About Financial Awards, Lists, and Rankings
Financial publications play a vital role in recognizing excellence across the investment and finance industries. These respected outlets—from specialized trade journals to mainstream business media—honor outstanding achievement through various award programs that celebrate innovation, performance, and professional expertise. This guide provides an overview of major financial publications and the award programs they administer, helping professionals and firms understand the landscape of industry recognition and the criteria that define excellence in finance.
Publication | List | Year | Metrics and Disclosures |
| Association of African American Financial Advisors | Fifty Under 50 Top Distinguished Professionals | 2023 | A current member of Quad-A who demonstrated sustained and significant career achievements, such as professional certifications, promotions, successful project leadership, business growth, or recognition within their firm or industry. Active contributions to the community through volunteer work, mentoring, educational outreach, nonprofit leadership, or similar service. |
| Barron’s | Top 100 RIA Firms | 2025 2024 2023 | To be eligible for the Barron’s “Top 100 RIA Firms” list, firms must primarily serve personal wealth clients, provide fee-based investment advice and financial planning services, and file their own ADV statement with the SEC. Firms were required to submit a formal survey. There was no fee associated with participation. To view the full list ranking and methodology click here. |
| Barron’s | Top 1,200 Financial Advisors, Robertson Breed, CFA, State of Maine | 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2017 | The rankings are based on data provided by around 6,000 of the nation’s advisors. Factors included in the rankings: assets under management, revenue produced for the firm, regulatory record, quality of practice, and philanthropic work. Investment performance isn’t an explicit component because not all advisors have audited results and because performance figures often are influenced more by clients’ risk tolerance than by an advisor’s investment-picking abilities. There was no fee associated with participation. To view the full list ranking and methodology click here. |
| Barron’s | Top 1,500 Financial Advisors, Robertson Breed, CFA, State of Maine | 2026 | The rankings are based on data provided by over 7,000 of the nation’s most productive advisors. Factors included in the rankings: assets under management, revenue produced for the firm, regulatory record, quality of practice, and philanthropic work. Investment performance isn’t an explicit component because not all advisors have audited results and because performance figures often are influenced more by clients’ risk tolerance than by an advisor’s investment-picking abilities. There was no fee associated with participation. To view the full list ranking and methodology click here. |
| Boston Business Journal | Largest Independent Investment Advisers in Massachusetts | 2025 | The list ranks Massachusetts-based investment advisers by total assets under management as of June 1. There was no fee associated with participation. To view the complete list click here. |
| Boston College Carroll Graduate School of Management | Wall Street Executive Fellowship | Through a gift established in 2000 by Michael F. Price P ’02, the fellowship provides scholarship assistance for a full-time graduate student in the Carroll School of Management. | |
| Boston Globe | New England‘s Fastest-Growing Companies | 2026 2025 | The rankings are based on the companies’ compounded rate of revenue growth from 2021 to 2024 and were compiled by data and analysis firm Statista. To qualify, companies had to generate a minimum of $100,000 in revenue in 2021 and $1.5 million in 2024 and be willing to share that data publicly. For 2025 the data from 2020-2023 was reviewed. F.L.Putnam did not pay a fee to participate. |
| Boston University School of Law | Dennis S. Aronowitz Award for Academic Excellence in Banking and Financial Law | 2021 | Founded in 1872, Boston University School of Law has a rich history of diversity and accomplishment that continues today. For the highest cumulative average in the class. |
| CFP Board Center for Financial Planning and The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) | Richard B. Wagner Memorial Scholarship | Qualified students seeking to complete a certificate level CFP Board Registered Program that would qualify them to sit for the CFP® exam. | |
| Financial Advisor Magazine | Top RIAs | 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2018 2017 2016 | To be eligible for the Financial Advisor Magazine Survey & Ranking, firms must be independent registered investment advisors, file their own ADV statement with the SEC, and provide financial planning and related services to individual clients. Firms were also required to submit a formal survey. There was no fee associated with participation. For more information on the ranking click here. |
| Financial Advisor Magazine | Top 50 Fastest-Growing RIAs | 2020 | To qualify, local investment advisers were required to submit a formal survey. Total assets under management, per the survey request, refers to any assets that generate fees. There was no fee associated with participation. For more information on the ranking click here. |
| Financial Planning Magazine | Top 150 Fee-Only RIA Firms | 2024 2023 2022 2021 | COMPLY, Financial Planning Magazine’s data partner, produced the rankings by applying the following six criteria to firms’ required SEC Form ADV filings: Firms must have zero registered representatives of a broker-dealer; At least 50% of the firm’s clients must be individuals or high net worth individuals; Firms must not list commissions as a compensation arrangement; Firms must have more than zero financial planning clients; Firms must not list commission-taking businesses in “other business activities”; Firms cannot be affiliated under common ownership with commission-taking businesses. There was no fee associated with participation. |
