Finding a Top Financial Advisor Firm in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
Choosing the right financial advisor can be an overwhelming process. So, SmartAsset created this list of the top King of Prussia financial advisor firms to make the decision a little easier. Below, we compare the services the top firms provide, what their fee structures are and what kinds of clients they specialize in working with. SmartAsset has also developed a free financial advisor matching tool that can pair you with up to three advisors who serve your area.
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We match more than 50,000 people with financial advisors per month. Get connected to an advisor that serves your area today.Rank | Financial Advisor | Assets Managed | Minimum Assets | Financial Services | More Information |
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1 | Girard Advisory Services, LLC Find an Advisor | $2,415,239,580 | $350,000 |
| Minimum Assets$350,000Financial Services
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2 | Independence Square Holdings, LLC Find an Advisor | $991,006,983 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
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3 | Fortis Advisors, LLC Find an Advisor | $493,671,840 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
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4 | Certior Financial Group, LLC Find an Advisor | $232,752,205 | Varies based on account type |
| Minimum AssetsVaries based on account typeFinancial Services
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5 | WealthFD LLC Find an Advisor | $13,475,676 | No account minimum required |
| Minimum AssetsNo account minimum requiredFinancial Services
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What We Use in Our Methodology
To find the top financial advisors in King of Prussia, we first identified all firms registered with the SEC in the city. Next, we filtered out firms that don't offer financial planning services, those that don't serve primarily individual clients and those that have disclosures on their record. The qualifying firms were then ranked according to the following criteria:
- AUMFirms with more total assets under management are ranked higher.
- Individual Client CountFirms who serve more individual clients (as opposed to institutional clients) are ranked higher.
- Clients Per AdvisorFirms with a lower ratio of clients per financial advisor are ranked higher.
- Age of FirmFirms that have been in business longer are ranked higher.
All information is obtained through public records and is updated annually after the firms’ form ADV filing. This list may include firms that have a business relationship with SmartAsset, in which SmartAsset is compensated for lead referrals. Such relationships have no impact on our rankings, and firms are included and ranked based strictly on the above criteria. SmartAsset is not a client of the aforementioned firms, and did not receive compensation for including any of the firms on the aforementioned list.
Girard Advisory Services, LLC
Girard Advisory Services LLC is a fee-based firm with several advisors on staff. The team includes a number of certified financial planners (CFPs), plus other certifications like certified divorce financial analysts (CDFAs), chartered life underwriter (CLU), accredited estate planners (AEPs), certified trust and financial advisors (CTFAs), accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs) and chartered retirement plan specialists (CRPS).
Girard has billions in assets under management. Clients include individuals and high-net-worth individuals, plus institutional clients including pension and profit sharing plans, charitable organizations and corporations.
Investment management fees are charged based on a percentage of assets under management. Some advisors earn commissions for selling securities or insurance products. This is a conflict of interest, but the firm is still bound by fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of the client. The minimum account size at Girard is $350,000.
Girard Advisory Services Background
The firm was founded in 1998 under the name Girard Partners, Ltd. The owner since 2014 is Univest Bank and Trust Co., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Univest Financial Corporation. The name was changed to Girard Advisory Services, LLC in 2019.
Services offered include investment management, financial planning, savings analysis, tax analysis and income analysis.
Girard Advisory Services Investment Strategy
Asset allocation and diversification are the heart of the investment strategy at Girard. This includes diversification across asset classes.
Investments include stocks, options, warrants, commercial paper, certificates of deposit (CDs), exchange-traded funds (ETFs), real estate investment funds (REITS) and mutual fund shares.
Independence Square Holdings, LLC
Independence Square Holdings, LLC (IndSquare) is a fee-based firm with hundreds of millions under its management. The firm has a large staff of advisors serving more than 2,100 clients, which include individuals, high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, charitable organizations and state or municipal government entities. IndSquare has no set account minimum.
This firm’s compensation arrangements consist of asset-based fees, hourly fees, fixed fees and commissions. Though commission-based compensation can create a conflict of interest, IndSquare mitigates this risk through its fiduciary obligation to prioritize each client’s best interests.
