Top Financial Advisors in Mississippi

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Smith Shellnut Wilson, LLC is a fee-only firm with the largest amount in client assets on this list. For advisory services, the firm mainly generates compensation from asset-based fees and fixed fees. And the firm imposes a minimum account size requirement of $1,000,000 on its client base of individuals, high-net-worth individuals, corporate entities, pension and profit sharing plans, charitable institutions, foundations, municipalities, trusts, insurance companies and other U.S. institutions.

The firm has a relatively small staff of advisors. However, when it comes to industry credentials, two of the firm’s advisors hold the chartered financial analyst (CFA) designation, and seven advisors have MBAs.

Smith Shellnut Wilson Background

Since 1995, SSW has provided financial planning, advisor selection, security ratings/pricing services and discretionary and non-discretionary investment advisory services.

Frank W. Smith, III and William Parks Johnson Jr. are the firm’s primary owners.

Smith Shellnut Wilson Investment Philosophy

SSW says it develops investment portfolios based on client needs and objectives. The firm selects securities using fundamental analysis, technical analysis and cyclical analysis. As for its asset types, SSW typically invests in U.S. government and agency bonds, exchange-traded equity securities, U.S. state and local bonds, investment grade corporate bonds, cash and cash equivalents and securities issued by pooled investment vehicles.

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Hardy Reed, LLC is a wealth advisory firm that’s been around for longer than a decade. The firm has more than 200 clients that combine to hold billions in investable assets. The majority of Hardy Reed’s clients are individuals, but it also works with high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations and corporations. This is a fee-only firm.

The firm provides investment management and financial planning services, and it occasionally offers consulting services as well. The firm doesn’t impose an account minimum, but it does charge a minimum annual fee of $10,000, which may make its services cost prohibitive for clients with smaller accounts.

Hardy Reed Background

Hardy Reed was established in 2006 by Scott Reed and John C. Hardy. Today, Reed is the firm’s CEO and Hardy serves as president. The firm employs a small staff of advisors in its offices in Tupelo. All are accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs), two are certified financial planners (CFPs) and two are certified investment management analysts (CIMAs).

Portfolio management services come with a fee based on a percentage of your assets under management (AUM). This can reach as low as 0.30% and as high as 1.25%, depending on the value of your assets. Financial planning fees are negotiable, but typically vary from a $1,000 to $10,000 fixed fee or a $250 hourly fee based on the scope of your services.

Hardy Reed Investment Strategy

Hardy Reed strongly prefers to develop a comprehensive picture of each client’s financial life before beginning the investment process. It does this to ensure that it fully understands the client’s risk profile, investment objectives, tax situation and liquidity and income needs before making any purchases.

Hardy Reed normally invests client assets in a combination of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). On a more limited basis, the firm may allocate assets to third-party managers.

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Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors, LLC is headquartered in Clarksdale. The firm currently manages hundreds of millions in assets under management (AUM) from thousands of clients. The firm’s client base consists of individuals and high-net-worth individuals, pension plans, charitable organizations, government entities, corporations, trusts, estates and partnerships. The firm has a $25,000 account minimum.

Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors is fee-based, meaning some advisors here may earn commissions from conducting securities transactions or selling insurance products. These commissions may create a potential conflict of interest. However, the firm is bound by fiduciary duty to always act in your best interest.

The firm offers financial planning and investment management services to its clients, as well as the selection of third-party advisors and retirement plan consulting. Additionally, the firm provides access to two investment programs administered by Raymond James: 

• PASSPORT account program: an investment advisory account that’s primarily non-discretionary in which you receive continual investment advice and monitoring for a percentage-based fee
• Ambassador program: a wrap-fee advisory account typically managed on a discretionary basis that’s tailored to your goals.

Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors Background

Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors first opened its doors in 2007. The firm is indirectly owned by lead financial advisors Dudley M. Barnes and Holmes S. Pettey. In addition to its headquarters in Clarksdale, the firm has offices in Grenada, Oxford and Jackson, Mississippi, as well as in Memphis, Tennessee. The firm has multiple advisors, three of whom are certified financial planners (CFPs).

For investment management services, the firm will charge a fee as a percentage of AUM ranging from 0.40% to 1.25%. Fees for the two investment programs administered by Raymond James are also percentage-based and range from 1.25% to 2.25%. Financial planning fees are charged either as a fixed fee between $750 and $3,000 or as a $200 hourly fee.

Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors Investment Philosophy

Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors primarily recommends mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), but it will ultimately tailor its recommendations to fit each client’s objectives and risk tolerance. The firm takes into consideration each client’s investing timeline before formulating the appropriate strategy for their portfolio. Consequently, the firm doesn’t have a standard preference toward long- or short-term investing.

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Ballew Advisors, Inc. has been providing advisory services to clients in Jackson since 1991. The over 1,000 clients at the firm include individuals, high-net-worth individuals, pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations and corporations.

Ballew is a fee-based firm, meaning some advisors may earn commissions for selling insurance products or conducting certain securities transactions. These commissions have the potential to create conflicts of interest, but the firm still has a fiduciary duty to act in your best interest at all times.

