Top Financial Advisors in Boston, MA

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GW&K Investment Management leads our list of registered investment advisors in Boston. As a discretionary asset management firm it serves a broad array of clients: private or high-net-worth clients, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable foundations, endowments, corporations, private funds, mutual funds and trusts, among other entities.

GW&K is fee-only, meaning its sole source of revenue is fees paid by clients. It does not receive commissions for the sale of insurance products, like annuities, from third parties.

GW&K Investment Management Background

The firm was founded in 1974 by Harold Kotler, a chartered financial analyst (CFA), when he was 29 years old. Kotler is the chairman, chief investment officer and CEO, while Tom F.X. Powers and T. William Roberts III are co-CEOs and firm partners.

The firm's institutional partner, Affiliated Managers Group, Inc., a publicly traded global asset management company, holds a majority equity interest in GW&K. GW&K operates independently and autonomously, and its partners hold the balance of the equity interest in the firm.

GW&K Investment Management Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes

Today the firm serves three distinct groups, the institutional, advisory and private client markets.

Account minimums vary by asset class and GW&K strategy. Minimum account size is negotiable and may be waived or modified at GW&K’s discretion. In circumstances where GW&K serves as an adviser within a wrap fee program or where GW&K is an adviser or subadviser to other funds or accounts, the account minimums are generally determined by the relevant program sponsor, fund, or account.

Services Offered by GW&K Investment Management

GW&K provides customized wealth advisory services to certain direct private wealth clients, where the services are tailored to individual client needs and investment objectives. Specifically, the firm manages 32 distinct strategies. Its services to private wealth clients may include consultation on financial planning, guidance on overall asset allocation, as well as guidance on lifestyle and wealth-transfer planning.

The firm has agreements with various wrap fee program sponsors through which GW&K’s services are offered as an investment option within the wrap fee programs and, accordingly, GW&K provides investment management services to clients who select GW&K as part of the program. 

GW&K Investment Management Investment Philosophy

GW&K specializes in municipal bond, taxable bond, equity and balanced strategies. The firm is a research-oriented adviser using primarily fundamental analysis for the evaluation of investment opportunities and the construction of investment portfolios. 

Fundamental analysis involves researching the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of a security, taking into account applicable economic, industry, or other external considerations to try to determine its intrinsic value. In addition to fundamental security analysis, GW&K may also employ varying degrees of macroeconomic, sector, industry, interest rate or policy analysis in formulating investment decisions or constructing investment portfolios.

GW&K Investment Management Fees

The firm's standard annual management fee schedule is generally 1% for equity strategies and 0.65% for fixed-income strategies on initial investment. Fee rates and breakpoints vary depending on the size of an account and the investment strategy selected. This standard management fee schedule may be modified from time to time.

Performance based fees for certain strategies are also available and negotiable, subject to applicable law.

What to Watch Out For

This firm doesn’t have any disclosures, or disciplinary actions, listed on its Form ADV.

Opening an Account With GW&K Investment Management

To open an account with GW&K you can call 617-236-8900 or visit its website, https://www.gwkinvest.com.

Tips for Finding a Financial Advisor 

• Before you choose a financial advisor, you’ll want to make sure you’ve holistically examined the fees associated with that particular advisor’s services. The most common types of advisory fees include asset-based fees, fixed fees, hourly fees, performance-based fees and commissions. Our review can help you make sense of how much a financial advisor costs. 
• Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have free introductory calls with your matches to decide which one feels right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

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SCS Financial works with high-net-worth individuals, pooled investment vehilces, charitable organizations and sovereign wealth funds and foreign official institutions.

The firm generally requires clients have a minimum of $25 million in assets under management (AUM). Fees for wealth management are charged as a percentage of assets under management, and certain funds charge a performance fee.

Advisors at SCS do not make commissions for selling products to clients, but the parent company of the firm does own broker-dealers.

SCS Financial LLC Background

SCS was founded in 2002. It is owned by Focus Operating LLC, which in turn is owned by Focus Financial Partners, LLC. The firm is managed by Partners Perpetual Trust, LLC, by way of an agreement between the two firms. Focus Financial Partners is a publicly traded company.

Services offered by the firm include:

• Wealth management
• Fund of funds
• Tax planning
• Philanthropic strategy

SCS Financial LLC Investment Strategy

SCS develops a strategy that makes sense for each individual investor. It especially considers asset allocation and portfolio design, taking both risk tolerance and return objective into consideration to make the best possible choices for each person. 

The firm uses a number of funds of hedge funds as an investment for its clients, all of whom are high-net-worth and likely have the ability to invest in hedge funds, which often have high barriers for entry. There are also funds of private equity funds.

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Loring, Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors, LLP (LWC) is a multi-family office that’s a pioneer in socially responsible investing. To be a client, you’ll need at least $2 million in investable assets. The fee-only firm principally serves high-net-worth individuals.

LWC has several chartered financial analysts (CFAs) on its team of advisors.

