Top 7 Financial Advisors in Clearwater, FL

Find an Advisor

At the top of the list is Csenge Advisory Group, a fee-based firm. The firm primarily works with people who do not have a high net worth, and to receive investment management services, you need to keep a minimum account size of $50,000. 

Its financial advisor team includes staff members with professional designations such as certified financial planner (CFP), accredited investment fiduciary (AIF) and chartered financial analyst (CFA). However, as a fee-based firm, some advisors may receive a commission from investment recommendations or insurance products. This may pose a potential conflict of interest, but as fiduciary, Csenge is still legally obliged to act in your best interest. 

Csenge Advisory Group Background

The Csenge Advisory Group has been around since 2000. John Csenge is the principal owner. He oversees a team with more than five decades of collective experience in the financial services industry. They offer investment management services through a wrap fee program. This means you pay a bundled fee that covers investment advisory services and brokerage transactions. The firm also provides services through its independent advisor representatives (IAR). These people may work under the names of other firms. 

When you work with Csenge Advisory Group, you can expect to receive: 

• Asset management services
• Asset allocation services
• Recommendation and monitoring of third-party managed programs
• Financial planning
• Corporate investment and retirement plan consulting services

Csenge Advisory Group Investment Strategy 

Csenge Advisory Group's tactical asset allocation model portfolios are primarily built with equities, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. They include:

• CAG Commodore
• CAG Core & Explore
• CAG Fixed
• CAG Growth & Income
• CAG International
• CAG Tactical Fusion
• CAG Techno Quant
• CAG Total Market

IARs may invest client assets in one or more of these portfolios. They may also have their own investment strategies independent of these models.

Find an Advisor

Flaharty Asset Management offers access to customized investment programs and financial planning services. To work with the firm, you’ll need a minimum investment of $250,000. Individuals who do not have a high net worth make up most of the firm’s client base.

Certain members of the firm's advisory team holds various professional designations, such as accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs), certified financial planners (CFPs), chartered retirement plan counselors (CRPCs) and chartered financial analysts (CFAs). Some advisors are affiliated with third-party financial services and may receive a commission when they sell their products. That said, the firm and its representatives have a fiduciary duty to provide advice in their clients' best interests.

Flaharty Asset Management Background 

Flaharty Asset Management was founded in 2013. It’s owned by Flaharty & Associates, LLC, which is owned primarily by Shon Flaharty.

Collectively, the firm's advisors have more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. Services offered include portfolio management, financial planning and pension consultations. 

Flaharty Asset Management Investing Strategy

Flaharty Asset Management aims to create diversified portfolios tailored to the client’s risk tolerance and financial goals. Depending on your profile, your portfolio may include the following: 

• Equity securities
• Warrants
• Options
• Debt securities
• Real estate investment trusts
• Mutual funds
• Closed-end funds
• Exchange-traded funds
• Unit investment trusts
• Private placements
• Limited partnerships
• Structured products
• Alternative investments
• Annuities
• Life insurance contracts

Find an Advisor

The team at Client 1st Advisory Group includes two certified financial planners (CFPs) and two accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs). To establish a relationship with the firm you’ll need to make a minimum investment of $250,000. The firm primarily works with individuals who do not have a high net worth. 

Some of the firm’s advisors and investment advisor representatives (IARs) may be affiliated with other financial services firms. So they earn commissions when they recommend third-party products. This may pose a conflict of interest. But each representative of Client 1st Advisory Group has a fiduciary duty to work in the best interests of their clients. 

Client 1st Advisory Group Background

Client 1st Advisory Group was founded in 2013. It’s the successor to Client 1st Advisors, Inc. and Wealth Management Consultants, Inc.  The firm's CEO Craig Phillips oversees a team with more than 50 years of collective experience in the financial services space. The team offers advice on: 

• Retirement planning
• Business planning
• Risk management
• Taxation
• Estate planning 

Client 1st Advisory Group Investment Strategy 

The firm examines clients’ risk tolerance and goals to develop an appropriate asset allocation. When evaluating securities, the practice utilizies various analytical methods, including passive asset allocation processes. Portfolios may be invested in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, alternative investments, REITs and more. 

