First Trust Advisors Lp

CRD#107027
Investment Advisor Firm

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Learn more about First Trust Advisors Lp

  • Overview
  • By the Numbers
  • Products and Services
  • Fee Structure
  • Types of Clients
  • Disclosures
  • State Registrations
  • Office Locations
  • Firm Advisors

    • Overview

    First Trust Advisors Lp is located at 120 E. Liberty Drive, Wheaton, IL. The firm employs 125 financial advisors to manage client portfolios and provide financial guidance. First Trust Advisors Lp is not a registered broker-dealer.

    The firm oversees $256.3 billion in assets under management across 5,033 accounts, with 3,428 discretionary accounts and 1,605 non-discretionary accounts. Services offered include portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, portfolio management for investment companies, portfolio management for pooled investment vehicles, portfolio management for institutional clients, selection of other advisers, and publication of newsletters. The firm serves retail investors, high net worth investors, investment companies, pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, and corporations. Investment companies represent the largest client type by accounts. The fee structure includes asset-based, performance-based, and other fees. First Trust Advisors Lp has 1,744 high net worth clients and maintains affiliations with a broker-dealer or securities dealer and a commodity pool advisor.

    First Trust Advisors Lp is registered in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Missouri, Washington, Texas, and New Hampshire.

    Assets Under Management

    $256.3 billion

    Number of Advisors

    125

    Disclosures

    No

    Office Location

    120 E. Liberty Drive
    Wheaton, IL 60187

    First Trust Advisors Lp by the Numbers

    Total Assets Under Management

    $256.3 billion

    National Average: $8.6 billion
    Total Number of Employees

    520

    National Average: 64
    Total Number of Accounts

    5,033

    National Average: 375,227
    Average Account Size

    $50.9 million

    National Average: $23.0 thousand
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    Products and Services

    Financial services that First Trust Advisors Lp provides can include portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, portfolio management for investment companies, portfolio management for pooled investment vehicles, portfolio management for institutional clients, selection of other advisers, and publication of newsletters. Notably, it did not provide financial planning services to any of its clients in the last financial year. First Trust Advisors Lp is not involved in selling products or offering services other than investment advice to its investment advisory customers. The firm also has a number of financial industry affiliations, including with a broker-dealer or securities dealer and commodity pool advisor.

    Core Advisor Services

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      Financial Planning Services

      This is the process of planning for your financial future, including for events such as retirement, your child's college education or estate succession.

    • Offered by 46% of firms

      Portfolio Management

      This is the selection and management of an investment mix and portfolio strategy for individuals and small businesses.

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      Market Timing Services

      This is the practice of attempting to make short-term profits on investments by buying low and selling high.

    Other Services

    • Offered by 20% of firms

      Selection of Other Advisors

      This is the firm's assistance with choosing other advisors to work with who may have different specialties.

    • Offered by 3% of firms

      Publication of Periodicals

      This is the publication of various financial education materials.

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      Educational Seminars/Workshops

      This is the hosting of seminars or workshops to educate investors on financial concepts.

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    Fee Structure

    A financial advisor's fees largely depend on which services the firm provides the client. However, fees billed by First Trust Advisors Lp can include some combination of the following fee types: asset-based, performance-based, and other. The firm does participate in a wrap fee program, in which the company offers a service bundle for a comprehensive fee.First Trust Advisors Lp can withdraw the expenses directly from client funds.

    Available

    • Offered by 69% of firms

      Percentage of Assets

      Show Explanation

      This fee, which is the most common fee type charged by advisors for portfolio management, is based on the amount of assets you have under management. Also referred to as an asset-based fee, this fee typically ranges from 0.50%-2.00% of AUM annually. You'll typically pay a lower rate the more assets you have under management.

    • Offered by 26% of firms

      Performance-based

      Show Explanation

      Advisors only earn performance-based fees if a portfolio outperforms a defined benchmark. This fee may be calculated in a number of ways but most commonly is charged as a percentage of investment profits. Performance-based fees may incentivize advisors to make riskier decisions in order to generate higher returns.

    • Offered by 10% of firms

      Other

      Show Explanation

      Firms can sometimes charge customers using non-traditional fee structures. See this firm's Form ADV for more details.

    Unavailable

    • Find one of the 21% of firms that offer this fee type

      Hourly

      Show Explanation

      Like a lawyer, a financial advisor may charge you by the hour. This can be helpful if you are only looking for short-term or one-time advice. Rates typically range from $100-$300 per hour, depending on the complexity and level of services needed.

    • Find one of the 1% of firms that offer this fee type

      Commissions

      Show Explanation

      Occasionally, advisors earn commissions from selling financial products, such as securities or insurance policies, or making certain referrals or transactions. Advisors who earn commissions may be incentivized to make certain recommendations to clients in order to make a commission. Fee-only advisors do not earn commissions, while fee-based advisors may.

    • Find one of the 0% of firms that offer this fee type

      Subscription

      Show Explanation

      Firms generally charge this fee for educational materials provided, such as a monthly magazine. This can be useful if you want to learn about investing or financial management on your own.

    • Find one of the 32% of firms that offer this fee type

      Fixed

      Show Explanation

      Fixed fees are a one-time, lump sum charged for a specific service, like the creation of a financial plan without subsequent implementation. This can be useful if you only need advice for one specific purpose, rather than a long-term advisor. Fixed fees usually range from $1,000 to $3,000.

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    Types of Clients

    The firm works with a number of different investors. First Trust Advisors Lp provides services to retail investors, high net worth investors, investment companies, pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, and corporations. Out of its 5,033 clients, First Trust Advisors Lp's biggest client type by number of accounts is investment companies, although it also serves 1,744 high-net-worth individuals. A high-net-worth individual is defined by the SEC as an individual who has at least $750,000 in AUM or a net worth of more than $1.50 million or who is a "qualified purchaser" (a standard met by having at least $5 million in investments).

    • High-Net-Worth Individuals* - 34.65%
    • Other Individuals - 23.5%
    • Corporations - 40.61%
    • Charitable Organizations - 1.23%

    * The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) defines a high-net-worth individual as someone who has at least $750,000 under management.

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    Disclosures

    First Trust Advisors Lp does not have any disclosures.

    Please visit its Form ADV for more details.

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    Financial Advisors at First Trust Advisors Lp

    Virginia Donohue
    Wheaton, IL
    Jared Todd
    Wheaton, IL
    Grant Markgraf
    Wheaton, IL
    Justin Bennett
    Wheaton, IL
    Edward Mccaskey
    Wheaton, IL
    Kevin Barlow
    Wheaton, IL
    Christopher Jones
    Wheaton, IL
    Peter Christou
    Wheaton, IL
    Matthew Redmond
    Bloomington, IN

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