Top Financial Advisors in Oak Brook, IL

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Stonebridge Wealth Management has been an investment advisor in Illinois since 2013. It serves both non-high-net-worth individuals and high-net-worth individuals.

Stonebridge provides fee-based investment management, financial planning and consulting services to its clients. The firm generally imposes a minimum account size of $500,000, although it may waive this at its discretion.

Some of the advisors at this firm can trade securities on a commission basis. Although this represents a potential conflict of interest, the firm's fiduciary duty requires it to act in clients' best interests at all times.

Stonebridge Wealth Management Background

Stonebridge Wealth Management was formed in 2013. It has two principal owners: William Laipple and Christopher Plahm.

Stonebridge Wealth Management Investment Philosophy

Stonebridge Wealth Management’s investment approach is grounded in the belief that markets are efficient in the long term. The firm typically invests in open-end mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for most of its clients. In special circumstances, though, it may also invest in equities, warrants, fixed-income securities, municipal securities, private placements, pooled investment vehicles, structured products, corporate debt obligations, variable annuities and real estate investment trusts (REITs).

The firm recognizes that no two clients have identical financial situations, so it makes sure to tailor its services and investment strategy to each client’s investing goals, time horizon, relationship with risk and cash flow needs, among other factors.

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Landmark Capital, Inc. works with a mix of non-high-net-worth individuals, high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations and family foundations.

Landmark provides both asset management and financial planning services to its clients. Financial planning will typically touch on topics like retirement planning, tax management, estate planning, risk management and education funding. Landmark has an investment minimum of $1 million, which it may negotiate at its discretion.

Landmark Capital is a fee-based firm. That means certain on-staff advisors can receive commissions from insurance or securities sales, which is a potential conflict of interest. Despite this, the firm abides by fiduciary duty.

Landmark Capital Background

Landmark Capital was established in Oak Brook in 2017 by Thomas C. Reynolds, who continues to serve as the firm’s president. Kathleen A. Gfrorer is the firm’s vice president, and Sherlyn E. Brubeck is the only other advisor on staff. 

Asset management fees will depend on which of the firm’s programs you participate in. They go as follows:

• Landmark Asset Management Program: This fee will be a negotiable percentage of your AUM that won’t exceed 2%.
• Financial Advisor Program: This uses a wrap fee program made available through Securities America Advisors. There is a maximum fee percentage of 3%.
• Managed Opportunities Program: Again, this program comes with a wrap fee program made available through Securities America Advisors. The maximum fee percentage for this is 2.20%, though most fees are between 1% and 1.25%.

Financial planning fees will be charged at an hourly rate of up to $500. An estimated total will be presented to the client before any work is done. Then, the client will pay half of the total before and the remainder of the fee once the completed plan has been presented.

Landmark Capital Investment Philosophy

Landmark Capital uses a handful of investment strategies when constructing clients’ portfolios. Its primary choice is the “core and satellite” approach. This involves investing in a foundation of domestic stocks and fixed-income securities (or funds representing them). Then, your advisor will surround these core investments with securities from emerging markets, high-yield bonds or alternative investments, like real estate securities.

The firm seeks to personalize its services on a client-to-client basis, tailoring its investment strategy to each client's portfolio size, risk tolerance, investment objectives and time horizon. The firm takes these factors into account and uses them to formulate an asset allocation and investment strategy that’s best equipped to produce success over the long term.

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Watershed Private Wealth is a fee-only financial advisory firm that offers financial planning, portfolio management and pension consulting. The limited liability company, which offers services in both discretionary and non-discretionary arrangements, primarily works with individuals and high-net-worth individuals.

Watershed Private Wealth Background

Brendan Moody founded Watershed. He works at the firm alonside Joshi Koneru, who is a certified financial planner (CFP), one of the most popular certifications in the financial advisor industry.

Watershed Private Wealth Investment Strategy

Watershed will tailor a program for each individual client. This will include an interview session to get to know the client’s specific needs and requirements as well as a plan that will be executed by the firm on behalf of the client. It may use model allocations with a specific set of recommendations for each client based on his or her personal restrictions, needs, and targets. The firm engages in many types of analysis, including charting analysis, cyclical analysis, fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, quantitative analysis and technical analysis. 

The firm generally limits its investment advice to mutual funds, fixed-income securities, real estate funds (including REITs), insurance products including annuities, equities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), including ETFs in the gold and precious metal sectors, Treasury inflation-protected/inflation linked bonds, commodities and private placements. Watershed may use other securities as well to help diversify a portfolio when applicable.

Watershed's approach entails long-term trading, short-term trading, margin transactions and options trading, including covered options, uncovered options, or spreading strategies.