Headquartered in Milford, Ohio, Brown Financial Advisors is a registered investment advisor (RIA) firm with millions in assets under management (AUM). It provides asset management and financial planning services to individuals, corporations and other types of clients. You may also access the services of its affiliate Brown Insurance & Tax Advisors.
Brown Financial Advisors Background
Brown Financial Advisors was founded in 2008 by Gregory Allen Brown. He currently serves as president. He’s also the host of “The Sound Money Investment Show” on 55KRC.
Brown manages a team that consists of four chartered financial analysts (CFAs). As mentioned earlier, the firm is based in Milford, Ohio. But it also has offices in:
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Blue Ash, Ohio
- Florence, Kentucky
- West Chester, Ohio
Brown Financial Advisors Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes
Brown Financial Advisors works with individuals, high-net-worth individuals and trusts. The firm doesn't require a minimum amount to open an account.
Services Offered by Brown Financial Advisors
In providing wealth management advice, Brown Financial Advisors creates holdings summaries and risk analysis documents. The firm delivers investment services with its co-advisor AE Wealth Management. This third-party firm gives clients access to model portfolios, model managers, third-party money managers and trading services through a managed account program.
The firm’s advisors can also provide financial planning advice on such topics as:
- Wills and estate planning
- Trust management
- Tax and insurance advice
Tax and insurance services may be provided by affiliate Brown Insurance & Tax Advisors.
Brown Financial Advisors Investment Philosophy
Brown Financial Advisors aims to provide investment advice tailored to the client’s risk tolerance, financial goals and other factors. When choosing investment securities for client portfolios, the firm engages in different research methods. These include technical analysis of mutual funds and individual stocks. The firm also makes investment decisions based on Morningstar market research and client documents such as tax returns and insurance policies.
Fees Under Brown Financial Advisors
The firm charges financial planning fees either on an hourly or fixed-fee basis. Hourly fees are generally $200. Fixed fees are negotiable but capped at $2,500. This fee would vary based on the scope and complexity of the client’s situation.
Because Brown Financial Advisors may deliver investment management services in partnership with other firms, the annual asset-based advisory fee can vary. But these fees generally span from 0.40% to 1.40%.
Brown Financial Advisors does not itself offer a wrap fee program, but when working with AE Wealth Management, clients can engage in a wrap fee program with a maximum fee of 1.40%.
What to Watch Out For
Gregory Brown, the firm’s president and owner, also owns Brown Insurance & Tax Advisors. In this other capacity, he may offer products and services that earn him commissions in addition to the advisory fees charged by Brown Financial Advisors. This creates a potential conflict of interest. That said, as an RIA registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Brown Financial Advisors and its representatives must uphold their fiduciary duty to provide advice solely in the best interests of their clients.
Brown Financial Advisors has not been involved in any disciplinary or legal matters within the past 10 years. For the latest info, you can review the firm’s Form ADV on the SEC's official website. This publicly available form and related documents feature key details about the firm's business practices.
All information was accurate as of the writing of this article.
Tips for Finding the Right Financial Advisor
- Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. 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.
- To expand your search across the state, check out our list of the top financial advisors in Ohio. To make the list, you had to offer financial planning and have no disclosures in the past 10 years.
