63/100RFA Score
Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 5.0★ from 31 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Financial Planners in Watsonville, CA: 2026 rankings
39 financial planners ranked by RFA ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →
The short answer
- 1
Highest RFA Score in Watsonville: Carpe Diem Financial Services, RFA Score 63/100; 5.0★ from 31 Google reviews.
- 15
Most-reviewed: Bank of America Financial Center, 60 Google reviews at 2.0★, the most of 39 ranked; ranked #15.
Rankings can't be bought. Financial advisors can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
39 Watsonville financial planners are ranked here by RFA Score, from eight published factors. 10 open Saturdays, based on posted hours. The median Google rating is 3.9★ across 39 rated firms.
Top 10 financial planners in Watsonville at a glance
Ranked by RFA Score from public data such as Google reviews, not by investment performance; sponsored listings are paid, shown separately and never change rank.
| Rank | Business | RFA Score | Google rating | Based in | Hours | Notable for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carpe Diem Financial Services | 63 | 5.0★ (31) | Live Oak, 22 mi away | — | Top score |
| 2 | First Command Financial Advisor - David Slater, RICP®|CFP® | 61 | 5.0★ (24) | Monterey, 23 mi away | — | — |
| 3 | Bank of America (with Drive-thru ATM) | 61 | 2.2★ (48) | Watsonville | Sat | — |
| 4 | Tuition Solutions Now. Stephen Shapiro CFP | 60 | 5.0★ (13) | Capitola, 12 mi away | — | — |
| 5 | Earthrise Financial - Raymond James | 60 | 5.0★ (16) | Scotts Valley, 17 mi away | — | — |
| 6 | BMO Bank N.A Branches | 60 | 3.6★ (20) | Gilroy, 13 mi away | Sat | — |
| 7 | Bank of America Financial Center | 59 | 3.4★ (32) | Hollister, 20 mi away | Sat | — |
| 8 | Resilient Wealth Planning | Bay Area Financial Advisor | 59 | 5.0★ (12) | Morgan Hill, 17 mi away | — | — |
| 9 | Bank of America (with Drive-thru ATM) | 58 | 2.6★ (29) | Gilroy, 13 mi away | — | — |
| 10 | Bank of America (with Drive-thru ATM) | 58 | 2.6★ (43) | Salinas, 17 mi away | — | — |
All 39 financial planners in Watsonville, in rank order
Ordered by RFA Score, a 0–100 score from eight published factors. Paid placement never changes the order.
Ranked by RFA Score from public data such as Google reviews, not by investment performance; sponsored listings are paid, shown separately and never change rank.
Scores below: based on 6 of 8 factors; registration and recency not yet collected. Hatched segments mark factors we don't have yet.
Based in Monterey, 23 mi away
61/100RFA ScoreRanked #2 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 5.0★ from 24 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Watsonville
61/100RFA ScoreRanked #3 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 2.2★ from 48 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Capitola, 12 mi away
60/100RFA ScoreRanked #4 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 5.0★ from 13 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Scotts Valley, 17 mi away
60/100RFA ScoreRanked #5 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 5.0★ from 16 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Gilroy, 13 mi away
60/100RFA ScoreRanked #6 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 3.6★ from 20 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Hollister, 20 mi away
59/100RFA ScoreRanked #7 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 3.4★ from 32 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Morgan Hill, 17 mi away
59/100RFA ScoreRanked #8 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 5.0★ from 12 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Gilroy, 13 mi away
58/100RFA ScoreRanked #9 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 2.6★ from 29 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Salinas, 17 mi away
58/100RFA ScoreRanked #10 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 2.6★ from 43 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Santa Cruz, 14 mi away
57/100RFA ScoreRanked #11 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 5.0★ from 8 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Seaside, 22 mi away
57/100RFA ScoreRanked #12 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 2.7★ from 51 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Salinas, 14 mi away
57/100RFA ScoreRanked #13 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 2.2★ from 52 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Santa Cruz, 16 mi away
57/100RFA ScoreRanked #14 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 2.3★ from 48 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Capitola, 12 mi away
57/100RFA ScoreRanked #15 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 2.0★ from 60 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Santa Cruz, 16 mi away
57/100RFA ScoreRanked #16 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 2.7★ from 21 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Capitola, 12 mi away
57/100RFA ScoreRanked #17 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 5.0★ from 6 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Monterey, 23 mi away
57/100RFA ScoreRanked #18 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 2.7★ from 43 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Morgan Hill, 15 mi away
57/100RFA ScoreRanked #19 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 3.8★ from 10 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Salinas, 18 mi away
57/100RFA ScoreRanked #20 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 2.3★ from 50 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Scotts Valley, 17 mi away
56/100RFA ScoreRanked #21 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 2.8★ from 20 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Capitola, 12 mi away
56/100RFA ScoreRanked #22 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 4.0★ from 7 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Morgan Hill, 15 mi away
56/100RFA ScoreRanked #23 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 2.2★ from 29 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Santa Cruz, 16 mi away
56/100RFA ScoreRanked #24 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 5.0★ from 6 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
Based in Salinas, 16 mi away
56/100RFA ScoreRanked #25 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 5.0★ from 6 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Financial planner”.
