Top Financial Advisors in Houston, TX

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U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors, the second-highest-rated firm in Houston, requires clients to have a minimum of $50,000 in investable assets -- one of the lowest requirements of any firm on this list. Previously operating under USCA RIA, LLC, the firm typically works with individual investors, both with and without high net worth. The firm also counts pensions, profit-sharing plans, charities and corporations among its clients. 

This fee-based firm boasts a large team of on-staff advisors. Of those advisors, there are certified financial planners (CFPs), certified investment management analysts (CIMA), chartered financial analysts (CFA) and chartered portfolio managers (CPM).

With advisors who are also licensed insurance agents and representatives of a broker/dealer, U.S. Capital Wealth is considered a fee-based advisory firm because its advisors can earn commissions on certain transactions. It's important to note that the firm is a fiduciary and must act in its clients' best interests despite these potential conflicts of interest. 

U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors Background

Founded in 2010, U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors previously operated as USCA RIA, a wholly owned subsidiary of financial services boutique U.S. Capital Advisors LLC also owns USCA Securities, LLC, USCA Asset Management and USCA Management, LLC. In May 2021, USCA RIA membership interests were transferred to U.S. Capital Advisors LLC and assets were transferred to the subsidiary company called Legacy One, which was later renamed U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors. As a result of the consolidation, U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors expanded its advisory offerings to include external manager accounts and fee-based financial planning. Some of the advisors at U.S. Capital Wealth is also registered with USCA Securities LLC, a registered broker-dealer.

U.S. Capital Wealth offers financial planning, portfolio management and a wrap fee program, which charges clients a single fee for a suite of services. The firm manages assets on both a discretionary and non-discretionary basis.  

USCA RIA Investment Strategy

Generally speaking, U.S. Capital Wealth's investment strategies are based on client needs, goals and objectives. In developing investment advice, the firm uses fundamental, technical, quantitative methods of analysis, as well as statistical tools and valuation methodologies. 

Clients may agree to a wide range of investment advice, including higher-risk strategies. However, your individual investment objectives and risk tolerance guide the firm's advisors and the investment choices that are ultimately made. 

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Avalon Investment & Advisory is the top financial advisor in our roundup, as this fee-based firm has by far the most assets under management (AUM) on the list. The firm employs two certified financial planners (CFPs), five chartered financial analysts (CFAs) and four certified public accountants (CPA).

The firm requires a $5 million minimum investment and primarily caters to high-net-worth individuals. However, Avalon's client base also includes individuals without high net worths, pensions, profit-sharing plans, insurance companies, charitable organizations and corporations.

Because a majority of Avalon's advisors are also representatives of a broker/dealer and can earn commissions on certain transactions, Avalon is considered a fee-based firm. Despite the potential conflict of interest this creates, Avalon has a fiduciary duty to act in its clients' best interests. 

Avalon Investment & Advisory Background

Founded in 2001, Avalon Investment & Advisory is owned by individuals and outside entities, including The Cynosure Group, an investment service located in Salt Lake City, Utah. No one individual or outside investor owns more than 25% of Avalon Investment & Advisory. While it’s based in Texas, Avalon serves customers across the globe.

Outside of its Houston office, Avalon operates a secondary branch in San Antonio, which was opened in 2014. The firm offers a variety of services, including financial planning, portfolio management, selection of other advisors including private fund managers, and educational seminars.

Avalon Investment & Advisory Investment Strategy

A unique feature of Avalon Investment & Advisory is its investment strategy committee, which comprises domestic and international equity and fixed-income portfolio managers. This group monitors and analyzes the global financial markets to stay on top of trends and opportunities that may be relevant to clients portfolios. The committee develops asset allocation guidelines that are then tailored to each client’s unique situation. 

The firm employs a fundamental, long-term investment approach. Portfolios may include domestic and international equities, fixed-income and select alternative investments.

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Avidian Wealth Solutions, a fee-based advisory firm, is No. 3 on the list. Avidian primarily works with high-net-worth individual investors, as well as pensions, profit-sharing plans, charities and corporations. You'll need at least $1,000,000 in investable assets to become an Avidian client. 

The firm's advisory team includes certified financial planners (CFPs), chartered financial analysts (CFAs), certified public accountants (CPAs) and other accredited professionals. Since certain advisors can earn commissions as licensed insurance agents and/or representatives of a broker/dealer, Avidian is considered a fee-based firm. Despite this potential conflict of interest, Avidian advisors must adhere to the fiduciary duty and act in their client's best interests. 

Avidian Wealth Solutions Background

In business since 2002, Avidian was formerly known as Streettalk Advisors, LLC and STA Wealth Management, LLC. Today, the firm is principally owned by James "Luke" Patterson, Michael Anthony Smith, Preston Snow, James Atkinson and Bradley Covey. The firm offers financial planning, portfolio management, and educational seminars, and also hosts a radio talk show called "The Money Hour."