As for its advisors, IndSquare’s team includes one certified financial planner (CFP), one accredited investment fiduciary (AIF) and one chartered financial analyst (CFA).
Independence Square Holdings Background
This firm has been in business since 2017. IndSquare’s advisory services include portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting and advisor selection services.
The firm’s owner is Joseph Black Elliott.
Independence Square Holdings Investment Strategy
IndSquare relies on several methods when analyzing securities. These include modern portfolio theory (MPT), fundamental analysis, charting analysis, cyclical analysis, quantitative analysis and technical analysis.
The firm’s primary investment strategies are long-term trading, short-term trading, margin transactions, short sales and options trading.
Fortis Advisors, LLC
Fortis Advisors, LLC is a fee-based firm with no minimum account size and millions in assets under management. Clients of the firm include high-net-worth individuals, other individual investors, pooled investment vehicles, pension and profit sharing plans, other investment advisors, corporations and trusts.
There are multiple advisors at the firm including two certified public accountants (CPAs), one chartered financial counselor (ChFC), one chartered life underwriter (CLU), one retirement income certified professional (RICP) and one chartered advisor in philanthropy (CAP).
Asset management fees at the firm are based on a percentage of assets under management. Financial planning and consulting fees are generally charged at a fixed rate. Advisors may earn commissions for selling insurance products as well. This is a conflict of interest, but fiduciary duty still bounds the firm to act in the best interest of the client. Performance-based fees may also be used. There is no set account minimum.
Fortis Advisors Background
Fortis was founded in 2013 and is wholly owned by Fortis Wealth, LP, a Delaware limited partnership.
The firm’s services include investment advisory, financial planning, consulting, family cash flow plans and bill payment services.
Fortis Advisors Investment Strategy
Investments at the firm break down as follows as of May 2021:
- Stocks -- 23%
- Bonds -- 2%
- Mutual funds -- 33%
- Cash and cash equivalents -- 42%
Certior Financial Group, LLC
Certior Financial Group, LLC is a fee-based firm managing hundreds of millions in assets. Clients are nearly all individuals, more than two-thirds of which are not high-net-worth. The only institutional clients at the firm are corporations. Account minimums vary according to type of account.
The firm's team includes four certified financial planners (CFPs), one chartered financial advisor (CFA), one certified public accountant (CPA), one registered financial consultant (RFC) and one registered health underwriter (RHU).
Asset management fees are based on a percentage of assets under management. Financial planning fees are paid on a fixed rate. Some advisors at the firm earn commissions for selling securities, which is a conflict of interest. Still, all are required to act in the best interest of the client.
Certior Financial Group Background
This firm was founded in 2016 and is principally owned by Avi Kantor. The team at Certior worked together under a different name since 2009.
Services include financial planning, investment advising and estate planning.
Certior Financial Group Investment Strategy
Asset allocation is the basis of how advisors at Certior put together portfolios. Once that is determined, the advisor will determine whether an active or passive approach is the best for each client. Mutual fund investments make upmost of the assts at the firm, with indivual stocks also making up a big chunk.
WealthFD
WealthFD is a fee-only advisory firm that works exclusively with dental clients. The firm typically works with individuals, high-net-worth individuals, and retirement plans. There is no account minimum to get started.
WealthFD's team holds industry-leading designations such as the Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Financial Analyst (CFA), Masters in Financial Services (MSFS), and Masters in Taxation (MTAX).
WealthFD Background
The firm was founded in 2013 to help dental clients only.
Services offered at the firm include overall portfolio management, financial planning, business planning, estate planning, risk management, tax planning, comprehensive wealth management, and pension consulting services
WealthFD Investment Strategy
WealthFD aims to maximize returns by controlling fees, risk, and taxes through an individualized investment approach. They employ the award-winning academic research of Eugene Fama, who won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2013. This research is the basis of all of WealthFD's client portfolios. From there, the firm personalizes the portfolio based on risk assessment and what the client's goals are.
WealthFD typically limits its investment advice to mutual funds, fixed income securities, equities, and ETFs. Some other securities may be used to diversify certain portfolios that need it to accomplish their financial goals.