About Altfest Personal Wealth Management
We’re a staff of smart, friendly professionals dedicated to anticipating your needs and making your life easier. Each individual or family of clients has unfettered access to our firm’s broad expertise, ready to meet the goal of protecting your financial well-being.
“I appreciate the collegial atmosphere. The teamwork and selflessness at Altfest aren’t experienced in many other places and I feel fortunate to be a part of that.”—Altfest Employee
Meet the Team
Our Wealth Management Team serves you thoughtfully to best address your special financial circumstances, investment knowledge, risk sensitivities and concerns.
The Investment Research Team provides independent insights and proactive guidance for making the right decisions for our clients, and our Client Administration and Client Relations Team ensure you are comfortable and happy at Altfest.
We invite you to learn about our team members, their industry experience and their interests, both within and outside the firm. Each professional’s open, authentic approach makes him or her memorable.
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CFA, CFP®, CPA, PFS, Ph.DChief Executive Officer
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CFP®, Ph.DExecutive Vice-President
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CFP®, MBAPresident
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MBAChief Operations Officer, Chief Compliance Officer
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CFP®, MBADirector, Advisor
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CFP®, MBAHead of Client Advisor Services and Financial Planning
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CFP®Associate Director
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CFA, CFP®Managing Advisor, Head of Client Advisor Development
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CFA, CFP®Managing Advisor
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CFP®, MBASenior Financial Advisor
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CPA, CFP®, MBASenior Financial Advisor
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CPA, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®Financial Advisor
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CFP®Financial Planning Specialist
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MBAFinancial Planning Specialist
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CFP®, CLU, MBAFinancial Advisor
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CFA®, CFP®Financial Advisor
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CPA, CFP®Financial Advisor
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MS, MBA, CFA, CFP®, FRM®Senior Financial Planning Specialist
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MBA, MSSenior Portfolio Manager
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MBASenior Portfolio Manager
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MBAReal Estate Team Leader
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MBA, CFA, CFP®Senior Operations Manager
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AIF®Director of Client Services
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CFA, MBASenior Executive Assistant to the CEO & Senior Research Analyst
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SHRM-SCP, SHRM - CPSenior Human Resources Manager
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MS, MBAReal Estate Analyst
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MBAMarketing Manager
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CFP®Financial Planning Specialist
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JD, MBADirector of Client Services: Southeast Region
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CFP®Financial Planning Specialist
Lew Altfest’s Original Vision
Lew Altfest set out to make a comprehensive and truly objective approach to wealth management with a personal touch. It has remained constant and at the heart of what we do.
As a firm, we frequently are recognized nationwide for our insights and long-running stewardship of clients’ assets and best interests.
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1983Co-Founded by Lewis J. Altfest, inspired by his vision for a comprehensive and genuinely objective approach to personal wealth management
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1998Lew Altfest is named among the 150 Best Financial Advisors for Doctors by Medical Economics for the first time
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2007Lew Altfest becomes the 2nd recipient of the Schwab IMPACT Award for his "sustained vision, outstanding leadership, client commitment and community engagement."
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2011Dental Practice Report names Lew Altfest to its inaugural list of the "Best Financial Advisors for Dentists"
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2012Karen Altfest receives the Community Leadership Award from InvestmentNews and the Invest In Others Charitable Foundation
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2013The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors names Lew Altfest as one of NAPFA's 30 Most Influential People in NAPFA's 30 year history
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2013Lew and Karen Altfest receive "The Influencers: Lifetime Achievement Award" from Financial Planning magazine
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2014Lew Altfest is inducted into Research magazine’s Advisor Hall of Fame
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2015Karen Altfest is listed as one of Investment News' "Top 20 Most Influential Women to Watch"
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2017Forbes names Karen Altfest as one of "America's Top 200 Women Wealth Advisors" for the first time
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2017Forbes names Andrew Altfest as one of "America's Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors" for the first time
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2018Forbes names both Karen and Andrew Altfest to their list of Best-in-State Wealth Advisors for the first time
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2019Andrew Altfest is named President of Altfest Personal Wealth Management
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2019Lew Altfest is named to Barron's Hall of Fame
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2020Andrew Altfest is named a “Young Advisor to Watch” by Financial Advisor
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2022Lew Altfest is named to Barron's Top 100 Independent Advisors for the 10th consecutive year
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2023Forbes names Andrew Altfest as one of the "Best-In-State Wealth Advisor in New York City" for the fifth time.
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2023Altfest celebrates its 40th anniversary.
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2024Forbes names Andrew Altfest as one of the "Best-In-State Wealth Advisor in New York City" for the sixth time.
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2024Advisor Hub names Andrew Altfest to their list of "RIAs to Watch" for the third consecutive year.
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2024Lew Altfest named to the Barron's "Top 1,200 Advisors in the Country" list for the eleventh consecutive year.
