Wealth manager, independent · Buffalo, NY
Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC
SEC-registered investment adviser · CRD 282624 · SEC 801-107624
At a glance
Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser based in Buffalo, New York, with $1.0B in regulatory assets under management as of its Form ADV filed August 26, 2026. It reports 853 individual clients, 307 of them high-net-worth, holding an average of about $1.1 million each, and 9 employees. That ranks it 1070th among the nation’s 5,657 independent wealth management RIAs and 81st of 408 in New York. It reports Fidelity as the custodian for its clients’ separately managed accounts.
Main office 716-783-7054sterinv.comLinkedInAs filed on Form ADV
- Regulatory AUM
- $1.0B
- Rank among independent wealth managers
- #1,070 of 5,657
- Rank among all SEC RIAs
- #5,283 of 17,210
- Rank in New York
- #81 of 408
- Individual clients
- 853
- High-net-worth clients
- 307
- Accounts
- 2,253
- Discretionary
- 99% of AUM
- Employees
- 9
- Advisory staff
- 8
- Offices
- 1
Owners and executives on its Form ADV
- Mark G. LarussaChief Operating Officer
- Christopher M. MarksChief Compliance Officer
- Cynthia E. VanceChief Executive Officer
- Phillip K. VanceMember
Custody and brokerage
Broker-dealer
Hybrid RIA
Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC is a hybrid RIA: 4 of its employees are also registered representatives of a broker-dealer.
Its Form ADV brochure (filed May 2026) names LPL Financial as the broker-dealer its advisers are registered with.
Registration as a Broker/Dealer or Broker/Dealer Representative Supervised persons of SIC are also registered representatives of LPL Financial, LLC, and, in that capacity, they accept compensation for the sale of securities.
Who it serves
| Client type | Clients | Regulatory AUM | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-net-worth individuals | 307 | $815M | 79% |
| Individuals | 546 | $162M | 16% |
| Pension and profit sharing plans | 25 | $36M | 4% |
| Corporations or other businesses | 7 | $15M | 1% |
| Charitable organizations | 3 | $6M | <1% |
Disciplinary disclosures
Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC reports no disciplinary disclosures in Item 11 of Form ADV. Read the details on the SEC’s adviser search ↗
Services
- Financial planning
- Portfolio management for individuals and small businesses
How it’s paid
- A percentage of assets under management
Form ADV and brochures on the SEC’s adviser search ↗sterinv.com ↗
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The full record on Sterling Investment Counsel, 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, 9 years of filings
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- Growth over one, three and five years
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- Rank against 3,448 peers of its type and size
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- Owners and executives, with titles and stakes
- 4 namedLocked
- Main office, fax and compliance officer
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- Filing changes this year, with alerts
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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 New York
All of New York →| Firm | Regulatory AUM | Clients |
|---|---|---|
| Armbruster Capital Management, Inc.Pittsford | $1.1B | 462 |
| Matauro, LLCNew York | $1.0B | 876 |
| High Probability Advisors, LLCPittsford | $1.0B | 344 |
| J.w.burns & Company, Inc.Dewitt | $1.0B | 572 |
Background
Questions
How much does Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC manage?
Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC reports $1.0B in regulatory assets under management across 2,253 accounts, 99% of it on a discretionary basis, on its Form ADV filed August 26, 2026.
How many clients does Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC have?
It reports 853 individual clients: 307 high-net-worth individuals and 546 other individuals. Individuals account for about 94% of its regulatory assets.
Where is Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC headquartered?
Its main office is in Buffalo, New York. It reports 1 office in total and 9 employees, 8 of whom perform investment advisory functions.
How does Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC charge clients?
On Form ADV it lists these forms of compensation: a percentage of assets under management. Fees and minimums are set out in its Form ADV Part 2A brochure, available on the SEC’s adviser search.
What custodian does Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC use?
It reports Fidelity as the custodian for its clients’ separately managed accounts. On Schedule D of its Form ADV filed August 26, 2026, it reports these amounts held: Fidelity ($972M). Form ADV lists only custodians holding 10% or more of separately managed account assets.
Is Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC a hybrid RIA with a broker-dealer?
Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC is a hybrid RIA: 4 of its employees are also registered representatives of a broker-dealer. Those representatives can also earn commissions on brokerage business through the broker-dealer, where different rules apply than for advisory accounts.
Is Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC a fiduciary?
As an SEC-registered investment adviser, Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC owes its advisory clients a fiduciary duty under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, which includes duties of care and loyalty. 4 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 Sterling Investment Counsel, 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 (2026-08-26), 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 →