Finding a Top Financial Advisor Firm in Lexington, Massachusetts
Finding the right financial advisor can be an overwhelming process. This list of the top Lexington, Massachusetts financial advisor firms is intended to narrow down your options and help you compare firms. Our experts go over each firm's vital details, like their account minimums, fee structures, typical clients, investment strategies and more. SmartAsset has also developed a financial advisor matching tool that can pair you with financial advisors in your area based on your personal preferences.
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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 | Lexington Wealth Management Find an Advisor | $929,176,425 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
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2 | Wingate Wealth Advisors, Inc. Find an Advisor | $843,021,037 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
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3 | White Lighthouse Investment Management, Inc. Find an Advisor | $247,948,622 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
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4 | Bickling Financial Services, Inc. Find an Advisor | $221,371,728 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
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5 | Altschuler Financial Services Find an Advisor | $143,414,352 | $500,000 |
| Minimum Assets$500,000Financial Services
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6 | Morton Wealth Advisors Find an Advisor | $116,722,883 | $250,000 |
| Minimum Assets$250,000Financial Services
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What We Use in Our Methodology
To find the top financial advisors in Lexington, 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.
Lexington Wealth Management
Lexington Wealth Management is the first firm on our list, clocking in with just under $930 million in assets under management (AUM). Lexington Wealth also has the most advisors of any firm on this list, with 13. Three of these advisors are certified financial planners (CFPs), one is a chartered financial analyst (CFA), four are certified public accountants (CPAs) and one is a certified investment management analyst (CIMA).
In more than 20 years of business, the firm has cultivated a client base of almost 400 clients, a list that includes individuals (both with and without a high net worth), pension plans, charitable organizations and corporations. Non-high-net-worth individuals make up more than half of the firm’s total clients, with high-net-worth individuals coming in a close second. There’s no account minimum at this fee-only firm.
Lexington Wealth Management Background
Lexington Wealth Management first opened its doors back in 2000, when it was founded by CEO Michael Tucci and president Kristine Porcaro. Tucci had shifted into the world of investment advice after founding his own CPA firm, and Porcaro had founded another firm, Lexington Advisors, in 1997. The two joined forces three years later, creating Lexington Wealth Management.
This firm’s service offerings are expansive, including life planning, business planning, retirement planning, net worth and cash flow forecasting, risk management, trust and estate planning, financial reporting, insurance planning, divorce planning, investment management, portfolio analysis, investment policy statement creation and consulting.
Lexington Wealth Management Investment Philosophy
Lexington Wealth Management employs a number of investment strategies when formulating its advice to clients. Chief among these is asset allocation, which involves creating a plan for the percentages each type of security will occupy within a client's overall portfolio. The firm also considers tax implications, as well as alternative investment strategies.
Lexington Wealth may use forecasting information from third parties to help formulate its advice from time to time. However, the firm maintains sole responsibility for any advice it gives clients. The firm tailors its strategies to each client, paying individual attention to that client's goals, time horizon and risk preferences.
Wingate Wealth Advisors, Inc.
Next up is Wingate Wealth Advisors, Inc., the second-oldest firm on this list. The firm's 12 advisors manage more than $840 million in assets under management (AUM). Eight of these advisors are certified financial planners (CFPs), which is the most of any firm on this list.
The overwhelming majority of this fee-only firm’s roughly 625 clients are non-high-net-worth individuals and high-net-worth individuals. The remainder consists of a combination of pension and profit-sharing plans, businesses and charitable organizations. The firm doesn’t have an account minimum for its services.
Wingate Wealth Advisors Background
Founded in 1986, Wingate Wealth Advisors has been in business for more than 30 years. The firm currently has four principal owners: partners Jeffrey Hayden White, Matthew A. Lasker, Gary D. Pomerantz and John Casimir Slupski, III. Between them, they have about 90 years of combined experience in the financial services industry.
Investment management and financial planning make up the core service offerings at Wingate. The former is tailored to each client’s long-term goals, risk tolerance and liquidity needs. The latter can encompass many different areas of your financial life, including cash flow analysis, tax planning, estate planning, insurance planning, retirement planning and more.
Wingate Wealth Advisors Investment Philosophy
Wingate Wealth Advisors starts its investment process with a wide view, examining the U.S. and global economies in order to identify trends that may have a near- or intermediate-term impact. From there, the lens narrows slightly to focus on risks and opportunities in domestic and global financial markets. Finally, the firm examines the client’s asset allocation and fund selections in this context.
When making investment recommendations, the firm will generally focus on the following securities:
- Mutual funds
- Exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
- Corporate securities
- Municipal securities
- Government securities
- Certificates of deposit (CDs)
White Lighthouse Investment Management, Inc.
White Lighthouse Investment Management works exclusively with individual clients, one of three firms on this list with such a client base. It works with 200 such clients, with most of them being below the high-net-worth threshold. While the firm does not institute a minimum account size, it does adhere to a $30,000 minimum annual fee, which may be cost-prohibitive for smaller account sizes. This is a fee-only firm.
The firm employs five advisors to manage the roughly $250 million in client assets under its control. Of those five, four are certified financial planners (CFPs) and one is a chartered financial analyst (CFA).
White Lighthouse Investment Management Background
White Lighthouse Investment Management first opened for business back in 2006. It was founded by Jonathan Lachowitz, who currently serves as the firm's lead financial planner and investment advisor.
