Top Financial Advisors in Louisville, KY

Find an Advisor

ARGI Investment Services leads the way as the firm managing by far the most money, and is the only firm of our top nine Louisville financial advisors to have over $2 billion in assets under management (AUM). In fact, it beats out the No. 2 firm on our list by more than $2.5 billion in AUM.  

ARGI has the most clients on this list, with around 3,000. The firm has a minimum asset requirement of $50,000.

In addition to Louisville, ARGI has offices in Elizabethtown and Bowling Green, Kentucky; Cincinnati; Indianapolis; Grand Rapids, Missouri; Norwalk, Connecticut; and other major cities.

ARGI Investment Services Background 

ARGI’s origins stem back to 1995 when the firm was founded as a franchise of American Express Financial Advisors. In 2003, the firm separated from American Express, and in 2010, the firm officially became an SEC-registered investment advisor. 

The firm is owned by Patrick Reeves as well as ARGI employees through an employee stock ownership plan. 

The Louisville office has 108 total employees and 30 advisors: 23 are certified financial planners (CFPs), eight are certified public accountants (CPAs), two are chartered financial consultants (ChFCs), two are chartered financial analysts (CFAs) and one is a chartered life underwriter (CLU).  

ARGI Investment Services Investing Strategy

While $50,000 is the lowest amount needed for ARGI’s asset management program (for strategic and core investments), you’ll need to invest more money if you want different portfolio options. The SmartCap portfolio, which is based on common stock indices, requires $75,000. You’ll need at least $100,000 for the tactical or individual stock portfolios, which have higher risk and are for aggressive growth and capital appreciation. If you’re hoping to limit downside risk, you’ll need $150,000 for an option portfolio that aims for less risk and an increase in income.

The baseline accounts (strategic and core) use exchange-traded funds as investments. The rest of the accounts will have individual stock selections with a mix of other investment vehicles. Like most financial advisors, ARGI uses asset allocation as one of its main strategies for maintaining appropriate risk and return for each portfolio.

Find an Advisor

KPP Advisory Services is a fee-based firm where the minimum investment is based on the program you choose to use. Some programs have no minimum, while the highest is at $250,000.

The team at KPP includes seven ceritified financial planners (CFPs), plus advisors with other designations such as certified retirment plan specialist (CRPS) and certification for long-term care (CLTC).

The fees at KPP are generally based on assets under management, but some advisors may also earn commissions for selling products to clients. This can be a potential conflict of interest but advisors are bound to act in their client's best interest.

KPP Advisory Services Background

The firm was founded in 2005 by Robert Davenport and Ken O'Neil, who remain the principal owners.

Services at KPP include financial planning, investment management, cash flow analysis, insurance planning, retirement planning and estate planning.

KPP Advisory Services Investment Strategy

Find an Advisor

This fee-based firm has no minimum investment requirement. It bills itself as a multi-generational family wealth manager, meaning that the firm aims to serve wealthy families with services including legacy planning, family governance, tax planning and lifestyle management. If you’re not looking for family services, you can still engage the firm for investment management services.

The firm has one chartered financial analyst (CFA). Fees are based on a percentage of assets under management, though some advisors may also earn commisisons. This is a potential conflict of interest, but the advisors must act in the best interest of the client.

Atlas Brown Background

Atlas Brown was founded in 2004 by W. Wayne Hancock, III.

M. Scott Robinson is the CEO of the firm and has worked for Atlas Brown since 2008, having started his investment career in 1996.

Cherri Lamkin is the chief compliance officer and senior vice president of the firm. Lamkin and Robinson, along with SVP Timothy Corley and VP Cheryl Hesen, are all former employees of Hilliard Lyons, a large wealth management firm.

Atlas Brown Investment Strategy

Atlas Brown says that it “applies institutional techniques to a multidisciplinary approach, using multiple asset classes/styles, outside managers, alternatives and individual securities to create customized investment strategies.” The firm uses traditional and alternative strategies, investing in non-traditional asset classes such as real estate, natural resources and minerals.

Find an Advisor

Formed in 2016, Saling Wealth Advisors is the second-newest registered firm on the list after Reliant Wealth Management. You’ll need at least $500,000 to become a new client of the firm. Saling Wealth Advisors works with retirees, business owners and wealthy professionals.  

The team at Saling includes four certified financial planners (CFPs) and one chartered financial advisor (CFA). Fees are based on a percentage of assets under management. Some advisors earn commissions for selling insurance, which is a potential conflict of interest. Still, advisors have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of the client.

