Top Financial Advisors in San Rafael, CA

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Private Ocean, a fee-only financial advisor firm, is our top-rated firm in San Rafael. With additional offices in San Francisco and Seattle, Private Ocean has nine certified financial planners (CFPs) working out of its headquarters in San Rafael, as well as other accredited professionals, including a chartered financial analyst (CFA), a certified investment management analyst (CIMA), a certified private wealth advisor (CPWA), among others. 

With a $2 million investment requirement, a majority of Private Ocean's clients are high-net-worth individuals, although the firm also works with individuals who don't have a high net worth, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans and business entities. 

As a fee-only firm, Private Ocean makes its money from client fees, not commissions from selling financial products or insurance policies. 

Private Ocean Background

Founded in 2009, Private Ocean is primarily owned by Wealth Management Advisors. Gregory Friedman, owner of Wealth Management, serves as president and CEO of Private Ocean. He and three other people or entities own the biggest stakes in the firm, while some advisors have small stakes.

The practice offers investment management, retirement plan consulting and financial planning. It can advise on retirement, business succession, college funding, stock option planning, leaving a legacy and more.

Private Ocean Investment Strategy

In constructing client portfolios, Private Ocean primarily invests in mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and separate account managers, taking both long and short positions. Its methods of security analysis include fundamental analysis and technical analysis. 

Private Ocean generally follows a long-term investment strategy and avoids trying to time the market. The firm also notes on its website that more and more individuals are becoming interested in environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing. As the result, Private Ocean offers ESG portfolios for socially conscious clients. 

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Ohana Advisors, the No. 2 firm on our list, has been in business the longest and has the best client-to-advisor ratio on this list. While Ohana does not have a minimum account requirement, its clients typically have an average net worth of $100 million. New clients will generally be expected to have a net worth of at least $30 million within the short term. 

Its small client base is composed entirely of ultra-high-net-worth families, although it also serves revocable and irrevocable trusts, charitable trusts, family limited partnerships, limited liability companies, family foundations, and donor-advised funds.

The fee-only firm team includes one certified public accountant (CPA). 

Ohana Advisors Background

Ohana Advisors started as a sole proprietorship in 1993. In 2010, its owner, Dennis Covington, converted it to a limited liability company. He now owns it with Josh Richter, Edward John Schneider IV and David Schrader. 

The firm offers comprehensive family office and financial services, functioning as each client’s private family office.

Ohana Advisors Investment Strategy

The firm says that it “strives to create and implement an optimal, risk-managed, diversified strategy tailored for each client.” Typically, each client utilizes family-limited partnerships to co-invest across family entities. In constructing portfolios, Ohana employs diversification across geographies, asset classes, sub-sectors, and levels of expected return and risk. It notes that the “majority of the families’ portfolios also have a significant allocation to private investment funds.”

As of its most recent SEC filing, assets under its management were invested as:

• 67% in securities issued by pooled investment vehicles (other than registered investment companies or business development companies)
• 10% in cash and cash equivalents
• 10% in private investments and charitable contributions
• 9% in securities issued by registered investment companies (such as mutual funds) or business development companies
• 6% in state and local bonds
• 4% in exchange-traded equity securities

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Third on our list is Polaris Wealth Advisory Group, formerly known as Polaris Greystone Financial Group. PWAG has nine certified financial planners (CFPs) on staff, to go along with two chartered financial analysts (CFAs) and one certified trust and financial advisor (CTFA).

PWAG works primarily with individuals and high-net-worth individuals, but it offers services to pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations and other business entities. The firm requires its clients' accounts have a minimum aggregate value of $500,000.

PWAG is a fee-only firm, whose revenue comes from client fees, not sales commissions on third-party products, like securities or insurance policies. 

Polaris Wealth Advisory Group Background

Founded in 2011 as Polaris Wealth Advisors, the firm later changed its name to Polaris Greystone Financial Group and subsequently reorganized into two separate firms: Polaris Wealth Advisory Group and Greystone Financial Group. Today, chief investment officer Jeffrey Powell and Jeremy Witbeck own Polaris Wealth Advisory Group. 

The firm offers investment management and financial planning services, including education planning, estate planning, tax planning, business succession planning and more. 

Polaris Wealth Advisory Group Investment Strategy

PWAG bases its investment choices on individual clients after hearing about their financial goals and risk tolerance. The firm then matches a client with a particular strategy that best suits their profile as an investor, including approaches that are reliant on diversified ETFs and others that are driven by stocks or bonds. 