Loring, Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors, LLP Background

Loring, Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors, LLP was formed in 1994. The firm, which is privately owned, was founded so the trustees of the Loring, Wolcott & Coolidge Office could provide investment management and advisory services to accounts for which they don’t serve as fiduciaries.

LWC aims to encompass every detail of a family's financial life in its integrated wealth management solutions. The firm provides family office services, estate planning and settlement services, financial planning, tax planning and preparation and philanthropic strategies.

Loring, Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors, LLP: The Sustainability Group

Loring, Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors' Sustainability Group is dedicated to investing for social and environmental progress.  The Sustainability Group was founded more than 25 years ago by Amy Domini, a nationally recognized leader in the field of socially responsible investing who continues lead the group. 

The group fuses sustainability issues with fundamental analysis and a consideration of individual client's goals, needs and priorities. Its approach is three-part:

• Portfolio selection: Portfolios are managed on a standalone basis and are structured around sustainability themes, like socially responsible companies or sustainable technology. 
• Shareholder engagement and proxy voting: LWC uses its standing as shareholders to hold companies accountable and to push them to do the right thing. 
• Community development investing: The Sustainability Group's clients invest in credit unions, loan funds, community banks and international microfinance institutions, all of which are investments that LWC believes can drive positive change by providing access to capital.

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The Bollard Group LLC is a fee-only firm that work with a very small number of high-net-worth clients. The minimum account size for clients is $25 million. The firm also manages money for pooled investment vehicles. 

Fees are based on a percentage of assets under management, and the minimum fee is $75,000 per year. Some services are billed at an hourly rate. Advisors may recommend clients invest in funds from the firm’s sister company Spinnaker Capital, which will charge a performance-based fee.

Advisors do not make commissions for selling financial products to clients.

The Bollard Group LLC Background

Bollard was founded in 1995. It is wholly owned by members of the senior management group and is controlled by Anastasios Parafestas, the principal at the firm. 

Services from Bollard include:

• Discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory
• Portfolio management
• Alternative investments

The Bollard Group LLC Investment Strategy

The firm uses charting, fundamental analysis and technical analysis to make investment decisions for clients. Risk tolerance and other factors unique to each client are considered when constructing client portfolios.

A number of asset types are used, including equities, fixed-income securities, options, futures, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and concentrated holdings. Short sales and leverage could be used for some clients.

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This fee-only firm requires that you have at least $2 million in assets to open an account, though it is willing to negotiate that minimum sometimes. Welch & Forbes has a client base made up of a mix of individuals and high-net-worth individuals, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, other advisors and corporations.

The staff at this firm includes chartered financial analysts (CFAs) and certified public accountants (CPAs). Fees paid for investment management are based on a percentage of assets under management. No advisers at the firm are registered as representatives of a broker-dealer and they do not make money from commissions for selling securities or insurance products.

Welch & Forbes LLC Background

Welch & Forbes is a blue-blooded Boston firm, founded in 1838. The majority stake in the firm is held by AMG Wealth Partners, and the remaining equity is held by various employees of the firm.

The firm’s services include:

• Investment advisory services
• Fiduciary services
• Trust services
• Philanthropic services
• Estate administration
• Cash flow analysis
• Tax services

Welch & Forbes LLC Investing Strategy

Advisors at Welch & Forbes can create a portfolio for any client, but there are some models the firm notes as common:

• Multi-cap core equity, with investments in stocks (domestic and international)
• Speciality, with a focus on a style or sector chosen by the client
• Open architecture, with a focus on mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
• Income, with a focus on fixed-income products
• Alternative investments, with investments in areas including venture capital, real estate, private equity or hedge funds

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Ropes Wealth Advisors, LLC serves both high-net-worth individuals and non-high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit sharing plans, charitable organizations and businesses.

The fee-only firm does not have a set account minimum. 

Ropes Wealth Advisors, LLC Background

Ropes Wealth Advisors was formed in 2013. The firm is a wholly owned subsidiary of the global law firm Ropes & Gray LLP.

Ropes Wealth Advisors takes an integrated approach to wealth management, as the firm says it believes that "each area of your financial life is part of a larger whole." The firm's financial planning services encompass cash flow and budgeting analysis; retirement planning; advice on corporate benefits programs; insurance analysis and advice; education planning and funding and family and charitable gift planning. The firm will also assist with things like mortgage refinancing and long-term care planning. Ropes will also work in coordination with clients' legal and tax advisors.

Ropes Wealth Advisors, LLC Investing Approach

Ropes Wealth Advisors’ takes a three-step approach to investing. First, the firm talks to clients understand their objectives, values and preferences. This information allows the firm to help clients select a long-term strategy and asset allocation, and to develop a customized investment plan.

Ropes Wealth Advisors believes that balance and diversification are key to consist returns. Once the building phase is complete, the firm helps its clients select fixed income, equity and alternative investments. The firm picks investments based on fundamental analysis and uses both active and index investing styles.