Saling Wealth Advisors Background

James “Jay” Saling is the primary owner, chairman and senior executive of the firm. He has 30 years of experience in the financial services industry and a number of certifications including certified financial planner (CFP) and chartered wealth advisor (CWA).

The other shares of the firm are owned by Eric Saling, the firm's executive director, CFP and certified exit planner (CExP); and Jason Stuber, chief investment officer and a chartered financial analyst (CFA).  

Services include portfolio management, business planning, retirement planning and financial planning.

Saling Wealth Advisors Investment Strategy

The firm primarily applies fundamental analysis in its securities selection process and may use long-term purchases, short-term purchases, short sales, margin transactions, trading and options trading and writing. It mainly places assets in mutual funds, common stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), bonds and fixed-income products.

Find an Advisor

This fee-based firm is among the newest on our Louisville list. Reliant does not have a minimum asset requirement to become a client.

There are two certified financial planners (CFPs) and one chartered financial advisor (CFA) at Reliant.

Fees are generally based on a percentage of assets under management. Some advisors may earn commissions for selling clients securities. This is a potential conflict of interest, but advisors are all bound to act in the best interest of the client.

Reliant Wealth Planning Background

Shaun Chelf founded the firm in 2017 and serves as the primary financial planner and portfolio architect.

Services offered include wealth management, financial planning, retirement planning and investment management. 

Reliant Wealth Planning Investment Philosophy

Reliant Wealth takes a layered approach to investing, starting with a core layer that ranges from seeking total return to equity growth. Supplementing that is a varying number of layers of what the firm describes as “momentum, trend-following” strategies - and a layer that serves as liquidity reserve. In reviewing investments, Reliant Wealth uses fundamental and technical methods of analysis.

Find an Advisor

Pillar Financial Advisors has the distinction of tying with Lanier Asset Management as having the fewest number of advisors on our list with just two. While the firm may be small, it distinguishes itself from the pack with its compensation model. Pillar Financial is fee-only, rather than fee-based. This means the firm does not receive or accept commissions from brokerage firms, mutual fund companies, insurance companies or from any financial vehicles they recommend.

The firm has a minimum asset requirement of $500,000.

The team at Pillar includes two chartered financial advisors (CFAs), one certified public accountant (CPA) and one certified financial planner (CFP).

Pillar Financial Advisors Background

Gregory Curry, who founded the firm in 1997, is the chief compliance officer (CCO) and senior financial advisor. He’s a CPA with the personal financial specialist (PFS) designation and a CFA. Before founding the firm, he worked for Aegon, a financial services company, and PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the largest accounting and financial consulting organizations in the world. Curry and Ben Allison, one of the firm's other senior financial advisors, principally own the firm. Allison is a 20-year veteran of the investment services industry.

Services at Pillar include investment management, retirement planning, financial planning, tax planning and estate planning services.

Pillar Financial Advisors Investment Strategy

When you first begin a relationship with Pillar Financial Advisors, you’ll develop an initial investment plan. This plan is based on your financial situation, your objectives, risk tolerance, time horizon and cash needs. Your account will be managed on a discretionary basis, which means transaction decisions are made without your input. Your investment plan guides these trading decisions.

The firm primarily invests your money in mutual funds. The firm generally selects passively managed mutual funds after evaluating factors such as past performance, portfolio manager, fee structure, fund sponsor, ratings and more.

Find an Advisor

Centerline Wealth Advisors has no minimum account size, so it can work with all types of clients. Like the majority of financial advisors on our Louisville list, Centerline is a fee-based firm, meaning that it may collect sales commissions from vendors in addition to fees charged to clients.  

The team at Centerline includes one certified financial planner (CFP) and one accredited investment fiduciary (AIF).

Centerline Wealth Advisors Background

Andrew Arnold is the founder and sole owner of the firm. He serves as CEO and is the senior wealth advisor. Arnold has worked in the investment industry for more than 20 years and has an MBA from University of Louisville.

Centerline Wealth Advisors offers investment management, wealth management, retirement planning and tax planning services.

Centerline Wealth Advisors Investment Process

Centerline Wealth Advisors says it has separated the three key pieces of a financial advisor business: advice, custody of client assets and financial products/services. Traditionally, the firm states, advisors at other firms operate with those three aspects linked, resulting in a company-focused approach rather than a client-needs-first approach. At Centerline, each aspect stands alone so that you get "a more elegant, client-focused model."

