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Finding a Top Financial Advisor Firm in Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolinahas a fairly large selection of financial advisor firms to choose from. To help you sift through these options, SmartAsset has compiled this list highlighting the top firms in the city of Wilmington. We highlight a number of important factors for each firm, including their minimums, investment strategies, available services and more. SmartAsset’sfinancial advisor matching tool connects you with up to three advisors who serve your area.
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| Rank | Financial Advisor | Assets Managed | Minimum Assets | Financial Services | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Live Oak Private Wealth, LLC Find an Advisor Read Review | $830,021,821 | $250,000 |
| Minimum Assets$250,000Financial Services
|
| 2 | Old North State Wealth Management, LLC Find an Advisor Read Review | $265,854,635 | $500,000 |
| Minimum Assets$500,000Financial Services
|
| 3 | Omnistar Financial Group, Inc. Find an Advisor Read Review | $160,420,000 | $100,000 |
| Minimum Assets$100,000Financial Services
|
| 4 | Transitus Wealth Partners, LLC Find an Advisor Read Review | $200,703,808 | Varies based on account type |
| Minimum AssetsVaries based on account typeFinancial Services
|
| 5 | Lumina Wealth Management, LLC Find an Advisor Read Review | $152,556,850 | $150,000 |
| Minimum Assets$150,000Financial Services
|
What We Use in Our Methodology
To find the top financial advisors in Wilmington, 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:
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AUM
Firms with more total assets under management are ranked higher.
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Individual Client Count
Firms who serve more individual clients (as opposed to institutional clients) are ranked higher.
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Clients Per Advisor
Firms with a lower ratio of clients per financial advisor are ranked higher.
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Age of Firm
Firms that have been in business longer are ranked higher.
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Fee Structure
Firms with a fee-only (as opposed to fee-based) compensation structure 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.
Live Oak Private Wealth
Live Oak Private Wealth is a fee-onlyfirmthat works with a mix of individuals above and below the high-net-worth threshold, as well as pension plans, charitable organizations and corporations.
The firm's team holds multiple certifications, including certified financial planners (CFPs) and chartered financial analysts (CFAs), among other designations.
There is a $250,000 minimum account size at Live Oak, as well as a minimum quarterly fee of $1,875. At its own discretion, the firm may be willing to accept clients who don't meet these requirements.
Live Oak Private Wealth Background
Live Oak Private Wealthwas founded in 2018 and is owned by Live Oak Banking Company, which is owned by Live Oak Bancshares, Inc.
Live Oak Bank is a large online bank that offers accounts and lending solutions for individuals and small businesses.
Services offered at LOPW include financial planning, wealth management, business planning, cash flow planning, estate planning, financial reporting, investment consulting, insurance planning, retirement planning, risk management, charitable giving, distribution planning and tax planning.
Live Oak Private Wealth Investment Strategy
Live Oak Private Wealth’s Form ADV notes that its investment strategy focuses on knowing the importance of capital preservation and the power of compounding. To that end, a convservative, value-oriented approach is at the center of its portfolio management strategy. When it comes time to invest, the firm typically looks towardexchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative investments, individual stocks and bonds, options and independent managers.
Old North State Wealth Management
The advisory team at Old North State Wealth Management holds multiple certifications, including designations as certified public accountants (CPAs) and personal financial specialists (PFS), among others.
The fee-based firm hasworks withnon-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals. Institutional clients also include retirement plans and corporations.
The minimum account size is $500,000, though this may be waivable.
Some advisors at the firm may also earn commissions for insurance and securities sales. Though this is a potential conflict of interest, fiduciary duty binds each advisor to act in the best interest of the client.
Old North State Wealth Management Background
Old North State Wealth Managementwas founded in 2008. Paul Daniel Knott isthe sole owner of the firm.
Services include portfolio management, financial planning services, retirement planning, estate planning and selection of third party advisors.
Old North State Wealth Management Investment Strategy
Old North State Wealth Management uses a number of different investment research tools when choosing where clients' assets will end up in the market. These include charting, fundamental analysis, technical analysis and cyclical analysis. Each of these look at the market in a slightly different way, with the idea that combing all of them provides a more complete picture.
Short-term and long-term purchases are used, as well as covered options. Just under half of the firm’s investments are in mutual funds, and nearly a quarter are in individual stocks.
Omnistar Financial Group, Inc.
