Top Financial Advisors in Boise, ID

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Petso Financial Consultants is a fee-based firm that leads off our list of the top financial advisors in Boise. The firm serves a few different client types, but individuals without a high net worth are far and away the most common. Aside from individuals, Petso also handles the financial needs of high-net-worth individuals and a small number of charitable organizations.

The firm’s team includes several certified financial planners (CFPs). Advisors here are also insurance agents and broker-dealer representatives and may earn commissions from the sale of these products. However, because the firm is a fiduciary, advisors are legally required to put clients’ best interests first, despite this potential conflict of interest.

The firm also appears on SmartAsset's list of the top financial advisors in Idaho.

Petso Financial Consultants Background

Petso Financial Consultants has been in business since 2001 when it was created by David Petso. He has over 40 years of experience in wealth management. The rest of Petso’s wealth advisors average more than 20 years in the field.

The firm mainly focuses on investment advisory services, providing discretionary portfolio management. Petso Financial also offers clients financial planning and retirement income planning services. 

Petso Financial Consultants Investment Strategy

Petso Financial assumes a long-term approach to investing that is grounded in the belief that "being financially secure takes time and patience." To that end, the firm adheres is guided by the following: "Kowing what we know about the markets and our clients, what would we do in their situation?"

When putting together a client's portfolio, Petso Financial will typically recommend an initial mix of stocks, bonds and cash based on client objectives, time horizon, risk tolerance and other preferences. The firm favors a wide variety of globally diversified assets, and may invest in a combination of mutual funds, individual equities, ETFs and individual bonds.

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Mountain Pacific Investment Advisers is the largest firm on this list in terms of assets under management (AUM). The team of financial advisors handling this money includes certified public accountants (CPAs), a certified financial planner (CFP) and chartered financial analysts (CFAs).

This fee-only firm calls for a minimum investment of $1 million for new clients, though this requirement may be waived under certain circumstances. As a result, its client base mostly consists of high-net-worth individuals, though it also serves non-high-net-worth individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, corporations, government entities and charitable organizations as well.

As a fee-only firm, Mountain Pacific's advisors do not earn additional compensation for selling insurance or securities. The firm and advisors' compensation comes solely from asset-based fees for portfolio management and fixed fees.

Mountain Pacific Investment Advisers Background

Established in 1973, independently-owned Mountain Pacific Investment Advisers is the oldest firm on this list. Principals William "Bill" Palumbo and Bruce Reeder founded the firm and remain its owners to this day. The duo averages around 40 years of experience in finance.

In general, Mountain Pacific Investment Advisers deals with investment management and financial planning. At a deeper level, though, the firm is focused on asset allocation planning, performance reporting, coordination with legal and tax advisors, investor profile development and more.

Mountain Pacific Investment Advisers Investment Strategy

Mountain Pacific Investment Advisers utilizes equities, fixed-income securities, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to flesh out their clients' portfolios. To select the investments best suited for your personal needs, the firm employs the following strategies for each investment type:

• Equities: The firm uses a "bottom-up" approach to select stocks. More specifically, this involves a fundamental analysis of the companies' finances and the market they reside in. Diversification across the entirety of a market is integral.
• Fixed-income: These investments consist of certificates of deposit (CDs), preferred stocks, U.S. bonds and corporate bonds that are used to balance the volatility of equities. The firm believes in a passive approach that looks to ladder these securities for the long-term.
• Mutual funds/ETFs: Mutual funds and ETFs are used to invest in the stock market without having to select individual equities, which is a risky venture.

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Buffington Mohr McNeal is a fee-only firm located in central Boise. On staff, you'll find two certified financial planners (CFPs), one certified public accountant (CPA) and one chartered financial analyst (CFA). 

This firm works primarily with non-high-net-worth individuals but also serves high-net-worth individuals, as well. The latter account for the majority of the firm's AUM. Businesses, charitable organizations, government entities and retirement plans are also typical clients of the firm. The firm, which does not impose a minimum investment or account size requirement, is also ranked among the top advisors in the state.

As a fee-only practice, neither the firm or its advisors receive compensation for selling securities or insurance, which would be a conflict of interest.

Buffington Mohr McNeal Background

Co-founders Bruce Mohr, Carey McNeal and M. Dean Buffington opened Buffington Mohr McNeal in 1998. Buffington, who passed away in 2020, sold his personal shares of the firm in 2014, leaving McNeal and Mohr as the firm's primary owners.

