MAI Capital Management review

What does MAI Capital Management do?

MAI Capital Management is a registered investment advisory firm founded in 1973 that provides advisor-led wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals, families, and related entities. 

MAI Capital operates as an independent RIA and focuses on long-term advisory relationships rather than transaction-based financial services.

Its service model emphasizes personalized advice designed to address both investment management and broader financial planning considerations across different stages of life.

The firm reports approximately $34 billion in assets under management (AUM).

MAI’s main services are investment and financial planning.

Investment management

MAI Capital Management provides customized portfolio construction and ongoing investment management through an advisor-led process. 

Portfolios are tailored to client needs and implemented using strategic and tactical asset allocation across equities, fixed income, and alternative investments within a discretionary framework. 

Key investment strategy categories include:

• Defensive income portfolio
• Core growth strategy
• Dividend strategy
• Diversified dividend strategy
• Diversified focused equity strategy
• Diversified select equity strategy
• Focused equity strategy
• Fixed income - tax exempt
• Fixed income taxable
• ETF strategies
• High-income equity strategy
• Select equity strategy

Financial planning

• Financial & retirement planning: Planning considerations may include family dynamics, college planning, income optimization, cash flow needs/projections, insurance protection, customized asset allocation, and philanthropic goals. 
• Trust & estate planning coordination: Topics can include trust structures, durable powers of attorney, estate taxation, inheritance planning, generation-skipping planning, lifetime/charitable gifting, beneficiary designations, and probate avoidance.
• Tax planning and related support: Integrated tax planning support that may include annual tax return preparation, coordination of tax-related estate and trust planning, and related financial administration services such as bill payment coordination, payroll services, budgeting, and customized financial reporting. 
• Insurance & risk management coordination: Coordinating life, disability, long-term care, property & casualty, liability, and other specialized coverage needs. 

What are the pros and cons of MAI Capital Management?

MAI Capital Management combines personalized investment management with integrated financial planning, resulting in several clear strengths alongside notable trade-offs. 

While the service emphasizes customization and professional oversight, its higher minimums and more complex pricing structure may limit its appeal for some investors.

Here are some key pros and cons of MAI to get you started.

Pros of MAI Capital Management:

• Designed for complex client needs: The service is structured to support high-net-worth individuals and families, including professionals, executives, business owners, athletes and entertainers, entrepreneurs, retirees, and family office-style clients with evolving financial considerations.
• Advisor-led, customized investment management: Clients work directly with dedicated advisors who provide ongoing, goals-based portfolio management and financial planning, with investment strategies tailored to individual needs rather than standardized or model-driven approaches.
• Broad investment toolkit, including alternatives: Portfolios may incorporate equity, income, and alternative investments, enabling diversified approaches beyond traditional stocks and bonds.
• Integrated financial planning: Investment management is combined with planning support across areas such as retirement, tax, and estate planning.
• Established firm with long operating history: The firm, which has been operating for more than 50 years as a registered investment advisor, may provide reassurance to clients seeking continuity and experience.

Cons of MAI Capital Management:

• Minimum account size applies: MAI suggests a minimum of $500,000 to establish an investment management account, which may limit accessibility for investors with smaller portfolios.
• Fee structure may be less straightforward to estimate upfront: While MAI primarily uses an ongoing asset-based advisory fee, total client costs can vary depending on the scope of services and the involvement of third-party fees, making overall expenses harder to predict in advance.
• Not designed for self-directed investors: The service does not operate as a robo-advisor or self-managed investment platform and may not appeal to investors who prefer direct control over investment decisions.
• Ongoing advisory costs: Asset-based, ongoing fees may be less appealing to investors who prioritize low-cost or short-term advisory arrangements.

MAI Capital Management fees: How much does MAI Capital Management cost?

MAI Capital Management primarily charges an ongoing asset-based advisory fee. 

Fees are generally negotiated on a client-by-client basis and may be structured as a percentage of AUM, an annual retainer, or a combination of both, depending on the scope and complexity of services provided. 

For clients receiving discretionary or non-discretionary portfolio management, MAI commonly applies a tiered AUM fee schedule, with lower marginal rates applied as assets increase. 

Fees are usually billed quarterly, either in advance or in arrears, and are detailed in each client’s advisory agreement.

Here is a breakdown of the fees charged by MAI Capital Management. 

Investment management fee schedule

Additional fee:

• Third-party expenses: Custodian fees, brokerage commissions, margin interest, and transaction-related charges are not included in MAI’s advisory fees. 
• Investment product expenses: Mutual funds, ETFs, private funds, and alternative investments held in client portfolios carry their own internal expenses, which are paid in addition to MAI’s fees. 
• Wrap fee programs: A limited number of clients participate in wrap fee programs arranged with brokers, where paying both MAI’s advisory fee and the sponsor’s wrap fee increases overall costs. 
• Trust and specialized services: Trust administrative services and certain non-advisory services may be billed separately under distinct fee arrangements.

