SEI Research Reveals $2.1T Growth Gap in Wealth Management — SEI Investments Company

Event summary

SEI's surveys of 518 advisors and 302 high-net-worth investors (avg. $2.9M net worth) uncovered a 71% disconnect where advisors claim to seek asset consolidation but investors report no such requests.
88% of wealthy investors hold assets away from primary advisors, with 47% having less than 75% of assets under management.
Advisors spend 48-67 hours/month on manual household portfolio management tasks, with 30% citing technology gaps as a barrier.
Only 49% of advisors can quantify tax savings from household portfolio management, despite 46% of investors citing tax savings as a key motivator for consolidation.

The big picture

SEI's findings highlight a systemic inefficiency in wealth management where advisors struggle to consolidate client assets due to technological and operational constraints. The $2.1T AUM scale of SEI's client base underscores the strategic importance of resolving this gap, as household portfolio management emerges as a key differentiator in an increasingly competitive advisory landscape. The research suggests that advisors who can quantify and communicate financial benefits will gain a significant competitive advantage in attracting and retaining high-net-worth clients.

What we're watching

Technology Adoption: Whether SEI's UMH capabilities can help advisors bridge the gap between perceived and actual value delivery to clients.
Organic Growth: How quickly advisors can capitalize on the $2.1T AUM opportunity by demonstrating tangible financial benefits to investors.
Operational Efficiency: The pace at which advisors can reduce manual workload through technology to scale household portfolio management services.