Chicago Partners Wealth Advisor

What Chicago Partners Wealth Advisor does

Chicago Partners Wealth Advisor (legal entity Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC) is a fee-only, SEC-registered Registered Investment Advisor founded in 2008 when Jim Hagedorn and Anthony Halpin spun off PricewaterhouseCoopers' wealth management arm. The firm operates from its Chicago headquarters and additional offices in Honolulu, San Francisco, Naples, and Rochester, serving clients across 42 states and internationally. As of May 2026 the firm reports $8.1 billion in assets under management across more than 2,500 investor relationships and a team of 40–50+ financial professionals. The firm also manages $125 million+ in institutional AUM across more than 10 endowments, foundations, and non-profit clients.

The firm delivers wealth management through a proprietary 5-Step Wealth Optimization Process comprising Portfolio Audit (including a no-obligation Portfolio X-Ray), Investment Management using a 4-Quadrant approach across equities, fixed income, alternatives, and direct indexing, Tax Strategy Optimization, Advanced Financial Planning on eMoney's Wealth Management System, and Private Client Services. Its client-facing technology stack is built on Orion (portal and mobile app available on iOS and Android) and eMoney WMS, while Charles Schwab and Fidelity serve as custodians. Specialized modules include Tax-Aware Investment Strategies (institutional long/short and trend-following hedge fund access), Chicago Partners myFamilyOffice, Enhanced Corporate Cash Management, Covered Persons Advisory Services for compliance-restricted investors, and Foundation & Institutional Advisory. In May 2026, the firm became the first enterprise customer and design partner for FinTurk's AI-first CRM platform for financial advisors.

Chicago Partners is a privately held, founder-owned firm with no disclosed private equity or institutional investor backing. Revenue is generated exclusively through bundled AUM-based advisory fees that the firm claims are among the lowest in the industry per the Charles Schwab 2024 and 2025 RIA Benchmark Studies. Minimum account size is $500,000–$1,000,000 in investable assets, targeting high-net-worth individuals and families. Distribution is direct-to-client via enterprise field sales (in-person) and inside sales (Zoom), supported by a Wealth Insights Blog, organic SEO, quarterly client webinars, and a Portfolio X-Ray lead magnet. The firm partners with select CPA firms and estate planning law firms for tax preparation and estate coordination, with Schwab Bank for private banking and low-cost lending.

Name

Chicago Partners Wealth Advisor

Legal name

Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC

Website

https://chicagopartnersllc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Chicago Partners Wealth Advisor is a fee-only, fiduciary RIA managing $8.1B for 2,500+ high-net-worth individuals and families across 42 states via a proprietary 5-Step Wealth Optimization Process, with offices in six states and a specialized foundation/institutional practice.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Banking & UHNW Wealth Advisory (FSAEABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary) (FSAAABAD)

Keywords

• Wealth management services
• Investment advisory
• Financial planning
• Tax strategy optimization
• Estate planning advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Assets Under Management (AUM) Fee: Chicago Partners charges a fee based on assets under management (AUM). This single bundled fee covers investment management, tax planning, financial planning, estate planning coordination, and insurance planning review. The firm is fee-only and does not charge performance-based fees or commissions. The firm states its AUM fees are among the lowest in the industry according to the Charles Schwab 2024 and 2025 RIA Benchmark Studies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Chicago Partners Wealth Advisor is a fee-only fiduciary Registered Investment Advisor delivering comprehensive private wealth management built on its proprietary 5-Step Wealth Optimization Process: Portfolio Audit, Investment Management, Tax Strategy Optimization, Advanced Financial Planning, and Private Client Services. The firm designs customized investment portfolios integrating public and private market strategies, coordinates tax planning, financial planning, and estate planning for high-net-worth individuals and families, and serves corporations, foundations, compliance-restricted investors, and family offices with specialized modules. Revenue is generated through a single bundled AUM-based fee covering all advisory services.

