58 WASHINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL

Advertorial

Washington’s Premier Wealth Advisors

List continues on page 60 »

The practices below were evaluated and selected by the National Association of Board Certified Advisory Practices (NABCAP) after surveying advisers throughout the region. See below for methodology.

The National Association of Board Certified Advisory Practices (NABCAP) is an unaffiliat-ed, nonprofit organization based in Colorado that was created to tackle the daunting chal-lenge of identifying top practitioners, and through the process help reform the public’s perception of the industry and its profes-sional membership. NABCAP currently has a presence in thirty-five plus U.S. markets.

The nonprofit along with its board of directors developed a formula designed to identify the best practices as determined by NABCAP. Separating and distinguishing the strongest practitioners from the industry’s pool of advisors is a solution with merit. The difficulty lies in the clear need for transpar-ency. “I’m very interested and concerned about the integrity of the industry,” says Dr. Chuck King, NABCAP board vice president. “Our goal is to make sure that the people who make our list meet our guidelines. It’s not about just hanging out a shingle. One of the reasons I got involved was the need for more scrutiny.” The public requires a

reliable, independent resource to provide clarity for their financial decisions. NABCAP was formed to help clarify the picture. And while NABCAP knows there is no perfect solution, it is committed to promoting higher standards and transparency, which are vital to the long-term success of the investing public. “We’re not just counting assets under management,” says King. “We’re interested in the processes used. And we don’t just take anybody. This is not a pay-to-play Organiza-tion. I’m a big believer in free markets. And what makes free markets work is information, not a lot of regulations. The more perfect the information, the more perfect the regula-tion.”

MethodologyThe primary focus of NABCAP is to serve the needs of the investing public by helping identify top wealth managers. NABCAP and its board of directors created an unaffiliated evaluation process in which 20 categories of practice management are assessed. Advisors

are invited and/or nominated to participate by submitting an online questionnaire. The multi-step verification process utilizes inde-pendent resources to assess the accuracy and truthfulness of the information submitted by participating advisory practices. NAB-CAP’s methodology is unique in deciphering advisors because it is primarily objective, not subjective, and helps add transparency for the investor’s benefit. NABCAP takes pride that its list of Premier Advisors is not merely defined by Assets Under Management (A.U.M.), revenues produced or even worse, popularity. Alternatively, NABCAP attempts to identify top advisors regardless of size, firm or affiliation.

Consumer UseEven though NABCAP’s vetting process is comprehensive in evaluating advisors, every single practice on the list most likely will not fit you the investor. The list of advisory practices is in alphabetical order; NABCAP believes there is not one perfect practice

for every investor out there. The first step recommended by NABCAP is to narrow down the list of practices by average client size. It is recommended you select practices that have an average client size of ½ - ¼ the size client you would estimate yourself, family or business to be. For example, if you have approximately $2 million of investable as-sets then identify practices with an average client size of $500K- 1million. This way, you fall within the top 20% of a practice’s entire clientele. This increases the probability you receive the practice’s top shelf service, care and attention. In addition to narrowing down the field of practices by average size client, it is recommended you also reference the practice’s top 5 specialties and designations to assure they are equipped and focused on handling your individual needs. Try to select at least 3 practices to interview for different personalities, service models and practice methodologies.

About this list

Continues on page 67 »

Advisory Practice Name Firm Name Average Assets Under Management Per Client

Avgerage number of clients per advisor

Advisors to Support Staff

Top Five Specialties Credentials

Alexandria GroupAlexandria, Va.703-739-3688

Morgan Stanley $565,000 163 2 : 2 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Investment Management, Portfolio Management, Comprehensive Wealth Management

N/APP

Atlantic Trust Private Wealth ManagementAtlanta, Ga.404-881-3400

Atlantic Trust Company $16,000,000 20 7 : 13 Investment Management, Family Office Services, Estate Planning, Comprehensive Wealth Management, Asset Allocation Management

Hartered Financial Analyst, Certified Financial Planner

Bradford CoyleMcLean, Va.703-827-7611

Wells Fargo Advisors $1,125,000 300 1 : 1 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Investment Management, Philanthropic Planning, Retirement Services

