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2019

Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors

Our annual Top 1,200 ranking recognizes standouts from all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. It’s our largest, most comprehensive listing, and it encompasses everyone from independents, who own and operate their own practices, to advisors from the big Wall Street firms.

This special report names the top advisors in each state, with the number of ranking spots determined by each state’s population and wealth. Our rankings are based on assets under management, revenue generated by advisors for their firms, and the quality of the advisors’ practices. Investment performance isn’t an explicit criterion because performance is often a function of each client’s appetite for risk. In our evaluations, we examine regulatory records, internal company documents, and 100-plus points of data provided by the advisors themselves.

Financial advisors play a critical role in helping clients from across the wealth spectrum protect, manage, and deploy their money. And many of these pros are doing so under tough new regulatory requirements. In 2016, the Department of Labor issued a fiduciary standard that now applies at all retirement accounts. Broadly, it dictates that advisors must put clients’ interests ahead of their own. On a practical level, it reduces conflicts of interest, dramatically reining in advisors’ ability to recommend investment products based on how big a commission they’ll earn.

The best advisory firms, led by many of the independents, had been moving in this direction for years. But the DOL rule gave those who were waffling a shove in the right direction. The rule has plenty of critics, notably the Trump administration – which has delayed implementation of its enforcement mechanism until next year, and may ultimately kill it.

Still there’s a sense in the industry that the fiduciary era is here to stay.
Our Top 1,200 boast average annual client retention rates north of 98%. They generally work in teams, typically consisting of 11 people, to deliver broad and deep service. Because the average age of our advisors is above 55, the teams increasingly seek young talent that can bridge generations and, one day, take over leadership.

The Financial Times 400 Top Financial Advisors

The FT 400 was developed in collaboration with Ignites Research, a subsidiary of the FT that provides specialized content on asset management. To qualify for the list, advisers had to have 10 years of experience and at least $300 million in assets under management (AUM) and no more than 60% of the AUM with institutional clients. The FT reaches out to some of the largest brokerages in the U.S. and asks them to provide a list of advisors who meet the minimum criteria outlined above. These advisors are then invited to apply for the ranking. Only advisors who submit an online application can be considered for the ranking. In 2019, roughly 960 applications were received and 400 were selected to the final list (41.7%). The 400 qualified advisers were then scored on six attributes: AUM, AUM growth rate, compliance record, years of experience, industry certifications, and online accessibility. AUM is the top factor, accounting for roughly 60-70 percent of the applicant’s score. Additionally, to provide a diversity of advisors, the FT placed a cap on the number of advisors from any one state that’s roughly correlated to the distribution of millionaires across the U.S. The ranking may not be representative of any one client’s experience, is not an endorsement, and is not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. The FT is not affiliated with Raymond James.

Forbes Wealth Advisors Best in State

The Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria and quantitative data. Those advisors who are considered have a minimum of seven years of experience, and the algorithm weighs factors like revenue trends, AUM, compliance records, industry experience and those who encompass best practices in their practices and approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Out of 29,334 advisors nominated by their firms, 3,477 received the award. This ranking is not indicative of an advisor’s future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of an individual client’s experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its financial advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Raymond James is not affiliated with Forbes or Shook Research, LLC.

2018

Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors 

Our annual Top 1,200 ranking recognizes standouts from all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. It’s our largest, most comprehensive listing, and it encompasses everyone from independents, who own and operate their own practices, to advisors from the big Wall Street firms.

This special report names the top advisors in each state, with the number of ranking spots determined by each state’s population and wealth. Our rankings are based on assets under management, revenue generated by advisors for their firms, and the quality of the advisors’ practices. Investment performance isn’t an explicit criterion because performance is often a function of each client’s appetite for risk. In our evaluations, we examine regulatory records, internal company documents, and 100-plus points of data provided by the advisors themselves.

Financial advisors play a critical role in helping clients from across the wealth spectrum protect, manage, and deploy their money. And many of these pros are doing so under tough new regulatory requirements. In 2016, the Department of Labor issued a fiduciary standard that now applies at all retirement accounts. Broadly, it dictates that advisors must put clients’ interests ahead of their own. On a practical level, it reduces conflicts of interest, dramatically reining in advisors’ ability to recommend investment products based on how big a commission they’ll earn.

The best advisory firms, led by many of the independents, had been moving in this direction for years. But the DOL rule gave those who were waffling a shove in the right direction. The rule has plenty of critics, notably the Trump administration – which has delayed implementation of its enforcement mechanism until next year, and may ultimately kill it.

Still there’s a sense in the industry that the fiduciary era is here to stay.
Our Top 1,200 boast average annual client retention rates north of 98%. They generally work in teams, typically consisting of 11 people, to deliver broad and deep service. Because the average age of our advisors is above 55, the teams increasingly seek young talent that can bridge generations and, one day, take over leadership.

