Charles Zhang

CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CFS, CMFC®, MBA, MSFS

Zhang Financial

Founder and President

Contact Me

Charles Zhang

CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CFS, CMFC®, MBA, MSFS

Zhang Financial

Founder and President

At Zhang Financial, our mission is to provide all of our clients with unbiased advice, excellent service and exceptional products, while serving in their best interests at all times. - Charles Zhang, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CFS, CMFC®, MBA, MSFS

Contact Me

(269) 385-5888

Website

Fee-Only Financial Planner with offices in Portage, Battle Creek, Grand Rapids, Troy, Ann Arbor, MI and Naples, FL.

The Zhang Financial Team takes pride in holding the most prestigious designations and credentials in the industry including:

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®)

Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

Masters in Business Administration (MBA)

MS in Accountancy

PhD and MA in Economics

MS in Financial Services (MSFS)

Chartered Financial Counselor (ChFC)

Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU)

Charles Zhang is the Founder and President of Zhang Financial located in Portage, MI.

  • MBA - Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
  • Executive Education - Harvard Business School
  • MA in Economics - Western Michigan University
  • Executive Education - Columbia University
  • Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)
  • MS in Financial Services - The Institute of Business and Finance.
  • NAPFA - Registered Financial Advisor
  • Charles was ranked #1 on Barron's list of the nation's Top 100 Independent Financial Advisors for 2021 and is the highest-ranked Fee-Only NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor on the list.**
  • Charles Zhang was named the #1 Financial Advisor in Michigan by Barron's in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.*
  • Barron's Hall of Fame
  • Charles Zhang was ranked the #1 Financial Advisor in Michigan by Forbes in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.***
  • Ranked #6 in the nation on Forbes' list of America's Top Wealth Advisors for 2022, Charles is the highest-ranked NAPFA-Registered fee-only Financial Advisor and the highest ranked Independent Advisor on the list.****
  • Out of more than 10,000 advisors in a leading national financial planning firm, Charles Zhang was ranked #1 by the time he was 29.
  • COUR Member (The Committee on University Resources) - Harvard University
  • Steering Committee Member for Columbia College - Columbia University
  • Economics Advisory Council, Department of Economics, Columbia University
  • Benefactor of Columbia University
  • WMU Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient for 2021
  • Charles has been recognized in the Grand Rapids 200 for the past three years, 2020, 2021, and 2022.  The GR 200 is a comprehensive list of the most powerful and influential leaders in West Michigan.
  • Previous adjunct professor of Finance at Western Michigan University and served on the advisory board for the Haworth College of Business.
  • Author of the book "Make Yourself a Millionaire" (McGraw-Hill, 2003)
  • Often interviewed and quoted by many national media outlets including Wall Street Journal, CNBC, New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Barron's, Reuter's, Associated Press, Forbes, Yahoo! Finance, U.S. News & World Report, CNN, MSN Money, Fox Business, PBS, and Financial Times.

Charles Zhang is a Member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors

The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors - highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.

NAPFA members live by three important values:

  • To be the beacon for independent, objective financial advice for individuals and families.
  • To be the champion of financial services delivered in the public interest.
  • To be the standard bearer for the emerging profession of financial planning.

Zhang Financial sets a new standard for your finances. Established more than three decades ago,(1) Zhang Financial has developed into a prominent industry leader while maintaining its client-centered focus. Our comprehensive, fee-only solution is built upon an academic, evidence-based investment philosophy aimed at providing the highest probability of success. 

For the past seven years, Charles Zhang, CFP®, has been placed in the top 10 on Barron's list of America's Top 100 Independent Wealth Advisors.  Most recently he was ranked #1 in the nation and he is currently the highest ranked Fee-Only NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor on the list.* Charles was also ranked #6 in the nation on Forbes' list of America's Top Wealth Advisors for 2021 and is the highest ranked Independent Advisor on the list.** Zhang Financial is also known for its commitment to philanthropy, especially within our local community. See Giving Back.

With more than $4.7 billion in assets under management,(2) Zhang Financial takes pride in working without conflicts of interest from proprietary products and other questionable business practices. We are committed to upholding a fiduciary standard, providing our clients with customized and unbiased financial advice, first class service, and an open-architecture investment platform for a competitive price. Ranked as Michigan's #1 Financial Advisor,*** Charles Zhang provides personalized investment recommendations to every client in our firm. Your assets are either in the custody of LPL, the largest independent broker dealer in the industry, Charles Schwab, or TD Ameritrade.

