Brighthaven Financial Advisors is a investment adviser based in Huntsville, AL, that holds a 90.0/100 Fidelon TransparencyScore (82nd percentile among SEC-registered advisers), with 4 registered advisors. Score based on public SEC and FINRA filings.
Brighthaven Financial Advisors
Brighthaven Financial Advisors · CRD #318730
A fee-only investment adviser with a clean regulatory record and fiduciary commitment.
Fidelon Fact Sheet
Brighthaven Financial Advisors is an SEC-registered investment adviser in Huntsville, AL. It has 4 registered advisors. It manages $106.6 million across 569 client accounts. It charges a yearly percentage of your account that gets smaller as the account grows, and it does not report earning commissions. Its services include financial planning, portfolio management, investment newsletters and market-timing advice. Its record shows no customer complaints, regulatory actions or fines.
Peer Context
1,590th of 10,815
SEC-registered advisers
Top 18%
10th of 79
SEC-registered advisers in AL
Top 15%
2nd of 7
SEC-registered advisers in Huntsville, AL
Top 29%
How This Firm Works
Registration & Standard of Care
Investment Adviser — this firm is a registered investment adviser, held to a fiduciary standard — legally required to act in clients' best interests.
How This Firm Gets Paid
- Charges a percentage of assets under management
- Charges fixed fees for specific services
- Does not earn commissions on product sales
What you’d pay
Blended across 1 tiers, from $500,001 - $2,500,000.
This fee is negotiable
“Fees are based on the assets in the account per the schedule below and in some instances, may be negotiated.”
From their Form ADV Part 2A. Most investors never ask.
Other arrangements offered
- • A negotiated fee, agreed individually
Not included above
- • In addition to the advisory fees paid to BrightHaven, clients can also incur certain charges imposed by other third parties, such as broker-dealers, custodians, trust companies, banks, and other financial institutions (collectively “Financial Institutions”). These additional charges include securities brokerage commissions, transaction fees, custodial fees, fees charged by the Independent Managers, charges imposed directly by a mutual fund or ETF in a client’s account, as disclosed in the fund’s prospectus (e.g., fund management fees and other fund expenses, 12(b)-1 fees), deferred sales charges, odd-lot differentials, transfer taxes, wire transfer and electronic fund fees and other fees and taxes on brokerage accounts and securities transactions. Some mutual funds within this program pay 12(b)-1 service fees (normally 0.25% per year) to the Custodian. When accounts are held through Schwab, BrightHaven receives these 12(b)-1 fees. The receipt of such fees represents a conflict of interest in that there is an incentive for Advisors to recommend funds with 12(b)-1 fees over funds that have no fees or lower fees. To mitigate this conflict of interest, BrightHaven will review the receipt of 12(b)-1 fees it receives quarterly and rebate such fees to the client’s account.
Estimated from the firm’s Form ADV Part 2A brochure — not a quote. Actual fees are set in your agreement and may differ. Costs charged by others (custodians, fund managers) are not included.
What This Firm Charges
| Account Size | Annual Fee |
|---|---|
| $0 - $500,000 | 1.50% |
| $500,001 - $2,500,000 | 1.25% |
| $2,500,001 - $4,000,000 | 1.00% |
| $4,000,001 and above | 0.75% |
Billed quarterly in advance
Extracted from Form ADV Part 2A brochure
Specializations
Extracted from Form ADV Part 2A brochure
Key Findings
Strengths
- Fee-only compensation — no commission income reported
- Registered as investment adviser with fiduciary obligation
- No broker-dealer registration — advisory services only
- Clean regulatory record — no disclosures, arbitrations, or fines
- Transparent fee structure — charges advisory fees, no commissions
Conflict Audit
Zero material conflicts identified in regulatory filings.
Source: Form ADV Part 1, Items 6-8; Part 2A, Items 10-14
Regulatory Track Record
0
Disclosures
Clean record — no disclosures found
$0
Total Fines
Clean record — no fines found
Regulatory Events
TransparencyScore Dimensions
Disclosure Record
Customer complaints, arbitrations, and fines. Frequency and recency matter.
100/100
Strong
Avg for investment adviser firms: 82.6 | Top 10%: 99.5
Filing Quality
How clearly the firm describes services, fees, and investment approach in regulatory filings.
94/100
Strong
Avg for investment adviser firms: 84.1 | Top 10%: 100
Conflict Disclosure
How openly the firm explains who pays it and what it's paid to sell. The conflict isn't the problem — hiding it is.
