Brighton Jones is a fee-only wealth management firm based in Seattle. The firm currently holds the top spot on SmartAsset's lists of the top financial advisors in Seattle and Washington state. Brighton Jones has received other industry recognition as well, including placing on Barron's list of the top 100 independent financial advisors, Financial Times' list of the top registered investment advisors and more.
This firm provides advice on topics like estate planning, retirement planning and investment management. The firm works with a multitude of clients, but its clear focus is on high-net-worth individuals.
Brighton Jones Background
Brighton Jones first opened its doors in December 1999 in Washington state. The firm then became a registered investment advisor (RIA) in 2000. Today, co-founders Charles Brighton and Jon Jones serve as principal owners of Brighton Jones. Both continue to manage the firm, Brighton as managing director and Jones as CEO.
The advisors who work at this firm hold a large number of certifications. The firm has a large team of advisors who hold a variety of professional credentials, including the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), certified public accountant (CPA), certified divorce financial analyst (CDFA), chartered financial analyst (CFA), and chartered retirement planning counselor (CRPC) designations.
Brighton Jones Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes
Brighton Jones works with the following types of clients:
- Individuals with and without a high net worth
- Charities
- Pension and profit-sharing plans
- Pooled investment vehicles
While this firm generally doesn't require a minimum investment, it typically charges a minimum quarterly fee ranging from $2,500 to $3,500 for its services. Brighton Jones may reduce or waive this fee at its own discretion.
Services Offered by Brighton Jones
Brighton Jones offers a combination of investment management and financial planning services. It can manage investment portfolios with asset allocations that adhere to a client's risk tolerance, investment goals and other unique circumstances in order to help them meet their goals.
Advisors can also provide stand-alone financial planning services based on the client’s needs. The plan may cover various financial areas of need, including:
- Estate planning
- Insurance planning
- Tax management
- Real estate planning
- Cash flow planning
In addition, the firm offers advisory services to sponsors of retirement plans. Brighton Jones can assist with various needs, such as offering investment selection advice for the plan’s participants.
Brighton Jones Investment Philosophy
Brighton Jones may utilize various investment strategies that it considers suitable to help clients meet their investment goals. Below, we lay out some common methods of analysis that advisors may use when deciding which investments are best for a particular client's portfolio:
- Fundamental analysis: This involves analyzing the historical and current data of companies (earnings, expenses, liabilities, etc.) in order to develop financial forecasts for their securities.
- Technical analysis: This entails examining historical and present stock prices and trade volumes in order to project price movements.
- Cyclical analysis: This examines historical relationships between price and market trends in order to forecast the direction of stock prices.
Fees Under Brighton Jones
Brighton Jones generally charges an annual advisory fee for investment management services based on a percentage of each client's AUM. This fee typically ranges from 0.35% to 1.25%. For reference, a 2023 study by Advisory HQ found that the average annual advisory fee is 1.02%.
The firm can also provide clients with stand-alone financial planning and consultation services. Fees are negotiable, but there is usually a $2,500 implementation fee and a monthly monitoring fee of $150.
Advisory fees are prorated and paid quarterly in advance based on the market value of the assets on the last business day of the previous quarter. They do not cover expenses such as custodial transaction fees and expenses related to the underlying funds your portfolio invests in. You should carefully analyze fund expense ratios found in the prospectus of each fund.
What to Watch Out For
Brighton Jones has a clean legal and regulatory record, as is evidenced by the fact that it has no disclosures on its SEC-filed Form ADV.
Opening an Account With Brighton Jones
For those looking to work with an advisor at Brighton Jones, the best way to reach out to the firm is to call its Seattle headquarters or fill out the contact form on its website. You can also try visiting one of Brighton Jones' offices in the following locations:
- Austin, Texas
- Boston
- Chicago
- Dallas
- Denver
- Houston
- Los Angeles
- Minneapolis
- Newport Beach, California
- Menlo Park, California
- Philadelphia
- Portland
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Washington, D.C.
All information is accurate as of the writing of this article.
Tips on Finding a Financial Advisor
- It can be tricky to find a financial advisor, as there are so many firms to choose from and your needs are unique. However, 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.
- Before you agree to work with a financial advisor, make sure you ask questions so you can determine for yourself if the advisor is qualified and can meet your needs. One good to question to ask: what type of clients do you specialize in serving? For some pointers, check out our report on the five questions to ask when working with a financial advisor.
