James Bradley is the founding member of Bradley Wealth Advisors. For fifteen years, he has worked independently as well as with other financial advisors, tax advisors, and attorneys in personal meetings with clients to establish their financial goals, objectives, and ambitions. As an Independent Advisor, he has worked with clients of various backgrounds and net worths, customizing portfolio recommendations according to their goals, needs, and risk tolerances. One of James’ biggest goals for his firm is to provide clients with an educational and personal relationship. He strives to make sure that his clients are heard, understood, and that they feel like they are his only client.

James specializes in constructing comprehensive financial plans that provide direction for medical professionals, individuals/families, professional athletes, and business owners. He helps them to accumulate wealth, protect and preserve the things they love through insurance, and diligently plan for their future retirement. He believes that, due to the volatile economic times we live in, a financial plan is a critical piece of every client’s portfolio in order to ensure that they are on track with their monetary aspirations.

Together with his clients, he guides and advises the development and implementation of financial strategies in the areas of money management, cash flow and budget planning, retirement preparation, efficient tax planning strategies*, asset allocations, college funding, and family financial protection. He also provides a wide range of outside professional resources for clients who need tax and legal work, estate documents, trust documents, business planning formation, and business mergers and acquisitions.

James holds the designation of a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner, is licensed in the following FINRA registrations: Series 6, 7, 63, and 65, and is licensed for Life, Health, and Accident Insurance. He was a Cum Laude graduate from Salisbury University in Salisbury, MD with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance, concentration in Financial Planning.  

Personal Background

I was born and raised in Silver Spring, MD with one younger sibling. After our parents divorced when we were young, my sister and I were raised by a single mom who worked as a hairstylist in Rockville and Bethesda for over 40 years. I noticed growing up that my mother created such a strong and loyal client base that stayed with her through the years by how she interacted, listened, and communicated with her clients. Observing how she maintained such a loyal base of clientele over many decades, I have incorporated those principles into my career as well. Some of her clients have even become my clients. It all starts with that personal touch and trust. Really listening to your clients, engaging them in simple conversations, and making them feel important creates loyalty and trust that can’t ever be replaced.

My mother taught us from a young age about saving and the difference between wants versus needs. We learned a lot about money management and budgeting strategies by growing up on a very strict budget. Although money was tight, mom did everything she possibly could to allow us to have a normal childhood and participate in as many sports and after school activities as possible. I grew up playing baseball, soccer, ice hockey, basketball, and swimming. I am a die-hard Washington Capitals, Baltimore Ravens, and Baltimore Orioles fan.

Playing sports and becoming the captain of many of my teams helped me to understand the value and importance of hard work, determination, responsibility, and leadership skills. When the team looks to you for guidance, you rise to the occasion. That mentality carried into high school where I played baseball, ice hockey, and spent four years in the Navy JROTC program, where I was the Commanding Officer my senior year.

These experiences helped me build the skills and foundation I needed to become part of many different finance and accounting organizations in college, as well as the National Beta Alpha Psi Honor Society. I interned my junior and senior years with a small, independent financial planning firm that only hired interns from Salisbury University. My senior year I was the senior intern, supervising and reviewing all the planning strategies before proposing them to the owner/advisor. Six months after graduating college, I passed the hardest and most rigorous financial planning exam, a two-day ten-hour exam, earning the designation of Certified Financial Planner™ in a year with one of the lowest pass rates.

After working with many other experienced advisors for years, I finally decided that it was time to follow my dream of having my own firm. I opened my first practice in Bethesda, MD in 2013 and a second location in Houston, TX in 2019. It has been A LOT of hard work, but also a breath of fresh air to provide the personal touch and service I desired for my clients. It has also allowed me to work on my golf game! I currently reside in Katy, TX with my wife and best friend, Katie, and our children.

I need to give the biggest thanks of all to my God and my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for making all of this happen. God has blessed me with such an amazing family that helped me become the man, friend, and business owner I am today. To God be the Glory!