Published on Jun 1, 2026 • Updated on Oct 27, 2026
This article was written by Adem Tumerkan
Content Strategist, Dunham | 2025 ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Award Winner | 2026 Wealthies Finalist, Thought Leader of the Year | Macroeconomics, markets, geopolitics & global trends
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| Simplifies document sharing, communication, and access to information |
| Develop next-generation relationships | Demonstrates an interest in the family’s longer-term needs | Helps beneficiaries build their own connection with the firm |
It's no surprise that high‑net‑worth clients have more than money to manage.
They have legacy decisions, tax concerns, estate questions, family dynamics, and the pressure of preserving wealth across generations.
For financial advisors, that creates both a challenge and an opportunity.
HNW investors - typically defined as individuals with $1 million or more in liquid or investable assets — often need more than portfolio management. They want an advisor who understands the full weight of wealth: how it is built, protected, transferred, and used to support the people and causes they care about.
In PwC’s 2022 U.S. high-net-worth investor survey, 46% of respondents said they planned to change wealth management providers, add a relationship, or both within the next 12 to 24 months. Another 39% said they had already switched or added a relationship during the previous three years. The distinction matters. An investor can seek additional expertise without leaving an existing advisor.
These clients are savvy, and they have no shortage of professionals competing for their business.
In such a competitive space, it is not enough to offer traditional financial advice. Advisors need to stand out by providing tailored services that go beyond the basics.
Here is how to do that.
High-net-worth clients are rarely looking for generic advice. Their financial lives often involve multiple entities, concentrated positions, business interests, private investments, charitable goals, or family wealth transfer concerns.
That is why personalization is one of the most important ways advisors can differentiate their practice.
Personalized service may include:
The more specific the planning experience feels, the more likely the client is to see the advisor as a long-term partner rather than a replaceable investment manager.
For SEO, prospecting, and conversion - this is also where advisors can strengthen their online presence. Website content should speak directly to the situations HNW clients actually face, such as selling a business, managing inherited wealth, planning for estate taxes, or preparing children to inherit responsibly.
High-net-worth clients want more than just investment advice - they're asking for tax, trust, and estate planning too. But many advisors aren't even offering these crucial services.
The 2021 Spectrem survey3 highlights this gap, showing a stark contrast between what clients expect (blue bar) and what they actually received (orange).
That 78-point gap between what clients expect and what they receive is where advisors who partner with a dedicated trust company - like Dunham Trust - can separate themselves. Most advisors can't build a trust department. But they can access one.
This mismatch isn't just surprising - it's a wake-up call. Clients expect a holistic approach, but too often, they feel let down when it comes to comprehensive financial planning.
It's no wonder that services beyond basic financial planning are expanding rapidly, driven by the growing needs of the wealthy.
Cerulli’s September 2026 research found that 55% of advisors offer trust and estate planning services, while 40% offer income tax planning. As advisors move upmarket, Cerulli identifies growing demand for technology that supports these more complex planning needs.
This surge is likely driven by the growing need for high-net-worth individuals to manage wealth across generations. As these families prepare to pass down their fortunes, advisors have begun taking advantage of this opportunity to become indispensable partners at every stage of their clients' lives.
Meeting these expectations means becoming more than an investment advisor. The goal is to become a central planning resource who can help coordinate the many moving parts of a client’s financial life.
Put simply, expand your services, and you'll not only meet their needs - you'll exceed them.
Offering more services is only part of the job. Clients also need to understand how those services fit together.
A business sale, for example, can affect investment decisions, estimated taxes, estate documents, charitable plans, and family conversations. The advisor’s value comes from helping those decisions move in the same direction.
One practical approach is a shared planning agenda:
What decision needs to be made?
Which professional is responsible?
What information is still missing?
When will the client receive an update?
You do not need to provide every service yourself. You just need a clear process for coordinating with the professionals who do.
For ultra‑high‑net‑worth clients, heritage and reputation often matter as much as your investment process.
These investors look for advisors and firms with a track record of stability, discretion, and multi‑decade relationships. They want to know you have guided other families like theirs through difficult markets, liquidity events, and complex family situations.
Advisors can make that heritage real by telling the story of their firm, emphasizing years in business, client tenure, and multi‑generational relationships. Highlighting credentials, thought leadership, and anonymized case‑study‑style examples shows that your reputation rests on real work, not slogans.
