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For those looking for a financial advisor in the Peach State’s capital, this list of the best financial advisors in Atlanta can help narrow your search so you can find an advisor who is right for you. Of course, finding the right fit will also require taking the time to consider what your financial needs and goals are and how much you can comfortably spend on an advisor’s services.
Still, that leaves a lot of data to dig through and firms to compare to determine which companies fit the bill. In the hopes of making that process easier, we compiled the most pertinent information on the best financial advisors in Atlanta. We only considered firms that manage individual accounts and offer financial planning services for this list, and then ranked those firms based on assets under management (AUM). All data used in our methodology is taken from each firm’s Form ADV most recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
While our ranking alone won’t tell you which firm may be best for you, it can hopefully help guide your search. Take a look at our list below for the top financial advisory firms in Atlanta and what you need to know about them.
| Firm name | Minimum assets required | Fee structure |
|---|---|---|
| Homrich Berg | No set minimum |
|
| Investment Research & Advisory (IRA), Group, Inc. | $1 million |
|
| Nicholas Hoffman & Company, LLC | Not specified |
|
| Iron Capital Advisors Inc. | Not specified |
|
| Brightworth, LLC | $1 million |
|
| SignatureFD, LLC | $2 million |
|
| Edge Capital Group, LLC | $5 million |
|
| Capital Investment Advisors, LLC | $500,000 |
|
To start our list of the best financial advisors in Atlanta, we’ve got Homeric Berg. Founded in 1989, the firm provides wealth management services to individuals, including high net worth individuals, defined by the SEC as those with at least $750,000 under an advisor’s management or a net worth believed to be at least $1.5 million. The firm also works with trusts, retirement plans, corporate entities and family offices. It can also offer more targeted investment advice based solely on a client’s investment objects and instructions.
The firm’s principal owner is Andrew Berg, who also serves as CEO of the company, and 23 employees are additional owners. Homrich Berg has three offices in the Atlanta area, alongside locations in Alpharetta, Ga.; Sandy Springs, Ga.; and Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Homrich Berg uses asset allocation models to construct most portfolios, but it customizes them as necessary. The portfolios the firm creates primarily contain exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds and individual securities, but may sometimes also include alternatives, such as private equity, real estate and hedge funds.
The primary custodian of accounts opened with Homrich Berg is Charles Schwab & Company, and investment purchases are primarily made through them. On occasion, Homrich Berg may also use Fidelity Investments or TD Ameritrade Institutional.
Homrich Berg reports no legal or disciplinary history. This includes any civil, criminal or regulatory events from within the last 10 years that involve either the firm or its employees or affiliates. For more information about Homrich Berg, visit the firm’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) page.
Founded in 1992 by its current owner and principal Douglas B. Leeson, Investment Research & Advisory Group, Inc., also known as IRA Group, provides investment advice to private and institutional clients, including individuals, foundations, endowments and pension plans. Though the firm generally requires a minimum account size of $1 million, its individual client base is split between individuals who are and are not considered high net worth.
In addition to securities advice, IRA Group also provides advice on financial planning, tax issues and trust services. The firm’s Atlanta location is its only office.
IRA Group places an emphasis on mutual funds and ETFs in client portfolios, and also includes individual stocks and bonds as necessary. The firm believes strongly in global diversification.
When choosing investments, IRA Group only considers publicly-traded securities, including open-end mutual funds, ETFs, individual stocks and bonds, options and CDs. The firm compiles a list of the investments it thinks are best, based on its proprietary analytical process, and then puts them on the “IRA Group Focus List.” When investments are removed from the list, they are also taken out of client portfolios. While most of the investments in their clients’ portfolios will be on the list, some exceptions are made for those not included on the list.
IRA Group has one disciplinary issue on its record. For reference, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires all registered investment advisors to report any civil, legal or regulatory issues involving the firm, its employees or its affiliates from over the last 10 years on their Form ADV paperwork.
The issue on IRA Group’s record relates to an error in which three of the firm’s advisors were incorrectly coded as “terminated” due to an administrative error. The firm caught and self-reported the issue, and the state of Georgia reinstated the advisors. IRA Group paid $5,000 to the state as a reimbursement for their time and also made a $5,000 donation to the Investor Protection Trust for Investor Education. There was no civil penalty assessed.
For more information on IRA Group, visit the firm’s IAPD page.
Founded in 2007, Nicholas Hoffman & Company offers investment advisory and financial planning services to its clients. The firm works with individuals both high net worth and not, in addition to a small group of institutional clients that includes pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations and businesses.
The firm is solely owned by Nicholas J. Hoffman, who is ultimately responsible for the firm’s investment strategies for all clients. Its sole office location is in Atlanta.
Nicholas Hoffman & Company’s approach to investing varies based on each client’s plan, which is specifically developed for them based on their particulars. This includes the client’s financial situation, goals and objectives and any potential future problems that could arise.
