Cullari Carrico Wealth Advisors

RIAs are regulated by the SEC or state securities regulators and must adhere to a fiduciary duty, meaning the firm is legally required to act in its clients' best interests. This contrasts with broker-dealers, who operate under a suitability standard that only requires recommendations to be appropriate, not necessarily optimal or lowest-cost. For clients, the RIA structure means fee transparency — typically a percentage of assets under management — and an obligation to disclose conflicts of interest.

The firm is led by its namesakes, Michael Cullari and Gerard Carrico. In the independent RIA space, it is common for founders to serve as lead advisors, personally managing the key client relationships that form the core of the practice. Their individual professional designations — such as CFP or CPA — would further define the firm's service scope, though those credentials are not publicly confirmed.

Independent RIAs are not affiliated with a bank or brokerage, so they face no internal pressure to sell proprietary mutual funds, structured products, or banking services. Their investment recommendations can span the entire market, and their compensation comes directly from advisory fees agreed upon with the client. This structural separation from product manufacturing is the fundamental distinction between an objective fiduciary shop and a distribution channel.

RIAs of this profile can provide access to private equity, private credit, and real assets through third-party platforms, feeder funds, or by facilitating accredited investor placements. Whether Cullari Carrico actively allocates to alternatives depends on the client base and the advisors' investment philosophy, none of which are publicly documented. Many independent wealth advisors focus primarily on public-market portfolios and outsource alternatives due diligence.

Based on available public records, the firm appears to operate in the United States, though its specific office locations are not disclosed. Independent RIAs often maintain a concentrated local presence, with many serving clients across multiple states through remote service models rather than a network of physical branches.