Why Choose Zhang Financial?
Independence/Upholds a Fiduciary Standard
As an investment advisor, Zhang Financial has a fiduciary duty to all clients. It is our responsibility to provide fair and full disclosure of all material facts and act solely in the best interest of each of our clients at all times. We have no “hidden agenda” or drive to sell any particular financial product. Zhang Financial utilizes the custodial services of LPL Financial, the largest independent broker/dealer in the United States for 19 consecutive years*, and TD Ameritrade, an industry leader in technology and client service.
Unbiased Investment Advice
Zhang Financial values unbiased investment research and advice. We have access to many independent research resources that allow us to thoroughly analyze product research and only select investments that we believe are best suited to our clients' needs. Zhang Financial offers no proprietary products, investment banking business, or any other conflicts that can get in the way of providing independent, objective, and unbiased investment research.
Knowledge and Expertise
Charles Zhang holds various prestigious professional designations and degrees in the financial planning field including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC). He received his MBA from Northwestern University (Kellogg) and his Executive Education from Harvard Business School. In addition, Charles was an adjunct professor of Finance at Western Michigan University.
Lynn Chen-Zhang also boasts an extensive educational background in finance and tax accounting. Lynn received her MBA from Northwestern University (Kellogg) and her MS in Accountancy from Western Michigan University. Lynn is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM and a nationally recognized Employee Stock Option expert.
Comprehensive Financial Planning
Zhang Financial believes it is important to take a holistic approach to financial planning. We aim to manage all aspects of our clients' financial situation. We provide our clients with in-house experts for matters of tax planning, investment planning, retirement planning, insurance planning, education planning, and estate planning. In the unlikely event that we are unable to provide needed expertise, we consult with our trusted affiliates, which include local CPA firms and attorneys.
Zhang Financial knows that financial planning is an ongoing, dynamic process. We offer our clients periodic service meetings, portfolio rebalancing, and retirement planning. As your needs change our investment strategy will change to meet your current financial situation.
“Open Architecture” Investment Platform
As independent advisors we have access to thousands of mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative investments. Free from the constraint of proprietary products and investment banking relationships, we are able to work with our clients to determine which investment options are best suited for their unique financial situation.
Fee-Only and Competitive Pricing
Zhang Financial works with clients on a fee-only basis. Charles Zhang, CFP® is one of the nation's top fee-only advisors. This allows us to offer truly objective financial advice and align our goals with those of our clients - growing assets. Through our fee-only program, we are able to adjust your investment portfolio without requiring you to pay any commission. Most importantly, since annual fees are based on total assets under management, fee-only asset management ties our compensation directly to the performance of your account, thereby eliminating conflicts of interest.
Exceptional Personal Service
Zhang Financial offers exceptional personal service. Each client works directly with Charles Zhang when making important investment decisions. In addition, every client is assigned a Client Services Manager. We are committed to accommodating our individual client’s needs and answering their important questions within 24 hours.
Credibility and Professionalism
Charles is recognized nationwide for his expertise in the financial planning industry. Charles was ranked #6 on Barron’s list of the nation's Top 100 Independent Wealth Advisors for 2018 and has been ranked in the Top 10 every year since 2015. He is currently the highest ranked fee-only NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor on the list.1 He has been named the #1 Financial Advisor in Michigan by Barron’s in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.2 Charles has also been ranked #7 in the nation on Forbes' list of America's Top Wealth Advisors for 2018 and is the highest ranked Independent Advisor on the list.3
Charles is often interviewed and quoted by many national media sources and publications such as the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Barron’s, Reuter’s, Associated Press, Forbes, Yahoo! Finance, U.S. News & World Report, CNN, MSN Money, Fox Business, PBS, Financial Times, and BusinessWeek.
Lynn Chen-Zhang was recognized as one of the nation’s Top 100 Women Financial Advisors by both Barron’s and The Financial Times in 2014.4 Lynn, who received her MBA from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, is a NAPFA Registered Fee-Only Financial Advisor, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM, as well as a Certified Public Accountant. She has been interviewed and quoted by many national media sources and publications including CNBC, Barron’s, and The Wall Street Journal.
*As reported by Financial Planning magazine, June 1996-2015, based on total revenue.
1As reported in Barron's August 22, 2015, August 27, 2016, September 15, 2017, and September 14, 2018. Based on assets under management, quality of practices, revenue that advisors generate for their firms and other factors.
2As reported in Barron’s February 18, 2013, February 22, 2014, February 23, 2015, March 5, 2016, March 4, 2017, March 10, 2018, and March 8, 2019. Based on assets under management, revenue generated for advisors' firms and other factors.
3As reported in Forbes September 13, 2018. The ranking, developed by our partner Shook Research, is based on in-person and telephone due-diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm for advisors who have a minimum of seven years of experience. We consider client retention, industry experience, compliance records and firm nominations as well as quantitative criteria such as assets under management and revenue generated for their firms.
4As reported in Barron's June 7, 2014. Based on assets under management, revenue produced for the firm, regulatory record and quality of practice and philanthropic work. Financial Times The 2014 Financial Times Top 100 Women Financial Advisors is an independent listing produced by the Financial Times (November, 2014). The FT 100 is based on data gathered from firms, regulatory disclosures, and the FT's research. As identified by the FT, the listing reflected each advisor's performance in six primary areas, including assets under management, asset growth, compliance record, years in existence, credentials and accessibility. Neither firms nor their employees pay a fee to The Financial Times in exchange for inclusion in the FT 100.
Forbes and Barron's Full Disclosures
Put America's Top NAPFA-Registered Fee-Only Financial Advisors to work for you.
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Portage MI Office
5931 Oakland Drive
Portage, MI 49024
269.385.5888
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Battle Creek Office
70 West Michigan Ave. Suite 100
Battle Creek, MI 49017
269.965.0777
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Grand Rapids Office
2828 Kraft Avenue SE, Suite 100
Grand Rapids, MI 49512
616.235.5777
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Troy Office
101 West Big Beaver Road, 14th Floor
Troy, MI 48084
248.687.1258
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Naples Office
999 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Suite 200
Naples, FL 34108
239.325.1826
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Zhang Financial
5931 Oakland Drive Portage, MI 49024
List of office locations
Email: clientservice@zhangfinancial.com | Toll-Free: 888-777-0126
Minimum investment requirement: $1,000,000 in Michigan, $2,000,000 outside of Michigan.
Investment Advice offered through Zhang Financial, a Fee-Only Wealth Management Group.