Top Financial Advisors in Reston, VA

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The Burney Company is an equity research and investment management firm. The firm aims for long-term returns by utilizing proprietary fundamental and quantitative techniques. 

The Burney Company’s team features a handful of certified financial planners (CFPs) and chartered financial analysts (CFAs). The firm is a fee-only operation, which means all of its compensation comes from client-paid fees and not third-party commissions.

The Burney Company Background 

The Burney Company was founded in 1974 by Brig. General J.C. Burney. He along with his wife Mary Burney, Lowell Pratt, Bill Stewart, Martin Walsh, Alex Shen, Richard Bauchspies, Gil Green, and Tom Hunt own the majority of the firm. J.C. Burney still serves on the firm’s leadership team. 

The fee-based firm primarily offers financial planning and portfolio management services to individuals. But it also extends its services to small businesses, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates and charitable organizations. You generally need a minimum account size of $750,000 for investment advisory services. 

The Burney Company Investment Strategies

According to records filed with the SEC, “domestic equities, by far, constitute the primary type of investment, though, at the client’s direction, non-equity investments are used to create income, provide stability, and enhance portfolio diversity.”

Overall, the firm aims to construct portfolios that aim for long-term maximum returns based on a client’s risk appetite and financial situation.

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Acorn Financial Advisory Services (AFAS) provides holistic and customizable financial planning and investment advisory services to its clients. You generally need a minimum investment of $1 million for portfolio management services, though some programs may have different minimums.

The firm's advisory staff holds several financial certifications. It offers access to multiple certified financial planners (CFPs), with other certifications including chartered financial analyst (CFA) and chartered financial consultant (ChFC).

As a fee-based firm, AFAS employs advisors who can receive commissions for certain insurance products and securities sales to clients. Although this creates a potential conflict of interest, the firm is required to act in its best interest no matter what.

Acorn Financial Advisory Services Background

Acorn Financial Advisory Services was founded in 1996. The firm works with individuals, retirement plans, trusts, estates, charities and other entities. 

It focuses on estate planning, insurance, retirement planning and education funding. Its specialized services include the following: 

• Lifestyle asset acquisition
• Expense management and reporting
• Philanthropic planning
• Advising on financing for family assets

However, the firm can tailor services to your individual or family needs. 

Acorn Financial Advisory Services Investment Strategies

Unless directed otherwise by the client, Acorn Financial Advisory Services will construct a globally diversified portfolio to hedge against market risks and volatility. The firm deploys various investment strategies based on the client’s risk profile, goals and other considerations. These include long-term purchases, short-term purchases, trading, short sales, margin transactions and covered-call option writing.

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Hopwood Financial Services is a fee-only financial services firm. Compared to most firms on this list, it requires a smaller minimum investment for portfolio management services. That minimum is $750,000. But the advisory practice, as others on this list, may negotiate other minimums based on certain circumstances.

The firm’s team fosters a total of more than 100 years of experience in the financial services industry. The firm features both certified financial planners (CFPs) and chartered financial analysts (CFAs).

Hopwood Financial Services Background 

Hopwood splits its services into two categories: financial planning and investment management. In both roles, the firm serves as a fiduciary. This means it’s legally obligated to always work in your best interest. As a fee-only advisor, it doesn’t collect compensation for recommending or selling specific investment products.

Hopwood Financial Services Investment Strategies 

Hopwood Financial’s investment committee screens mutual funds, ETFs and stocks before placing it on its approved list. The scope of the analysis varies depending on the security in question. Like most advisories, the firm seeks to build portfolios that reflect the client’s goals and risk capacity.

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Reston Wealth Management mainly caters to individuals but also works with corporate retirement plans and charities. On the retirement plan side of the business, the firm has worked with notable companies such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

The firm houses a handful of certified financial planners (CFPs). Other advisory certifications include chartered financial consultant (ChFC), chartered life underwriter (CLU) and chartered retirement specialist (CRPS).

Some members of the financial advisor team at Reston can earn commissions from the sale of insurance products to clients. While this lends itself to a potential conflict of interest, the firm is legally bound to act in clients' best interests due to its fiduciary duty.