What is MAI Capital Management’s minimum account size?

MAI Capital Management suggests a minimum of $500,000 to establish an investment management account. This figure represents a stated guideline rather than an absolute requirement, and it may accept accounts below this level in certain circumstances, particularly for clients engaging in broader wealth management relationships. 

In addition to account-level minimums, MAI outlines suggested financial thresholds for clients seeking full-service wealth management and investment management services. 

Who should choose MAI Capital Management?

MAI Capital Management is designed for investors who value personalized advice, ongoing portfolio management, and are comfortable with higher account minimums, rather than those looking for a broadly accessible or automated investing platform.

MAI Capital Management works well for:

• High net worth individuals and families: Investors who meet MAI’s suggested minimums and are looking for full-service wealth management rather than standalone investment advice.
• Clients with complex financial needs: Individuals whose situations involve multiple planning considerations, such as retirement income, tax planning support, estate planning coordination, or business-related finances.
• Professionals, executives, and business owners: Clients with higher incomes and evolving financial needs who prefer working with a dedicated advisor over time.
• Athletes, entertainers, and family office-style clients: Investors whose financial lives may involve irregular income, concentrated wealth, or specialized planning requirements.
• Investors who prefer relationship-based advice: Those who value discretionary portfolio management and ongoing advisor involvement rather than managing investments themselves.

Who might not benefit as much:

• Investors with smaller portfolios: MAI suggests a minimum of $500,000 to establish an investment management account, which may limit accessibility for some investors.
• Self-directed or digital-first investors: The service is not designed for investors who want to trade securities themselves or rely primarily on app-based investing tools.
• Investors seeking direct control over portfolio decisions: MAI primarily manages portfolios on a discretionary basis, which may not suit investors who want to approve individual trades, actively select securities themselves, or make frequent tactical changes to their portfolios
• Cost-focused investors seeking simple pricing: Fees are typically asset-based and ongoing, and total costs may be less predictable upfront compared with flat-fee or automated platforms.
• Investors seeking one-time or limited-scope advice: Those looking for a single financial plan or short-term engagement may find MAI’s ongoing advisory model more than they need.

MAI Capital Management: Is it secure?

MAI operates as an SEC-registered investment advisor and does not take physical custody of client assets. 

Client funds and securities are held with independent, qualified custodians rather than by MAI itself, thereby reducing the risk of asset misuse. 

Clients receive regular account statements directly from their custodians, allowing them to verify balances, transactions, and advisory fee deductions independently.

MAI also renders several specific data protection and privacy safeguards designed to protect client information:

• Administrative safeguards: Client information is accessible only to employees and service providers who need it to perform their roles.
• Technical safeguards: Systems used to store or transmit client data are protected by security measures intended to prevent unauthorized access or misuse.
• Physical safeguards: Physical controls are in place to limit access to facilities, systems, and records containing sensitive information.
• Third-party safeguards: Service providers with access to client information must maintain appropriate confidentiality and security standards.
• Data use limitations: Client information is used only for business-related purposes and is not sold to third parties.

MAI Capital Management: Customer service

MAI Capital Management provides customer service through a relationship-based, advisor-led model, rather than through automated support systems.

Clients typically interact directly with their assigned advisor and advisory team, who serve as the primary point of contact for investment management, financial planning, and account-related matters. 

In addition to advisor-led service, the firm maintains multiple office locations across the United States and provides direct telephone contact information for general inquiries.

MAI Capital Management: Mobile app

MAI Capital Management offers a dedicated mobile app that provides clients with centralized visibility into their financial information and an additional way to interact with their advisory relationship.

The app focuses on financial overview and reporting, rather than self-directed investing or trading. 

Through it, clients can view a consolidated picture of their finances, access advisor-provided documents, and review portfolio-related information in a secure mobile environment.

Key features of the MAI Capital Management mobile app include:

• Interactive financial dashboard: Provides a view of a client’s overall financial picture, including assets, liabilities, and net worth.
• Dynamic investment reporting: Displays current investment information and portfolio data through visual, interactive reports.
• Document library: Allows clients to securely view and access documents shared by their financial advisor within the app.

Is MAI Capital Management worth it?

Whether MAI Capital Management is worth it depends on the type of investor and the level of service they seek.

For high-net-worth individuals and families who want ongoing, advisor-led wealth management, MAI can be a good fit. 

The firm focuses on customized portfolio construction, discretionary investment management, and integrated financial planning, which may appeal to investors with complex financial needs who value a long-term relationship with a dedicated advisory team. 

However, MAI Capital Management may be less appealing to investors with smaller portfolios, those seeking low-cost or automated investing, or individuals who prefer to manage their own investments actively. 

Investors looking for flat-fee or self-directed solutions may also find the firm’s discretionary, relationship-based model more than they need.

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