Acorn Financial Advisory Services provides financial planning, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, portfolio management for institutions, pension consulting, selecting other managers, and educational seminars. Financial planning was provided to 2,500 clients last fiscal year.
Acorn Financial Advisory Services reports 2,619 clients. They include 2,033 individual clients, 551 high-net-worth individuals, and 35 pension and profit-sharing plans. Of its assets, 84.2% ($1.18B across 4,506 accounts) are managed with discretion; $221M across 60 accounts are not. Of its clients, 1% are outside the U.S. It advised 4 clients without assets under management last fiscal year.
| Client type | Clients | Assets |
|---|---|---|
| Individuals (other than HNW) | 78% | 23% |
| High-net-worth individuals | 21% | 62% |
| Pension and profit-sharing plans | 1% | 15% |
Client breakdown and activity details
| Client type | Clients | Regulatory AUM | AUM share | Avg. per client |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individuals (other than HNW) | 2,033 | $316M | 22.6% | $155K |
| High-net-worth individuals | 551 | $871M | 62.3% | $1.58M |
| Pension and profit-sharing plans | 35 | $212M | 15.1% | $6.04M |
| Total | 2,619 | $1.4B | 100% | $534K |
- Clients
- 2,033
- Regulatory AUM
- $316M
- AUM share
- 22.6%
- Avg. per client
- $155K
- Clients
- 551
- Regulatory AUM
- $871M
- AUM share
- 62.3%
- Avg. per client
- $1.58M
- Clients
- 35
- Regulatory AUM
- $212M
- AUM share
- 15.1%
- Avg. per client
- $6.04M
Total
- Clients
- 2,619
- Regulatory AUM
- $1.4B
- AUM share
- 100%
- Avg. per client
- $534K
- Clients outside the U.S.
- 1%
- Clients advised without assets under management last fiscal year
- 4
- Private funds advised
- 0
- Financial planning clients last fiscal year
- 2500
Acorn Financial Advisory Services charges 0.60%–1.70% a year for its Portfolio Management - Investment Management Program. The fee is billed in advance, is negotiable, has a $17,000 annual minimum and requires an account of at least $1,000,000. The brochure also prices one other service, listed under fee details.
Fee details and sources
Other fees
- Financial Planning and Analysis
- A financial planning and analysis contract is usually a flat fee with a $3,750 firm minimum; hourly rates are $625 to $1,295 for adviser time and $175 for staff time, with a two-hour minimum.
James Gambaccini owns 75% or more of Acorn Financial Advisory Services. James Gambaccini is CEO. It has 11 employees.
Leadership
- James GambacciniChief Executive Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, President
Investment adviser representatives
18 representatives listed in the SEC register as of 9 October 2026.
- Kerby Russell Baden
- Vincent Jonathan Barrett
- Steven Franklin Brandt
- Jonathan Neil Browning
- Jonathan Dean Cox
- Alex J D'Attilio
- John Ryan Forbrich
- James Michael Gambaccini
- Nathan Henry Gertler
- Donald Franklin Heishman
- Mark Douglas Herman
- Justin Michael Souder
- Margaret Maria Swinney
- Sean M Tyll
- Donald Louis Unger
- Michael Peter Wakeham
- Shannon Dale Ware
- Ronald Gordon Whitley
Staff
- 11 employees
- 11 in advisory functions
- 11 state-registered reps
- 5 broker-dealer reps
- 8 insurance agents
- Owns 75% or more of Acorn Financial Advisory Services, Inc.
James Gambaccini
Control person · since January 2012
Acorn Financial Advisory Services’ regulatory assets grew from $1.19B (July 2021) to $1.4B (June 2026); clients rose from 1,833 to 2,619 and employees fell from 47 to 11.
Figures from each annual filing
| Filed | Regulatory AUM | Clients | Employees | Offices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | $1.4B | 2,619 | 11 | 7 |
| June 2025 | $1.23B | 2,352 | 35 | 7 |
| May 2024 | $1.11B | 2,391 | 23 | 8 |
| March 2023 | $1.04B | 1,638 | 30 | 8 |
| June 2022 | $1.17B | 1,529 | 31 | 8 |
| July 2021 | $1.19B | 1,833 | 47 | 14 |
Besides its headquarters, Acorn Financial Advisory Services has 6 offices (1 private residence, listed without an address), with 6 listed addresses in Maryland and Virginia.
Virginia · 5 listed addresses
- 1900 Campus Commons Drive, Suite 600, RestonHQ
- Steve Brandt/ Ron Whitley, Alexandria
- Margaret Swinney & J. Ryan Forbrich, Manassas
- Old Dominion Investment & Retirement Advisors, Henrico
- Chip Ware and Don Heishman, Harrisonburg
Maryland · 1 listed address
- Vincent Barrett, Bethesda
Other business names
Acorn Financial Advisory Services has reported 2 other business names to the SEC.
- Acorn Financial Services
- Old Dominion Investment & Retirement Services
Contact and registration details
- Legal name
- Acorn Financial Advisory Services, Inc.
