The financial professionals who made our annual list can make sure you’re getting the returns you deserve—and protect you against the inevitable. Because bull markets don’t last forever.
How we compiled this list: We asked every wealth management firm and team in the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of the Financial Planning Association, Chartered Financial Analyst Institute, and the Investments and Wealth Institute to tell us about their practices. The final list was selected based on these criteria: top firms or teams must have total assets under management for individual clients of at least $100 million; average assets under management per client of at least $1 million; a 95 percent client retention rate over the last two years; and no current disciplinary action. Additionally, all firms (or teams, should the team be applying as an entity separate from its parent company) must have been in existence for at least five years as of the application deadline (June 13, 2018). They must also hold themselves out as fiduciaries for their clients and provide them with a written disclosure. A panel of esteemed local wealth managers reviewed the final list. All numbers are current as of the application deadline. Out of the 44 that applied, 24 firms and teams were selected.
| Advisory Practice Name | City | Phone | Total AUM for Individuals | Average AUM Per Client | Clients to Advisor Ratio | Years in Existence | Firm Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaird Harris Wealth Management | Dallas | 972-503-1040 | $976,660,554 | $1,710,970 | 69:1 | 22 | Independent RIA |
| Cadent Capital LLC | Dallas | 972-441-4554 | $381,000,000 | $3,100,000 | 25:1 | 7 | Part of Independent Broker Dealer |
| Carter Financial Management | Dallas | 214-363-4200 | $1,056,000,000 | $1,350,000 | 69:1 | 41 | Independent RIA & Part of Independent Broker Dealer |
| CFO4Life Group LLC | Coppell | 214-637-9500 | $1,375,881,213 | $2,000,000 | 50:1 | 20 | Independent RIA |
| Fortune Wealth Management LLC | Dallas | 972-716-8002 | $227,000,000 | $1,200,000 | 90:1 | 35 | Independent RIA |
| Grunden Financial Advisory Inc. | Denton | 940-591-9007 | $189,620,802 | $1,192,584 | 53:1 | 16 | Independent RIA |
| Heritage Financial Planning | Dallas | 214-446-2100 | $193,000,000 | $1,600,000 | 40:1 | 14 | Independent RIA |
| HFS Wealth Management | Dallas | 214-346-0785 | $662,143,000 | $2,100,000 | 31:1 | 24 | Independent RIA |
| J.K. Financial Inc. | Dallas | 214-706-4300 | $122,000,000 | $1,000,000 | 50:1 | 23 | Independent RIA |
| Keener Financial Planning LLC | Keller | 817-993-0401 | $104,000,000 | $1,285,000 | 31:1 | 10 | Independent RIA |
| Lee Financial | Dallas | 972-960-1001 | $1,100,000,000 | $2,700,000 | 25:1 | 43 | Independent RIA |
| Legacy Consulting Group | Plano | 972-599-4750 | $174,895,697 | $1,909,360 | 32:1 | 21 | Independent RIA & Part of Independent Broker Dealer |
| The Calandro Group at Merrill Lynch | Dallas | 214-969-2324 | $582,455,000 | $4,160,000 | 46:1 | 16 | Part of Independent Broker Dealer |
| RSA Group at Merrill Lynch | Dallas | 972-980-8618 | $664,600,000 | $2,700,000 | 40:1 | 7 | Part of Independent Broker Dealer |
| The Park Cities Group at Morgan Stanley | Dallas | 214-696-7183 | $292,750,000 | $1,371,000 | 70:1 | 13 | Part of Independent Broker Dealer |
| Murphy & Sylvest | Dallas | 214-373-8362 | $130,535,222 | $2,100,000 | 31:1 | 6 | Independent RIA |
| Optima Asset Management | Dallas | 972-726-0400 | $549,650,630 | $7,455,517 | 37:1 | 23 | Independent RIA |
| Quest Capital Management | Dallas | 214-691-6090 | $1,292,672,290 | $1,912,237 | 55:1 | 31 | Independent RIA & Part of Independent Broker Dealer |
| SFMG Wealth Advisors | Plano | 972-960-6460 | $1,179,488,479 | $2,117,484 | 68:1 | 23 | Independent RIA |
| Southwestern Investment Group | Frisco | 214-872-3902 | $110,000,000 | $1,200,000 | 27:1 | 16 | Independent RIA |
| Strata Wealth Advisors | Dallas | 214-420-7020 | $190,000,000 | $4,250,000 | 22:1 | 15 | Independent RIA |
| Talis Advisors | Plano | 972-378-1795 | $193,000,000 | $1,000,000 | 33:1 | 13 | Independent RIA |
| Tolleson Wealth Management | Dallas | 214-252-3250 | $5,605,000,000 | $35,000,000 | 7:1 | 18 | Independent RIA |
| True North Advisors | Dallas | 214-360-7300 | $1,181,700,000 | $2,900,000 | 46:1 | 18 | Independent RIA |
