How we did it: We asked every Certified Financial Planner in the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of the Financial Planning Association to cast an online ballot. Outside-firm votes counted more than inside-firm votes. Self-nominations were tossed out. A panel of esteemed local financial planners reviewed the list. Only CFPs made the list.
Click for our list of the best financial planners in Dallas 2012.
TOP WEALTH MANAGERS
Baird Family Wealth Group
Robert W. Baird & Co., Dallas, 214-373-2974
Bob Walker
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Dallas, 214-696-7044
Cadent Capital, LLC
Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., Dallas, 972-441-4554
Calandro Group
Merrill Lynch, Dallas, 214-969-2324
Carter Financial Management
Raymond James, Dallas, 214-363-4200
Cartwright Moran Group
Merrill Lynch, Dallas, 214-969-2347
CFO4Life
LPL Financial, Coppell, 214-637-9500
Christensen Wealth Management Group
Wells Fargo Advisors, Dallas, 214-740-3229
Cornerstone Investment Services, LLC
Cornerstone Investment Services, LLC, Poetry, 972-563-8990
Cypress Point Wealth Management
Schwab, Dallas, 214-736-8887
Daniel McVeigh
Merrill Lynch, Dallas, 214-750-2041
Dickey Wright Sweeney Group
Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management, Dallas, 972-774-6759
Edwards-Carrion Financial Strategies Group
Wells Fargo Advisors, Plano, 972-473-5961
Foster Investment Group
Wells Fargo Advisors, Fort Worth, 817-338-1401
Galbraith Group
Deutsche Bank, Dallas, 214-740-7775
Gatlin Ibarguen Group
Merrill Lynch, Dallas, 214-969-2344
The HGG Group
Merrill Lynch, Plano, 972-422-6044
Jones, Cannon, and Associates
Ameriprise Financial, Dallas, 214-420-7436
JWA Financial Group, Inc.
JWA Financial Group, Inc., Dallas, 972-661-3355
Kindred Stephens Financial Group
Kindred Stephens Financial Group, LLC, Dallas, 214-382-5301
Kravitz Group
UBS Financial Services, Inc., Addison, 972-450-4334
Mark Kever
UBS Financial Services, Inc., Addison, 972-450-4358
The Maynard Group
Merrill Lynch, Dallas, 214-750-2099
Mikeska Peschel McBee Group
Wells Fargo Advisors, Dallas, 972-341-1081
Moore Group
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Dallas, 214-696-7175
Nethery, Johnson & Associates
Merrill Lynch, Dallas, 214-969-2358
Park Cities Group
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Dallas, 214-696-7000
Pegasus Group
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Dallas, 214-696-7140
Price, Dilworth and Associates
Merrill Lynch, Irving, 972-830-6420
Quest Capital Management, Inc.
Quest Capital Management, Inc., Dallas, 214-691-6090
Robertson, Griege & Thoele
Robertson,Griege & Thoele, Dallas, 214-360-7000
RSA Group
Merrill Lynch, Dallas, 972-386-1395
Russell W. Holley
Merrill Lynch, Southlake, 817-877-9613
Shawn Nicholas & Mark Hagan
UBS Financial Services, Inc., Addison, 972-450-4329
Sloan Wealth Management, LLC
Schwab, Dallas, 214-720-7500
Spellman Meaney Group
Carter Financial Management / Raymond James Financial Services, Dallas, 214-363-4200
The Stephenson/Baun Wealth Management Group
UBS Financial Services, Inc., Dallas, 214-981-0528
Talis Advisory Services, LLC
Talis Advisors, Plano, 972-378-1794
United Capital Financial Advisers, LLC
United Capital Financial Advisers, LLC, Dallas, 214-520-1200
Westwood Trust
Westwood Trust, Dallas, 214-756-6900
Wilshire Wealth Management Group
Merrill Lynch, Plano, 972-384-2080
Yonack Group at Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Dallas, 214-468-7209
EXEMPLARY ADVISORS
Carter Financial Management
Raymond James, Dallas, 214-363-4200
Category of Excellence: Client Education & Customer Service Model
Calandro Group
Merrill Lynch, Dallas, 214-969-2324
Category of Excellence: Client Education & Customer Service Model
Galbraith Group
Deutsche Bank, Dallas, 214-740-7775
Category of Excellence: Financial Planning
Dickey Wright Sweeney Group
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Dallas, 972-774-6759
Category of Excellence: Financial Planning
Jones, Cannon, and Associates
Ameriprise Financial, Dallas, 214-420-7436
Category of Excellence: Risk Management
RSA Group
Merrill Lynch, Dallas, 972-386-1395
Category of Excellence: Risk Management
The focus of the National Association of Board Certified Advisory Practices (NABCAP) is to provide objective differentiation between financial advisory practices and through their evaluation process to help add transparency to the Financial Services Industry. Even though the NABCAP Premier Advisers’ list is comprehensive it should not be considered exhaustive and the following disclaimers should be considered: [a] To ensure the best interests of the investing public, NABCAP does not accept financial support from advisory practices, financial institutions, or the media in exchange for beneficial reviews, rankings, or industry insight. NABCAP is not affiliated with any adviser or financial institution participating in the survey. [b] Selecting a NABCAP Premier Adviser is no guarantee as to future investment success nor is there any guarantee that the selected financial advisory practice will be designated as a Premier Adviser by NABCAP in the future. [c] The inclusion of a financial advisory practice on the NABCAP Premier Adviser’s list should not be construed as an endorsement of the financial advisory practice by NABCAP or D Magazine. [d] NABCAP invites all advisers in a market to participate, but some that might qualify for the list don’t appear on it because they chose not to participate. If they had participated, other firms that did make the list might not have. [e] NABCAP screens candidates for regulatory compliance issues. Checks and balances are imposed to limit the inclusion of an adviser with a negative regulatory history or multiple client complaints. These checks and balances include: (i) NABCAP requires financial advisers to be registered/licensed financial advisers in good standing with state and federal regulatory bodies. In addition NABCAP requires financial advisers to be in compliance with their respective broker/dealer or affiliated representation. (ii) NABCAP reviews each financial adviser and support staff’s U-4 or ADV to verify their employment and compliance record. (iii) If an advisory practice makes the list with a settlement on its record, we recommend that investors inquire with the advisory practice as well with their supervisor for the nature of the settlement. [f] The supervisor survey is structured to make it equally easy for a respondent to give negative or positive responses and the method of calculating results incorporates both negative and positive survey responses. [g] NABCAP does not perform subjective analysis of the survey results but assigns numerical ratings based on questionnaire and survey responses, as well as third-party verification. [h] 25,000+ direct contacts were made via email and mail in Texas and indirect to subscribers for participation/nomination of participants. Premier Advisers list will not exceed 3.5 percent of each market’s financial advisory practices. [i] NABCAP created the methodology and process. Rank Premier Advisors is contracted to administer the evaluation process. [j] All advertisements in the special advertising section were sold exclusively by D Magazine and not endorsed in any way by NABCAP.