Wealth manager, independent · Birmingham, AL
The Welch Group, LLC
SEC-registered investment adviser · CRD 111273 · SEC 801-56254
At a glance
The Welch Group, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser based in Birmingham, Alabama, with $3.7B in regulatory assets under management as of its Form ADV filed August 31, 2026. It reports 1,416 individual clients, 690 of them high-net-worth, holding an average of about $2.6 million each, and 28 employees. That ranks it 297th among the nation’s 5,657 independent wealth management RIAs and 6th of 43 in Alabama. It reports Charles Schwab as the custodian for its clients’ separately managed accounts.
Main office 205-879-5001welchgroup.comLinkedInAs filed on Form ADV
- Regulatory AUM
- $3.7B
- Rank among independent wealth managers
- #297 of 5,657
- Rank among all SEC RIAs
- #2,531 of 17,210
- Rank in Alabama
- #6 of 43
- Individual clients
- 1,416
- High-net-worth clients
- 690
- Accounts
- 4,528
- Discretionary
- 100% of AUM
- Employees
- 28
- Advisory staff
- 26
- Offices
- 2
Owners and executives on its Form ADV
- Stewart H. WelchFounder
- Charles H. SmithChief Investment Officer
- Thomas M. WagnerManaging Member
- Kimberly R. ReynoldsManaging Member
- Henry M. ClayManaging Member
- Elisabeth L. MoodyMember
- Foster T. HydeMember
- Brent D. GillisChief Compliance Officer and Chief Operating Officer
- Charles G. WeyandtChief Financial Officer
- Jay H. McGowanMember
- Matthew J. SavelaMember
- Justin T. DavenportMember
Custody and brokerage
Broker-dealer
No broker-dealer ties
The Welch Group, LLC reports no employees registered with a broker-dealer and no affiliated broker-dealer.
Who it serves
| Client type | Clients | Regulatory AUM | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-net-worth individuals | 690 | $3.4B | 91% |
| Individuals | 726 | $291M | 8% |
| Charitable organizations | 29 | $27M | <1% |
| Pension and profit sharing plans | 5 | $11M | <1% |
Disciplinary disclosures
The Welch Group, 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
- Portfolio management for businesses and institutions
- Selecting other advisers
- Other services
How it’s paid
- A percentage of assets under management
- Hourly charges
- Fixed fees
Form ADV and brochures on the SEC’s adviser search ↗welchgroup.com ↗
AtlasMembers
The full record on The Welch Group, 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 1,118 peers of its type and size
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- Owners and executives, with titles and stakes
- 12 namedLocked
- Main office, fax and compliance officer
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- Filing changes this year, with alerts
- 1Locked
Free while Atlas launches: create a free account and confirm your email. Every figure comes from SEC filings.
Similar-size RIAs in Alabama
All of Alabama →| Firm | Regulatory AUM | Clients |
|---|---|---|
| RFG Advisory, LLCVestavia Hills | $8.0B | 17,207 |
| Eversource Wealth Advisors, LLCBirmingham | $5.1B | 3,255 |
| Stonex Advisors Inc.Birmingham | $5.1B | 9,741 |
| Oneascent Financial Services LLCBirmingham | $3.5B | 5,128 |
| Leavell Investment Management, Inc.Mobile | $3.4B | 2,850 |
| Mitchell, McLeod, Pugh & Williams, Inc.Mobile | $2.7B | 935 |
Background
Questions
How much does The Welch Group, LLC manage?
The Welch Group, LLC reports $3.7B in regulatory assets under management across 4,528 accounts, 100% of it on a discretionary basis, on its Form ADV filed August 31, 2026.
How many clients does The Welch Group, LLC have?
It reports 1,416 individual clients: 690 high-net-worth individuals and 726 other individuals. Individuals account for about 99% of its regulatory assets.
Where is The Welch Group, LLC headquartered?
Its main office is in Birmingham, Alabama. It reports 2 offices in total and 28 employees, 26 of whom perform investment advisory functions.
How does The Welch Group, 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 The Welch Group, LLC use?
It reports Charles Schwab as the custodian for its clients’ separately managed accounts. On Schedule D of its Form ADV filed August 31, 2026, it reports these amounts held: Charles Schwab ($3.6B). Form ADV lists only custodians holding 10% or more of separately managed account assets.
Is The Welch Group, LLC a hybrid RIA with a broker-dealer?
The Welch Group, LLC reports no employees registered with a broker-dealer and no affiliated broker-dealer.
Is The Welch Group, LLC a fiduciary?
As an SEC-registered investment adviser, The Welch Group, LLC owes its advisory clients a fiduciary duty under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, which includes duties of care and loyalty. It reports no employees who are registered representatives of a broker-dealer.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure is The Welch Group, 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 (2026-08-31), 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 →