The firm believes that a well-managed portfolio is built using technical and fundamental methods of analysis, and by examining market sentiment and macroeconomic conditions. 

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Hutchinson Capital Management is a fee-only advisory firm offering the services of financial planning and portfolio management. The firm requires a minimum account size of $1 million. The firm is a fee-only advisory and as such its advisors do not receive extra compensation for the sale of any securities. Hutchinson typically works with individuals, families, trusts, retirement plans and charitable organizations. 

Hutchinson Capital Management Background

Hutchinson was founded in 1995 and Steven K. Wilkes currently holds the title of CEO, Chief Compliance Officer and Portfolio Manager. Today, the team consists of four advisors who have obtained designations such as certified financial planners (CFP) and chartered financial analysts (CFA). 

Hutchinson Capital Management Investment Strategy

The firm believes in being a true financial partner through the creation of long-lasting partnerships with its clients. The firm uses a number of investments in its clients' portfolios. Some of these include exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, bonds, stocks and more. The firm's research is completed internally and proprietary so it isn't disclosed. 

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Westhill Financial Advisors, a fee-based firm formerly known as Taddei, Lugwig & Associates, is next on our list. WFA works with individuals, high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, pension and profit-sharing plans, as well as corporations and other business entities. There is no minimum investment, although the minimum annual fee of $8,000 may not be cost-effective for small balances. Most accounts are managed on a discretionary basis, meaning advisors have full control over the accounts.

WFA's advisory team includes five chartered financial consultants (ChFCs), four certified financial planners (CFPs), two chartered life underwriters (CLUs), one accredited investment fiduciary (AIF) and one certified 401(k) professional.

Because many WFA advisors are also insurance agents who can earn commissions on certain transactions, WFA is considered a fee-based firm. Despite the potential conflict of interest created by commission-based compensation, the firm must act in its clients' best interests no matter what. 

Westhill Financial Advisors Background

Founded by Matt Taddei and Kirk Ludwig, the firm has been a registered investment advisor since 2010. In 2021, it rebranded and changed its name from Taddei, Ludgwig & Associates to Westhill Financial Advisors to "better describe our visionary perspective to financial planning and advice." They, along with Diane McCracken, who leads the qualified retirement team, own the business.

In addition to investment management, insurance and risk management services, the firm offers financial planning and pension consulting.

Westhill Financial Advisors Investment Strategy

WFA primarily uses strategic asset allocation, with core investments in index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). It may also invest in actively managed funds when the opportunity arises. Portfolios are globally diversified. As part of its securities selection process, TLA’s methods of analysis include charting, fundamental, technical and cyclical analyses. 

According to its most recent SEC filings, assets under WFA's assets under management (AUM) were allocated as:

• 86% in securities issued by registered investment companies (such as mutual funds) or business development companies
• 8% in exchange-traded equity securities (like common stocks)
• 6% in cash and cash equivalents

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Founded in 2015, O’Donnell Financial Services is a fee-based firm with three offices in the Bay Area. The majority of O'Donnell Financial's clients are individuals without a high net worth, but the firm also serves high-net-worth investors, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans. 

O'Donnell is considered fee-based because its advisors earn commissions when selling financial products or insurance. But as fiduciaries, O'Donnell and its advisors must always act in the client's best interest. 

The firm doesn't impose an account balance minimum.

O’Donnell Financial Services Background

Greg O’Donnell is the founder, principal and CEO of the firm. According to the website, he also hosts a weekly radio show and has a series of books on retirement available for free download. 

The firm provides investment management services through a wrap fee program which charges one all-inclusive fee. In addition to wrap asset management, financial planning and pension consulting, the firm offers mortgage and insurance services.

O’Donnell Financial Services Investment Strategy

O’Donnell Financial’s methodology involves charting, cyclical, fundamental and technical analyses. In managing assets, it may use long-term purchases, short-term purchases, trading, short sales, margin transactions and option writing. As of its most recent SEC filings, assets under O’Donnell Financial’s management were invested as follows:

• 79% in exchange-traded equity securities (like common stocks)
• 11% in structured notes
• 7% in securities issued by registered investment companies (such as mutual funds) or business development companies
• 2% in cash and cash equivalents
• 1% in investment-grade corporate bonds

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Marin Wealth Advisors is headquartered in San Rafael and has offices in San Francisco and Oakland. The team in San Rafael includes three certified financial planners (CFPs) and one chartered financial analyst (CFA). 