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2024NAPFA names Karen Altfest to their 2024 list of "Women to Know."
Quantitative knowledge is only half the value we provide for our clients. The other half is qualitative — our ability to listen, to understand your needs and develop custom solutions that make financial sense.
– Karen Altfest
Recognized with Top Honors
Altfest and its principals receive awards in financial planning and investments, including:
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Top 100 Independent Financial Advisors in the Nation Barron’s, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
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Top 1,200 Financial Advisors in the Country Barron's, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
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Best-In-State Wealth Advisors Forbes, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
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RIAs To Watch Advisor Hub, 2022-2024
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Leading Registered Investment Advisors Financial Advisor, 2012-2023
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Top Women Wealth Advisors Forbes, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
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Best Places to Work in NYC Crains New York Business, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024
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Notable Women in Finance Crain’s, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
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Top Rated Advisors in New York, NY AdvisoryHQ, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
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Young Advisors to Watch Financial Advisor, 2020
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Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors InvestmentNews, 2020, 2024
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America’s Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors Forbes, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
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40 Under 40 in the Financial Advisory Industry InvestmentNews, 2018
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300 top registered investment advisers in the nation Financial Times, 2017
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best practices award InvestmentNews, 2014
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due diligence/ research manager all-star team award Financial Advisor, 2012, 2013
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top ria firms Worth: Leading Advisors, 2024
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women to know NAPFA: Women to Know, 2024
Share Your Story
Only by placing you at the core of everything we do can we truly meet your needs. We’ve found that the most successful solutions begin by asking the right questions.
Get in Touch*InvestmentNews’ 40 Under 40 recipients are selected after a review of key criteria editorial staff have used to weigh the average 1,000 nominations received each of this project’s five years, including accomplishment to date, contribution to the industry, leadership and promise. There is no fee to participate in the ranking.
*Forbes’ Top Women Wealth Advisors developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative and quantitative data, rating thousands of advisors with a minimum of seven years of experience & weighing factors like revenue trends, AUM, compliance records, industry experience and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. There is no fee to participate.
*Forbes’ Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained via phone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. Advisors who are considered have a minimum experience of seven years. The algorithm weights factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass best practices in their business and in their approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. There is no fee to participate.
*Barron’s America’s Top 100 Independent Financial Advisors is based on assets under management, revenue generated by advisors for their firm, and the quality of the advisors’ practices. Investment performance is not an explicit criterion because performance is often a function of each client’s appetite for risk. In evaluating advisors, they examine regulatory records, internal company documents, and 100-plus points of data provided by the advisors. There is no fee to participate. Additional details regarding the criteria and process utilized in formulating these rankings can be found by at http://www.barrons-conferences.com/advisor-rankings.html
*Barron’s state-by-state listing of America’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors lists the top advisors in each state, with the number of ranking spots determined by each state’s population and wealth. The rankings are based on assets under management, revenue generated by advisors for their firm, and the quality of the advisors’ practices. Investment performance is not an explicit criterion because performance is often a function of each client’s appetite for risk. In evaluating advisors, they examine regulatory records, internal company documents, and 100-plus points of data provided by the advisors themselves. There is no fee to participate. Additional details regarding the criteria and process utilized in formulating these rankings can be found by at http://www.barrons-conferences.com/advisor-rankings.html
*Forbes’ ranking of America’s Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative and quantitative data, rating thousands of professionals with a minimum of four years relevant experience. Factors reviewed include revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and best practices. Also, interviews are held via telephone and in-person conversations. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. There is no fee to participate.
*The Forbes ranking of America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative and quantitative data, rating thousands of wealth advisors with a minimum of seven years of experience and weighing factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes or SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for rankings. Additional details regarding the criteria and process utilized in formulating these rankings can be found by at https://www.forbes.com/sites/rjshook/2019/02/20/forbes-best-in-state-wealth-advisors-methodology-2019/#3ac8af774ed1
*Advisor Hub’s 50 RIAs to Watch recognizes advisors based on scope of practice measured by AUM, production and level of service; growth of practice consisting of annual AUM growth and Professionalism which assesses regulatory record, community service & diversity. There is no fee to participate in the ranking.
*Crain’s New York Business’ Best Places To Work ranking was developed with the independent research firm Best Companies Group. 75% of the scoring is from a survey on workplace experience and culture, answered by 20,000+ NYC employees. Employer benefits, policies, & human resources practices account for the remaining score. There is no fee to participate.
*InvestmentNews’ Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors recognition is a survey competition to determine which participants are the best employers. The process is managed by Best Companies Group (BCG) and winners are published in an issue of Investment News. The process includes 2 surveys to gather detailed data about each participating company. BCG conducts the surveys, analyzes the data and determines the winners and rankings.
