Top Financial Advisors in Waltham, MA

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Ballentine Partners, a fee-only financial advisor, is the top-rated firm in Waltham, Massachusetts. Ballentine exclusively serves high-net-worth individuals, so there are no non-high-net-worth or institutional clients at the firm. Part of the reason the firm has only high-net-worth clients is because it has a $3.5 million minimum account size. 

There are numerous advisors on staff at the firm. The team includes many financial certifications, including 32 certified financial planners (CFPs), 16 chartered financial analysts (CFAs), five chartered alternative investment analysts (CAIAs), one certified private wealth advisor (CPWA), three certified public accountants (CPAs), four chartered advisors in philanthropy (CAPs), one chartered financial counselor (ChFC) and one chartered retirement planning counselor (CRPC).

As a fee-only firm, Ballentine advisors do not earn commissions for selling financial products and services, only the advisory fees their clients pay.

Ballentine Partners Background

The history of Ballentine Partners' predecessor firms stretches back to 1984, but the firm has only existed in its current form since 2010. Roy Ballentine founded the firm. The firm is majority owned by its senior employees. Two clients of the firm also hold a stake in its ownership.

Services offered include investment management, financial planning, cash flow analysis, estate planning, insurance coverage analysis, income tax planning and family office services.

Ballentine Partners Investment Strategy

Advisors at Ballentine put together portfolios taking into account asset allocation, asset location and risk management. Possible investments include cash, bonds, stocks, real estate funds, hedge funds, private equity funds, timber funds, energy funds and commodity funds. Creating a balanced portfolio that is tax-efficient is the goal.

Ballentine does not engage in market timing, but advisors do make a number of tactical decisions throughout the year for clients. "In a typical year, we make about a dozen decisions to increase or decrease the allocation to an asset class, or to add or remove an asset class," the firm wrote in its brochure. "The extent to which a particular decision is actually implemented in your accounts will depend upon a large number of factors including the size of each account, your tax situation, and which family member or entity owns a specific account."

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Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners (FDC) is a fee-only firm with a large client list. With a minimum account size of $20 million, the firm mostly works with ultra-high-net-worth individuals. However, some clients do fall below the high-net-worth threshold, as the firm may waive its investment minimum. FDC also works with retirement plans, charitable organizations, pooled investment vehicles and corporations.

The firm’s team includes four chartered financial analysts (CFAs) and one certified trust and financial advisors (CTFA). For advisory services, FDC charges asset-based fees and fixed fees. 

Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners Background

FDC has been in business since 1967. As for advisory services, the firm specializes in financial planning, portfolio management, advisor selection, credit and cash management solutions, as well as insurance solutions. While advisors may help clients obtain insurance, they do not collect commissions when a client purchases coverage. 

The firm is part of the Focus Financial Partners partnership, which is one of the largest financial services partnerships in the U.S. It is, in turn, wholly owned by Focus Operating.

Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners Investment Strategy 

FDC seeks investments it believes are improperly priced by the markets that may generate sufficient returns for its clients, according to the firm's brochure. The firm employs fundamental analysis when selecting publicly traded investments, which involves examining specific metrics or factors to estimate whether a stock’s value is realistic. 

FDC mainly invests in publicly traded stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), bonds and mutual funds. "We actively manage client portfolios and own securities we are comfortable holding for an extended period of time," the firm states in its brochure. "We utilize a long-term investment horizon and try to avoid short-term trading in order to generate attractive after-tax returns." 

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Windrose Advisors is one of the most exclusive firms on this list, as it requires a minimum initial investment of at least $25 million from incoming clients. In fact, the fee-only firm's Form ADV states that it usually works with clients who have anywhere up to $1 billion in assets. As a result, the firm only works with individuals with a high net worth, as well as a number of pooled investment vehicles and charitable organizations.

As a fee-only firm, advisors at Windrose do not collect commissions for selling products and services. Instead, they are compensated through the asset-based fees their clients pay for advisory services. 

Windrose Advisors Background

Windrose Advisors has been in business for a little over a decade, as it was established in 2009 by co-founders John D. Haase and William A. Heitin. Today, the duo still owns the firm, along with DF Capital, LLC. Haase is the Windrose's managing partner and Heitin is its chief financial officer (CFO) and chief operating officer (COO).

As you can likely infer from its high account minimum, Windrose works extremely closely with each of its individual clients and their families. The firm does this through investment management services, as well as more personalized financial planning offerings. These can include estate planning, generational wealth transfers, liability management, retirement planning, charitable gift planning and more.

Windrose Advisors Investment Strategy

Before investing a dime of a client's money, Windrose Advisors will work with you to figure out exactly what a successful financial picture means to you. For example, you'll need to determine what kinds of financial goals you and your family have, what your risk tolerance is, when you want to reach your goals and what level of income you'll need later in life.

