Finding a Top Financial Advisor Firm in Greensboro, North Carolina
Looking for a reliable advisor to manage your assets? SmartAsset’s list of the top six financial advisor firms who serve Greensboro can aid your search process. Below, we outline each firm’s costs, investment strategies, certifications and more. If you don’t have a financial advisor yet, finding one 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 free introductory calls 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.
Find a Fiduciary Financial Advisor
We match nearly 50,000 people with financial advisors per month. Get connected to an advisor that serves your area today.| Rank | Financial Advisor | Assets Managed | Minimum Assets | Financial Services | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smith Salley Wealth Management Find an Advisor | $2,893,493,810 | Varies based on account type |
| Minimum AssetsVaries based on account typeFinancial Services
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| 2 | Granville Capital, Inc. Find an Advisor | $1,373,940,477 | Varies based on account type |
| Minimum AssetsVaries based on account typeFinancial Services
|
| 3 | Carolina Financial Advisors, Inc | $240,885,264 | No required minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo required minimumFinancial Services
|
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| 4 | Holderness Investments Co. Find an Advisor | $660,715,759 | $1,000,000 |
| Minimum Assets$1,000,000Financial Services
|
| 5 | Cascades Capital Asset Management, LLC Find an Advisor | $383,331,712 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
|
| 6 | 1808 Capital Partners Find an Advisor | $644,556,885 | $1,000,000 |
| Minimum Assets$1,000,000Financial Services
|
| 7 | Strategic Advisory Partners | $191,433,909 | $500,000 |
| Minimum Assets$500,000Financial Services
|
| 8 | Capital Management LLC Find an Advisor | $382,964,479 | $250,000 |
| Minimum Assets$250,000Financial Services
|
| 9 | Spartan Planning Group | $383,681,575 | Varies based on account type |
| Minimum AssetsVaries based on account typeFinancial Services
|
| 10 | Zuraw Financial Advisors, LLC Find an Advisor | $519,944,390 | $250,000 |
| Minimum Assets$250,000Financial Services
|
What We Use in Our Methodology
To find the top financial advisors in Greensboro, 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:
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AUMFirms with more total assets under management are ranked higher. -
Individual Client CountFirms who serve more individual clients (as opposed to institutional clients) are ranked higher. -
Clients Per AdvisorFirms with a lower ratio of clients per financial advisor are ranked higher. -
Age of FirmFirms that have been in business longer 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.
Smith, Salley & Associates
Smith, Salley & Associates, LLC (SSA) provides financial planning and ongoing portfolio management services for a diverse range of individuals, corporations, banks, trusts and charitable organizations.
According to SEC documents, the fee-based firm works with about as many high-net-worth individuals as those who fall below that threshold. For portfolio management services, you’d generally need a minimum initial investment of $500,000. However, this minimum may be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.
Investment management fees generally depend on an annual percentage of assets under management currently capped at 1%.
The firm’s team currently holds the designations of Certified Financial Planners™ (CFPs®) and chartered financial analysts (CFAs).
SSA deploys financial advisory services based on your needs. If they’re not as complex, you can opt for stand-alone financial planning around the topics you’re interested in. For instance, you can seek assistance with budgeting, cash flow control, retirement savings, estate planning and more. The firm can also build an investment portfolio for you based on your risk tolerance and financial objectives. SSA would monitor this portfolio throughout to make sure it’s best aligned with your goals.
Granville Capital
Granville Capital provides managed portfolios of alternative investment strategies for high-net-worth individuals, families, trusts, IRAs, not-for-profits and other institutional investors. In addition, Granville manages an investment-driven family office limited to a select number of clients.
The firm, which has performance-based fees for some of its funds, also acts as investment manager and general partner for several hedge funds and various private equity funds, which are available to accredited investors.
Granville Capital aims to provide investors with exceptional risk-adjusted returns with a focus on capital preservation and long-term wealth accumulation. To that end the firm assesses each client's goals, risk profile and time line. It offers six limited partnership options for clients as well as separately managed accounts, which are run on a discretionary basis.
Strategies employed by underlying managers include investments in public and private, domestic and foreign, long and short positions in equity securities, fixed income securities, options, warrants, convertible securities, financial and commodity futures, currency forward contracts, over-the-counter derivative instruments, securities that lack active public markets and other related equity or fixed income instruments.
Carolina Financial Advisors
Carolina Financial Advisors is a fee-based firm headquartered in Greensboro that offers portfolio management and financial planning services to its clients. The client profile consists of individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, pensions, profit-sharing plans and non-profit organizations.
As a fee-based firm, its advisors may receive a commission for the sale of certain securities. While this could create a conflict of interest, the firm and its advisors must put the client's needs first thanks to a legal fiduciary duty. Carolina does not have a minimum account balance.
Carolina Financial Advisors' main goal is to protect its clients' capital and provide reasonable growth through all market conditions. The firm’s primary focus is long-term cumulative returns and may recommend a number of investment types.
Holderness Investments
Holderness is a fee-based firm, and clients may be offered insurance by its advisors. However, the firm is a fiduciary, so it’s legally required to act in clients’ best interests. Although Holderness Investments Co. recommends a minimum account balance of $1 million, that minimum is negotiable. The firm works with both individuals and high-net-worth individuals.
