Top Financial Advisors in Wilmington, DE

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Affinity Wealth Management tops our list of the best financial advisor firms in Wilmington. Affinity is a fee-based firm that works with a wide range of clients, though the vast majority are non-high-net-worth individuals. It also works with a handful of high-net-worth individuals, pensions, profit-sharing plans, charities and government entities. This firm does not a have a set account minimum.

Advisors at Affinity are also registered broker-dealer representatives and/or insurance agents. They may receive commissions from the sale of insurance or securities to clients, making the firm fee-based and subjecting it to a potential conflict of interest. However, the firm is bound by fiduciary duty, making it obligated to act in the best interests of clients at all times.

Affinity Wealth Management Background

Affinity Wealth Management was founded in 2017, making it one of the youngest firms on our list. The firm is owned and operated by two employees: chairman James Hall and CEO Michael Sicuranza. Hall and Sicuranza are both also certified financial planners (CFP), although Sicuranza also holds the accredited investment fiduciary (AIF) designation. 

Affinity provides both investment management and financial planning services to its clients. It also provides retirement plan advisory services. It does provide a wrap fee program and it manages the vast majority of its assets on a discretionary basis.

Affinity Wealth Management Investment Strategy

Affinity Wealth Management, like many firms on our list, tailors its investment strategies to the needs of clients. That may involve creating an investment program from scratch or placing clients into a pre-built model portfolio that is designed to best fit their needs. When creating an investment plan for clients, advisors at the firm take into account their investment goals, desired strategies, tolerance for risk and any other pertinent information. Keep in mind that Affinity typically takes a long-term approach when investing client assets. 

Investment portfolios consist mainly of mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), bonds, stocks, options contracts, certificates of deposit (CDs), foreign securities, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and other alternative investments. When it comes to evaluating potential investments, advisors use fundamental, technical, cyclical and charting analysis methods. 

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Clariti Wealth Advisors was founded in 1983. According to its website, that makes it the first fee-only fiduciary firm in the state. The Clariti team includes advisors with a variety of certifications, including the certified financial planner (CFP), certified divorce financial analyst (CDFA), accredited asset management specialist (AAMS) and certified public accountant (CPA) designations.

The firm's client base consists mostly of high-net-worth individuals, as well as non-high-net-worth individuals, businesses and charities. There is no minimum investment requirement, though most accounts have at least $1 million. As a fee-only, Clariti advisors do not sell insurance or securities for commissions. 

Clariti Wealth Advisors Background

Clariti Wealth Advisors is owned by Ravi Dattani, one of its founders. Financial planning is its core service, which includes investment management, cash management, debt planning, education expense funding, insurance and risk management, employee benefit reviews, income tax planning, retirement or longevity planning, and estate planning. The practice also offers investment advisory services to qualified retirement plans, trusts and nonprofits.

Clariti Wealth Advisors Investment Strategy

Once the firm has identified an asset allocation it deems appropriate to a client’s goals and circumstances, it will invest in a diversified basket of stocks, bonds, alternatives and real assets. Clariti primarily uses mutual funds to do this, along with passive and active strategies. By active, it means an approach “that does not strictly adhere to a market benchmark.” 

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Veery Capital is a fee-based firm with a team that includes accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs) and certified financial planners (CFPs). Other certifications at the firm include chartered financial consultant (ChFC) and registered financial (RFC). Veery’s individual clients are almost all non-high-net-worth. There is no minimum investment requirement, though certain investments may require a minimum in order to be effective.

This is a fee-based firm that may receive commissions from the sale of financial products to clients. Despite this potential conflict of interest, the firm is legally bound by fiduciary duty to act in clients' best interests.

Veery Capital Background

Veery Capital (formerly Blue Rock Avenue One) was established in 2018. It’s owned by co-managing partners D. Christopher Benfer, Matthew MacNeal, Kathleen Townsend and Cortney Milner. 

The firm offers investment management, financial planning and retirement plan advisory services. It offers a wrap fee program for certain clients, which means that it includes securities transaction fees together with its investment advisory fees as a single asset-based fee. 

Veery Capital Investment Strategy

Veery Capital generally uses a long-term investment strategy, depending on clients’ financial goals. This usually involves holding securities for more than a year, but may hold for shorter periods to rebalance or meet a client’s cash needs. The firm may also take short-term positions. The majority of its assets are held in mutual funds and exchange-traded funds 

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Daniels + Tansey is a fee-based firm that employs advisors who hold a combination of designations, including the certified public accountant (CPA), certified financial planner (CFP) and chartered financial analyst (CFA) certifications. 

