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Diversified Financial Management, Inc
Multifamily office listing in Norwell, Massachusetts, United States.
- SEC-registered
- Founded 1986
- Regulatory AUM
- $339 million
- Employees
- 5
- Clients
- 51-100
- Founded
- 1986
Independent, fee-only investment management and financial planning for families and institutions.
Overview
Diversified Financial Management (DFM) is an investment management and financial planning firm in Norwell, Massachusetts. Founded in 1986, the firm describes itself as fee-only, fiduciary, and independent, serving families and institutions. The SEC lists Diversified Financial Management, CRD 171813, as an approved investment adviser effective June 13, 2014.12
History
DFM has operated since 1986 and says its client relationships often extend across decades. The firm emphasizes transparency, communication, responsiveness, trust, and accountability in those relationships.13
Timeline
- 1986Founded in 1986, the firm describes itself as fee-only, fiduciary, and independent, serving families and institutions.
- 2014The SEC lists Diversified Financial Management, CRD 171813, as an approved investment adviser effective June 13, 2014.
Services
DFM provides flexible financial planning covering retirement, estate, tax, education funding, philanthropy, insurance, real estate, and business succession planning.4
The firm builds balanced, diversified portfolios through an open architecture platform. Its process considers each client’s objectives, tax profile, and complete investment picture. Investment capabilities include individual equities, separately managed portfolios, mutual funds, fixed income, exchange-traded funds, real estate investment trusts, and alternative investments.56
DFM also provides retirement-plan investment oversight, investment policy statement design and monitoring, performance reporting, ongoing investment recommendations, and participant education. Its professionals say they proactively monitor portfolios and recommend changes to keep investments aligned with client objectives.78
What the firm offers
- Investment management
- Financial planning
- Tax planning
- Estate planning
- Trust and fiduciary
- Philanthropy
- Risk and insurance
- Business owner services
- Private and alternative investments
- Retirement planning
Client Focus
The firm reports serving individuals, high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, businesses, and retirement, pension, and profit-sharing plans.9
Approach
DFM presents its work as a fiduciary relationship built around independent advice, transparent communication, responsiveness, trust, and accountability. The firm combines ongoing portfolio monitoring with recommendations tailored to each client’s objectives and broader financial circumstances.238
Assets and Minimums
In its Form ADV brochure, DFM reported $258,977,565 in client assets as of December 31, 2023. That total included $169,408,045 managed on a discretionary basis and $89,569,520 managed on a non-discretionary basis.7
The firm states that it has no minimum account size and normally charges a minimum annual fee of $5,000. Advisory fees are negotiable.7
By the numbers
| Year | Regulatory AUM | Discretionary | Non-discretionary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $123 million | $20 million | $104 million |
| 2017 | $140 million | $39 million | $101 million |
| 2018 | $156 million | $52 million | $105 million |
| 2019 | $148 million | $53 million | $95 million |
| 2020 | $174 million | $66 million | $108 million |
| 2021 | $189 million | $83 million | $106 million |
| 2022 | $231 million | $109 million | $122 million |
| 2023 | $228 million | $140 million | $88 million |
| 2025 | $302 million | $187 million | $115 million |
| 2026 | $339 million | $242 million | $97 million |
| Year | Average AUM per client |
|---|---|
| 2018 | $2 million |
| 2019 | $1 million |
| 2020 | $2 million |
| 2021 | $2 million |
| 2022 | $2 million |
| 2023 | $2 million |
| 2025 | $2 million |
| 2026 | $2 million |
| Client type | Clients (2026) |
|---|---|
| Individuals | 74 |
| High net worth individuals | 65 |
| Pension plans | 5 |
| Year | Employees |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 5 |
Ranks #7 of 10 SEC-registered firms in MA on MultifamilyOffices.com by regulatory AUM.
Source: SEC Form ADV data (Part 1A, Items 5A, 5D, 5F) via SEC Information About Registered Investment Advisers files and IAPD, CRD 171813. Ranking uses only firms profiled on MultifamilyOffices.com. As of .
FAQs
Is Diversified Financial Management a registered investment adviser?
Yes. The SEC lists Diversified Financial Management, CRD 171813, as an approved investment adviser effective June 13, 2014.2
What planning services does DFM provide?
Its planning services include retirement, estate, tax, education funding, philanthropy, insurance, real estate, and business succession planning.4
Does DFM require a minimum account size?
The firm states that it has no minimum account size. It normally charges a minimum annual fee of $5,000, with advisory fees negotiable.7
Related resources
- LocationMultifamily offices in Massachusetts
This page helps compare multifamily office options serving Massachusetts families and institutions. A reader considering Diversified Financial Management can use it to frame questions about investment management, financial planning, tax work, estate coordination, and support for business owners or multigenerational wealth.
- Network siteEstatePlanner.com
EstatePlanner.com offers practical guides on wills, trusts, beneficiary choices, and related planning decisions. Those materials can help a prospective client prepare for conversations about estate planning, trust and fiduciary services, philanthropy, insurance, and the needs of a family or business owner.
- Network siteFamilyOfficeDatabases.com
FamilyOfficeDatabases.com provides directories of family offices, investors, and related organizations. A reader can use those listings to understand how private investment, alternative investments, institutional relationships, and family wealth structures fit within the broader market before assessing an independent fee-only adviser.
- GuideFiduciary duty vs suitability
This explanation compares fiduciary duty with the suitability standard used in financial services. It gives families and business owners a basis for asking how advice, investment management, tax planning, and retirement recommendations are evaluated when reviewing an independent fee-only firm.
- Similar firmsBallentine Partners
Daintree Advisors LLC
Battery Global AdvisorsProfiles of Ballentine Partners, Daintree Advisors LLC, and Battery Global Advisors offer points of comparison among firms serving affluent families, business owners, and institutions. Reading them alongside Diversified Financial Management can help a prospect compare service mixes such as planning, fiduciary work, private investments, and risk management.
Sources
This profile is a factual summary written in our own words from public sources. It is for information only. It is not an endorsement, rating, ranking or recommendation, and it is not investment advice. MultiFamilyOffices.com is not affiliated with the SEC or with this firm unless stated. Form ADV figures are self-reported by the firm.
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