About Commons Capital
We're Accessible. We're Quirky. We're Intense.
Commons Capital is an independent, fee-only Registered Investment Adviser and boutique private wealth management firm, founded in 2009 by Jonathan D. Straus. Headquartered in Needham, Massachusetts with an office in New York City, the firm serves individuals, families, executives, business owners, and institutions globally — delivering a multi-family office experience grounded in fiduciary advice, transparent pricing, and independence from product-sales conflicts.
Commons Capital was established on a simple conviction: that the traditional Wall Street wealth management model is structurally misaligned with client interests. Bank-, broker-, and insurance-affiliated advisors face product mandates, sales quotas, and revenue-sharing arrangements that quietly shape the advice they give. We were built to remove those forces from the equation.
As an SEC-Registered Investment Adviser (CRD 165738), Commons Capital is held to a fiduciary standard at all times — legally required to place each client's interests ahead of our own. As a fee-only firm, we accept no commissions and no third-party compensation; our only source of revenue is the fees clients pay us directly. And as an independent firm, we have no parent-company products to push, no shelf-space agreements, and no quotas to hit.
What clients receive in return is the integration of sophisticated wealth planning, investment management, specialized client services, and private banking and lending solutions — historically the province of single-family and multi-family offices — delivered by a five-advisor team with more than 100 years of combined experience. Through our custodial relationship with Fidelity Institutional Wealth Services, accounts are protected by FDIC and SIPC coverage plus a supplemental Lloyd's of London policy covering 100% of account balances. We work across continents and across cultures, with the agility of a boutique and the capability of a much larger institution.
As an SEC-Registered Investment Adviser (CRD 165738), Commons Capital is held to a fiduciary standard at all times — legally required to place each client's interests ahead of our own. As a fee-only firm, we accept no commissions and no third-party compensation; our only source of revenue is the fees clients pay us directly. And as an independent firm, we have no parent-company products to push, no shelf-space agreements, and no quotas to hit.
What clients receive in return is the integration of sophisticated wealth planning, investment management, specialized client services, and private banking and lending solutions — historically the province of single-family and multi-family offices — delivered by a five-advisor team with more than 100 years of combined experience. Through our custodial relationship with Fidelity Institutional Wealth Services, accounts are protected by FDIC and SIPC coverage plus a supplemental Lloyd's of London policy covering 100% of account balances. We work across continents and across cultures, with the agility of a boutique and the capability of a much larger institution.
Newsweek America's Top Financial Advisory Firms
Boston Magazine FIVE STAR Wealth Manager Award
Barron's Top Independent Advisor Summit
Private Wealth Management Award
Women's Choice Award
Insurance Consultants & Counselors Award
U.S. Trade & Commerce Research Institute Excellence Award
About these recognitions. The awards and recognitions listed above were issued by the publications and organizations indicated in the years shown. Each award is based on criteria established by the issuing organization and may consider factors such as assets under management, client retention, advisor experience, regulatory record, and/or third-party nominations and surveys. Some awards may have involved a fee paid to be considered, listed, or to use the award logo for marketing purposes; details for each recognition are available upon request. Third-party rankings and recognitions are not indicative of any individual client's experience with Commons Capital and are not a guarantee of future performance or results. A complete list of disclosures is available on our Legal & Compliance page.
Always placing your interests ahead of our own.
Vision + Mission
With today’s exponential pace of change, opportunities from traditional sectors and disruptive innovations require agility and vision to respond decisively.
For those driven to seize opportunities, Commons Capital offers a team who fulfill ambitions and turn visions into reality.
We construct personalized strategies according to our clients’ needs by bringing together the traditional aspects of comprehensive private wealth management with a firm entrepreneurial spirit. We continually explore the wide range of disruptive services and expertise on global markets.
While our clients have differing goals and different measures of success, they all rely on our relentless energy and proficient expertise to achieve their objectives.
For those driven to seize opportunities, Commons Capital offers a team who fulfill ambitions and turn visions into reality.
We construct personalized strategies according to our clients’ needs by bringing together the traditional aspects of comprehensive private wealth management with a firm entrepreneurial spirit. We continually explore the wide range of disruptive services and expertise on global markets.
While our clients have differing goals and different measures of success, they all rely on our relentless energy and proficient expertise to achieve their objectives.
