Finding a Top Financial Advisor Firm in Hawaii
If you’re looking to invest your money in the state of Hawaii, it’s important that you find a local financial advisor who fits your needs. You’ll want to choose an advisor who understands your situation, who specializes in serving clients like you and who is near enough to you that you’ll be able to establish a positive working relationship. Compiled through extensive research, this list details the top financial advisor firms in Hawaii. You can also use the SmartAsset financial advisor matching service to find an advisor in your area who’s right for you.
| Rank | Financial Advisor | Assets Managed | Minimum Assets | Financial Services | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Rice Partnership, LLC  Find an Advisor | $262,471,948 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimum Financial Services
|
| 2 | Bankoh Advisors  Find an Advisor | $207,328,738 | $250,000 |
| Minimum Assets$250,000 Financial Services
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| 3 | Shiraishi Financial Group Advisors, LLC  Find an Advisor | $118,082,037 | No set account minimum |
| Minimum AssetsNo set account minimum Financial Services
|
How We Found the Top Financial Advisor Firms in Hawaii
Using data from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), we made a list of all SEC-registered firms in the the state of Hawaii. We only considered SEC-registered firms because these firms are fiduciaries, requiring them to always act in clients’ best interest. Any firm that has disclosures, doesn’t have financial planners on staff or doesn’t manage individual accounts was eliminated. We ranked the remaining four firms that met these criteria, from most assets under management (AUM) to least.
The Rice Partnership, LLC
The Rice Partnership is a Honolulu-based firm with more than $262 million in assets under management (AUM), making it the largest firm on this list. It has five advisors on staff, including one certified trust and financial advisor (CTFA) and one chartered financial consultant (ChFC). This is the only fee-only firm on this list.
There is no required minimum account balance, but the firm reserves the right to opt not work with investors who don’t have enough in investable assets. The Rice Partnership works mostly with high-net-worth individuals, though it does serve some individuals. The firm also works with a small number of pension plans, charitable organizations and state or municipal government entities.
The Rice Partnership Background
The Rice Partnership was founded in 2005 by Bonnie F. Rice, who still serves as the firm’s principal, chief compliance officer and director of client services. The company is wholly owned by its employees. In addition to its main office in Honolulu, the firm has a satellite office in Maui.
Alongside its advisory services, the firm also offers tax and estate planning for individuals. For businesses, it offers mergers and acquisition services along with capital markets options.
The Rice Partnership Investment Strategy
The Rice Partnership has a number of core investment strategies. One is Core U.S. Equity, which focuses on domestic investments and seeks companies with free cash flow. Another is Active Fixed Income Management, which looks for issues on the high-quality section of the yield curve. The International ETF strategy uses the liquidity and inexpensiveness of ETFs to the client’s advantage.
Advisors work with individual clients to tailor an investment strategy that works for them. Each client is given a plan that will help them steadily grow their assets.
Bankoh Advisors
Bankoh Advisors is the financial advisory business of Bank of Hawaii, a full-service bank located in the Aloha state. The Honolulu-based firm has more than $207 million in assets under management (AUM). It is a fee-based firm. In addition to fees, advisors may receive a commission for selling customers an investment product or security. In that situation, Bankoh waives the advisory fee attachable to that investment. Bankoh is still a fiduciary and must act in the client’s best interest.
Bankoh Advisors has 32 advisors on staff. It requires a minimum investment of $100,000. The firm works mainly with individuals and high-net-worth individuals, though it does also do some advising for corporations.
Bankoh Advisors Background
Bankoh Advisors was founded in 1991 and became a registered investment advisor in 2005. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bank of Hawaii, which is owned by the Bank of Hawaii corporation.
In addition to advisory services, Bank of Hawaii offers a full suite of financial services including checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages and other loans.The advisory business has representatives on all six of the heavily populated Hawaiian islands.
Bankoh Advisors Investment Strategy
Bankoh Advisors typically uses individual securities, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs and money market funds in client portfolios. Bankoh works with each client to create a strategy that fits their goals and risk tolerance.
The firm uses a number of analytical methods to figure out the best investments for each client. It primarily uses fundamental analysis, looking at financial media, outside analysis and annual reports to figure out which investments are most likely to produce the necessary returns for clients.
Shiraishi Financial Group Advisors, LLC
Shiraishi Financial Group Advisors is a fee-based firm based in Honolulu. In addition to fees, advisors at the firm may earn commissions from selling customers various financial products. This is a potential conflict of interest, but the firm is bound by fiduciary duty to act in the client’s best interest. The firm has more than $118 million in assets under management (AUM). It has six advisors on staff, including one accredited investment fiduciary (AIF).
Though the firm technically does not have a set account minimum, it recommends that clients have at least $50,000 to invest. The firm mainly caters to individual investors but it does have some high-net-worth individual clients. It also advises a small number of pension plans.
Shiraishi Financial Group Advisors Background
Shiraishi Financial Group Advisors was founded in 2013. It is solely owned by Herbert Shiraishi, who is also the firm’s president and CEO. Shiraishi has worked in financial services since 1988.
In addition to wealth management, the firm offers retirement planning services and help with life insurance, long-term care insurance and disability insurance. The firm also has a special division dedicated to advising teachers who take part in the National Education Association’s retirement program.
Shiraishi Financial Group Advisors Strategy
Shiraishi Financial Group Advisors offers numerous portfolio models. The firm’s active model consists of high-yield bond funds, government bond funds and money market funds. The rotation model invests in two top-performing funds each month. The seasonal model adds large-cap equity funds to the active model. The star model adjust equities exposure based on market trends, while the sector model uses both equities and bonds.
The firm’s team works with clients to find the model that best fits their needs and then helps to create a diverse portfolio.