2017

The Financial Times 400 Top Financial Advisors

The FT 400 was developed in collaboration with Ignites Research, a subsidiary of the FT that provides specialized content on asset management. To qualify for the list, advisers had to have 10 years of experience and at least $300 million in assets under management (AUM) and no more than 60% of the AUM with institutional clients. The FT reaches out to some of the largest brokerages in the U.S. and asks them to provide a list of advisors who meet the minimum criteria outlined above. These advisors are then invited to apply for the ranking. Only advisors who submit an online application can be considered for the ranking. In 2017, roughly 790 applications were received and 400 were selected to the final list (50.6%). The 400 qualified advisers were then scored on six attributes: AUM, AUM growth rate, compliance record, years of experience, industry certifications, and online accessibility. AUM is the top factor, accounting for roughly 60-70 percent of the applicant’s score. Additionally, to provide a diversity of advisors, the FT placed a cap on the number of advisors from any one state that’s roughly correlated to the distribution of millionaires across the U.S. The ranking may not be representative of any one client’s experience, is not an endorsement, and is not indicative of advisor’s future performance.

Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors

Barron’s lists distinguished advisors after weighing factors such as advisors’ assets under management, revenue generated for their firms, and the overall quality of their practices.  James T. Barnette, Jr. ranked 20 out of 30 in the state of VA.

Source: Barron’s “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors,” March 6, 2017. Barron’s is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company, L.P. All rights reserved.

The rankings are based on data provided by over 4,000 individual advisors and their firms and include qualitative and quantitative criteria. Data points that relate to quality of practice include professionals with a minimum of seven years financial services experience, acceptable compliance records (no criminal U4 issues), client retention reports, charitable and philanthropic work, quality of practice, designations held, offering services beyond investments offered including estates and trusts and more.  Financial advisors are quantitatively rated based on varying types of revenues produced and assets under management by the financial professional, with weightings associated for each. Investment performance is not an explicit component because not all advisors have audited results and because performance figures often are influenced more by clients’ risk tolerance than by an advisor’s investment picking abilities. The ranking may not be representative of any one client’s experience, is not an endorsement, and is not indicative of advisor’s future performance.  Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating.  Barron’s is not affiliated with Raymond James.

2016

Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors

Barron’s lists distinguished advisors after weighing factors such as advisors’ assets under management, revenue generated for their firms, and the overall quality of their practices. James T. Barnette, Jr. ranked 21 out of 30 in the state of VA.

The Financial Times 400 Top Financial Advisors

The Financial Times selects 400 advisors based on AUM, AUM growth rate, compliance record, years of experience, industry certifications, and online accessibility

The FT 400 was developed in collaboration with Ignites Research, a subsidiary of the FT that provides specialized content on asset management. To qualify for the list, advisers had to have 10 years of experience and at least $300 million in assets under management (AUM) and no more than 60% of the AUM with institutional clients. The FT reaches out to some of the largest brokerages in the U.S. and asks them to provide a list of advisors who meet the minimum criteria outlined above. These advisors are then invited to apply for the ranking. Only advisors who submit an online application can be considered for the ranking. In 2016, roughly 980 applications were received and 400 were selected to the final list (40.8%). The 400 qualified advisers were then scored on six attributes: AUM, AUM growth rate, compliance record, years of experience, industry certifications, and online accessibility. AUM is the top factor, accounting for roughly 60-70 percent of the applicant’s score. Additionally, to provide a diversity of advisors, the FT placed a cap on the number of advisors from any one state that’s roughly correlated to the distribution of millionaires across the U.S. The ranking may not be representative of any one client’s experience, is not an endorsement, and is not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. The FT is not affiliated with Raymond James.

2015

The Financial Times Top 400 Financial Advisors

The Financial Times selects 400 advisors based on AUM, AUM growth rate, compliance record, years of experience, industry certifications, and online accessibility

The FT 400 was developed in collaboration with Ignites Research, a subsidiary of the FT that provides specialized content on asset management. To qualify for the list, advisers had to have 10 years of experience and at least $300 million in assets under management (AUM) and no more than 60% of the AUM with institutional clients. The FT reaches out to some of the largest brokerages in the U.S. and asks them to provide a list of advisors who meet the minimum criteria outlined above. These advisors are then invited to apply for the ranking. Only advisors who submit an online application can be considered for the ranking. In 2015, roughly 1,400 applications were received and 400 were selected to the final list (28.5%). The 400 qualified advisers were then scored on six attributes: AUM, AUM growth rate, compliance record, years of experience, industry certifications, and online accessibility. AUM is the top factor, accounting for roughly 60-70 percent of the applicant’s score. Additionally, to provide a diversity of advisors, the FT placed a cap on the number of advisors from any one state that’s roughly correlated to the distribution of millionaires across the U.S. The ranking may not be representative of any one client’s experience, is not an endorsement, and is not indicative of advisor’s future performance.