Product overview

Chicago Partners Wealth Advisors operates as a fee-only, fiduciary Registered Investment Advisor offering a unified wealth management platform built around its proprietary 5-Step Wealth Optimization Process. The core offering comprises Portfolio Audit, Investment Management (using the 4-Quadrant Investment Approach), Tax Strategy Optimization, Advanced Financial Planning (via eMoney WMS), and Private Client Services. These are supplemented by specialized modules including Estate Planning Advisory Services, Enhanced Corporate Cash Management, myFamilyOffice services, Covered Persons Advisory for compliance-restricted investors, Foundation & Institutional Advisory, and Tax-Aware Investment Strategies (long-short and trend-following hedge fund access). The Chicago Partners Client Portal (powered by Orion) and Wealth Management System (powered by eMoney) serve as the primary client-facing technology platforms, while custodians Charles Schwab and Fidelity hold client assets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Chicago Partners myFamilyOffice: A family office wealth management service offered by Chicago Partners, providing integrated services including investment management, tax planning, estate planning, financial planning, insurance planning, private banking, and next-generation education.

Products and services

• Portfolio Audit A comprehensive evaluation of an investor's existing portfolio — including the Portfolio X-Ray analysis — that examines expense ratios, diversification, asset allocation, portfolio yield, and trading costs to identify strengths, weaknesses, and optimization opportunities. Delivered as a no-obligation diagnostic to prospective clients before engagement.
• Investment Management Customized investment portfolio design and management using the proprietary 4-Quadrant Investment Approach — covering equity, fixed income, alternative investments, private equity, private credit, direct indexing, and GP stakes strategies — built around each client's goals, risk tolerance, and long-term objectives.
• Tax Strategy Optimization Tax planning and optimization services including analysis of prior tax returns for optimization opportunities, tax-efficient asset allocation, tax-loss harvesting, intelligent withdrawal sourcing, margin strategies, 351 exchange strategies, gain realization deferral, and access to tax-aware investment strategies.
• Advanced Financial Planning Comprehensive financial planning services delivered through eMoney's Wealth Management System (WMS), including cash flow plans, retirement planning, estate planning, insurance planning, education planning, and charitable giving strategies. Clients access their financial plans online for ongoing monitoring.
• Private Client Services High-touch ongoing support including access to low-cost lending solutions, asset transfer management, customized performance reporting, the Chicago Partners mobile app (Apple App Store and Google Play), coordination with outside advisors (CPAs and attorneys), and next-generation education for family members.
• Estate Planning Advisory Services Estate planning coordination, oversight, and review including estate value vs. exemption analysis, trust review, an estate planning visual portal, attorney and tax consulting recommendations, and charitable planning strategies.
• Enhanced Corporate Cash Management Strategic allocation solution for corporate cash reserves targeting inflation protection and yield generation, offering treasury strategies, ultra-short duration, and alternative enhanced income options. Targets yields above typical money market accounts (stated target of 7.2% versus 0.80% typical money market return).
• Chicago Partners myFamilyOffice Comprehensive family office service for ultra-high-net-worth families integrating family education, tax preparation, investment management, estate planning, financial planning, corporate attorney coordination, insurance planning, and private banking through the firm's Schwab Bank partnership.
• Covered Persons Advisory Services Compliance-friendly wealth management for corporate executives, auditors, and investors subject to security pre-clearance restrictions and complex outside business activity disclosures. Includes custom portfolios built to meet employer compliance requirements; firm founders previously served as in-house advisors at PwC.
• Foundation & Institutional Advisory Investment management services for endowments, foundations, and non-profit institutions, delivering custom investment programs using traditional and alternative investment solutions. Serves more than 10 endowment, foundation, and non-for-profit clients with over $125MM in AUM.
• Tax-Aware Investment Strategies Access to institutional hedge fund strategies including tax-aware long/short equity and trend-following strategies from premier institutional managers, designed to generate returns while producing ordinary loss deductions to offset high ordinary income for high-income investors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Target yield of 7.2% for corporate cash management strategy (vs. 0.80% typical money market return)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• FinTurkflagshipTechnology or Integration · 14 May 2026Chicago Partners Wealth Advisors serves as FinTurk's first enterprise customer and design partner for its AI-first CRM platform built specifically for financial advisors. Chicago Partners advisors will use FinTurk's AI-powered CRM features including meeting preparation, note-taking, and action item tracking, while contributing to the product roadmap following a transition from a legacy CRM system.