The firm provides investment supervisory services, as well as financial planning and retirement plan consulting. The firm also publishes newsletters and periodicals. A minimum portfolio size of $100,000 is typically required to become a client, although the firm may accept smaller accounts at its discretion.

Ballew Advisors Background

Ballew Advisors was founded in 1991. The firm is owned by SB Holding Company, Inc. via a subsidiary, Security Ballew, Inc. Several advisors work at the firm. Throughout this group, there are two certified financial planners (CFPs), one certified public accountant (CPA), one chartered financial consultant (ChFC) and one chartered life underwriter (CLU).

Fees for investment management tend to fall between 1.00% and 2.00% of your assets under management (AUM), although the firm may decide to negotiate a different arrangement. Financial planning fees can vary depending on the degree of responsibility involved and the amount of skill and work required, so there is no standard rate or fee.

Ballew Advisors Investment Philosophy

Ballew Advisors has a number of core beliefs upon which it bases its investment approach. It believes that the most important decision to be made is how to allocate your assets among cash, bonds, stocks, real estate and any other primary securities. Additionally, the firm thinks that diversification among asset classes is the best method for limiting risk and increasing returns.

The firm primarily invests with a long-term perspective, both to keep down trading costs and because a portfolio that diversifies across asset classes should increase in value over a long period of time.

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Mag Cap, or Magnolia Capital Advisors, LLC, has been an investment advisor in Mississippi since 2018. Its clients include a majority of individuals, with some high-net-worth individuals and pension plans rounding it out. The firm has millions in assets under management (AUM), and it doesn’t impose an account minimum.

Mag Cap provides investment management, financial planning and consulting services to its clients. The firm doesn’t impose any sort of account minimum.

As a fee-based firm, some advisors may conduct securities transactions or sell insurance products that generate commissions on top of the advisory fees you pay. This practice may create a potential conflict of interest, but it doesn’t alter the firm’s fiduciary duty to act in your best interest at all times.

Mag Cap Background

Mag Cap was created in 2018, making it the youngest firm on this list. It’s principally owned by its managing directors Vaiden Clark, Stephen Griner and Charles Marion. The firm employs seven advisors, including one of each of the following designations: certified public accountant (CPA), certified financial planner (CFP), chartered financial analyst (CFA), accredited investment fiduciary (AIF) and certified investment management analyst (CIMA).

Mag Cap gives clients the choice between a percentage-based fee or a flat fee when it comes to portfolio management services. Percentage-based fees typically won’t exceed 2.00% of your AUM. For financial planning services, there’s no additional charge for clients who already receive portfolio management. Stand-alone financial planning clients will pay a fixed fee between $2,500 and $25,000.

Mag Cap Investment Philosophy

Most of Mag Cap’s investment recommendations revolve around money market funds and other cash instruments, exchange-listed securities, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), closed-end fund shares, certificates of deposit (CDs), corporate debt securities, municipal securities, government securities, options, variable annuity products, private funds and private placements.

When analyzing potential funds to invest in, the firm looks at both the experience and track record of the fund manager, gauging if the manager has demonstrated an ability to invest over a period of time and in different economic conditions. Another important step is looking at the underlying assets in a fund to see if there is significant overlap in the underlying investments held in other funds in the client's portfolio. This helps to promote in-depth diversification.

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Financial Concepts is a firm with two advisors that’s been doing business in Columbus since 2011. It has hundreds of millions in assets under management (AUM) and works with individuals, high-net-worth individuals, pension plans and charitable organizations comprise this client base.

Financial Concepts is a fee-based firm, which means that some advisors may earn commissions through the sale of insurance products. This practice may create potential conflicts of interests, but Financial Concepts is still bound by a fiduciary duty to act in its clients’ best interests at all times.

Financial Concepts provides financial planning and individual portfolio management services. There is a $25,000 account minimum at this firm.

Financial Concepts Background

Financial Concepts was established in 2011. Its principal owners are Rhonda S. Ferguson, who serves as the firm’s president, and Scott Todd Ferguson, who acts as its chief compliance officer (CCO). The two owners are also the firm’s main advisors. Rhonda Ferguson is a certified financial planner (CFP).

Financial planning fees will typically come as a fixed rate, which can range from $1,000 to $5,000 depending on the scope of your services. Investment management fees will be 0.50% of your total AUM.

Financial Concepts Investment Philosophy

Financial Concepts typically invests client assets in a range of different mutual funds that represent a variety of asset classes. When analyzing potential funds, the firm employs fundamental analysis, looking at a fund’s financial statements and surrounding information in an attempt to gauge its intrinsic value.

The firm has a buy-and-hold investment strategy and makes recommendations for portfolio changes based upon the client’s life circumstances rather than market fluctuations. It doesn’t believe that market timing can be a successful strategy, especially in the long term.

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Soundpath Investment Advisors is a fee-only firm that provides portfolio management services to individuals, high net worth individuals, corporate pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable institutions, foundations, endowments, corporations or other business entities. 

The firm's team consists of two chartered financial analysts (CFA) and two certified financial planners (CFP).

