Stewart Wealth Management

Stewart Wealth Management

Stewart Wealth Management opened in 2007 after founder Ben Stewart spent seven years as a vice president at Wachovia Securities. The firm runs from a single office at 1050 Northgate Drive in San Rafael, California, and targets households with at least $500,000 in investable assets. Stewart describes the client base as 'pragmatic investors' who have accumulated multiple accounts across 401(k)s, IRAs, mutual funds and real estate and want a consolidated, tax-aware allocation. Portfolios are built on a core-satellite architecture: the base is constructed with exchange-traded funds and income-producing index funds, while smaller satellite positions take sector-based tilts meant to deliver higher volatility and non-correlation. Stewart integrates private real estate investments for accredited clients alongside the liquid ETF sleeve, and the firm reports that household balances above $1 million benefit from lower management fees. Geography is local — Marin County and its surroundings — consistent with a face-to-face advisory practice. The firm operates as a fee-only fiduciary compensated exclusively as a percentage of assets under management. Charles Schwab Institutional has served as the custodian since inception, providing trade execution and back-office support for client accounts. On the team, Jared, a CFP since 2012, joined Stewart in April 2007 after a stint at Ameriprise Financial, while Jesse Beisler handles client relations and accounting. Stewart Wealth Management is a registered investment advisor that functions as a classic ensemble practice: the founder-owner doubles as chief investment officer, portfolio construction is manual rather than model-driven, and the custodian relationship with Schwab Institutional creates a layer of separation between advisory and asset custody. That structure — one-owner CIO, human-designed asset allocation, direct private real estate for HNW clients — distinguishes it from the retail wirehouse model Stewart departed and from automated robo-platforms that otherwise compete for similar account minimums.