Based on the client’s plan, the firm will primarily invest their assets in ETFs, mutual funds, managed accounts and some stocks and bonds. It may also use private funds, which could include hedge funds, investments in real estate, private equity and private debt.
Nicholas Hoffman & Company reports no disclosures, meaning that neither the firm nor its employees or advisory affiliates have encountered any issues within the last decade. This includes civil, criminal or regulatory events.
For further information, visit Nicholas Hoffman & Company’s IAPD page.
Iron Capital Advisors Inc. was founded in 2003 by Charles Osborne and Larry Gray. Osborne is the sole owner and managing director today.
The firm offers portfolio management services as well as defined contribution plan services. Its clients include individuals with and without a high net worth, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts and estates. Iron Capital Advisors has just one office, located in Atlanta.
Iron Capital Advisors uses four models to create its clients’ investment plans, which are based on their financial circumstances, objectives and risk tolerance. The available models include a fixed income strategy, a global equity strategy, an income producing strategy and a long-term equity opportunity investment strategy. In some cases, the strategies are combined.
Iron Capital Advisors chooses stocks via a proprietary selection model. It starts with more than 3,000 companies and narrows it down to a “best ideas” portfolio consisting of 20 to 30 stocks. Although the firm does believe in the importance of company selection, it thinks that portfolio construction is the top priority. It aims to allocate the largest percentage of clients’ assets to companies with the highest anticipated returns, while aiming to minimize taxes and portfolio turnover.
Iron Capital Advisors reports no disciplinary history, meaning it has a record free of any civil, criminal or regulatory issues. The SEC requires that all registered investment advisors report any such incidents from within the last decade on their Form ADV paperwork.
For more information on Iron Capital Advisors, visit the firm’s IAPD page.
Brightworth, LLC was founded in 1997 by Dave Polstra, Chris Dardaman, Alan Gotthardt and Ray Padrón as Polstra & Dardaman, LLC. Padrón currently serves as Brightworth’s CEO, and Polstra is a partner. The firm is majority-owned by CI Financial Corp., an
independent asset and wealth management company in Canada.
Brightworth, which generally requires a minimum account size of $1 million, serves individuals both with and without a high net worth, as well as trusts, estates, charitable organizations, small businesses and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm offers investment management, wealth planning services and seminars and planning services tailored to business owners.
In addition to its office in Atlanta, the firm also has an office in Charlotte, N.C. for its McGill Advisors division, which focuses on serving dental industry professionals. This division requires a $300,000 minimum investment requirement, which is lower than that of Brightworth.
Brightworth invests most client portfolios in one of its models and then further customizes it as needed based on the client’s specific goals and objectives. The firm primarily constructs client’s portfolios using stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs and private investment strategies, such as hedge funds and real estate. It uses third-party money managers, who are selected by the company’s investment committee and investment analysts, to manage client accounts.
Additionally, the firm manages individual stock portfolios. For these portfolios, Brightworth seeks to identify industries that are on the verge of growth opportunities and then analyzes these companies to select individual stocks.
Brightworth, LLC reports no disclosures, meaning it has a disciplinary record free of any civil, criminal or regulatory events within the last 10 years involving the firm, its employees or its affiliates. For more information, visit the firm’s IAPD page.
SignatureFD, LLC was founded in 1997. The firm provides investment management and, to the extent the client requests, financial planning and consulting services. With a typical investment requirement of $2 million, SignatureFD primarily serves individuals (both who are and are not high net worth), businesses, trusts, estates and charitable organizations.
In addition to its headquarters in Atlanta, the firm also has an office in Charlotte, N.C. The firm is owned by its employees.
SignatureFD’s primary investment strategies include long-term purchases (those held for a year or more), short-term purchases (those sold within a year) and trading (investments sold within 30 days). The firm may also use short sales, options and margin transactions as appropriate.
In analyzing securities to determine its recommendations, SignatureFD uses a variety of analysis methods to forecast the direction of prices, including:
SignatureFD has a clean disciplinary record. This means that it reports no issues in its Form ADV paperwork filed with the SEC, which may include any civil, regulatory or criminal events involving the firm or its affiliates. You can learn more about SignatureFD by visiting the firm’s IAPD page.
Edge Capital Group, LLC was originally formed in 2006 as Edge Advisors, LLC. The firm is now part of the Focus Financial Partners, LLC partnership, which includes other investment advisors and firms owned by the publicly traded company. Though it is part of this partnership, Edge Capital Group is independently managed by a committee made up of five employees, including Will Skeean, who serves as chairman of the board.
Edge Capital Group primarily serves high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals and families, with a minimum investment requirement of $5 million. The firm provides wealth management services, outsourced CIO services, financial planning and family office services.
