Top 6 Financial Advisors in Summit, NJ

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Circle Wealth Management, LLC sits at the top of this list, and also ranks as one of SmartAsset's top 10 financial advisor firms in New Jersey. The firm's client base consists entirely of high-net-worth individuals and charities, which is perhaps unsurprising given its $30,000,000 account minimum. 

Circle Wealth is a fee-only financial advisor firm, meaning it only receives income from client fees. This avoids the conflicts of interest found at a fee-based firm, which can receive commissions for insurance or securities transactions.

Circle Wealth Management Background

Managing partner Maria L. Kattan-Chrin founded Circle Wealth Management in 2006, although the firm didn't register with the SEC until 2007. Kattan-Chrin is also the principal owner of the firm and she has decades of experience within the private wealth management and financial services industries. The firm's team of 11 financial advisors includes two certified financial planners and one certified public accountant.

Circle Wealth provides highly customized financial planning and investment management services to its clients, on both a discretionary and non-discretionary basis. These services include estate planning, tax planning, insurance planning, retirement planning and more.

Circle Wealth Management Investment Strategy

Circle Wealth Management looks to tailor its advisory services to the financial objectives, risk tolerance and time horizon of each client. Part of the process of understanding the client involves an evaluation of their existing investments. Based on these findings, the firm may recommend that those investments should be held or sold. Based on the entirety of this information, the firm will put together an investment policy statement (IPS).

The firm uses both quantitative and qualitative analysis when crafting client portfolios. The firm draws from a wide range of databases to inform their decisions. Based on this research, the firm may recommend investments like individual equities, fixed-income securities, options, mutual funds, private equity funds, funds of funds, hedge funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and structured notes.

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Next on the list is fee-based Journey Strategic Wealth (JSW). Clients are primarily individuals, both above and below the high-net-worth threshold, along with some corporations. There is no minimum to open an account. 

JSW has one chartered financial analyst (CFA) on staff. However, as a fee-based firm, some advisors may receive a commission for the sale of securities and insurance products. While this may be a potential conflict of interest, the firm is a fiduciary and must act in the best interest of its clients. 

Journey Strategic Wealth Background

JSW was founded only recently in 2020 and became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Journey Strategic Holdings, LLC a year later. The holding company is owned primarily by primarily owned by managing members Michael Brown, Brian Flynn, Damian Lo Basso and Penny Phillips.

The firm offers wealth management services, including asset management, financial planning and retirement account consultations. 

Journey Strategic Wealth Investment Strategy

JSW mainly employs a long-term asset allocation strategy based on an individual client's objectives, risk tolerance and time horizon. It utilizes fundamental and technical analysis to inform its decisions. Portfolios are usually constructed of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), bond ETFs, mutual funds and alternative investments. 

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Next up is fee-based firm Simplicity Wealth. The only clients here are individuals, the vast majority of whom fall below the high-net-worth threshold. There is no minimum to open an account. 

Simplicity Wealth has a large staff, of which 33 are advisors. Although advisors may receive commissions from the sale of securities or insurance products, making this firm fee-based, the firm is still a fiduciary and must act in the best interest of its clients at all times. 

Simplicity Wealth Background

Simplicity Wealth was founded in 2019 and is primarily owned by Simplicity Financial Marketing Holdings Inc. Christopher Leonard serves as chief compliance officer.

The firm offers many services, including:

• Variable annuities
• Directly-held mutual funds
• Retirement planning
• Financial planning
• Discretionary asset management

Simplicity Wealth Investment Strategy

Through its subadvisory services, Simplicity Wealth will allocate your assets and rebalance them periodically. The typical structure of portfolio offerings is a “fund of funds” approach where they research and manage exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and mutual fund holdings, in addition to occasional individual securities selected by the Simplicity Wealth team. 

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Ranked fourth is fee-only firm M&R Capital Management. The firm serves individuals, high-net-worth individuals, charities and pension and profit-sharing plans. There is generally a $100,000 account minimum. 

The small team at M&R boasts two chartered financial analysts (CFAs). 

M&R Capital Management Background

M&R was founded in 1993 and is owned by chariman John Maloney.

The firm boasts decades of experience and offers wealth management services, including ongoing investment management, supervisory services and financial planning. 

M&R Capital Management Investment Strategy

M&R advisors follow an asset allocation strategy informed primarily by fundamental analysis. Investments are bought with a long-term mindset and portfolios are generally constructed of equities and fixed income investments.

The firm's strategy objectives can be summed up thus:

• In capital preservation, we invest in companies with positive long-term prospects that have delivered strong earnings as well as good dividend growth.
• We rely on creative and innovative research to best serve our clients’ needs.
• Achieve growth while limiting risk.

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Next is fee-only firm Seabridge Investment Advisors. Clients are mostly high-net-worth individuals, along with pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, other advisors and corporations. There is no minimum account size at this firm. 

The team at Seabridge holds multiple certifications, including five chartered financial analysts (CFAs), one certified financial planner (CFP) and one certified public accountant (CPA). 

Seabridge Investment Advisors Background

Seabridge was founded in 1996 and its principal owners are Christopher Hohlstein, Adrian Morffi, Matthew Falkowski, Howard Chin, and Nicole Goberman. All members are active in managing the firm. 

Services offered include investment asset management and financial planning. 

Seabridge Investment Advisors Investment Strategy

The firm manages global portfolios of publicly-traded securities. These portfolios are generally one of the following types:

• Asia Strategy: (Primarily Asian Equities)
• Asia High Yield Strategy: (Primarily Asian securities)
• International Strategy: (Global Equities with a concentration outside the U.S.)
• Global Diversified Strategy: (Global Equities and Fixed Income)
• Global Growth Strategy: (Global Equities)
• Core Global Strategy: (Global Equities with a concentration in the U.S.)
• Yield Growth Strategy: (Dividend Equities along with dampening assets)
• Cautious Core Strategy: (Global Equities, bond-like investments and cash)
• Longview Strategy: (U.S. Equities)

Seabridge also offers fully-customized portfolios based on a client's risk tolerance, objectives and time horizon. 

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Summit Place Financial Advisors, LLC specializes in financial planning and portfolio management services for a client base comprised solely of individuals (both with and without a high net worth). The firm does not institute any sort of minimum investable asset requirement.

Summit Place provides financial services on a fee-only basis. Founder and president Elizabeth Miller is a certified financial planner (CFP) and a chartered financial analyst (CFA). The firm's financial team also includes a second chartered financial analyst. 

Summit Place Financial Advisors Background

Miller founded Summit Place Financial Advisors in 2008. Miller principally owns the firm to this day, and has over two decades of experience in the private wealth management industry.

Financial services offered by Summit Place include discretionary asset and investment management, along with a plethora of financial planning and consulting services. For example, you can take advantage of tax planning, estate planning, legacy planning and retirement planning. The firm also has services specifically for multi-generational families, corporate executives, entrepreneurs and recent inheritors.

Summit Place Financial Advisors Investment Strategy

Summit Place Financial Advisors uses several methods of security analysis to inform its investment decisions. These include fundamental analysis, technical analysis and charting. Investment strategies may include both long-term purchases and short-term purchases. 

The firm looks to act in accordance with the investment goals of each individual client, as well as their risk tolerance, time horizon and income needs. In general, though, the firm typically invests in individual stocks and bonds.