Balentine is a fee-only financial advisory firm based in Atlanta with billions in client assets under its management. Its services include financial planning, investment management and consulting, among others. It currently holds a spot in SmartAsset's list of the top financial advisors in Atlanta.
As a fee-only firm, Balentine earns compensation exclusively from the fees it collects from clients. This is different from a fee-based firm, which may earn additional compensation from sources like insurance sales or security transactions, or employ advisors who can earn this form of compensation.
Balentine Background
Balentine was founded in 2009 and began doing business in 2010. The firm is principally owned by Balentine Partners, LLC, which is itself owned by nine officers or employees of Balentine. Chairman Robert M. Balentine and his family trust hold more than a quarter of the firm’s shares.
There's a sizable team of advisors on staff between this firm’s two locations in Atlanta and Raleigh. Across this group, there are various credentialed advisors, including Certified Financial Planner™ (CFPs®), chartered financial analysts (CFAs), certified trust and financial advisors (CTFAs), among others.
Balentine Types of Clients and Minimum Account Sizes
Balentine generally requires clients to have at least $5 million in investable assets. The firm maintains discretion to waive or lower this minimum.
As a result of the firm's high investment minimum, Balentine primarily works with high-net-worth individuals, although it does have some non-high-net-worth individuals as clients. Institutional clients include pooled investment vehicles, retirement plans, charitable organizations and government entities.
Services Offered by Balentine
Balentine offers a fairly standard range of services that are centered around financial planning, investment management and consulting.
The firm’s financial planning services seek to provide clients with a full picture of their financial situation. Once this is clear, it creates a cohesive planning framework to ensure that clients’ financial goals encompass every aspect of their life. To accomplish this, the firm will often coordinate with other professionals such as attorneys, CPAs and insurance agents.
Investment management is offered on both a discretionary and non-discretionary basis. The firm may employ active or passive investment strategies, and it may also select third-party managers to oversee portions of clients’ portfolios. Balentine may also act as a sub-advisor for third-party advisors, providing access to the firm’s investment strategies and asset allocation models.
Additionally, Balentine offers comprehensive family office services, which tie together a range of individual services that may appeal to high-net-worth clients and their families. These offerings may include financial planning, tax planning, insurance planning, estate planning, reporting and administration services, asset management, legacy planning and business advisory services.
Balentine Investment Philosophy
Balentine divides its prospective investments into several categories that it calls “Building Blocks.” Each is distinguished by certain risk and return characteristics. They are as follows:
- Liquid: Investments in cash or other easy-to-access assets
- Fixed-Income: Low-risk investments in fixed-income securities like bonds and Treasury bills
- Market Risk: Publicly traded equities
- Alternatives: Investments that diversify portfolios and seek returns outside the typical public market
- Private Capital: Illiquid private investments that are used to generate income and capital appreciation
Fees Under Balentine
Balentine charges its clients a percentage-based fee for investment management services. The exact percentage will typically adhere to the following asset-based schedule:
| Balentine Fee Schedule | |
| Assets Under Management | Fee Percentage |
| First $5,000,000 | 1.00% |
| Next $7,500,000 | 0.75% |
| Next $10,000,000 | 0.60% |
| Next $10,000,000 | 0.50% |
| Next $25,000,000 | 0.40% |
| Next $25,000,000 | 0.30% |
| Next $17,500,000 | 0.25% |
| Next $150,000,000 | 0.20% |
| More than $250,000,000 | 0.15% |
It's important to note that in certain circumstances, Balentine may consider clients under the $5 million minimum at its sole discretion. These assets follow a fee schedule of 1.25% on the first $2.5 million and 0.75% on the next $2.5 million.
Balentine Awards and Recognition
Balentine has received many accolades over the years. Some of these are listed below:
- Financial Times Top 300 Registered Investment Advisors (2014-2017, 2019-2020)
- Balentine chairman Robert Balentine has been named one of Barron's Top Independent Advisors from 2014 to 2020
What to Watch Out For
Balentine doesn’t have any disclosures on its most recent Form ADV filed with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, meaning its legal and regulatory record is clean.
Opening an Account With Balentine
There are a few different ways you can get in touch with Balentine and set up an initial consultation. You can call the firm at (404) 537-4800 or you can can also visit the firm’s website and fill out the contact form with your name, email address, phone number and a message.
All information is accurate as of the writing of this article.
Investing Tips
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