All 39 financial planners
#1 to #25 are shown in full above. Here are #26 to #39, in RFA Score order; each links to its profile.
| Rank | Business | RFA Score | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Patricia A. Beckwith, CPA | 56 | 4.6★ (5) | 12 mi |
| 27 | Ledwith Financial Wealth Management | 55 | 4.3★ (6) | 16 mi |
| 28 | Fidelity Investments | 55 | 3.8★ (11) | 23 mi |
| 29 | Ohana Wealth Mangement | 55 | 4.0★ (4) | 11 mi |
| 30 | Timothy Imbrie CPA MBA | 54 | 5.0★ (4) | 17 mi |
| 31 | Stevens Sloan & Shah CPAs | 53 | 4.0★ (4) | 17 mi |
| 32 | Gryphon Financial Group | 53 | 3.0★ (4) | 17 mi |
| 33 | First Command | 51 | 5.0★ (3) | 23 mi |
| 34 | Central Coast Financial Management | 51 | 5.0★ (3) | 23 mi |
| 35 | Merrill Lynch Wealth Management | 51 | 3.3★ (4) | 23 mi |
| 36 | Meriwest Wealth Advisors | 51 | 5.0★ (3) | 24 mi |
| 37 | Sherer Group LLC | 49 | 2.3★ (3) | 25 mi |
| 38 | Canyon View Capital | 45 | 3.9★ (7) | 15 mi |
| 39 | Creative Planning | 42 | 4.0★ (4) | 23 mi |
Also serving Watsonville
20 more financial planners within 25 mi that we can't rank yet: too few reviews, or a specialty we couldn't confirm. Listed A to Z.
| Business | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Beach House Wealth Management | 5.0★ (1) | 12 mi |
| Beacon Pointe Advisors | 5.0★ (1) | 14 mi |
| Chris George: Primerica - Financial Services | 5.0★ (8) | In Watsonville |
| Clock Insurance & Financial Solutions, Inc. | 5.0★ (2) | 16 mi |
| Edward Jones - Financial Advisor: Diana K Brenneise, AAMS® | In Watsonville | |
| Edward Jones - Financial Advisor: Luann M Lauesen, AAMS® | 5.0★ (2) | In Watsonville |
| Elifx | In Watsonville | |
| Evanson Asset Management | 5.0★ (2) | 23 mi |
| FinanceTube | In Watsonville | |
| George Luis Madrigal: Primerica - Financial Services | In Watsonville | |
| Jacob Young Financial | 5.0★ (2) | In Watsonville |
| Jacques Bolivar, CFP | 5.0★ (2) | 22 mi |
| Juran Wealth Management Inc. | 5.0★ (2) | 23 mi |
| Kristi Ellington Financial | 5.0★ (1) | 12 mi |
| LPL Financial | 5.0★ (1) | 12 mi |
| Mark Grisedale | 5.0★ (2) | 16 mi |
| Michael Chamberlain CFP | 5.0★ (1) | 15 mi |
| Quintes | Securing Retirement Outcomes | In Watsonville | |
| Wells Fargo Advisors | In Watsonville | |
| Wells Fargo Advisors | In Watsonville |
How we ranked Watsonville financial planners
We scored 39 Watsonville financial planners on eight factors, weighted as shown. A firm is ranked when its specialty is confirmed and it has 3 or more Google reviews or a claimed profile. A firm with no Google reviews scores zero on rating, review volume and recency. Other unknown factors are left out, not counted as zero. Scores last refreshed November 9, 2026.
