Finding a Top Financial Advisor Firm in Arlington, Texas
It can be challenging to find the right financial advisor because there are many competing for your business. That’s why SmartAsset dug into the research to find the top financial advisor firms in Arlington, Texas. For this list of the top Arlington firms, we considered assets under management, services, disciplinary records and more. We lay out our findings below and explain what differentiates these firms from each other. If you want more help with your search, SmartAsset’s financial advisor matching tool can connect you with up to three financial advisors near you.
| Rank | Financial Advisor | Assets Managed | Minimum Assets | Financial Services | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baker Financial Services  Find an Advisor | $ 428,000,000 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
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| 2 | Parkstone Wealth Management, LLC  Find an Advisor | $ 141,599,460 | $25,000 minimum annual fee |
| Minimum Assets$25,000 minimum annual feeFinancial Services
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| 3 | Paladini Financial Advisors, LLC  Find an Advisor | $ 143,848,600 | $5,000 minimum annual fee |
| Minimum Assets$5,000 minimum annual feeFinancial Services
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| 4 | Trinity Fiduciary Partners, LLC  Find an Advisor | $ 28,426,866 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
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How We Found the Top Financial Advisor Firms in Arlington, Texas
To create this list of top financial advisor firms, SmartAsset considered all firms in Arlington, Texas registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We specifically looked at SEC-registered firms because of their fiduciary duty to put clients’ best interests ahead of their own. We eliminated firms with disciplinary issues so only firms with clean records made it to our final list. We also eliminated firms that do not offer financial planning or whose client base isn't at least half individuals. The remaining firms were sorted according to assets under management (AUM), from highest AUM to lowest. All information is accurate as of the writing of this article.
Baker Financial Services
At the top of the list, Baker Financial Services is a fee-based financial advisor firm with $428 million in assets under management. The firm is fee-based because, in addition to portfolio management fees, advisors collect transaction-based brokerage fees and commissions from selling insurance products. That said, Baker Financial has a fiduciary duty to work in clients' best interests.
Baker Financial Services has four financial advisors on staff. Two of them hold the certified financial planner (CFP) designation. Additionally, there is one chartered life underwriter (CLU) and one chartered financial consultant (ChFC). (Advisors may have more than one credential.)
Approximately 79% of the firm’s individual clients do not have high net worths. The firm also works with high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, IRAs, 401(k) participants, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations and other business entities. There is no set minimum for opening or maintaining an account with Baker Financial Services.
Baker Financial Services Background
Baker Financial Services became an SEC-registered investment advisory in 1999. President Gerald Baker is the sole owner of the firm.
Baker Financial Services provides clients with portfolio management services, financial planning services and consultation services. Portfolio management is available only to clients, but non-clients can receive investment advice on a limited basis for a fee. Financial planning includes everything from personal budgeting to managing a 401(k) to following a retirement plan. Consultation services include many of the same planning services that are available to clients.
Baker Financial Services Investing Strategy
Baker Financial Services’ investment philosophy revolves around preserving a client’s capital, taking a long-term investing view and using a passive investing approach over an active investing approach.
Advisors create client portfolios to be diversified across multiple asset classes. The classes commonly used include large-, mid- and small-capitalization domestic stocks, international stocks, real estate and commodities.
Parkstone Wealth Management, LLC
Parkstone Wealth Management, LLC is a fee-only financial advisor firm that primarily serves professional athletes. The firm does also serve other individuals, as well as trusts, estates, charitable organizations and businesses.
A small staff of three advisors, at least one of whom is a certified financial planner (CFP), manages nearly $142 million in assets. A minimum annual fee of $25,000 is required to open and maintain an account with Parkstone Wealth Management.
Parkstone Wealth Management Background
Parkstone Wealth Management was founded in 2013 by managing directors Cheryl F. Quisenberry and Chester A. Straily. Together, they own are the firm.
Parkstone Wealth offers clients a number of financial planning services. These include help with cash flow and budgeting, education funding, mortgages, charitable planning, estate planning, retirement planning and business planning.
Many of these services are available to clients through the firm’s online tools, which are accessible through clients’ personalized online accounts. For example, you can create a personalized budget and track your spending across multiple categories. You can also link investment accounts as well as other accounts to see your full financial picture, and you can set financial priorities, create goals and then receive constant feedback on how you are tracking toward your goals. These tools update daily to ensure that clients are always looking at the most up-to-date information.
