Finding a Top Financial Advisor Firm in San Luis Obispo, California
Consider your search for a financial advisor in San Luis Obispo, California, over. We conducted hours of in-depth research, looking at fee structures, services, account minimums and more. The result: this list of the top registered investment advisors (RIAs) in the city. If the firms on this list do not fit your needs, check out SmartAsset's free financial advisor matching tool. It can connect you with up to three fiduciary financial advisors who serve your area.
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| Rank | Financial Advisor | Assets Managed | Minimum Assets | Financial Services | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Wacker Wealth Partners, LLC
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$1,027,296,055 | No set account minimum |
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Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
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| 2 |
San Luis Wealth Advisors
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$495,028,123 | No set account minimum |
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Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
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| 3 |
Blakeslee & Blakeslee Financial Advisers, Inc.
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$214,206,344 | No set account minimum |
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Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
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| 4 |
Cerro Pacific Wealth Advisors, LLC
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$351,253,887 | No set account minimum |
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Minimum AssetsNo set account minimumFinancial Services
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| 5 | Phillip B. White Co., Inc. Find an Advisor | $217,466,000 | $500,000 |
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Minimum Assets$500,000Financial Services
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What We Use in Our Methodology
To find the top financial advisors in San Luis Obispo, we first identified all firms registered with the SEC in the city. Next, we filtered out firms that don't offer financial planning services, those that don't serve primarily individual clients and those that have disclosures on their record. The qualifying firms were then ranked according to the following criteria:
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AUMFirms with more total assets under management are ranked higher. -
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Individual Client CountFirms who serve more individual clients (as opposed to institutional clients) are ranked higher. -
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Clients Per AdvisorFirms with a lower ratio of clients per financial advisor are ranked higher. -
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Age of FirmFirms that have been in business longer are ranked higher.
All information is obtained through public records and is updated annually after the firms’ form ADV filing. This list may include firms that have a business relationship with SmartAsset, in which SmartAsset is compensated for lead referrals. Such relationships have no impact on our rankings, and firms are included and ranked based strictly on the above criteria. SmartAsset is not a client of the aforementioned firms, and did not receive compensation for including any of the firms on the aforementioned list.
Wacker Wealth Partners, LLC
Wacker Wealth Partners takes the No. 1 spot on our list of the top financial advisor firms in San Luis Obispo. Many of the firm's team of advisors have obtained the designation of a certified financial planner (CFP).
Wacker Wealth Partners generally doesn’t impose account minimums for its investment advisory services. For wealth management, however, the firm typically requires a minimum annual fee of $5,000. Most of its client base consists of high-net-worth individuals, though it works with a wide range of institutional clients, too.
Also, the affiliated funds Wacker Wealth Partners advises may have investment minimums. These affiliated funds are available only to accredited investors. While the firm may recommend these funds to certain clients, this can pose potential conflicts of interest, because Wacker Wealth Partners earns compensation from the funds. However, the firm and its representatives are required by law to provide advice solely in the best interests of clients. They also don't receive third-party commissions, making the firm fee-only.
Wacker Wealth Partners Background
Wacker Wealth Partners was founded in 1987. It’s owned by Robert Wacker, Bryan Krill, Matthew Wilson, Patrick O’Hara, Ryan Caldwell, Joan Wenglikowski, Alexander Pock and Mary Rose. Combined, the team has decades of experience in the financial services industry. They provide investment management and financial planning to the extent requested by the client. Financial plans may cover such topics as:
- Tax and estate concerns
- Retirement planning
- Insurance
- Cash flow and debt management
Additionally, the firm offers services to corporate retirement plans.
Wacker Wealth Partners Investment Strategy
Wacker Wealth Partners provides investment advice based on the objectives, risk tolerance and financial profile of the client. Advisors use this information to build diversified portfolios that may invest in various securities like mutual funds and individual stocks and bonds. When evaluating stocks, the firm engages in fundamental analysis.
San Luis Wealth Advisors
San Luis Wealth Advisors (SLWA) is second of our financial advisory firms in San Luis Obispo. SLWA primarily serves individuals and high-net-worth individuals, as well as corporations and businesses. The firm does not impose an account minimum or charge a minimum fee.
SLWA's small advisory team includes one certified financial planner (CFP). As a fee-based firm, some advisors can earn commissions for selling insurance policies to clients. While commission-based compensation can create a conflict of interest, the firm has a fiduciary duty to act in its clients' best interests.