The firm provides investment management and financial planning services to its clients, seeking to manage its clients’ wealth in a comprehensive fashion. A few of its specific offerings include retirement planning, estate planning, personal financial planning and tax planning.
White Lighthouse Investment Management Investment Philosophy
For the most part, the firm creates client portfolios using exchange-traded funds (ETFs). From time to time, the firm may also invest in individual stocks and bonds and/or mutual funds. The firm tends to invest with a long-term perspective, believing that this provides each portfolio the best chance for optimal risk-adjusted returns. By taking this approach, the firm also minimizes the transactional costs associated with investing, which can further help increase returns.
Bickling Financial Services, Inc.
Bickling Financial Services is a Lexington institution, having been in business for close to four decades. The firm’s five advisors manage $221 million in investable assets that belong to more than 680 individual clients. Within this client base, there's a nearly even split between those with and without a high net worth.
The firm doesn’t impose any kind of in-house account minimum, though some of the LPL Financial-sponsored advisory programs it offers do have minimum requirements. Three of the firm’s five advisors are certified financial planners (CFPs).
Bickling Financial Services is a fee-based firm, which means some of its advisors may earn commissions from certain securities or insurance transactions. This differentiates it from a fee-only firm, which earns revenue exclusively from the advisory fees that its clients pay. The firm’s fee-based status creates the potential for a conflict of interest. However, it’s important to note that the firm must always abide by its fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of its clients.
Bickling Financial Services Background
Bickling Financial Services was founded in 1984, making it the oldest firm on this list. Dorothy Bickling founded the firm and continues to act as its sole owner and lead financial advisor to this day.
The firm offers clients financial planning and asset management services, as well as several investment management programs sponsored by LPL Financial. Financial planning services at Bickling can include tax planning, cash flow analysis, retirement planning, estate planning and more.
Bickling Financial Services Investment Philosophy
Bickling Financial Services determines the proper asset allocation for each client by considering their investment goals, age, risk tolerance and cash flow requirements, among other factors. At least once per year, the firm will review each client’s portfolio to make sure it’s still aligned with the client's targets. The firm may also decide to rebalance your portfolio if returns or losses have caused your allocations to fall out of sync with your original plan.
When formulating investment recommendations to clients, Bickling Financial generally provides advice on individual stocks and bonds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), options, mutual funds and other public and private securities or investments. Diversification is also of paramount concern.
Altschuler Financial Services
Altschuler Financial Services is the most exclusive firm on this list, with an account minimum of $500,000 (though this is negotiable). It should come as no surprise that high-net-worth individuals make up the largest portion of this firm’s client base, with non-high-net-worth individuals following close behind. The firm also works with charitable organizations and pension plans, adding up to roughly 110 clients in total.
Altschuler has two advisors on staff, one of whom (founder James Altschuler) is a certified public accountant (CPA) and a certified financial planner (CFP).
This is a fee-based firm, which means some of its advisors may earn commissions for conducting certain securities transactions or selling specific insurance products. While this presents a potential conflict of interest, the firm is still bound by fiduciary duty to act in its clients’ best interests.
Altschuler Financial Services Background
Altschuler Financial Services was founded in 1994 by James Altschuler, who is still the firm’s owner, CIO and one of its advisors. He has about two decades of experience in the financial services industry.
The firm has a fairly wide range of service offerings, including individual portfolio management, model portfolio management, financial planning, selection of other advisors and consulting for individuals and pension plans.
Altschuler Financial Services Investment Philosophy
When analyzing possible investments for client portfolios, Altschuler Financial Services prefers to focus on asset allocation rather than individual security selection. The firm believes that a diversified allocation of different asset classes gives the client the best chance for long-term investment success.
Altschuler generally constructs client portfolios using a mix of the following securities:
- Exchange-listed securities
- Securities traded over-the-counter
- Foreign issuers
- Corporate debt securities (other than commercial paper)
- Certificates of deposit (CDs)
- Municipal securities
- Variable annuities
- Mutual fund shares
- U.S. government securities
- Third-party money managers
- Interests in partnerships investing in real estate or oil and gas interests
Morton Wealth Advisors
Morton Wealth Advisors is a firm of two advisors that manages just over $115 million in client assets. The firm works with roughly 170 clients, among them individuals, retirement plans and other investment advisors. Morton is a fee-only firm, and prospective clients generally need at least $250,000 in investable assets to open an account.
Morton Wealth Advisors Background
Morton Wealth Advisors was established in 2006 by the firm's two advisors, Randall Tavilla and Michael Capobianco. Both of these individuals own the firm to this day. They have a combined four decades in financial services, though neither holds any advisory certifications.
The firm provides its clients with a number of services, including asset allocation strategies, investment management, existing portfolio review, investment management/recommendations and financial planning.
Morton Wealth Advisors Investment Philosophy
Morton Wealth Advisors approaches each client portfolio with an investment strategy tailored to that client's specific situation. To come up with this, the firm will consider factors like the client's investment objectives, income and tax status, personal and business assets, risk profile, liquidity constraints and more.
With the above factors as the foundation, the firm will rely on internal and external research to generate an asset allocation that fits the client's needs. The firm will establish allocation ranges for each asset class. If, due to significant growth or losses, a portfolio has too much or too little of an asset class, the firm will rebalance the portfolio back to the target allocation.