Facet Wealth

The best financial advisors depend on what you mean by “best,” but the names that show up most often across 2026 rankings and reviews are Vanguard Personal Advisor, Fidelity, Charles Schwab, Edward Jones, Ameriprise, Facet Wealth, Fisher Investments, Mercer Advisors, and SmartAsset.

If you want the most commonly recommended options that real people actually use, these are the strongest picks by use case:

If you want the brands people actually recognize and use most, the most visible mass-market names in the rankings are Fidelity, Charles Schwab, Edward Jones, Vanguard, Betterment, J.P. Morgan, and Ameriprise.

A practical way to choose:

• Pick Vanguard Personal Advisor if you want low-cost, long-term portfolio help.
• Pick Fidelity if you want a large, established firm with more robust planning support.
• Pick Charles Schwab if retirement planning is your main goal.
• Pick Edward Jones if you want a traditional advisor relationship and local office support.
• Pick Facet Wealth if you want a modern, mostly online financial planning service.

Before hiring anyone, it’s worth checking whether the advisor is registered, how they’re paid, whether they act as a fiduciary, and what minimum account size they require.

If you want, I can also give you a short ranked list by budget:

• under $10k
• $10k–$100k
• $100k+
• retirement
• high-net-worth

There’s no single “best” financial advisor—the right one depends on your net worth, how much hands-on help you want, and whether you prefer human guidance, automated investing, or a mix. Here are the top options people actually use, broken down by category.

🏆 Best Overall (Hybrid: Human + Automated)

Vanguard Personal Advisor Services

• Who it’s for: People with at least $50,000 to invest who want a human advisor plus low-cost index investing.
• Why it’s popular: Vanguard is the low-cost giant. You get a dedicated fiduciary advisor, a financial plan, and portfolio management.
• Fee: 0.30% annual fee (plus low fund expense ratios).
• Best for: Long-term investors who plan to keep it simple.

🤖 Best Robo-Advisors (Automated, Low-Touch)

Betterment

• Who it’s for: Hands-off investors who want automated investing, tax-loss harvesting, and goal planning.
• Why it’s popular: Clean app, no minimum, and goal-based tools.
• Fee: 0.25% (or 0.40% for Premium with human advisors).
• Best for: Millennials and beginners starting with a small amount.

Wealthfront

• Who it’s for: Tech-savvy investors who want highly automated, tax-efficient investing.
• Why it’s popular: Great tax-loss harvesting, direct indexing (for some accounts), and a solid financial planning tool.
• Fee: 0.25% (no advisory fee for direct indexing under first $X, check current terms).
• Best for: High-income earners looking to maximize after-tax returns.

🏦 Best Full-Service Brokers with Advisory

Schwab Intelligent Portfolios

• Who it’s for: Existing Schwab customers or anyone who wants no-fee robo advice.
• Why it’s popular: No advisory fee—you just pay for the underlying ETFs. It also offers a premium version with human advisors.
• Fee: 0% for the robo version; 0.30% for Intelligent Portfolios Premium (includes human planning).
• Best for: People who already use Schwab.

Fidelity Personalized Planning & Advice

• Who it’s for: Investors who want a fiduciary advisor but don’t need a full wealth manager.
• Why it’s popular: Fidelity combines automated investing with access to real CFPs (certified financial planners).
• Fee: 0.50% annually (0.35% for the robo-only option).
• Best for: Fidelity clients who want a human check-in.

👤 Best for Direct Human Advice (Fee-Only)

Facet Wealth

• Who it’s for: People who want a dedicated CFP but don't have enough assets for a traditional wealth manager.
• Why it’s popular: Flat annual fee (no AUM percentage), unlimited access to your planner, and a full financial plan.
• Fee: Around $2,000–$5,000/year depending on complexity.
• Best for: Mid-to-high earners who need real planning, not just investing.

Edelman Financial Engines

• Who it’s for: Retirees and pre-retirees who want a well-known, nationwide advisory firm.
• Why it’s popular: Tons of client support, comprehensive retirement planning, and a strong marketing presence.
• Fee: ~1% AUM (can be lower for larger accounts).
• Best for: People nearing retirement who value brand trust and ongoing advice.

💰 Best for High Net Worth

Fisher Investments

• Who it’s for: Investors with $500,000+ in liquid assets.
• Why it’s popular: They market heavily, offer personalized portfolio management, and have a large research team.
• Fee: Around 1% AUM (sliding scale).
• Best for: Wealthy investors who want a firm to handle everything, but note: they are not fiduciary in the traditional sense (they’re registered as investment advisers but have different fee structures).
• Watch out: They use a lot of outbound sales calls—do your diligence.

⚖️ The #1 Thing to Check: Are they a fiduciary?

No matter the brand, choose an advisor who is:

• A fiduciary (legally required to act in your best interest)
• Fee-only (not earning commissions from products)
• Transparent about all fees

You can also find vetted local planners at:

• NAPFA.org (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors)
• CFP Board (Let’s Make a Plan) — to find certified planners
• XY Planning Network — for Gen X/Y planners, many fee-only

Bottom line:

If you’re just starting, a robo-advisor like Betterment or Wealthfront is easy. If you have $100k+ and want real planning, Vanguard Personal Advisor or Facet Wealth are strong, low-cost picks. And always verify the advisor is a fiduciary before handing over your money.