Financial Advisor Houston: The Right Choice – PillarWM

Are you seeking the services of a financial advisor? Houston investors have plenty of options to choose from in the city. If you have between $5 million and $500 million in liquid investment assets, you should consider using financial advisory services from Pillar Wealth Management. Our wealth managers possess in-depth knowledge related to investments and finance. Read our special guide for investors with $10 million or more to learn about our investment strategies.

Table of Contents

Top Financial Advisors in Houston
Why You Should Hire a Financial Advisor Houston
How Many Financial Advisors Do I Need?
Can I Change Financial Advisors?
Should I Hire a Financial Planner Instead of a Financial Advisor?

Top Financial Advisors in Houston

Smartasset compiled this list, selecting firms having higher AUM, more individual clients, fewer clients per advisor, and a greater length of time in business.

1. Avalon Investment & Advisory

Avalon Advisors is based in Houston and was founded in 2001, with Avalon Wealth Management as a subsidiary. Although the firm’s advisors act as fiduciaries, it has a fee-based compensation model.

Avalon Advisors has over $8.3 billion in assets under management. The firm offers services in asset allocation, traditional and alternative investments, risk management, and portfolio construction.

Avalon requires a minimum investment to establish an advisory relationship, but the minimum can be waived according to the needs of the client and the complexity of the situation. Investments below the required minimum are subject to a minimum annual fee.

2. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors

U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors is a Houston firm, established in 2010, and has over $6 billion in assets under management. It adheres to a fee-based compensation model. The firm is registered with the SEC as USCA Securities.

USCA investors pay a transaction-based fee (commission) whenever they buy or sell an investment. They pay custodian fees and account maintenance fees.

A USCA broker may recommend investments, but the investor makes the final decision about investment strategies. There is no required minimum investment amount.

U.S. Capital Advisors offers US energy infrastructure as the core focus of its institutional client business; USCA’s Public Finance team has over 100 years of collective experience to advise government entities across Texas.

3. Avidian Wealth Solutions

Avidian was founded in 2002. Its offices are located in Houston, and it has over $3 billion in assets under management.

Avidian requires a client account minimum of $500,000.00 for its discretionary managed account services. Non-discretionary services are provided in limited circumstances. Households under the minimum will generally be referred to Avidian’s Robo Platform, START, which is not actively managed.

The minimum asset level required for Avidian’s Hedged Tactical Equity Strategy is $1 million. Any account minimum may be waived at the company’s discretion. Client portfolios are continuously monitored, with advice provided by the advisor. There is no limit to the types of investments recommended.

Fees are calculated as a percentage of assets under management, ranging from 1.5% ($500,000–$749,999) to 1.25% ($1 million and up). START platform clients with an asset range of $25,000–$50,000 are charged an annual fee of $250. Clients with an asset range of $50,001–$500,000 pay an annual fee of 0.50% of the account balance.

4. Paul Comstock Partners

Paul Comstock Partners was founded in 1983 in Houston as a fee-only investment advisory firm. It has over $3 billion in assets under management.

Comstock offers investment advisory services to retail investors, such as cash flow planning and risk assessment to establish the account’s asset allocation. Performance reports are provided quarterly. Strategic planning is offered for wealth transfer to heirs or charities. Changes to the portfolio are made with prior approval of the client.

Paul Comstock serves individuals with $10 million or more of investable assets, families with investment assets of $20 million or more, and family offices and institutions with $100 million or more. The minimum may be waived at the company’s discretion.

5. Intrua Financial

Intrua is a fee-based advisory firm located in Houston. It was founded in 2007 and has over $1 billion in assets under management.

Intrua provides asset management services on a discretionary and non-discretionary basis, depending on the account agreement. The firm will provide ongoing supervision of the client’s custodial accounts. Non-discretionary services are provided through a wrap fee program.

Intrua provides financial planning and consulting services designed to achieve the client’s financial goals and objectives. It offers advice on types of investments.

The minimum account size with Intrua is $15,000.00.

Intrua’s investment products include stocks and bonds, IRAs, brokerage accounts, treasury bills, government securities, treasury notes, and variable annuities.

Intrua offers financial planning services for retirement, tax planning, and college planning, among others. It offers disability income insurance, life insurance, and long-term-care insurance.

6. Chilton Capital Management

Chilton Capital Management was founded in 1996. It follows a fee-only compensation model and has over $2 billion in assets under management.

