1. Michael Kitces

Based in Reston, Virginia, USA

The most prolific and practically useful educator in the financial advisory profession, bar none. Head of Planning Strategy at Focus Partners Wealth, co-founder of XY Planning Network, AdvicePay, fpPathfinder, and New Planner Recruiting, and publisher of the Nerd's Eye View blog at Kitces.com — which publishes multiple times per week and has done so without interruption for over a decade. His Financial Advisor Success podcast reached episode 480 in March 2026, publishing weekly without fail. Throughout 2025-2026, Kitces continued his original research on how advisors actually plan, price, and grow — including landmark work on team structures, organic growth, and the impact of AI on advisory practices. If there is a single resource that makes practising financial advisors better at what they do, it is Kitces.com. A resource tens of thousands of advisors treat as essential reading, updated without interruption for over a decade

 

2. Carl Richards

Based in Park City, Utah, USA

CFP, New York Times "Sketch Guy" columnist for a decade, author of three bestsellers — including Your Money: Reimagining Wealth in 101 Simple Sketches published in October 2025 — and the most articulate voice on the emotional and human dimensions of financial advice. Co-host of Kitces & Carl with episode 175 published October 2025, host of 50 Fires: Money and Meaning podcast, and founder of the Society of Advice — a community of financial planners dedicated to the craft of giving genuine advice. Featured on Morningstar's The Long View podcast in October 2025 discussing his new book and the future of deeply human financial advice. His sketches translate the most complex financial behaviour concepts into immediate clarity. A unique and irreplaceable voice.

 

3. Joshua Brown

Based in New York City, NY, USA

CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management ($5B+ AUM), regular CNBC Halftime Report contributor, host of The Compound and Friends podcast — publishing new episodes as recently as this week in March 2026 — and author of You Weren't Supposed to See That (2024). With nearly 300,000 LinkedIn followers, Brown is the most widely followed working financial advisor on the internet, combining genuine investment expertise with a gift for plain-speaking commentary that reaches both advisors and retail investors. His Downtown Josh Brown newsletter covers markets, wealth management trends, and the state of the advisory industry with clarity that few in the profession can match. A genuine practitioner with genuine reach.

 

4. Christine Benz

Based in Chicago, Illinois, USA

Director of Personal Finance and Retirement Planning at Morningstar and author of How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement — published in 2024 and actively circulating throughout the review period as one of the most practically useful retirement planning books for both consumers and advisors. Host of Morningstar's The Long View podcast throughout 2025-2026, featuring conversations with leading practitioners and researchers on retirement, investing, and personal finance. A trusted, evidence-based voice for both advisors and the clients they serve, Benz combines academic rigour with genuine accessibility. One of the most credible and widely respected voices on retirement planning in the world.

 

5. Jeffrey Levine

Based in St. Louis, MO, USA

Chief Planning Officer at Focus Partners Wealth (the Focus Financial Partners-owned RIA hub), Lead Planning Nerd at Kitces.com, and Professor of Practice at The American College of Financial Services, where he launched the "Tax Planning Certified Professional" programme in 2025 — a major new credential for the profession. Holder of eight professional certifications, a fixture at major industry conferences throughout the review period, and one of the most followed financial planners on LinkedIn for his rapid, detail-rich breakdowns of tax law, planning strategy, and regulatory changes. Named by Financial Planning magazine as one of 20 people who will shape wealth management in 2026. The sharpest tax-and-planning mind actively sharing knowledge with the profession.

 

6. Samantha Russell

Based in University Park, PA, USA

Chief Evangelist at FMG Suite and the leading voice on marketing and digital visibility for financial advisors — particularly in the AI era. Throughout 2025, Russell was the most cited practitioner voice on how Google's AI Overviews have devastated traditional SEO for advisors, and what they must do differently to remain discoverable by prospective clients. A regular speaker at Future Proof, Financial Planning's ADVISE AI conference, and industry events throughout the year, she has been instrumental in guiding tens of thousands of advisors through the practical marketing changes the AI search revolution demands. Named by Financial Planning as one of 20 people who will shape wealth management in 2026. The most practically useful voice for advisors trying to grow in a no-click search world.

 

7. Jason Wenk

Based in Los Angeles, CA, USA

Founder and CEO of Altruist — named the fastest-growing custodian in the 2025 T3 study, serving nearly 5,000 advisors, valued at $1.9 billion after a $152 million Series F in April 2025. In January 2026, Altruist released Hazel, its AI assistant for advisors that draws on real-time account data. Wenk's mission — to build a genuinely advisor-friendly custodian alternative to Schwab, Fidelity, and Pershing — is directly relevant to every independent advisor in the US. Named by Financial Planning as one of 20 people who will shape wealth management in 2026. The most consequential entrepreneur building for the independent advisory space right now.

 

8. Sarah Levy

Based in New York City, NY, USA

CEO of Betterment — the largest independent digital investment advisor in the US — since late 2020, Levy transformed the platform from a digital-only robo-advisor into a diversified wealth management platform serving retail investors, businesses, and independent financial advisors. In 2025, Betterment acquired Rowboat Advisors and Ellevest's automated investing business, expanding its scale significantly. Named by Financial Planning as one of 20 people who will shape wealth management in 2026. Her consumer-first approach to democratising financial advice — making services once reserved for the wealthy available to everyday investors — represents the most commercially successful answer to the question of what financial planning should look like for the mass market.

