Why Glassman Wealth Leads Washingtonian Rankings of Top Fee-Only Financial Advisors

Recently, a prospective client asked: “How does a boutique wealth management firm like Glassman Wealth have more advisors on Washingtonian’s Top Financial Advisor list than many larger firms in DC?”

The answer reveals not just how we became one of DC’s most recognized wealth management firms, but also what prospective clients should look for when selecting a top financial advisor.

How Washingtonian Selects Top Financial Advisors

As we explained in our guide to finding top financial advisors, Washingtonian magazine takes a unique approach to identifying the best wealth management firms. Instead of measuring assets under management or revenue, they survey local financial professionals, asking: “Which financial advisor would you trust with your own money?”

This peer-recommendation approach consistently recognizes top financial advisors who actively collaborate with other professionals. For clients seeking the best wealth management firm, understanding this collaborative approach is crucial.

Professional Collaboration: A Top Financial Advisor’s Approach

At Glassman Wealth, collaboration with other financial professionals goes far beyond typical networking. We maintain active partnerships with estate planning attorneys, tax professionals, insurance specialists, business valuation experts, and other financial professionals who help deliver comprehensive wealth management services to our clients.

We believe what distinguishes top financial advisors—at least for the Washingtonian Top Advisors list—is their proactive approach. Our advisors regularly initiate strategic discussions and explore opportunities that look to enhance client outcomes.

It seems obvious to us to send tax projections to accountants before they ask, explore trust strategies with estate attorneys, analyze business structure options, or identify Roth conversion opportunities. It’s surprising and not surprising that advisors aren’t doing this on an ongoing basis. Surprising given how much clients can benefit from a strategic and collaborative approach. Yet not so surprising given that many advisors are either burdened with too many clients or heavy asset-gathering marketing efforts. When it comes to surveys like Washingtonian’s Top Advisor list, being collaborative and proactive likely leads affiliated professionals to respect and name those advisors to their lists.

How Top Wealth Management Firms Benefit Clients

We believe that the best wealth management firms deliver value through comprehensive collaboration.

Glassman Wealth’s approach provides:

• Specialized Access
  When complex situations arise—whether international tax law or business succession planning—top financial advisors already have established relationships with leading experts in these niche fields.
• Strategic Coordination
  Leading wealth management firms understand that financial decisions interconnect. Investment strategies affect taxes; estate planning influences insurance needs. DC’s top financial advisors seek to ensure that all aspects of your financial life work in harmony.
• Proactive Solutions
  The best wealth management firms anticipate challenges and opportunities. Through regular collaboration with other professionals, we hope to identify potential issues early and apply insights from similar situations to benefit our clients.

Beyond Traditional Wealth Management

Selecting a Top Financial Advisor

Whether you are considering Glassman Wealth or other leading wealth management firms, understanding professional collaboration helps inform your choice. When evaluating top financial advisors, ask:

• How they coordinate with other professionals
• Their process for working with your existing advisors
• Specific examples of their collaborative approach

*Learn more about selecting a top financial advisor through our guide to evaluating wealth management firms or review our essential questions for financial advisors.

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Neither rankings nor recognitions by unaffiliated rating services, publications, media, or other organizations, nor the achievement of any professional designation, certification, degree, or license, membership in any professional organization, or any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that the client will experience a certain level of results if the investment professional or the investment professional’s firm is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A fee was not paid by either the investment professional or Glassman Wealth to receive the ranking. The ranking is based upon specific criteria and methodology (https://www.washingtonian.com/best/financial-advisers/). No ranking or recognition should be construed as an endorsement by any past or current client or any third party of the investment professional or Glassman Wealth.

Washingtonian: DC’s Best Financial Advisors — 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021
The Washingtonian surveys hundreds of area financial professionals during the preceding 4-6 months prior to publishing the award. The 2025 award was published in January 2025. The 2024 award was published in January 2024. The 2023 award was published in January 2023. The 2022 award was published in March 2022. The 2021 award was published in January 2021. Glassman Wealth did not pay any compensation to be considered or selected for this award. Washingtonian’s full methodology can be found by visiting: https://www.washingtonian.com/best/financial-advisers/