Windrose tends to invest client assets through active management, but it also uses passive investing from time to time. Which option your portfolio employs more will depend on your specific situation.

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Sensible Financial Planning and Management is a fee-only firm with hundreds of millions in assets under management. Clients of the firm include both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individual investors, with the latter outnumbering the former. Charitable organizations are the only institutional clients at the firm.

Sensible's staff includes seven certified financial planners (CFPs), two chartered financial analysts (CFAs), one chartered special needs consultant (ChSNC) and one retirement management advisor (RMA). The firm’s minimum account size is $500,000, though this may be negotiable.

Fees for investment management are based on a percentage of assets under management, while fees for financial planning are billed at a flat rate ranging between $5,000 and $7,000.

Sensible Financial Planning and Management Background

Sensible Financial Planning and Management was founded in 2005. Frederick Hotchkiss Miller Jr is the majority owner of the firm.

The firm offers clients financial planning, investment management, retirement planning, risk management, insurance, college savings, cash flow, debt management, work benefits, estate planning and incapacity planning.

Sensible Financial Planning and Management Investment Strategy

Advisors at Sensible Financial Planning and Management make investment recommendations based on return and risk forecasts for various asset classes. Portfolios are built to maximize returns given the level of risk and volatility a client is willing to take on. "We construct portfolios using primarily low cost mutual funds. We recognize the difficulties inherent in stock selection," the firm states in its brochure. "Therefore, we use index funds and passive approaches rather than funds attempting to pick stocks that will outperform."

For clients that want a specific income level in their post-retirement years, the firm builds TIPS ladders using treasury inflation-protected securities (TIPS) to provide that income. 

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Montis Financial is a fee-only firm managing hundreds of millions in assets for a client base nearly split evenly between non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individual investors. The only institutional clients at the firm are corporations. Montis' team of advisors includes five  certified financial planner (CFPs), one enrolled agent (EA), one chartered financial analyst (CFA), one certified divorce financial analyst (CDFA) and one chartered life underwriter (CLU).

There is a minimum account size of $2 million at Montis, though the firm may be willing to adjust or waive this requirement. Fees are charged based on a percentage of assets under management for investment planning and on an hourly basis for financial planning.

Montis Financial Background

Montis Financial was founded in 2012 by Christopher Dalto and Christiane Delessert, who remain principal owners of the business. Dalto, the firm's president, has over 20 years of experience working in the financial services industry.

Services offered at Montis include wealth planning, asset management, retirement plans and portfolio monitoring services.

Montis Financial Investment Strategy

Advisors at Montis Financial use a variety of research materials to build portfolios. The firm develops financial plans for clients that may include an analysis of their current assets, risk management, financial independence, retirement planning, estate planning, asset allocation and diversification. The firm may recommend short-term cash instruments, mutual funds, money managers, limited partnerships, real estate investment trusts, government securities, corporate/municipal debt (bonds) and equity securities (stocks). Clients can impose restrictions on their portfolios at any time. 

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Aspire Wealth Management Corporation is a fee-based advisor serving mostly non-high-net-worth individual investors, with some high-net-worth clients as well. The only institutional money in the firm's asset base comes from pension plans. 

Aspire's team includes two certified financial planners (CFPs) and one accredited investment fiduciary (AIF). The minimum account size is $250,000, though this may be waived at the firm's discretion.

Fees for asset management are based on a percentage of assets under management, while fees for financial planning are fixed. Some advisors here can also earn commissions from the sale of securities or insurance products to clients. While this represents a potential conflict of interest, the firm's fiduciary duty requires it to act in clients' best interests at all times.

Aspire Wealth Management Corporation Background

Aspire Wealth Management Corporation was founded in 2012. It is owned and operated by founder and CEO Mark Khozozian. Bill D'Agostino serves as president of the firm.

Aspire’s services include asset management, financial planning, college funding, retirement planning, tax planning, insurance, retirement plan advisory services and business planning.

Aspire Wealth Management Corporation Investment Strategy

Aspire Wealth Management Corporation's advisors use mostly publicly available research materials to figure out which investments it will make with client money. The firm relies on mutual funds and exchange traded funds. Individual stocks make up a smaller portion of the investments at Aspire, and the rest is split between cash, structured notes, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and bonds.

"We attempt to understand each client’s unique financial situation in order to develop an appropriate strategic asset allocation," the firm states in its brochure. "The strategic asset allocation provides allocation targets for the major asset classes, such as public equities and fixed income, private equity and debt, real estate equity and debt, as well as other alternative asset classes."