Oath to Our Clients
Our values guide each and every interaction we have with our clients. To help you understand what our values mean to our success, we have developed this Client Charter:
Commons Capital always places the best interests of the client first. Conflicts of interest will be avoided when possible and disclosed when not. We treat all clients with fairness and respect. Questions and queries are handled promptly and courteously.
We are transparent in all dealings and transactions. As a general rule, remuneration from third parties is not accepted. We will clearly articulate our investment philosophy, fee structure, and service model. We give answers in plain English, with whatever level of detail you seek.
Commons Capital employs professionals with proven track records in their respective fields. They evolve in a work environment which actively promotes innovation, integrity and honesty.
Commons Capital always places the best interests of the client first. Conflicts of interest will be avoided when possible and disclosed when not. We treat all clients with fairness and respect. Questions and queries are handled promptly and courteously.
We are transparent in all dealings and transactions. As a general rule, remuneration from third parties is not accepted. We will clearly articulate our investment philosophy, fee structure, and service model. We give answers in plain English, with whatever level of detail you seek.
Commons Capital employs professionals with proven track records in their respective fields. They evolve in a work environment which actively promotes innovation, integrity and honesty.
For Whom We Exist
Commons Capital serves clients with complex financial situations and meaningful capital. Our clients typically include individuals and families building, preserving, and transferring multigenerational wealth; corporate executives and professionals managing concentrated stock positions, equity compensation, and significant career-driven income variability; entrepreneurs and business owners navigating liquidity events, succession planning, and post-sale wealth structuring; sports and entertainment professionals with episodic income and specialized planning needs; and institutions seeking objective, fee-only investment advice.
The firm does not maintain a stated minimum fee schedule with breakpoints. Each client engagement is evaluated individually, with the scope of services calibrated to the complexity of the situation. Commons Capital families tend to be global, multi-generational, and competitive — and they come to us in search of sincere, unbiased advice on the matters that genuinely matter to them.
The firm does not maintain a stated minimum fee schedule with breakpoints. Each client engagement is evaluated individually, with the scope of services calibrated to the complexity of the situation. Commons Capital families tend to be global, multi-generational, and competitive — and they come to us in search of sincere, unbiased advice on the matters that genuinely matter to them.
What We Stand For
Act in the best interest of the client
We provide advice and recommendations that are only in the client's best interest by following a fiduciary standard of care. We do this because it is proper, ethical and right. All of the following principles are consistent with this philosophy and our way of conducting business.
Focus on professional advice, not on products
We are client-centric, which means we focus on delivering sound advice and targeted solutions, not on selling financial products. The only incentive we have in offering particular solutions is whether the client's best interest will be served.
Deliver attentive, individualized service
We provide a high level of personal attention. We make a point of getting to know each client and learning what is important to him or her. Developing personalized insight is key to providing appropriate advice and services.
Provide full and transparent disclosure
Our private wealth management services and fees are fully disclosed and clearly explained. We give answers in plain English, with whatever level of detail the client seeks.
Practice what we preach
We invest our personal and firm assets based on the same set of investment principles and using the same or comparable securities that we recommend to our clients.
We strive to be leaders in environmental stewardship and have implemented specific steps to reach our goal of becoming a net-zero organization. We are a long-established limited liability corporation and we recognize the importance of making every effort possible to have minimal impact in our day-to-day operations.
We support innovative strategic programs and partnerships that help make our communities better, stronger, and more vibrant places in which to live, work, and conduct business. We invest in areas that promote community well-being from providing food and shelter, conserving natural resources and minimizing our impact on the environment, improving education and encouraging arts and creativity.
We believe that good business means more than just strong financial performance and superb operations. At Commons Capital, everything begins with a commitment to the highest ethical standards. By doing the right thing and operating with integrity and transparency, we build and maintain credibility and trust with our clients, advisors, vendors, partners, and the community.
We are committed to creating a work environment in which advisors continually demonstrate respect for opinions, attitudes, attributes and feelings of anyone with whom they come in contact with during their daily work. We provide a workplace free from all forms of discrimination and harassment. We offer exciting opportunities for professional growth. We encourage everyone to find a balance between their personal and professional lives and give back to the communities where they work and live.
