# XML Financial Group

> XML Financial Group is a Bethesda-based independent wealth and investment management firm serving high-net-worth individuals, families, businesses, retirement plans, nonprofits and other institutions. Founded as an advisory business in 2016 after co-founders Brett Bernstein and Rob Kantor began working together in 2004, XML combines personalized planning and portfolio management with the operating scale and M&A support of Focus Financial Partners. Its affiliated broker-dealer, acquisitions of Collins Investment Group and Samson Wealth Management Group, women-focused planning division and steady stream of educational content make it a hybrid: local-advisor intimacy wrapped in a multi-office, roughly $4 billion client-asset platform.

- **Founded:** 2016
- **Headquarters:** Bethesda, United States
- **Founders:** Brett Bernstein (CEO and Co-founder), Rob Kantor (CIO and Co-founder)
- **Team size:** 11-50 employees on LinkedIn; the supplied company record lists 40 employees, while the current public team page lists more than 50 named professionals and staff.
- **Products:** Financial Planning, Investment Management, Retirement Planning, Estate and Philanthropic Planning, Business Solutions
- **Notable:** Professionals serviced approximately $4 billion in advisory and brokerage client assets as of December 31, 2024., Ranked No. 10 on Financial Advisor magazine's 2022 Top 50 Fastest-Growing Firms list, based on 2021 asset growth among firms with more than $500 million in AUM., Named to USA Today's Best Financial Advisory Firms list in 2023 and 2024.

## Products & services

- **Financial Planning** — Holistic analysis of income, expenses, assets and liabilities, followed by a personalized plan and ongoing reviews.
- **Investment Management** — Personalized portfolio construction, monitoring, reporting and rebalancing based on goals, risk tolerance and time horizon.
- **Retirement Planning** — Accumulation, income, Social Security, healthcare and employer-plan guidance for people approaching or living in retirement.
- **Estate and Philanthropic Planning** — Coordination around wealth transfer, tax efficiency, charitable giving, trusts and legacy goals with outside professionals as needed.
- **Business Solutions** — Succession planning, risk assessment, retirement-plan design, financial modeling and continuity planning for owners and executives.
- **Insurance and Risk Management** — Analysis of life, disability, long-term-care and property-and-casualty coverage within a broader financial plan.
- **XML Mobile App and Education** — Mobile access to a consolidated financial picture plus articles, podcasts, webinars, market commentary and fraud alerts.

## Achievements

- Professionals serviced approximately $4 billion in advisory and brokerage client assets as of December 31, 2024.
- Ranked No. 10 on Financial Advisor magazine's 2022 Top 50 Fastest-Growing Firms list, based on 2021 asset growth among firms with more than $500 million in AUM.
- Named to USA Today's Best Financial Advisory Firms list in 2023 and 2024.
- Named to the Financial Times 300 Top Registered Investment Advisers list in 2020.
- Included in Citywire RIA's 2023 report on 50 fast-growing RIAs across the United States.
- Expanded from its Mid-Atlantic base to offices in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Colorado.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — XML published a retirement catch-up guide, promoted a webinar about cash on the sidelines and highlighted CEO Brett Bernstein's appearance on the Next Mile podcast discussing scaling, AI and trust.
- **2026-07** — The firm published material on gray divorce, market bubbles, Trump Accounts, financial habits and community support for a local school.
- **2025-07** — Brett Bernstein appeared in an Investment Masterminds CEO Spotlight focused on XML's M&A growth and culture-first integration.
- **2025-03** — XML hosted a client-facing fraud and cybersecurity program with Fidelity personal-security specialist Gary Rossi and XML compliance chief Jennifer Szaro.
- **2024-09** — Samson Wealth Management Group adopted the XML Financial Group name after two years of post-merger integration.

## Links

- Website: https://www.xmlfg.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xml-financial-group
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/XMLFinancial
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@XMLFinancialGroup
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xmlfg
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XMLFG

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/xml-financial-group
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Last updated: 2026-08-21