 

9. Carolyn McClanahan

Based in Jacksonville, Florida, USA

CFP and physician-turned-financial-planner, and one of the most credible and active voices in the profession on the intersection of health care planning and financial advice. A regular media presence throughout 2025-2026 — featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and on CNBC — and a nationally recognised speaker on life planning, healthcare costs in retirement, and the financial planning needs of families navigating serious illness. Founder of Life Planning Partners and one of the most cited practitioners for journalists writing about financial planning from a human-centred perspective. Her ability to communicate complex planning concepts with genuine warmth and authority makes her one of the most trusted consumer-facing voices in the profession.

 

10. Ed Slott

Based in Rockville Centre, NY, USA

America's IRA and retirement planning expert, author of multiple bestsellers including The New Retirement Savings Time Bomb, and one of the most sought-after educators in the profession for his ability to translate complex IRS rules into immediately actionable advice for both advisors and their clients. Throughout 2025-2026, Slott remained one of the most active keynote speakers at advisor conferences and a regular presence in major financial media, with particular relevance given the tax law changes resulting from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and its implications for retirement accounts. With nearly 50 years in the profession, cited by the Indigo Marketing Agency as having "almost 50 years in the industry" and described as "widely regarded as the leading expert on IRAs and retirement planning."

 

11. Blair duQuesnay

Based in New Orleans, LA, USA

Lead Advisor at Ritholtz Wealth Management and one of the most authentic practitioner voices in the profession — particularly on the experience of female investors and clients, and the evolution of what high-quality financial advice looks like for ultra-high-net-worth households. Featured on Michael Kitces's Financial Advisor Success podcast in January 2026 discussing her transition to UHNW client work. Active LinkedIn presence throughout the review period with high-engagement content on planning, market volatility, and the advisor-client relationship. A credible, practising advisor whose public voice enriches the profession's self-understanding.

 

12. Kimberly Watkins

Based in Athens, Georgia, USA

Assistant Professor of Financial Planning at the University of Georgia and founder of the Financial Planning Academy — a summer programme for high school students run in partnership with Texas Tech University and funded by the Charles Schwab Foundation. Author of nearly two dozen academic papers on financial socialization and the financial wellbeing of marginalised communities. Named by Financial Planning as one of 20 people who will shape wealth management in 2026. At a moment when the profession faces a significant talent shortage and demographic homogeneity, Watkins's work to broaden access and develop the next generation of diverse advisors represents some of the most important long-term investment in the profession's future.

 

13. Carolyn Rosenblatt

Based in San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA

Co-founder of AgingParents.com and one of the most important voices in the profession on the financial and planning implications of ageing — including elder financial abuse, cognitive decline, long-term care, and the specific challenges of advising clients as they age. A Registered Nurse and attorney who brings both clinical and legal expertise to questions that most financial advisors have minimal training to handle. As the great wealth transfer accelerates, the ability to navigate ageing clients and their families with competence and compassion is increasingly one of the defining skills of elite financial advisors.

 

14. Roger Ma

Based in Washington DC-Baltimore, USA

CFP and author of Work Your Money, Not Your Life — one of the most practically relevant books for younger professionals navigating the intersection of career and financial planning. Throughout 2025, Ma maintained an active LinkedIn presence sharing accessible, jargon-free financial planning content aimed at the millennial and Gen Z professional audience that the profession is increasingly focused on reaching. His ability to translate planning fundamentals into language that resonates with younger clients fills a genuine gap between the profession's expertise and the audience it most needs to attract.

 

15. Cody Garrett

Based in Houston, Texas, USA

Founder of Measure Twice Financial and one of the most followed financial educators among do-it-yourself investors — specifically the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) community. Author of a fee-only financial planning model that serves clients who want guidance without being sold products. Throughout 2025, Garrett maintained one of the most active and trusted LinkedIn presences in the advice-only planning space, with content that consistently generates high engagement from both advisors seeking to build similar practices and consumers seeking to understand what genuine, unconflicted advice looks like. A genuinely important voice for a growing segment of the market.

 

16. Dasarte Yarnway

Based in Sacramento, CA, USA

Founder of Berknell Financial Group and one of the most visible advocates for diversity in the financial advisory profession — particularly for the experience and advancement of Black financial advisors and the clients underserved by mainstream wealth management. Author of Young, Gifted and Broke and a regular speaker at industry conferences throughout 2025. His work on financial literacy, community wealth building, and the representation gap in the advisory profession combines personal story with genuine policy implications. One of the most important voices in the profession on who financial planning currently serves and who it should.