Reston Wealth Management Background

Reston Wealth Management was founded in 2003 by Bob Tucker, who currently serves as president. He owns the company today. The firm aims to make financial planning as personal as possible. According to its website, “Our mission is to foster a lasting relationship with you founded on mutual trust, concern, respect, and to honor God in all we do.”

Its services revolve around business planning, philanthropic giving, tax planning, education funding, estate planning and more. To receive portfolio management services from Reston, you generally need a minimum investment of $750,000.

Reston Wealth Management Investment Strategies

Reston conducts its own market research to create globally diversified portfolios for its clients. It also extends complimentary access to an online advisor. This online portal allows you to link all your financial accounts from checking to mortgages to give you the full picture of your net worth. You can use it to build a budget, monitor cash flow and save important financial documents.

From an investment philosophy standpoint, Reston steers away from market timing, stock picking and similar strategies. Instead, it focuses on building the right asset allocation that reflects a client’s risk tolerance and financial situation in order to capture long-term returns.

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ClearLogic Financial is a fee-only financial services firm. It mainly serves federal professionals, military personnel, recent retirees and business owners. As a fiduciary advisor, it provides an array of financial planning and investment management services. 

The ClearLogic team houses advisors with certifications such as certified financial planners (CFP) and certified public accountants (CPA).  

The firm requires no minimum investment for its services. However, it imposes a minimum fee of $7,500 per year for portfolio management services. 

ClearLogic Background 

ClearLogic registered with the SEC in 2004 under the name Ticknor Atherton & Associates. It adopted its current name in 2015. Chief Compliance Officer Samuel Mark Atherton owns 100% of the equity in the firm. It provides a range of financial planning and investment management services including the following: 

• Asset consolidation
• Retirement advice
• Insurance analysis
• Tax and estate planning

ClearLogic Financial Investment Strategies 

ClearLogic makes investment decisions driven by strategic asset allocation based on modern portfolio theory. Records the firm filed with the SEC state, “We believe markets are relatively ‘efficient,’ and that investors' returns are determined principally by asset allocation decisions, not market timing or stock picking. Hence, Adviser does not forecast business cycles or interest rates, or shift allocations between stocks and bonds in response to market timing decisions.”

The firm adds that it only infrequently revises a target allocation when it deems it appropriate based on the client’s individual circumstances. It also periodically rebalances that target allocation while taking tax impact and transaction costs into consideration.

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AOG Wealth Management, a fee-based firm, works mainly with individuals, less than one-third of whom qualify as high net worth. Institutional clients include pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations and corporations.

Some advisors at the firm can earn commissions selling insurance products, a potential conflict of interest. Still, when serving as an advisor they must act in the best interest of the client. Fees for asset management are based on a percentage of assets under management, while financial planning fees are charged either hourly or on a fixed basis. The firm does not have a set account minimum.

The team includes three certified financial planners (CFPs), one accredited investment fiduciary (AIF) and one financial paraplanner-qualified professional (FPQP).

AOG Wealth Management Background

AOG was founded in 2000. The majority owner is Frederick P. Baerenz, though a revocable trust. Baerenz is also the president of the firm.

Services include wealth management and financial planning.

AOG Wealth Management Investment Strategy

There is a healthy mix of assets used at AOG. Around a third of all the money they invest is in individual stocks, and approximately another third is invested in mutual funds, Some bonds are used, as are pooled investment vehicles and cash holdings.

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Fiduciary Wealth Management does not have any minimum account size requirements. The fee-based firm works primarily with individuals, most of whom do not qualify as high-net-worth. There are a good number of institutional clients at the firm though, primarily pension and profit-sharing plans, plus a few charitable organizations.

Fees for asset management are charged based on a percentage of assets under management, with hourly fees charged for financial planning. Some advisors earn commissions for selling insurance. This is a conflict of interest, but when acting as an advisor, it is required to act in the client's best interest.

According to the firm’s website, no members of the team have any advisor certifications.

Fiduciary Wealth Management Background

FWM was founded in 2011 and is principally owned by Christopher John Broderick and Patrick Daniel Roth, both of whom work at the firm as advisors.

Services include investment management, financial planning, investment planning, life insurance, tax concerns, retirement planning, college planning, debt/credit planning and pension consulting.

Fiduciary Wealth Management Investment Strategy

Three-quarters of the money managed by FWM is invested in mutual funds or ETFs. Most of the rest is put into individual stocks, with a small amount held as cash. No individual bonds are used.

