We are proud to announce that Willow Creek Wealth Management has been named one of the Top 300 Registered Investment Advisers in the U.S. for the second year in a row by Financial Times, a leading financial news publication for over 100 years. The Financial Times methodology examines the database of RIAs that are registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and selects those that have $300 million or more in assets under management. According to the FT, this assures a list of firms with established and institutional investment processes. Meaning each of these 2000 firms has a record of experience, reliability and industry knowledge. The RIA companies have no subjective input in this initial selection process. FT then invites those qualifying RIAs to provide further information about their firm. After which FT augments its’ research with data from regulatory filings. Of these 2000 firms, only 650 RIAs qualified, meaning only 48% made the list of Top 300 RIA’s. The FT grading formula is based on six factors:
- Assets under management (signals experience in managing money and client trust)
- Growth rate of assets under management (growing assets is a proxy for performance, asset retention and ability to attract new business)
- Years in existence (indicates reliability and experience)
- Compliance record
- Industry certifications (demonstrates industry knowledge and commitment to investment skills)
- Online accessibility (illustrates commitment to providing investors with easy access and transparent contact information)
FT 300 Disclosure: The 2015 Financial Times Top 300 Registered Investment Advisors is an independent listing produced by the Financial Times (June, 2015). The FT 300 is based on data gathered from RIA firms, regulatory disclosures, and the FT’s research. As identified by the FT, the listing reflected each practice’s performance in six primary areas, including assets under management, asset growth, compliance record, years in existence, credentials and accessibility. Neither the RIA firms nor their employees pay a fee to The Financial Times in exchange for inclusion in the FT 300.