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Top Financial Advisors in Bellingham, WA

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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 Bellingham, Washington

If you’re searching for a financial advisor in Bellingham, Washington, we can help you find the best option for you. We’ve narrowed down the top firms in the area, according to assets under management (AUM), advisory services, investment strategies, fee structures and more. For more options, try our free financial advisor matching tool. It will connect you with up to three vetted advisors who seve your area.

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Rank Financial Advisor Assets Managed Minimum Assets Financial Services More Information
1 Saturna Capital Corporation Saturna Capital Corporation logo Find an Advisor

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$5,150,693,205 $1,000,000
  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management
  • Pension consulting services

Minimum Assets

$1,000,000

Financial Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management
  • Pension consulting services
2 Tradewinds Capital Management, LLC Tradewinds Capital Management, LLC logo Find an Advisor

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$515,039,229 No set account minimum
  • Portfolio management
  • Financial planning
  • Pension consulting

Minimum Assets

No set account minimum

Financial Services

  • Portfolio management
  • Financial planning
  • Pension consulting
3 Financial Plan, Inc. Financial Plan, Inc.  logo Find an Advisor

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$845,050,649 No set account minimum
  • Portfolio management
  • Financial planning

Minimum Assets

No set account minimum

Financial Services

  • Portfolio management
  • Financial planning

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4 Waycross Investment Management Company Waycross Investment Management Company logo Find an Advisor

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$152,525,135 $250,000
  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management
  • Educational seminars
  • One-time portfolio analysis

Minimum Assets

$250,000

Financial Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management
  • Educational seminars
  • One-time portfolio analysis
5 Baring Financial LLC Find an Advisor

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$110,320,048 No set account minimum
  • Financial planning services
  • Portfolio management

Minimum Assets

No set account minimum

Financial Services

  • Financial planning services
  • Portfolio management
6 Bellingham Capital Management Bellingham Capital Management  logo Find an Advisor

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$109,216,074 No set account minimum
  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management
  • Analysis and recomendations for private placement securities

Minimum Assets

No set account minimum

Financial Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management
  • Analysis and recomendations for private placement securities
7 WealthMark, LLC WealthMark, LLC logo Find an Advisor

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$85,500,000 No set account minimum
  • Financial planning services
  • Portfolio management
  • Publication of periodicals or newsletters

Minimum Assets

No set account minimum

Financial Services

  • Financial planning services
  • Portfolio management
  • Publication of periodicals or newsletters

What We Use in Our Methodology

To find the top financial advisors in Bellingham, 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:

  • 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.

Saturna Capital Corporation

Saturna Capital Corporation is a fee-only firm requiring at least $1 million to have an account. Advisor at the firm work with individuals primarily, around halfof whom qualify as high-net-worth. Institutional clients include investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and charitable organizations.

The firm's team has earned certifications including certified public accountant (CPA), chartered financial analyst (CFA), certified financial planner (CFP) and the certificate in investment performance measurement (CIPM).

Saturna Capital Corporation Background

Saturna was founded in 1989 and is principally owned by Nichiolas Kaiser.
 
Services include investment management, financial planning and services for Muslim investors.

Saturna Capital Corporation Investment Strategy

Most of the money managed by Saturna is invested in individual stocks. Mutual funds and cash holdings are also employed.

Tradewinds Capital Management

Fee-only firm Tradewinds Capital Management (TCM) works with individuals and high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, business entities, trusts, estates and charitable organizations.

Some of the credentials among TCM’s team include the certified financial planner (CFP), accredited investment fiduciary (AIF), chartered life underwriter (CLU), chartered financial consultant (ChFC) and accredited estate planner (AEP).

TCM generally charges asset-based fees for its investment management services and hourly or fixed fees for its other advisory services. As for minimum account size requirements, the firm doesn’t specify a set amount. 

Tradewinds Capital Management Background

Tradewinds Capital Management was formed in 2008 under the management of firm principals Bryant J. Engebretson and Mark R. Anderson. TCM Bellingham, LLC, owned by Engebretson, owns 90% of the firm. Another LLC, owned by advisor Kyle Jackson, owns the rest. The firm has one other office in Shoreline, Washington.

TCM offers portfolio management, retirement consulting and financial planning and consulting services. 

Tradewinds Capital Management Investing Strategy

Tradewinds Capital Management says on its website that its mission is to deliver a quantitative, research-based and unbiased approach to its investment management, personal advice and financial planning process. The firm offers clients access to three different investment management styles which apply different asset allocation strategies. These include the Bellwether Investment Management Style, the Shoreline Investment Management Style and the Tradewinds Investment Management Style. 

