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The Top Financial Advisors in West Virginia

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This review was produced by SmartAsset based on publicly available information. The named firm and its financial professionals have not reviewed, approved, or endorsed this review and are not responsible for its accuracy. Review content is produced by SmartAsset independently of any business relationships that might exist between SmartAsset and the named firm and its financial professionals, and firms and financial professionals having business relationships with SmartAsset receive no special treatment or consideration in SmartAsset’s reviews. This page contains links to SmartAsset’s financial advisor matching tool, which may or may not match you with the firm mentioned in this review or its financial professionals.

Finding a Top Financial Advisor Firm in West Virginia

West Virginia doesn't have too many financial advisors that meet our criteria. However, when it comes to picking one that's right for you, the decision-making process can still be difficult and confusing. SmartAsset created this list of the top financial advisor firms in West Virginia to help you differentiate between the firms. We’ve outlined each firm’s fees, account minimums, specialties and more. SmartAsset's financial advisor matching tool can even further help you in the decision process by pairing you with advisors who serve your area.

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Rank Financial Advisor Assets Managed Minimum Assets Financial Services More Information
1 McKinley Carter Wealth Services, Inc. McKinley Carter Wealth Services, Inc. logo Find an Advisor

Read Review

$2,094,889,548 No set account minimum
  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management
  • Pension consulting
  • Advisor selection
  • Investment consulting

Minimum Assets

No set account minimum

Financial Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management
  • Pension consulting
  • Advisor selection
  • Investment consulting
2 Fort Henry Capital, LLC Fort Henry Capital, LLC logo Find an Advisor

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$211,533,839 No set account minimum
  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management
  • Pension consulting

Minimum Assets

No set account minimum

Financial Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management
  • Pension consulting
3 Ironwood Wealth Management, Inc. Ironwood Wealth Management, Inc. logo Find an Advisor

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$213,589,404 $100,000
  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management

Minimum Assets

$100,000

Financial Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management

What We Use in Our Methodology

To find the top financial advisors in West Virginia, we first identified all firms registered with the SEC in the state. 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:

  • AUM
    Firms with more total assets under management are ranked higher.
  • Individual Client Count
    Firms who serve more individual clients (as opposed to institutional clients) are ranked higher.
  • Clients Per Advisor
    Firms with a lower ratio of clients per financial advisor are ranked higher.
  • Age of Firm
    Firms that have been in business longer are ranked higher.
  • 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.

McKinley Carter Wealth Services

McKinley Carter Wealth Services claims the first spot on our list of the top financial advisory firms in West Virginia. Based in Wheeling, McKinley Carter is bigger than most other West Virginia firms. The firm works with a variety of both institutional and individual clients, though most clients are individuals without a high net worth. It also works with retirement plans, charities, businesses and high-net-worth individuals.

The firm has multiple employees who are certified financial planners (CFP) and accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs), among other financial certifications. McKinley Carter does not have a set account minimum for advisory services. It is also a fee-only firm, so it doesn't receive commissions that could create a conflict of interest.

McKinley Carter Wealth Services Background

McKinley Carter Wealth Services was founded in 2005 and has been registered with the SEC as an investment advisor ever since. David McKinley and Will Carter are the firm's founders. McKinley is the firm's president and chief investment officer (CIO) and Carter serves as a senior advisor. Carter also has a law degree, whereas McKinley is a CFP.

The firm and its employees work with clients to provide investment and wealth management services as well as financial planning and consulting services. It does have a wrap fee program available to clients.

McKinley Carter Wealth Services Investment Strategy

When it comes to investment strategies and general philosophy, McKinley Carter Wealth Services works with clients to determine their investment objectives. From there, advisors can craft an investment plan or a broader financial plan around the wants and needs of each client on an individual basis. Strategies may be broad-based or specific, again depending on the needs of the client.

The firm and its advisors typically invest client assets in mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), debt and equity securities and options. Other investments may be used or considered if they fit the client's investment profile. When evaluating potential investments for client portfolios, McKinley Carter uses a combination of fundamental and technical analysis methods.

