Sonoma Private Wealth LLC

Sonoma Private Wealth LLC provides portfolio management, financial planning, and family office/wealth‑planning services to individuals, high‑net‑worth individuals, and charitable organizations. The firm reports about $158 million in assets under management, typically requires a $1 million account minimum, and charges asset‑based advisory fees for portfolio management.

Investment guidance is delivered through firm‑developed model portfolios, use of sub‑advisers where appropriate, and customized asset‑allocation recommendations based on fundamental analysis and modern portfolio principles; clients may choose discretionary or non‑discretionary arrangements and may impose written restrictions. Sonoma relies on custodial relationships with Charles Schwab and Fidelity, uses the Orion technology platform for account administration, and explicitly incorporates ESG considerations into research and model construction via HIP Investor’s sustainability metrics.

What is distinctive is the firm’s public reliance on and advertising of third‑party ESG ratings and research—Sonoma integrates HIP Investor’s HIP factor and related ratings into its investment process and model portfolios, and discloses that an advisory representative has an affiliation with HIP, creating a potential conflict of interest. The brochure further discloses that Sonoma contracts with HIP to provide administrative services on the Orion platform for a per‑account fee and describes supervisory measures and disclosures intended to address that affiliation.