Paid placement never changes a rank or score. Sponsored businesses are paid, labelled, limited to 3 and shown above the ranking, outside it.
| Factor | Weight | Computed from | In Watsonville data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reputation | 30% | Google star rating, adjusted for how many reviews back it (client experience, not investment results) | Measured |
| Registration | 20% | Active SEC, state or Canadian securities registration matched in public records (not yet measured) | Not yet collected |
| Review volume | 10% | Number of Google reviews, compared with the most-reviewed firm on the list | Measured |
| Recency | 5% | Share of reviews from the last 12 months | Not yet collected |
| Specialty focus | 15% | How clearly the firm offers this specialty (its Google category and name) | Measured |
| Proximity | 5% | Based in the city scores highest, less the farther away it is | Measured |
| Claimed profile | 10% | The firm has claimed its Ranked Financial Advisors profile (free or paid earn the same) | Measured |
| Partnered | 5% | The firm links to Ranked Financial Advisors from its own website with our badge, checked periodically | Measured |
How to choose a financial planner
- Confirm the financial planner and the firm are registered: Investor.gov and FINRA BrokerCheck in the US, the CSA National Registration Search in Canada. Read any disclosure events.
- Ask whether they act as a fiduciary on your account at all times, and get the answer in writing.
- Ask how they are paid: a percentage of assets, flat or hourly fees, a retainer, commissions, or a mix. Each creates different conflicts of interest.
- Read the firm’s Form CRS and Form ADV Part 2A brochure (fees, services, conflicts, disciplinary history) before you sign.
- Check designations with the body that grants them, such as the CFP Board for CFP® professionals.
- Ask about account minimums and who holds your money: your assets should sit with an independent custodian in your name.
- Compare at least two or three firms, and be wary of anyone who promises returns or pushes you to decide quickly.
Questions to ask a financial planner
- Are you a fiduciary for all of the advice you give me, and will you put that in writing?
- How are you paid, in total dollars per year for an account like mine? Do you earn commissions or other payments from product providers?
- Which registrations and designations do you hold, and where can I verify them?
- Who will hold my assets, and how will I see statements directly from that custodian?
- What services are included in your fee, and what would cost extra with you as my financial planner?
- Do you have a minimum account size or minimum fee?
- Have you or your firm had any complaints or disciplinary actions? Where would I see them?
- How often will we meet, and who will I work with day to day?
- What happens to my plan or accounts if you retire or leave the firm?
Terms explained
- Fiduciary
- Someone legally required to act in a client’s interest. In the US, registered investment advisers owe their clients a fiduciary duty of care and loyalty under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
- Registered investment adviser (RIA)
- A firm registered with the SEC or a state securities regulator to give investment advice for pay. Most firms managing $100 million or more register with the SEC; smaller firms usually register with their state.
- Investment adviser representative (IAR)
- A person who gives advice on behalf of a registered investment adviser, usually registered with the states where they work.
- Broker-dealer
- A firm that buys and sells securities for customers. US broker-dealers are members of FINRA; their registered representatives typically earn commissions.
- Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI)
- The SEC rule, in force since June 30, 2020, requiring broker-dealers to act in a retail customer’s best interest when recommending a security or account type.
- Form ADV
- The registration form every investment adviser files. Part 1 holds facts about the firm; Part 2A, the brochure, describes services, fees, conflicts of interest and disciplinary history in plain English.
- Form CRS
- A short relationship summary that advisers and broker-dealers give retail investors, covering services, fees, conflicts, standard of conduct and disciplinary history.
- CRD number
- The Central Registration Depository number FINRA and the SEC assign to each firm and registered person; use it to look them up on Investor.gov or BrokerCheck.