Omnistar Financial Group is a fee-based firm. This means that some advisors may earn commissions for selling insurance products.But whilethis is a conflict of interest, they must still comply with the firm's fiduciary obligation to put client interests first.
Asset management fees are charged based on a percentage of assets under management. Financial planning services are charged a fixed or hourly rate.
Omnistar works with both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, as well asretirement plans and charitable organizations.
The minimum account size is $100,000.
Certifications earned by team members include certified financial planner (CFP), chartered financial consultant (ChFC), chartered life underwriter (CLU) and certified public accountant (CPA).
Omnistar Financial Group Background
Omnistar was founded in 2006. The principal owner is Philip L. Clark.
Services offered at Omnistar include wealth management, financial planning and pension consulting.
Omnistar Financial Group Investment Strategy
Omnistar invests client assets in individual stocks. It may also advise clients to invest in mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs).
Transitus Wealth Partners
Transitus Wealth Partners is a fee-based financial advisor firm that works only with individuals. Its client base is comprised of mostly individuals below the high-net-worth threshold, though it also maintains advisory relationships with some high-net-worth individuals too.
The firm's account minimums vary by service, but most individuals will adhere to a negotiable $400,000 minimum asset requirement.
The firm'sadvisory team holds multiple certifications, including certified financial planners (CFPs) and certified financial transitionists (CeFTs),among other designations.
Some of the advisors at Transitus can sell insurance products on a commission basis. Although this represents apotential conflict of interest, the firm's fiduciary dutymeans it must act in clients' best interests at all times.
Transitus Wealth Partners Background
Transitus Wealth Partners is a very young firm, as it was founded in 2020. The firm'sprincipal shareholder is an outside entity calledThe Marino Group, Inc.
Investment management services here are available through either custom portfolios or model portfolios. Financial planning services can cover topics like retirement planning, cash flow analysis, tax planning,insurance planning, estate planning and more.
Transitus Wealth Partners Investing Strategy
Regardless of whether your Transitus Wealth Partners-managed investment portfolio is entirely custom or model-based, the firm will make investment decisions based on the same parameters.These include some incredibly important factors, such as your long-term financial goals, risk tolerance, time horizon, income needs and investment preferences. Portfolios can be managed on either a discretionary or non-discretionary basis.
Generally speaking, portfolios at Transitus include some combination of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, options and REITs. Portfolios may be rebalanced on a consistent basis in order to keep asset allocations intact.
Lumina Wealth Management
Lumina Wealth Management is a fee-based firm that serves both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, as well as retirement plans, charities, insurance companies and corporations.
Lumina manages millions and has a minimum account size of $150,000. The minimum annual fee is $1,500. Both of these requirements may benegotiable under certain circ*mstances.
Portfolio management fees at the firm are based on a percentage of assets under management. Financial planning and consulting fees are either fixed or hourly.
Some advisors at the firm earn commissions for selling insurance products. This is a potential conflict of interest, but the advisors are still bound by fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of the client at all times.
Lumina Wealth Management Background
Lumina Wealth Management was founded in 2017. William G. Anlyan, Ashley Doyle and Meredith Koenig are the principal owners of the firm.
Services offered at Lumina include portfolio management, wrap programs, consulting and financial planning. Financial planning can cover asset allocation planning, risk management, retirement planning and more.
Lumina Wealth Management Investment Strategy
Before investing any of your assets, Lumina Wealth Management will work with you to determine what kind of investor you are. This involves putting together a financial outline that's specific to you, as it will detail your risk tolerance, time horizon and financial goals.
Investment choices at Lumina can include separate account managers, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs),bonds, stocks, options, annuities and life insurance.
Financial Advisors Near You
Looking for a financial advisor in a nearby city? Here are some other lists of top financial advisors in the area:
- The Top Financial Advisors inCharlotte, NC
- The Top Financial Advisors inRaleigh, NC
- The Top Financial Advisors inGreensboro, NC
- The Top Financial Advisors inDurham, NC
- The Top Financial Advisors inWinston-Salem, NC
- The Top Financial Advisors inNorth Carolina
Or check out our in-depth reviews of some financial advisors in the area:
- Captrust
- Dixon Hughes Goodman Wealth Advisors
- Ally Invest Advisors
Want to see even more options? Use our free financial advisor matching tool to get connected with advisors who serve your area:
- Find a financial advisor today