The majority of Marin clients are not considered high-net-worth individuals, although some are. The fee-only firm also serves trusts, estates, corporations, and non-profit organizations, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans. Investment accounts are managed on a discretionary basis only. There is no published account minimum.

Marin Wealth Advisors Background

In 2013, Robert Hunter reformed his 18-year-old financial advisory practice as a limited liability company and named it Marin Wealth Advisors. He remains its majority owner, while Gerald Fegler and James Castro also own stakes in the business.

The practice offers investment management and consulting. It also provides financial planning that includes retirement planning and education funding.

Marin Wealth Advisors Investment Strategy

Marin Wealth primarily uses strategic asset allocation, along with individual stock and bond selection. In its Form ADV, the firm notes that many of its clients are “investors who realized finding the best place to invest the money required more time and research than they had.” Its methods of security analysis include charting, fundamental, technical and cyclical methods of analysis. 

The most recent SEC data shows that assets under the practice’s management were allocated as: 

• 78% in exchange-traded equity securities (like common stocks)
• 18% in securities issued by registered investment companies (such as mutual funds) or business development companies
• 2% in securities issued by pooled investment vehicles (other than registered investment companies)
• 1% in cash and cash equivalents
• 1% in investment-grade corporate bonds

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With a minimum investment of $100,000, Stewart Wealth Management (SWM) serves far more individuals who don’t have a high net worth than those who do (about five to one). Its team includes two certified financial planners (CFPs) and one retirement income certified professional (RICP). 

The firm also offers services to pension and profit-sharing plans, retirement plan participants, foundations, institutions and business entities. The great majority of accounts are managed on a discretionary basis, which means clients authorize SWM to make changes to their investments without getting prior approval.

SWM is a fee-only firm that's compensated through asset-based fees, hourly charges and/or fixed fees -- not commissions. 

Stewart Wealth Management Background

Benjamin Stewart registered the firm with the SEC in 2007. He is the sole owner and serves as its CEO and chief compliance officer. Prior to founding SWM, Stewart served as a vice president at Wachovia Securities for seven years. 

SWM offers financial planning, and investment advisory services, as well as pension and qualified retirement plan consulting.

Stewart Wealth Management Investment Strategy

SWM aims to build low-cost, tax-efficient portfolios with consistent performance over the long term. It does this by investing in institutional-class stock mutual funds with low expense ratios, and at times, low-cost exchange-traded funds (ETFs), bond funds, individual fixed income securities and other products. When appropriate, SWM may also recommend real estate investments.

According to its most recent SEC filings, assets under SWM’s management were allocated as:

• 71% in exchange-traded equity securities (like common stocks)
• 15% in private equity real estate
• 12% in cash and cash equivalents
• 1% investment-grade corporate bonds
• 1% U.S. government/agency bonds

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Fiduciary Financial Group is a fee-only advisory firm offering the services of asset management, financial planning and retirement plan services. The firm typically provides investment advice to individuals, high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, corporations and other business entities. There is no account minimum amount required to work with Fiduciary Financial. 

Fiduciary Financial Group Background

Fiduciary Financial Group was founded in 2016 and has four partners today: Richard Davey, Trevor Scotto, Tom Vogelheim and Shayne Cooper. The firm has a total of six advisors on the team who have collectively obtained designations such as certified financial planners (CFP) and certified public accountants (CPA). 

Fiduciary Financial Group Investment Strategy

Fiduciary Financial Group creates investment strategies for each client that are unique to the consultations and conversations with that individual client and it allows the client to change their objectives at any time during the relationship. An investment strategy for a client's portfolio may include long-term purchases, short-term purchases, stock trading or option writing. The risk tolerance of the client is weighed heavily in making investment decisions. 

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Capital Trust Advisors provides the services of wealth management, investment advisory and financial planning throughout the San Rafael area, requiring an account minimum of at least $500,000 to get started. Capital Trust is a fee-based firm and as such its advisors may receive commissions when certain securities are chosen or sold. This can create a potential conflict of interest but the firm is bound by a fiduciary duty to put the client and their needs first.  

Capital Trust Advisors Background

Capital Trust Advisors was founded in 2000 with a team that averages more than 27 years of investment management experience. Collectively, the team has some designations such as chartered financial analysts (CFA) and certified financial planners (CFP). 

Capital Trust Advisors Investment Strategy

The firm utilizes fundamental, technical or cyclical techniques to analyze potential investments or to formulate the right investment advice for each client's unique needs. The types of investment products that a client of Capital Trust may have includes stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).