Top Financial Advisors in Arlington, VA

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Alexandria Capital is a fee-based financial advisor firm. It boasts some of the highest number of advisor certifications on this list, with a large number of chartered financial analysts (CFAs) and certified financial planners (CFPs) on staff.

This firm calls for varying account minimums from new clients. Investment management and consulting clients have a minimum of $500,000. Alexandria's TOTALWealth Solutions program, which is a comprehensive wealth management service, comes with a $3 million minimum account size. These requirements may be negotiable, though.

You may also be offered insurance should you enter into a relationship with this firm. If you accept, this may result in financial gain for your advisor. However, the firm is a fiduciary, so it is legally required to act in your best interest at all times.

Alexandria Capital Background

Alexandria Capital is controlled by two separate and larger investment companies: Alexandria PHL Investments, LLC and FIC Capital, Inc. The firm was founded in 1987 and is currently run by managing partners Jonathan Ferguson and Augustine Hong.

Individual investors will find typical services like retirement planning and budgeting offered at Alexandria Capital. The firm also offers insurance evaluation, analysis for employee benefit plans, higher education funding and tax planning.

If you’re a business owner, services like company-wide investment planning and 401(k)/retirement plan assessments are also available.

Alexandria Capital Investment Strategy

For every account it manages, Alexandria Capital implements what it calls its six “value factors”: independence, best thinking, customized portfolios, tax-sensitive investing, legacy of trust and people.

Independence refers to the firm’s desire to provide as much objectivity as possible throughout the investment process. This concept very much relates to the firm’s legacy of trust and people factors, as the firm says that it wants its advisors to become a permanent part of your financial life and vice versa.

The remaining three elements - best thinking, customized portfolios and tax-sensitive investing - all inform what your final portfolio will look like. Alexandria Capital Investment strives to use investments that are diversified and low-tax. The firm typically invests its clients’ assets in ETFs, common and preferred stocks, bonds, reserves and mutual funds.

Alexandria Capital believes that these characteristics, when paired with your risk tolerance, liquidity needs and current tax position, are what will make your financial goals a reality.

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Evermay Wealth Management is a fee-only financial advisor firm. As a fee-only firm, compensation for individual advisors comes solely from the portfolio management fees that clients pay. This differs from a fee-based firm, which may also receive compensation in the form of commissions. There is no account minimum necessary to start working with Evermay, but the firm will charge clients a minimum annual fee of $5,000.

The firm has a fairly small staff. A handful of advisors hold the certified financial planner (CFP) designation and a couple more hold the designation of chartered financial analyst (CFA). These advisors help serve the firm's clients, who are mostly individuals. Other types of clients include charitable organizations and business entities.

Evermay Wealth Management Background

Evermay Wealth Management was founded in December 2008 by three partners: William Pitt, Damon White and Biljana McKinley. All but McKinley still work with the firm. Pitt, who serves as president, is the majority owner of the firm.

Evermay provides two main services for clients: investment management and wealth planning. Investment management includes the creation and management of an investment portfolio, while wealth planning focuses on understanding a client’s individual needs and helping the client to meet financial goals. Examples of wealth planning are creating a financial plan, making an estate plan, planning to reduce taxes and analyzing insurance needs.

Evermay Wealth Management Investing Strategy

To create portfolios for clients, Evermay Wealth Management uses a few different investment programs as a base. These programs outline the general objectives of an investment plan and range from a conservative approach, designed to prevent the loss of capital, to an aggressive - and potentially more volatile  - approach that’s intended to help long-term investors build wealth.

Advisors do deviate from these programs though. Ultimately, the asset allocation of an investment portfolio will match the client’s goals and situation. Evermay invests its clients’ assets in equities and fixed-income securities, both of which could be in mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

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The final firm on our list is Omega Wealth Management. The firm's team includes certified financial planners (CFPs) and certified financial transitionists (CeFTs), a designation that requires five years of face-to-face client service experience. Advisors hold a handful of other certifications too.

The firm offers services to individuals both with and without a high net worth. It does not serve other institutional clients and it does not specify a set account minimum. This is a fee-only firm, as it does not earn compensation in ways other than the fees its clients pay. Omega provides non-advisory consulting services to clients on topics like business successions, for which it will earn separate compensation.

Omega Wealth Management Background

Founded in 1999, Omega Wealth Management is owned and managed by Lisa Kirchenbauer, the firm's president.

The firm offers its clients a number of ongoing life and wealth planning services, including personal financial planning, tax and cash flow, education funding, investment risk analysis, insurance risk management, retirement planning, estate planning, portfolio monitoring and financial life planning issues and advice. For its younger clients, the firm offers SmartStart Planning Services, which takes clients through a brief financial life planning process resulting in a summary review of their goals and current financial situation. Additionally, the firm offers two to six month transition planning services for clients navigating transitions such as receiving an inheritance, getting divorced or the death of a loved one. It also offers pro-bono financial planning services for individuals or couples below a certain income threshold. 

Alongside its array of financial planning services, the firm offers investment management. The firm offers a couple of programs to choose from, including its own Mutual Fund Models and a management program offered by SEI Investment Management. The latter offers a few options, such as Managed Account Program and the Private Client Model Program.

Omega Wealth Management Investing Strategy

Omega Wealth Management describes its investment philosophy as "goals-based," with focuses on long-term growth and capital preservation. The firm works with each client to identify his or her goals and objectives. It then creates portfolios based on the time horizon of each goal and objective, as well as the client's risk tolerance and tax bracket.

The firm typically offers advice on exchange-listed securities, mutual fund shares and bonds.