Top 10 financial advisor firms in North Carolina

192 SEC-registered financial advisor firms are headquartered in North Carolina, with $156B in combined regulatory assets under management. The largest by assets are Wells Fargo Investment Institute ($43B), Bragg Financial Advisors ($4.67B) and Franklin Street Advisors ($4.53B).

192
Financial advisor firms: $156B
Their combined AUM: $316M
Median firm AUM: 28,518
Clients of the top 10

The 10 largest by assets

1
Wells Fargo Investment Institute
RIA
$43B
Regulatory AUM
2
Bragg Financial Advisors
RIA
$4.67B
0.50% to 0.85% a year
3
Franklin Street Advisors
RIA
$4.53B
0.75% to 1.00% a year
4
Salem Investment Counselors
RIA
$4.19B
1.00% to 1.00% a year
5
Biltmore Family Office
RIA
$3.47B
0.50% to 1.00% a year
6
Colony Family Offices
RIA
$3.36B
0.50% to 1.00% a year
7
Smith, Salley & Associates
RIA
$2.89B
Up to 1.00% a year
8
Guardian Wealth Advisors
RIA
$2.74B
Regulatory AUM
9
Cornerstone Wealth Group
RIA
$2.49B
0.30% to 1.25% a year
10
Capital Investment Advisory Services
RIA
$2.39B
Up to 2.00% a year

Profiles of the top 10

No. 1 · RIA

Wells Fargo Investment Institute

Wells Fargo Investment Institute is an investment adviser based in Charlotte, NC, registered with the SEC since 2005. It provides investment management. Its clients include high-net-worth individuals, other clients, and corporations and other businesses. Its regulatory assets under management total $43 billion, as filed on 23 March 2026.

Regulatory AUM: $43B
Clients: 12,216
Advisory staff: 143
Custodians: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Headquarters: 550 South Tryon Street, 40th Floor, Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: 314-354-5814
Website: wellsfargoadvisors.com

No. 2 · RIA

Bragg Financial Advisors

Bragg Financial Advisors is an investment adviser based in Charlotte, NC, registered with the SEC since 1999. It provides financial planning and investment management. Its clients include high-net-worth individuals, investment companies and individual clients. Its regulatory assets under management total $4.67 billion, as filed on 17 September 2026.

Bragg Financial Advisors charges 0.50%–0.85% a year for its Managed Account Program.

Regulatory AUM: $4.67B
Clients: 1,613
Advisory staff: 15
Fee schedule: 0.50% to 0.85% a year
Custodians: Pershing, Charles Schwab
Headquarters: 1031 South Caldwell St, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28203
Phone: 704-377-0261
Website: braggfinancial.com

No. 3 · RIA

Franklin Street Advisors

Franklin Street Advisors is an investment adviser based in Chapel Hill, NC, registered with the SEC since 1991. It provides investment management. Its clients include high-net-worth individuals, corporations and other businesses, and pooled investment vehicles. Its regulatory assets under management total $4.53 billion, as filed on 22 May 2026.

Franklin Street Advisors charges 0.75%–1.00% a year for its Accounts Holding Equity, Cash and/or Mixed.

Regulatory AUM: $4.53B
Clients: 413
Advisory staff: 18
Fee schedule: 0.75% to 1.00% a year
Custodians: Fidelity, SEI Private Trust
Headquarters: 1450 Raleigh Road, Suite 300, Chapel Hill, NC 27517-8833
Phone: 919-489-2600

No. 4 · RIA

Salem Investment Counselors

Salem Investment Counselors is an investment adviser based in Winston Salem, NC, registered with the SEC since 1979. It provides financial planning and investment management. Its clients include high-net-worth individuals, charitable organizations and individual clients. Its regulatory assets under management total $4.19 billion, as filed on 25 March 2026.

Salem Investment Counselors charges 1.00% a year for its Normal fee for services.

Regulatory AUM: $4.19B
Clients: 1,361
Advisory staff: 12
Founded: 1979
Fee schedule: 1.00% to 1.00% a year
Custodians: Charles Schwab
Headquarters: 480 Shepherd Street, Winston Salem, NC 27103
Phone: 336-768-7230
Website: saleminvestment.com

No. 5 · RIA

Biltmore Family Office

Biltmore Family Office is an investment adviser based in Charlotte, NC, registered with the SEC since 2013. It provides financial planning and investment management. Its clients include high-net-worth individuals, charitable organizations and individual clients. Its regulatory assets under management total $3.47 billion, as filed on 23 March 2026.

Biltmore Family Office charges 0.50%–1.00% a year for its Wealth Management Fee.

Regulatory AUM: $3.47B
Clients: 86
Advisory staff: 9
Fee schedule: 0.50% to 1.00% a year
Custodians: Charles Schwab, Fidelity
Headquarters: 500 East Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28203
Phone: 704-248-5230
Website: biltmorefamilyoffice.com

No. 6 · RIA

Colony Family Offices

Colony Family Offices is an investment adviser based in Charlotte, NC, registered with the SEC since 2013. It provides financial planning and investment management. Its clients include high-net-worth individuals and charitable organizations. Its regulatory assets under management total $3.36 billion, as filed on 10 August 2026.