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Sentinel Wealth Management rounds out our list. Sentinel is the smallest firm on our list, serving almost entirely individuals both with and without a high net worth. It also works with a single employer-sponsored retirement plan. Normally, you'll need at least $1 million in assets to work with Sentinel. However, the firm may waive this requirement at its discretion.

Sentinel is a fee-only firm, meaning that it does not receive any third-party commissions. A fee-based firm operates differently, accepting third-party commissions and therefore being subject to a potential conflict of interest.

Sentinel Wealth Management Background

Sentinel has been around since 2002, when it first registered as an investment advisor with the SEC. J. Mark Joseph owns the firm and boasts over 25 years of investment experience. He is also heavily certified. His certifications include certified financial planner (CFP), certified public accountant (CPA), personal financial specialist (PFS), chartered financial consultant (ChFC) and chartered life underwriter (CLU).

Sentinel provides clients with investment management and financial planning. All of the firm's assets are managed on a discretionary basis.

Sentinel Wealth Management Investment Strategy

Sentinel's investment strategies are crafted based on each client's individual investment profile. Advisors select an asset allocation strategy based on a client's risk tolerance, liquidity needs, investment objectives and overall financial situation. Advisors generally use no-load mutual funds to craft a portfolio for clients then.

Advisors at Sentinel use modern portfolio theory as the basis for their investment strategies. Instead of looking at each individual investment and evaluating risk on a granular level, they evaluate the risk of an entire portfolio. The firm typically takes a long-term approach to investing.

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Integrated Financial Solutions is a small, one-man advisory firm that works primarily with individual clients. In fact, most of its client base is comprised of non-high-net-worth individuals, with smaller percentages being occupied by high-net-worth individuals and retirement plans. The firm technically doesn't have a minimum investment requirement, though clients who engage in the Vision2020 Wealth Management Program must have $50,000 in investable assets.

As a fee-based firm, certain advisors here can sell insurance products and securities on a commission basis. While this presents a potential conflict of interest, the firm's fiduciary duty requires it to act in clients' best interests at all times.

Integrated Financial Solutions Background

Integrated Financial Solutions has been in business since 2001. The firm is under the ownership of M. Michael Tafazoli, who holds a chartered financial consultant (ChFC) designation.

The advisory services available through Integrated span everything from retirement planning to investing to all types of financial planning. Some specific topics it focuses on include estate planning, tax planning, college fund planning and insurance planning.

Integrated Financial Solutions Investing Strategy

Integrated Financial Solutions works with clients on an individual basis when building out their investment portfolios. For instance, you and your advisor would meet to discuss exactly what your goals for the future are. This will help your advisor determine what important factors like your risk tolerance, time horizon and liquidity/income needs are. The firm may also take into account information like your prior investments and family background. Advisors also review client portfolios on a daily basis, making judgments as to rebalances during these times.

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Buchanan Wealth Management is a fee-based advisory firm offering financial planning and wealth management services to individuals and high-net-worth individual clients focused heavily on retirement. The firm typically requires a minimum investment size of $500,000 per account/client in order to obtain the firm's services. 

As a fee-based firm, there is the potential for a conflict of interest as the firm's advisors may earn a commission for the sale of certain securities. However, the firm and its advisors are required to live by a fiduciary duty, which means they must put the needs of each individual client first. 

Buchanan Wealth Management Background 

Buchanan Wealth Management was founded by Matthew S. Buchanan, CFP, who serves as the CEO and Chief Compliance Officer today. The firm manages more than $100 million in assets under management (AUM) with its two advisors. Both advisors have obtained the sought-after Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation. 

Buchanan Wealth Management Investment Strategies 

The firm emphasizes continuous and regular account supervision. As part of our asset management service, Buchanan Wealth Management generally creates a portfolio comprising mutual funds and equities. The Client’s individual investment strategy is tailored to their specific needs and may include some or all of the previously mentioned securities. Each portfolio will be initially designed to meet a particular investment goal, which we determine to be suitable to the Client’s circumstances. Once the appropriate portfolio has been selected, it is subject to review and if necessary, rebalanced based on the Client’s individual needs, stated goals, and objectives. Each Client can place reasonable restrictions on the types of investments to be held in the portfolio.