Top Financial Advisors in Wilmington, DE

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Affinity Wealth Management, LLC kicks off our list of the top financial advisory firms in Wilmington, Delaware. This fee-based firm is quite large and works with a wide range of clients, though the vast majority are non-high-net-worth individuals. It also works with a handful of high-net-worth individuals, pensions, profit-sharing plans, charities, government entities and corporations. This firm does not a have a set account minimum.

Advisors at Affinity are also registered broker-dealer representatives or insurance agents. They may receive commissions from the sale of insurance or securities to clients, making the firm fee-based and subjecting it to a potential conflict of interest. However, the firm is bound by fiduciary duty, making it obligated to act in the best interests of clients at all times.

Affinity Wealth Management Background

Affinity Wealth Management was founded in 2017, making it one of the youngest firms on our list. The firm is owned and operated by four employees. They are James Hall, CEO, Michael Sicuranza, president, Brendan McPoyle, member, and Victoria Alexitch, chief operating officer and chief compliance officer. Hall and Sicuranza are both also certified financial planners (CFP).

Affinity provides both investment management and financial planning services to its clients. It also provides retirement plan advisory services. It does provide a wrap fee program and it manages the vast majority of its assets on a discretionary basis.

Affinity Wealth Management Investing Strategy

Affinity Wealth Management, like many firms on our list, tailors its investment strategies to the needs of clients. This may involve creating an investment program from scratch or placing clients into a preformed model portfolio that is designed to best fit their needs. When creating an investment plan for clients, advisors at the firm take into account their investment goals, desired strategies, tolerance for risk and any other pertinent information.

Investment portfolios consist mainly of mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), bonds, stocks, options contracts, certificates of deposit (CDs), foreign securities, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and other alternative investments. When it comes to evaluating potential investments, advisors use fundamental, technical, cyclical and charting analysis methods. 

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Schiavi + Dattani (S+D) was founded in 1983. According to its website, that makes it the first fee-only fiduciary firm in the state. S+D has a team consisting of certified financial planners (CFPs) and certified public accountants (CPAs) (Advisors may have multiple professional accreditations.)

The firm's client base consists mostly of high-net-worth individuals. There is no minimum investment requirement, though most accounts hold at least $1,000,000. Accounts can be on a discretionary or non-discretionary basis.

Schiavi + Dattani Background

The firm is owned by Vincent Schiavi and Ravi Dattani. It emphasizes quality (of service) over quantity (of clients). Financial planning is its core service, which includes investment management, cash management, debt planning, education expense funding, insurance and risk management,  employee benefit reviews, income tax planning, retirement or longevity planning, and estate planning. The practice also offers investment advisory services to qualified retirement plans (under ERISA), trusts and non-profits.

Schiavi + Dattani Investment Strategy

Once the firm has identified an asset allocation it deems appropriate to a client’s goals and circumstances, it will invest in a diversified basket of stocks, bonds, alternatives and real assets. S+D primarily uses mutual funds to do this, along with passive and active strategies. By active, it means an approach “that does not strictly adhere to a market benchmark.” As of its most recent SEC filings, the firm was invested 100% in securities issued by registered investment companies (such as mutual funds) or business development companies. 

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Daniels + Tansey (D+T) is a fee-based firm that includes certified public accountants (CPAs), chartered financial consultants (ChFCs), chartered financial analysts (CFAs), certified divorce financial analysts (CDFAs) and accredited estate planners (AEPs). (Advisors may have multiple professional certifications).

The firm primarily works with individuals, both high-net-worth and not, along with pension and profit-sharing plans, estates, trusts, businesses and charitable organizations. The vast majority of accounts are on a discretionary basis. D+T requires a minimum $500,000 investment for new accounts, though it may waive it.

As a fee-based firm, certain on-staff advisors may have the ability to earn commissions from insurance sales. Despite this, the firm is legally required to act in clients' best interests.

Daniels + Tansey Background

Founded in 2004, Daniels + Tansey is a family shop. In addition to owners Christopher and Devon Daniels, two more Danielses work in the office. Susan Benson and Adele McIntosh have minority stakes in the firm. 

D+T offers five main services: wealth management, investment advisory, multi-family office, financial planning and matrimonial financial planning.

Daniels + Tansey Investing Strategy

D+T looks to avoid risk and volatility when selecting investments for client portfolios. This is done mostly through diversification that’s specifically chosen based on your inherent risk tolerance, need for liquidity, time horizon and other factors.