When making investment decisions on securities in relation to market conditions, TCM generally utilizes fundamental, cyclical, charting and technical analyses. The firm’s investment strategies are long- and short-term purchases and trading.

Financial Plan, Inc.

Financial Plan, Inc. is a fee-only firm that works with individuals almost exclusively, most of whom are not high-net-worth. The only institutional clients at Financial Plan are charitable organizations.

There is no minimum account size at the firm, where fees are based on a percentage of assets under management. Financial planning fees are charged hourly or for a fixed rate.

The team at Financial Plan includes eight certified financial planners (CFPs).

Financial Plan, Inc. Background

The firm was founded in 1996 and was founded by current president James Twining.
 
Services offered include financial planning and portfolio management.

Financial Plan, Inc. Investment Strategy

Nearly all of the money managed by Financial Plan is put into various funds. Stocks, bonds and cash holdings are used sparingly.

Waycross Investment Management Company

Waycross Investment Management Company is the next firm up on our list. It works mainly with individual clients, the majority of which do not have a high net worth. It also works with high-net-worth individuals and charitable organizations.

Waycross has a $250,000 minimum investment requirement, which may be waived in certain circumstances. The firm is also fee-only, so advisors won't receive commissions for selling financial products to clients.

Waycross Investment Management Company Background

Waycross Investment Management Company was founded in 1980, making it the oldest firm on our list by far. While the firm has been in business since then, it only became an SEC-registered investment advisor in 2020. Prior to 2020, it has been registered only at the state level. The firm's principal owners are Luther H. (Hart) Hodges, the firm's president and David G. Schneider, the firm's vice president.

Waycross provides clients with comprehensive investment supervisory services that may include both discretionary portfolio management and financial planning. Advisors may also provide one-time portfolio analysis for clients.

Waycross Investment Management Company Investment Strategy

Waycross Investment Management Company functions like most other financial advisory firms in that it tailors investment advice and investment strategies to the needs of its individual and institutional clients alike. Advisors acheive this level of individualized service by meeting with clients extensively and throughout the advisory arrangement. This way, advisors can learn about a client's tolerance for risk, time horizon and other important factors.

In terms of specific investment securities, the firm typically invests client assets in a wide array of securities. These may include stocks, mutual funds, bonds, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and cash.

Baring Financial

Baring Financial is a fee-based firm; some advisors earn commissions for selling insurance products. This is a conflict of interest, but the firm will still act in the best interest of the client. Most of the firm's clients are individuals, nearly all of whom do not qualify as high-net-worth. The only institutional clients are pension/profit sharing plans and corporations.

There is no minimum account size. Fees are based on a percentage of assets under management.

Baring Financial Background

Baring Financial was founded in 2015 and is solely owned by Melvin Danson.

Services include portfolio management and financial planning.

Baring Financial Investment Strategy

Around two-thirds of money held at Baring Financial is invested in individual stocks. Mutual funds are also popular, with bonds and cash holdings used to complete the portfolio.

Bellingham Capital Management

Bellingham Capital Management is a fee-only firm with no minimum account size. It makes sense, then, that most of their clients are individuals without a high net worth, though there are some high-net-worth clients. Institutional clients include charitable organizations and corporations.

Fees at BCM are based on a percentage of assets under management, with hourly fees charged for financial planning and consulting.

Bellingham Capital Management Background

BCM was founded in 2009 by Brian Smith, who owns the firm along with Eric Petersen and Kerri Russ.

Services include investment advisory, financial planning and consulting.

Bellingham Capital Management Investment Strategy

More than half of the money BCM manages invested in mutual funds, with stocks also heavily used. Some bonds and cash holdings round out the portfolio.

WealthMark

WealthMark is a fee-based firm with no set account minimum. Fees are based on a percentage of assets under management. Soem advisors do earn commissions. This is a conflict of interest, but all must act in the best interest of the client when serving as an advisor.

Most clients of the firm are individuals, with the majority having a high-net-worth. Other investment advisors are the only institutional clients.

WealthMark Background

WealthMark was founded in 2007 and the principal owner is Benjamin Arthur Esget.

Services include investment management, subadvisor services and financial planning for 529 plans.

WealthMark Investment Strategy

Nearly all of the money managed by WealthMark is used to invest in mutual funds, with a small amount used to buy individual stocks.

 

 

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