N/APP

Brown | Miller Wealth ManagementWashington, D.C.202-364-1600

Wells Fargo Advisors $850,000 133 3 : 2 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Risk Management, Portfolio Management, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Certified Investment Management Analyst, Certified Financial Planner

Burt Wealth AdvisorsRockville, Md.301-770-9880

Charles Schwab & Co. $1,750,000 62 4 : 6 Retirement Planning, Investment Management, Estate Planning, Portfolio Management, Asset Allocation Management

Hartered Financial Analyst, Certified Financial Planner

Campbell Wealth ManagementAlexandria, Va.703-535-5300

Campbell Wealth Management $1,225,000 57 4 : 7 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Investment Management, Risk Management, Estate Planning

Chartered Financial Consultant, Hartered Financial Analyst, Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist, Certified Financial Planner

CAPITAL Asset Management GroupBethesda, Md.240-482-4000

Cambridge Investment Research

$335,000 341 3 : 5 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Wealth Preservation/Insurance, Investment Management, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Chartered Financial Consultant, Chartered Life Underwriter, Certified Financial Planner, Certified Public Accountant

Capital Fiduciary Advisors, LLCReston, Va.703-871-5961

Capital Fiduciary Advisors, LLC $2,500,000 22 6 : 4 Financial Planning, Investment Management, Philanthropic Planning, Risk Management, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Chartered Financial Consultant, Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist, Chartered Life Underwriter, Certified Financial Planner

Capitol Group Institutional ConsultingWashington, D.C.202-585-5348

UBS Financial Services Inc. $1,950,000 79 5 : 1 Financial Planning, Corporate Services, Retirement Services, Estate Planning, Executive Services

Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist, Certified Investment Management Analyst, Certified Financial Planner

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62 WASHINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL

Advisory Practice Name Firm Name Average Assets Under Management Per Client

Avgerage number of clients per advisor

Advisors to Support Staff

Top Five Specialties Credentials

Highline Wealth ManagementRockville, Md.301-564-9500

Highline Wealth Management $6,150,000 52 4 : 16 Financial Planning, Investment Management, Philanthropic Planning, Estate Planning, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Certified Investment Management Analyst, Hartered Financial Analyst, Certified Financial Planner

Hightower BethesdaBethesda, Md.301-202-3585

HighTower Advisors $2,600,000 83 3 : 4 Financial Planning, Investment Management, Estate Planning, Liability Management, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Certified Investment Management Analyst

Hunter MuseRaleigh, N.C.919-803-1764

Ameriprise Financial $250,000 266 1 : 2 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Wealth Preservation/Insurance, Estate Planning, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Chartered Life Underwriter, Certified Financial Planner

Mclean Asset Management CorporationMcLean, Va.571-405-3697

Mclean Asset Management Corporation

$1,180,000 56 9 : 11 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Investment Management, Retirement Services, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Chartered Financial Consultant, Hartered Financial Analyst, Certified Financial Planner

Jones Advisory GroupWashington, D.C.202-955-4323

Janney Montgomery Scott $925,000 77 3 : 1 Financial Planning, Investment Management, Retirement Services, Comprehensive Wealth Management, Asset Allocation Management

Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist, CEP

Kenneth R. CrowleyVienna, Va.703-827-6508

Merrill Lynch $1,950,000 58 3 : 1 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Estate Planning, Liability Management, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Certified Financial Planner

Key Financial GroupFrederick, Md.240-215-4709

LPL Financial $365,000 126 2 : 1 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Retirement Services, Estate Planning, Asset Allocation Management

Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist, Certified Financial Planner

Krekeler Brower Wealth AdvisorsAlexandria, Va.703-740-4670

LPL Financial $835,000 55 3 : 1 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Investment Management, Estate Planning, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Chartered Financial Consultant, Certified Financial Planner

LeClair-Lemlih ApproachMcLean, Va.703-760-5717

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC $4,000,000 100 3 : 4 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Investment Management, Comprehensive Wealth Management, Asset Allocation Management

