SEC-registered independent wealth management RIA
Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors
As of its Form ADV filed March 19, 2026, Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors, an SEC-registered independent wealth management RIA in Columbia, Maryland, reported $3.0 billion in regulatory assets under management across 5,301 accounts, ranking #8 among independent RIAs in Maryland by assets.
Registration
- Registration
- SEC-registered, Approved
- CRD number
- 159388
- SEC file number
- 801-76893
- Registered since
- June 29, 2012
- Latest Form ADV filing
- March 19, 2026
- Legal name
- BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON FINANCIAL ADVISORS, INC.
- Organized as
- Corporation
- Fiscal year ends
- December
- Other offices
- 0
Key figures
- Regulatory assets under management
- $3.0 billion
- Discretionary
- $2.9 billion (95.8%)
- Non-discretionary
- $124.0 million
- Accounts
- 5,301 (4,922 discretionary)
- Clients
- 5,301, approximate as reported
- Employees
- 36
- Advisory staff
- 13 performing investment advisory functions
- Average account
- $563,210
- Asset growth, 1 year
- 19.7% (from $2.5 billion a year earlier)
- Asset growth, 3-year annual rate
- 22.6% (from $1.6 billion three years earlier)
- Asset growth, 5-year annual rate
- 19.2% (from $1.2 billion five years earlier)
- Client growth, 1 year
- 15.3% (from 4,597)
Independent wealth management RIA: individual and high net worth clients hold at least half of its regulatory assets, it offers financial planning or portfolio management for individuals, and it is not a broker-dealer, a bank or part of one by the directory's rules. How firms are classed.
Growth rates come from the SEC's yearly snapshots and are left blank when the years are not comparable.
Rankings
Among independent wealth management RIAs.
| Ranking | Nationally | In Maryland | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largest independent RIAs by assets under management | #380 | #8 | $3.0 billion |
| Fastest-growing independent RIAs over one year | #2,444 | #45 | 19.7%from $2.5 billion |
| Fastest-growing independent RIAs over three years | #1,196 | #15 | 22.6%from $1.6 billion |
| Fastest-growing independent RIAs over five years | #683 | #10 | 19.2%from $1.2 billion |
| Independent RIAs with the biggest asset gains over one year | #417 | #5 | $490.5 million |
| Independent RIAs with the most clients | #160 | #1 | 5,301 |
| Independent RIAs with the fastest client growth over one year | #971 | #17 | 15.3%from 4,597 |
| Independent RIAs with the most accounts | #321 | #5 | 5,301 |
| Independent RIAs with the most advisory staff | #786 | #13 | 13 |
| Independent RIAs with the most high net worth clients | #230 | #4 | 872 |
| Independent RIAs with the most CFP professionals | #547 | #15 | 6 |
Assets over time
Data table
| As of | RAUM |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2012 | $278.1 million |
| October 1, 2013 | $351.2 million |
| October 1, 2014 | $416.0 million |
| October 1, 2015 | $482.8 million |
| October 3, 2016 | $453.1 million |
| October 2, 2017 | $590.0 million |
| October 1, 2018 | $700.0 million |
| October 1, 2019 | $765.8 million |
| October 1, 2020 | $1.0 billion |
| October 4, 2021 | $1.2 billion |
| October 3, 2022 | $1.6 billion |
| October 5, 2023 | $1.6 billion |
| October 1, 2024 | $1.9 billion |
| September 2, 2025 | $2.5 billion |
| October 2, 2026 | $3.0 billion |
Clients and services
Client mix
| Measure | Bar | RAUM |
|---|---|---|
| High net worth individuals 872 clients | $2.1 billion | |
| Individuals (other than high net worth) 4,400 clients | $900.3 million | |
| Charitable organizations 18 clients | $21.4 million | |
| Corporations or other businesses 11 clients | $1.6 million |
How the firm is paid
- A percentage of assets under management
- Other
Advisory services
- Financial planning
- Portfolio management for individuals or small businesses
- Educational seminars or workshops
- Other
Financial planning clients (Item 5.H): 251-500.
Wrap fee program sponsor or portfolio manager: no.
Other business, affiliations and custody
Other business activities (Item 6.A)
None reported.
Financial industry affiliations (Item 7.A)
None reported.
Custody (Item 9)
The firm reported no custody of client cash or securities.
Investment adviser representatives
- IARs registered with the firm
- 13
- Also registered through a broker-dealer
- 0
- Employees who are IARs (Form ADV 5.B(3))
- 13
Designations held by the firm's IARs: CFP 6, ChFC 1.
13 of the firm's 13 IARs are registered in jurisdictions that require IAR CE. IAR CE requirements by state.
Counts only. AdvisorIQ does not list individual people.
Disclosures
On Form ADV Item 11 the firm answered yes to 0 disclosure questions. See the detail on IAPD.
Succession and acquired firms
On Form ADV Item 4 the firm did not report succeeding to another adviser's business.
Similar-sized firms in Maryland
| Firm | City | RAUM |
|---|---|---|
| XML Financial Group | Bethesda | $3.3 billion |
| FBB Capital Partners | Bethesda | $2.4 billion |
| Cornerstone Advisory | Hunt Valley | $2.2 billion |
| Trumbower Financial Advisors LLC | Bethesda | $2.0 billion |
| Retirement Management Systems | Leonardtown | $1.9 billion |
The five independent RIAs nearest in regulatory assets with a main office in the same state.
Elsewhere
- Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors on IAPD: Form ADV, brochures and disclosure detail.
- Firm website: www.bwfa.com
- Independent RIAs in Maryland
Firm data as of October 2, 2026, from ia100226.zip. Figures are as the firm reported them; corrections are made on Form ADV and appear after the next monthly reload.
Data as of October 2, 2026, from Form ADV. Sources: SEC registered adviser data (ia100226.zip) and IAPD compilation reports. How the directory is built.