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SAVVI Financial is a Waltham-based financial technology firm whose primary business is operating a digitial financial planning platform. However, the company, which is fee only, also has a wealth management division known as SAVVI Wealth Partners (SWP) that offers fee-based financial advice. This means some advisors at SWP can earn commissions for selling insurance products in their capacity as representatives of insurance companies. While this presents a potential conflict of interest, SWP has a fiduciary duty to always act in its clients' best interest. 

SWP primarily works with individual investors who do not have a high net worth, although some clients are high-net-worth individuals. The firm generally requires a minimum account size of $100,000, but smaller accounts may be accepted and charged a flat fee. 

SAVVI Financial Background

SAVVI Financial was established in 2013 and currently has a small team of employees with a combined 100 years of experience in the financial services industry. Dimitris Bertsimas, a cofounder of the company and chairman of its board of directors, has the largest ownership stake (more than 25%) in the limited liability company that controls SAVVI Financial. 

Six year after SAVVI Financial was founded, the company launched its wealth planning division to provide fee-based portfolio management and financial life planning services to clients. 

SAVVI Financial Investment Strategy

SWP advisors build client portfolios based on their investment objectives and financial situations. The investments in a client's portfolio typically consist exchange-traded funds, although this will depend on the client’s objectives, risk tolerance and current holdings. 

The firm uses a combination of fundamental analysis and quantitative models to evaluate and select investments. It constructs portfolios based on long-term expectations with the expectation that clients hold assets for at least a year. In addition to exchange traded funds, advisors may also invest client assets in individual debt and equity securities, mutual funds, index funds and options when appropriate. 

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Pension & Wealth Management Advisors does not have a specific account minimum, which means just about anyone can become a client. The firm mostly works with non-high-net-worth individuals, though it also serves high-net-worth individuals and charitable organizations.

Depsite being a small firm, the advisors here hold a few different certifications. These include the accredited investment fiduciary (AIF), chartered life underwriter (CLU), certified financial planner (CFP), chartered financial consultant (ChFC), certified plan fiduciary advisor (CPFA) and chartered financial analyst (CFA) designations.

Certain on-staff advisors at this firm can sell insurance products on a commission basis, meaning the firm is fee based. While this presents a potential conflict of interest, the firm's fiduciary duty requires it to act in clients' best interests at all times.

Pension & Wealth Management Advisors Background

Pension & Wealth Management Advisors was founded in 2019 and became a registered investment advisor in 2020, making it one of the youngest firms on this list. The firm is owned by George P. Webb, who still works there.

Ongoing investment management is the premier offering at Pension & Wealth Management Advisors. Financial planning is also available, and it can cover topics like financial goal-setting, income tax planning, insurance planning, retirement planning and estate planning.

Pension & Wealth Management Advisors Investment Strategy

Pension & Wealth Management Advisors tends to invest in a diverse range of investments. This is done to ensure your investment returns aren't overly reliant on a specific market sector or security type, which could result in a large fluctuations and high volatility. Portfolios typically include some combination of stocks, bonds, options, ETFs, mutual funds, closed-end funds, hedge funds, private placements, real estate and venture/post-venture capital companies.

The firm performs both fundamental and technical forms of analysis when evaluating securities, and relies on both top-down and bottom-up analysis to do so.  

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The Harvest Group is a fee-based firm with a staff of advisors including three certified financial planners (CFPs), three chartered retirement planning counselors (CRPCs), one chartered market technician (CMT), one certified investment management analyst (CIMA), one certified divorce financial analyst (CDFA) and more.

The clients of Harvest are mostly non-high-net-worth individuals, with some high-net-worth clients as well. Institutional clients include pension and profit-sharing plans. There is no minimum account size for new clients of Harvest.

Wealth management fees are based on a percentage of assets under management while financial planning fees are charged at a fixed rate, ranging from $2,500 to $50,000. Some advisors at the firm earn commissions for selling securities and insurance products. This is a potential conflict of interest, though all advisors must act in the best interests of clients when serving as an advisor.

The Harvest Group Background

The Harvest Group was founded in 2016. It is wholly owned by Laurie Ingwersen and Roger Ingwersen, who remain the firm's managing partners.

Services at Harvest include wealth management, financial planning, business planning, cash flow forecasting, trust and estate planning, financial reporting, investment consulting, insurance planning, charitable giving, distribution planning, retirement planning, tax planning and risk management.

The Harvest Group Investment Strategy

Modern portfolio theory is the basis of the investment strategy at Harvest. This involves building a portfolio that seeks to maximize returns for a given risk level. The firm invests in a mix of mutual funds and exchange traded funds, as well as individual stocks, debt securities and independent investment managers on a limited basis.