 

17. Stephanie Bogan

Based in Park City, UT, USA

Executive coach and founder of Educe Group, and one of the most influential voices on the business of running a financial advisory practice — specifically, the mindset, leadership, and operational discipline required to build a high-performing, fulfilling practice rather than a consuming one. Throughout 2025, Bogan was one of the most active and engaged keynote speakers at advisor conferences on the intersection of practice management, growth strategy, and personal leadership. Her work has influenced thousands of advisors trying to bridge the gap between technical competence and business success.

 

18. Sara Grillo

Based in New York City, NY, USA

Founder of the Transparent Advisor Movement and one of the most direct and principled advocates for fee transparency, fiduciary clarity, and the elimination of conflicts of interest in financial advice. Throughout 2025, the Transparent Advisor Movement's second annual Immersion conference drew advisors committed to flat planning fees, clear pricing on websites, and advice structures that genuinely prioritise client outcomes. Named by Financial Planning as one of 20 people who will shape wealth management in 2026. Her refusal to compromise on transparency — and her willingness to call out practices that harm clients — makes her one of the most authentically principled voices in the profession.

 

19. Eric Balchunas

Based in Philadelphia, PA, USA

Senior ETF Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence and the most widely cited media voice on ETF markets, flows, and strategy throughout 2025-2026. Co-host of the Trillions podcast and author of The Bogle Effect — examining how John Bogle's indexing revolution permanently changed investing and wealth management. His commentary on ETF inflows, new product launches, and the structural shifts in how assets are managed provides essential context for advisors navigating product selection and portfolio construction. With a high-engagement social media presence and deep access to ETF market data, Balchunas is the most trusted independent voice on the products that underpin most modern advisory practices.

 

20. Nick Maggiulli

Based in New York City, NY, USA

Chief Operating Officer at Ritholtz Wealth Management and author of Just Keep Buying — one of the most data-driven and practically persuasive books on personal finance and wealth building, drawing on original analysis of decades of market and economic data. His Of Dollars and Data blog continues to publish throughout 2025-2026 with original research on investing, savings, and financial behaviour. His ability to challenge conventional financial wisdom with actual data — rather than anecdote or theory — makes him one of the most valuable evidence-based voices for advisors seeking to ground their client conversations in something stronger than conventional wisdom.

 

21. Matt Middleton

Based in Marlborough, MA, USA

Founder and CEO of Future Proof — the wealth management festival that grew from 1,700 attendees at its inaugural 2021 event to 5,000-person capacity at its annual flagship event. In August 2025, Middleton acquired a majority stake in ETF.com with Fintech Meetup founder Anil D. Aggarwal, aiming to transform it into a community-centred, event-forward platform. Named by Financial Planning as one of 20 people who will shape wealth management in 2026. Future Proof has become the defining event in the independent advisory space — a genuine community-building achievement in an industry that has historically been defined by product-driven conferences.

 

22. Rianka Dorsainvil

Based in Washington DC-Baltimore Area, USA

Co-founder of 2050 Wealth Partners and one of the most visible advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the financial planning profession. A Certified Financial Planner and regular CNBC contributor throughout 2025-2026, Dorsainvil focuses specifically on the planning needs of first-generation wealth builders — people whose families did not historically have access to professional financial advice. Her work bridges the advice gap at a moment when demographic change is creating the most important and underserved market opportunity in wealth management.

 

23. Lazetta Rainey Braxton

Based in New York City, NY, USA

Co-CEO of 2050 Wealth Partners and one of the most rigorous and commercially grounded voices on the business case for serving underserved communities in wealth management. A CFP with particular expertise in the financial planning needs of Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities, Braxton continued throughout 2025 to combine active client work with speaking, writing, and advocacy for a more equitable advisory profession. Her work sits at the intersection of business strategy and social impact in a way that speaks directly to the profession's demographic and commercial future.

 

24. Dennis Moseley-Williams

Based in Ottawa, ON, Canada

One of the most thought-provoking voices on what the next evolution of financial advice actually looks like — specifically, his framework for transforming advisory firms from product-and-service businesses into experience-based firms that create genuine transformation in clients' lives. Throughout 2025, his keynotes and writing on the "Serious Shift" from transactional to transformational advice continued to resonate strongly with advisors seeking a way to differentiate meaningfully in a commoditised market. A clear, original thinker whose framework is increasingly cited by advisors rethinking their client relationships from the ground up.

 

25. Sheryl Garrett

Based in Eureka Springs, AR, USA

Founder of the Garrett Planning Network — a community of fee-only, hourly financial planners who have democratised access to professional advice for middle-income Americans who do not have enough assets to qualify for traditional AUM-based advisory relationships. Active throughout 2025-2026 in advocating for an advice model that serves clients who need guidance but cannot afford to pay 1% of investable assets for it. One of the most enduringly important structural voices in a profession grappling with how to serve everyone — not just the wealthy — with genuine planning expertise.

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Congratulations to All 25 Honourees

 

Think a financial advisor or wealth management leader belongs on next year's list? 

 

Nominations for the 2027 Industry Leaders Top 25 can be made here https://www.theindustryleaders.org/nominate

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Selections are made at the sole editorial discretion of The Industry Leaders based on publicly available information. Inclusion or exclusion does not constitute an endorsement, and positions within the list do not reflect a definitive ranking of merit.