Ballast Financial Advisors provides financial planning, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, portfolio management for institutions, pension consulting, and selecting other managers. Financial planning was provided to 1–10 clients last fiscal year.
Ballast Financial Advisors reports 607 clients. They include 482 individual clients, 120 high-net-worth individuals, and 5 corporations and other businesses. Of its assets, 37.7% ($129M across 782 accounts) are managed with discretion; $214M across 791 accounts are not. A wrap fee program the firm both sponsors and manages holds $166M. It advised 2 clients without assets under management last fiscal year.
| Client type | Clients | Assets |
|---|---|---|
| Individuals (other than HNW) | 79% | 34% |
| High-net-worth individuals | 20% | 61% |
| Pension and profit-sharing plans | Fewer than 5 | 5% |
| Corporations and other businesses | <1% | <1% |
Client shares use reported counts. Client types without a reported count are excluded from that total.
Client breakdown and activity details
| Client type | Clients | Regulatory AUM | AUM share | Avg. per client |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individuals (other than HNW) | 482 | $117M | 34.1% | $243K |
| High-net-worth individuals | 120 | $208M | 60.6% | $1.73M |
| Pension and profit-sharing plans | Fewer than 5 | $17.9M | 5.2% | — |
| Corporations and other businesses | 5 | $131K | 0.0% | $26.2K |
| Total | 607 | $343M | 100% | — |
- Clients
- 482
- Regulatory AUM
- $117M
- AUM share
- 34.1%
- Avg. per client
- $243K
- Clients
- 120
- Regulatory AUM
- $208M
- AUM share
- 60.6%
- Avg. per client
- $1.73M
- Clients
- Fewer than 5
- Regulatory AUM
- $17.9M
- AUM share
- 5.2%
- Avg. per client
- —
- Clients
- 5
- Regulatory AUM
- $131K
- AUM share
- 0.0%
- Avg. per client
- $26.2K
Total
- Clients
- 607
- Regulatory AUM
- $343M
- AUM share
- 100%
- Avg. per client
- —
- Clients outside the U.S.
- 0%
- Clients advised without assets under management last fiscal year
- 2
- Private funds advised
- 0
- Financial planning clients last fiscal year
- 1–10
Ballast Financial Advisors is paid through a percentage of assets under management, hourly charges and fixed fees (other than subscription fees). The reviewed brochures do not disclose an asset-based fee rate. Read the SEC-filed brochure. The brochure also prices 2 other services, listed under fee details.
Fee details and sources
Other fees
- Financial Planning and Consulting
- Financial planning and consulting is billed hourly, at a maximum of $500 an hour, or as a flat fee not exceeding $10,000, with payment terms set case by case.
- Retirement Plan Consulting
- Retirement plan consulting is billed as a flat fee not exceeding $10,000, or as a percentage of plan assets not exceeding 1.00%.
Daniel MC Hugh owns 50% to 75% of Ballast Financial Advisors. The leadership team of Ballast Financial Advisors includes Chief Compliance Officer Joseph Baker. It has 5 employees.
Leadership
- Joseph BakerManaging Member & Chief Compliance Officer
- Daniel MC HughManaging Member
Investment adviser representatives
6 representatives listed in the SEC register as of 9 October 2026.
- Joseph David Baker
- Jake Dexter Burnham
- Daniel Elser
- Mark Allen May
- Daniel Patrick McHugh
- Kevin Clay Wrenn
Staff
- 5 employees
- 5 in advisory functions
- 5 state-registered reps
- 3 insurance agents
- Owns 50% to 75% of Ballast Financial Advisors, LLC
Daniel MC Hugh
Control person · since July 2019
- Owns 25% to 50% of Ballast Financial Advisors, LLC
Joseph Baker
Control person · since July 2019
Ballast Financial Advisors’ regulatory assets grew 2.8× from $121M (April 2021) to $343M (March 2026); clients rose from 265 to 607 and employees fell from 6 to 5.
Figures from each annual filing
| Filed | Regulatory AUM | Clients | Employees | Offices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026 | $343M | 607 | 5 | 3 |
| March 2025 | $276M | 564 | 6 | 3 |
| February 2024 | $247M | 553 | 6 | 3 |
| March 2023 | $201M | 525 | 7 | 3 |
| July 2022 | $234M | 478 | 5 | 3 |
| April 2021 | $121M | 265 | 6 | 3 |
Besides its headquarters, Ballast Financial Advisors has 2 offices, with 3 listed addresses in Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Delaware · 1 listed address
- 33 the Circle, Georgetown
Maryland · 1 listed address
- 1910 Towne Center BLVD, Annapolis
Pennsylvania · 1 listed address
- 535 N. Church St., Suite 205, West ChesterHQ
Other business names
Ballast Financial Advisors has reported 1 other business name to the SEC.
