David Bahnsen

David Bahnsen

Formal First Name
David
Dates
1974 - present

David Bahnsen is the Founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Investment Officer of The Bahnsen Group, a nationally recognized wealth management firm overseeing more than $7.5 billion in client assets. A seasoned Wall Street veteran and respected leader in the wealth management industry, Bahnsen directs all aspects of the firm’s portfolio management, strategic asset allocation, private wealth advising, and advanced estate planning strategies for high-net-worth individuals and families. Prior to founding The Bahnsen Group, he served as a Chairman’s Club Managing Director at Morgan Stanley and as First Vice President at UBS Financial Services, where he advised some of the nation’s most sophisticated investors. Consistently ranked among America’s top financial advisors by Barron’s, Forbes, and the Financial Times, Bahnsen is also a thought leader and prolific author. His bestselling books—including Crisis of Responsibility and The Case for Dividend Growth—reflect his expertise in markets, economics, and the enduring value of dividend-growth investing.

Professional Experience

CURRENT AFFILIATIONS

  • Founding Trustee, Pacifica Christian High School of Orange County

  • Board of Trustees, National Review Institute

  • Senior Fellow of Economics, Center for Cultural Leadership

  • Board of Directors, Acton Institute

  • Board of Directors, Kings College

  • Board of Directors, Hightower Advisors

  • Board Member, Lincoln Club of Orange Country


RECOGNITIONS

  • Barron’s Top 100 Financial Advisors, 2025

  • Forbes America's Top Wealth Advisors, 2023-2025

  • Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors, 2023-2025

  • Financial Times Top 300 Advisors in America

  • On Wall Street's Top 40 Advisors Under 40


MEDIA PRESENCE & PUBLICATIONS

  • Bahnsen is a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox News, and Fox Business, and is a regular contributor to National Review and World.

  • He is a regular lecturer for the Acton Institute and the Center for Cultural Leadership and writes daily investment commentary at www.thedctoday.com and weekly macro commentary at dividendcafe.com.

  • He hosts the popular weekly podcast, Capital Record, dedicated to a defense of free enterprise and capital markets.