Top Financial Advisors in Madison, WI

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Madison Investment Advisors, LLC specializes in managed account services. So this may be a more suitable firm for individuals who seek strategically managed investment portfolio as opposed to general financial planning advice. 

The firm currently generates an impressive $10 billion in assets under management, which brings it to the top of our list. Madison provides these services on a wrap-fee basis. Account minimums for its equity portfolio management are generally $500,000 and the one for its fixed-income portfolio is typically $1 million.  

Madison Investment Advisors Background 

Madison Investment Advisors, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Madison Asset Management, LLC which, in turn, is a subsidiary of Madison Investment Holdings, Inc. The parent company has been in business since 1974. 

Today, Madison Investment Advisors is privately held and its employees serve as majority shareholders. In addition, the firm manages offices in Madison, Wisconsin; Scottsdale, Arizona; and Toronto, Canada.

Madison Investment Advisors Investment Approach

Unlike some of the investment managers on this list, Madison generally steers clear from index strategies. Instead, it uses its own research and knowledge to seek investment opportunities that may have potential for stronger returns. 

According to its website, its equity portfolios are built with companies that have a "wide competitive moat, attractive valuations." It generally constructs its fixed-income portfolios with “diversified positions of high-quality bonds, which allows us to actively manage interest rate and sector risk.”

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Topping our Madison list is SVA Plumb Wealth Management, a firm that has mpre than 30 financial advisors and more than $2.1 billion in assets under management. Founded in 1987, the firm is also one of the longest running on our list.  

This fee-based firm offers personal wealth management services, including investment management and financial planning, retirement services for individuals and businesses and a number of special services such as tax planning and financial planning for physicians. In addition to specializing in serving physicians, the firm has a university advisory group for education professionals and a female-only team dedicated to the “financial planning for savvy women” initiative. 

To become a client of investment management services, the firm prefers that you have at least $250,000 in investable capital. 

You can find SVA Plumb Wealth Management offices in Madison, Brookfield and Appleton in Wisconsin and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 

SVA Plumb Wealth Management Background

SVA Planners, Inc, the predecessor to SVA Plumb Wealth Management, was founded in 1987, according to materials filed with the SEC. After two name changes in 2007 and 2011, the firm became what it is today. 

Thomas Plumb, chartered financial analyst (CFA), is the CEO of the firm. He has more than 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. The firm is large, with over 30 employees who have a variety of professional credentials, including certified financial planner (CFP), certified trust and financial advisor (CTFA) and accredited investment fiduciary (AIF). 

SVA Plumb Wealth Management Investment Strategy

Some firms of this size only offer portfolios that consist of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). That’s not what you’ll find at SVA Plumb Wealth Management. The firm states “based on client objectives, the core holdings will be comprised of selected mutual funds, individual securities, ETFs and/or index funds. Each portfolio is enhanced with complementary assets to diversify the portfolio risk.” Advisors here follow the common sentiment that broad diversification is the best way to combat risk and market volatility.

Before creating your portfolio, you’ll speak with an advisor about your financial situation, tax concerns, time horizon, risk tolerance and cash-flow needs. Based off of your discussions, your advisor will create your investment policy statement, a document that captures your portfolio’s guiding investment strategy.

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This fee-based financial advisor has the highest minimum asset requirement, at $2 million for new accounts. Founded in 2014, Isthmus Partners is one of the youngest firms on our top 10. Eight investment advisors work for the firm, serving clients across the country out of an office in Madison, Wisconsin. 

Isthmus Partners has $532 million in assets under management and offers portfolio management, investment advice, financial planning and institutional portfolios. Evident from the high asset minimum, the firm primarily works with high-net-worth individuals and families.  

Isthmus Partners Background

In 2014, David Hackworthy, Victor Rodriguez, Frank Gambino and Joel McNeil founded Isthmus Partners after working together for over a decade. They remain the owners of the firm. Gambino is a chartered financial analyst (CFA) and McNeil is a certified financial planner (CFP). The firm has three additional CFAs and a total of 13 employees. 

Isthmus Partners Investment Strategies

This firm has three main strategies for portfolio management: core equity, fixed income and international equity. Core equity has two sub-categories: large cap and small cap. Large cap targets 40 to 45 large-capitalization U.S. stocks that have a market cap greater than $2 billion at the time of initial purchase. This strategy uses the S&P 500 index and is managed with tax efficiency in mind.

Small cap core equity will generally contain 50 to 65 small-capitalization U.S. stocks with a market cap between $100 million and $2 billion. The benchmark for small cap core equity is the Russell 2000 Index. 

Fixed income strategy invests in bonds, specifically U.S. Treasury and FDIC certificates of deposit (CDs), municipal and corporate. This portion of the portfolio is conservative and the risk is concentrated on the equity allocations.

