Barron's published its first advisor ranking in 2004 to shine a spotlight on the nation’s best wealth managers and raise standards in the industry. Advisors who wish to be ranked fill out a comprehensive survey about their practice. We verify that data and apply our rankings formula to the data to generate a ranking, based on assets, revenue, and quality of practice. The rankings are meant as a starting point for clients looking for an advisor—a first-pass vetting that can help investors narrow a search.