Top 10 RIAs in the Kansas City Metro Area

If you're in investment sales, you likely already know that one of the biggest problems of selling to the RIA  channel is the sheer size of it.

The RIA market across the United States consists of over 36,000 firms, which means that while there are more than enough to choose from when looking for new clients, narrowing down the list to only those that allocate to outside managers is going to be key.

Here at Dakota, we’ve raised over $6 billion from over 350 RIAs, and that has been possible because we qualify and curate our list to only RIAs that allocate to outside managers.

In an effort to help narrow down the sheer size of the market, we’ve put together a list of the top 10 RIAs in each major metro area across the country. To determine our list, we looked for three things:

1. An AUM above $200 million
2. A dedicated analyst team
3. An RIA that actively allocates capital to outside investment management firms

In this article, we're highlighting the top 10 RIAs in Kansas City from our curated institutional investor database, Dakota Marketplace.

However, this is by no means a “best of” list, as there are so many high quality RIAs in Kansas City and around the country. By the end of the article, you'll have a clear idea of the landscape. 

1. Resources Investment Advisors 

AUM: $64,797,868,905

About: Resources Investment Advisors help clients create lasting, research-based value for employers and individuals through access to innovative programs and technology.

They practice support services for retirement plan and wealth management advisor offices, including:
managed asset programs, technology, compliance, accounting, marketing

2. Creative Planning Inc. 

AUM: 45,081,761,846

About: Creative Planning takes a team approach to comprehensive wealth management. The team is unique just like their clients. Together, they make up a team of specialists fiercely determined to provide you the best possible plan to grow, protect and transfer your money. Using a planning-led approach, they get to know their clients and understand what’s important to them. They then develop a plan that is in their clients' best interests, today and for years to come.

3. Mariner Wealth Advisors 

AUM: $29,434,612,873

About: For more than a decade, Mariner Wealth Advisors has been intentional about creating long-term relationships with their clients and their families. The Mariner team wants to be their clients’ first call for everything, whether it is developing a tax strategy or helping them with a personal issue beyond the scope of wealth management. This approach provides clients with a unique experience where they receive advice that incorporates every aspect of their lives so they can remain focused on what matters most.

4. Prime Capital Investment Advisors

AUM: $12,000,000,000

About: PCIA is a firm that is led by seasoned financial services executives. They look for people who are experts in the industry and who are passionate about helping people. They also know that their advisors are the professionals that are closest to clients. For this reason, they have a Wealth Management Advisory Board to ensure that their operations and goals meet the clients needs. They also have a Retirement Advisory Board that sets strategy and establishes priorities for their retirement plan advisory business.

5. FCI Advisors 

AUM: $9,863,393,161

About: FCI Advisors brings a wealth of expertise and experience to help you manage your money and reach your financial goals. Since 1966, FCI has grown, diligently and deliberately, to strengthen our services and our connections, develop long-term relationships with our clients, and deliver superior performance.

6. AE Wealth Management LLC

AUM: $8,583,746,349

About: AE Wealth Management, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) that works with financial advisors across the country to provide investment options and portfolio design aimed at helping clients have a clear vision for the future.

Their conservative approach to money management often aligns well with the goals of retirees and pre-retirees who wish to preserve their assets. They aren’t trying to “beat the market.” Instead, AE Wealth’s objective is on managing risk and volatility to help protect what you’ve worked so hard to earn.

7. Meridian

AUM: $5,198,013,861

About: Meridian’s client-centric service model focuses on proactive communication, responsiveness, and accountability, developing meaningful relationships with clients and their family. They collaborate with other outside advisors including CPAs and attorneys to build fully coordinated strategies to simplify their clients’ financial affairs.

8. Prairie Capital Management Inc.

AUM: $5,027,456,952

About: Prairie Capital Management Group, LLC, is a SEC registered investment advisor, was established in response to clients’ desire for objective, customized, and innovative wealth management services. Today, Prairie Capital serves clients across the United States through offices in the Kansas City, Chicago and Dallas metropolitan areas. Their clients include high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, family offices, foundations, endowments, and other institutions.

9. BKD Investment Advisors LLC

AUM: $3,703,993,084

About: BKD Wealth Advisors provides financial planning and investment advisory services for high-net-worth individuals and families, along with investment consulting and compliance services for institutional clients.

10. Frontier Wealth Management

AUM: $3,052,309,014

About: Frontier built a firm enabled to serve clients through all stages of their life by drawing upon their collective experiences. They take their clients’ financial situation from complicated and chaotic to organized and simplified. Their bench of specialists serves clients, affording them access to the industry’s best without the individual cost of such talent. Complex problems do have solutions and they often happen when least expected.

While the above are the RIAs in Kansas City with the highest AUM, you can access the complete list of Kansas City RIAs in Dakota Marketplace. To find out more, we'd love to offer a free trial of the platform.