MagnifyMoney 
When you’re in Hawaii, you can expect sunny weather and warm waters year-round. Your finances deserve to be in good hands year-round, too. But how do you find the best financial advisors in Hawaii — the ones that embrace the Ohana spirit and treat you and your goals like family?
Well, you can turn to MagnifyMoney. We’ve compiled a list of Hawaii’s top financial advisors using a list of exacting criteria to help you confidently start your search for a trusted financial professional with confidence.
| Firm | City | Minimum assets required | Fee structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cadinha & Co., LLC | Honolulu | $1 million |
|
| The Rice Partnership, LLC | Honolulu | None |
|
| Andrews Advisory Associates, LLC | Honolulu | $250,000 |
|
| Yim Investment Management, LLC | Honolulu | $250,000 |
|
| Kahala Financial Advisors, LLC | Honolulu | $500,000 |
|
| Shiraishi Financial Group Advisors | Honolulu | None required, but generally recommends at least $50,000 |
|
| Robert Priske, LLC | Honolulu | $500,000 |
|
| Fort Street Asset Management LLC | Honolulu | $1 million |
|
| BrightTree Financial | Honolulu | $100,000 |
|
| Jennings Financial Planning, Inc. | Honolulu | None, except for fixed income portfolios |
|
Cadinha & Co. kicks off our list of the best financial advisors in Hawaii. Owned by the Harlan H. Cadinha family and founded in 1979, Cadinha and Co. is a fee-based firm that claims to incorporate Aloha (acting with love), Ohana (family) and Mahalo (gratitude) in their approach to client relationships. While based in Honolulu, you can also find Cadinha & Co offices in Park City, Utah.
In researching the firm, we found that Cadinha & Co.’s fees are slightly lower than the industry average. According to our recent research on financial advisor fees, asset under management (AUM) fees averaged between 0.59% to 1.18%; Cadinha & Co’s fees range from 0.25% to 1.00%.
It’s important to note that you may pay fees above and beyond your annual AUM charges, but those fees won’t be paid to the firm. For example, this firm doesn’t act as custodian for its client assets. Therefore, if you choose to become a client, you may pay custodial and brokerage fees to your custodian — which is a common practice for many advisory firms.
Throughout its marketing materials, the firm uses common industry language to tout how it builds client portfolios and researches investments. We wish there were something more concrete to share on the unique strategies Cadinha & Co. employs, but we can share that their investment selection appears diverse, including:
This firm also operates on a discretionary basis, meaning you won’t have to approve every transaction.
None to report.
None reported in the last 10 years.
For more information on Cadinha & Co’s disciplinary disclosure status or to verify any of the information we’ve included in our review, visit their Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) page with the SEC.
Entirely owned by its employees, The Rice Partnership opened its Honolulu doors in 2005. This fee-only firm offers investment and financial planning with regular portfolio oversight to reach your financial goals. The Rice Partnership also specializes in multigenerational legacy planning so your Keiki (children) can enjoy the wealth you’ve built.
While the firm has no investment minimum — making it attractive to those seeking their first financial advisor relationship. However, they state in their Form ADV Part 2 brochure that they may choose not to work with clients with smaller portfolios. We recommend contacting the firm for a direct conversation about their preferred investment minimums.
For those choosing The Rice Partnership, AUM fees range from 0.50% to 1.00% based on your account size and type, which are lower than the industry average. If you have a portfolio of $5 million or more, you have some negotiating power, as your AUM fees are negotiable.
While this firm’s headquarters is in Honolulu, you can find additional office locations in Kahului, Hawaii, San Luis Obispo, Calif. and Paso Robles, Calif.
In our review of publicly available information, the firm uses standard language to describe how it builds client portfolios. What we found particularly interesting is that the firm calls out its socially responsible investing (SRI) capabilities in addition to standard equity and fixed income portfolios. Given that SRI strategies can be complex, The Rice Partnership uses external SRI-specific managers to vet investments and create strategies that they might recommend for your portfolio.
As a client, your advisors will use a range of common securities such as stocks, ETFs, and fixed income and may use satellite strategies such as emerging markets, commodities and higher-risk debt (like high-yield bonds) to round out your portfolio as appropriate.
The Rice Partnership may receive compensation if they refer you to Schwab as a custodian for your accounts. While this isn’t uncommon, you may want to ask your advisor about this type of compensation and potential alternatives to using Schwab for your assets (and a fee comparison couldn’t hurt).
None reported in the past 10 years.
For more information on The Rice Partnership’s disciplinary disclosure status or to verify any of the information we’ve included in our review, visit their Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) page with the SEC.
Operating since 1991, Bankoh Advisors is a fee-based firm owned by the Bank of Hawaii Corporation. You might find this firm attractive if you’re already a customer of Hawaii’s largest bank. Consolidating your banking and wealth management services, especially if you meet the $100,000 investment minimum, could help streamline your financial life.