The point is, heritage alone does not win new ultra‑HNW relationships. It matters when you combine it with clear positioning, modern technology, and proactive planning.
When your history, expertise, and client experience all line up, heritage becomes a credible reason for UHNW families to choose and stay with your firm.
Younger HNW clients and future inheritors expect a more modern digital experience. They are used to mobile access, clean dashboards, quick communication, digital documents, and real-time visibility.
That does not mean they want a purely digital advisor. Many still value human advice, especially for complex decisions. But they expect technology to make the relationship easier.
A strong digital experience may include:
Advisor360 reported that many mass affluent and HNW investors want advisors to have a comprehensive view of their total wealth profile, including assets, liabilities, insurance, real estate, and banking relationships. Yet far fewer said their advisor already had that view.
Financial advisors must adapt to these preferences and anticipate what the next generation of high-net-worth beneficiaries will need.
The last thing an advisor wants is for a beneficiary to encounter and then scoff at an outdated digital experience and assume the firm is not equipped to meet their expectations.
High-net-worth clients often research before they reach out. They may not search for broad terms like “financial advisor.” Instead, they may look for answers tied to specific life events or financial problems.
Examples include:
Strong content should be specific, practical, and trust-building. It should show that the advisor understands the complexity behind the question, not just the investment angle.
One of the biggest retention risks for advisors is generational wealth transfer.
If the advisor only has a relationship with the primary wealth creator, the next generation may see little reason to stay after assets transfer. This is especially true if the heirs already have their own advisor, prefer a different communication style, or feel no personal connection to the existing firm.
Advisors can reduce that risk by building relationships earlier.
That may include:
The goal is not just to manage assets. It is to become a trusted resource for the family.
High-net-worth clients are not only choosing an advisor based on investment performance. They are looking for confidence, coordination, clarity, and trust.
To attract and retain HNW clients, financial advisors need to offer a more complete wealth management experience. That means personalized planning, trust and estate support, tax-aware strategies, modern digital engagement, and stronger relationships with the next generation.
The advisors who rise to this challenge can become more than financial managers. They can become long-term partners in helping families protect, transfer, and give purpose to their wealth.
Contact Dunham’s Business Development Team today to learn how we can help you strengthen your marketing approach, expand your trust services, and build lasting client relationships with high-net-worth clients.”
How can financial advisors attract high-net-worth clients? Financial advisors can attract high-net-worth clients by focusing on a specific client group and showing they understand its financial needs. Content and conversations should address real decisions, such as selling a business, managing concentrated stock, or passing wealth to family. A clear service offering and referral relationships with relevant professionals can help prospects see how the advisor fits their needs.
What services do high-net-worth clients expect from a financial advisor? High-net-worth clients often want help coordinating investment management, tax planning, estate planning, and business or family wealth decisions. Their needs differ. A business owner may focus on succession, while an executive may need help with stock-based pay. Advisors can offer services within their qualifications and work with CPAs, attorneys, and trust professionals when specialized help is needed.
How can financial advisors retain high-net-worth clients across generations? Advisors can build stronger ties across generations by involving adult children when appropriate and with the client's permission. Financial education and early talks about wealth-transfer goals can help. The next generation needs its own relationship with the advisor, supported by useful planning discussions, digital access, and communication that fits how they prefer to connect.
Do financial advisors need in-house tax and estate services to serve high-net-worth clients? No. Financial advisors can work with qualified CPAs, estate attorneys, and trust companies instead of providing every service in-house. Clients need access to the right expertise and a clear understanding of who handles each part of the plan. Working with outside specialists can help smaller practices offer a broader range of services.
This communication is general in nature and provided for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be considered or relied upon as legal, tax or investment advice or an investment recommendation, or as a substitute for legal or tax counsel. Any investment products or services named herein are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered an offer to buy or sell, or an investment recommendation for, any specific security, strategy or investment product or service. Always consult a qualified professional or your own independent financial professional for personalized advice or investment recommendations tailored to your specific goals, individual situation, and risk tolerance. All examples are hypothetical and are for illustrative purposes only.
Information contained in the materials included is believed to be from reliable sources, but no representations or guarantees are made as to the accuracy or completeness of information. This document is provided for information purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice.
Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc. is a Registered Investment Adviser and Broker/Dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services and securities offered through Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc.