Chilton Capital Management is a fiduciary and offers investment advisory services to retail investors. The firm’s primary services include portfolio management and financial planning. Standard services include daily client account monitoring and meeting with clients quarterly or when needed due to changes in the client’s financial situation.

Chilton offers both discretionary and nondiscretionary advisory services, seeking clients with a long-term focus. There are no formal account minimums or size restrictions to open or maintain an account. Client accounts may include US and non-US stocks, domestic and non-US ETFs, fixed-income securities, MLPs, and REITs.

7. Americana Partners

Americana Partners has offices in Houston, Austin, Dallas, and the Permian Basin. The firm’s portfolio managers and investment advisors have over 100 years of combined experience in wealth management. Americana Partners offers services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities.

Americana Partners does not provide any services for a performance-based fee (i.e., a fee based on a share of capital gains or capital appreciation of a client’s assets).

Americana Partners utilizes a combination of fundamental, technical, and charting methods of analysis.

8. CORDA Investment Management

CORDA Investment Management was founded in 1999 with a mission to empower families to be financially secure. CORDA serves more than 1,200 families from its six locations in Texas, Louisiana, and Colorado.

CORDA offers investment advisory services to individuals and organizations, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and estates. The firm charges a minimum annual fee of $5,000 to open and maintain an advisory account, which may be waived at its sole discretion.

CORDA’s managers are value investors; they are attracted to companies that are priced at a discount, being temporarily out of favor. CORDA uses quantitative and qualitative tools to select equities, the majority of which pay dividends and have a very small probability of permanent loss of capital.

9. Mosaic Advisors

At Mosaic Advisors, the primary focus is to provide comprehensive advice to business owners and their families in exchange for a fixed fee. The client-advisor relationship starts with due diligence, followed by design and implementation, which includes designing, fine tuning, and stress testing a comprehensive plan based on the client’s goals.

Mosaic offers a comprehensive service called Family Office, which is an ongoing arrangement that includes all its services.

Mosaic is compensated based on a percentage of assets under management, ranging from 0.20% for accounts of more than $50 million to 1.00% for $0.00 to $2.5 million.

Mosaic’s investment analysis methods may include fundamental, technical, charting, and cyclical analysis.

10. Icon Wealth Partners

ICON Wealth Partners was founded in 2016. The firm offers investment advisory services to retail investors, working closely with them to identify their investment goals and objectives, as well as their risk tolerance and financial situation, to develop an investment approach.

ICON provides services to individual, joint, retirement, trust and estate accounts, primarily using mutual funds, ETFs, stocks, bonds, independent managers, and private investments to build portfolios. Portfolio managers monitor securities in accounts on a regular and continuous basis, meeting with clients at least annually. Services are provided on a discretionary basis in accordance with the client’s objectives without prior approval of each transaction. Services may also be provided on a non-discretionary basis. There is no account or relationship size minimum to open and maintain an account.

Why You Should Hire a Financial Advisor Houston

High net worth or ultra-high net worth investors who haven’t used the services of a financial advisor Houston before may be wondering why hire a high net worth financial advisor. These professionals offer many different services, each of which can benefit you in some way. Please speak with our wealth managers to learn more about the services we provide.

Some of the services a financial advisor can provide include:

– Assessing Your Portfolio

– Creating Financial Plans

– Helping You Protect Your Wealth

Assessing Your Portfolio

As a wealthy investor, your portfolio likely consists of numerous high-value assets. You may have chosen these assets for your own personal reasons over the years. However, once you have multiple investments in your portfolio, you open yourself up to certain risks.

A financial advisor can identify the various risks your portfolio is vulnerable to, and help you work around them. These risks should be addressed before you expand your portfolio any further. You can read some portfolio growth strategies in our special guide.

Creating Financial Plans

No one can achieve their goals without a concrete plan. This applies to financial goals as well. Do you wish to retire comfortably by the age of 50? Maybe you want to double your wealth within the next decade. To carry out either of these goals, you will need a set strategy.

Financial advisors are skilled at creating plans to help you achieve your goals. Our wealth managers can even create plans to help you improve your portfolio performance. We discuss some ways to improve portfolio performance in our special guide.

Helping You Protect Your Wealth

Few things are more important than wealth protection. The older you get, the more likely it is that you will encounter an event that puts your finances into jeopardy. Whether that is a market crash or the sudden bankruptcy of a business, you should be well prepared. We discuss various techniques to protect your wealth in our book The Art of Protecting Ultra-High Net Worth Portfolios and Estates – Strategies For Families Worth $25 Million To $500 Million.

