Finding a Top Financial Advisor Firm in Evanston, Illinois
If you’re trying to find a financial advisor in Evanston, Illinois, we can point you in the right direction. Our team of financial experts spent hours gathering intel on all registered investment advisors (RIAs) in Evanston to identify the top firms. If you don’t have a financial advisor yet, finding one doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Find a Fiduciary Financial Advisor
We match more than 50,000 people with financial advisors per month. Get connected to an advisor that serves your area today.| Rank | Financial Advisor | Assets Managed | Minimum Assets | Financial Services | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gryphon Advisors  Find an Advisor | $450,038,948 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
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| 2 | Zimmerman Wealth Management  Find an Advisor | $339,198,348 | $1,000,000 |
| Minimum Assets$1,000,000Financial Services
|
What We Use in Our Methodology
To find the top financial advisors in Evanston, 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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AUMFirms with more total assets under management are ranked higher. -
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Individual Client CountFirms who serve more individual clients (as opposed to institutional clients) are ranked higher. -
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Clients Per AdvisorFirms with a lower ratio of clients per financial advisor are ranked higher. -
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Age of FirmFirms that have been in business longer 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.
Gryphon Advisors
With hundreds of millions in assets under management, Gryphon Advisors provides wealth management and tax preparation services to both high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth individuals, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans and charitable organizations.
The firm's advisors hold multiple certifications, including certified financial planner (CFP) and certified public accountant (CPA) designations.
Founder D. Douglas Close also advises privately held companies and earns compensation for these services. He may recommend clients invest in these companies, which can potentially pose a conflict of interest. That said, as a fiduciary advisor, Close must make recommendations that are in the best interest of his clients.
Gryphon Advisors Background
Close launched Gryphon Advisors in 1994. He previously served as president of Takaki Close and Associates and specializes in investment management and tax planning at an international level.
Gryphon Advisors provides investment management advisory services. It also offers financial planning consulting on various topics including:
- Tax preparation
- Estate planning
- Risk management
- Education funding
- Cash flow and debt management
- Investment planning
Gryphon Advisors Investment Strategy
Gryphon Advisors engages in a data-gathering process to identify the client's objectives, risk tolerance, time horizon and other information needed to build a personalized investment portfolio. The firm diversifies portfolios across various asset classes. The weighting of any particular asset class would depend on your risk tolerance and time horizon. Your portfolio may hold:
- Exchange-listed securities
- Securities traded over-the-counter
- Commercial paper
- Certificates of deposit
- Municipal securities
- Variable life insurance
- Variable annuities
- Open- and closed-end mutual fund shares
- U.S. government securities
- Options contracts on securities and commodities
- Futures contracts on tangibles and intangibles
- Interests in partnerships and private placements
Zimmerman Wealth Management
Zimmerman Wealth Management manages millions in assets on a discretionary basis. The team holds multiple designations, including certified financial planner (CFP) and chartered financial analyst (CFA) designations.
The firm requires that new clients meet a minimum investment size of $1 million and minimum annual fee of $10,000. Almost all of its clients are high-net-worth individuals. The firm also serves pension and profit-sharing plans.
As a fee-only firm, Zimmerman Wealth Management earns its compensation only from clients. It doesn’t collect sales commissions from third-party financial services companies, such as insurance companies.
Zimmerman Wealth Management Background
Zimmerman Wealth Management formed in 2003. Majority owner Thomas Zimmerman founded the firm after working at Mesirow Financial and Merrill Lynch. He has more than 30 years of experience as an investment advisor. His team provides portfolio management and financial planning services.
Clients of Zimmerman Wealth Management can expect help with:
- Saving for retirement
- Estate planning
- Family wealth preservation
- Business planning and succession
- Charitable giving
- Tax planning
Zimmerman Wealth Management Investing Strategies
As noted earlier, Zimmerman Wealth Management provides portfolio management services on a discretionary basis. This means the firm changes portfolio positions without getting approval for each transaction. In some cases, clients may place restrictions on certain securities by specifying them in writing.
The firm builds portfolios based on factors like the client’s risk tolerance, time horizon and goals. It generally invests client assets in mutual funds and exchange-traded-funds. However, it doesn’t limit itself to these securities. If deemed suitable, the firm also may consider other securities including:
- Exchange-listed securities
- Securities traded over-the-counter
- Foreign issuers
- Commercial paper
- Certificates of deposit
- Municipal securities
- Variable life insurance
- Variable annuities
- Mutual fund shares
- U.S. government securities
- Interests in partnerships investing in real estate