International equity is the final strategy. This is the only strategy that uses mutual funds as the primary investment vehicle. Isthmus advisors don’t manage international stock allocations, instead, they select third-party managers.

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Northern Capital Management specializes at investment management. The fee-based firm has four advisors and has been in business since 1979, making it the oldest company on the list.

The firm has $379 million in assets under management and requires $100,000 for new clients choosing the standard equity or fixed income portfolio options. Balanced equity portfolios do not have a specified asset minimum.

Northern Capital Management Background

Stephen Hawk, one of the original founders, is a managing partner of the firm. He has a Ph.D. in finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Daniel Murphy, another managing partner, owns the majority of the firm. He joined Northern Capital in 1994 and has a MBA from University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a chartered financial analyst (CFA). 

Across the rest of the team, there’s another CFA, a law degree and degrees in economics and accounting.   

Northern Capital Management Investment Strategies

The firm offers equity, fixed income and diversified balanced portfolios. Equity portfolios are “constructed with large and mid-cap equity holdings. The portfolio is further diversified both internationally and across equity segments (small-cap and more value-oriented equities) by purchasing exchange-traded funds (ETFs) along with occasional investments in commodities and alternative investments.” This type of portfolio requires at least $100,000 in investable assets.

Fixed income portfolios has fixed income securities such as ETFs, Treasury bonds, government agency bonds, corporate bonds and certain tax-exempt securities among other securities. 

The balanced portfolio generally contains equities, ETFs, cash equivalents and fixed income securities. 

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John F. Suby Wealth Management has $315 million in assets under management and has four advisors. The company is fee-based, like several of the firms on this list. Suby Wealth Management offers investment management and monitoring, retirement planning, estate plan review and financial statement review to clients with at least $200,000 in investable assets.

The firm is part of a larger company called The Suby Group, which offers financial planning, tax preparation and planning, retirement planning, restaurant and business bookkeeping services and corporate financial planning. You can find Suby Group offices in Madison, Wisconsin and Rockford, Illinois.

John F. Suby Wealth Management Background

The firm’s namesake, John Suby, has worked in Madison’s financial industry for the past 40 years. He has been a certified public accountant since 1972 and at Suby Wealth Management, he focuses on estate planning and business succession planning. 

The firm has five additional employees and two shareholders besides Suby. The team includes a certified wealth strategist (CWS) and another CPA. 

John F. Suby Wealth Management Investment Strategy

You’ll find that the advisors at Suby try to match “efficient, diversified portfolios” with your investment needs and risk tolerance. As a new client, you’ll answer questions such as your projected retirement year, cash-flow needs, investment objectives and risk tolerance. The firm uses sub-advisers and third party managers for investment management responsibility. Your portfolio will mainly consists of mutual funds, ETFs and individual stocks. 

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Thun Financial Advisors, has a $5,000 minimum annual fee, which makes sense if you have at least $350,000 of investable assets. The six-person firm has more than $300 million in assets under management. The compensation model here is fee-only, rather than fee-based like the first four firms on the list. Fee-only means that the firm earns compensation from management fees or hourly charges, and that’s it. Fee-based firms can receive compensation from selling insurance or other products in addition to annual management fees. 

Services include financial planning, investment management, retirement planning, estate planning, education savings and expat compliance. While Thun is based in Madison, the firm serves clients around the U.S. and the world.

Thun Financial Advisors Background

A young firm, Thun Financial Advisors has been in operation since 2008. David Kuenzi founder and sole owner, previously worked as a securities analyst and institutional broker for Chase Manhattan Bank, Deutsche Bank and other top-tier financial institution. He is a certified financial planner (CFP) and speaks Russian and Spanish.

His team includes one additional CFP and three chartered financial analysts (CFAs).  

Thun Financial Advisors Investment Strategy

Thun Financial Advisors stands behind the investment tactics of diversification, strategic rebalancing, low expenses and tax deferral/minimization. The firm describes these tenets as the “four pillars of long-term investment success.”

The firm uses globally diversified exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as the main investment vehicle for your portfolio. The firm diversifies across asset classes, including bonds, stocks, commodities and real estate. The firm invests for the long term, which means advisors trade assets infrequently. Your exact portfolio blend depends on your age, income, risk tolerance, investment goals, cash-flow needs and a variety of personal finance factors. Your advisor will give you investment advice based on your personal situation. 

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Poehling Capital Management, a fee-only financial advisory firm, has more than $200 million in assets under management. Poehling Capital Management requires a minimum of $250,000 for core discretionary investment management services. If you have less than that amount, PCM can give you recommendations for no-load or load-waived mutual funds. Services offered include investment management, financial planning and estate planning.