76/100
Fair
Avg for investment adviser firms: 54 | Top 10%: 67
Enforcement History
Self-reported legal and disciplinary history from Form ADV Item 11.
100/100
Strong
Avg for investment adviser firms: 99.7 | Top 10%: 100
Their two-page relationship summary
The SEC requires every SEC-registered investment adviser to hand you this summary, called a Form CRS, and says what it must cover. We checked this firm's against that list. What is a Form CRS?
Not read
We have not read a Form CRS for this firm yet.
We have not read this firm's Form CRS yet. Until we do, the score above cannot go over 90.
What their brochure tells you
The firm must give you this brochure, Form ADV Part 2A, before you sign. We read it against the SEC's own instructions, item by item. Quotes are the firm's own words; page numbers refer to the filed brochure. What is in a brochure?
Can you tell what you'd pay and when?Brochure Fee Clarity100/100
The SEC asks every brochure to spell out the fee schedule, whether fees can be negotiated, how and when you are billed, the other costs you pay, and refunds.
The brochure answers every one of these.
- Can you tell what you'd pay?CoveredItem 5.A
Without a fee schedule you cannot compare this firm with any other.
Fees are based on the assets in the account per the schedule below and in some instances, may be negotiated.p. 8
- Does it say whether the fee can be negotiated?CoveredItem 5.A
If fees are negotiable, other clients may be paying less than you for the same service.
Fees are based on the assets in the account per the schedule below and in some instances, may be negotiated.p. 8
- Does it say whether the fee comes out of your account or gets billed?CoveredItem 5.B
A fee taken straight from your account is easy to stop noticing.
Fees are automatically deducted from the account pursuant to the advisory agreement and are not billed separately to clients.p. 10
- Does it say how often you're charged?CoveredItem 5.B
Monthly, quarterly, in advance or in arrears changes what you owe when you leave.
Advisory account fees will be billed either on quarterly or monthly basis.p. 8
- Does it list the other costs you pay, like fund and custodian fees?CoveredItem 5.C
The advisory fee is rarely the whole bill; fund, trading and custody costs come on top.
In addition to the advisory fees paid to BrightHaven, clients can also incur certain charges imposed by other third parties, such as broker-dealers, custodians, trust companies, banks, and other financial institutions (collectively “Financial Institutions”).p. 9
- Does it say how you get money back if you leave mid-period?CoveredItem 5.D
If you pay in advance and leave early, the refund rule decides what you get back.
Upon termination of an account, any prepaid, asset-based fees will be prorated according to the days the account was opened during the calendar month and excess fees will be re-bated to the client.p. 10
Does it explain each conflict of interest and what it could cost you?Brochure Conflict Specificity65/100
The SEC asks the brochure to name each way the firm gets paid besides your fee, what that tempts the firm to do, and what it can cost you.
Each point is marked Covered or Not found. When a point is not found, we say what to ask.
If it has an affiliated insurance agency, does it explain what that means for you?
An affiliated insurance agency
- Does the brochure name this conflict where the SEC requires?CoveredItems 10/11/12.B/14
A conflict named in the right place is one the firm has thought about; one buried elsewhere is easy to miss.
Some investment adviser representatives are also insurance agents of the Gibson Agency Group, Inc. in Huntsville, AL, which is an independent insurance agency specializing in personal insurance such as car, homeowners, and life insurance.p. 13
- Does it explain what this arrangement tempts the firm to do?CoveredStaff Bulletin Q11
You can only judge advice when you know which way it is being pulled.
This arrangement poses a conflict of interest to the extent that there is a financial incentive to recommend insurance products that result in commissions, or other payments.p. 14
- Does it describe what the arrangement actually is?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
A conflict described in one vague sentence tells you it exists but not how it works.
What to askAsk the advisor to explain this arrangement in plain terms, including who pays whom.
- Does it say what the firm is paid for it?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
The size of the payment tells you how strong the pull is.
What to askAsk how much the firm or its people receive from this arrangement in a typical year.
- Does it say how the firm comes out ahead?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Benefits that are not cash, like free services or referrals, still shape advice.
What to askAsk what the firm gains from this arrangement beyond fees.
- Does it say what it can cost you?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Every conflict has a price; the question is whether the brochure puts it in your hands.
What to askAsk what this arrangement can cost you, in fees, returns or choices you do not get.
- Does it say how the firm keeps this conflict in check?Not assessed yetItems 10.C-D, 11.B-D, 14.A
A conflict with no control on it is left to the advisor's goodwill.