Avidian Wealth Solutions Investment Strategy

How a client's assets are invested is determined after the client completes a financial planning worksheet and meets with an advisor to discuss their investment objectives. The firm may rely on charting, fundamental analysis and technical analysis when evaluating investments for its clients, and engage in both long- and short-term purchasing, as well as trading (selling securities within 30 days). 

The majority of Avidian clients are invested in one or more of the firm's managed models, although some clients may be allowed to customize their own portfolios. The firm manages a vast majority of client assets on a discretionary basis, meaning advisors have the authority to manage portfolios without consulting their clients.

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If you’re interested in becoming a client of Americana Partners, you won’t need to worry about a minimum initial investment. In addition, the firm serves a combination of individuals above and below the high-net-worth threshold, retirement plans, businesses and charities.

Americana Partners Background

Americana Partners is a young firm, as it was founded in just 2019. The firm is under the principal ownership of President Jason Fertitta. Altogether, the firm’s advisory staff boasts more than 100 years of experience in the wealth management industry. Americana Partners has secondary office locations in Austin and Dallas.

The team of advisors at Americana Partners includes certified financial planners (CFPs), certified investment management analysts (CIMA) and chartered financial analysts (CFA).

Americana Partners Investment Strategy

When formulating plans for a client’s investment portfolio, Americana Partners will principally take into account their individual needs. Outside of the client’s ultimate financial goals, these factors involve their risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs and investment preferences. Because these characteristics can change at any time, the firm will conduct regular assessments with clients to ensure their portfolio’s strategy stays in line with their changing needs.

Americana Partners tends to invest in individual debt and equity securities, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), options and structured products. On occasion, the firm will incorporate the services of independent managers as well. When evaluating potential investments, Americana Partners uses technical, fundamental and charting methods of analysis.

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Paul Comstock Partners, a fee-only firm, is the next highest-rated financial advisory firm in Houston. The firm serves high-net-worth individuals and families, as well as charities. Rather than require a dollar-based minimum, this firm requires all clients to adhere to a $25,000 minimum annual fee.

While this firm's advisory staff is on the smaller side, it does have a few advisory certifications to its name. These include certified financial planners (CFPs) and chartered financial analysts (CFAs). As a fee-only firm, Paul Comstock Partners only charges its client's asset-based fees and/or fixed fees, not commissions. 

Paul Comstock Partners Background

Paul Comstock Partners was founded in 1983 by Paul Comstock, who remains the firm’s minority owner and director. Today, the firm is under the principal ownership of CEO Alison Comstock Moss.

Paul Comstock Partners offers what it calls chief investment officer (CIO)-structured investment advisory services, which the firm explains emphasize a strong working relationship with clearly defined goals, cash flow requirements and risk levels. The firm says it strives to prioritize its fiduciary duty to clients, as well as a sensitivity to costs.

Paul Comstock Partners Investment Strategy

Paul Comstock Partners uses a long-term investment strategy that recommends a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds. Depending on a client’s needs and preferences, the firm may also recommend alternative investments. Paul Comstock Partners contends that a diversified portfolio of stocks will provide appropriate exposure to the overall economy and can act as a long-term hedge against inflation. 

"Within diversified portfolios, Comstock recommends investment managers who purchase a range of securities with different risk characteristics," the firm states in its Form ADV brochure. "Comstock’s role is to analyze both the quality of the management and understand the risk characteristics of the underlying investments."

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A newcomer to the Top 10 list and ranking fifth, Intrua Financial LLC is a fee-based firm that only requires $15,000 minimum to open an account. The firm employs certified financial planners (CFPs), chartered financial consultants (ChFC) and certified retirement plan advisors (C(k)P).  

While Intrua Financial requires only $15,000 to open an account, in order to use the company's professionally-managed portfolio program, you must have $25,000 minimum to invest. The firm's client base includes both non- and high-net-worth individual investors, trusts, charities, corporations and churches. 

Because a Intrua Financial's advisors are also representatives of a broker/dealer and can earn commissions on certain transactions, Intrua is considered a fee-based firm. Despite the potential conflict of interest this creates, the firm has a fiduciary duty to act in its clients' best interests. 

Intrua Financial Background

Intrua was founded in 2007 by Andrew C. Keller who serves as Managing Member. Andrew is originally from North Dakota, where he previously worked in landscaping and construction. He moved to Oklahoma when he began his financial planning career and later moved to Texas, where he purchased Houston Wealth Strategies from his partner, renaming the company Intrua Financial LLC in 2015. 

Intrua Financial Investment Strategy

Intrua bases its investment strategy on a combination of fundamental and technical analysis, along with modern portfolio theory (MPT). The three methods of analysis allow the company to choose securities that retain long-term value and match risk with its client's risk tolerance. 

Intrua employs investment strategies that include: long-term purchases, short-term purchases, trading, short sales, and margin transactions. 

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Chilton Capital Management, a fee-only firm, is up next on our list. The on-staff team of advisors at Chilton Capital includes chartered financial analysts (CFAs), certified financial planners (CFPs) and certified public accountants (CPA). The firm does not have a minimum investment requirement for new clients.