The firm has no minimum requirement.

Soundpath Investment Advisors' Background

Founded in 1988, formerly named Medley & Brown, LLC, provides investment management supervision to their clients’ portfolios. The firm's supervision is based on the investment objectives and needs of each client, and our philosophy on investment management.

Soundpath Investment Advisors' Investment Strategy

Soundpath Investment Advisors uses an investment strategy that utilizes the ownership of stocks and bonds, primarily through no-load mutual funds.

According to Soundpath Investment Advisors:

"The investment assets are strategically allocated among several asset classes which include, but are not limited to, cash, bonds, U.S. large cap stocks, U.S. small-cap stocks and international stocks.

The firms' security analysis methods include fundamental analysis. The firm also conducts in-depth research in selecting mutual funds. the the firm believes gives them the opportunity to determine whether or not the fund managers and their firms' investment philosophies can work with Soundpath Investment Advisors."

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EFP Advisors is a fee-based advisor working with a large pool of individual clients. The firm also serves some high-net-worth individuals and offers services to businesses, retirement plans, trust, estates and charitable organizations. 

There is no required minimum for opening an account with EFP Advisors. Fees for portfolio management are based on percentage of a client's assets under management, while certain services may be provided at a hourly or fixed rate. 

In addition to these fees, the firm's advisors may also collect commissions from third parties when selling insurance or securities. This type of compensation creates potential conflict of interest, as advisors have a financial incentive to recommend certain products and services over others. However, EFP Advisors is a fiduciary firm and must always act in the best interests of its clients. 

EFP Advisors does not list any financial certifications, like the certified financial planner (CFP) designation, on its website. 

EFP Advisors Background

EFP Advisors was founded in 2012 by Douglas McDaniel and Christopher Register. They are still the principal owners, with McDaniel serving as president and Register serving as vice president. The firm also does business under the names McDaniel & Register Inc., R. Lenoir & Associates, W. O. Stone Advisors and Collaborative Advice.

EFP Advisors offers clients general financial planning services in addition to portfolio management services. Portfolio management also includes assistance with creating and maintaining a portfolio for a 401(k) plan.

EFP Advisors Investment Strategy

According to EFP Advisors, minimizing risk is a priority for all client portfolios. The firm does this by using a globally diverse asset allocation. The firm invests in mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, in addition to individual securities.

The firm generally uses traditional technical, fundamental and cyclical methods of analysis when researching and reviewing securities for client portfolios. 

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Element Wealth, LLC has been providing investment advice to clients in Ridgeland since 2006. Its clients are a combination of individuals, high-net-worth individuals, pension plans and charitable organizations. Element Wealth is a fee-based firm, and there is no minimum account size.

Element Wealth is a fee-based firm, as certain members of its advisory team are licensed to sell insurance products, like life insurance or annuities. These sales may generate commissions for the advisors who perform them. This creates the potential for conflicts of interest, although the firm has a fiduciary duty to always act in clients’ best interests.

The firm provides investment management to its clients, along with financial planning. Additionally, the firm occasionally acts as a sub-advisor for the clients of an independent advisory firm.

Element Wealth Background

Element Wealth was founded in 2006. The firm has three principal owners: partners Barry Smith, Danny Williams and Jeremy Nelson. This trio also act as the firm’s primary advisors. Williams is a certified financial planner (CFP).

Fees for investment management services at the firm are charged as a percentage of client assets under management (AUM). The exact rate can vary from 0.40% to 1.00%, depending on the value of your assets, whether your assets are in an employer-sponsored retirement account or not and what asset classes make up your portfolio. Financial planning and other consulting services usually come with a $400 hourly fee.

Element Wealth Investment Philosophy

Element Wealth prioritizes diversification across asset classes for each and every client portfolio. How much these portfolios are exposed to securities like equities, bonds, cash and alternative investments will depend on the client’s investment objectives, timeline and risk tolerance.

The firm generally constructs smaller portfolios with a combination of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and larger portfolios with individual stocks and ETFs. Some portfolios will feature all three of these investment types.

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Mascagni Wealth Management is a fee-based firm working mostly with individuals who do not have a high net worth, though some high-net-worth investors are on the rolls, along with some corporations. Some advisors at the firm are also insurance agents and can earn commissions. This is a conflict of interest, but all advisors must still act in the best interest of the client. The minimum account size is $100,000.

Fees are fixed for financial planning and a wrap fee program is available for all services, based on a percentage of assets under management. The advisor team includes two certified financial planners (CFPs), two financial paraplanner qualified professionals (FPQPs) and one certified public accountant (CPA).

Mascagni Wealth Management Background

Mascagni was formed in 1990. The majority stockholder is J. Randall Mascagni.

Services offered include financial planning, portfolio management, divorce planning, retirement planning, estate planning and education savings analysis.

Mascagni Wealth Management Investment Strategy

The firm's security analysis methods include charting and fundamental analysis. The main sources of information  the firm uses are "financial newspapers and magazines, research materials prepared by others, corporate rating services and annual reports, prospectuses, and/or filings with the SEC."