Holderness Investments Co. builds custom portfolios based on a client's risk tolerance and objectives. It primarily focuses on long-term investments, meaning it generally holds on to securities in a portfolio for at least two years. Depending on your needs, your portfolio may invest in mutual funds, ETFs, CDs and commercial paper.
However, the firm permits clients to direct investments in specific securities or sectors. Custom portfolio clients are normally scheduled for reviews of their investment performance and goals, but they can call the firm for updates at any time. These custom portfolios are generally passively managed.
But the firm also offers actively managed portfolios through its Vision Tactical strategy. Through this program, clients can choose from five portfolios: Equity, Growth, Balanced, Conservative, and Fixed Income. Using mutual funds and ETFs, managers build these portfolios based on their market outlook in an attempt to take advantage of any potential opportunities within individual asset classes.
Cascades Capital Asset Management
Cascades Capital Asset Management, LLC is a fee-only firm headquartered in Greensboro. The firm offers portfolio management, limited financial planning and retirement plan advisory services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, corporations, small businesses, retirement plans and plan fiduciaries.
As a fee-only firm, the only revenue Cascades Capital Asset Management receives is from client-paid fees. The firm does not generally impose a minimum portfolio value or minimum fee for conventional investment advisory services.
Portfolio management fees are typically based on a percentage of assets under management. The firm’s annual fee is capped at 1% and is generally payable quarterly in advance.
The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management. This generally includes developing a financial profile and investment plan for each client. It also provides limited financial planning in conjunction with portfolio management, separate account manager recommendation and monitoring services, and fiduciary consulting services for retirement plans.
1808 Capital Partners
1808 Capital Partners works with individuals, high-net-worth individuals, banking or thrift institutions, charities and corporations with comprehensive wealth management services. They offer services such as financial planning, investment advisory and estate planning.
Fees at the firm are typically based on the assets under management (AUM) invested with the team. The annual fee is up to 2% of the total AUM. Advisory fees for other services are negotiable at the firm and are generally detailed in a client's advisory agreement.
Portfolio investment decisions depend on information provide by each individual client such as rate of savings, percentage of income the client needs in retirement, tax rates, portfolio withdrawal expectations and more. Every portfolio strategy is meant to be tailored to the individual needs of that client.
Strategic Advisory Partners
Strategic Advisory Partners, LLC is a fee-only firm headquartered in Greensboro and offers investment management and financial planning services to its clients. The client profile consists of individuals, high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations, other businesses and employer plan sponsors.
As a fee-only firm, Strategic Advisory Partners receives compensation from client-paid fees rather than commissions from selling financial products. The firm generally requires a minimum account size of $500,000, though it may waive this requirement at its discretion.
The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment management, held-away account advice, ongoing comprehensive financial planning, limited-scope financial planning, employee benefit plan consulting and wrap fee program services. Its planning services may cover retirement planning, tax planning, estate planning review, cash flow and debt management, college savings, risk management and business planning.
Strategic bases its investment recommendations on each client's circumstances and may use fundamental analysis, technical analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory. Portfolios may include passive strategies, active strategies or a combination of both. Depending on the client's needs, portfolios may include common stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, private funds and digital asset funds.
Capital Management
Capital Management is a fee-based firm that offers financial planning and portfolio management services as well as the selection of other advisors, including private fund managers. The services are offered to individuals, high-net-worth individuals, estates, trusts and charitable organizations. As a fee-based firm, its advisors may earn a commission on the sale of certain securities. This has the potential to create a conflict of interest but the firm is bound by a legal fiduciary duty to put the clients' needs first.
The firm has a $250,000 account minimum. Capital Management was founded in 1998 but its advisors have over four decades of experience. Today, the firm has over $300 million in assets under management with two financial advisors providing services to clients.
The needs of an individual client are assessed during an initial meeting. The firm chooses an asset allocation based on the needs and risk appetite of that specific client. They are looking to craft an appropriate ratio of securities, fixed income and cash. The recommended asset allocation may include mutual funds and ETFs.
Spartan Planning Group
Spartan Planning Group (also known as Spartan Planning & Wealth Management, LLC) is a fee-only firm that imposes a range of minimum account requirements depending on the account type. Typical clients are individuals, small businesses, trusts and estates with investable assets between $500,000 and $10 million. The firm has the sole discretion to waive this minimum.
The firm has developed a client service model that includes discovery, implementation, as well as monitoring progress of clients engaged with Spartan Planning Group. It uses questionnaires, gathering of documents from the client and conversations. It takes into account the following factors about the client: personal situation, individual objectives, risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, constraints, growth and income needs and expectations as well as estate tax and income tax considerations.
Analyses and investment strategies that an advisor uses may vary depending on client needs, but all advisor recommendations stem from a number of firm beliefs.
Zuraw Financial Advisors
Zuraw Financial Advisors is a fee-only firm that manages client accounts on a discretionary basis. The firm provides financial planning and portfolio management. As a fee-only firm the only revenue Zuraw receives is from client-paid fees.
In addition to the above-mentioned services, the firm works with clients who may want to learn about or set up a South Dakota trust as a means of protecting family assets and creating and preserving a legacy.
The firm will analyze each client's current investments, investment objectives, goals, age, time horizon, financial circumstances, investment experience, investment restrictions and limitations and risk tolerance. Zuraw will then create a portfolio that fits each client's objectives, goals, risk tolerance and related financial circumstances.
The firm reviews the client’s tax, financial and estate planning objectives and goals and makes appropriate recommendations and implementation decisions.