Questions to ask before you hire a wealth manager

Q. What percentage of the firm's revenue is generated by its wealth management business?
A.

Q. Is the firm privately or publicly held?
A.

Q. Do the owners and employees of the firm invest their own wealth alongside that of clients?
A.

Q. Are the firm's client relationship managers paid for sales or service?
A.

Q. Are the firm's portfolio managers paid based on assets under management or on long-term performance?
A.

At Bessemer Trust, wealth management is our only business, and we've been doing it for over 100 years. We're privately held and always have been. We don't have to answer to some parent company's short-term earnings objectives or cross-sell products for them. We have no hidden agendas. What's more, our owners and employees literally invest their own wealth right alongside that of our clients, so you benefit from a lot of very careful thinking. Our client service teams have no financial incentives to recommend one manager or asset class over another. They entirely focused on serving our client's needs. And our portfolio managers are compensated based on long-term performance, not on short-term returns or assets under management since such incentives can taint judgement. Compare that to the answers you get from other wealth management firms. To ask a question that's been on your mind, call us. And make it a tough one. We like those. Minimum relationship $10 million.