 

1-Zhang Financial formerly operated under dba Zhang & Associates
2-Zhang Financial's regulatory Assets Under Management can be found in Zhang Financial's Form ADV Part 2 available at http://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
*As reported in Barron's August 22, 2015, August 27, 2016, September 15, 2017, September 14, 2018, September 16, 2020, and September 17, 2021.  The rankings reflect the volume of assets overseen by the advisors and their teams, revenues generated for the firms, quality of the advisors' practices, and other factors. For NAPFA status see NAPFA.org.
**As reported in Forbes August 16,2021 The ranking, developed by our partner Shook Research, is based on in-person and telephone due-diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm for advisors who have a minimum of seven years of experience. We consider client retention, industry experience, compliance records and firm nominations as well as quantitative criteria such as assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. For fee-only status see NAPFA.org.
***As reported in Barron's February 18, 2013, February 22, 2014, February 21, 2015, March 5, 2016, March 4, 2017, March 10, 2018, March 8, 2019, and March 13, 2020, March 12, 2021, and March 12, 2022. Our rankings are based on assets under management, revenue generated by advisors for their firms, and the quality of their practices, regulatory records, internal company documents, and 100-plus data points provided by the advisors themselves.

Fee-Only, Fiduciary, Independent: Three Important Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Financial Advisor.

Specialties

  • Comprehensive Financial Planning
  • Retirement Income Planning
  • Investment Management
  • College Education Planning
  • Tax Planning

Ideal Clients

  • Retirees and Near Retirees
  • Growing Families
  • Business Owners and Executives
  • Sudden Money Situations
  • Institutions

Working Together

  • In-Office Meetings
  • Virtual Meetings
  • Clearly Defined Fees
  • No Product Sales
  • Complimentary Initial Consultation

Professional Designations & Affiliations

  • National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA)
    Charles Zhang is a NAPFA-Registered Financial Advisor

    The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) is a leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors—highly trained professionals who are committed to working in the best interests of those they serve.

  • Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
    Charles Zhang is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional - Click for Verification

    CFP® professionals are held to strict ethical standards to ensure financial planning recommendations are in your best interest. What’s more, a CFP® professional must acquire several years of experience related to delivering financial planning services to clients and pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Exam before they can use the CFP® designation.

  • ChFC - Chartered Financial Consultant
    Charles Zhang is a Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®)

    Chartered Financial Consultant® designations are granted upon completion of seven required courses and two elective courses. Those who earn the designation are understood to be knowledgeable in financial matters and to have the ability to provide sound advice.

  • CLU - Chartered Life Underwriter
    Charles Zhang is a Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®)

    A Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) is a professional designation for individuals specializing in life insurance and estate planning. Individuals must complete five core courses and three elective courses, and successfully pass all eight two-hour, 100-question examinations in order to receive the CLU® designation.

  • Certified Fund Specialist (CFS)
    Charles Zhang is a Certified Fund Specialist (CFS)

    A Certified Fund Specialist (CFS) is a certification indicating an individual's expertise in mutual funds and the mutual fund industry. These individuals advise clients on which mutual funds best suit their particular needs. The CFS designation does not license individuals to buy or sell mutual funds; however, in many cases Certified Fund Specialists do have this license, which enables them to buy and sell the funds for their clients.

  • Chartered Mutual Fund Counselor® (CMFC®)
    Charles Zhang is a Chartered Mutual Fund Counselor® (CMFC®)

    The Chartered Mutual Fund Counselor or CMFC® is a professional designation for financial advisors and investment managers. The CMFC® program provides financial planners and investment professionals with in depth knowledge of mutual funds, asset allocation, retirement planning, risk and return and other investment topics. To keep their designation, advisors must take 16 hours of continuing education courses every two years.

Contact Charles Zhang

(269) 385-5888

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Office Locations:

  • 5931 Oakland Drive
    Portage, MI 49024
  • 70 West Michigan Avenue
    Suite 100
    Battle Creek, MI 94017
  • 999 Vanderbilt Beach Road
    Suite 200
    Naples, FL 34108
  • 101 West Big Beaver Road
    14th Floor
    Troy, MI 48084
  • 460 Ada Drive
    Suite 200
    Ada, MI 49301
  • 2723 South State Street
    Suite 150
    Ann Arbor, MI 48104
  • 236 1/2 E. Front Street
    #26
    Traverse City, MI 49684
  • 2198 Commons Parkway
    Okemos, MI 48864

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