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Est. 2026The front page of wealth managementNew York

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RIA comparison · SEC Form ADV

Kestra Advisory Services, LLC vs United Capital Financial Advisors

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

The short answer

Kestra Advisory Services, LLC is the larger of the two, with $80B in regulatory assets to $25B at United Capital Financial Advisors, 3.2 times the size of its rival, by their latest Form ADV filings. Kestra Advisory Services, LLC reports more individual clients (115,285 vs 24,837), while United Capital Financial Advisors’ clients hold more on average (about $830,000 each against $620,000). Both are based in Texas: Kestra Advisory Services, LLC in Austin and United Capital Financial Advisors in Irving.

FigureKestra Advisory Services, LLCUnited Capital Financial Advisors
Regulatory AUM$80B$25B
National rank#14#41
HeadquartersAustin, TexasIrving, Texas
Individual clients115,28524,837
High-net-worth clients26,1231,937
Average client assets$620,000$830,000
Accounts192,43945,106
Discretionary78% of AUM91% of AUM
Employees1,359289
Advisory staff1,359162
Clients per advisory employee85153
Offices54547
Form ADV filed2026-09-222026-06-15

Kestra Advisory Services, LLC

Full profile →

Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management for individuals and small businesses
  • Portfolio management for businesses and institutions
  • Pension consulting
  • Selecting other advisers

How it’s paid

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

United Capital Financial Advisors

Full profile →

Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management for individuals and small businesses
  • 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

Questions

Which is bigger, Kestra Advisory Services, LLC or United Capital Financial Advisors?

Kestra Advisory Services, LLC, with $80B in regulatory assets under management against $25B at United Capital Financial Advisors. Nationally they rank #14 and #41 among 5,657 independent wealth management RIAs.

How many clients do Kestra Advisory Services, LLC and United Capital Financial Advisors have?

Kestra Advisory Services, LLC reports 115,285 individual clients (26,123 high-net-worth) with 1,359 advisory employees; United Capital Financial Advisors reports 24,837 (1,937 high-net-worth) with 162 advisory employees.

How do Kestra Advisory Services, LLC and United Capital Financial Advisors charge clients?

They list the same forms of compensation on Form ADV: a percentage of assets under management; hourly charges; fixed fees. Fee schedules and minimums are in each firm’s Form ADV Part 2A brochure.

What services do Kestra Advisory Services, LLC and United Capital Financial Advisors offer?

United Capital Financial Advisors lists periodicals or newsletters; educational seminars and workshops; other services, which Kestra Advisory Services, LLC does not. Both offer financial planning; portfolio management for individuals and small businesses; portfolio management for businesses and institutions; pension consulting; selecting other advisers.

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: Kestra Advisory Services, LLC ↗, United Capital Financial Advisors ↗. How to check a financial advisor →