Most Experienced Independent Financial Advisers

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To find the most experienced financial advisers, BusinessWeek teamed up with the Paladin Registry, a service to vet advisers. Paladin founder Jack Waymire screened his database of more than 1,000 independent financial advisers who are scored on a 100-point system. Advisers receive the maximum number of points for 15 years of experience as well as for holding two major certifications, such as Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Financial Planner. (For more info on certifications, visit the Certifications for Financial Advisers Playbook) To be included in the registry, advisers need to be independent and fees must be the primary form of compensation. Here are the 50 advisers (listed in order of experience) with the highest rankings in the Paladin Registry as well as the most work experience.