Best Financial Advisors in Syracuse, New York

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Contributor, Benzinga
May 14, 2021

Finding the right financial advisor can be a challenge if you’re strapped for time and aren’t sure where to start. We’ve researched the best financial advisors in Syracuse so you can easily find the best financial advisor for your needs. Read on to learn about our top picks!

Best Financial Advisors in Syracuse, New York Near You:

  • Best for Low Fees: Disciplined Capital Management LLC
  • Best Robo-Advisor: M1 Finance
  • Best for Retirement Programs: Confidential Planning
  • Best for Portfolio Management and Retirement Consulting: Armory Capital Management LLC
  • Best Portfolio Analysis: Personal Capital
  • Best for Unified Team Approach: Rockbridge Investment Management LLC
  • Best for Individual Wealth Management and Retirement: Blue Water Capital Management LLC

Best for Low Fees: Disciplined Capital Management LLC

Disciplined Capital Management is an investment-driven firm with nearly $500 million in assets under management. 

The firm’s most attractive attribute is that it charges a fee well below the industry standard. Its scale efficiencies mean that it can deliver additional value to clients by keeping fees well below its competitors.

The firm’s clients are typically institutions, foundations, endowments and nonprofit organizations. The team has a wealth of experience with diverse backgrounds such as corporate, financial and academic circles to offer expert advice.

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Source: Disciplined Capital Management
DISCIPLINED CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

DISCIPLINED CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

$418,939,470
  • A percentage of assets under your management
No minimum
6
11
Yes
36
4
    Address

    220 SOUTH WARREN STREET 10TH FLOORSYRACUSE NY, 13202

    Phone number

    315-476-8200

    M1 Finance
    Best For
    • Customizable Auto Investing
    securely through M1 Finance's website

    Best Robo-Advisor: M1 Finance

    M1 Finance’s over 150,000 investors make it a popular app for anyone looking for a smart money management platform. M1 Finance offers 3 major functions:

    • M1 Spend: You can use M1 for your money needs like making a direct deposit, transferring money or making a debit card purchase.
    • M1 Borrow: Looking to borrow money without doing any paperwork? You can access a portfolio line of credit and borrow up to 35% of your portfolio value.
    • M1 Invest: You can invest in fractional shares, build a custom portfolio or even automate your investment schedule.

    M1 lets you do all the above 3 functions for free. If you want benefits like lower borrow rate, cashback on select purchases and more, you can upgrade to the M1 Plus account by paying a signup fee of $125.

    Best for Retirement Programs: Confidential Planning

    Confidential Planning is a registered investment advisor that specializes in the design and implementation of retirement programs. The firm primarily offers its services to hospitals, universities, nonprofit organizations and employees of school systems.

    The firm has its own exclusive retirement program, called the MultiChoice 403(b). The program is designed to save time and money by simplifying the administrative burden and keeping up-to-date with the new 403(b) regulations. 

    CONFIDENTIAL PLANNING I, LLC

    CONFIDENTIAL PLANNING I, LLC

    $29,636,000
    • A percentage of assets under your management
    No minimum
    N/A
    N/A
    No
    98
    4
    • Financial planning services
    • 403(B) RETIREMENT PLANS
    Address

    507 PLUM ST, STE 120 SYRACUSE NY, 13204

    Phone number

    315-251-1101

    Best for Portfolio Management and Retirement Consulting: Armory Capital Management LLC

    Armory Capital Management is a fee-only independent investment advisory firm. The firm provides portfolio management and retirement plan consulting for high-net worth individuals, trusts and estates, charities and endowments. 

    The firm helps you with your investment portfolio needs for any stage of life. It uses a variety of investment vehicles such as individual stocks and bonds, low-cost mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). 

    Armory helps businesses of all sizes with qualified retirement plans. The firm helps plan sponsors or employers include a diverse array of investments in their plans. 

