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Est. 2026The front page of wealth managementNew York

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RIA comparison · SEC Form ADV

Hightower Advisors, LLC vs Empower Advisory Group, LLC

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

The short answer

Hightower Advisors, LLC is the larger of the two, with $199B in regulatory assets to $195B at Empower Advisory Group, LLC, 2% more than its rival, by their latest Form ADV filings. Empower Advisory Group, LLC reports more individual clients (293,347 vs 62,807), while Hightower Advisors, LLC’s clients hold more on average (about $2.8 million each against $570,000). Hightower Advisors, LLC is based in Chicago, Illinois and Empower Advisory Group, LLC in Greenwood Village, Colorado.

FigureHightower Advisors, LLCEmpower Advisory Group, LLC
Regulatory AUM$199B$195B
National rank#5#6
HeadquartersChicago, IllinoisGreenwood Village, Colorado
Individual clients62,807293,347
High-net-worth clients29,17720,524
Average client assets$2.8 million$570,000
Accounts220,222297,074
Discretionary96% of AUM84% of AUM
Employees1,9838,051
Advisory staff9536,138
Clients per advisory employee6648
Offices1331,235
Form ADV filed2026-09-032026-07-09

Hightower Advisors, 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
  • Other services

How it’s paid

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

Empower Advisory Group, LLC

Full profile →

Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management for individuals and small businesses
  • Educational seminars and workshops

How it’s paid

  • A percentage of assets under management
  • Fixed fees

Questions

Which is bigger, Hightower Advisors, LLC or Empower Advisory Group, LLC?

Hightower Advisors, LLC, with $199B in regulatory assets under management against $195B at Empower Advisory Group, LLC. Nationally they rank #5 and #6 among 5,657 independent wealth management RIAs.

How many clients do Hightower Advisors, LLC and Empower Advisory Group, LLC have?

Hightower Advisors, LLC reports 62,807 individual clients (29,177 high-net-worth) with 953 advisory employees; Empower Advisory Group, LLC reports 293,347 (20,524 high-net-worth) with 6,138 advisory employees.

How do Hightower Advisors, LLC and Empower Advisory Group, LLC charge clients?

Only Hightower Advisors, LLC lists hourly charges; other forms of compensation on Form ADV. Fee schedules and minimums are in each firm’s Form ADV Part 2A brochure.

What services do Hightower Advisors, LLC and Empower Advisory Group, LLC offer?

Hightower Advisors, LLC lists portfolio management for pooled investment vehicles; portfolio management for businesses and institutions; pension consulting; selecting other advisers; other services, which Empower Advisory Group, LLC does not. Empower Advisory Group, LLC lists educational seminars and workshops, which Hightower Advisors, LLC does not. Both offer financial planning; portfolio management for individuals and small businesses.

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: Hightower Advisors, LLC ↗, Empower Advisory Group, LLC ↗. How to check a financial advisor →