The firm primarily works with individuals above and below the high-net-worth threshold, along with pension and profit-sharing plans, estates, trusts, businesses and charitable organizations. The vast majority of accounts are managed on a discretionary basis. Daniels + Tansey requires a minimum $500,000 investment for new accounts, though it may waive it.

As a fee-based firm, certain on-staff advisors may have the ability to earn commissions from insurance sales. Despite this, the firm is legally required to act in clients' best interests.

Daniels + Tansey Background

Founded in 2004, Daniels + Tansey is a family shop. In addition to owners Christopher and Devon Daniels, two more Danielses work in the office. Adele McIntosh have minority stakes in the firm. 

Daniels + Tansey offers five main services: wealth management, investment advisory, multi-family office, financial planning and matrimonial financial planning.

Daniels + Tansey Investment Strategy

Daniels + Tansey looks to avoid volatility when selecting investments for client portfolios. This is done mostly through diversification that’s specifically chosen based on your inherent risk tolerance, need for liquidity, time horizon and other factors.

This firm invests in many different styles of securities in order to achieve optimal diversification. For example, this might include a combination of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, equity and index options, fixed-income securities, CDs, commercial paper, warrants and foreign/domestic equities. According to its most recent SEC filings, stocks were the most common investment at the firm.

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RiversEdge Advisors has a team that features multiple professional accreditations, including the certified financial planner (CFP), accredited investment fiduciary (AIF) and chartered financial consultant (ChFC) designations, among others.

A majority of RiversEdge clients do not have a high net worth, although the also serves high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, businesses and insurance companies. It doesn’t have a minimum investment size, but certain investments and strategies may require a minimum to be effective.

Some of the advisors who work at this fee-based firm can receive commissions from the sale of certain insurance products or securities. This creates a potential conflict of interest, which is mitigated by the fact that the firm is legally bound to act in clients' best interests due to its fiduciary duty.

RiversEdge Advisors Background

RiversEdge Advisors, a boutique firm, was founded in 2018 by Brian Carney and Jarrett Morris. Together, they are co-managing partners and owners.

This firm offers investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting and other consulting services.

RiversEdge Advisors Investment Strategy

When designing clients’ portfolios, the firm takes into account specifics such as risk planning, accumulation/distribution planning, cash flow, tax planning, and more. It primarily uses fundamental methods of analysis and employs a long-term investment strategy that involves holding all or a portion of securities for more than a year. It primarily invests in exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

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Crowley Wealth Management is the next firm on our list of the top advisors in Wilmington. This fee-only is run by the brother duo of Frederick and Robert Crowley, both of whom are certified financial planners (CFPs).

Crowley Wealth serves individual clients with and without a high net worth, although a majority of clients fall below the high-net-worth threshold. There are no investment minimums at this fee-only firm. 

Crowley Wealth Management Background

The Crowley brothers formed Crowley Wealth Management in 1980, making it the oldest firm on our list. The Crowleys remain the sole owners to this day.

The firm works in a multitude of different financial areas, including retirement planning, wealth management, estate planning, tax management, insurance planning and cash flow management.

Crowley Wealth Management Investment Strategy

The practice centers its investment choices around the long term and does not typically make a high volume of trades. When it comes to actual investment types, Crowley Wealth mostly works within individual equities, bonds and mutual funds. However, its choices are not limited to these, as exchange-traded funds (ETFs), options, government securities, warrants, certificates of deposit (CDs) and commercial paper may make it into your portfolio. Investment-grade corporate bonds are the most used investment at Crowely Wealth.

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Westover Capital Advisors is a family shop, with Harold Murray Sawyer and his son “Chip” Sawyer working together at the firm. The senior Murray founded the fee-only practice in 1999.

Westover serves individual clients with and without a high net worth. It also advises estates, trusts, charitable organizations, foundations and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm does have a $1 million minimum, though this may be negotiable.

The firm employs one chartered financial analyst (CFA), one certified financial planner (CFP) and one certified public accountant (CPA). One of the firm's advisors is also a certified trust and financial advisor (CTFA). As a fee-only practice, the firm and its advisors do not receive commissions or third-party compensation when clients purchase financial products or insurance policies.

Westover Capital Advisors Background

The Sawyers have onwed Westover Capital Advisors since its founding in 1999. Murray Sawyer has decades of experience in the financial services industry and also practiced law for 30 years.

In addition to investment management, the firm offers wealth advisory and consulting services, including investment strategy and research; investment implementation; life planning; tax planning; charity and charitable trust planning; retirement planning; Social Security planning, as well as estate, wealth transfer and legacy planning.