In addition to its headquarters in Atlanta, the firm also has offices in Charlotte, N.C.; Chapel Hill, N.C.; Lexington, Ky.; Nashville, Tenn.; Tampa, Fla.; and Dallas.
Edge Capital Group constructs portfolios based on individual clients’ needs. Accounts are monitored at least quarterly and adjusted as necessary. The firm typically recommends mutual funds, ETFs and private investment fund managers for its clients’ portfolios.
Edge Capital Group also has an internal asset management division, Blue Current, that offers both a global dividend strategy and an ultra-short fixed income Strategy that the firm may recommend for some clients.
Edge Capital Group reports no legal or disciplinary events. For reference, the SEC requires that all registered investment advisors report these events in their Form ADV paperwork that they must file. You can get more information on Edge Capital Group by visiting the firm’s IAPD page.
Founded in 1996, Capital Investment Advisors, LLC, rounds out our list of the best financial advisors in Atlanta. Its three primary owners are managing partners Mitchell Reiner, Matthew Reiner and Wesley Moss.
The firm works with individual investors who both are and are not high net worth individuals, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations and businesses. It generally requires a $500,000 account minimum to access the firm’s services, which include asset management and pension consulting.
In addition to its headquarters in Atlanta, Capital Investment Advisors also has offices in Denver, Tampa, Fla., Atlanta, and Phoenix. It has additional meeting locations in Georgia, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, Texas and Washington.
Capital Investment Advisors typically places client assets into two primary types of investments: growth investments and income investments. Growth investments most often include ETFs and stocks, while income investments typically include bond mutual funds, bond ETFs, individual issued bonds and closed-end funds. In certain cases, the firm may also offer clients access to private funds overseen by its affiliate, Altera, as well as limited partnerships, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and royalty trusts.
To evaluate investments, Capital Investment Advisors primarily uses fundamental analysis. This method of analysis looks at a company’s or product’s sales, assets, markets, management and other factors.
Capital Investment Advisors reports no disciplinary actions that occurred within the last 10 years. This includes any civil, criminal or regulatory actions against either the firm or its employees or advisory affiliates.
You can learn more about this disclosure and Capital Investment Advisors by visiting the firm’s IAPD page.
Georgia’s income tax rate ranges from 1% to 5.75%. The Peach State has no estate or inheritance tax, though if you inherit property from a state that does have one, you still may be subject to that as well as to federal estate taxes.
No, not all financial advisors focus on this topic area. Because retirement planning can be a complicated topic, you want to make sure you find an advisor who knows the ins and outs of it if that’s your primary concern. When considering advisors, ask them how much experience they have with retirement planning and other key questions about their background and credentials.
It’s understandable why you might focus your search on a fee-only financial advisor, as they earn money only through fees their clients pay, thus minimizing potential conflicts of interest. To find a fee-only advisor in Atlanta, you can use online search tools, such as those provided by The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors or the Financial Planning Association.
You should also ask an advisor how they are compensated. All registered investment advisors must file a Form ADV with the SEC, which lists the types of fees they charge. You can ask an advisor for a copy or look it up at adviserinfo.sec.gov.
To find the best financial advisor for you in Atlanta, take inventory of your needs and calculate your assets, then eliminate those advisors that don’t meet those needs or who require more assets than you have.
Beyond that, you want to evaluate advisors’ credentials, the fees they charge and their investment strategies. Getting referrals from family and friends is always a good place to start, and MagnifyMoney also has a tool to help you narrow down your search for a financial advisor.
In our search for the best financial advisors in Atlanta, we looked at firms throughout the city. All the firms considered are bound by fiduciary duty, registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and offer individual account management and financial planning services. Information for our methodology criteria is taken directly from each firm’s most recent Form ADV filing and brochure, found in the IAPD database.
To localize our results for this list of the best financial advisors in Atlanta, we exclusively looked at firms that met the above criteria and had their headquarters in Georgia, per the address provided in the Form ADV. We only considered those firms that offer financial planning services and portfolio management to individual investors. To be considered for this list, firms also could have no more than one disciplinary disclosure in the past 10 years. From there, the remaining firms that met all of the above stipulations were ranked in order of highest to lowest AUM, as this is an indication of a firm’s size and how many assets it has been entrusted to manage.
Our reviews have also listed several other key features that will help you determine which financial advisor may be most fitting for your investing style and financial needs. While our ranking system and methodology can help you compare firms, it does not indicate which firm may be best for you. All information here is accurate as of March 11, 2022, but don’t hesitate to check out any firm’s Form ADV for yourself on the SEC’s Investment Advisor Public Disclosure site.
Julie Ryan EvansJulie Ryan Evans is a writer and editor who has covered small business, real estate and personal finance for nearly a decade. She has written for an array of publications, including USA Today, Realtor.com, LendingTree and Debt.com.
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