BEST OF
Wealth advisors offer full-service financial advice and management, covering everything from estate planning to tax minimization.
By Alana Benson
Edited byArielle O'Shea
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Wealth advisors are a type of financial advisor who work with high-net-worth clients and offer holistic financial planning. This often includes services such as estate planning, tax minimization and legal guidance, in addition to investment management.
Because of the comprehensive guidance they provide, wealth advisors often require a minimum investment of several hundred thousand dollars or more. However, unlike in previous generations, many of the advisors below operate primarily online — in most cases, you'll meet with the advisor virtually, though some connect you to local options — and offer lower minimums.
And just a note: the title “wealth advisor,” like many other types of financial advisors, is just a label; an advisor who calls themself a wealth advisor requires no education or certification, so be sure to verify a financial advisor's credentials before signing on to work with them.
Why you can trust NerdWallet's picks: Our writers and editors together have more than 50 years of experience writing about finance, and follow strict guidelines to maintain editorial integrity. We do a deep, independent analysis of dozens of investment firms, sorting through the details to find and evaluate the information investors want when choosing an investing account. To see our full methodology and learn more about our process, read our criteria for evaluating online financial advisors.
Wealth advisors are a type of financial advisor who work with high-net-worth clients and offer holistic financial planning. This often includes services such as estate planning, tax minimization and legal guidance, in addition to investment management.
Because of the comprehensive guidance they provide, wealth advisors often require a minimum investment of several hundred thousand dollars or more. However, unlike in previous generations, many of the advisors below operate primarily online — in most cases, you'll meet with the advisor virtually, though some connect you to local options — and offer lower minimums.
And just a note: the title “wealth advisor,” like many other types of financial advisors, is just a label; an advisor who calls themself a wealth advisor requires no education or certification, so be sure to verify a financial advisor's credentials before signing on to work with them.
Why you can trust NerdWallet's picks: Our writers and editors together have more than 50 years of experience writing about finance, and follow strict guidelines to maintain editorial integrity. We do a deep, independent analysis of dozens of investment firms, sorting through the details to find and evaluate the information investors want when choosing an investing account. To see our full methodology and learn more about our process, read our criteria for evaluating online financial advisors.
Best Wealth Advisors
| Broker | NerdWallet rating | Fees | Account minimum | Promotion | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zoe Financial Learn more on Zoe Financial's website AD Paid non-client promotion | 5.0/5 Reviewed in: Oct. 2023 Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023 | Varies by Advisor (free initial consultation) | $150,000 | 3 - | Learn more on Zoe Financial's website AD Paid non-client promotion |
Vanguard Personal Advisor Learn more on Vanguard's website AD Paid non-client promotion | 4.3/5 Reviewed in: Oct. 2023 Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023 | 0.35% management fee | $50,000 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn more on Vanguard's website AD Paid non-client promotion |
Facet Learn more on Facet's website AD Paid non-client promotion | 5.0/5 Reviewed in: Oct. 2023 Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023 | $2,400 and up per year (free initial consultation) | $0 | Get $300 reward into Facet brokerage account for new members who transfer at least $5,000 within the first 90 days of their Facet membership.* | Learn more on Facet's website AD Paid non-client promotion |
Harness Wealth Learn more on Harness Wealth's website AD Paid non-client promotion | 5.0/5 Reviewed in: Oct. 2023 Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023 | Up to 1% per year | $250,000 | $250 off one year of financial or tax planning | Learn more on Harness Wealth's website AD Paid non-client promotion |
Betterment Premium Learn more on Betterment's website AD Paid non-client promotion | 4.1/5 Reviewed in: Oct. 2023 Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023 | 0.40% management fee | $100,000 | None no promotion available at this time | Learn more on Betterment's website AD Paid non-client promotion |
Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium™ Read review Unpaid non-client promotion | 4.5/5 Reviewed in: Oct. 2023 Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023 | $30 monthly | $25,000 | None no promotion available at this time | Read review Unpaid non-client promotion |
NerdWallet rating
5.0/5Reviewed in: Oct. 2023
Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023
on Zoe Financial's website
AD
Paid non-client promotion
Fees
Varies by Advisor (free initial consultation)
Account minimum
$150,000
Promotion
3-Month Satisfaction Guarantee
Pros
Makes it easy to find a financial advisor.
