RIA comparison · SEC Form ADV
Plante Moran Financial Advisors vs Arax Advisory Partners
Two independent wealth managers side by side: assets, clients, staff, services and fees, from each firm’s own filing.
The short answer
Plante Moran Financial Advisors is the larger of the two, with $27B in regulatory assets to $27B at Arax Advisory Partners, 2% more than its rival, by their latest Form ADV filings. Arax Advisory Partners reports more individual clients (15,155 vs 3,988), while Plante Moran Financial Advisors’ clients hold more on average (about $6.7 million each against $1.6 million). Plante Moran Financial Advisors is based in Southfield, Michigan and Arax Advisory Partners in New York, New York.
| Figure | Plante Moran Financial Advisors | Arax Advisory Partners |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory AUM | $27B | $27B |
| National rank | #38 | #39 |
| Headquarters | Southfield, Michigan | New York, New York |
| Individual clients | 3,988 | 15,155 |
| High-net-worth clients | 3,445 | 4,949 |
| Average client assets | $6.7 million | $1.6 million |
| Accounts | 19,176 | 39,138 |
| Discretionary | 39% of AUM | 90% of AUM |
| Employees | 144 | 361 |
| Advisory staff | 142 | 168 |
| Clients per advisory employee | 28 | 90 |
| Offices | 14 | 39 |
| Form ADV filed | 2026-09-28 | 2026-08-14 |
Plante Moran Financial Advisors
Full profile →Services
- Financial planning
- Portfolio management for individuals and small businesses
- Portfolio management for businesses and institutions
How it’s paid
- A percentage of assets under management
- Hourly charges
- Fixed fees
Arax Advisory Partners
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
- Other services
How it’s paid
- A percentage of assets under management
- Hourly charges
- Fixed fees
- Performance-based fees
- Other
Questions
Which is bigger, Plante Moran Financial Advisors or Arax Advisory Partners?
Plante Moran Financial Advisors, with $27B in regulatory assets under management against $27B at Arax Advisory Partners. Nationally they rank #38 and #39 among 5,657 independent wealth management RIAs.
How many clients do Plante Moran Financial Advisors and Arax Advisory Partners have?
Plante Moran Financial Advisors reports 3,988 individual clients (3,445 high-net-worth) with 142 advisory employees; Arax Advisory Partners reports 15,155 (4,949 high-net-worth) with 168 advisory employees.
How do Plante Moran Financial Advisors and Arax Advisory Partners charge clients?
Only Arax Advisory Partners lists performance-based fees; other forms of compensation on Form ADV. Fee schedules and minimums are in each firm’s Form ADV Part 2A brochure.
What services do Plante Moran Financial Advisors and Arax Advisory Partners offer?
Arax Advisory Partners lists portfolio management for pooled investment vehicles; pension consulting; selecting other advisers; educational seminars and workshops; other services, which Plante Moran Financial Advisors does not. Both offer financial planning; portfolio management for individuals and small businesses; portfolio management for businesses and institutions.
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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: Plante Moran Financial Advisors ↗, Arax Advisory Partners ↗. How to check a financial advisor →