Independently Owned

Independent Guidance for Timeless Success

Discover Richards, Lathrop & Associates, your independently owned boutique partner in wealth management, committed solely to your enduring prosperity. By integrating cutting-edge technology with our insight into financial planning, tax optimization, and investment strategies, we illuminate opportunities and provide steadfast support tailored to your vision.

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Who We Are

Welcome to Richards, Lathrop & Associates. We're small by choice. Personal by design. And here for the long haul.

In a financial landscape rife with rapid changes, fragmented services, mounting complexity, and short-term thinking, we recognized the profound challenges of feeling overwhelmed, underserved, and disconnected from holistic guidance. This inspired the creation of Richards, Lathrop & Associates: an independently owned boutique wealth management firm singularly dedicated to your prosperity, weaving seamless, enduring strategies with uncompromised integrity and client-first dedication to navigate life's intricacies and foster harmony across generations.

We deliver bespoke counsel that empowers you every step of the way, crafting tailored strategies attuned to your unique objectives for sustained achievement. This guiding ethos sets us apart as your trusted partner in excellence, where true accomplishment unfolds over decades of purposeful advancement—rooted in four essential pillars that integrate multigenerational planning to safeguard and elevate your family's legacy with confidence and clarity.

Meet the Founders

Two professionals from different worlds, united by a mission to restore integrity to wealth management

Christian P. Richards III

President

“From answering phones and scanning documents to building a firm that changes lives—my journey proves that integrity and hard work matter more than pedigree.”

Christian Richards's dedication to client service and success was forged in a modest upbringing, where his parents, a special education teacher and social services worker, instilled values of community impact through their founding of the Pacoima Wildcats nonprofit. With no family history in finance, Christian prioritized intellectual growth alongside athletic excellence, inspired by his father's path from sports to a UC Berkeley degree, leading Christian to secure scholarships to top universities like Michigan as a scholar-athlete.

His awareness of financial inequities deepened in college and the NFL, observing how many athletes were underserved by profit-driven advisors, fueling his mission to advocate for financial literacy. Starting from a data entry role, he earned licenses and thrived under mentors David Meltzer and Jim Regitz at client-focused firms, embracing low-fee, referral-based models that echoed his parents' service-first philosophy. This journey culminated in founding Richards, Lathrop & Associates in 2026, a boutique firm prioritizing personalized, concierge-level service for enduring client prosperity.

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Michael Lathrop

Chief Investment Officer

“We recognize that success is built on the combination of disciplined investment processes that are tailored to fit the specific needs and preferences of clients. While market volatility remains a constant, we work to provide you with structure and the confidence that you will achieve your financial goals.”

With over 14 years of experience in investment management, he specializes in constructing multi-asset portfolios and has led the creation and management of specialty strategies focused on current income and aggressive growth. Michael has also managed strategies for a diverse range of mandates and clients, including high-net-worth individuals and institutions.

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Our Four Pillars

The principles that guide every decision we make

Strong Relationships

We begin with a profound understanding of you—not just your finances, but your aspirations, fears, and family dynamics. This ensures that the strategies we employ are the best possible fit for your family as your life evolves, paving the way for a seamless transition to the next generation.

True Client Alignment

Our ownership structure and incentives are anchored in your long-term prosperity, not quarterly sales targets. We designed this firm from the ground up to ensure that your success is our only metric that matters.

Excellence in Service

Financial matters shouldn't keep you up at night. We assume that burden entirely. By remaining accessible during periods of market volatility and life transitions, you can focus on living while we handle the complexities of wealth.

Deep Technical Expertise

While markets fluctuate unpredictably, taxation and strategic planning offer real control over outcomes. Our specialized knowledge in portfolio construction, tax optimization, estate planning, and trust architecture provides a level of predictability and control in a world of uncertainty.

Ready for Something Different?

If you're tired of being treated like a number, if you want advisors who actually understand markets and taxes, if you're looking for a partnership that will span generations—let's talk.

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