What to askAsk whether insurance recommended to you is sold by a company tied to the firm, and who earns what.
If it has an affiliated insurance agency, does it explain what that means for you?
An affiliated insurance agency
- Does the brochure name this conflict where the SEC requires?CoveredItems 10/11/12.B/14
A conflict named in the right place is one the firm has thought about; one buried elsewhere is easy to miss.
Geoffrey Cameron West serves as an insurance agent through an independent marking organization called Financial Independence Group.p. 14
- Does it explain what this arrangement tempts the firm to do?CoveredStaff Bulletin Q11
You can only judge advice when you know which way it is being pulled.
This may pose a conflict of interest to the extent that he has a financial incentive to recommend insurance products that may result in commissions, or other payments.p. 14
- Does it describe what the arrangement actually is?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
A conflict described in one vague sentence tells you it exists but not how it works.
What to askAsk the advisor to explain this arrangement in plain terms, including who pays whom.
- Does it say what the firm is paid for it?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
The size of the payment tells you how strong the pull is.
What to askAsk how much the firm or its people receive from this arrangement in a typical year.
- Does it say how the firm comes out ahead?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Benefits that are not cash, like free services or referrals, still shape advice.
What to askAsk what the firm gains from this arrangement beyond fees.
- Does it say what it can cost you?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Every conflict has a price; the question is whether the brochure puts it in your hands.
What to askAsk what this arrangement can cost you, in fees, returns or choices you do not get.
- Does it say how the firm keeps this conflict in check?Not assessed yetItems 10.C-D, 11.B-D, 14.A
A conflict with no control on it is left to the advisor's goodwill.
What to askAsk whether insurance recommended to you is sold by a company tied to the firm, and who earns what.
If the firm gets research or services from a custodian or broker, does it explain them?
Research or services received from a custodian or broker (soft dollars)
- Does the brochure name this conflict where the SEC requires?CoveredItems 10/11/12.B/14
A conflict named in the right place is one the firm has thought about; one buried elsewhere is easy to miss.
The Custodian makes products and services available to BrightHaven that benefit BrightHaven but may not directly benefit its clients’ accounts.p. 17
- Does it explain what this arrangement tempts the firm to do?CoveredStaff Bulletin Q11
You can only judge advice when you know which way it is being pulled.
The receipt of soft dollars creates a conflict of interest by giving a financial incentive to (1) have clients pay more than the lowest possible commissions and transactions charges, (2) place more transactions in the client’s account, and (3) recommend only broker-dealers that provide soft dollar benefits.p. 17
- Does it describe what the arrangement actually is?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
A conflict described in one vague sentence tells you it exists but not how it works.
What to askAsk the advisor to explain this arrangement in plain terms, including who pays whom.
- Does it say what the firm is paid for it?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
The size of the payment tells you how strong the pull is.
What to askAsk how much the firm or its people receive from this arrangement in a typical year.
- Does it say how the firm comes out ahead?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Benefits that are not cash, like free services or referrals, still shape advice.
What to askAsk what the firm gains from this arrangement beyond fees.
- Does it say what it can cost you?Not found in the brochureStaff Bulletin Q11
Every conflict has a price; the question is whether the brochure puts it in your hands.
What to askAsk what this arrangement can cost you, in fees, returns or choices you do not get.
- Does it say how the firm keeps this conflict in check?Not assessed yetItems 10.C-D, 11.B-D, 14.A
A conflict with no control on it is left to the advisor's goodwill.
What to askAsk what the firm receives from the custodian or broker it uses for you, and whether that costs you anything.
Do they earn commissions on products, and do they say so?Brochure Sales Compensation100/100
When a firm or its people sell products for a commission, the SEC asks the brochure to say so, name the pull, and tell you whether you could buy elsewhere.
The brochure answers every one of these.
- Does it say that earning commissions is a conflict of interest?CoveredItem 5.E.1
A firm paid to sell a product has a reason to recommend it that has nothing to do with you.
The receipt of such fees represents a conflict of interest in that there is an incentive for Advisors to recommend funds with 12(b)-1 fees over funds that have no fees or lower fees.p. 10
- Does it say commissions can shape what they recommend?CoveredItem 5.E.1
Naming the pull is the first step to controlling it; silence leaves it working on you.
The receipt of such fees represents a conflict of interest in that there is an incentive for Advisors to recommend funds with 12(b)-1 fees over funds that have no fees or lower fees.p. 10
- Does it say you can buy the same products elsewhere?CoveredItem 5.E.2
You may be able to buy the same product for less somewhere else.