A financial advisor can offer various ways to protect your wealth. This includes diversifying your portfolio or purchasing the right type of insurance. Set up a free meeting with us to learn more about wealth protection.

How Many Financial Advisors Do I Need?

During your search for a financial advisor, you may ask yourself, “should I use multiple financial advisors?”. You can certainly use more than one financial advisor. Especially if you feel each one excels in providing a different type of service. However, it is generally better to stick with one professional.

Using a single advisor gives you a chance to develop a better relationship with them. This advisor can study your portfolio in-depth and learn what your unique financial goals are, before offering services to help you meet them. You should ask your advisor some of the questions outlined in our guide to choosing a financial advisor.

Can I Change Financial Advisors?

If you are dissatisfied with the services of your current financial advisor, you may be wondering “Can I change financial advisors?”. In this scenario, you can absolutely switch over to another advisor who is better suited to handle your needs.

You simply need to sign up with the new advisor and then notify your previous one. However, you should be prepared to pay some termination fees. Please get in touch with us if you are interested in switching over to a new financial advisor.

Should I Hire a Financial Planner Instead of a Financial Advisor?

During your search for a financial advisor, you may come across many financial planners. This can lead you to wonder “should I hire a financial planner instead of a financial advisor?”

A financial planner can create plans to help you meet your goals, much in the same way that a financial advisor can. However, an advisor offers a wider range of services, each of which may assist you in achieving your goals.

You can trust a financial advisor with managing your wealth, whereas a financial planner is better suited to creating plans while you do the rest. The choice between the two generally comes down to how many services you are seeking, and what level of involvement you require.

If you are interested in making the right investments, an advisor can help you make the right choice and assist you with the buying and selling process. You can read up on some advanced investment strategies in our guide for investors with $10 million or more.

Why Choose Pillar Wealth Management

Houston investors should seek financial advisory services from Pillar Wealth Management. Our clients turn to us for assistance due to our six decades of industry experience. We take the time to understand your financial goals and can help create strategies to help you achieve them with minimal effort. Get started with better financial decision making by signing up with us.

Frequently Asked Questions about Financial Advisor Houston

Is it worth paying for a financial advisor?

If you aren’t sure how to ensure your financial security for the long term, then a financial advisor can work with you to solve your money worries. That’s worth paying for.

How much can a financial advisor charge?

You can expect to pay an annual fee of 0.5% to 2% of the value of the assets managed by your advisor; this percentage typically is lower for assets valued over $1 million or when using a robo-advisor.

Is 1% too much to pay a financial advisor?

A percentage fee of 1% is not too much; it’s about the average, so you can trust that number as long as the advisor is working hard to help you generate considerably more than 1% in wealth each year.

Who are the top 5 financial advisors?

According to Smartasset, the top five financial advisors are Fisher Investments, Captrust, Mercer Advisors, Madison Investments, and Summit Rock Advisors.

Is it better to have a financial advisor or do it myself?

You should hire an advisor if you lack the time or knowledge to trade in the markets or if you have particular financial needs, such as saving money on taxes or managing debt.

How do I trust a financial advisor?

You will build a close relationship with your advisor over time, which will reveal their trustworthiness. They should be 100% transparent about how they work and the fees you pay.

What is better than a financial advisor?

A financial planner may provide more in-depth solutions for meeting your goals than an advisor who only recommends investments.

What to avoid in a financial advisor?

A financial advisor should have your interests at heart. Stay away from any advisor who cannot provide detailed answers to your questions about how they pick investments and how they earn money.

What is the lowest paid financial advisor?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the lowest 10% of financial advisors earn an average of $47,570. The median is $94,170.

How do I know if my financial advisor is bad?

Good advisors are transparent about how they work and how they are paid. They answer questions honestly and are eager to help their clients meet their financial goals.

Authors

Hutch Ashoo

Chris Snyder

To be 100% transparent, we published this page to help filter through the mass influx of prospects, who come to us through our website and referrals, to gain only a handful of the right types of new clients who wish to engage us.

We enjoy working with high net worth and ultra-high net worth investors and families who want what we call financial serenity – the feeling that comes when you know your finances and the lifestyle you desire have been secured for life, and that you don’t have to do any of the work to manage and maintain it because you hired a trusted advisor to take care of everything.