Westover Capital Advisors Investment Strategy

The firm states on its website that it does not “subscribe to any single style, size or philosophy when it comes to building and protecting” client assets. “This gives us the freedom to construct, then modify portfolios as market cycles and conditions dictate. 

Westover uses what it calls a “diversified all-cap portfolio approach,” with an emphasis on large-cap U.S. companies. It should be noted that the firm relies on mutual funds only on a limited basis. The majority of client accounts do not hold mutual funds. 

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Pillar Wealth Advisors has a team that includes certified financial planners (CFPs), chartered financial consultants (ChFCs), a chartered life underwriter (CLU), a certified public accountant (CPA) and more.

The fee-based firm works with individual clients whether they have a high net worth or not. Its client base also includes retirement plans, charitable organizations, corporations and businesses. The vast majority of accounts are managed on a discretionary basis. Meanwhile, there is no minimum investment requirement but the firm does charge a minimum fee of $300. 

Certain advisors who work at this firm can receive commissions when they sell specific insurance products or securities to clients. Despite this conflict of interest, the firm is legally required to act in clients' best interests.

Pillar Wealth Advisors Background

Firm president/CEO Michael Bree and chief financial officer/chief operating officer president Richard Clark co-founded the firm in 2011. They remain the only owners to this day.

Pillar offers an array of wealth management services, including financial planning, retirement plan consulting and portfolio management. It participates in a wrap fee program, which means that the firm’s advisory fee and transaction fees charged by the account custodian are bundled into one fee.

Pillar Wealth Advisors Investment Strategy

The firm primarily uses a fundamental analytical approach toward investments. It generally invests client assets in a mix of mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, individual debt and equity securities, as well as the securities components of variable annuities and variable life insurance contracts. Additionally, the firm may choose to outsource the management of your assets to independent managers.

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The letters in BCM Wealth Management come from Biddle Capital Management, which is the firm's legal name. As a fee-based practice, certain advisors here can sell insurance on a commissioned basis in addition to the advisory fees they collect from clients. While this presents a potential conflict of interest, the firm is required to act in your best interests as a fiduciary. 

The majority of the firm's assets under management belong to pensions and profit-sharing plans, as the firm has a division called BCM Retirement Solutions. However, it also serves high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth individuals. It also generally requires a $500,000 minimum investment but may waive this requirement under certain circumstances.

The firm has several accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs) on staff. 

BCM Wealth Management Background

George Biddle established the practice in 1996 and remains its president and chief compliance officer. The G. David Biddle Family Trust owns the business.

The firm offers financial planning, investment management, asset allocation and pension consulting services. 

BCM Wealth Management Investment Strategy

BCM Wealth Management primarily uses modern portfolio theory, which is the basis for diversification. Modern portfolio theory aims to maximize the returns that a portfolio produces for a given level of risk. It also utilizes fundamental analysis and generally makes long-term purchases with the expectation that the security will rise in value over time.

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Donald W. Nicholson & Associates wraps up our list of the top financial advisors in Wilmington. This fee-only firm does not have a minimum investment requirement for new clients. The firm's client base is comprised almost entirely of individuals, a majority of whom have a high net worth. The firm's other clients include charitable organizations and trusts.

As a fee-only practice, all of its compensation comes from client-paid fees. The advisory team here includes one advisor who's a certified financial planner (CFP) and accredited asset management specialist (AAMS).

Donald W. Nicholson & Associates Background

Donald W. Nicholson & Associates has been in business since 1987. The firm's president, Donald W. Nicholson Sr., owns the firm entirely.

Portfolio management and financial planning are the primary services at the firm. The latter includes things like budgeting, tax planning, estate planning, business planning, insurance planning and more. The firm offers its services to individuals and their families, business owners, as well as nonprofit organizations and foundations. 

Donald W. Nicholson & Associates Investment Strategy

Donald W. Nicholson & Associates builds clients portfolios on an individual basis. This means that the advisor and client will personally meet to discuss what type of investor they are, and therefore what their portfolio's construction and management style should look like. Some factors that stand out as especially important during this process include risk tolerance, time horizon, financial goals and liquidity/income needs.

Instead of focusing on specific investments, the firm looks to identify an appropriate ratio of securities, fixed-income investments, non-securities investments and cash for each client. Portfolios typically comprise a combination of mutual funds, but may also feature fixed-income securities, exchange-traded funds and other suitable investment products. However, the firm generally does not engage in short-term trading strategies.