- Headquarters
- 1900 Campus Commons Drive, Suite 600, Reston, VA 20191
- Website
- acorn-financial.com
- Phone
- 703-293-3100
- SEC file
- 801-66477
- Structure
- Florida corporation
- Fiscal year end
- December
Acorn Financial Advisory Services uses Charles Schwab ($1.14B) as custodian for its separately managed accounts. Acorn Financial Advisory Services has custody of client assets.
- Charles SchwabCharles Schwab & Co., Inc. · San Francisco, CA · $1.14B100%
At year end, Acorn Financial Advisory Services’ separately managed accounts were mostly in stocks (51%) and funds (38%). Its reported 13F holdings for the quarter ended 30 June 2026 total $753M across 223 positions; the largest are iShares TR (7.5%), Vanguard Tax-managed Fds (7.0%) and Pimco ETF TR (5.7%).
What the accounts hold
- Stocks51%
- Exchange-traded equities40%
- Non-exchange-traded equities11%
- Funds38%
- Bonds4%
- Cash2%
- Other5%
- Dsts and closed end funds,3%
- Derivatives2%
Reported 13F holdings
- $753M
- Reported 13F value
- 223
- Positions
- 50.1%
- In the 10 largest
- +3.2%
- Value vs. prior quarter
- iShares TR · Core US Aggbd ET7.5%
- Vanguard Tax-managed Fds · Van FTSE Dev Mkt7.0%
- Pimco ETF TR · Multisector BD5.7%
- SPDR Series Trust · ST Sho Treas ETF5.5%
- iShares Gold TR · iShares New5.0%
- Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Del · CL B New4.1%
- Vanguard Index Fds · S&P 500 ETF Shs4.0%
- American Centy ETF TR · US Sml CP Valu4.0%
- iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF · Shs Ben Int3.8%
- Eli Lilly & CO3.7%
Together, the ten largest are 50.1% of reported value.
How many clients does Acorn Financial Advisory Services have?
Acorn Financial Advisory Services has 2,619 clients and manages $1.4 billion for them, as of June 2026. They include 2,033 individual clients, 551 high-net-worth individuals, and 35 pension and profit-sharing plans.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.D and 5.F, filed 15 June 2026
What services does Acorn Financial Advisory Services offer?
Acorn Financial Advisory Services provides financial planning, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, portfolio management for institutions, pension consulting, selecting other managers, and educational seminars.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Item 5.G, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file
How much does Acorn Financial Advisory Services charge?
Acorn Financial Advisory Services charges 0.60%–1.70% a year for its Portfolio Management - Investment Management Program. The fee is billed in advance, is negotiable, has a $17,000 annual minimum and requires an account of at least $1,000,000.
Source: FIRM BROCHURE, filed 28 May 2026
Which custodians does Acorn Financial Advisory Services use?
Acorn Financial Advisory Services’ separately managed account assets are held at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (San Francisco, CA), with $1.14B. Only custodians holding at least a tenth of those assets are named.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Schedule D, Section 5.K.(3), filed 15 June 2026
How many financial advisors does Acorn Financial Advisory Services have?
Acorn Financial Advisory Services has 11 investment adviser representatives registered with state securities authorities, out of 11 employees, and 11 perform investment advisory functions. 5 employees are registered representatives of a broker-dealer and 8 employees are licensed insurance agents.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.A and 5.B, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file
What does Acorn Financial Advisory Services invest in?
At the end of its last fiscal year, Acorn Financial Advisory Services’ separately managed accounts held 40% exchange-traded equities, 38% registered funds (mutual funds, ETFs, BDCs), 11% non-exchange-traded equities, 4% U.S. government and agency bonds, 3% other, 2% derivatives and 2% cash and equivalents. The 3% other category is described as: DSTS and Closed End Funds,.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.K.(1) and 7.B, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file
Does Acorn Financial Advisory Services have a minimum investment?
Yes, Acorn Financial Advisory Services’ minimum account size for its Portfolio Management - Investment Management Program is $1M. It charges a $17K annual minimum fee.
Source: FIRM BROCHURE, filed 28 May 2026
Who owns Acorn Financial Advisory Services?
Acorn Financial Advisory Services’ direct owner is James Gambaccini (75% or more).
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Schedules A and B, filed 15 June 2026
How does Acorn Financial Advisory Services get paid?
Acorn Financial Advisory Services is paid through a percentage of assets under management, hourly charges, fixed fees and other compensation. Its Form ADV lists no commissions or performance-based fees among how it is paid.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Item 5.E, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file
Is Acorn Financial Advisory Services registered with the SEC?
Yes, Acorn Financial Advisory Services has been registered with the SEC as an investment adviser since 1 May 2006. Its CRD number is 116763 and its SEC file number is 801-66477.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Item 1, filed 15 June 2026; IAPD firm record
How do I contact Acorn Financial Advisory Services?
Acorn Financial Advisory Services’ main office is at 1900 Campus Commons Drive, Suite 600, Reston, VA 20191. Its phone number is 703-293-3100. Its website is acorn-financial.com.