If you’re considering the firm, their AUM fees come in lower than national averages (0.50% to 1%). Those fees are technically wrap fees, which “wrap up” management and transactional fees like commissions into one tidy package. While your Bankoh financial advisor might present you with products where they can potentially earn commissions, advisors here can’t double-dip. That means your advisor can only earn the AUM fee or a commission, but not both.
Your Bankoh advisor will likely take a long-term approach to your financial plan and investment recommendations. Our research shows that they use industry-standard methods for determining investment suitability, such as risk tolerance and time horizon, too.
However, we did find it notable that Bankoh Advisors doesn’t require discretionary authority over your accounts. In short, you and your advisor will discuss every transaction before execution.
Concerning investment selection, the firm isn’t clear on the types of investments they offer clients. They note that they use third-party investment managers but don’t share information on model portfolios, asset classes or proprietary strategies. For us, that’s not particularly concerning as the firm provides complementary financial planning for all clients investing $100,000 or more. When reviewing your financial plan, you can discuss their specific investment recommendations.
Your financial advisor with Bankoh may also be a licensed insurance agent and earn a commission on certain insurance-based sales in addition to your annual AUM fee. If you’re considering products like life insurance or an annuity, ask your advisor how they’re compensated.
None reported in the past 10 years.
For more information on the firm’s disclosure status or any of the information we’ve shared above, stop by the Bankoh Advisors’ IAPD page.
If you’re affluent in the islands, Regency Capital Management, Inc. could be a consideration for your investment management needs. While founded only in 2021, the firm quickly built its clientele and keeps a relatively small client list for its two advisors — only 39 clients as of their 2022 Form ADV filing.
Regency Capital is a fee-based firm that only manages client funds on a discretionary basis. Their AUM fees are well within industry norms, too — 0.50% to 1% for most strategies but as low as 0.10% for cash management accounts. Beyond AUM fees, however, you may also pay third-party fees such as custodial fees, brokerage fees and commissions and third-party management fees depending on the investments in your portfolio.
If you’re in Honolulu, you’ll be close to the firm’s headquarters. When you venture to the mainland, they offer a Seattle office as well.
If you’re a fan of a clear and methodical approach to wealth management, the firm’s Rational Wealth Management may be intriguing. This seven-step process takes you from a comprehensive financial plan to ongoing consulting and performance evaluation.
When we look at the firm, we see a truly holistic approach to investment strategy and wealth management that affluent investors demand. While they offer six different model portfolios and familiar investments such as government securities and foreign debt instruments, you’ll likely be more interested in the way those tools get incorporated into your overall plan.
The firm’s ability to consult on tax efficiency, your business holdings and strategies for wealth preservation when new legislation impacts the tax code could perk your ears up as you consider what the firm could bring to your overall investment strategy.
Regency is new to referring clients to Schwab as a potential custodian for their assets. The firm may receive non-financial compensation for doing so.
None reported in the past 10 years.
To learn more about the firm, its disclosure history and more, visit Regency Capital Management’s IAPD page with the SEC.
Serving the islands since 2006, Andrews Advisory Associate is a fee-only firm owned by Christina M. Cotten and Travis Tsukayama with a single office location in Honolulu. Both Cotten and Tsukayama are Certified Financial Planners (CFPs) as well.
Another positive note: The firm’s fees are on par with industry averages, if not a tad below. For all firm programs (wrap fee and non-wrap accounts), fees range from 0.50% to 1% AUM. You can choose to have fees deducted from cash balances in your accounts or direct billing, where you’d pay your AUM fees in cash.
The firm also offers financial planning services on a fixed-fee basis, with fees capped at $10,000. They do state that financial planning services are only available to their existing clients. Therefore, if you’re curious about working with the firm, we suggest scheduling a complimentary consultation where you can inquire further about the planning process if you choose to become a client.
If you choose to work with the firm, they promote two investment strategies on their website which aren’t mentioned in their Part 2 brochure:
Whether additional strategies are available is unclear, but the firm states that its main focus is low-cost portfolios. As a client, you could expect your advisor to review your taxable investments for ways to reduce your tax liability. Additionally, the firm doesn’t outsource investment management to third parties and designs its portfolios in-house.
Finally, you’ll be able to decide between discretionary and nondiscretionary account management.
The firm may receive compensation for recommending you use TD Ameritrade as your broker. While it’s not uncommon for firms to have relationships with brokerages, you can ask your advisor about the type of compensation they receive from TD. You can also ask for a fee comparison with other brokerages.
None reported in the past 10 years.
To confirm the disclosure history or learn more about the firm, you can review the most recent Form ADV and Part 2 brochures on the Andrews Advisory Associates IAPD page.