This firm invests in many different styles of securities in order to achieve optimal diversification. For example, this might include exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, equity and index options, fixed income securities, CDs, commercial paper, warrants and foreign/domestic equities. According to its most recent SEC filings, the assets under its management were invested as follows:

• 65% in exchange-traded equity securities (such as common stocks)
• 1% in U.S. government/agency bonds
• 9% in state and local bonds
• 16% in investment-grade corporate bonds
• 9% in cash and cash equivalents

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Crowley Wealth Management, Inc. is the next firm on our list. This fee-only is run by brother duo Frederick and Robert Crowley, both of whom are certified financial planners (CFPs), run the firm.

Crowley Wealth only serves clients that are not high-net-worth individuals. That said, it can also advise high-net-worth individuals, estates, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, businesses and charities. All accounts are on a discretionary basis. There are no investment minimums.

Crowley Wealth Management Background

The Crowley brothers formed Crowley Wealth Management in 1987. They are the sole owners to this day.

The firm works in a multitude of different financial areas, such as retirement planning, wealth management, estate planning, tax management, insurance planning and cash flow management.

Crowley Wealth Management Investment Strategy

The practice does not subscribe to short-term investing ideologies because of the inherent associated risks. Instead, it centers its investment choices around the long term and very rarely makes inter-portfolio trades once it has put its original plan into place.

When it comes to actual investment types, Crowley Wealth mostly works within individual equities, bonds and mutual funds. However, its choices are not limited to these, as exchange-traded funds (ETFs), options, government securities, warrants, certificates of deposit (CDs) and commercial paper may make it into your portfolio. As of its last SEC filings, assets under its management were allocated as:

• 58% in investment-grade corporate bonds
• 26% in exchange-traded equity securities (such as common stocks)
• 12% in securities issued by registered investment companies (such as mutual funds) or business development companies
• 4% in cash and cash equivalents

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Westover Capital Advisors, LLC is a family shop, with Harold Murray Sawyer and his son “Chip” Sawyer working together at the firm. The senior Murray founded the fee-only practice in 1999.

Westover serves roughly the same number of high-net-worth individual clients as non-high-net-worth ones. It also advises estates, trusts, charitable organizations, foundations and pension and profit-sharing plans. There is no minimum investment requirement, though $1,000,000 is the recommended amount. All accounts are on a discretionary basis.

Westover Capital Advisors Background

The Sawyers own Westover Capital Advisors. The firm employs one chartered financial analyst (CFA) and one certified financial planner (CFP).

In addition to investment management, the firm offers wealth advisory and consulting services, including investment strategy and research; investment implementation; life planning; tax planning; charity and charitable trust planning; retirement planning; Social Security planning and estate, wealth transfer and legacy planning.

Westover Capital Advisors Investment Strategy

The firm says that it does not “subscribe to any single style, size or philosophy when it comes to building and protecting” client assets. “This gives us the freedom to construct, then modify portfolios as market cycles and conditions dictate.” 

Westover uses what it calls a “diversified all-cap portfolio approach,” with an emphasis on large-cap US companies. It should be noted that the firm does not favor mutual funds, particularly passive ones, because they just add an extra layer of fees.

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The letters in BCM Wealth Management come from Biddle Capital Management, which is its legal name. It is a fee-only firm.

The majority of the firm's assets belong to pensions and profit-sharing plans. (The firm has a division called BCM Retirement Solutions). BCM Wealth Management also serves high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth individuals. Generally it requires a minimum $500,000 investment but may waive the requirement under certain circumstances. All accounts are discretionary.

BCM Wealth Management Background

President George Biddle established the practice in 1996. He is an accredited investment fiduciary (AIF) and remains the sole owner.

The firm offers financial planning, investment management, asset allocation services and pension consulting.

BCM Wealth Management Investment Strategy

BCM Wealth Management primarily uses Modern Portfolio Theory, which is the basis for diversification. It also utilizes fundamental analysis and generally makes long-term purchases with the expectation that the security will rise in value over time.

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Blue Rock Avenue One's team includes accredited investment fiduciaries (AIFs) and certified financial planners (CFPs). Other certifications at the firm include chartered financial consultant (ChFC) and registered financial (RFC). (Advisors may have multiple professional accreditations.)

Blue Rock’s individual clients are almost all non high net worth. Investment accounts are on a discretionary or non-discretionary basis. There is no minimum investment requirement, though certain investments may require a minimum in order to be effective.

This is a fee-based firm that may receive commissions from the sale of financial products to clients. Even still, the firm is legally bound by fiduciary duty to act in clients' best interests.

