Darby Affeldt recognized on Forbes’ 2025 Top Financial Security Professionals Best-In-State list
MINNEAPOLIS—July 10, 2025—Darby Affeldt, DVM, RICP®, CPFA®, partner at North Star Resource Group, has been honored on Forbes and SHOOK Research’s 2025 Top Financial Security Professionals Best-In-State list.
This annual ranking spotlights the leading financial professionals across the nation who demonstrate an unwavering dedication to helping clients achieve their financial goals.
“I’m deeply honored to be recognized in the latest Forbes Advisor ranking,” Affeldt said. “This prestigious recognition reflects the trust and support of my clients, firm, team members, colleagues and the broader community. I remain fiercely committed to delivering financial guidance excellence and will always uphold the standards that earned this recognition. Thank you to Forbes for this acknowledgment of my practice.”
In the state of Colorado, Affeldt ranked #22. After spending 19 years as a veterinary professional and 12 years as the owner of a successful construction development company, she joined North Star as a financial advisor in 2012. Using her strong entrepreneurial spirit and her unique behavioral analysis background, she has built a nationwide financial practice that caters to the needs of high-achieving professionals and is centered around the fiduciary approach.
Beyond her work with clients, Affeldt has written several articles detailing the intricacies of financial planning and is a co-author of the book “Real Life Financial Planning for Veterinarians,” published in 2016. She is also deeply involved with her community, serving as an advisory board member for Mission Animal Hospital, a nonprofit veterinary hospital expanding to the Denver area. Additionally, she is currently working as an executive producer on an upcoming documentary called “Worth It. Rewriting the Story of Women and Wealth,” which explores the relationship women have with money.
“These rankings perfectly align with North Star’s holistic approach to financial planning, which emphasizes protection-based wealth planning alongside assets under management,” North Star CEO Ed Deutschlander, CLU®, CLF®, commented. “We believe in protecting against adversity, investing for opportunity and planning for both. In today’s world, a factual fiduciary helps ensure the client’s plan is reached by modeling it through the three major financial planning disciplines: wealth protection, wealth accumulation and wealth distribution. We are proud of all of our advisors who are among the best.”
The Forbes ranking was determined based on a comparison of business practices based on both qualitative and quantitative elements in a survey conducted by SHOOK Research. Qualitative elements that SHOOK analyzed included production/premiums, death benefits, assets under management, client-related trends and data. Additionally, they also analyzed quantitative elements such as meetings with professionals, use of their team and team dynamics, level of community involvement, credentials and years of service.
To learn more about Forbes’ Top Financial Security Professionals list or to view the rankings on a national and state level, please visit www.forbes.com/lists/top-financial-security-professionals.
About Forbes and SHOOK Research
Forbes boasts 6 million readers and 116 million unique monthly visitors who rely on their research and content to plan their financial futures. SHOOK does not receive a fee in exchange for rankings.
About North Star Resource Group
North Star Resource Group is a Minneapolis-based financial services firm that provides both individuals and businesses with the resources to help create, preserve and protect their wealth. North Star has more than 207 full-time advisors and over 202 employees. In a network of 37 offices in over 21 states, they have contributed to the financial security and well-being of over 150,000 individuals and small businesses**. To learn more about North Star Resource Group, visit www.northstarfinancial.com.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please call Ian Rich at 612.617.6076 or email him at ian.rich@northstarfinancial.com.
Author: Darby Affeldt, DVM, RICP®, CPFA®
Darby grew up in Colorado and received her bachelor’s and doctorate degrees from Colorado State University. She now lives in Denver and enjoys cycling, snow skiing, diving, traveling, and her beloved pets. Professionally, Darby is a co-author of the book Real Life Financial Planning for Veterinarians and an active member of a women’s business owner networking group. She is an advisory board member for Mission Animal Hospital, a nonprofit veterinary hospital expanding to Denver. She is currently working as an Executive Producer on an upcoming documentary for women to explore their relationship with money.
Separate from the financial plan and an advisors’ role as financial planner, an advisor may recommend the purchase of specific investment or insurance products or accounts. These product recommendations are not part of the financial plan and clients are under no obligation to follow them.
**Data as of 12/2024
Forbes America’s Top Financial Security Professionals, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on last year’s data. The algorithm is designed to fairly compare the business practices of a large group of financial service professionals (FSPs) based on quantitative and qualitative elements. Data is weighted to ensure priorities are given to dynamics such as best practices, business models, recent business activity, among others. Each variable is graded and represents a certain value for each measured component. The algorithm measures thousands of FSPs against one another. The listing is prepared by SHOOKTM Research and is based primarily on commissions and premiums generated from insurance products and other criteria relative to years of experience, credentials, client retention and servicing, business model, community involvement, financial professional and peer interviews, and compliance background. Listing in this publication and/or award is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the financial professional by any client. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient for participation or in connection with obtaining or using the third-party rating or award.
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