Carroll Financial Group

James P. Carroll founded the firm and remains its senior principal. Day-to-day portfolio decisions are distributed across a team of financial advisors, each constructing allocations for their own client base using a shared platform of research, model portfolios, and third-party manager due diligence. The firm does not operate a single centralized investment committee for all client accounts.

Carroll operates as a dual-registered hybrid. When acting as a registered investment advisor, its advisors are fiduciaries and must place client interests first. When executing brokerage transactions, they operate under Regulation Best Interest. Clients sign separate agreements depending on which hat the advisor wears for a given service.

Access to alternatives is limited compared to a family office or institutional allocator. Advisors can source non-traded REITs, interval funds, and business-development companies for suitable clients, but the firm does not run a dedicated alternatives research team or sponsor its own private funds. The bulk of client capital remains in traditional public-market vehicles.

The firm is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and its client base concentrates in the Southeast — primarily North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. It does not maintain additional branch offices. Remote servicing capabilities expanded during the pandemic but the relationship model remains largely in-person for local families.

The firm uses a mixed-fee model. Advisory accounts pay an asset-based fee when acting under the RIA. Brokerage accounts may be transactional or fee-based depending on the services selected. Advisors also earn commissions on insurance and annuity placements. Clients receive a Form CRS and ADV Part 2A disclosures detailing the specific compensation structure applicable to their engagement.