Lantern Wealth Advisors

Lantern operates as an independent registered investment adviser (RIA). This fiduciary structure means the firm is legally obligated to act in its clients' best interest, unlike a broker-dealer model that permits suitability-standard recommendations. Client assets are held by third-party custodians rather than by the firm itself.

Lantern integrates both disciplines. Planning work drives the investment mandate, not the reverse — cash-flow projections, tax analysis, and retirement-income modeling inform the portfolio before asset allocation decisions are finalized. This planning-first sequence distinguishes the firm from asset-gathering practices where the plan is secondary.

Core allocations center on US equities, fixed income including municipal and corporate bonds, and strategic cash. The firm uses direct indexing and individual bond ladders for tax management alongside pooled vehicles. Alternative exposures are considered on a client-by-client basis where the liquidity profile supports them.

No. Lantern uses external qualified custodians, keeping custody separate from advice. This separation is a structural safeguard common among independent RIAs and means clients receive account statements directly from the custodian, not solely from the adviser.

The firm works with individuals and families, with a particular focus on those navigating the transition from accumulation to retirement. Its service model combines ongoing financial planning with discretionary portfolio management, suited to clients who want coordinated tax, investment, and income planning rather than standalone money management.