In regards to investment-specific services, Buffington Mohr McNeal can offer individual discretionary portfolio management and separate investment consulting. The firm does also provide a plethora of financial planning services, such as retirement planning, tax management, insurance review, estate planning, cash flow planning and more.

Buffington Mohr McNeal Investment Strategy

Buffington Mohr McNeal has designed two distinct asset allocations: one based on a core of equities and the other based on a core of fixed-income securities. Rather than contain solely equities or fixed-income, the firm looks to build a mix of investments to ensure that the asset allocation is both well diversified and in line with your risk tolerance. Should you prefer either one of these core strategies, the firm will let you dictate which you want. If not, your portfolio will be created on a discretionary basis based on your risk tolerance, time horizon and income needs.

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You won't need to meet a minimum account balance to work with Aspen Capital Management, a fee-only advisory firm, but you will be subject to a minimum quarterly fee of $1,250. Almost all of the firm's clients are individuals with a high net worth. The firm also maintains relationships with charitable organizations, non-high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts and estates.

The team at Aspen Capital Management features advisors with the certified financial planner (CFP), chartered alternative investment analyst (CAIA) and certified financial behavior specialist (CFBS) designations. Like other firms on this list, Aspen Capital Management appears on our list of the top advisors in Idaho.

Aspen Capital Management Background

Lead financial advisor Mike Mers founded Aspen Capital Management in 2002. Today, he owns a majority of the firm's shares, as his wife, Lori Mers, and director of operations Rachel Rant own minority states. Lori Mers does not appear to hold a position at Aspen.

What makes Aspen Capital Management a bit more unique than your typical financial advisor firm is its ability to provide general services that are then customized to fit the needs of each client. For example, the firm has investment supervisory, financial planning and asset management services. Some financial topics it has experience with are estate planning, tax management and minimization and more.

Aspen Capital Management Investment Strategy

At its core, Aspen Capital Management concentrates on international investing and diversification to create client portfolios. For the most part, Aspen takes a passive global equity and global real estate investment trust (REIT) approach. Rather than invest directly in individual stocks, Aspen does so through mutual funds and ETFs. This is done to help mitigate risk, as these funds are inherently diversified and, in the case of mutual funds, are professionally managed.

Your portfolio's asset allocation is based on a few considerations that Aspen compiles together in a document aptly titled an investment policy statement (IPS). This details your ability to stomach risk, your time horizon and your ultimate investment objectives.

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Perspective Wealth Partners, a fee-only firm, works almost entirely with individual clients. The firm's individual client base is split nearly 50/50 between individuals with a high net worth and those without. The firm's small institutional client base consists of a handful of charitable organizations.

There is no specific account minimum at Perspective Wealth for new clients. The firm's advisory team includes a chartered financial analyst (CFA) and several certified public accountants (CPAs).

As a fee-only practice, Perspective Wealth Partners and its advisors earn compensation solely from the fees that advisory clients pay, not commissions for selling financial products.

Perspective Wealth Partners Background

Perspective Wealth Partners was established in 2006 by president, CEO and founder James Bailey. Bailey is the principal owner of the firm. Chief financial officer (CFO) Travis Schatt is a minority owner.

There are a variety of investment and general financial services available through this firm. These include investment analysis, budgeting, risk management, insurance planning, retirement planning, stock option planning, education fund planning and more.

Perspective Wealth Partners Investment Strategy

Perspective Wealth Partners focuses on your comprehensive situation as a client when investing your money. This involves working with you to formulate an investment policy statement that details everything your financial plan and investment portfolio should account for. For example, that involves your risk tolerance, time horizon, income needs and long-term financial goals.

The firm believes that index investing outperforms active management and that a portfolio's asset allocation is what determines its return and variability. As your portfolio ages, your advisor will consistently review your returns and how they affect your portfolio's overall asset allocation. Depending on how things shake out, your portfolio may be rebalanced. 

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The Helmstar Group has a higher account minimum than most of the other firms on this list. The firm suggests a minimum account balance of $500,000. In certain situations, though, the firm may be willing to accept clients who have less than that. However, it currently works with more non-high-net-worth individuals than their high-net-worth counterparts. Other clients include charities and government entities.

