METHODOLOGY

Our list includes financial advisors not associated with brand-name brokerages and banks often tied to investment funds espoused by the parent firm. Fifteen on our list are firms from Wealth Magazine’s 2008 national “Top Dog” list of financial advisors with offices in Northern Virginia. The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors and the Financial Planning Association of the National Capital Area provided a list of area advisors from their memberships. We culled the lists for duplicates, and selected those with offices in Northern Virginia. Most advisor firms on our list are registered investment advisors with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or with the state of Virginia. The few exceptions provide services through firms that are SEC registered.

* Minimum investible assets that the firm requires a client to have. “Investible” assets do not include equity in homes or 401(k) retirement accounts, since these are not available for management by the firm.
+ VA registered means a registered investment advisor with the state of Virginia Division of Securities and Retail Franchising. SEC registered means a registered investment advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission. When AUM is listed as none, it means that the financial advisor firm does not take discretionary authority in managing a client’s assets, choosing to offer planning and advice about investing assets, but not having discretionary authority to manage them.