• Charles SchwabcoreTechnology or IntegrationCharles Schwab serves as one of two custodian institutions for Chicago Partners client assets. Schwab holds client funds and securities, enabling Chicago Partners to manage assets without taking custody. Chicago Partners clients can log in to their Schwab accounts through the Chicago Partners client portal.
• FidelitycoreTechnology or IntegrationFidelity Investments serves as one of two custodian institutions for Chicago Partners client assets, alongside Charles Schwab. The firm works closely with Fidelity to ensure secure asset custody while providing integrated account management.
• eMoneycoreTechnology or IntegrationChicago Partners uses eMoney's Wealth Management System (WMS) as its primary financial planning software. Clients receive access to eMoney WMS to track, monitor, and review their comprehensive financial plans, cash flow projections, retirement plans, and estate plans online.
• OrioncoreTechnology or IntegrationOrion powers the Chicago Partners Client Portal and mobile app, allowing clients to monitor their portfolios, view performance reports, and communicate directly with their advisory team from a desktop or mobile device.
• Partner CPA FirmscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerChicago Partners has established relationships with select CPA firms specializing in tax preparation for high-net-worth investors. For family office clients, tax preparation by the partner CPA firm is included in the cost of wealth management services.
• Partner Estate Planning FirmscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerChicago Partners has relationships with vetted estate planning law firms. For family office clients, estate planning coordination with partner firms is covered in the cost of wealth management services.
• Premier Institutional Hedge Fund ManagerscoreTechnology or IntegrationChicago Partners provides access to industry-leading institutional tax-aware long/short and trend-following investment strategies from premier institutional managers, including those offering access to alternative assets and factors typically unavailable to retail investors.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AlphaCore Capital: Boutique fee-only RIA providing customized wealth management, direct indexing, and alternative investments to HNW families. Comparable niche positioning around tax-aware strategies and direct indexing capabilities.
• Krilogy Financial: Mid-sized fee-only RIA of comparable AUM scale (~mid-single-digit billions), serving HNW individuals and families with integrated wealth management. Closest match on size, fee-only model, and integrated tax/estate/financial planning approach.
• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Fee-only RIA providing research-driven wealth management, financial planning, and tax strategies to HNW clients nationwide. Closely aligned on evidence-based investment philosophy and integrated planning approach at comparable AUM scale.
• Ritholtz Wealth Management: Fee-only RIA serving HNW individuals with customized investment management, financial planning, and tax strategy. Comparable mid-sized, content-driven, fee-only model with strong direct-to-client digital presence.
• Carson Group: Large national RIA supporting advisors serving HNW clients, with a comparable fee-only fiduciary model and integrated financial planning offering. Larger and more advisor-network oriented but operates in the same competitive set.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: National fee-only RIA serving HNW and UHNW individuals, families, and institutions with integrated investment, tax, estate, and financial planning. Comparable service architecture and client segments, though materially larger AUM.
• Mercer Advisors: Large national RIA offering integrated wealth management, tax, estate, and investment services to HNW individuals, families, and foundations. Directly comparable service model with substantially greater AUM scale and acquisition-driven footprint.

Emerging players

• Sanctuary Wealth: RIA platform partnering with independent advisors to provide HNW wealth management, investment solutions, and back-office support. Competes for the same advisor talent pool with a partnership model rather than direct delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Edelman Financial Engines: Large national RIA combining traditional financial planning with workplace plan advisory services. Competes for HNW clients and advisor talent at significantly greater scale, with a more diversified distribution model.
• Creative Planning: One of the largest independent RIAs in the U.S. with $300B+ AUM, offering integrated wealth, tax, estate, and financial planning to HNW/UHNW clients. Operates in the same space at a fundamentally larger scale, competing for similar advisor talent and high-end clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ChicagoPartners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chicago Partners Wealth Advisor