Network of financial advisors offer a wide range of planning services.
No fee for using Zoe Financial to find an advisor.
Cons
Difficult to know financial advisor fees upfront.
Why We Like It
Zoe Financial isn't actually a financial advisory firm — the company connects clients to financial advisors. Zoe advisors are all independent fiduciaries who work on a commission-free model, meaning your advisor won’t try to sell you products to make a profit.
NerdWallet rating
4.3/5Reviewed in: Oct. 2023
Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023
on Vanguard's website
AD
Paid non-client promotion
Fees
0.35%
management fee
Account minimum
$50,000
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
Low advisor fee and lower account minimum for an online planning service.
Comprehensive advice with goals-based planning.
Unlimited access to financial advisors.
Solid investment selection with Vanguard’s suite of funds.
Cons
Must move outside assets over to Vanguard.
Why We Like It
Vanguard Personal Advisor is an excellent choice for investors who can meet the $50,000 account minimum and want to use the computer algorithms of a robo-advisor while maintaining access to a human touch.
NerdWallet rating
5.0/5Reviewed in: Oct. 2023
Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023
on Facet's website
AD
Paid non-client promotion
Fees
$2,400 and up
per year (free initial consultation)
Account minimum
$0
Promotion
Get $300 reward
into Facet brokerage account for new members who transfer at least $5,000 within the first 90 days of their Facet membership.*
Pros
Free initial consultation.
Comprehensive, full-service financial planning.
Meetings are held virtually, via phone or video call.
No additional fee for investment management.
Fee-only advice from a designated fiduciary CFP.
Cons
Wide fee range makes it difficult for potential customers to estimate costs.
No in-person meeting option.
Why We Like It
Facet's financial planning services start at $2,400 per year and include customized financial guidance and investment management from a dedicated CFP.
NerdWallet rating
5.0/5Reviewed in: Oct. 2023
Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023
on Harness Wealth's website
AD
Paid non-client promotion
Fees
Up to 1%
per year
Account minimum
$250,000
Promotion
$250 off
one year of financial or tax planning
Pros
Reduces uncertainty when selecting a financial advisor.
Access to a range of services, including investment management and financial, tax and estate planning.
Easy to get started.
Advisors offer complimentary consultations.
No fee for using Harness Wealth to find an advisor.
Cons
The firms Harness works with may have higher fees.
Firms require $250,000 asset minimum for investment management. (No minimum for a one-time financial plan.)
Why We Like It
Harness Wealth isn't itself a financial advisory firm — the company serves to connect clients to carefully vetted firms. Advisors on the platform typically charge a 1% management fee, but flat-fee financial planning services and tax help are also available.
NerdWallet rating
4.1/5Reviewed in: Oct. 2023
Period considered: Aug. - Oct. 2023
on Betterment's website
AD
Paid non-client promotion
Fees
0.40%
management fee
Account minimum
$100,000
Promotion
None
no promotion available at this time
Pros
Unlimited access to a team of certified financial planners.
Low management fee.
Innovative savings and retirement planning tools.
Cons
Clients don't receive a dedicated advisor.
Advisors available by phone and email only.
High account minimum.
Why We Like It
Betterment Premium offers clients with at least $100,000 to invest unlimited access to financial advisors. The service charges a reasonable 0.40% of assets under management, and the advisors are all certified financial planners, a credential that requires meeting a high bar for education and experience.
Want to compare more options? Here are our other top picks:
Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium™
Last updated on March 1, 2024
Methodology
NerdWallet’s comprehensive review process evaluates and ranks companies that provide financial planning services online or connect users to a financial advisor. Our aim is to provide an independent assessment of providers to help arm you with information to make sound, informed judgements on which ones will best meet your needs. We adhere to strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
We collect data directly from providers through detailed questionnaires, and conduct first-hand testing and observation through provider demonstrations. The questionnaire answers, combined with demonstrations, interviews of personnel at the providers and our specialists’ hands-on research, fuel our proprietary assessment process that scores each provider’s performance across more than 20 factors. The final output produces star ratings from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars).
For more details about the categories considered when rating financial advisors and our process, read our full methodology.
To recap our selections...
NerdWallet's Best Wealth Advisors of March 2024
- Zoe Financial
- Vanguard Personal Advisor
- Facet
- Harness Wealth
- Betterment Premium
- Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium™