Founded in 1986 and based in Honolulu, Kahala Financial Advisors is a fee-only firm focused on clients making the transition to retirement and those already retired. Owners Greg Miyashiro and his son, Ryan Miyashiro, both hold an advanced CFP credential, which requires between 4,000 and 6,000 hours of financial advisory practice in addition to several other education and exam requirements.
With a substantial $1 million as a minimum investment, this won’t be the ideal firm if you’re a new or emerging investor unless you combine accounts with a spouse or other family member to meet the minimum. However, the firm’s fee structure could translate to lower-than-average AUM fees.
For example, you’d pay $8,750 in AUM fees per year with a portfolio of exactly $1 million. That translates to a 0.875% AUM fee, well below the industry average of 1.18%.
Keep in mind that you may pay fees beyond your annual AUM fee, like mutual fund management fees — which are not uncommon. However, these fees aren’t paid to Kahala advisors.
If you choose to work with Kahala, be prepared to commit to a longer-term investment strategy of at least five to 10 years; this firm doesn’t indulge in market-timing strategies. However, advisors here build portfolios that are easy on your assets, employing low-cost, no-load mutual funds and ETFs. What we found particularly helpful for all investors are the firm’s easy-to-read quarterly statements. If you meet with the firm, don’t be shy about asking for a sample statement to see if the “easy to read” holds up.
The firm also offers mutual funds by Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA), which are only available to financial advisory firms. If you depart the firm for any reason and are invested in these funds, you may have to liquidate if your new advisor doesn’t have an agreement with DFA.
Kahala may receive compensation from Schwab when they recommend you use that firm as your broker. If you’re uncomfortable with this arrangement, you can potentially ask for a fee comparison with other brokerages or further explanation on Kahala’s compensation.
None reported in the past 10 years.
To explore the firm further, visit the Kahala Financial Advisors IAPD page with the SEC.
Solely owned by Herbert Shiraishi, Shiraishi Financial Group Advisors opened its Honolulu doors in 2013. This fee-based firm has two offices on the islands: their Honolulu headquarters at Ala Moana Pacific Center and another office in Hilo.
If you’re a new investor looking to begin your wealth-building journey, Shiraishi Financial Group Advisor doesn’t have account minimums. Something to keep in mind, however, is that the firm’s AUM fees seem to run high compared to industry averages. First, let’s look at the AUM fees:
If you have variable life or annuity holding with the firm, your maximum fees drop some.
As a note, the firm says it typically waives first-year management fees on variable life and annuity products. We recommend checking with the firm directly.
For a firm with such high fees, we find their explanations on how they invest client funds to be lacking — both in their Part 2 brochure and website. While they use the same language as other firms surrounding risk assessment and investment analysis, they only offer specifics on five model portfolios they might use in your accounts, including:
The only other interesting detail we could find in their public-facing information is that they use third-party investment managers. Instead of building their own investment strategies, many firms outsource activities like portfolio construction and investment vetting to companies specializing in those areas. While not a bad thing, you should know that the firm receives referral fees from these investment managers, which could incentivize them to favor those products over others.
Some of the firm’s advisors are licensed insurance agents and the firm’s owner also owns an insurance company. The firm says its code of ethics and fiduciary duty keeps investment recommendations appropriate. We say don’t be shy about comparing plans your advisor might offer to similar products not sold through the firm’s affiliated insurance agency.
None reported in the past 10 years.
To get to know the firm a bit better, stop by their website or visit the Shiraishi Financial Group Advisors IAPD page.
Robert Priske is a fee-only advisory firm founded in 1987 by its sole owner Robert Priske. The firm caters to a range of individual clients, focused on those with $500,000 in investable assets or more.
In researching the firm, their offers feel quite streamlined: a single AUM fee that isn’t a wrap fee but includes everything from meetings and conversations about your financial plan to updates as necessary. Compared to industry peers, the firm’s AUM fees are on the low side.
Say you had an account with Priske valued at $2.5 million with the 0.15% quarterly fee. Assuming your account balance stayed the same, you’d pay $3,750 per quarter or $15,000 per year. That figure translates to 0.60% AUM per year compared to the 0.59% to 1.18% AUM annual average.
Beyond Priske’s AUM fees, you may have custodian fees at the brokerage where you hold your accounts. Those fees don’t go to Mr. Priske’s firm, and you’ll pay them directly to your brokerage. If you’re not an asset management client and just want financial planning services, those are billed at $350 per hour.
The firm offers scant details on its investment strategy beyond that it employs multiple strategies and securities to help you achieve your goals. They use leveraged and non-leveraged strategies, short sales, options and other appropriate methods. We recommend you inquire directly if you’d like more details.
None to report.
None reported in the past 10 years.
For more information on Robert Priskes’ disciplinary disclosure status or to verify any of the information we’ve included in our review, visit their IAPD page with the SEC.
