Top Financial Advisor Firms in Illinois

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Mesirow Financial Investment Management, Inc. is a large investment advisor headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm currently holds billions in assets under management (AUM). Mesirow provides financial services to a wide range of clients including individuals, corporations, retirement plans, charitable organizations and institutional clients. 

On the individual side, the firm’s Wealth Advisors program delivers financial planning and investment management services. 

Wealth Advisors with the firm aim to build a long-term and perhaps multi-generational financial plan for its clients. Depending on your needs and objectives, the firm may cover the following: 

• Debt management
• Retirement savings
• Short-term investing
• College funding
• Building emergency funds
• Insurance
• Tax situation
• Estate planning
• Social Security

The client’s lead advisor can draw from experts within and outside Mesirow. The Mesirow Wealth Advisors team from its Illinois base includes 18 certified financial planners (CFPs), four chartered financial analysts (CFAs), seven accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs), and two chartered financial consultants (ChFCs).

Mesirow Financial Investment Management Background 

Mesirow Financial Investment Management can trace its roots all the way back to the 1930s, making it one of the oldest firms on our list. Since then, it has built a massive financial services unit delivering support to everyone from individuals to institutional clients. 

Its story began when Norman Mesirow purchased a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. Today, the firm has offices in more than 20 cities throughout the globe. More than 500 employees keep the company running, according to the firm’s website. 

Mesirow Financial Investment Management Investing Strategies

Mesirow advises its clients on creating a goals-based investment plan and a customized portfolio with an asset allocation deemed appropriate.  It monitors these portfolios on an ongoing basis. However, the firm allocates the majority of its client’s assets into registered third-party portfolio managers.

The firm kicks off its investment services by helping clients develop a goals-based investment plan that takes into account the client’s entire financial picture. It then builds a customized investment portfolio with an asset allocation it deems appropriate. The firm also monitors this portfolio on an ongoing basis. 

According to the firm’s website, Mesirow “believes this combination creates the best foundation for attractive long-term rates of return, helping our clients meet their wealth management objectives.”

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Segall Bryant & Hamill (SBH) has the second-largest amount in assets under management on this list. The firm provides financial consulting and investment advisory services to a range of clients including individual clients, businesses, charitable organizations, foundations and corporate retirement plans. 

To establish an individual relationship with SBH, you’d need a minimum initial investment of $1 million. However, your minimum may range from $250,000 to $10 million depending on your portfolio’s asset allocation.

According to documents recently filed with the SEC, SBH has hundreds pf full-time employees including dozens of investment advisors. These advisors hold some impressive credentials.

The firm’s wealth management division alone consists of more than a dozen investment professionals including 12 certified financial analysts (CFA), four certified financial planners (CFP), and three chartered investment counselors (CICs). 

Segall Bryant & Hamill Brief Background

SBH was founded in 1994. The firm is principally owned by a number of its own employees as well as affiliates of Thoma Bravo, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor. 

SBH is headquartered in Chicago. It also manages offices in Denver, Colorado; Naples, Florida; Chesterfield, Missouri; and Ardmore, Pennsylvania. 

Some SBH employees may sell or recommend certain securities as registered representatives of Foreside Fund Services. They may earn commissions through these business practices. Nonetheless, SBH has a fiduciary duty and is legally obligated to work in your best interests at all times. 

Segall Bryant & Hamill Investing Strategy

When it comes to building and managing your portfolio, SBH may utilize a number of investing strategies based on several factors such as your risk appetite and investment goals. Your portfolio may be constructed with equities, fixed income, mutual funds, alternative investments or a mix of all. 

SBH considers a broad pool of the securities universe when building your portfolio. For instance, its equity portfolios can be built with small, mid or large-cap stocks.

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Unlike most of the firms on our list, DiMeo Schneider & Associates, L.L.C. serves ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families including company executives. It also extends its services to institutional clients, large retirement plan sponsors, corporations, trusts and estates. 

The leadership of this Chicago-based firm features 11 certified financial planners (CFPs), three chartered financial analysts (CFAs), one certified public accountant (CPA), five certified investment management analysts (CIMAs), and one chartered alternative investment analysts (CAIA). 