| Financial Times | Top 300 Independent RIAs | 2020 2016 | The FT 300 is based on data gathered from RIA firms, regulatory disclosures, and the FT’s research. As identified by the FT, the listing reflected each practice’s performance in six primary areas, including assets under management, asset growth, years in existence, compliance record, industry credentials, and online accessibility. Neither the RIA firms nor their employees pay a fee to the FT in exchange for inclusion in the FT 300. |
| Forbes | America’s Top RIA Firms | 2025 2024 2023 2022 | The Forbes ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone, virtual, and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data as of 3/31. The algorithm weighs factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience, and those that encompass best practices and approaches to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criterion and F.L.Putnam did not pay a fee to participate. To view the full list ranking and methodology click here. |
| Forbes | Best In State Next Gen Wealth Advisors | 2025 | Top Next-Gen Advisors Best-In-State, which spotlights emerging professionals from around the country, all of whom were born in 1986 or later. |
| Forbes | Best In State Top Advisors | 2022 | The Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, gained through telephone, virtual and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. Those advisors that are considered have a minimum of seven years experience, and the algorithm weighs factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass best practices in their approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criterion due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for rankings. |
| Forbes | Forbes Best-In-State Women Wealth Advisor | 2026 2025 | The Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State list ranks top female financial advisors across the U.S. Developed with SHOOK Research, this list ranks advisors by analyzing data on revenue, client assets, and compliance records, ensuring high-quality, experienced advice. |
| Mainebiz | Largest Investment Advisors in Maine | 2020 2019 | Firms are ranked by assets under management by Maine offices. An investment advisor as defined by FINRA provides advice about securities to clients and is required to register with the SEC or the state in which it practices. The company can be called an asset manager, investment counselor, investment manager, portfolio manager or wealth manager. Firms had to submit a survey to be considered. F.L.Putnam did not pay a fee to participate. |
| The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors | NAPFA Chair | 2012 2011 2010 | With financial reform at the forefront in Washington, D.C., and the issue of ethics a hot topic among advisors, the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) at its annual meeting in May elected a new chairperson. |
| The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors | Robert J. Underwood Distinguished Service Award | 1999 | This award is presented for outstanding service to the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) or the advancement of the practice of fee-only financial planning by an individual association or professional staff member. Recipients have demonstrated contributions that significantly and consistently impact NAPFA and/or the advancement of the profession through service to the Association. Recognized for their ability and willingness to serve as a teacher or formal/informal mentor to other professionals. Demonstrated leadership commitment and involvement in NAPFA. |
| Providence Business News | Local Wealth Managers | 2023 2022 2021 2020 | The Providence Business News research team ranks firms by total assets for local accounts under management as of 7/31. This includes accounts located in Rhode Island and/or Bristol County, Mass. F.L.Putnam did not pay a fee to participate |
| USA TODAY | Best Financial Advisory Firms List | 2024 | USA TODAY’s 2024 Best Financial Advisory Firms List. USA TODAY partnered with market research firm Statista to rank the top 500 registered investment advisory (RIA) firms. Statista ranked the top RIA firms based on an innovative methodology consisting of two dimensions: A firm’s development of Assets Under Management (AUM) and recommendations by financial advisors, clients, and industry experts. For more information on the ranking click here. |
| wealthmanagement.com | RIA Edge 100 | 2024 2023 | The RIA Edge 100 is not a ranking. Nor is it a subjective “best advisor” list based on business relationships, influencer status or social media popularity. It is not meant to be a static list. The RIA Edge 100 was designed to surface a premier group of well-managed firms that are reinvesting in their businesses, maintaining a high level of client service and continuing to grow by design, not by default. Firms cannot apply for the list, nor is there a cost to be included. |
| Worth | 2024 Top RIA Firms | 2024 | Registered Advisement Firms must have successfully cleared stringent benchmarks: AUM of Over $500 Million: Demonstrates substantial experience and trust in handling significant wealth; Predominantly High-Net-Worth Clients: Shows specialized expertise in managing the complex financial situations typical of wealthier clients; Substantial Planning Clientele: Indicates a focus on comprehensive financial planning rather than simple asset management; and Independence from Broker-Dealers: Ensures advice is unbiased and purely client-centric.The rankings were developed in collaboration with Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), a proxy advisory firm that helps investors comply with SEC rules for Form N-PX disclosure of proxy voting records. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires companies to compile and present financial and business information, reports, and disclosures to provide transparency to investors and the public. Leading Advisor assessments are based on the data that firms submit to the SEC in these disclosures. The public can review SEC filings through the commission’s online database, EDGAR. There was no fee associated with participation |