    ARMORY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC

    ARMORY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC

    $74,132,123
    • A percentage of assets under your management
    No minimum
    2
    62
    Yes
    26
    2
    • Financial planning services
    • Pension consulting services
    Address

    110 WEST FAYETTE STREET SUITE 900SYRACUSE NY, 13202

    Phone number

    315-701-6452

    Empower
    Best For
    • High Net Worth Individuals
    securely through Empower's website

    Best Portfolio Analysis: Personal Capital

    Personal Capital gives you a complete view of your money by linking all your accounts in 1 secure platform. You can use its financial tools for free to check your net worth, plan your budget, monitor your investments, plan for your retirement and more.

    Need financial guidance from advisors who can manage your account? Personal Capital offers managed services if you have at least $100,000 in investable assets. You’ll find a 0.89% account management fee which can go as low as 0.49% for a larger account balance.

    Best for Unified Team Approach: Rockbridge Investment Management LLC

    Rockbridge Investment Management is a fee-only fiduciary in Syracuse. The firm offers retirement planning, business succession planning, investment management and more. 

    Rockbridge specializes in offering not just 1 advisor, but an entire team of experts to help every client. The team draws its wealth of experience and industry standard credentials to offer premium personalized advice with an objective outlook. 

    The firm does not impose a minimum account requirement and its business model is sized to best serve clients with wealth in the range of $500,000 to $5 million.

    ROCKBRIDGE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC

    ROCKBRIDGE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC

    $708,384,890
    • A percentage of assets under your management
    • Hourly charges
    • Fixed fees (other than subscription fees)
    No minimum
    9
    936
    Yes
    72
    6
    • Financial planning services
    Address

    220 SOUTH WARREN STREET 9TH FLOORSYRACUSE NY, 13202

    Phone number

    315-671-0588

    Best for Individual Wealth Management and Retirement: Blue Water Capital Management LLC

    Blue Water Capital Management is a fee-only investment advisory firm based in Syracuse. The firm specializes in retirement plan consulting, individual wealth management and 3rd-party asset management.

    Blue Water helps individuals with investment management by utilizing both active and passive management to design a portfolio that is based on your risk tolerance and return expectations. 

    The firm also helps you with the design and execution of your retirement benefits plan. What’s more convenient is that you can even schedule a no-cost retirement plan analysis with the firm to see where you stand.

    BLUE WATER CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC

    BLUE WATER CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC

    $94,787,000
    • A percentage of assets under your management
    • Hourly charges
    $50,000
    3
    211
    Yes
    38
    6
    • Financial planning services
    • Pension consulting services
    • Selection of other advisers (including private fund managers)
    • Educational seminars/workshops
    Address

    1001 JAMES STREET SYRACUSE NY, 13203

    Phone number

    315-438-8690

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Q

    Which certifications should my financial planner have?

    A

    Financial planners can have multiple certifications that can qualify them for the designation. You should look out for professionals with certified financial planner (CFP) and chartered financial analyst (CFA) certifications as those are the most credible of the lot.

    Q

    What's the difference between financial planning and retirement planning?

    A

    Retirement planning is 1 facet of comprehensive financial planning. Everything from short-term goals like a college education, wedding, etc., to long-term goals like retirement and legacy planning, falls under financial planning. Retirement planning is an in-depth focus on financial stability after retiring.

    Q

    Do financial advisors check your credit?

    A

    No, advisors typically don’t check your credit unless it is absolutely necessary.

    Find a Financial Advisor in Syracuse Today

    Quality financial advisors can help you make the most of your money by guiding you with comprehensive plans to meet your short- and long-term goals. With the vast options of advisors out there, make sure you contact an advisor that suits your needs best. It’s a good practice to ask a lot of questions as hiring the right advisor is an important decision in your financial life. 

    Methodology

    To determine the top financial advisors in Syracuse, we pored through all SEC-registered advisory firms that have an office in Syracuse. We winnowed the list by only including advisors that are registered fiduciaries, have no past disclosures and have minimal personal conflicts of interest. To further break down the list to the true top advisors in the area, we gave weight to advisors that offer both investment management and planning, have no conflicts of interest, have offices in multiple states, have a wrap fee program and over $50 million in assets under management. (edited