Wealth manager, bank-affiliated · Boston, MA
John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC
SEC-registered investment adviser · CRD 174433 · SEC 801-80927
At a glance
John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser based in Boston, Massachusetts, with $2.2B in regulatory assets under management as of its Form ADV filed March 27, 2026. It reports 35,589 individual clients, 342 of them high-net-worth, holding an average of about $0.1 million each, and 149 employees. That ranks it 506th among the nation’s 5,657 independent wealth management RIAs and 32nd of 202 in Massachusetts. It reports 2 custodians for its clients’ separately managed accounts: John Hancock Trust Company and BNY Pershing.
Main office 617-572-0109johnhancock.comLinkedInAs filed on Form ADV
- Regulatory AUM
- $2.2B
- Rank among independent wealth managers
- #506 of 5,657
- Rank among all SEC RIAs
- #3,443 of 17,210
- Rank in Massachusetts
- #32 of 202
- Individual clients
- 35,589
- High-net-worth clients
- 342
- Accounts
- 35,589
- Discretionary
- 100% of AUM
- Employees
- 149
- Advisory staff
- 15
- Offices
- 8
Owners and executives on its Form ADV
- Betsy A. SeelCounsel, Secretary
- Robert J. HartiganChief Compliance Officer
- Katie M FirthElected Manager / Director
- Meredith A CrowleyElected Manager / Director
- Douglas J ComerPresident / Director
- WILLIAM A. AUGERChief Financial Officer
Custody and brokerage
2 custodians
- John Hancock Trust CompanyAffiliate of the firm$1.1B58%
- BNY Pershing$787M42%
Other RIAs using John Hancock Trust CompanyOther multi-custodian RIAs
Broker-dealer
Hybrid RIA
John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC is a hybrid RIA: 72 of its employees are also registered representatives of a broker-dealer. It names affiliated broker-dealers: John Hancock Distributors LLC, John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, Manulife Investment Management Limited, Manulife John Hancock Brokerage Services LLC and Manulife Wealth Inc..
- John Hancock Distributors LLC ↗CRD 5249
It doesn’t hold client accounts or customer funds itself. Its annual audited report filed with the SEC, March 2026
- John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC ↗CRD 28262
It doesn’t hold client accounts or customer funds itself. Its annual audited report filed with the SEC, March 2026
- Manulife Investment Management Limited
- Manulife John Hancock Brokerage Services LLC ↗CRD 150842
An introducing broker-dealer: its trades clear through another firm, which holds the brokerage accounts. Its annual audited report filed with the SEC, March 2026
- Manulife Wealth Inc.
Who it serves
| Client type | Clients | Regulatory AUM | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individuals | 35,247 | $1.8B | 81% |
| High-net-worth individuals | 342 | $411M | 19% |
Disciplinary disclosures
John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC answers yes to 3 disclosure items in Item 11 of Form ADV (criminal, regulatory or civil matters involving the firm or its advisory affiliates). Read the details on the SEC’s adviser search ↗
Services
- Financial planning
- Portfolio management for individuals and small businesses
- Educational seminars and workshops
How it’s paid
- A percentage of assets under management
- Hourly charges
- Fixed fees
Form ADV and brochures on the SEC’s adviser search ↗johnhancock.com ↗
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The full record on John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC
Ten years of SEC filings, its owners and contacts, and how it stacks up against its peers. Atlas members see all of it.
- Assets, accounts, clients and staff, ten years of filings
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- Growth over one, three and five years
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- Rank against 1,805 peers of its type and size
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- 6 namedLocked
- Main office, fax and compliance officer
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Free while Atlas launches: create a free account and confirm your email. Every figure comes from SEC filings.
Similar-size RIAs in Massachusetts
All of Massachusetts →| Firm | Regulatory AUM | Clients |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Trust AdvisorsWellesley | $2.4B | 781 |
| Baldwin Wealth Partners, LLCMarion | $2.3B | 738 |
| Foster Dykema Cabot & Partners, LLCWaltham | $2.2B | 796 |
| Boston Family Office LLCBoston | $2.0B | 332 |
| SHP Wealth Management, LLCPlymouth | $1.9B | 2,261 |
| TFC Financial Management IncBoston | $1.8B | 415 |
Background
Questions
How much does John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC manage?
John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC reports $2.2B in regulatory assets under management across 35,589 accounts, 100% of it on a discretionary basis, on its Form ADV filed March 27, 2026.
How many clients does John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC have?
It reports 35,589 individual clients: 342 high-net-worth individuals and 35,247 other individuals. Individuals account for about 100% of its regulatory assets.
Where is John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC headquartered?
Its main office is in Boston, Massachusetts. It reports 8 offices in total and 149 employees, 15 of whom perform investment advisory functions.
How does John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC charge clients?
On Form ADV it lists these forms of compensation: a percentage of assets under management; hourly charges; fixed fees. Fees and minimums are set out in its Form ADV Part 2A brochure, available on the SEC’s adviser search.
What custodian does John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC use?
It reports 2 custodians for its clients’ separately managed accounts: John Hancock Trust Company and BNY Pershing. On Schedule D of its Form ADV filed March 27, 2026, it reports these amounts held: John Hancock Trust Company ($1.1B); BNY Pershing ($787M). Form ADV lists only custodians holding 10% or more of separately managed account assets.
Is John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC a hybrid RIA with a broker-dealer?
John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC is a hybrid RIA: 72 of its employees are also registered representatives of a broker-dealer. It names affiliated broker-dealers: John Hancock Distributors LLC, John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, Manulife Investment Management Limited, Manulife John Hancock Brokerage Services LLC and Manulife Wealth Inc.. Those representatives can also earn commissions on brokerage business through the broker-dealer, where different rules apply than for advisory accounts.
Is John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC a fiduciary?
As an SEC-registered investment adviser, John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC owes its advisory clients a fiduciary duty under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, which includes duties of care and loyalty. 72 of its employees are also registered representatives of a broker-dealer, where different rules apply to brokerage recommendations.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure is John Hancock Personal Financial Services, LLC’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). Custodians come from Schedule D 5.K(3) of its latest filing (2026-03-27), which lists those holding 10% or more of separately managed account assets and the amount at each. “Hybrid” means some employees are also registered representatives of a broker-dealer (Item 5.B(2)); affiliated broker-dealers are the related persons it lists in Item 7.A and Schedule D. Firm type comes from its own answers: broker-dealer firms are registered broker-dealers themselves (Item 6.A); private fund advisers manage mostly private funds (Item 7.B, 5.D); wealth managers manage at least half their assets for individuals (5.D). Its national rank compares it with every US-based independent wealth management RIA, the same field as The Largest RIAs. Figures are as of the firm’s last annual update, so they can lag recent deals and market moves. Regulatory AUM counts assets the firm continuously supervises and can differ from what a firm markets.
Not an endorsement or a recommendation. Before hiring any adviser, read its Form ADV Part 2A brochure and check its record on the SEC’s adviser search. How to check a financial advisor →