Top Financial Advisors in Oak Brook, IL

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Sentinus, LLC manages assets for a mixed client base of non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals, with some pension plans as well. This firm has an account minimum of $100,000.

The firm offers asset management services, financial planning services, 401(k) portfolio management services, institutional investment consulting and advisory services for retirement plans.

As a fee-based firm, Sentinus employs advisors who may receive commissions when they sell insurance or trade securities. Although this is a potential conflict of interest, the firm is legally bound to act in clients' best interests at all times.

Sentinus Background

Sentinus first opened its doors in 2012. The firm is owned by Reynolds Financial Group and Sentinus Holdings. These holding companies are in turn owned by Scott Reynolds, the firm’s executive chairman, and Tyler Qualio, its president. The firm’s leadership team also includes CEO Phil Johnson and chief operating officer (COO) Curtis Ellergodt.

For investment management services, the firm charges a negotiable percentage of your assets that can range from 0.85% to 1.25%. For financial planning or consulting clients, fees can be either a fixed, negotiable fee or an hourly fee of $400. More complex services will likely be charged a fixed fee, as it will be more difficult to determine ahead of time how many hours of work will be necessary.

Sentinus Investment Philosophy

Sentinus applies several quantitative methods of analysis when coming up with investment recommendations. The firm utilizes algorithms to discover the asset allocation that maximizes the expected return for each client’s risk tolerance. The firm will also analyze historical price and volume data, various statistics about companies and funds and statistical models to better understand how valuable these options are.

The firm uses a wide range of investments, including equity securities, warrants, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), corporate debt securities, certificates of deposit (CDs), municipal securities, government securities, options contracts and mortgage-backed securities.

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Landmark Capital, Inc. is one of the youngest firms on our list, having been founded in just 2017. The firm works with a mix of non-high-net-worth individuals, high-net-worth individuals and business development companies.

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. Each of these advisors is a certified financial planner (CFP).

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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Stonebridge Wealth Management, LLC 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. The firm has two principal owners: William Laipple and Christopher Plahm. These owners also serve as two of the firm’s advisors, with Bryan M. Petry rounding out the team. Laipple and Plahm are certified financial planners (CFPs).

Stonebridge Wealth Management calculates investment management fees as a percentage of each client's AUM. The exact percentage is negotiable, but won’t exceed 1.5%. Financial planning fees may be fixed rates between $1,500 and $10,000, or an hourly fee of $500.

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.