Forbes | SHOOK Rankings

Best Financial Advisors & Platforms (2026)

There's no single "best" financial advisor for everyone—it depends on your net worth, whether you want a human advisor vs. automated investing, and how much guidance you need. Here's a breakdown of what's actually popular and well-reviewed right now:

Full-Service / Human Financial Advisors

The best financial advisors in 2026 include HB Wealth, Wealth Enhancement Group, Mariner, Allworth, Modern Wealth, Domain, Edelman, Ellevest, Range, Vanguard, and Facet.

Notable picks:

• HB Wealth – Clients get a dedicated advisory team that includes a CFP and/or CFA, with expertise in advanced planning areas, available by email, chat/text, phone, video, or in person. Note: it has a $1 million account minimum (high vs. the more common $250,000) and a minimum annual fee of $12,500.

• Facet – A popular flat-fee option. Its flat-fee model ranges from $2,600 to $8,700 per year, with its highest plan offering a dedicated CFP, four designated planning meetings in year one, unlimited messaging access, and personalized planning covering cash flow, debt management, retirement planning, and more—plus investment management with tax-loss harvesting and low-cost ETF portfolios at no extra cost. This makes it competitively priced and a top choice for the best flat-fee and best overall fiduciary financial advisor for retirement and other goals.

• Domain Money – Good for people wanting occasional check-ins rather than full ongoing management, though it has the highest entry-level price of the flat-fee advisors reviewed, with its lowest tier designed for DIYers who want a touchpoint rather than comprehensive service.

• Edward Jones – A traditional, widely-used firm known for its reliable history and independent investment advice, with financial advisors who develop personalized strategies for short- and long-term goals.

Robo-Advisors (Automated, Low-Cost)

If you want a hands-off, lower-cost option:

• SoFi Invest – SoFi's robo-advisor is a low-cost automated investing option with personalized investment advice and live support.
• Other well-known robo-advisors people commonly use include Betterment, Wealthfront, and Vanguard Digital Advisor — all popular for retirement and general investing due to low fees and automatic rebalancing/tax-loss harvesting features.

"Top Advisor" Rankings (for high-net-worth individuals)

If you have significant assets and want a top-tier individual advisor:

• Forbes | SHOOK Rankings – Compiled by SHOOK Research based on quantitative and qualitative factors including interviews, with data as of June 30, 2025. The 2026 list ranks 250 advisors who oversee roughly $2.4 trillion in combined assets.
• Newsweek/Plant-A Insights – This ranking evaluated over 16,000 SEC-registered financial advisories, only including firms with more than $20 million in AUM, at least three wealth advisers, five individual clients, and two years of SEC registration, while excluding firms with disciplinary disclosures.

How to Pick What's Right for You

1. Small portfolio / just starting out → Robo-advisor (SoFi, Betterment, Wealthfront) — low fees, no account minimums typically.
2. Want human guidance without high minimums → Facet, Domain Money, or Edelman — flat-fee or subscription models.
3. High net worth ($1M+) → HB Wealth, Mariner, Wealth Enhancement Group, or a Forbes/SHOOK-ranked advisor near you.
4. **

There is no single “best” financial advisor—it depends on your assets, goals, complexity of needs (e.g., retirement, taxes, estate planning), preference for human vs. automated advice, and fee tolerance. Top options fall into categories: low-cost robo-advisors (highly popular for everyday investors), hybrid/digital-human RIAs, and traditional full-service wealth managers (often for higher-net-worth clients).

Focus on fiduciaries (legally required to act in your best interest), preferably fee-only (no commissions that create conflicts), with credentials like CFP®. Check Form ADV, backgrounds via BrokerCheck/IAPD, and interview multiple advisors. Account minimums, fees (typically 0.15–1.25% AUM or flat), services, and accessibility vary widely.

Top Robo-Advisors (Automated, Low-Cost — What Many People Actually Use)

These use algorithms for portfolio building, rebalancing, and tax-loss harvesting. They dominate for beginners, set-it-and-forget-it investing, and lower balances due to accessibility and scale. Largest by AUM include Vanguard (~$300B+), Schwab, Betterment, and Wealthfront.