San Luis Wealth Advisors Background
Like Cerro Pacific Wealth Advisors, SLWA was founded in 2020. Principals Bradley Goodwin and Luke Kittinger, who have a combined 32 years of experience in the financial services industry, own the business.
The firm offers investment management services, financial planning, and consulting on topics that include 401(k) accounts, annuities, real estate and other personal assets.
San Luis Wealth Advisors Investment Strategy
A client's financial situation, risk tolerance and investment objectives establish the framework that SLWA uses to create individual portfolios. SLWA relies on fundamental analysis to evaluate and select securities and takes a top-down approach to managing assets.
"Put simply, even a very good company will find increasing its share price difficult in challenging economic conditions. In addition, some sectors or individual securities may perform better or worse depending on where they are in a cycle that may be determined by time or outside economic conditions. It is with these concepts in mind that SLWA begins to construct client portfolios."
Blakeslee & Blakeslee Financial Advisers
Blakeslee & Blakeslee Financial Advisers (BBFA), next on our list, is a fee-based firm with an advisory team that includes multiple certified financial planners (CFPs).
Some BBFA representatives are members of third-party firms and can earn commissions when they sell securities or insurance products. These commissions would be on top of the fees they collect from clients. This arrangement may raise a conflict of interest. However, advisors with BBFA are required by law to uphold their fiduciary standard and work in the best interests of the client.
The firm doesn’t require a minimum account for investment advisory services.
Blakeslee & Blakeslee Financial Advisers Background
Owned by Dr. Sam Blakeslee, BBFA was founded in 2016. With more than 70 years of combined experience in the financial services industry, the team offers:
- Integrated portfolio management with financial planning
- Retirement plan consulting services
- Stand-alone financial planning services (on an hourly basis)
- Brokerage facilitation
Blakeslee & Blakeslee Financial Advisers Investment Strategy
BBFA continuously manages portfolios designed to help clients meet their long-term investment goals at a suitable risk exposure. The firm aims to accomplish this by diversifying portfolios with different asset classes. Weightings depend on the client's risk tolerance, time horizon and other factors. Generally, portfolios invest in mutual funds, ETFs, stocks and bonds.
The firm generally relies on a long-term "buy and hold" strategy, although it may take advantage of opportunities to engage in short-term buying and selling due to market trends.
Cerro Pacific Wealth Advisors, LLC
Cerro Pacific Wealth Advisors (CPWA) is a fee-based firm with more individual clients than any other firm on our list. CPWA primarily works with high-net-worth individuals but also advises individuals without a high net worth, charitable organizations, corporations and businesses.
The firm does not have a minimum account size requirement. However, clients who opt into the electronic delivery of statements or maintain at least $1 million in assets at Fidelity will not be charged transaction fees for U.S.-listed equities and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
The CPWA staff includes two certified financial planners (CFPs). However, because some advisors are also licensed insurance agents who earn commissions on certain transactions, CPWA is a fee-based firm. Despite the potential conflict of interest that commission-based compensation creates, CPWA has a fiduciary duty to act in its client's best interests.
Cerro Pacific Wealth Advisors Background
Founded in October 2020, CPWA is owned by founding partners Daniel Speirs, Lyle Meek and Jennifer Chesini. With more than 80 years of experience in the financial services industry, CPWA offers financial planning, investment management, estate planning, retirement planning/IRA management and multigenerational planning. The firm also provides reinsurance account management and investment advice to the automotive industry.
Cerro Pacific Wealth Advisors Investment Strategy
Like most other firms, CPWA meets with clients to hear about their financial situations, resources, financial goals and risk tolerance before designing portfolios. The firm creates an investment plan consisting of individual stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, options and other public or private securities.
CPWA's investment strategies include short- and long-term purchases, asset allocation, fixed-income investing, margin transactions, among others.
Phillip B. White Co.
Phillip B. White Co. is a fee-only advisor that requires a minimum account size of $500,000 in order to obtain its services. The firm offers the services of financial planning, portfolio management and the selection of other advisors. The firm will work with individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations and small businesses.
Phillip B. White Background
The Phillip B. White Co was founded in 2019 by Bruce White who serves as the principal of the firm today. The firm has multiple advisors who have earned the designation of certified financial planner (CFP).
Phillip B. White Investment Strategy
The firm utilizes a core and satellite investment strategy or approach to its client's asset allocation. This strategy utilizes both passively-managed index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The approach may also utilize more actively-managed funds. The firm tries to diversify the portfolios of its clients as much as possible to meet the needs of each individual client.