Fort Henry Capital

Fort Henry Capital is a small, Wheeling-based financial advisory firm that is second on our list of the top financial advisory firms in the state of West Virginia. This firm is on the smaller side and doesn't employ many advisors. Fort Henry works mainly with individual clients, those both with and without a high net worth. It also works with a few retirement plans, charities and other businesses on the institutional side.

Fort Henry Capital is a fee-only firm. This means it doesn't receive commissions from selling financial products. There isn't currently a set account minimum for opening an account with the firm.

Fort Henry Capital Background

Fort Henry Capital is the youngest of the firm's on our West Virginia list. It was founded in 2013 and is currently principally owned by Jeremy Lowe and Russell Dunkin, who are also the firm's only financial advisors on staff. Dunkin is a certified financial planner (CFP) and Lowe is a chartered retirement plans specialist (CRPS), a CFP and an accredited investment fiduciary (AIF).

Fort Henry provides comprehensive financial advisory services to its clients. These services include investment management, financial planning, financial consulting and other miscellaneous services. Clients may request a combination of services as well.

Fort Henry Capital Investment Strategy

As is the case with many financial advisory firms, Fort Henry Capital works with clients to determine their financial situation and investment objectives before creating an investment strategy that works for them. Typically, engagements include both investment management and financial planning services, though it ultimately depends upon the client. The firm most commonly uses stocks, mutual funds, corporate debt, exchange traded funds (ETF), government securities, real estate investment trusts (REITs), and certificates of deposit (CDs) in client portfolios.

Fort Henry's advisors primarily use fundamental analysis to evaluate potential investments for client portfolios. Advisors may make both short- and long-term investments.

Ironwood Wealth Management

Ironwood Wealth Management is a small financial advisory firm that claims the final spot on our list. The firm employs a small team of financial advisors and works almost entirely with individuals clients, those both with and without a high net worth. It also works with a handful of institutional clients, including retirement plans and charitable organizations.

The firm is fee-only, so it doesn't receive commissions that could present a potential conflict of interest. There is a $100,000 minimum for investment advisory services, though this minimum may be waived at the discretion of the firm.

Ironwood Wealth Management Background

Ironwood Wealth Management was founded in 2002 by John D. Williams, who is also the firm's principal owner. The firm officially registered as an invesment advisor with the SEC in 2004. Williams is also the firm's president and carries the certified investment management analyst (CIMA), accredited asset management specialist (AAMS), chartered retirement planning counselor (CRPC) designations.

Ironwood works with clients to provide investment management services, as well as financial planning and financial consulting services, as is requested by the client.

Ironwood Wealth Management Investment Strategy

Ironwood Wealth Management works with clients to devise invesment strategies based on an investment philosophy that accounts for their investment objectives and financial needs. The firm manages client accounts on a discretionary basis, and investment management engagements are ongoing and continuous. They may be updated or amended if the investment needs of the client adapt over time.

When working to determine how to properly invest your portfolio, Ironwood uses a variety of methods of analysis, including fundamental analysis, technical analysis, quantitative analysis and investment manager review and analysis. Advisors may use a combination of long and short-term purchases to help drive growth in client portfolios.

How Long $1mm Lasts in Retirement

SmartAsset's interactive map highlights places where $1 million will last the longest in retirement. Zoom between states and the national map to see the top spots in each region. Also, scroll over any city to learn about the cost of living in retirement for that location.

Least
Most
Rank City Housing Expenses Food Expenses Healthcare Expenses Utilities Expenses Transportation Expenses

Methodology We analyzed data on average expenditures for seniors, cost of living and investment returns to determine how many years of retirement a $1 million nest egg would cover in cities across America.

First, we looked at data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on the average annual expenditures of seniors. We then applied cost of living data from the Council for Community and Economic Research to adjust those national average spending levels based on the costs of each expense category (housing, food, healthcare, utilities, transportation and other) in each city. Using this data, SmartAsset calculated the average cost of living for retirees in the largest U.S. cities.

We assumed the $1 million would grow at a real return (interest minus inflation) of 2%. Then, we divided $1 million by the sum of each of those annual numbers to determine how long $1 million would cover retirement expenses in each of the cities in our study. Cities where $1 million lasted the longest ranked the highest in the study.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Council for Community and Economic Research