The firm also boasts a solid number of advisor certifications, including the certified financial planner (CFP) and and chartered financial consultant (ChFC) designations. As a fee-based firm, some of these advisors can sell insurance products on a commission basis. While this presents a potential conflict of interest, the firm's fiduciary duty binds it to act in clients' best interests.

The Helmstar Group also appears on SmartAsset's list of the top advisors in Idaho.

The Helmstar Group Background

The Helmstar Group was established by co-founders Ben Boettcher and Tom Steelman in 2007. The duo remains the principal owners of the firm, and they share nearly 40 years of combined experience in financial services.

Services offered at The Helmstar Group include:

• Investment management
• Financial independence modeling
• Retirement and distribution planning
• Estate planning and wealth transfer strategies
• Asset allocation and custom portfolio design
• Health care and long-term care planning
• Real estate transactions
• Risk management and asset protection strategies
• Tax minimization strategies and tax efficient portfolio design
• Philanthropic planning strategies and enhancement

The Helmstar Group Strategy

Five concepts make up the core of what The Helmstar Group believes will result in a well-performing portfolio: asset allocation, portfolio structure, tax management, multiple specialist managers and continuous portfolio management. The firm says that it most often invests its clients’ assets in mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Your advisor will further tailor your account to meet your liquidity needs, so you can see returns in the near future if necessary. This short-term ideology is paired with a long-term mindset to ensure sustained growth. The balance between these opposing notions varies, however, depending on your time horizon.

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Berkeley, Inc. is a fee-only firm with a team of financial advisors that includes certified financial planners (CFPs) and one chartered financial analyst (CFA).

Rather than impose a minimum investment stipulation, Berkeley has chosen to implement a minimum annual fee of $2,500. Based on the information available in its Form ADV, the firm's entire client base is made up of individuals with and without a high net worth. Berkeley has no institutional clients.

As a fee-only firm, Berkekely, Inc.'s compensation comes solely from the fees it charges advisory clients. 

Berkeley, Inc. Background

Berkeley, Inc. was founded in 1996 by principal Michael Ling, who has nearly 30 years of experience in financial planning, retirement planning, asset management and investment management. The firm's other owner, Stephen White, splits the firm's shares with Ling.

At Berkeley, Inc., there are two main tenets to its advisory services: financial planning and investment management. Here are some of the firm's offerings:

• Cash flow management
• Strategic tax planning
• Retirement planning
• Estate planning
• Education funding planning
• Consulting
• Asset management

Berkeley, Inc. Investment Strategy

To combine the benefits of multiple investment philosophies, Berkeley, Inc. invests in both passively and actively managed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and index funds. This helps balance the overall risk profile of your portfolio, while increasing the return potential within the confines of that risk tolerance.

To further diversify your portfolio, Berkeley may include global securities to ensure that the success of your investments isn't overly attached to a specific area of the market. For portfolios smaller than $250,000, Berkeley avoids investing in equities altogether.

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Wood Tarver Financial checks in at No. 8 on our list of the top advisors in Boise. This small company works primarily with individual clients. Of those individuals, over 80% are individuals with less than a high net worth. The firm also works with a select group of charitable organizations. It provides a variety of financial advisory services to clients, and does not require any minimum account size for new or existing clients.

As a fee-only firm, Wood Tarver does not receive commissions from any third parties. This prevents a potential conflict of interest. A fee-based firm, which would accept commissions from the sale of certain financial products, may be subject to situations like that.

The team at Wood Tarver Financial includes advisors with the certified financial planner (CFP) and certified public accountant (CPA) designations.

Wood Tarver Financial Background

Wood Tarver Financial was founded in 2011 by Kelly Wood. Unfortunately, Wood has since passed away. Eric Tarver, a family wealth planner and chief compliance officer, owns the firm. He has been with the firm since 2018, having previously worked for KPMG.

Wood Tarver provides its clients with a slew of financial advisory services, all through its comprehensive portfolio management wrap fee program. The firm only provides these services on a wrap fee basis, which is uncommon for a financial advisory firm. This means you'll pay a single fee that covers your advisory services, as well as brokerage fees, trading costs and other account-related expenses. All assets at Wood Tarver are managed on a discretionary basis.  

