The goal is to connect people with the best local experts. Expertise scored financial advisors on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to provide a hand-picked list of the best financial advisors in Columbus, OH.

Here are America’s best financial advisors, organized by state. The rankings are based on data provided by over 4,000 of the nation’s most productive advisors. Factors included in the rankings: assets under management, revenue produced for the firm, regulatory record, quality of practice and philanthropic work.

A business exit is a significant transition period that gives owners an opportunity to reflect on their own purpose. The exit itself is a time to celebrate successes while also strategically planning out personal and professional next steps. Ideally, entrepreneurs should start thinking about their exit strategy while they are growing their business and then get serious about exit planning three to five years before the anticipated sale.

Baby boomers have never done anything in a small way and that will be the case again when they sell their businesses in the coming years. As much as $10 trillion of small business wealth could be transferred over the next 10 years by the same people who once made hula hoops all the rage, blue jeans an everyday fashion choice and dramatic social change a way of life.

Wall Street seems to have rallied pretty quickly from the market correction earlier this year, and – Wait, never mind. The market’s down again. “The short-term corrections are more an emotional issue than a strategic issue,” Guth said. “The nature of markets is cyclical. We know the markets are going to go up and down.”

Want to help business owners plan for retirement? In addition to financial expertise, you’ll need plenty of time, patience and empathy, says Joel Guth, president of Gryphon Financial Partners in Columbus, Ohio. “Most owners think of their business as their bonus child,” Guth says. “They have spent 60 to 80 hours a week with their business for decades. Retirement planning is obviously about the financial aspect, but the emotional element for business owners can also be huge. For many, it’s like selling their baby.”

A Columbus financial planning firm has ended its relationship with Hightower Advisors, a move its founder says will expand its services allow it to grow.

Two large RIAs managing nearly $3 billion have cut ties with HighTower Advisors, but the Chicago-based RIA mitigated the losses by adding several high-profile executives.