Methodology and Award Disclosure
To compile the third annual Top Financial Professionals (previously Top Advisors) list, InvestmentNews opened a public nomination process for eligible financial advisors. Nominations were accepted from advisors, colleagues, industry professionals, and clients. Only advisors who were formally nominated were considered for the 2026 list. All nominee information was required to be reviewed and verified by each advisor’s compliance department before it was accepted into the evaluation process.
A total of 394 nominations were received, and 100 advisors were ultimately selected as recipients of the 2026 Top Financial Professionals recognition.
Evaluation Criteria & Scoring
Advisors were evaluated solely on quantifiable business metrics covering the period from August 2024 through August 2025. The ranking was based on the following weighted calculations:
- 50% — Total 2025 Assets Under Management (AUM)
- 25% — AUM growth over the evaluation period
- 25% — Client growth over the evaluation period
InvestmentNews assigned each advisor a ranking within each of the three categories and then applied the weighting formula above to calculate a combined score. Advisors were placed on the 2026 Top Financial Professionals list based on their final composite ranking.
What the Award Measures
This recognition is based only on the business metrics listed above: AUM, AUM growth, and client growth.
What the Award Does Not Measure
To comply with SEC advertising and anti-fraud rules, InvestmentNews confirms that the 2026 Top Financial Professionals list is not based on:
- Investment performance or portfolio returns
- Client experience, testimonials, or satisfaction
- Qualitative factors such as leadership, service quality, or professional reputation
- Any criteria not expressly stated in the methodology
Fee & Promotional Disclosure
There is no fee to be nominated or to be considered for this recognition.
Some advisors may choose to purchase optional promotional or marketing packages from InvestmentNews after being selected; such purchases do not influence the methodology, scoring, or selection in any way.