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RIA comparison · SEC Form ADV

Focus Partners Wealth, LLC vs Cerity Partners LLC

Two independent wealth managers side by side: assets, clients, staff, services and fees, from each firm’s own filing.

The short answer

Focus Partners Wealth, LLC is the larger of the two, with $182B in regulatory assets to $162B at Cerity Partners LLC, 12% more than its rival, by their latest Form ADV filings. Focus Partners Wealth, LLC reports more individual clients (61,002 vs 24,945), while Cerity Partners LLC’s clients hold more on average (about $4.6 million each against $2.6 million). Focus Partners Wealth, LLC is based in St. Louis, Missouri and Cerity Partners LLC in New York, New York.

FigureFocus Partners Wealth, LLCCerity Partners LLC
Regulatory AUM$182B$162B
National rank#7#9
HeadquartersSt. Louis, MissouriNew York, New York
Individual clients61,00224,945
High-net-worth clients30,17714,561
Average client assets$2.6 million$4.6 million
Accounts220,58526,230
Discretionary82% of AUM90% of AUM
Employees1,9151,529
Advisory staff1,0251,102
Clients per advisory employee6023
Offices11367
Form ADV filed2026-09-292026-07-13

Focus Partners Wealth, LLC

Full profile →

Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management for individuals and small businesses
  • Portfolio management for investment companies
  • Portfolio management for pooled investment vehicles
  • Portfolio management for businesses and institutions
  • Pension consulting
  • Selecting other advisers
  • Periodicals or newsletters
  • Educational seminars and workshops
  • Other services

How it’s paid

  • A percentage of assets under management
  • Hourly charges
  • Fixed fees
  • Performance-based fees
  • Other

Cerity Partners LLC

Full profile →

Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management for individuals and small businesses
  • Portfolio management for pooled investment vehicles
  • Portfolio management for businesses and institutions
  • Pension consulting
  • Selecting other advisers
  • Educational seminars and workshops

How it’s paid

  • A percentage of assets under management
  • Hourly charges
  • Fixed fees
  • Performance-based fees

Questions

Which is bigger, Focus Partners Wealth, LLC or Cerity Partners LLC?

Focus Partners Wealth, LLC, with $182B in regulatory assets under management against $162B at Cerity Partners LLC. Nationally they rank #7 and #9 among 5,657 independent wealth management RIAs.

How many clients do Focus Partners Wealth, LLC and Cerity Partners LLC have?

Focus Partners Wealth, LLC reports 61,002 individual clients (30,177 high-net-worth) with 1,025 advisory employees; Cerity Partners LLC reports 24,945 (14,561 high-net-worth) with 1,102 advisory employees.

How do Focus Partners Wealth, LLC and Cerity Partners LLC charge clients?

Only Focus Partners Wealth, LLC lists other forms of compensation on Form ADV. Fee schedules and minimums are in each firm’s Form ADV Part 2A brochure.

What services do Focus Partners Wealth, LLC and Cerity Partners LLC offer?

Focus Partners Wealth, LLC lists portfolio management for investment companies; periodicals or newsletters; other services, which Cerity Partners LLC does not. Both offer financial planning; portfolio management for individuals and small businesses; portfolio management for pooled investment vehicles; portfolio management for businesses and institutions; pension consulting; selecting other advisers; educational seminars and workshops.

More comparisons

Where these numbers come from

Every figure is the firm’s own answer on its latest Form ADV, from the SEC’s registered-adviser list as of October 1, 2026: regulatory assets and accounts (Item 5.F), clients by type (5.D), employees (5.A and 5.B), compensation (5.E) and services (5.G). Average client assets divide the assets held for individual and high-net-worth clients by their number. Ranks compare each firm with all US-based independent wealth management RIAs, the same field as The Largest RIAs. Figures can lag recent deals and market moves.

Not an endorsement or a recommendation of either firm. Before hiring an adviser, read its Form ADV Part 2A brochure and check its record on the SEC’s adviser search: Focus Partners Wealth, LLC ↗, Cerity Partners LLC ↗. How to check a financial advisor →