Sage Financial Accolades

Third-Party Rankings

Please note limitations: Neither rankings nor recognitions by unaffiliated rating services, publications, media, or other organizations,  nor the achievement of any professional designation, certification, degree, or license, membership in any professional organization, or any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that the client will experience a certain level of results if the investment professional or the investment professional’s firm is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A fee was not paid by either the investment professional or the investment professional’s firm to receive the ranking. The ranking is based on specific criteria and methodology (see ranking criteria/methodology). No ranking or recognition should be construed as an endorsement by any past or current client of the investment professional or the investment professional’s firm.  ANY QUESTIONS: Sage’s Chief Compliance Officer remains available to address any questions regarding rankings and/or recognitions, including the criteria used for any reflected ranking.

Barron’s Magazine: 2023 Top 1,200 Financial Advisors

Barron’s state-by-state ranking of the top financial advisors in the United States (March 10, 2023). Factors included in the rankings are assets under management, revenues generated by advisors for their firms, and philanthropic work. Barron’s examines regulatory records, internal company documents, and extensive questionnaires filled out by the advisors themselves. Investment performance isn’t explicitly a criterion, because the advisors pursue a wide range of investment goals for their clients. A total of 1,200 advisors were ranked based on data provided by over 4,000 advisors across the nation. In the final list, advisors are ranked by state. The number of advisors included for each state was based on population. Sage Financial Group did not pay to participate in this ranking.

The Financial Times: 2020 Top  300 Registered Investment Advisers

The 2020 Financial Times Top 300 Registered Investment Advisers is an independent listing produced by the Financial Times (July 2020). The FT 300 is based on data gathered from RIA firms, regulatory disclosures, and the FT’s research, and 300 RIA firms were ranked based on data submitted by some 760 qualified RIA firms across the nation. As identified by the FT, the listing reflects each practice’s performance in six primary areas, including assets under management, asset growth, compliance record, years in existence, credentials and accessibility. Neither the RIA firms nor their employees pay a fee to the Financial Times in exchange for inclusion in the FT 300.

Client Retention – 98%

Our client retention rate is calculated annually and reflects a one-year time period. We adjust this number when the change in either direction is equal to or greater than 2%.

Employee Retention – 98%

Our employee retention rate is calculated annually and reflects the average of a five-year time period. We adjust this number when the change in either direction is equal to or greater than 2%.

Philadelphia Business Journal: 2023 Best Places To Work

The 76 businesses appearing on the Philadelphia Business Journal list “2023 Best Places To Work” were assessed through an employee survey that measured key areas of an organization’s culture. These areas ranged from compensation and benefits to trust in senior leadership. The survey also measured the level of engagement exhibited by employees. Sage Financial Group did not pay to participate in this ranking, and employee participation was completely voluntary. Sage was part of the Small Business Category that ranked firms with 10-49 employees. Sage was recognized on 7/26/2023. The information reflects the 2022 calendar year.

Philadelphia Business Journal: 2024 Top Money Managers

Money managers appearing on this list were ranked by total assets under management as of March 11, 2024. Information on this list was supplied by the individual firms through questionnaires and was not independently verified by The Philadelphia Business Journal. The information reflects the 2023 calendar year.

CNBC Financial Advisor 100 

“The CNBC FA 100 recognizes those advisory firms that best help clients navigate their financial lives.”

CNBC enlisted data provider AccuPoint Solutions to assist with the ranking of registered investment advisors for this year’s FA 100 list.

The methodology consisted of first analyzing a variety of core data points from AccuPoint Solutions’ proprietary database of registered investment advisors. This analysis started with an initial list of 40,646 RIA firms from the Securities and Exchange Commission regulatory database. Through a process, the list was eventually cut to 812 RIAs with those firms meeting CNBC’s proprietary criteria.

CNBC staff sent an extensive email survey to all those firms that met the initial criteria to gather more details. In turn, those advisory firms filled out a comprehensive application in regard to their practice. The CNBC team verified that data with those firms and with the SEC regulatory database. AccuPoint once again applied CNBC’s proprietary weighted categories to further refine and rank the firms, ultimately creating the list of the top 100 firms.
CNBC receives no compensation from placing financial advisory firms on our list. Additionally, an advisor’s appearance on our ranking does not constitute an individual endorsement by CNBC of any firm.
Sage was recognized on September 12, 2023. The list reflects the 2022 calendar year.

Five Star Wealth Manager 2023

To receive the Five Star Wealth Manager award, a wealth manager must satisfy 10 objective eligibility and evaluation criteria that are associated with wealth managers who provide quality services to their clients. Factors taken into account include assets under management and client retention rate. Candidates also undergo a thorough regulatory and complaint review. Award winners cannot pay a fee to be included in the research or the final list of award recipients.

Research Objective
Our research objective is to recognize wealth management professionals who show a commitment to clients, demonstrate strong industry credentials and are evaluated on the quality of their current practice.

Regulatory Review
Regulatory reviews of reported complaints and disciplinary actions are conducted for each award candidate and consumer feedback is gathered to augment the process.

Award Eligibility and Evaluation Criteria
Award candidates who move on in the process are asked to submit information related to the 10 objective eligibility and evaluation criteria below. The following 10 criteria are used in determining the Five Star Wealth Manager award winners:

Eligibility Required

  • Credentialed as an investment adviser representative or a registered investment advisor.
  • Actively employed as a registered investment advisor representative or as a principal of a registered investment advisor firm for a minimum of five years.
  • Favorable regulatory and complaint history.
  • Fulfilled their firm review based on internal firm standards.
  • Accepting new clients.

Evaluation Criteria Considered

  • One-year client retention rate.
  • Five-year client retention rate.
  • Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary assets administered.
  • Number of client households served.
  • Education and professional designations.

The specific numeric values for some of the objective evaluation criteria are determined after the wealth managers have submitted their data forms. For example, Five Star Professional will determine the numeric requirement for the client assets administered after the data forms have been received. This helps assure a final list that is appropriately sized for the market, and it also allows Five Star Professional to accommodate the varying levels of client assets administered by wealth managers in different regions of the country.

Firm Review

Each firm has the opportunity to review preliminary award winners from its firm and remove individuals for internal company reasons.

Program Presentation and Discussion with SEC Staff

The Five Star Wealth Manager award program was presented and discussed with the SEC Staff in Washington D.C., in June 2011. The SEC
Staff verbally advised Five Star Professional that the program does not constitute a client testimonial. In the Investment Advisers
Association No Action Letter (December 2, 2005) the SEC Staff lists eight factors that investment advisers should consider when
determining whether any advertisement containing a third-party rating is false or misleading. Appendix B describes how the Five Star
Wealth Manager program satisfies each of the factors.

Award List Publication

The list of Five Star Wealth Managers for each market is published in the leading city and regional magazine and/or business
publication and on fivestarprofessional.com. Five Star award winners do not pay a fee to be included in the research or the final list of
award winners.

Sage was recognized on 12/2/2023 for the period 2/13/2023-8/31/2023.

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