The mutual funds the Firm could purchase or recommend offer a variety of share classes, including some that do not charge 12(b)-1 fees and are, therefore, less expensive.p. 9
- Does it say whether commissions lower your advisory fee?CoveredItem 5.E.4
If the firm earns a commission and the full advisory fee, you pay twice for one recommendation.
To mitigate this conflict of interest, BrightHaven will review the receipt of 12(b)-1 fees it receives quarterly and rebate such fees to the client’s account.p. 10
Do they get free research or services from brokers, and does it affect you?Brochure Soft Dollars85/100
When brokers give the firm research or services in return for your trades, the SEC asks the brochure to say what the firm gets and what it may cost you.
Each point is marked Covered or Not found. When a point is not found, we say what to ask.
- Does it list what the firm gets from brokers for free?Not found in the brochureItem 12.A.1.e
Research, software and data paid for by your trades are a cost you never see.
What to askAsk what research, tools or services the firm receives from brokers or custodians at no charge.
- Does it say the firm benefits by not paying for those things?CoveredItem 12.A.1.a
A perk the firm would otherwise buy is money in the firm's pocket, paid with your trades.
When client brokerage commissions are used to obtain research or other products or services, BrightHaven receives a benefit because we do not have to produce or pay for the research, products, or services.p. 17
- Does it say those perks can shape which broker it picks for you?CoveredItem 12.A.1.b
Your trades should go where you get the best deal, not where the firm gets the best perks.
The receipt of soft dollars creates a conflict of interest by giving a financial incentive to (1) have clients pay more than the lowest possible commissions and transactions charges, (2) place more transactions in the client’s account, and (3) recommend only broker-dealers that provide soft dollar benefits.p. 17
- Does it say whether those perks stay within what the law allows?CoveredItem 12.A.1.e note
The law allows research paid for with client trades only within limits; outside them, it is your money.
Within the last fiscal year, BrightHaven used client brokerage commissions to acquire the products and services listed above under “Soft Dollar Benefits.”p. 17
- Does it say whether you pay more in trading costs because of those perks?CoveredItem 12.A.1.c
Paying up for trades to earn the firm a perk comes straight out of your returns.
As a result of these services provided, commissions may be higher than those charged by other broker-dealers.p. 17
- Does it say whether every client benefits or only some?CoveredItem 12.A.1.d
Your trades may be paying for research that helps other clients' accounts, not yours.
There is no effort to allocate soft dollar benefits to clients in proportion to the amount of soft dollar benefits generated by each client.p. 17
A point not found is not a finding against the firm; many points apply only when the firm has that arrangement, and state-registered firms file the same brochure form.
Next Steps
Advisor Roster
4 advisors
| Advisor | CRD | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geoffrey Cameron West | 5807040 | — | — |
| William Spencer Chappell | 7417763 | — | — |
| Phillip Armantier Gibson | 6524854 | — | — |
| John P Gibson | 5925373 | — | — |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the TransparencyScore measure?
The TransparencyScore measures how clearly and completely an advisor or firm discloses important information in their regulatory filings — things like fees, conflicts of interest, disciplinary history, and business practices. A higher score means better disclosure quality, not better investment performance.
Where does this data come from?
All data comes from public regulatory filings: SEC Form ADV (Parts 1, 2, and 3), FINRA BrokerCheck, and the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) database. These are official filings that firms and advisors are legally required to submit.
Does a low score mean they're a bad advisor?
Not necessarily. A low score means the firm's public filings are less transparent — they may use vague language about fees, skip details about conflicts, or have a more complex regulatory history. Some excellent advisors work at firms with poor disclosure practices. The score measures the filing, not the person.
How often is this data updated?
Fidelon refreshes data from SEC and FINRA sources on a regular schedule. Form ADV filings are updated annually by firms (with amendments throughout the year), and BrokerCheck data is updated as events are reported. Scores are recalculated after each data refresh.
Can an advisor or firm improve their score?
Yes. Scores are based on what's in public filings. A firm that rewrites its ADV brochure in clearer language, discloses conflicts more specifically, or resolves outstanding regulatory issues will see its score improve at the next refresh. The incentive structure is intentional.
Data Sources
Scores are generated using Fidelon's published scoring methodology and reflect the quality of public disclosures, not the quality of investment advice. A firm that improves its disclosures will see its score improve. Fidelon does not provide investment advice.
Verify on SEC IAPD
Last scored: · Score version: 3.15 · CRD #318730