Poehling Capital Management Background

Thomas Poehling, president and chief investment officer, owns the firm. He has more than 25 years of experience in the investment industry. Patrick Poehling serves as the COO and vice president of the firm. He has more than 10 years of experience in the financial services industry.

Six additional professional work at Poehling Capital Management, including two certified financial planners (CFPs). 

Poehling Capital Management Portfolio Management

Pheling Capital Management uses model portfolios for managing client assets. Each model portfolio is a template for a certain set of criteria. This means you’re matched to a model portfolio based on a variety of factors, including risk tolerance, investment objectives, income, retirement timeline and cash-flow needs. The firm invests in large-capitalization companies as well as additional investments for diversification. The firm prefers publicly traded equities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual fund, fixed income and option contracts.  

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RMR Financial Advisors, LCC (RMR) is an SEC-registered investment advisor focusing on holistic financial planning and investment management. According to SEC documents, the firm generally works with non-high-net-worth individuals. So if you’re just embarking on your wealth planning journey, this may be the firm for you. 

Depending on your needs, RMR can assist with the following: 

• Portfolio and cash flow management
• Investment manager search and monitoring
• Retirement plan consulting
• Family office services 

RMR Financial Advisors Background 

RMR Financial Advisors has been in business since 2003. It is wholly owned by Erik Mikkelson. He co-founded the firm with Rich Mikkelson. The firm’s team features two certified financial planners (CFPs), one chartered financial analyst (CFA), one registered paraplanner, one certified financial divorce practitioner.

RMR Financial Advisors Investment Approach 

RMR aims for a comprehensive investment policy statement for each client based on his or her individual financial situation and goals. Its overall investment management services can include the following: 

• Active management of investment assets and ongoing monitoring of mutual fund managers
• Regular meetings to ensure goals in the investment policy statement are being met
• Appropriate adjustments to investment portfolio based on changes in financial life or personal objectives 

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This fee-based firm has a $250,000 asset minimum for new clients. EnRich Financial Partners offers investment management and financial planning (a combination they call “Family CFO”). The firm has more than $200 million in assets under management. EnRich serves individuals, families and businesses.

Enrich Financial Partners Background

Christopher Rich and Elaine Rich founded the firm in 2003 and remain the sole owners. They serve as wealth advisors and are both certified financial planners (CFPs). Christopher is the firm’s chief compliance officer and has worked in the financial services industry since 1993. Elaine has worked in personal finance and investment management since 1997. She’s been featured in Family Money Magazine and Wisconsin Women Magazine.

They have five additional employees, including another CFP and four support staff members. The firm does not have a chartered financial advisor (CFA), a credential commonly found at investment management firms.  

EnRich Financial Partners Relationship Choices

When working with EnRich, you choose between three levels of partnerships: full, strategic or portfolio management. A full partnership consists of financial planning and investment management. You’ll need a minimum of $250,000, and the firm will manage at least 80% of available assets. This combined service is what the firm calls Family CFO. EnRich sees it as taking care of the holistic financial picture of an individual or family.

A strategic partnership consists of financial planning only. You’ll pay a flat annual retainer fee, but you will not be subject to the $250,000 minimum. This is best for those without enough funds to invest or those who want advice from the firm but not active investment management.

The last option is just investment management by itself. You’ll need at least $250,000 for this option. The portfolio management option is best if you don’t require financial planning.

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This fee-based firm was founded in 2006 and has more than $100 million in assets under management. Financial Wealth Management (FWM) has three advisors.

You’ll need $200,000 to open and maintain an account through the limited discretionary asset management service. For other services, you likely will not need to meet that minimum, but it’s at the discretion of the firm. Services offered at FWM include retirement planning (including 401(k) plans), financial planning, business succession planning, insurance and asset allocation.

Financial Wealth Management Background

Daniel Hyland is the sole owner of the firm and serves as president. He is a certified financial planner (CFP) and has worked in the financial planning and asset management industry for more than 35 years.

Three additional professionals work for Financial Wealth Management, including an additional CFP. 

Financial Wealth Management Investment Strategy

At this firm, investment management is captured under the asset allocation services. The firm builds portfolios to reflect your “goals, priorities, investment preference” and tolerance for risk. FWM builds each investment strategy per individual, rather than using a model (template) portfolio. That means an advisor will consider your risk tolerance, taxation, investment preferences, time horizon (until retirement, etc) and investment objectives when constructing your portfolio. 

The main method of analysis used by FWM is fundamental. This is the evaluation of investment securities based on the historical and projected financial performance. The firm mainly recommends no-load mutual funds and load mutual funds. However, accounts can include exchange-traded funds (ETFs), stocks, bonds annuities and real estate investment trusts (REITs).

For a look at more of the top advisors in Madison, use our advisor search tool. It links you with up to three advisors in your area based on your personal goals. From there, you can review their profiles and set up interviews before deciding to work with one.