Colony Family Offices charges 0.50%–1.00% a year for its Wealth Management and Financial Planning.

Regulatory AUM: $3.36B
Clients: 656
Advisory staff: 4
Fee schedule: 0.50% to 1.00% a year
Custodians: Fidelity
Headquarters: 4250 Congress Street, Suite 175, Charlotte, NC 28209
Phone: 704-285-7300
Website: colonyfamilyoffices.com

No. 7 · RIA

Smith, Salley & Associates

Smith, Salley & Associates is an investment adviser based in Greensboro, NC, registered with the SEC since 2003. It provides financial planning and investment management. Its clients include high-net-worth individuals, individual clients, and corporations and other businesses. Its regulatory assets under management total $2.89 billion, as filed on 9 September 2026.

Smith, Salley & Associates charges up to 1.00% a year for its Wealth Management Fees.

Regulatory AUM: $2.89B
Clients: 1,129
Advisory staff: 15
Founded: 2003
Fee schedule: Up to 1.00% a year
Custodians: Fidelity, Charles Schwab
Headquarters: 324 West Wendover Avenue, Suite 301, Greensboro, NC 27408
Phone: 336-379-7556
Website: smith-salley.com

No. 8 · RIA

Guardian Wealth Advisors

Guardian Wealth Advisors is an investment adviser based in Raleigh, NC, registered with the SEC since 2020. It provides financial planning and investment management. Its clients include high-net-worth individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, and individual clients. Its regulatory assets under management total $2.74 billion, as filed on 26 March 2026.

Regulatory AUM: $2.74B
Clients: 2,262
Advisory staff: 30
Custodians: Charles Schwab
Headquarters: 2413 Blue Ridge RD, Suite 201, Raleigh, NC 27607
Phone: 919-249-1810
Website: guardian-wa.com

No. 9 · RIA

Cornerstone Wealth Group

Cornerstone Wealth Group is an investment adviser based in Huntersville, NC, registered with the SEC since 2017. It provides financial planning and investment management. Its clients include high-net-worth individuals, individual clients and other clients. Its regulatory assets under management total $2.49 billion, as filed on 3 August 2026.

Cornerstone Wealth Group charges 0.30%–1.25% a year for its Comprehensive Portfolio Management.

Regulatory AUM: $2.49B
Clients: 2,506
Advisory staff: 50
Fee schedule: 0.30% to 1.25% a year
Custodians: Charles Schwab, Fidelity
Headquarters: 16810 Kenton Drive, Suite 200, Huntersville, NC 28078
Phone: 704-987-3410
Website: cwgadvisors.com

No. 10 · RIA

Capital Investment Advisory Services

Capital Investment Advisory Services is an investment adviser based in Raleigh, NC, registered with the SEC since 2009. It provides financial planning and investment management. Its clients include high-net-worth individuals, individual clients, and corporations and other businesses. Its regulatory assets under management total $2.39 billion, as filed on 12 March 2026.

Capital Investment Advisory Services charges up to 2.00% a year for its Portfolio Management and Advisory Services.

Regulatory AUM: $2.39B
Clients: 6,276
Advisory staff: 87
Fee schedule: Up to 2.00% a year
Custodians: Charles Schwab, Pershing
Headquarters: 100 E. Six Forks Road, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27609
Phone: 919-831-2370
Website: capital-invest.com

Questions about financial advisors in North Carolina

How many financial advisor firms are headquartered in North Carolina?

192 SEC-registered financial advisor firms report their principal office in North Carolina, managing $156B in regulatory assets between them. The other 82 advisers headquartered in the state are broker-dealers, other kinds of wealth firm, or fund and institutional managers.

Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Items 1.F, 5.D and 5.F

What is the largest financial advisor firm in North Carolina?

Wells Fargo Investment Institute, with $43B in regulatory assets under management on its latest Form ADV. The next largest are Bragg Financial Advisors ($4.67B) and Franklin Street Advisors ($4.53B).

Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Item 5.F

How large is a typical financial advisor firm in North Carolina?

The median firm manages $316M in regulatory assets. That is the midpoint of the 192 firms headquartered in North Carolina.

Source: Form ADV Part 1A, Item 5.F

How much do financial advisors in North Carolina charge?

Of the 10 largest firms, 8 publish an asset-based fee schedule for their main service in their brochure. The highest rate in those schedules runs from 0.85% to 2.00% of assets, depending on the firm; each firm's fee is in its profile above.

Source: Form ADV Part 2A brochures, Item 5

How can I check a financial advisor's record in North Carolina?

Search the firm or the person on the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure site, adviserinfo.sec.gov, which shows registrations, Form ADV filings and any disclosures. Each firm profile in this directory links its SEC record.

Source: SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure

How is this list ordered?

By regulatory assets under management as filed on Form ADV, largest first. A firm is included when its principal office is in the state and most of its client assets belong to individuals and its type is RIA, which leaves out broker-dealers, wirehouses, RIA networks, digital advice, bank, insurance and family-office firms. A firm with only a branch office here is listed in its own headquarters state.

Source: Niva directory methodology

North Carolina has 192 financial advisor firms; see every adviser in the state →

The 10 largest by assets

Profiles of the top 10

Questions about financial advisors in North Carolina

Top financial advisor firms by city in North Carolina