Top Financial Advisors in Rancho Santa Fe, CA

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At the top of our list, American Money Management generally requires a minimum account size of $100,000 for investment management services. But the firm may waive this requirement at its discretion. Clients of the firm include individuals, high-net-worth individuals, investment companies, corporate pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates or charitable organizations, as well as corporations and other businesses. 

The fee-only firm's team includes professional designations such as certified public accountant (CPA), chartered financial analyst (CFA) and an MBA. 

American Money Management Background 

American Money Management launched in 1999. It’s owned by founder Gabriel B. Wisdom and Chief Investment Officer Michael J. Moore (also a CFA). Wisdom (fortuitously named for an advisor) has more than 25 years of experience in the securities industry. He previously served as senior vice president at two NYSE member firms. 

They lead an advisory team that provides investment management services and limited financial planning services. According to its website, the firm offers access to the following investment strategies:

AMM Dividend Growth Strategy - aims for income growth and tax efficiency by investing in businesses with strong competitive positions and a history of high returns on employed capita

AMM Managed Tax-free Portfolios - may be tailored to specific client preferences such as state specific bonds or Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) -related securities 

AMM Asset Allocation Strategies - may invest across asset classes, using diversified portfolios AAM Growth Strategies, AAM Balanced Strategies and AMM Income Strategies-Tax-Free or Taxable. 

Clients also may include or exclude securities based on their preferences. 

American Money Management Investing Philosophy

The firm doesn’t attempt to beat the market. It relies more on sound, low-cost and diversified investments to capture returns and mitigate risk. It says that it is driven by these principles:

• Asset allocation is the most important decision.
• The price you pay determines your return.
• Volatility is not risk.
• Time is your ally, but returns are not linear.
• No one can predict the future.

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Fairbanks Capital Management emphasizes long-term investing in what it believes are high-quality equity and fixed-income securities. Though it doesn’t publish a minimum account size requirement, its client base include individuals, corporations, foundations, trusts, charities, retirement funds, IRAs and pooled investment vehicles. Individual clients include high-net-worth individuals, which generally means that this type of Fairbanks Capital Management client has a net worth of at least $1 million. However, the fee-only firm does not have a set account minimum.

The relatively small investment advisory team represents professional designations and degrees such as chartered financial analyst (CFA) and MBA. Some members of Fairbanks Capital Management are also managers at Kingsbury Financial L.P., and at times, principals of Fairbanks Capital Management hold interests in privately held companies. These extra roles can present potential conflicts of interest, which the firm seeks to address with its code of ethics. 

Fairbanks Capital Management Background

After working in financial services for nearly two decades, Steven L. Ré founded Fairbanks Capital Management in 1995. Previously, he held roles at Bateman Eichler, Hill Richards and Drexel Burnham Lambert. Ré currently leads an investment advisory team with more than 80 combined years of experience. 

Primarily, the firm provides discretionary investment management services. This means the advisors decide which securities to invest in and when to sell them. Fairbanks Capital Management may also provide limited financial planning services as part of its overall advisory package. But stand-alone financial planning advice is not the firm’s focus. 

Fairbanks Capital Management Investing Strategy

Unlike many other investment advisors, Fairbanks Capital Management does not take a diversified approach to investing. Instead, it describes itself as a “concentrated investor.” Clients should be in it for the long term. Generally, portfolios may contain: 

• Stocks
• Municipal securities
• Money market funds and cash
• Master limited partnerships (MLPs)
• Fixed income securities (e.g., corporate bonds, commercial paper and certificates of deposit)

The firm’s team conducts bottom-up analysis to identify what it deems to be high-quality securities sold at discounts to valuation. The weightings of equity and fixed-income asset classes would depend on factors like the client’s risk tolerance and investment objectives. In some cases, the firm may consider other types of securities if it believes they would help meet client objectives.

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Tate Asset Management delivers investment management and financial planning services through employees and through a network of independent investment advisors (IARs). These external individuals may work for different firms and will set their own strategies. Tate Asset Management is a part of ACAS, LLC. The firm doesn’t impose a minimum account size requirement, though a number of its clients are high-net-worth individuals. 

The firm may recommend third-party investment advisors. In these cases, Tate Asset Management would earn a portion of the advisory fee paid to the external money manager. This may incentivize Tate Asset Management to recommend some external advisors over others, but as a fiduciary, the fee-based firm must provide advice in the best interests of its clients. 

Tate Asset Management Background 

Tate Asset Management formed in 2012. Founder and owner Christopher A. Tate, a CFP, provides most investment advisory services offered directly through the firm. He previously served as a vice president at Merrill Lynch. When it was acquired by Bank of America in 2009, he invited his top clients to follow him to his eponymous firm. 

Today, Tate Asset Management offers portfolio management and financial planning services. The firm also can provide advice on managing existing investments such as 401(k) plans, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and 529 college savings plans. 

Additionally, Tate Asset Management offers guidance on the following topics - including but not limited to: 

• Estate planning
• Retirement savings
• Education funding
• Risk management
• Cash management

Tate Asset Management Investing Strategy 

With each client, Tate Asset Management or an IAR gathers details about investment goals, financial condition, risk tolerance and more. Advisors then use this information to create diversified portfolios. Generally, the firm invests client assets in securities such as: 

• Stocks
• Bonds
• Mutual funds
• Options
• Warrants
• Real estate investment trusts
• Exchange-traded funds
• Alternative investments