• Vanguard Digital Advisor: Frequently tops rankings (e.g., Morningstar) for low costs (0.15–0.20% including fund expenses), quality portfolios using Vanguard ETFs/funds, and goal-based tools. Low minimum ($100). Hybrid Personal Advisor Services available for higher balances with human access. Extremely popular due to Vanguard’s reputation and massive scale.
• Wealthfront: Often best overall or for portfolio options/goal planning. 0.25% fee, strong tax-loss harvesting (even on smaller accounts), diversified portfolios (including alternatives/SRI in some cases), cash management, and borrowing features. Minimum ~$500. Highly rated and widely used.
• Betterment: Excellent for beginners, SRI/impact options, tax tools, and goal planning. Core fee 0.25% (or lower with higher balances/cash); Premium tier adds human CFP access ($100k+ minimum). Flat or tiered options; very popular with hundreds of thousands to over a million users.
• Fidelity Go: Best for low/no costs (0% under $25k, then ~0.35%). Uses Fidelity funds; solid for IRAs and integration with broader Fidelity accounts. Zero or low minimum.
• Schwab Intelligent Portfolios: No advisory fee (though cash allocation can act as an opportunity cost); strong for IRAs and customer service. $5k minimum. Backed by a major brokerage.

Other notables: Empower (strong planning tools, larger AUM), SoFi, Robinhood Strategies.

Why people use them: Low barriers, transparency, automation reduces emotional mistakes, and integration with popular brokerages (Vanguard/Fidelity/Schwab already hold trillions in assets overall).

Top Hybrid/Accessible Human + Digital Advisors and RIAs

These blend tech with human planners (often CFPs) and are frequently recommended for comprehensive planning without ultra-high minimums. Many are fee-only RIAs.

• Facet Wealth: Flat annual fees ($2,600–$8,700 range, membership-style) instead of pure AUM; low ~$500 minimum. Comprehensive planning + investment management; highly rated for accessibility and value.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Strong reviews; tiered AUM fees (~0.60–1.25%), ~$100k minimum. Full-service planning and investments.
• Betterment Premium / Empower Personal Strategy: Human access on top of strong digital platforms; competitive fees for the hybrid model.
• Others frequently praised: Modera Wealth Management (flexible minimums, custom portfolios including alternatives/ESG), Creative Planning (robust for HNW planning), Wealth Enhancement Group, HB Wealth (top NerdWallet scores for high-net-worth comprehensive service, but $1M+ minimum), Allworth, Retirable (retirement-focused), Pure Financial, Range Advisory (flat fees).

NerdWallet and WSJ Buy Side frequently highlight these for credentials, transparency, scope of advice (beyond just investments), and reasonable fees/accessibility.

Major Traditional Wealth Management Brands (High AUM, Full-Service)

These dominate for high-net-worth (HNW) and ultra-HNW clients with complex needs (estate, tax, private investments, multi-generational). They have huge scale, specialized teams, and frequent Barron’s/Forbes rankings for top advisors/teams. Minimums often $250k–$1M+ (or much higher for private banks); fees typically ~1% AUM tiered downward.

• Morgan Stanley Wealth Management / Private Wealth: Often the largest by client assets; many top-ranked teams (Barron’s, Forbes). Comprehensive services.
• Merrill (Bank of America) Private Wealth Management: Strong private client offerings and ranked teams.
• J.P. Morgan Wealth Management / Private Bank: Excellent for integrated banking + investing; massive AUM.
• Others: Goldman Sachs Private Wealth, UBS, Wells Fargo Advisors, Fidelity Wealth Management, Charles Schwab Private Client/Wealth, Edward Jones (very widespread local advisors, popular with retail/main street clients), Northwestern Mutual, LPL (independent network).

Independent RIAs and top teams (via Barron’s Top Advisors, Forbes Best-in-State, etc.) often provide more personalized service than wirehouses. Creative Planning and similar appear on large RIA lists.

Quick Comparison Tips and What People Actually Choose

• Most used overall: Brokerages like Vanguard, Fidelity, and Schwab (robo + human options + self-directed) due to trust, low costs, and ecosystem. Edward Jones for in-person local advice. Robos have exploded in popularity among younger/DIY-leaning investors.
• Costs matter long-term: Even 0.5–1% differences compound significantly. Prefer low-cost index/ETF-based portfolios.
• How to pick: Define needs (investment-only vs. full planning). Prefer fee-only fiduciaries. Use matching tools (NerdWallet, SmartAsset, XY Planning Network for fee-only). Review performance relative to benchmarks (not absolute), client retention, and disciplinary history. Start with a free consultation. Consider tax situation, location (virtual is common), and specialties (e.g., women, LGBTQ+, professionals, retirees).
• DIY alternative: Many succeed with low-cost index funds at Vanguard/Fidelity/Schwab + free tools, especially if finances are simple.

Rankings (NerdWallet, WSJ Buy Side, Morningstar, Barron’s, Forbes) change and are based on fees, features, credentials, transparency, and qualitative factors—not just returns (which aren’t guaranteed and past performance isn’t predictive). Always do your own due diligence, as “best” is personal. Consult a tax/professional advisor for your situation. Fees, minimums, and offerings can change.