- Anchor Capital Management LLC
Contact and registration details
- Legal name
- Ballast Financial Advisors, LLC
- Headquarters
- 535 N. Church St., Suite 205, West Chester, PA 19380
- Website
- ballastfa.com
- Phone
- 484-266-7281
- @ballast-financial-advisors
- SEC file
- 801-117158
- Structure
- Delaware LLC
- Fiscal year end
- December
Ballast Financial Advisors uses Charles Schwab ($320M) as custodian for its separately managed accounts. Ballast Financial Advisors has custody of $224M in client assets for 406 clients.
- Charles SchwabCharles Schwab & Co., Inc. · Westlake, TX · $320M100%
At year end, Ballast Financial Advisors’ separately managed accounts were mostly in funds (88%) and stocks (10%). Its reported 13F holdings for the quarter ended 30 June 2026 total $110M across 71 positions; the largest are Schwab Strategic TR (11.4%), Schwab Strategic TR (11.0%) and iShares TR (10.8%).
What the accounts hold
- Stocks10%
- Exchange-traded equities9%
- Non-exchange-traded equities1%
- Funds88%
- Registered funds87%
- Pooled vehicles1%
- Cash3%
- Other1%
- Individual bond positions, equity linked notes.1%
Reported 13F holdings
- $110M
- Reported 13F value
- 71
- Positions
- 59.8%
- In the 10 largest
- +13.3%
- Value vs. prior quarter
- Schwab Strategic TR · US Lrg Cap ETF11.4%
- Schwab Strategic TR · US Aggregate B11.0%
- iShares TR · Core 1 5 YR Usd10.8%
- Schwab Strategic TR · Fundamental Intl5.5%
- American Centy ETF TR · US Sml CP Valu4.4%
- American Centy ETF TR · US Large Cap Vlu4.2%
- J P Morgan Exchange Traded F · US Qualty Fctr4.1%
- Schwab Strategic TR · Intl Eqty ETF3.5%
- Vanguard Index Fds · Sml CP Grw ETF2.6%
- Vanguard Specialized Funds · Div App ETF2.3%
Together, the ten largest are 59.8% of reported value.
How many clients does Ballast Financial Advisors have?
Ballast Financial Advisors has 607 clients and manages $343 million for them, as of March 2026. They include 482 individual clients, 120 high-net-worth individuals, and 5 corporations and other businesses.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.D and 5.F, filed 17 March 2026
What services does Ballast Financial Advisors offer?
Ballast Financial Advisors provides financial planning, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, portfolio management for institutions, pension consulting, and selecting other managers.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Item 5.G, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file
Which custodians does Ballast Financial Advisors use?
Ballast Financial Advisors’ separately managed account assets are held at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (Westlake, TX), with $320M. Only custodians holding at least a tenth of those assets are named.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Schedule D, Section 5.K.(3), filed 17 March 2026
How many financial advisors does Ballast Financial Advisors have?
Ballast Financial Advisors has 5 investment adviser representatives registered with state securities authorities, out of 5 employees, and 5 perform investment advisory functions. 0 employees are registered representatives of a broker-dealer and 3 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 Ballast Financial Advisors invest in?
At the end of its last fiscal year, Ballast Financial Advisors’ separately managed accounts held 87% registered funds (mutual funds, ETFs, BDCs), 9% exchange-traded equities, 3% cash and equivalents, 1% non-exchange-traded equities, 1% pooled vehicles (private funds and similar) and 1% other. The 1% other category is described as: Individual Bond Positions, Equity Linked Notes.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.K.(1) and 7.B, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file
Who owns Ballast Financial Advisors?
Ballast Financial Advisors’ direct owners are Joseph Baker (25% to 50%) and Daniel MC Hugh (50% to 75%).
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Schedules A and B, filed 17 March 2026
How does Ballast Financial Advisors get paid?
Ballast Financial Advisors is paid through a percentage of assets under management, hourly charges and fixed fees. 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 Ballast Financial Advisors registered with the SEC?
Yes, Ballast Financial Advisors has been registered with the SEC as an investment adviser since 13 August 2019. Its CRD number is 304430 and its SEC file number is 801-117158.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Item 1, filed 17 March 2026; IAPD firm record
How do I contact Ballast Financial Advisors?
Ballast Financial Advisors’ main office is at 535 N. Church St., Suite 205, West Chester, PA 19380. Its phone number is 484-266-7281. Its website is ballastfa.com.