Find an Advisor

Fee-only Noble Family Wealth comes next on our list. Clients are primarily individuals, both high and non-high-net-worth. The firm also serves corporations. There is no minimum to open an account. 

Advisors at Noble Family Wealth hold several professional designations, including certified divorce financial analyst (CDFA), chartered financial analyst (CFA) and certfied private wealth advisor (CPWA). 

Noble Family Wealth Background

Noble Family is a new company, founded in 2021, and owned primarily by managing member and CEO Sandra Nesbit. 

The firm offers investment advisory services and comprehensive financial planning. 

Noble Family Wealth Investment Strategy

Advisors at Noble Family focus on tactical asset allocation, informed by client objectives, risk tolerance and time horizon. Investment recommendations may include exchange-listed securities, over-the-counter securities, foreign securities, warrants, corporate debt securities, commercial paper, CDs, municipal securities, mutual funds, United States government securities and options, but portfolios are usually constructed of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). 

Find an Advisor

Also new to the list this year is fee-based firm Kahn Financial Group. Clients consist mostly of non-high-net-worth individuals, although the firm does also cater to clients with a high net worth and pension and profit-sharing plans. The minimum investment account size is $25,000. 

Advisors at Kahn Financial all certified financial planners (CFPs) but may receive commissions from investment recommendations or insurance product sales. Although this potential conflict of interest is what makes the firm a fee-based company, Kahn Financial has a fiduciary duty to act in its clients' best interest at all times. 

Kahn Financial Group Background

Kahn Financial Group was founded in 1999, making it the oldest firm on our list in Clearwater. The firm is still owned and operated by David Kahn. 

Services offered here include investment management and comprehensive financial planning with a focus on retirement and estate planning. 

Kahn Financial Group Investment Strategy

Kahn Financial bases its investment philosophy on the idea that there exists "no investment without risk." As such, firm advisors strive to customize client portfolios completely to risk tolerance, time frame and stated goals. All investments at Kahn Financial are long term, unless otherwise indicated, and consist primarily of a core of well-diversified mutual funds in addition to some alternative investments. 

Find an Advisor

Chronos Wealth Management is a fee-based firm that offers services to individuals (most of whom do not have a high-net-worth), pensions, profit-sharing plans and business entities. Certain advisors here earn commissions for selling insurance, which presents a conflict of interest. That said, advisors must act in the best interest of the client.

There is no minimum account size at Chronos. The team includes one accredited wealth management advisor (AWMA).

Chronos Wealth Managment Background

Chronos was founded in 2017 and is principally owned by William Wallace Chamberlain.

Services offered at the firm include portfolio management, financial planning, life insurance, retirement planning, education planning and debt planning.

Chronos Wealth Managment Investing Strategy

The firm uses various methods of analysis, including fundamental analysis, technical analysis and quantitative analysis. Chronos Wealth Management investment strategy focuses on long-term buying and selling. The firm may invest assets in mutual funds, equities, fixed-income securities, ETFs, annuities and more.

Rounding off our list of top advisors in Clearwater is Personalized Financial Solutions (PFS), the smallest firm by assets under management. Clients include both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, with no set minimum to open an account. 

As a fee-based firm, certain advisors at PFS may receive commissions for selling insurance products to clients. While this presents a potential conflict of interest, the firm has a fiduciary duty to act in clients’ best interests at all times.

Personalized Financial Solutions Background

PFS was founded in 2020 by principal Todd Seymour, who is also a licensed independent insurance and tax professional. 

Services offered include financial planning and investment asset management. 

Personalized Financial Solutions Investment Strategy

PFS offers a completely customized solution for its clients, primarily developing investment strategies based on fundamental and technical analysis. The firm generally employs a long-term horizon for its clients, dependent on client objectives, and constructs portfolios using exchange-traded funds (ETFs), open-end mutual funds, individual stocks, individual bonds and closed-end mutual funds.