Parkstone Wealth Management Investing Strategy
Parkstone Wealth Management creates client portfolios that are tailored to the specific goals and circumstances of each individual client. However, regardless of the client, the firm focuses on asset allocation and on diversification across multiple asset classes. Parkstone Wealth Management bases its investment philosophy on the idea that a diversified portfolio will help reduce risk.
The three major asset classes used in portfolios are stocks, bonds and cash equivalents. Parkstone Wealth Management does not advocate attempting to time the market, because it believes that the markets are too difficult to predict.
Paladini Financial Advisors, LLC
Despite having just three financial advisors at its offices, Paladini Financial Advisors (PFA), LLC manages nearly $144 million in assets for about 600 clients. The vast majority of these clients are high-net-worth individuals, though individuals and retirement plans also hold a significant stake. Rather than impose the oft-seen minimum investment requirement, Paladini calls for a minimum annual fee of $5,000. It is a fee-only firm.
Each member of the financial advisor trio at Paladini holds a certified financial planner (CFP) designation. Partner and financial advisor John Line is also a certified public accountant (CPA) and a certified valuation analyst (CVA).
Paladini Financial Advisors Background
Prior to its transformation in 2015, Paladini Financial Advisors operated under the name Paladini Financial Management, Inc. since 2006. Matthew Paladini, the lead advisor at PFA, founded both firms and remains Paladini's principal owner to this day. John Line owns about a third of PFA through his own company, John Line, CPA, Inc. Wendy Kelly also owns a stake.
Personal financial planning and investment and wealth management are Paladini Financial's core advisory offerings. These cover retirement planning, income tax planning, risk management, estate planning and more. Rather uniquely, Paladini has business planning and transition services specifically for dental practices.
Paladini Financial Advisors Investing Strategy
Paladini Financial Advisors hands each new client an investment questionnaire to help determine his or her investor characteristics. Ultimately, this series of questions will show you and your advisor your exact risk tolerance, time horizon, income needs and investment goals.
Based on these factors, the firm constructs a portfolio plan that will look to maximize your return potential for your risk level. There are a number of different investments that your money could end up in, like large and small domestic stock funds, international stock funds, bond funds, commodity funds, money market funds, exchange-traded funds and mutual funds.
Trinity Fiduciary Partners, LLC
Trinity Fiduciary Partners, LLC has a small advisory team that features one certified financial planner (CFP). There is no minimum account size requirement to join this firm that manages more than $28 million in assets. Out of Trinity's 70-plus clients, more than 60 are individuals. High-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, retirement plans and businesses are also typical members of its client base.
Trinity's most distinctive quality is its introduction of religion into investing. This firm looks to "preserve and grow your wealth without violating your social and religious values," according to a statement on its website.
The firm's sub-advisor contract with Eventide Limited Term Bond ended near the end of 2019. As a result, the firm's assets under management have fallen under $100 million, and Trinity is planning on switching its registration from the SEC to the state of Texas.
Trinity Fiduciary Partners Background
Trinity Fiduciary Partners is owned by a combination of six individuals and holding company IWP Holdings, LLC. IWP holds the highest percentage of the firm's shares and is owned by Trinity CEO Sam Saladino. He founded the firm in 2005 after working at Ameriprise Financial Planning for nine years.
Rather than approach client relationships with both financial planning and investing services, Trinity is fully focused on investment management. However, the firm uses the creation and management of your portfolio to help you reach your stated financial goals.
Trinity Fiduciary Partners Investing Strategy
New clients' first introduction to Trinity Fiduciary Partners will be a one-on-one meeting with an advisor to determine their risk tolerance, personal financial goals and cash flow needs. These characteristics are then condensed into a succinct investment policy statement (IPS) that will guide the firm in the creation stage of your portfolio. Trinity manages its own mutual fund strategies that will be considered during this process.
The firm will manage your portfolio on either a discretionary or non-discretionary basis, depending on what you prefer. As your investments age, you'll receive quarterly performance reports and have annual meetings to make sure your portfolio is up to date and progressing.
When it comes to specific asset allocations, Trinity has produced five separate, risk-adjusted strategies: FFV Income, FFV Conservative, FFV Balanced, FFV Growth and FFV Aggressive.
