Readers' Choice 2026
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Best Financial Advisor/Broker: Chad Mortenson
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2026 issue of Seattle magazine.
Planning for the future can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to your finances. Rather than go it alone, hiring a financial advisor can ease the stress of thinking about big life decisions. With nearly a decade of industry experience, Chad Mortenson excels at helping Northwesterners with financial planning, retirement goals, estate planning, college savings, wealth management, and more. His firm, Mortenson Financial Services, also gives back to the community by sponsoring and participating in the Seattle Miles for Melanoma 5K, supporting Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission, and, in 2025, launching MFS Gives Back(pack), an initiative to provide school supplies to local students.
Runner Up: Amanda Gross–Edward Jones
About Readers' Choice 2026
Once a year, we turn the tables and ask our readers about their favorite local spots. The neighborhood café with the best coffee, the restaurant you book for every special occasion, and where you send out-of-town guests for top-tier cocktails. Seattleites have opinions, and they shared them with us. This year, we received more votes than ever before, with some familiar favorites returning and plenty of new names making the list.
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