In business since 2018 and established as an investment advisory firm in 2020, Mission Financial Group, LLC is a retirement planning-focused firm with two locations on the islands: a headquarters in Ala Moana and a second location in Hawaii Kai Town Center.
We’ve found conflicting information about their minimum investment. As of when we wrote this review, the firm’s Part 2 brochure states that there’s a $250,000 minimum for their wrap fee program. However, their website states a $500,000 account minimum. We recommend contacting the firm directly for a definitive answer.
Unfortunately, the firm’s fee situation is equally murky. They only disclose maximum AUM fees (1.2% for wrap fee accounts and 1.5% for non-wrap accounts), so we can’t say whether they’re on par with industry averages. However, we can tell you that their wrap fee program appears standard, including all trading commissions and portfolio management services in the fee. If you’re not a wrap fee client, you’ll pay trading fees and possibly custodial fees as well. You can avoid trading fees if you opt into electronic statements or hold at least $1 million with their preferred custodian, Fidelity.
They also offer an a la carte financial planning service, with fixed fees ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 depending on plan complexity.
We know we sound a bit like a broken record, but public-facing details on the firm’s investment strategy are vague. Beyond industry-standard language about types of investment analysis and investment suitability, Mission only shares that their preferred investment types are ETFs, mutual funds and individual securities. For wrap fee program clients, they also add that “other public and private securities or investments” could be available.
We can, however, say that you’ll have the option to choose either discretionary or nondiscretionary asset management.
If you want more details on how the firm will invest your assets, it appears you’ll have to engage with one of the firm’s advisors.
Your advisor with Mission may be both a licensed broker and insurance agent and receive commissions when recommending certain products for your portfolio. We suggest you ask how your advisor is compensated on all investment recommendations so you have peace of mind.
None reported in the past 10 years.
To learn more about the firm and confirm its disclosure history, stop by the Mission Financial Group IAPD page with the SEC.
Founded in 2019 by Clinton Dodson and Richard Wertheimer, Fort Street Asset Management is a boutique money manager with a single office location in Honolulu. With two advisors serving less than 70 clients, the firm might be a contender if you’re a high net worth investor looking for a more intimate experience than a large wirehouse can provide.
However, that experience comes at a premium, especially if your account balance rests closer to the firm’s $1 million minimum. Fort Street’s AUM fees range from 1% to 2%, with higher fees for the smallest portfolios. Even if you keep between $1 million and $9.9 million with the firm, their 1.5% AUM fee is well above our recent research showing 1.18% AUM as the average top end for AUM fees.
In addition to your AUM fee, you could face additional third-party fees like management expenses and custodial fees. Depending on your holdings, you may also face steep performance-based fees running between 1.0% and 20% of the net increases in your account value.
To add a twist to our roundup of Hawaii’s top financial advisors, Fort Street exclusively uses single stocks to build your portfolio. Advisors focus on a mixture of publicly listed U.S. and Chinese equities and tend to use between 25 and 50 individual positions to deliver on your investment strategy. But are they “traders”? The firm says no and instead buys each stock with the intention of a longer-term hold.
So, how do they determine which stocks you should own? The firm’s two advisors are also the firm’s principal analysts and researchers. They tend to prefer non-cyclical companies — those that perform consistently, regardless of economic conditions — and explicitly state that they don’t use leverage as a portfolio strategy. Leverage would include any investing method using borrowed funds to purchase securities, like margin investing.
If you want market exposure beyond equities, the firm also routinely advises clients on real estate and other assets. While the firm manages your stock portfolio on a discretionary basis using separately managed accounts, they offer advice on other assets outside those accounts on a nondiscretionary basis.
None to report.
None reported in the past 10 years.
To delve into the firm further and confirm its disclosure history, you can visit Fort Street Investment Management’s IAPD page.
Whether you’re full-time Hawaiians or split your time between the islands and the Mainland, MagnifyMoney’s at the ready to help you find the trusted financial professional you deserve.
You deserve a financial partner you can trust on your wealth-building journey. That’s why we focused on specific criteria that mean the most to investors like you. We reviewed each firm’s website and most recent Form ADV on file with the SEC and only considered firms for this list that:
We then ranked firms that made the cut based on assets under management (AUM). AUM can be a significant trust factor, as it shows the amount of money others have entrusted the firm to manage.
And we know that you will ultimately be the best judge of which financial advisor is best for you. If you want to verify any of our information first-hand, visit the SEC’s IAPD website. You can search for any firm’s Form ADV — filed annually by March 31 — and explore the firm’s most recent updates. All information in our list of the best financial advisors in Hawaii is accurate as of August 27, 2022.
Alani AsisAlani Asis is a former staff writer at MagnifyMoney covering investments, financial advisors and retirement. Alani previously contributed to Business Insider, Clever Girl Finance and Sound Dollar.
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