Wood Tarver Financial Investment Strategy

Wood Tarver Financial's investment strategies vary depending on the financial goals of each client. Advisors create a financial plan along with each client, properly determining their tolerance for risk, financial objectives, investment history, and any other relevant information to crafting an effective investment strategy. 

Advisors at Wood Tarver use a combination of stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), options, mutual funds and other investments to help drive growth in client portfolios. Portfolios are then continuously monitored to make sure that client goals are being met.

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Tumwater Wealth Management is the second-to-last firm on our Boise list. This firm has one of the smallest advisory teams of any firm on our list, but still manages to work with a diverse client base. Clients of Tumwater include individuals both with and without a high net worth, retirement plans, charities, insurance companies and businesses. It's not hard to qualify as a client with Tumwater, as the firm's family minimum account size requirement is just $5,000.

As a fee-only firm, Tumwater does not receive third-party commissions. A fee-based firm, on the other hand, does receive third-party commissions and is therefore subject to a potential conflict of interest. Tumwater, due to its status as a fee-only firm, is not subject to this same situation.

Tumwater Wealth Management Background

Founded in 2018, Tumwater is one of the youngest firms on our Boise list. The firm is principally owned by founder Benjamin C. Warren and Kirsten A. Warren. Ben Warren is the firm's sole financial advisor and is a chartered financial analyst (CFA). He has been working as a financial advisor since 2004.

Tumwater offers a variety of services to clients, including portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, pension consulting and advice on specific investments. While the firm manages both discretionary and non-discretionary assets, the majority of its assets are managed on a discretionary basis.

Tumwater Wealth Management Investment Strategy

Tumwater looks to tailor its investment advice to the wants and needs of each client. Each client relationship begins with an interview or series of meetings to properly determine their investment needs and requirements. This information is then used to develop an investment plan. This plan takes into account financial goals, time horizons, desired returns, investment history, income source analysis and more.

The firm may use model allocations to help develop a client's portfolio. The firm relies on fundamental, quantitative and technical analysis to help them inform complicated investment decisions. It also relies heavily on modern portfolio theory and takes a long-term, buy-and-hold approach to investing. When it comes to specific securities, the firm typically provides advice on mutual funds, fixed-income securities, real estate funds (including REITs), insurance products including annuities, equities, ETFs (including ETFs in the gold and precious metal sectors) and Treasury inflation-protected/inflation-linked bonds

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Arrien Investments concludes our list of the top financial advisors in Boise. This fee-based firm serves individuals, high-net-worth individuals, charitable organizations, corporations and other business entities. 

Arrien Investments does not have a minimum account size requirement, although it does charge a minimum annual fee of $300. Clients pay a fee that’s based on a percentage of their assets under management. The firm offers basic financial planning services at no additional charge for clients who have at least $100,000 of assets under the firm's management. For clients with less than $100,000 of assets or for complex financial planning needs, additional hourly fees may apply. 

However, advisors on staff may earn commissions when selling securities or insurance in their separate capacities as broker-deal representatives and/or insurance agents. While this is a conflict of interest, the firm has a fiduciary duty to act in clients’ best interests. The firm has one certified financial planner (CFP) on staff. 

Arrien Investments Background 

Arrien Investments was established in 1998 and registered with the SEC in 2022. The firm is solely owned by Kevin G. Arrien, who serves as the sole principal of the company.

The firm offers a wide range of services to cater to the individual needs of their clients, including investment management, budgeting and cash management, risk management and insurance planning, and other types of financial planning relating to specific life or business events. For clients looking to plan for the future, the firm also provides estate planning and estate settlement services.

Arrien Investments Investment Strategy

Arrien Investments employs a comprehensive investment approach that focuses on asset allocation to achieve client's investment goals and align with their risk tolerance. The firm utilizes a combination of strategic and tactical asset allocation strategies to determine the appropriate mix of securities, fixed income and cash within client accounts. 

Furthermore, the firm adopts a "buy and hold" strategy, recommending long-term purchases of securities with the intention of holding them in client portfolios for a year or longer. This approach emphasizes the importance of patience and a focus on long-term investment objectives.

In terms of typical investments, Arrien Investments, Inc. offers a diverse range of options. These include individual stocks, corporate and government-issued bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), real estate investment trusts (REITs), cash and cash equivalents, unit investment trusts, options, variable annuities, and insurance products.