Minimum account sizes depend on the type of private client and services deployed. But annual fees for investment advisory services can range from 0.00% to 1.50% of assets under management.  

DiMeo Schneider & Associates Background 

DSA was established in 1995 when Bob DiMeo and Bill Schneider directed Kidder Peabody’s investment consulting firm in the Midwest into a new venture. Today, the firm boasts nearly 100 employees, including 40 consultants and 30 performance and research analysts. 

The firm deploys the same analytical tools it does for institutional clients as it does for its private clients which includes individuals, families and related investments such as trusts. According to the firm's website, it advises prominent families, including some on the Forbes 400 list. 

When receiving financial consulting from the firm, private clients can expect the following. 

• Family legacy planning
• Cash-flow projection
• Tax-efficiency analysis
• Asset allocation studies
• Investment manager/fund search
• Fee analysis and negotiation

DiMeo Schneider & Associates Investment Strategy 

DSA advises its clients on investment management by recommending independent investment managers from those that are in its database and deemed appropriate based on the client's needs and goals. The firm may also recommend mutual funds and other investments such as venture capital funds if it’s deemed right for your risk appetite and financial needs.

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Capital Strategies Investment Group (CSIG) has billions in assets under management. Although it works with institutional clients and large retirement plans, the firm does extend its private wealth practice to high-networth individuals and families. 

The firm’s team features three chartered financial analysts (CFAs), two accredited investment finducairies (AIFs) one registered paraplanner (RP) and one certified private wealth advisor (CPWA). 

CSIG doesn’t require a minimum initial investment. But be aware that most its current individual clients fall in the scope of high-net-worth individuals. That level roughly begins at $1 million. 

Capital Strategies Investment Group Background 

CSIG was founded in 2009 by Will Woodall, Barbara Best and Nancy Rizzuto. The firm's advisory services can touch upon a number of factors including retirement planning, trust and estate planning, and legacy evaluation.

Capital Strategies Investment Group Investment Strategy 

When it comes to investment advice through its private wealth program, CSIG aims to develop a long-term plan for you, your family and even the next generation. It plans to meet this goal by devising a custom portfolio tailored to your individual risk appetite, restraints and needs. Based on these and other factors, your portfolio may invest in the following. 

• No-load mutual funds
• Exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
• Collective trusts
• Limited partnerships
• Cash equivalents
• Fixed income
• Equity securities

The firm focuses on long-term investments and places diversification above all. According to official documents filed with the SEC, the firm relies on a long-term investment philosophy that hinges on a diversified portfolio to net the best return based on a client's risk tolerance.

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Sheridan Road Advisors, LLC is a fee-based firm with several advisors managing thousands of clients. The firm’s client base includes individuals, high-net-worth individuals and pension and profit sharing plans. Sheridan has no minimum account size requirement.

When it comes to advisory fees, the firm charges asset-based fees, hourly fees and fixed fees. However, advisors may also earn commissions from securities sales. This can create a conflict of interest if advisors favor such products over client needs, but Sheridan says it has a fiduciary obligation to work in each client’s best interests. 

As for staff qualifications, the firm’s team features certified financial planners (CFPs), accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs), certified divorce financial analysts (CDFAs), chartered retirement planning counselors (CRPCs), retirement income certified professionals (RICPs) and certified plan fiduciary advisors (CPFAs). 

Sheridan Road Advisors Background

Principally owned by HUB International Limited, Sheridan began its operations in 2004. The firm specializes in portfolio management, financial planning and pension consulting advisory services. 

Sheridan Road Advisors Investment Strategy 

Sheridan’s primary investment methods include fundamental analysis, charting analysis, cyclical analysis, modern portfolio theory (MPT), quantitative analysis and technical analysis.

The firm mainly offers investment advice on mutual funds, fixed income securities, real estate funds (including REITs), insurance products including annuities, equities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), treasury bonds and private placements.