Certified Investment Management Analyst, Hartered Financial Analyst

Legg Wealth ManagementWashington, D.C.202-862-9003

Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management

$21,500,000 70 1 : 6 Philanthropic Planning, Family Office Services, Risk Management, Executive Services, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Certified Investment Management Analyst, Certified Financial Planner

Lewis Financial GroupReston, Va.703-288-1272

Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC

$1,500,000 150 1 : 3 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Estate Planning, Portfolio Management, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Certified Investment Management Analyst

Marat KushnerOwings Mills, Md.410-654-0114

Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC

$650,000 300 1 : 1 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Investment Management, Estate Planning, Portfolio Management

N/APP

Marcosson Kaufman & Kast GroupWashington, D.C.202-659-7353

Merrill Lynch $1,850,000 134 3 : 2 Retirement Planning, Estate Planning, Portfolio Management, Capital Preservation, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Certified Investment Management Analyst, Certified Financial Planner

Mark W WardzinskiWashington, D.C.202-872-5924

Raymond James & Associates $680,000 129 1 : 1 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Estate Planning, Comprehensive Wealth Management, Asset Allocation Management

Certified Financial Planner

Mayo / Bryer GroupBethesda, Md.301-215-4401

Merrill Lynch $1,525,000 70 2 : 1 Investment Management, Estate Planning, Portfolio Management, Liability Management, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Certified Investment Management Analyst

Michele Dandrea GroupMcLean, Va.703-394-1961

Morgan Stanley $1,725,000 41 5 : 2 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Investment Management, Risk Management, Portfolio Management

Chartered Financial Consultant, Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist, Chartered Life Underwriter, Certified Financial Planner

MLA Wealth ManagementMcLean, Va.703-342-1188

RBC Wealth Management $1,400,000 113 2 : 1 Retirement Planning, Investment Management, Retirement Services, Portfolio Management, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Chartered Financial Consultant, Certified Investment Management Analyst, Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist, Certified Financial Planner

Monument GroupWashington, D.C.202-861-4417

Wells Fargo Advisors $1,725,000 122 5 : 3 Corporate Services, Investment Management, Family Office Services, Risk Management, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Certified Investment Management Analyst

Pagnato KarpReston, Va.703-468-2700

HighTower $22,000,000 24 4 : 14 Family Office Services, Risk Management, Portfolio Management, Capital Preservation, Comprehensive Wealth Management

N/APP

Pamela G. ShortalMcLean, Va.703-734-4646

Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney, Inc.

$3,250,000 35 4 : 1 Retirement Planning, Financial Planning, Investment Management, Estate Planning, Comprehensive Wealth Management

Certified Public Accountant, Certified Financial Planner

Advertorial Washington’s Premier Wealth Advisors

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SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 67

Advertorial Washington’s Premier Wealth Advisors

DisclaimersNABCAP’s focus is to provide objective differ-entiation between financial advisory practices and through their evaluation process to help add transparency to the Financial Services Industry. Even though the NABCAP Premier Advisors’ list is comprehensive it should not be considered exhaustive and the following disclaimers should be considered:

[a] To ensure the best interests of the invest-ing public, NABCAP does not accept financial support from advisory practices, financial institu-tions or the media in exchange for beneficial reviews, rankings or industry insight. NABCAP is not affiliated with any advisor or financial institu-tion participating in the survey.

[b] Selecting a NABCAP Premier Advisor is no guarantee as to future investment success nor is there any guarantee that the selected financial advisory practice will be designated as a Premier Advisor by NABCAP in the future.

[c] The inclusion of a financial advisory prac-tice on the NABCAP Premier Advisor’s list should not be construed as an endorsement of the finan-cial advisory practice by NABCAP or Washington Business Journal.

[d] Although NABCAP invites all advisors in a market to participate, the final decision lies with the advisor and as such there may be advisors who would qualify but do not appear on the list as they chose not to participate and if they were included some advisors on this list would not have been included.

[e] NABCAP screens candidates for regula-tory compliance issues: checks and balances are imposed to limit the inclusion of an advisor with a negative regulatory history or multiple client

complaints. These checks and balances include:(i) NABCAP requires financial advisors to be

registered/licensed financial advisors in good standing with state and federal regulatory bodies. In addition NABCAP requires financial advisors to be in compliance with their respective broker/dealer or affiliated representation

(ii) NABCAP reviews each financial advisor and support staff’s U-4 or ADV to verify their employment and compliance record.