- Assets under management (AUM) fee
- A yearly fee set as a percentage of the money an advisor manages for you. Advisor surveys have put the median around 1% on accounts up to $1 million, lower on larger accounts.
- Fee-only
- An advisor paid only by clients, with no commissions or other payments from product providers.
- Fee-based
- An advisor who charges client fees and may also earn commissions on some products. It is not the same as fee-only.
- CFP® professional
- A person certified by the CFP Board after meeting education, exam, experience and ethics requirements. The CFP Board requires them to act as a fiduciary when giving financial advice.
Financial planners in Watsonville: frequently asked questions
Which financial planner has the highest RFA Score in Watsonville?
By RFA Score, the highest-ranked financial planner in Watsonville, CA is Carpe Diem Financial Services with an RFA Score of 63/100. It has 5.0★ from 31 Google reviews. First Command Financial Advisor - David Slater, RICP®|CFP® (#2) and Bank of America (with Drive-thru ATM) (#3) follow. We ranked 39 financial planners on eight factors, last updated November 9, 2026.
How many financial planners are there in Watsonville?
RankedFinancialAdvisors ranks 39 financial planners serving Watsonville, CA. 1 of them is based in Watsonville; the rest serve it from nearby towns. Another 20 within 25 mi are listed but not ranked yet. Counts are as of November 2026.
Which financial planners in Watsonville work on weekends?
10 of 39 ranked financial planners post Saturday hours. The highest-ranked open Saturdays are Bank of America (with Drive-thru ATM) (#3), BMO Bank N.A Branches (#6) and Bank of America Financial Center (#7). Many advisors meet by appointment, including evenings or by video, outside their posted office hours.
What Google rating do Watsonville financial planners have?
The median Google rating among 39 rated financial planners in Watsonville is 3.9★, with a median of 11 reviews. Bank of America Financial Center has the most, 60 reviews, and ranks #15. We adjust ratings for review count, so a few five-star reviews cannot top the list.
How does RankedFinancialAdvisors rank financial planners?
Each financial planner gets a 0–100 RFA Score from eight published factors, led by reputation (30%), specialty focus (15%), review volume (10%) and claimed profile (10%). A firm with no Google reviews scores zero on rating, review volume and recency; other factors we cannot measure are left out. Only firms with a confirmed specialty and 3 or more reviews, or a claimed profile, are ranked.
Do financial planners outside Watsonville count in this ranking?
Yes, if they are within 25 mi of the Watsonville city center, our service radius for financial planners. Each listing shows where the firm is based and how far away it is. Proximity is 5% of the RFA Score, so a nearby firm gets a small edge.
Can financial planners pay to rank higher on RankedFinancialAdvisors?
No. The RFA Score never reads payment status, and this ranking has 0 paid placements. Up to 3 Featured firms may appear above the list, labelled Sponsored and showing their honest rank.
What does a financial planner do?
Financial planners build a written plan across a client’s goals: cash flow, savings, investments, insurance needs, taxes, retirement and estate. Many charge a flat or hourly fee for the plan, an ongoing retainer, or a share of the assets they manage.
How are financial planners in Watsonville ranked?
By RFA Score: public signals such as the Google rating and review count, how clearly the firm offers financial planning and how close it is. Paid placements never change the order, and the score does not measure investment performance.
How do I check a financial planner’s registration and record?
Search the person and the firm on Investor.gov (the SEC’s adviser search) and on FINRA BrokerCheck. A firm’s Form ADV and any disciplinary history are public there.
Is every financial planner in Watsonville a fiduciary?
Not necessarily. Investment adviser representatives owe a fiduciary duty on advisory accounts; broker-dealer representatives follow Regulation Best Interest when they recommend a security. Ask which applies to your account and read the firm’s Form CRS.
How much do financial planners charge?
Fees depend on the firm and the service: a percentage of assets managed each year, a flat or hourly planning fee, a retainer, or commissions. Ask for the fee schedule in writing and read the firm’s Form ADV Part 2A brochure or, in Canada, its relationship disclosure.
Update log for Watsonville
- November 2026: RFA Scores recalculated for 39 financial planners serving Watsonville.
More financial planners and Watsonville pages
Financial planners near Watsonville
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