Blue Rock Avenue One Background

As mentioned earlier, Blue Rock was established in 2018. It’s owned by co-managing partners D. Christopher Benfer and Matthew MacNeal. 

The firm offers investment management, financial planning and retirement plan advisory services. It offers a wrap fee program for certain clients, which means that it includes securities transaction fees together with its investment advisory fees as a single asset-based fee. 

Blue Rock Avenue One Investment Strategy

Blue Rock generally uses a long-term investment strategy, depending on clients’ financial goals. This usually involves holding securities for more than a year, but may hold for shorter periods to rebalance or meet a client’s cash needs. The firm may also take short-term positions. The majority of its assets are held in mutual funds.

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Blue Rock Riversedge is affiliated with Blue Rock Avenue One (another firm on this list), as the two are located in the same building and have their websites linked. Its team of advisors have multiple professional accreditations, including certified financial planner (CFP), accredited investment fiduciarie (AIF) and chartered financial consultant (ChFC).

Clients of Blue Rock Riversedge are mostly non-high-net-worth. The firm also serves trusts, estates, retirement plans and insurance companies. It doesn’t have a minimum investment size, but certain investments and strategies may require a minimum to be effective. Accounts are serviced on a discretionary or non-discretionary basis.

Some of the advisors who work at this fee-based firm can receive commissions from the sale of certain insurance products or securities. This creates a potential conflict of interest, which is mitigated by the fact that the firm is legally bound to act in clients' best interests due to its fiduciary duty.

Blue Rock Riversedge Background

This boutique firm was founded in 2018 by Brian Carney and Jarrett Morris. Together, they are co-managing partners and owners.

Blue Rock Riversedge offers investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting and other consulting services.

Blue Rock Riversedge Investment Strategy

When designing clients’ portfolios, the firm takes into account specifics such as risk planning, accumulation/distribution planning, cash flow, tax planning, and more. It primarily uses fundamental analysis methods and employs a long-term investment strategy that involves holding all or a portion of a security for more than a year. It primarily invests in exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

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Donald W. Nicholson & Associates, LTD is a family firm, with two Nicholsons, Sr. and Jr., serving as advisors. The younger Nicholson is a certified financial planner (CFP) and an accredited asset management specialist (AAMS), while Nicholson, Sr. has been working in the financial services industry for more than 40 years.

The fee-only practice serves both non-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individuals. That said, the latter's assets outnumber the former’s three to one. The Nicholsons also serve non-profits, foundations and small businesses. All accounts are on a non-discretionary basis, which means the firm will not buy or sell any assets without the client’s verbal consent. The firm does not specify a required investment minimum, though specific accounts may carry minimums or even maximums.

Donald W. Nicholson & Associates Background

The elder Nicholson founded Donald W. Nicholson & Associates in 1987. He remains the majority owner and president of the firm. The practice offers asset management, financial planning and retirement plan consulting.

Donald W. Nicholson & Associates Investment Strategy

Donald W. Nicholson & Associates typically takes a long-term approach to investments, holding them for a year or longer. The firm notes that this strategy may come with the risk of missing out on short-term gains. Generally, the practice employs no-load mutual funds to implement asset allocation strategies. It may also recommend individual stocks, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Additionally, it can provide recommendations on individual bond positions, bond mutual funds, certificates of deposit (CDs), variable and fixed insurance products, limited partnership investments and options contracts.

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Pillar Wealth Advisors, LLC has a team that includes certified financial planners (CFPs), chartered financial consultants (ChFCs) and certified public accountants (CPAs). (Advisors may have multiple professional accreditations.)

The fee-based firm’s individual clients are both high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth. The vast majority of accounts are managed on a discretionary basis. There is no minimum investment requirement.

Certain advisors who work at this firm can receive commissions when they sell specific insurance products or securities to clients. Despite this, the firm is legally required to act in clients' best interests.

Pillar Wealth Advisors Background

President Michael Bree and Senior Vice President Richard Clark co-founded the firm in 2011. They are the only owners.

Pillar offers an array of wealth management services, including financial planning, retirement plan consulting and portfolio management. It participates in a wrap fee program, which means that the firm’s advisory fee and transaction fees charged by the account custodian are bundled into one fee.

Pillar Wealth Advisors Investment Strategy

The firm primarily uses a fundamental analytical approach toward investments. It generally employs exchange-traded funds (ETFs), stocks, unit investment trusts (UITs), closed-end funds, mutual funds, bonds and structured products which are designed to achieve clients’ stated goal.