A Special Award—and Gratitude for the Role Our Clients Have Played
It’s again a great honor for me to share that I have been recognized by Forbes as a Best-in-State Wealth Advisor for the second year in a row.
The Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors list is an annual ranking produced by SHOOK Research that identifies top-performing financial advisors across the United States. It highlights experienced professionals who demonstrate—based on both quantitative and qualitative criteria—positive client impact through best wealth management practices, robust service models, and exemplary client service.
Nominated by Raymond James, I am honored to have been evaluated and included in this outstanding group of peers. I share this recognition with my wife and business partner, Susan, and our amazing team that delivers on the promises of expertise, excellence, and client-first service every single day.
2026 marks my 35th year in the financial services industry and 28th year leading Estes Wealth Strategies. I launched my independent practice in 1998, because I wanted to be able to offer clients a more holistic and comprehensive approach to financial planning—beyond the traditional brokerage model that was largely limited to investment management. As part of this more integrative planning focus, it was—and remains—important to me that clients feel that their relationship with our practice is authentic, engaged, and personal. It has been our greatest joy to get to know families on a deeper level and to be able to support their wealth planning needs as they evolve over time and across multiple generations.
I would be remiss then not to recognize the role that our clients play in making this award possible. We are on this journey together. In engaging us as their financial partner and placing their trust in us to help them realize their financial goals, our clients are an integral part of the picture that a company like Forbes sees when they evaluate our wealth management practice.
So, please allow us to extend the “congratulations” for this award to include our valued clients and the milestones they’ve achieved in your own financial life. We look forward to our continued client partnerships as we remain focused on charting the course to achieve their goals.
Regards,
John Estes
Principal and Branch Manager
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor
About Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors
The Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors 2026 ranking, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. This ranking is based upon the period from 6/30/2024 to 6/30/2025 and was released on 4/7/2026. Those advisors that are considered have a minimum of seven years of experience, and the algorithm weighs 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 52,043 nominations, roughly 11,302 advisors received the award. 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 visit https://www.forbes.com/best-in-state-wealth-advisors/ for more info.
About Raymond James Financial Services
Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. (RJFS), member FINRA/SIPC, is a financial services firm supporting independent financial advisors nationwide. Since 1974, RJFS provides a wide range of investment and wealth planning-related services through its affiliate, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC. Both firms are wholly owned subsidiaries of Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE-RJF), one of the nation’s premier diversified financial services companies with financial advisors throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. Total client assets are approximately $1.83 trillion as of Feb. 28, 2026. Additional information is available at raymondjames.com.
Past performance is not indicative of future results. The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation to buy or sell Raymond James Financial stock.