Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC logo

Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC

Updated today

Client AUM

$976,968,743

Clients

853

Advisors

5

of 9 employees

About

Sterling Investment Counsel provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, corporations, pension and charitable plans. The firm manages roughly $1.03 billion across about 853 client relationships and also offers managed-account solutions through the AssetMark platform.

The firm’s investment process draws on modern portfolio theory, fundamental analysis and charting, and it employs both long- and short-term trading approaches while using asset allocations from independent strategists when appropriate. Its disclosures identify use of a range of instruments—including structured products, leveraged loans and non-U.S. securities—and note that separately managed accounts can involve derivative strategies and borrowing.

Sterling’s regulatory and professional footprint is notable: supervised persons serve as registered representatives of LPL Financial, are licensed insurance agents, and some are licensed attorneys who may provide legal services or advice outside of the advisory engagement. The firm operates with a relatively small advisor team managing over $1 billion in AUM, offers financial planning at no additional charge, and requires Fidelity custody for most accounts while disclosing potential soft-dollar benefits and commissionable product sales.

Client services

Financial planning Portfolio management

Expertise

General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Real estate investing

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Fee options

Percentage

$0 - $500,000: 1.50% $500,001+: 1.25%

Commissions

Supervised persons may accept commissions from the sale of securities including mutual funds and insurance products; commissions are not primary compensation.

Other

Minimum fee: Minimum annual fee of $1,500

Main office

360 Delaware Avenue, Suite 400

Buffalo NY 14202

Advisors at this office

5

Most active in

California · Colorado · Connecticut · Florida · Maryland · Massachusetts · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New York · North Carolina · Ohio · Pennsylvania · Tennessee · Texas · Virginia

Disclosures

Exclamation point means they have disclosures of this type. Check mark means no disclosures of this type were found.

Business activities & affiliations

Advisors at this firm

user avatar

Cynthia V

CFP®, ChFC®, Series 63

Buffalo, NY

Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC

Cynthia Vance is a CFP® and ChFC® with 42 years of industry experience. She is currently affiliated with Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC and LPL Financial LLC, and has held roles at SII Investments and Jensen, Marks, Langer & Vance LLC. In addition to her advisory work, she is a licensed attorney and serves as a board member for WNED/WBFO. Sterling Investment Counsel provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a variety of analytical methods and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, including implementation through third-party platforms like AssetMark.

General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Real estate investing
user avatar

Christopher M

Series 63, Series 65, Series 66

Buffalo, NY

Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC

Christopher Marks is a financial advisor with Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial LLC since 2018 and has been affiliated with Sterling Investment Counsel since 2016. Marks is also involved with Jensen, Marks, Langer & Vance Comprehensive Wealth Planning LLC and serves as a broker with Specific Solutions, Inc. and Alliance Advisory Group LLC. Sterling Investment Counsel provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm customizes portfolios based on client goals and risk tolerance, employing a variety of analytical methods and both long- and short-term trading strategies, and offers financial planning at no additional cost.

General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Real estate investing
user avatar

John L

Series 63, Series 65

Buffalo, NY

Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC

John Langer is a financial advisor with Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC in Buffalo, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at LPL Financial LLC since 2018 and was previously with Sii Investments, Inc. from 2007 to 2018. Outside of advisory services, he is a licensed agent for non-variable insurance products, including term and universal life insurance, fixed annuities, long-term care, and disability insurance. Sterling Investment Counsel provides portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth investors, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm customizes portfolios based on client goals, time horizons, and risk tolerance, employing a combination of charting, fundamental analysis, and modern portfolio theory, and often utilizes third-party managed-account platforms such as AssetMark.

General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Real estate investing
user avatar

Chelsea B

Series 66

Buffalo, NY

Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC

Chelsea Blasch is a financial advisor with Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC, holding a Series 66 designation and 11 years of industry experience. She has worked with Sterling Investment Counsel since 2016 and has prior experience at SII Investments, Inc. and Jensen, Marks, Langer & Vance. Chelsea provides investment advisory services through Sterling Investment Counsel, an independent registered investment advisor. Sterling Investment Counsel offers portfolio management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm uses a combination of analytical methods and trading approaches tailored to each client’s goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance.

General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Real estate investing
user avatar

Phillip V

Series 63, Series 65, Series 66

Buffalo, NY

Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC

Phillip Vance is a financial advisor at Sterling Investment Counsel, LLC with 32 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66 licenses and has worked at LPL Financial LLC since 2018 and at Sterling Investment Counsel since 2016. Prior to that, he was with SII Investments, Inc. for 11 years. Sterling Investment Counsel provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth investors, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm customizes portfolios based on client goals, time horizons, and risk tolerance, using a combination of analytical methods and both long- and short-term trading strategies.

General retirement planning College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Real estate investing
View complete list of advisors at this firm
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