Plante Moran Financial Advisors (PMFA) specializes in working with clients in the construction, real estate, manufacturing, private equity, not-for-profit, healthcare, life sciences, retail and other industries. The firm, which is fee based, also ranks on SmartAsset's top financial advisors lists for Southfield, Michigan and the state of Michigan.
PMFA currently serves a range of institutional and retail clients. As for PMFA’s staff, its advisors hold a wide collection of industry credentials, including the certified financial planner (CFP) and chartered financial analyst (CFA) designations.
Plante Moran Financial Advisors Background
PMFA has been in business since 1977, but the firm officially became a registered investment advisor (RIA) in 1993. PMFA is wholly owned by P&M Holding Group, LLP, which is a public accounting and management consulting firm. The leadership team at the firm is headed by managing partner Jim Proppe.
Plante Moran Financial Advisors Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes
PMFA serves high-net-worth individuals, non-high-net-worth individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, employer-sponsored retirement plans, charitable organizations, trusts, estates, corporations and other businesses.
The firm generally requires a minimum account size of $500,000.
Services Offered by Plante Moran Financial Advisors
PMFA offers the following advisory services:
- Portfolio management
- Portfolio customization
- Long-term wealth preservation
- Wealth growth
- Financial planning
- Estate planning
- Tax planning and minimization
- Trust planning
- Business succession planning
- Pension plan consulting for plan sponsors
Plante Moran Financial Advisors Investment Philosophy
PMFA analyzes securities using fundamental analysis, technical analysis and cyclical analysis. The firm says it has an investment research group that uses a proprietary equity market valuation model to study current market conditions and determine equity model allocations. When conducting investment research, PMFA uses a variety of sources. These include financial newspapers, annual reports, corporate rating services, prospectuses, research materials and more.
When it comes to investments, PMFA utilizes open-end mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), collective trusts, certificates of deposit (CDs), limited partnership interests, interests in limited liability companies, options contracts, hedge funds and other alternative investments.
Plante Moran Financial Advisors Fees
PMFA offers the following fee schedule for its advisory services:
| Plante Moran Advisory Fee Schedule | |
| Amount of Assets | Annual Fee Rate |
| First $2,000,000 | 0.90% |
| Next $3,000,000 | 0.70% |
| Next $5,000,000 | 0.50% |
| Next $15,000,000 | 0.30% |
| Above $25,000,000 | 0.25% |
Here's a breakdown of about what you might pay for services at Plante Moran:
| *Estimated investment management fees do not include brokerage, custodial, third-party manager or other fees, which can vary in amount. | |
| Estimated Investment Management Fees at Plante Moran Financial Advisors* | |
| Your Assets | Plante Moran Financial Advisors Fee Amount |
| $500K | $4,500 |
| $1MM | $9,000 |
| $5MM | $39,000 |
| $10MM | $64,000 |
Plante Moran Financial Advisors Awards and Recognition
PMFA has amassed much industry recognition over the years. Forbes listed the firm as one of its Top Wealth Managers for 2015. In 2017, the firm was named to Financial Advisor Magazine’s 2017 RIA ranking. More recently, Financial Advisor Magazine also named the firm to its 2019 RIA Survey and Ranking report. In June 2022, it was recognized by Accounting Today as the top firm by AUM.
What to Watch Out For
PMFA doesn’t have any disclosures listed on its Form ADV.
An important thing to note, however, is that the firm operates through a fee-based fee structure. This means that some advisors can earn commissions from the sale of investment or insurance products. This can create a potential conflict of interest, but PMFA abides by a fiduciary obligation to work in each client’s best interest.
Opening an Account with Plante Moran Financial Advisors
If you’re interested in setting up an account with PMFA, you can visit the firm’s office or you can contact a representative at (248) 352-2500. You can also see a full list of the firm’s locations at its website.
All information is accurate as of the writing of this article.
Retirement Planning Tips for Beginners
- Social Security will provide you with basic income in your golden years. If you aren’t sure how much you’ll earn in Social Security benefits, it makes it more difficult to plan for a successful retirement. Our Social Security calculator can help you determine what your benefits will be.
- Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
