Cornell Capital Group, LLC

Cornell Capital Group, LLC is a small, state-registered independent advisory firm that serves primarily individuals and high‑net‑worth clients. Rather than managing assets directly, the firm provides financial planning, client onboarding, and referral/liaison services to third‑party money managers.

The firm’s process begins with collecting a client’s financial information and objectives and then recommending SEC‑ or state‑registered third‑party managers (TPMs) whose strategies match the client’s goals and risk tolerance; the firm monitors TPM performance, helps complete paperwork, and delivers TPM disclosures. Client accounts are custodied with third parties, clients receive custodial statements, and the firm reviews managed accounts at least quarterly and on other triggering events.

Noteworthy aspects disclosed in the brochure include outside business affiliations — the managing member operates an affiliated insurance business and provides tax‑planning consulting — and the firm’s reliance on referral arrangements rather than direct portfolio management. The brochure also details written referral agreements with named TPMs (for example, Gradient Investments and Howard Capital Management) and an incentive sharing arrangement with one manager tied to assets placed, and it discloses these relationships and related conflicts of interest along with stated mitigation practices.