St. Paul, MN Office

Ballast Advisors manages about $674 million in client assets for a mix of individual investors (including high-net-worth clients), retirement plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations and businesses. The firm offers financial planning and consulting, investment and wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and may coordinate tax preparation or related services through an affiliated accounting firm.

Portfolios are managed on both a discretionary and non-discretionary basis and are allocated across mutual funds, ETFs, individual equity and debt securities, options and, where appropriate, independent managers, using methods such as modern portfolio theory, strategic and tactical asset allocation and periodic rebalancing. Clients receive ongoing monitoring and outreach (at least annually and quarterly contact is disclosed), and the firm notes it has begun using generative AI for certain administrative processes.

Noteworthy distinctions disclosed in the brochure include an ownership affiliation with Ballast Tax & Business Services LLC (creating a potential conflict when tax or accounting referrals are made) and that several supervised persons are licensed insurance agents who may offer commissionable insurance products. The firm also discloses circumstances in which it may be deemed to have custody (for example, direct fee debit and bill‑pay arrangements) and that it uses third‑party custodians and independent managers in its service model.