(iii) If an advisory practice makes the list with a settlement on their record we recommend that investors inquire with the advisory practice as well with their supervisor for the nature of the settlement.

[f] The supervisor survey is structured to make it equally easy for a respondent to give negative or positive responses and the method of calcu-lating results incorporates both negative and positive survey responses

[g] NABCAP does not perform subjective analysis of the survey results but assigns numeri-cal ratings based on questionnaire and survey responses, as well as third party verification.

[h] 5000+ direct contacts were made via email and mail in the Washington DC Area and 13,000 indirect to subscribers for participation/nomina-tion of participants. Premier Advisors list will not exceed 3.5% of each market’s financial advisory practices

[i] NABCAP created the methodology and process. Rank Premier Advisors is contracted to administer the evaluation process.

[j] All advertisements in the special advertis-ing section were sold exclusively by Washington Business Journal and not endorsed in any way by NABCAP.

About this list « Continued from page 58

As impossible as it may seem, the U.S. population has experienced some slight growth on the heels of the second worst recession this country has ever experienced. According to CapGemini’s World Wealth Report 2011, the popu-lation of High Net-worth Individuals in North America has risen 25% since 2008. Even considering this slight incline in personal wealth, the funda-mentals on the current US economy are still in an unstable state with talks of possibly entering another recessionary period. It remains critical that inves-tors are able to identify quality wealth managers to assist them in weathering these challenging market environments. NABCAP’s objective research has proven to identify quality practitioners in over 35+ US markets since the recession.

The National Association of Board Certified Advisory Practices (NABCAP) was created in 2008 by it’s board of di-rectors — representing industry insiders, investors and non-industry profession-als — with over four years of research and interviews with investors and advisors. One of NABCAP’s main objec-tives is to hold the investment advising community to a higher standard, said Chuck King, NABCAP board vice presi-dent and dean emeritus of the School of Business and Leadership at Colorado Christian University. To ensure the best interest of the investing public, NABCAP does not accept financial support from

advisory practices, financial institutions, or the media in exchange for beneficial reviews, rankings or industry insights. “This isn’t a money-driven effort,” said King. “It’s designed purely to provide information to investors and not to line someone’s pocket. Until financial advisors and banks and everyone else begins to police themselves we’re going to have problems. It’s essential that markets are operating properly for a free enterprise system to work.”

The nonprofit organization is achiev-ing its overarching goal of empowering the investing community by adding transparency to financial services industry. NABCAP Premier Advisors lists are a powerful reference for investors to identify the top wealth managers in their local market. Each market varies in size and is based on participation. Neither advisors nor firms pay to par-ticipate. With over 400,000 registered investment professionals nationally NABCAP has their work cut out for them. The nonprofit plans to expand it’s footprint to even more US markets in the immediate future. Below is a chart of the current markets open to partici-pation for advisors, and investors, you the reader, to utilize the research for better informative decisions towards personal financial needs. To learn more about NABCAP please visit www.NAB-CAP.org or email info@nabcap.org

NABCAP Viewpoint

Life changes, markets fluctuate, and your portfolio may need a review.Making the right choice of your financial advisor could never be as important as now. Our independent investment firm provides clients with comprehensive financial planning, a world class platform of investment options, and access to banking, lending and trust services through affiliates.

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InvestmentproductsandservicesareofferedthroughWellsFargoAdvisorsFinancialNetwork,LLC(WFAFN),MemberSIPC.TheLewisFinancialGroupPrivateWealthManagementisaseparateentityfromWFAFN.

From left:LaurenGreene,CMFC,BranchAdministrator;AndrewLewis,CIMA®,AAMS,ManagingDirectorandfounder;ChristinaFransckiewich,WealthPlanningCoordinator;andTreySchnippel,ClientAssociate

Choose wisely.

We’d be happy to give you a professional evaluation and second look. Make an appointment today for a complimentary consultation.

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