The final phase of the three-part process is to preserve. Ropes' investing philosophy rests on risk management and disciplined long-term investing and aims to minimize taxes and keep investment plans on track no matter the market conditions. Ropes routinely reviews and rebalances client portfolios to ensure they stay aligned with the agreed-upon objectives.

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TwinFocus Capital Partners is a fee-only firm which works mainly with high-net-worth clients, though there are some individual clients who are beneath the high-net-worth threshold. The firm also works with pooled investment vehicles and other institutional clients.

Fees can be annual, based on a percentage of assets under management or some combination of both.

Certifications earned by advisors at the firm include certified financial planner (CFP), chartered financial analyst (CFA) and certified public accountant (CPA).

There is a very high minimum account size at the firm: $100 million.

TwinFocus Capital Partners Background

TwinFocus was founded in 2006 by Paul Karger and Wesley Karger, who remain the firm’s principals.

Services offered to clients include wealth management, family office services corporate consulting services, investment management, financial planning, estate planning and tax planning.

TwinFocus Capital Partners Investment Strategy

Pooled investment vehicles, which includes investments like hedge funds, take up around a third of the client asset pool at TwinFocus. Given the high barrier to entry for these funds, it makes sense that the majority of TwinFocus clients have very big portfolios. Mutual funds, stocks, bonds and cash holds are also used.

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Boston Financial Management is a fee-only that serves both high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth clients, as well as institutional clients like pension and profit sharing plans, charitable organizations, government entities, corporations and investment companies. 

The minimum account size at the firm is $2 million. Fees are based on a percentage of assets under management.

Boston Financial Management Background

BFM was founded in 1976 and is owned by the Richard Harding Morse Trust and other employees at the firm. 

Services include financial planning and portfolio management.

Boston Financial Management Investment Strategy

The following strategies are available at BFM, though custom and hybrid strategies may also be created:

• High quality mid-cap strategy
• High quality dividend appreciation strategy
• Balanced strategy
• International equity strategy
• Fixed-income strategy
• Strategic asset allocation strategy

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Crestwood Advisors Group, LLC works with high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth clients, as well as pensions, profit-sharing plans, charities and businesses. You'll need an account of at least $1 million to work with Crestwood.

Crestwood is a fee-only firm. This means that the firm does not receive third-party commissions of any kind. A fee-based firm, on the other hand, receives commissions and is subject to a potential conflict of interest as a result.

Crestwood Advisors Group Background

Crestwood Advisors Group was founded in 2003. It also has offices in Darien, Connecticut and Westport, Connecticut. In 2017, Crestwood Advisors, LLC, the predecessor firm, became Crestwood Advisors Group, LLC. The current firm is part of the Focus Financial Partners, LLC partnership. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Focus Operating, LLC. The firm is led by Michael Eckton, CEO. It employs several chartered financial analysts (CFA), certified financial planners (CFP) and other financially cretified individuals.

Crestwood works to provides clients with comprehensive wealth management solutions. It also provides an automated investment strategy platform.

Crestwood Advisors Group Investment Strategy

Crestwood Advisors crafts individualized investment strategies to help clients meet their individual financial needs and objectives. Because the firm's advisory services are comprehensive, each client relationship involves a series of information gathering meetings in order to properly assess and take note of each client's risk tolerance, liqudity needs, investment history and and other relevant information.

Crestwood advises on any type of investment held in a client's portfolio, but mainly invests in equity and debt securities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), exchange-traded notes (ETNs), mutual funds and equity options. Advisors rely primarily on fundamental methods of analysis to help them inform investment decisions.

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Choate Investment Advisors LLC is a fee-only firm. Its clients include both high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth individuals, as well as pooled investment vehicles, pension and profit-sharing plans and charitable organizations.

The firm prefers new relationships with a minimum account size of $10 million, though it sometimes accepts accounts of lesser value.

Fees for investment management are based on a percentage of assets under management. Some consulting and financial planning services are billed at an hourly rate. Advisors are not paid commissions for selling products or securities to clients.

Choate Investment Advisors LLC Background

Choate is a subsidiary of Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP, a law firm in Boston. It was originally founded in 1996 to provide investment advice mainly to attorneys at the firm. It now provides advice to a variety of clients. 

Services at Choate include:

• Investment advisory services
• Financial planning
• Wealth management services

Choate Investment Advisors LLC Investment Strategy

The following investment strategies are available:

• All bond: only fixed-income investments; focused solely on producing income
• Conservative Income: mainly invests in fixed-income, with some equity-linked investments
• Income and Growth: mix of fixed-income and equity investments
• Balanced: focused on balancing capital appreciation and current income; includes equities, fixed-income and alternatives
• Growth and Income: similar to balanced, but with total return as a primary goal
• Growth: focused on capital appreciation with a minority of fixed-income investments
• Aggressive Growth: primarily equity and alternatives investments, with a diversified portfolio to mitigate risk; current income expectation is low
• Opportunistic Growth: emphasis on tactical decisions based on the market; only for those with high risk tolerance