*Financial Advisor’s Young Advisors to Watch criteria is based on nominations from influential industry professionals of advisors age 40 and below – if more than one professional nominates a candidate, they are then considered on a number of qualitative factors, including thought leadership, innovative thinking, and more. Assets and accreditation are not factored into this recognition. There is no fee to participate.
*Crain’s Custom editors choose candidates based on their professional, civic and philanthropic achievements. For Notable Women in Finance, they only considered candidates working in asset management, banking, capital markets or credit cards who worked within the five boroughs of NYC. They often try to choose candidates who greatly contribute to the advancement of women in their workplace or industry as a whole.
*AdvisoryHQ’s ranking methodology is based on a wide range of filters including fiduciary duty, level of customized service, and history of innovation. There is no fee to participate. Details regarding Advisory HQ’s selection methodology can be found at http://www.advisoryhq.com/articles/advisoryhqs-methodology-for-selecting-top-advisors/
*InvestmentNews’ Top 20 Most Influential Women to Watch in 2016 eligibility criteria establishes that a recipient has demonstrated success and leadership in the financial advisory industry, has the ability to effect change in the industry, has exhibited a willingness to share her expertise with others through mentorship and public speaking, has a record of serving as a role model to other female professionals, and has given back to her community. There is no fee to participate in the ranking.
*The Financial Times 300 Top Registered Investment Advisers list is independently produced by Financial Times. The FT 300 is based on data gathered from RIA firms, regulatory disclosures, and FT’s research. The listing reflects each practice’s performance in six primary areas: assets under management, asset growth, compliance record, years in existence, credentials and online accessibility. This award does not evaluate the quality of services provided to clients and is not indicative of the practice’s future performance. There is no fee to participate.
*The Financial Advisor ranking of Leading Registered Investment Advisors in the U.S. looks at year end assets under management of RIAs, publishing a ranked list by AUM. There is no fee to participate.
*The InvestmentNews Best Practices awards recognize top-performing firms that are run by people with a long-term vision for their organizations and an ongoing commitment to improving as well as enhancing their businesses. Recipients are all participants in InvestmentNews’ Research initiatives and chosen based on their rate of growth, profitability and productivity levels. There is no fee to participate in InvestmentNews’ Research initiatives.
*Nominations for an All-Star Research Team are sought from readers of Financial Advisor and Private Wealth Management magazines as well as from attendees of the Fiduciary Research Manager Summit. Nominations from individuals outside a nominee’s firm are weighted far more heavily than those who were nominated by themselves or their partners. There is no fee to participate in the ranking. Frequency of a nomination also played a role in selection. While the top nominees have different investment philosophies and disciplines, they all have a practice or strategy that sets them apart. There is no fee to participate in the nomination process.
*Research Magazine inducts Advisor Hall of Fame honorees who pass their screening process, have served a minimum of 20 years in the industry, have acquired substantial assets under management, have demonstrated superior client service and have earned recognition from their peers and the broader community for the honor they reflect on their profession. There is no fee associated with securing this honor.
*IMPACT Award Nominations are made by industry professionals and judged by a panel of recognized experts. The IMPACT Awards recognize independent investment advisors who have fundamentally changed the financial services landscape by providing independent advice to affluent investors. There is no fee to participate in the ranking. Established by Schwab Institutional, this award recognizes these contributions by honoring advisors who have advanced the industry through their visionary leadership, operational excellence and technology innovation.
*InvestmentNews’ and Invest in Others Charitable Foundation presents the Community Leadership Award to a financial advisor who has shown remarkable charitable leadership and personal commitment.
*The Financial Planning Influencer Award is presented to a practitioner who has made significant contributions to the financial planning profession. The Lifetime Achievement Award is given for advancing the industry throughout the course of a recipient’s career, thus changing financial planning for the better. There is no fee associated with consideration of this honor.
*The “30 Most Influential” program recognizes NAPFA members and staff who have made an impact on fee-only financial planning, the group and their peers since NAPFA’s founding in 1983.
*Medical Economics’ 150 Best Financial Advisors for Doctors list highlights advisors with expertise in working with doctor clients. The publication reviews peer references, conducts a background check, & reviews data submitted by the advisor. A particular focus is given to fee-only financial advisors due to their objective advice.
*Dental Practice Report’s Best Financial Advisors for Dentists list reviews recommendations from dentists and conducts a review of the advisor’s professional conduct to ensure that there are no disciplinary action against the advisor. Candidates must have 10 years of professional experience and submit a questionnaire that highlights credentials, achievements, and information regarding work with dentists.
*Rankings and recognition by unaffiliated publications should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that Altfest will provide a certain level of results in client accounts nor should they be construed as current or past endorsements of Altfest by clients. Listed publications base their selection on publicly available information. Altfest is not responsible for any content prepared by outside publications regarding the products or services offered by Altfest.