100 Fastest Growing RIAs Ranking Methodology

Forbes and RIA Channel recently announced the 2016 Top 100 RIAs by 10 Years of Growth List. RIA Channel is an affiliate of RIA Database, an independently owned and operated data company that collects and profiles financial advisory firms. RIA Database maintains profiles on over one million financial advisors across all intermediary channels: registered investment advisors, investment advisor representatives, registered representatives of broker/dealers, family office advisors, bank, trust, and independent brokers.  RIA Database was founded in 2005, and tracks historical investment and asset information on all registered investment advisors (RIAs).  RIAs are fiduciaries, registered with states or the Securities Exchange Commission (the SEC) as a regulated entity. Many asset managers, consultants, broker/dealer firms, trading firms, hedge funds and family offices are also RIAs. The Forbes and RIA Channel Top 100 RIAs by 10 Years of Growth specifically identified wealth managers, and ranked them by asset growth over prior ten years ending September 30, 2016.  If an RIA was not registered as an RIA each of the past ten years, it was not included in this ranking. Additionally, firms were excluded if they had violations: civil, criminal or regulatory. Assets were based on assets under management as reported on each firm’s Form ADV Part I. Further qualification, defined by RIA Channel, required that each RIA advised clients on comprehensive wealth management services including manager due diligence, manager selection, asset allocation, portfolio construction, portfolio management for individuals, and ongoing supervisory management of client assets.  Fund companies, hedge funds, broker/dealers, registered representatives, and banks were excluded.  For more information, contact RIA Database.