Over 85% of Chilton Capital’s clients are high-net-worth individuals and non-high-net-worth individuals, but the firm also works with charitable organizations, businesses, government entities, pensions and profit-sharing plans, along with two investment companies and one bank. 

Chilton Capital Management Background

Chilton Capital Management has been in business since 1996. The firm has combined with many different firms over the years. Most recently, Chilton acquired Texan Capital Management, Inc., a Houston-based investment advisory operation. Knapp Brothers, LLC, a holding company, is the majority shareholder of Chilton. The leftover shares are employee-owned.

Nearly all of Chilton’s services revolve around investment management, which it provides as either a discretionary or non-discretionary service. However, if you need financial planning as well, the firm’s proprietary Wealth ePath software can help plan for a goal based on your current assets and liabilities.

Chilton Capital Management Investment Strategy

The first thing every new client does when joining Chilton Capital Management is meet with a financial advisor to determine what type of investor he or she is. This entails doing a detailed analysis of your tolerance for risk, time horizon, liquidity needs and any definitive investment goals you may have. Once a clear profile is evident, you are then matched with one of several investment strategies that Chilton has built.

In order to maintain the relevance of each strategy, the firm has appointed a dedicated investment team for each one. This group of financial advisors and market analysts will look over the strategy’s performance and make a three-year projection to determine if the current setup is still desirable. If not, the team alters the strategy.

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CORDA Investment Management is a fee-only firm that uses value investing, mainly catering to high-net-worth investors. However, the firm also works with individuals, pensions, profit-sharing plans and charities.

For advisory accounts, the firm has a minimum annual fee of $5,000, which it may waive or lower at its discretion. In addition, clients who open an account with CORDA after being connected with the firm through SmartAsset's financial advisor matching tool will have a reduced minimum asset requirement of $250,000.

The firm's advisory team includes certified financial planners (CFPs) and accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs). 

CORDA Investment Management Background

Founded in 1999, CORDA offers a combination of portfolio management and financial planning services. Bonner C. Barnes, the firm’s president, chief investment officer (CIO) and founder, remains its majority owner. He has worked in the financial management industry for over 35 years.

In addition to asset management and financial planning, the firm optionally provides pension-consulting services, as well as educational seminars.

CORDA Investment Management Investment Strategy

CORDA believes in value investing, a strategy introduced decades ago by Benjamin Graham and espoused by Warren Buffett. The firm looks for businesses that its analysts believe are temporarily priced at a discount, will appreciate over time and provide steady dividends and cash flow. Portfolios at CORDA, which rely primarily on individual stocks, are customized according to client needs and created based on in-house research.

The firm does not prioritize tax efficiency in its asset management strategy unless it explicitly agrees with a client to do so. While CORDA primarily opts for long-term investments, it notes that its strategies and investments could have “unique and significant tax implications” and recommends consulting with a tax professional.

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Mosaic Partners, the No. 9 firm in Houston, features the second-lower client-to-advisor ratio of all firms on the list. Mosaic Partners has a small pool of clients, most of whom are high-net-worth individuals. The firm also works with a handful of individual investors who don't have high net worths. New clients are not required to maintain a certain account minimum. 

The firm has certified financial planners (CFPs) on staff, with several other advisors working on completing their certifications. But as a fee-based firm, some Mosaic Partners advisors are also licensed insurance agents who can earn commissions on certain transactions. Despite this potential conflict of interest, Mosaic Partners is a fiduciary and must act in its client's best interests.

Mosaic Partners Background

Mosaic Partners has been in business since 2012 and remains under the principal ownership of its three co-founders: Jay Goldberg, Brandon Henry and Carey Kesner. The firm specializes in financial planning and due diligence services, family office services and investment advisory. 

A majority of clients opt for discretionary asset management, but Mosaic Partners provides a small percentage of its client base with non-discretionary advisory services. 

Mosaic Partners Investment Strategy

Mosaic Partners spreads its clients' assets among stocks, bonds, mutual funds and cash. However, the firm measures a client's risk tolerance, time horizon and investment goals when designing a portfolio. 

Advisors may use a combination of fundamental, cyclical, charting and technical methods of analysis in evaluating investments. Other strategies used rely on long-term purchases, short-term purchases and/or options writing.

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Icon Wealth Partners is new to the list this year and ranks tenth. Icon does not require a minimum account size and offers investment advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, charities and corporations. 

The firm has certified financial planners (CFPs) and certified public wealth advisors. Icon largely charges set management fees, but as a fee-based company, advisors may earn a commission related to insurance products they recommend. Despite this potential conflict of interest, Icon is a fiduciary and must act in its client's best interests.

Icon Wealth Partners Background

Icon was founded in 2016, and is owned and operated by Blake A. Pratz, Mark B. McAdams, Stephen T. Schwarzbach, Brooks McGee and James Pavlik. The firm specializes in financial planning and discretionary investment management.

Icon Wealth Partners Investment Strategy

Icon primarily employs a long-term investment strategy for clients, basing decisions on fundamental and technical analysis to determine estimated long-term security value and market patterns. Depending on a client's rebalancing and liquidity needs, the firm may hold securities for a shorter period.