Jeff Kowal, CLU, ChFC, AEP, President, KIG/Branch Manager, RJFS has been named to the 2020 edition of the Financial Times 400 Top Financial Advisers. The list recognizes top financial advisers at national, independent, regional and bank broker-dealers from across the U.S.
This is the eighth annual FT 400 list, produced independently by Ignites Research, a division of Money-Media, Inc., on behalf of the Financial Times. Ignites Research provides business intelligence on investment management.
Financial advisers from across the brokerage industry applied for consideration, having met a set of minimum requirements. The applicants were then graded on six criteria: assets under management (AUM); AUM growth rate; experience; advanced industry credentials; online accessibility; and compliance records. There are no fees or other considerations required of advisers who apply for the FT 400.
“We’re thrilled to be selected as one of the FT 400 top advisers,” said Jeff Kowal, President of Kowal Investment Group. “Being recognized by such an internationally-renowned news publication as the Financial Times is an incredible honor, and a testament to our dedication to our clients’ success.”
The final FT 400 represents an impressive cohort of elite advisers, as the “average” adviser in this year’s FT 400 has over 28 years of experience and manages over $1.9 billion in assets. The FT 400 advisers hail from 44 states and Washington, D.C.
The FT 400 is one in a series of rankings of top advisers by the Financial Times, including the FT 300 (independent RIA firms) and the FT 401 (DC retirement plan advisers).
ABOUT KOWAL INVESTMENT GROUP
Kowal Investment Group is a family-owned, financial advisory organization that works closely with business owners, retired individuals or those nearing retirement. The team offers a conservative and sensitive approach while handling all areas associated with retirement, including: estate planning, investments, retirement income, taxes related to retirement and insurance. For over thirty years, Kowal Investment Group has been helping clients plan and build the retirement they’ve been working for – and dreaming of – their whole lives.
Kowal Investment Group, LLC is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA / SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.
Note: The Financial Times 400 Top Financial Advisors is an independent listing produced annually by Ignites Research, a division of Money-Media, Inc., on behalf of the Financial Times (April 2020). To qualify for the list, advisers had to have 10 years of experience and at least $300 million in assets under management (AUM) and no more than 60% of the AUM with institutional clients. The FT reaches out to some of the largest brokerages in the U.S. and asks them to provide a list of advisors who meet the minimum criteria outlined above. These advisors are then invited to apply for the ranking. Only advisors who submit an online application can be considered for the ranking. In 2020, roughly 1,040 applications were received and 400 were selected to the final list (38.5%). The 400 qualified advisers were then scored on six attributes: AUM, AUM growth rate, compliance record, years of experience, industry certifications, and online accessibility. AUM is the top factor, accounting for roughly 60-70 percent of the application’s scored. Additionally, to provide a diversity of advisors, the FT placed a cap on the number of advisors from any one state that’s roughly correlated to the distribution of millionaires across the U.S. The ranking may not be representative of any one client’s experience, is not an endorsement, and is not indicative of an advisor’s future performance. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. The FT, Ignite Research, and Money-Media, Inc. are not affiliated with Raymond James.
