Essential Partners provides financial planning, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, and portfolio management for institutions.
Essential Partners reports 58 clients. They include 56 high-net-worth individuals, 1 other investment adviser and 1 corporate or other business client. Of its assets, 100.0% ($401M across 309 accounts) are managed with discretion.
| Client type | Clients | Assets |
|---|---|---|
| High-net-worth individuals | 97% | 89% |
| Other investment advisers | 2% | <1% |
| Corporations and other businesses | 2% | 10% |
Client breakdown and activity details
| Client type | Clients | Regulatory AUM | AUM share | Avg. per client |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-net-worth individuals | 56 | $357M | 89.0% | $6.38M |
| Other investment advisers | Fewer than 5 | $3.36M | 0.8% | $3.36M |
| Corporations and other businesses | Fewer than 5 | $40.6M | 10.1% | $40.6M |
| Total | 58 | $401M | 100% | — |
- Clients
- 56
- Regulatory AUM
- $357M
- AUM share
- 89.0%
- Avg. per client
- $6.38M
- Clients
- Fewer than 5
- Regulatory AUM
- $3.36M
- AUM share
- 0.8%
- Avg. per client
- $3.36M
- Clients
- Fewer than 5
- Regulatory AUM
- $40.6M
- AUM share
- 10.1%
- Avg. per client
- $40.6M
Total
- Clients
- 58
- Regulatory AUM
- $401M
- AUM share
- 100%
- Avg. per client
- —
- Clients outside the U.S.
- 0%
- Clients advised without assets under management last fiscal year
- 0
- Private funds advised
- 0
- Financial planning clients last fiscal year
- 0
Essential Partners charges 0.75%–1.25% a year for its Asset Management Fee Schedule. The fee is billed in arrears. The brochure also prices one other service, listed under fee details.
Fee details and sources
Other fees
- Financial Planning and Consulting
- Financial planning and consulting is a fixed fee, shown as a general range of $20,000 to $300,000, billed as a one-time project fee or as an annual fee paid monthly or quarterly.
Nick Bartolo owns 75% or more of Essential Partners. It has 2 employees.
Staff
- 2 employees
- 2 in advisory functions
- 2 state-registered reps
- Owns 75% or more of Essential Partners LLC
Nick Bartolo
Control person · since July 2021
Essential Partners’ regulatory assets went from $408M (June 2023) to $401M (March 2026); clients rose from 30 to 58 and employees from 1 to 2.
Figures from each annual filing
| Filed | Regulatory AUM | Clients | StaffEmployees | Offices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026March 2026 | $401M | 58 | 2 | 2 |
| Mar 2025March 2025 | $325M | 39 | 1 | 1 |
| Mar 2024March 2024 | $225M | 33 | 1 | 1 |
| Jun 2023June 2023 | $408M | 30 | 1 | 1 |
Besides its headquarters, Essential Partners has 1 office (1 private residence, listed without an address), with 1 listed address in 1 state.
California · 1 listed address
- 16950 Via De Santa Fe, Suite 5060-175, Rancho Santa Fe,HQ
Other business names
Essential Partners has reported 1 other business name to the SEC.
- Element Partners
Contact and registration details
- Legal name
- Essential Partners LLC
- Headquarters
- 16950 Via De Santa Fe, Suite 5060-175, Rancho Santa Fe,, CA 92067
- Website
- essentialpartners.com
- Phone
- 213-878-0074
- @74760769
- SEC file
- 801-126327
- Structure
- Texas LLC
- Fiscal year end
- December
Essential Partners’ named custodians for separately managed accounts are Charles Schwab ($209M, 53%) and Fidelity ($184M, 47%). Essential Partners does not have custody of client assets.
- Charles SchwabCharles Schwab & Co., Inc. · San Francisco, CA · $209M53%
- FidelityFidelity Brokerage Services LLC · Smithfield, RI · $184M47%
At year end, Essential Partners’ separately managed accounts were largely in funds (31%) and cash (31%). Its reported 13F holdings for the quarter ended 30 June 2026 total $217M across 2,853 positions; the largest are Sprott Gold Convert To Physical (6.0%), Vanguard Short-term Usts (2.3%) and iShares S&P 500 (2.2%).
What the accounts hold
- Stocks13%
- Funds31%
- Registered funds23%
- Pooled vehicles8%
- Bonds25%
- Cash31%
How many clients does Essential Partners have?
Essential Partners has 58 clients and manages $401 million for them, as of March 2026. They include 56 high-net-worth individuals, 1 other investment adviser and 1 corporate or other business client.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.D and 5.F, filed 30 March 2026
What services does Essential Partners offer?
Essential Partners provides financial planning, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, and portfolio management for institutions.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Item 5.G, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file
How much does Essential Partners charge?
Essential Partners charges 0.75%–1.25% a year for its Asset Management Fee Schedule. The fee is billed in arrears.
Source: ESSENTIAL PARTNERS FORM ADV PART 2A, filed 30 March 2026
Which custodians does Essential Partners use?
Essential Partners’ separately managed account assets are held at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (San Francisco, CA), with $209M and Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC (Smithfield, RI), with $184M. Only custodians holding at least a tenth of those assets are named.
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Schedule D, Section 5.K.(3), filed 30 March 2026
How many financial advisors does Essential Partners have?
Essential Partners has 2 investment adviser representatives registered with state securities authorities, out of 2 employees, and 2 perform investment advisory functions. None are registered representatives of a broker-dealer or 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 Essential Partners invest in?
At the end of its last fiscal year, Essential Partners’ separately managed accounts held 31% cash and equivalents, 25% U.S. government and agency bonds, 23% registered funds (mutual funds, ETFs, BDCs), 13% exchange-traded equities and 8% pooled vehicles (private funds and similar).
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Items 5.K.(1) and 7.B, from the SEC's 2 October 2026 data file
Who owns Essential Partners?
Essential Partners’ direct owner is Nick Bartolo (75% or more).
Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Schedules A and B, filed 30 March 2026
How does Essential Partners get paid?
Essential Partners is paid through a percentage of assets under management 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
How do I contact Essential Partners?
Essential Partners’ main office is at 16950 Via De Santa Fe, Suite 5060-175, Rancho Santa Fe,, CA 92067. Its phone number is 213-878-0074. Its website is essentialpartners.com.