Focus

With over 11 years of experience as a Financial Advisor, I know that each person has their own unique vision for their financial future. To help achieve that vision, I work with them to refine their goals and build a comprehensive plan, helping them organize their financial lives so they can work to achieve their vision and gain confidence around the investment decisions they are making at every stage of life. I take a hands-on approach to investment advice and always welcome the chance to discuss ideas, concerns, and questions.

Background & experience

I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® professional. The certification comes with extensive training in investment planning, estate planning strategies, insurance, investments, taxes, employee benefits and retirement planning, as well as in CFP^® Board's Standards of Professional Conduct, which are rigorously enforced.

I have also earned the designation of Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor^®. This prestigious designation is awarded to financial professionals who successfully complete the CRPC^® certification process, which is centered around a training program focused exclusively on retirement planning for individuals.

My educational background includes attending  William Paterson University where I earned both my Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a Masters of Business Administration in Finance.

Prior to joining Wells Fargo Advisors I began my career as a Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley.


James Hofmann, Managing Director – Investments has been recognized in 2024: 2024 AdvisorHub Advisors to Watch: 250 Advisors under $1Bil. 2024 AdvisorHub Advisors to Watch: Awarded June 2024; Data compiled by AdvisorHub based on the time period from 12/31/22 - 12/31/23 (Source: AdvisorHub.) Fee paid for use of Marketing Materials. The AdvisorHub 2024 Advisors to Watch (A2W) 250 Advisors under $1Bil rating produced by AdvisorsHub is based on industry experience, assets under management, revenue, growth, compliance records, professionalism, and other criteria. Investment performance is not a criterion. Self-completed survey was used for rating. A2W winners are redefined into subcategories and then ranked with the subcategory based on scale, growth and professionalism. The rating and ranking are not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. Being placed on the subcategory does not denote an additional award.1987 wealth managers were considered for the award; 1000 (50.3% percent of candidates) were named 2024 AdvisorHub Advisors to Watch. Click here to learn more
Fee paid for use of marketing materials.

James Hofmann, Managing Director – Investments has been recognized in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 as Platinum Council Advisors for Wells Fargo Advisors. The Platinum Council (previously known as Premier Advisor) distinction is held by a select group of Financial Advisors within Wells Fargo Advisors as measured by completion of educational components, business production based on the past year, and professionalism. Additional criteria, best practices and team structure, may also be used to determine recipients.


James Hofmann, Managing Director – Investments has been recognized as a Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors for 2023, 2024, 2025. 
^{2025 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors; Awarded April 2025; Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on the time period from 6/30/23- 6/30/24. (Source: Forbes.com). 2024 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors; Awarded April 2024; Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on the time period from 6/30/22 - 6/30/23. 2023 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisors: Awarded April 2023; Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on the time period from 6/30/21 - 6/30/22. Click here to view additional disclosures}


James Hofmann, Managing Director – Investments has been recognized as a Forbes Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisor for 2022, 2023 and 2024. 

2024 Forbes Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors: Awarded August 2024; Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on the time period from 3/31/23 - 3/31/24 (Source: Forbes.com). 2023 Forbes Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors: Awarded August 2023; Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on the time period from 3/31/22 - 3/31/23. 2022 Forbes Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors: Awarded August 2022; Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on the time period from 3/31/21 - 3/31/22. Click here to view additional disclosures

I have also been recognized as a Five Star Wealth Manager¹ in New Jersey for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025.

Away from the office

Away from the office, I enjoy skiing and boating. Active in the community, I volunteer my time supporting the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.

_{1 The Five Star Wealth Manager award was issued on 12/01/2024 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 03/13/2024 through 10/07/2024. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a registered investment adviser or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. 7425 New Jersey-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 431 (6 % of candidates) were named 2025 Five Star Wealth Managers. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com. 
2024 Award was issued on 12/01/2023 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 03/13/2023 through 09/29/2023. 6,515 New Jersey-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 462 (7% of candidates) were named 2024 Five Star Wealth Managers.
2023 Award was issued on 12/01/2022 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 03/21/2022 through 10/18/2022. 6,606 New Jersey-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 407 (6% of candidates) were named 2023 Five Star Wealth Managers. 6,606 New Jersey-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 407 (6% of candidates) were named 2023 Five Star Wealth Managers.
2022 Award issued on 12/1/21 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 04/12/2021 through 10/15/2021. 6380 New Jersey-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 431 (7% of candidates) were named 2022 Five Star Wealth Managers.
2021 Award issued on 12/1/20 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 3/30/20 through 10/23/20. 6123 New Jersey wealth managers were considered for the award; 459 (7 % of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.
2020 Award issued on 12/1/19 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 3/1/19 through 10/16/19. 6210 New Jersey wealth managers were considered for the award; 480 (8 % of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.
2019 Award issued on 12/1/18 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 3/21/18 through 10/12/18. 6097 New Jersey wealth managers were considered for the award; 477 (8 % of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.
2018 Award issued on 12/1/17 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 2/21/17 through 10/12/17. 4383 wealth managers were considered for the award; 415 (9 % of candidates) were named Five Star Wealth Managers.}

Focus

As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® professional with over 25 years’ experience, I enjoy helping my clients create planning strategies that give them confidence in their ability to address their financial needs throughout their lives. I view myself as a coach and it gives me a great deal of satisfaction watching the plans and strategies we have put in place help achieve each person’s goals so they can live their vision of the future.

Background & experience

My educational background includes earning my degree in business from The College of New Jersey. I gained experience as a Financial Advisor at First Union, then Wachovia which then merged with Wells Fargo Advisors. Throughout each business merger I always maintained my client focus and always put their needs first.

I continued my professional development by earning my CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® professional certification in 1992. To earn my CFP^® designation, I demonstrated skill in analyzing and developing personal long-term financial strategies and had to complete hundreds of hours of rigorous planning courses and examinations. These courses were followed by a 10-hour comprehensive examination administered according to the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards.

Now, collaborating with my team and the other resources available at Wells Fargo Advisors, I work to coach and guide successful my clients through investment, retirement, tax, trust, insurance, estate, charity and beneficiary planning strategies.

Away from the office

My family is my focus and my wife and I have 3 children and 2 grandchildren who we enjoy spending time with at home and at our home on the Jersey Shore.