\n<\/p>\n
Wera Rodsawang | Moment | Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The richest U.S. households have financial needs different from those of the average investor and, as such, seek out financial advisors<\/a> who specialize in managing this echelon of wealth<\/a>.<\/p>\n The inaugural CNBC Elite Advisors list recognizes 25 of the nation’s leading investment advisors serving ultra-high net worth individuals and family offices, selected for their expertise in advising clients with investable assets of $25 million or more. <\/p>\n While they provide investment management services \u2014 including private, illiquid or concentrated asset holdings \u2014 the bulk of these advisors’ work exists outside the client portfolio, according to financial experts who specialize in the uber-rich market.<\/p>\n What truly defines advisors who serve the extremely wealthy is their expertise in managing complex financial and relationship dynamics, often across multiple generations of a family, experts said. That might include tax, estate, trust and risk planning; family governance, business advisory and philanthropy services; and more lifestyle-type offerings such as private jet leasing and concierge services. <\/p>\n “It’s a different job” from that of a traditional financial advisor, said Vlad Golyk, a partner at McKinsey & Co., who leads the consulting firm’s wealth management practice in North America.<\/p>\n We created CNBC Elite Advisors this year to recognize top wealth management firms working in this space. CNBC accepts no payment for placement.\u00a0<\/p>\n Our team used data analysis\u00a0and editorial review to compile the CNBC Elite Advisors list.\u00a0Read more about the methodology<\/a> below.<\/p>\n For 2026, the CNBC Elite Advisors are headquartered across 15 states and collectively oversee $2.1 trillion in assets under management. They average 31 years in business, with the oldest founded in 1923 and the youngest formed in 2023 \u2014 a 100-year difference.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n What defines an ultra-high net worth household isn’t an exact science. <\/p>\n Such households generally have investable assets totaling roughly $20 million to $30 million, or more, according to financial experts who specialize in the ultra-high net worth market. <\/p>\n Investable assets include holdings in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, private equity and hedge funds, for example.<\/p>\n Those assets don’t include a primary residence, vehicles or privately held family businesses, which might make up half of an extremely wealthy household’s total net worth, said Chayce Horton, an associate director in the wealth management practice at Cerulli Associates. Cerulli assisted CNBC in compiling the Elite Advisors list.<\/p>\n So, a total net worth of approximately $50 million might be another definition for an ultra-high net worth client, he said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Families with $20 million or more in financial assets account for an increasing share of U.S. wealth. <\/p>\n There were about 442,000 ultra-high net worth households in 2024, accounting for 0.3% of the U.S. population that year, according to the latest data from Cerulli Associates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Clients in this space demand best-in-class.<\/p>\n Chayce Horton<\/p>\n associate director, Cerulli Associates<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n They collectively held $22.5 trillion of investable assets, accounting for nearly 25% of such assets across all U.S. households, according to Cerulli. That’s up substantially from a 10% share in 2010. <\/p>\n About 37% of ultra-high net worth clients are entrepreneurs or business owners, according to Cerulli. Wealth inheritors account for 24% and corporate executives another 13%, it found. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Financial advisors for extremely wealthy clients are serving the richest U.S. households.<\/p>\n Services for the uber-rich are different from those of advisors who cater to the average or even moderately wealthy client, experts said. <\/p>\n Investment management is often not the primary consideration. Generally, the extremely rich need advisors who can oversee complex financial issues and intergenerational wealth, said Cerulli’s Horton. Services typically entail tax, estate and trust planning; business advisory and philanthropic services; and family governance.<\/p>\n “What makes the ultra-high net worth space different is these advisors don’t say ‘no’ when a client asks something of them,” Horton said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\nWhat net worth qualifies as ultra-high net worth?<\/h2>\n
How many uber-rich households are there? <\/h2>\n
\n
What is ultra-high net worth wealth management?<\/h2>\n