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RIA Leaders: Top 20 Firms for 2015

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.

But the larger these firms get, the greater their challenge. While we read this as a series of success stories, the industry’s deep-pocketed players may be reading it as a shopping list.

Page through to see the firms that made the rankings this year. You can also read the accompanying cover story here; or click here to see the full list in a single page.

-- Ann Marsh & Rachel F. Elson
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Federal Street Advisors

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Seven Bridges Advisors

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Douglas C. Lane & Associates

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Wetherby Asset Management

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Altair Advisers

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Seven Post Investment Office

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Ferguson Wellman Capital Management

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Symmetry Partners

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Strategic Capital Advisers

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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RMB Capital Management

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Savant Capital

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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East End Advisors

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Ballentine Partners

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Athena Capital Advisors

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Baker Street Advisors

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Ronald Blue

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Shepherd Kaplan

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Creative Planning

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
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Oxford Financial Group

Over the years, Financial Planning has been striving to make the annual RIA Leaders list ever more rigorous, weeding out advisory firms that take commission, have registered reps, are owned by big stakeholders. This year’s ranking calls out the most successful independent, fee-only players who have been able to say no to the big offers -- at least so far.
This article originally appeared in Financial Planning.
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