The firm uses Charles Schwab to hold your assets as custodian and has a strategic partnership with Dynasty Financial Partners for access to products and services including investment banking relationships, asset management strategies, estate planning and more.

Find an Advisor

Access Wealth Management has the highest minimum investment amount of any firm on our Louisville top 10: You need $1 million to become a client of this firm. 

Access Wealth Management generally targets high-net-worth individuals, business owners, professional athletes and entertainment professionals as potential clients. Access is a fee-based firm, meaning advisors may earn commissions. This is a potential conflict of interest, but advisors must act in the best interest of the client.

The team at Access includes one certified financial planner (CFP) and one certified private wealth advisor (CPWA).

Access Wealth Management Background

Anthony Christensen is the founder, sole owner and president of the firm. He has more than 20 years of financial industry experience. Prior to founding Access Wealth, Christensen was an associate vice president at Morgan Stanley. 

Services offered at the firm include investment management, financial planning, family office services, tax management and asset protection.

Access Wealth Management Investing Strategy

This firm generally employs fundamental analysis when selecting individual stocks for your portfolio. Fundamental analysis considers the investment issuer’s price-to-earnings ratio, dividend yields, growth-rate-to-price-earnings ratio, financial strength ratio and more. Your portfolio will consist not only of individual stocks, but mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), individual bonds and alternative investments. 

Find an Advisor

Sortino Advisory Partners is another fee-based financial firm. While the firm has no minimum fee or minimum portfolio value, slightly over a third of clients are considered high-net-worth, which is defined by the SEC as having a net worth of at least $1.5 million. 

The team at Sortino includes one chartered financial advisor (CFA), one accredited investment fiduciary (AIF) and one chartered retirement plan specialist (CRPS), among other certifications.

Sortino Advisory Partners Background

Daniel Hutcherson and Kevin Maynard are the primary owners of the firm. Hutcherson is a certified investment management analyst (CIMA), chartered alternative investment analyst (CAIA) and an accredited investment fiduciary analyst (AIFA). He’s worked in the financial services industry since 1996, serving in various capacities for companies such as Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley. Hutcherson is also a Marine Corps veteran. 

You’ll find investment management, family wealth services, financial planning and more offered at Sortino.

Sortino Advisory Partners Investment Strategy

Fundamental analysis is the primary method of evaluating securities employed by Sortino Advisory. Fundamental analysis looks at the competitive position of a fund or issuer. The company will look at the issuer’s management team, style drift, past performance, investment strategies, reputation and financial strength. 

In general, your assets will be invested in mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which Sortino tends to favor over individual stocks or alternative investments. The firm does occasionally invest in individual debt and equity securities, however.

Find an Advisor

The final firm on this list, Lanier Asset Management is a fee-based firm - which means that fees are generally based on assets under management, but advisors can earn commissions. This is a potential conflict of interest, but advisors are bound to act in the best interest of the client.

There isn’t an account minimum for new clients, and its minimum fee is just $50 - though your actual fee will likely be higher, as Lanier charges between 0.3% and 1.75% of your assets under management.

The team at Lanier includes three certified public accountants (CPAs) and one chartered financial advisor (CFA).

Lanier Asset Management Background

The firm has three owners: Mark Hoffman, Junius Beaver and Carl Hafele. Hoffman serves as the CEO and has decades of experience in the financial services industry. He has an MBA from Harvard University and previously served as a partner at the Boston Consulting Group.

Beaver is the co-chief investment officer and holds Series 7, 31, 63 and 65 securities licenses. Hafele is co-chief investment officer and has more than 30 years of investment experience. He is a chartered financial advisor (CFA) and certified public accountant (CPA). 

Services at Lanier include financial advice, investment strategy, asset allocation, financial planning, income planning, estate planning, retirement planning and education planning.

Lanier Asset Management Investing Philosophy

Lanier believes that a well-constructed portfolio is based on projected returns rather than historic returns. In order to achieve that, the firm uses diversification and tries to reduce reliance on stocks and bonds.  

The firm uses four main strategies for portfolio management: conservative, balanced, growth and traditional. Each strategy corresponds with an asset allocation. For example, the conservative portfolio has almost 50% of diversifying strategies, around 10% real assets and around 15% fixed income. All portfolios generally include those three strategies plus international equity, domestic equity and cash. 

Your portfolio will be determined by your risk tolerance, time horizon, financial objectives, income needs and more.