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RMB Capital Management collects fees based on its investment services, but different programs do have different rates. The firm has numerous investment advisors on staff. Notably, its staff has an impressive list of financial certifications. That includes 32 certified financial planners (CFPs), 31 chartered financial analysts (CFAs), eight certified public accountants (CPAs), two certified public wealth advisors (CPWAs), two certified plan fiduciary advisors (CPFAs) and two certified investment management analysts (CIMAs).

RMB has a roughly even split of individual and high-net-worth individual accounts. The firm also services investment companies, pooled investment vehicles, pension plans and charitable organizations, among other entities. A minimum investment of $1 million is required.

RMB Capital Management Background

RMB Capital Management was founded in 2005. The firm’s principal owners are Richard M. Burridge, Frederick Paulman, and Walter H. Clark, all of whom work at the firm. Burridge is the CEO and co-chief investment officer, Paulman is the president and Clark is the chief operating officer. The firm has satellite offices in Skaneateles, New York; Rochester, New York; Irvine, California; Oak Brook Terrace, Illinois; and Atlanta, Georgia to name a few. 

Services offered by the firm include retirement analysis, compensation and benefits, estate planning, asset allocation, tax planning, insurance analysis, education funding and charitable giving strategy. It also offers services to employers and institutional clients relating to asset management.

RMB Capital Management Investing Strategy

RMB Capital Management says its advisors are “custodians of our clients’ trust.” The firm starts a client-advisor relationship by developing a personal, individualized plan for each client. It takes into consideration a client’s goals, life situation, personal relationships and other concerns. From there, it puts together a holistic plan focused on long-term growth.

The firm has a variety of portfolios for clients to consider. These include:

• Taxable fixed-income
• Tax-exempt fixed-income
• Core equity
• Dividend growth
• Special situations
• Strategic fixed-income

Assets used in client portfolios could include stocks, hedge funds and real estate.

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Gresham Partners has accumulated billions in assets under management (AUM). The firm currently employs several investment advisors, according to recent documents it filed with the SEC. 

These professionals advise high-net-worth individuals as well as their related retirement plans, trusts, estates and family offices. According to SEC documents, the firm’s entire private or individual client base consists of high-net-worth investors. 

But due to the firm’s fee structure, clients with at least $25 million to invest may be better serviced by Gresham. The firm collects fees based on a percentage of assets under management. These annual fees dip to 0.30% for those with more than $50 million in their accounts. 

Gresham Partners Background 

Gresham Partners began doing business in 1997. Today, Gresham is wholly owned by more than a dozen principals. On its associates team, Steve Czocher, manager of family office services, is the only certified financial planner (CFP). He is also a chartered financial analysts (CFA).

Gresham Partners Investing Strategy

Gresham Partners begins its investment advisory services by having several meetings with clients to velop a proper strategy around topics like asset allocations. It considers factors like a client’s risk appetite, net worth, philanthropic goals, liquidity requirements and more. 

It then seeks a proper investment manager and evaluates it by gaging the manager’s investment approach among other points. According to documents that Gresham filed with the SEC, “The Company tends to select experienced managers with broad mandates who can take relatively concentrated positions based on careful fundamental analysis and tend to have a limit on the amount of capital they will accept, but other types of managers may be selected.”

The firm monitors these managers on an ongoing basis.

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Savant Capital Management currently holds this list's eighth-largest amount in assets under management (AUM). According to SEC documents, the firm serves roughly half as many high-net-worth individuals as they do clients who are less affluent. The firm also offers its services to businesses, profit-sharing plans and charitable organizations.

When you work with Savant out of its Illinois base, you’d have access to wide range of professionals. These include certified financial planners (CFPs), certified public accountants (CPAs), certified divorce financial analysts (CDFAs), accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs) and more. 

Savant does not have a set minimum initial investment to open an account. However, the firm currently charges a minimum annual fee of $5,000 for wealth management services program clients. And if your account falls below $500,000, you’d pay a higher percentage annual-based fee than the 1.00% maximum for other clients. 

