Cornerstone Financial Solutions Named to Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams

Article Written By:

Michelle Stahl

Partner, Chief Operating Officer
CFS Office Manager, RJFS

“The work doesn’t change. Our drive to keep raising the bar does.” Michelle Stahl, Partner, Chief Operating Officer, CFS, Office Manager, RJFS

When you work with people through life’s biggest decisions, you learn something quickly: the moments that matter most rarely arrive on a schedule. A spouse’s health changes. A parent needs help sooner than expected. A job transition shows up at the same time you’re trying to decide when to claim Social Security. Retirement goes from “someday” to “it’s time.”

Behind the scenes, those moments often look like dozens of small details—forms, beneficiaries, distributions, tax questions, timelines—each one important, each one easy to overlook when life is moving fast.

That’s why the Cornerstone team obsesses over the basics: returning calls, preparing for meetings, coordinating the moving parts, double-checking details, and making sure you leave with clear next steps rather than a new pile of paper.

And recently, the team was recognized on the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams list.

For many people Cornerstone serves, this recognition simply confirms what they already experience: a team built around careful planning and consistent follow-through. Not reactive headlines. Not complicated explanations. Just a coordinated approach designed to simplify the complex and keep your plan aligned with the life you’re building.

Recognition is not the goal, of course. The work is. A world-class experience is created in small ways: the warm welcome when you arrive, the preparation done before you ever walk in the door, the meeting notes that don’t get lost, and the consistent follow-up.

Extraordinary relationships are built much the same way, through consistency, honesty, and clear communication that respects your time and your priorities. It’s about a team taking the responsibility of coordination seriously, so you’re not left trying to connect every dot on your own. You want help understanding what matters, what to do next, and how today’s choices connect to the future you’re planning for. You want someone to help you see around corners without overwhelming you.

Awards can serve as a useful reminder: it’s worth working with a team that takes clarity, follow-through, and long-term alignment seriously. Recognition may come and go, but the goal stays the same: simplify what feels complex, keep your plan coordinated, and deliver lasting value through consistent, client-first service.

Any opinions are those of the professionals at Cornerstone Financial Solutions and not necessarily those of Raymond James.

The 2026 Forbes ranking of America’s BestInState Wealth Management Teams, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and inperson due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. This ranking is based upon the period from 3/31/2024 to 3/31/2025 and was released on 01/07/2026. Advisor teams that are considered must have one advisor with a minimum of seven years of experience, have been in existence as a team for at least one year, have at least 5 team members, and have been nominated by their firm. The algorithm weights factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass best practices in their practices and approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Out of approximately 12,787 team nominations, 6,149 advisor teams received the award based on thresholds. This ranking is not indicative of an advisor’s future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients’ experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Compensation provided for using the rating. Raymond James is not affiliated with Forbes or Shook Research, LLC. Please see https://www.forbes.com/lists/wealthmanagementteamsbestinstate for more info.

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