Choosing a financial advisor or wealth manager to partner with on your investment strategy and financial plan is an incredibly important decision. With so many choices, it can be hard to narrow down which option is right for you.
There are big firms, small firms, broker-dealers and registered investment advisors. Some are fee-only firms, while others have different, and potentially confusing or biased fee structures. We hope to bring some clarity to this often-complex choice by providing transparent information and recommendations.
If you’ve landed on this article, there’s a good chance you’re a St. Louis resident, and would prefer to work with a local firm for your wealth management needs.
Plancorp has been in the business for over 40 years, offering comprehensive wealth management services to local St. Louis clients, as well as clients across the country. We encourage you to explore the services we offer and see if we might be the right fit for you.
We’ve also rounded up five of the top firms in St. Louis so you can make sure you’re making an informed decision and work with the firm that’s right for you and your unique financial goals and needs. We’ll share a bit about each firm below.
The Moneta Group is a Registered Investment Advisor, headquartered in Clayton, MO, with additional locations in Kansas City, Chicago, Boston, Denver, and Boulder. They offer a full spectrum of financial planning services.
Buckingham Strategic Wealth is located in downtown Clayton. They also have 56 other locations throughout the U.S. They are a Registered Investment Advisor focused on evidence-based investing and multi-faceted financial planning.
Stifel is a full-service financial services firm, providing brokerage, trading, investment banking, investment advisory, and related services. Their wealth management division focuses on helping individuals and families build, preserve, and pass on their wealth.
Headquartered in St. Louis, Edward Jones is a broker-dealer offering a range of investment and financial advising services. They provide financial services in the U.S. and through an affiliate in Canada. Their purpose is to partner for positive impact to improve the lives of its clients and help them achieve financially what’s important to them.
Wells Fargo is a financial services company offering banking, investment, and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance. Their wealth management business, Wells Fargo Advisors, can help clients maximize their financial picture through estate planning, smart borrowing, planning for retirement, and more.
With so many choices in the St. Louis area, we would recommend doing your due diligence to make sure you opt to work with the right firm for you. Fully vet and research each company and ask a lot of questions to make sure it’s a good fit for your goals and vision.
To make sure you’re covering your bases, we recommend checking out their Form ADV and Form CRS to quickly understand their services, fees, and scope of services. You can find Plancorp’s ADV and Form CRS at these links.
Remember—you are trusting your wealth management firm with not only highly sensitive information, but with your legacy as a whole. At Plancorp, we understand the magnitude of this trust and are committed to fiduciary excellence for each and every client.
To help you make the most of your search for the right financial advisor, we recommend downloading our free guide below.