Savant Capital Management Background 

The firm first opened its doors in 1986 as the Savant Planning Group. It began offering investment advisory services in 1993. The firm aims to provide holistic financial planning through what it calls a financial roadmap. Based on your situation, it may entail money management around periods such as marriage, childbearing and retiring. It would also help you build an investment portfolio based on your needs. 

Today, it stands as a fee-only investment management firm. Therefore, Saviant charges fees for its own investment advisory services based on a percentage of your assets under management. It doesn’t earn commissions or other sources of revenue from outside firms for the recommendation of certain investments or securities. 

Savant Capital Management Investing Strategy

Savant aims to help clients build and rebuild investment portfolios that focus on the long term and aim for maximum returns with managed risk. 

The firm has developed several proprietary resources to help meet this goal. An example is the Ideal Futures Portfolio. It constructs this for individual clients based on a review of current portfolios or it starts from scratch. Then, it utilizes its Evidence-Based Investing (EBI) approach to determine which investments are more likely to succeed and which may draw unnecessary risk. Afterward, it develops your Ideal Futures Portfolio. The firm continuously monitors this portfolio and systematically rebalances the investments, while also managing tax liability. 

According to its website, the firm’s investment philosophy revolves around the following points:

• Responsibilities of a fiduciary
• Evidence-based investing
• Investment Maxims
• The Ideal Futures Portfolio 

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Cresset Asset Management, LLC manages more than 2,000 accounts total, including clients such as individuals, high-net-worth individuals, pooled investment vehicles, trusts, estates, retirement plans, charitable organizations and corporations. 

The fee-only firm also offers various advisory services, and it mainly charges clients asset-based fees and fixed fees. Cresset Asset doesn’t have a minimum account size requirement.

As for its team, advisors’ qualifications feature the certified financial planner (CFP), chartered financial analyst (CFA), certified private wealth advisor (CPWA), chartered market technician (CMT), chartered alternative investment analyst (CAIA) and certified public accountant (CPA) designations. 

Cresset Asset Management Background

Established in 2017, Cresset Asset’s advisory services include portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting, selection of other advisors and educational seminars/workshops.

The firm comprises five wholly-owned subsidiaries, including: Cresset Asset Management Acquisition, LLC, Cresset Management Services, LLC, Cresset Evanston Advisors, LLC, Cresset Tax Services, LLC, and Cresset Cypress Wealth Advisors, LLC. Cresset Intermediate Holdco LLC owns Cresset Asset.

Cresset Asset Management Investment Strategy

In conducting investment research, Cresset Asset primarily uses fundamental analysis, technical analysis, quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis and charting analysis. The firm also focuses on alternative, non-traded private investments, and it regularly employs asset allocation and mutual fund and/or exchange-traded fund (ETF) analysis. 

Cresset Asset also uses a range of other investment strategies, including long-term purchases, short-term purchases, margin transactions and option writing.

Brownson, Rehmus & Foxworth, Inc. is a fee-only advisory firm with billions in assets under management (AUM). The firm currently employs dozens of advisors. Collectively, the staff boasts 18 certified financial planners (CFPs), five chartered financial analysts (CFAs), one chartered alternative investment advisor (CAIA), one fund research manager (FRM) and three certified public accountants (CPAs).

The firm offers investment advice, tax planning, estate planning, charitable giving, and debt management. The company can also help clients with major purchases and life changes like marriage, children or divorce.

Brownson, Rehmus & Foxworth Background

Brownson, Rehmus & Foxworth, Inc. was founded in 1969. The firm is employee-owned by 10 of its active principles. Beyond the firm’s Chicago office, it operates branches in San Francisco, Atlanta and New York.

All of the firm’s individual clients are high-net-worth individuals. The account minimum depends on the investment advisor. But keep in mind that the firm’s minimum fees can range from $15,000 to $200,000. 

Brownson, Rehmus & Foxworth Investing Strategy

Brownson, Rehmus & Foxworth aims to develop investment strategies based on its client’s personal situations. It generally focuses on long-term investing and highly diversified portfolios. It also generally steers clear from active investing that tries to beat the market. In addition, the firm seeks to allocate your assets into managers with small turnover. It also utilizes real estate and alternative investments as well as equity and fixed-income.