still manage to feel personal.
Nevada
26. Hightower Advisors — Las Vegas (regional office) A national network of high-quality advisory teams. The Las Vegas presence makes Hightower a go-to for Nevada-based clients wanting access to top-tier, fiduciary wealth management without flying to New York.
New Jersey
27. Peapack Private Wealth Management — Bedminster Full-service private wealth management with a strong emphasis on trust, estate, and tax planning. Great for the affluent tri-state crowd looking for white-glove service outside of Manhattan.
28. RegentAtlantic — Morristown A respected fee-only firm serving high-net-worth individuals and families across comprehensive financial planning. Known for transparency and a genuine long-term approach.
New York
29. Silvercrest Asset Management — New York City Serves ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional clients. Strong on customized investment management and multigenerational wealth strategies.
30. Bernstein Private Wealth Management — New York City A division of AllianceBernstein with a global reach and deep research capabilities. Think sophisticated asset allocation, estate planning, and tax-aware investing for serious wealth.
31. Polk Wealth Management Group — New York City Manages over $44 billion exclusively for ultra-high-net-worth individuals. Minimum account size? $50 million. If you're playing at that level, this team delivers bespoke, white-glove service.
32. Fiduciary Trust International — New York City One of the oldest trust companies in the US, managing multi-generational wealth for over a century. Known for estate planning, trust administration, and tax-efficient investing with long-term staying power.
North Carolina
33. Captrust — Raleigh One of the largest independent RIAs in the country. Dual focus on individual wealth management and institutional retirement plan consulting. Great reputation for retirement planning at scale.
Ohio
34. Clearstead — Cleveland Manages over $24 billion and serves high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and endowments. Known for investment management depth and clear, conflict-free advice — the name isn't accidental.
Oregon
35. Arnerich Massena — Portland An independent fiduciary firm serving endowments, foundations, and private clients. Strong on ESG (environmental, social, governance) investment strategies — good fit if your values matter in your portfolio.
Pennsylvania
36. Glenmede Trust — Philadelphia A top-tier independent trust company with nearly 60 years of history. Manages wealth for families, foundations, and endowments with a deep bench of investment professionals and estate planning experts.
37. SEI — Oaks A major player in wealth management technology and advisory services. Unique in that they power both independent advisors and manage client assets directly — broad resources, global reach.
Rhode Island
38. Parsons Capital Management — Providence The #1-ranked firm on the 2025 CNBC Financial Advisor 100. That's not a small thing — CNBC started with over 40,000 RIAs and ranked these guys first. Family-focused wealth management with decades of experience.
Tennessee
39. Diversified Trust — Nashville A private, independent trust company serving ultra-high-net-worth families across the Southeast. Deep expertise in estate administration, investment management, and family wealth governance.
Texas
40. Sarofim Trust — Houston One of the most prestigious trust and investment management firms in Texas. Long-standing reputation for conservative, high-quality portfolio management and estate planning services.
41. Tolleson Wealth Management — Dallas A private, family office-style firm managing highly complex wealth situations. Known for multigenerational planning, tax strategy, and family governance structures.
42. Westwood Holdings — Dallas A publicly traded investment manager with a strong track record in equity and multi-asset portfolios. Good for investors looking for institutional-quality money management.
43. Covenant Wealth Advisors — Austin A growing, fee-only RIA strong on retirement income planning and portfolio construction. A good fit for Austin's wave of tech professionals and early retirees.
Utah
44. Summit Financial Strategies — Salt Lake City A fiduciary wealth management firm focused on retirement planning, tax efficiency, and long-term wealth preservation. Serves professionals and business owners across the Mountain West.
Virginia
45. Cassaday & Company — McLean A nationally recognized fee-only firm, consistently ranked among the top independent advisors in the country. Comprehensive planning: retirement, estate, investments, and tax, all in-house.
46. Edelman Financial Engines — Fairfax One of the largest independent RIAs in the US. Ric Edelman built this firm on the idea that financial planning should be accessible to everyone, not just the ultra-wealthy. Strong for middle-market investors.
Washington
47. Laird Norton Wealth Management — Seattle A Pacific Northwest institution with over 100 years of history. Offers multi-generational planning, trust services, and access to private investments — now combined with Wetherby's capabilities for even deeper reach.
48. Petersen Hastings Wealth Advisors — Kennewick Ranked #38 on the 2025 CNBC Financial Advisor 100. Their philosophy: wealth management is about people, not just portfolios. Known for a high-touch, personalized approach across investments, insurance, and retirement.
Wisconsin
49. Baird Private Wealth Management — Milwaukee Part of the Robert W. Baird financial group — an employee-owned firm with a sterling reputation. Comprehensive wealth management services from investment management to estate and tax planning.
50. Johnson Financial Group — Racine A Wisconsin-based family-owned wealth management firm with broad services — banking, insurance, and investment management all coordinated under one roof.
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The Takeaway
Here's the real talk: the best firm isn't the biggest firm. It's the one whose service model, fee structure, and planning philosophy actually matches where you are right now.
Starting with $100K looks different from managing $10M. Early career planning looks different from pre-retirement. Find the firm that speaks your language and has a track record to back it up.
Use this list as a starting point. Then do your own homework — check their Form ADV on the SEC's website, verify fiduciary status, and always, always have a first conversation before signing anything.
Nothing in this article is financial advice. Always consult a licensed financial professional before making investment decisions.
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