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Garner Financial Management
Garner Financial Management was established in 2002 as a California-based registered investment advisor, operating from its headquarters in Lafayette.
Garner Financial Management
Garner Financial Management was established in 2002 as a California-based registered investment advisor, operating from its headquarters in Lafayette. The firm's founding coincides with the post-dot-com era when many wealth holders sought fiduciary advisors separate from the major wirehouses. As an RIA, the firm is legally bound to act in its clients' best interests, a structural commitment that shapes its entire service model. Garner's stated capabilities include investment management and portfolio construction for a client base spanning individuals, corporations, and other business entities. The firm's ADV filings, which are public record for all RIAs, would detail its specific asset-allocation approach, discretionary vs. non-discretionary assets, and whether it uses third-party managers or constructs portfolios in-house. No large-scale fund vehicles or proprietary investment products are associated with the firm, suggesting a customized separate-account model typical of independent wealth managers in the East Bay market. The firm operates without disclosed satellite offices, maintaining a concentrated presence in Contra Costa County. No public records indicate adjacent philanthropic structures, family-office services beyond investment management, or membership in formal peer networks. In recent years, the RIA industry has seen consolidation pressure, but Garner Financial Management has not been publicly involved in M&A activity, implying the firm continues as an independent practice. Garner's structural differentiator is its longevity as a small independent RIA in a suburban market that includes both technology-wealth and old-line East Bay families. While larger RIAs chase national scale, firms like Garner operate under the premise that a limited client roster and a fiduciary standard produce investment outcomes that institutional-size firms cannot replicate for individual clients. The absence of public marketing or data-vendor coverage is itself a signal — this is a firm that grows by referral, not brand.
General information
Firm type
Bank / Wealth / Trust
Year founded
2002
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Lafayette
Corporate office
Lafayette, CA, United States
Frequently asked questions
Is Garner Financial Management a fiduciary?
Yes. As a registered investment advisor, Garner Financial Management is legally obligated to act as a fiduciary under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. This means the firm must put client interests ahead of its own, disclose conflicts of interest, and seek best execution on trades. This fiduciary duty is the foundational distinction between RIAs and broker-dealers, who operate under a suitability standard.
How does Garner Financial Management charge for its services?
RIAs typically charge a percentage of assets under management, flat retainer fees, hourly fees, or a combination. Garner's specific fee schedule is disclosed in its Form ADV Part 2, which must be delivered to clients and is available upon request or via the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website. Common fee structures for firms of this size in the East Bay market range from 0.75% to 1.25% of AUM annually, often on a tiered schedule that declines as assets increase.
Does Garner Financial Management serve institutional clients or only individuals?
The firm's regulatory disclosures indicate it advises individuals, high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and other business entities. This blend is typical of small RIAs that start with retail wealth management and gradually take on corporate retirement plans, non-profit endowments, or pass-through entities for professional-services firms. The exact institutional-individual split is not publicly reported.
What is Garner's investment philosophy?
Garner Financial Management's website describes its core services as investment management and portfolio management. RIAs of this vintage and geography frequently employ a multi-asset-class strategic allocation, rebalanced periodically, with tax-loss harvesting for taxable accounts. The firm has not publicly published a specific asset-class manifesto or proprietary research, so any allocation approaches are communicated directly to clients rather than broadcast to the market.
Does Garner have any known partnerships or affiliations with larger institutions?
No public record indicates that Garner Financial Management is affiliated with a broker-dealer, bank, or insurance company. Many independent RIAs use third-party custodians like Schwab Advisor Services or Fidelity Institutional for trade execution, custody, and reporting. Whether Garner uses such a platform and which one is not confirmed, but the RIA model generally requires an unaffiliated qualified custodian to hold client assets.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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