What does Robertson Stephens Wealth Management do?
Robertson Stephens provides advisor-led wealth management that combines individualized investment management with ongoing financial planning. The service is aimed mainly at individuals and families with complex finances who want one advisory relationship covering portfolios, taxes, estates, retirement, insurance, cash flow, and family-office needs.
Robertson Stephens Wealth Management overview:
Company type | SEC-registered investment advisor; wholly owned by Robertson Stephens Holdings, LLC |
|---|---|
Founded | Operating and SEC-registered since 2017 |
Assets under management | Approximately $8.76 billion as of December 31, 2025 |
Service type | Advisor-led investment management and comprehensive wealth planning |
Main fee | Negotiable asset-based fee, typically 0.10% to 2% |
Account minimum | No general minimum |
Support model | Individual advisor supported by investment and planning specialists |
Main trade-off | Customization, but variable pricing and possible layered costs |
Key services:
- Investment management: Discretionary or non-discretionary management involving equities, fixed income, mutual funds, ETFs, options, and private funds.
- Portfolio construction: Customized allocation using direct advisor management, Robertson Stephens models, third-party managers, or subadvisors.
- Wealth planning: Cash management, retirement, tax, estate, insurance, risk management, financial education, reporting, administration, and family-office services.
- Tax services: Optional tax strategy, compliance, and return preparation.
How it works:
- Assesses the client’s situation
- Creates a tailored strategy
- Reviews the plan with the client
- Builds and manages the portfolio
- Monitors the relationship
Investment philosophy:
Robertson Stephens builds client-specific portfolios around each investor’s goals, risk tolerance, and financial circumstances.
Its investment office develops asset-allocation assumptions, model portfolios, and manager research, while advisors select suitable strategies, managers, funds, and securities for each client.
Portfolios may combine public investments, private funds, and third-party managers, with ESG considerations incorporated only when requested.
What are the pros and cons of Robertson Stephens Wealth Management?
Here is a look at the pros and cons of Robertson Stephens Wealth Management.
Pros of Robertson Stephens Wealth Management:
- Integrated advice: Portfolio management can be coordinated with tax, estate, retirement, insurance, and family planning.
- Flexible implementation: Clients may use internal models, direct advisor management, outside managers, or a combination.
- Customization: Recommendations reflect the client’s goals and risk profile, and investment restrictions are permitted.
Cons of Robertson Stephens Wealth Management:
- Wide fee range: A stated 0.10% to 2% management fee gives limited insight into the likely price before a proposal.
- Layered expenses: Manager, fund, transaction, custody, and margin costs may be additional.
- Complex investments: Alternatives, private funds, options, and margin can increase illiquidity or loss risk.
Robertson Stephens Wealth Management fees: How much does Robertson Stephens Wealth Management cost?
Pricing is negotiable and depends on relationship size and complexity. Investment-management fees are generally billed quarterly, in advance or arrears.
Fee or cost | Disclosed pricing |
|---|---|
Investment management | 0.10% to 2% of assets annually |
Hourly financial planning | $250 to $500 per hour |
Ongoing flat planning fee | $500 to $100,000 per year, paid quarterly |
One-time financial plan | $2,500 to $50,000 |
Plan update | $1,000 to $5,000 |
Separate tax management | $500 to $10,000 per tax year |
Other costs | Third-party manager and fund fees, transaction and custody charges, fund expenses, and margin interest |
Who should choose Robertson Stephens Wealth Management?
Robertson Stephens Wealth Management works well for:
- Clients with complex financial needs: The service can combine portfolio management with retirement, tax, estate, insurance, cash-management, and family-office planning.
- Investors seeking customized portfolios: Advisors develop recommendations around each client’s financial situation, goals, risk tolerance, and requested investment restrictions.
- Clients who want access to multiple investment approaches: Portfolios may include direct holdings, Robertson Stephens model portfolios, third-party managers, public funds, and private investments.
- Households seeking ongoing advisor oversight: Advisors monitor portfolios, provide quarterly reporting, and review accounts at least annually or when circumstances change.
Who might not benefit as much:
- Investors seeking simple, standardized pricing: Management fees are negotiated and typically range from 0.10% to 2%, while planning and third-party investment costs may be charged separately.
- Clients who only need basic portfolio automation: The service includes advisor involvement, individualized planning, and potentially complex investments that may be unnecessary for straightforward needs.
- Investors requiring high liquidity: Private funds and other alternative investments may involve long holding periods, limited liquidity, and greater loss risk.
Robertson Stephens Wealth Management: Is it secure?
Robertson Stephens is an SEC-registered investment adviser.
Client assets are generally held by independent qualified custodians, including Fidelity, Schwab, and Pershing, which are SIPC members. SIPC protection does not cover market losses.
The firm uses administrative, technical, and physical safeguards for personal information and directs clients to use secure portals for confidential data.
However, these measures cannot guarantee complete security or eliminate the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches.
Robertson Stephens Wealth Management: Customer service
Support is primarily provided through each client’s wealth manager, with accounts typically reviewed at least annually and reports generally issued quarterly.
Clients can also contact the firm by phone, email, website form, or through its offices.
Robertson Stephens Wealth Management: Mobile App
Robertson Stephens has an official app, Robertson Stephens WM, developed by Robertson Stephens Wealth Management, LLC. The app allows clients to:
- View the Robertson Stephens newsfeed
- Attend scheduled Zoom meetings with their advisory team
- Communicate with the team through direct messaging
- Access market insights and financial-planning content
- Open Robertson Stephens resources from one place
- Receive alerts about review meetings, outstanding tasks, and other scheduled events
- Invite family members or friends to access the firm’s educational content
Is Robertson Stephens Wealth Management worth it?
Robertson Stephens Wealth Management may be a reasonable fit for clients who want investment management coordinated with tax, estate, retirement, risk, and family planning.
The service offers customized portfolios, access to internal and third-party investment resources, and ongoing advisor support.
However, pricing is negotiated, fees can vary considerably by relationship, and clients may also pay underlying manager, fund, transaction, custody, or margin costs.
Whether the service provides sufficient value therefore depends on the planning scope, portfolio complexity, advisor relationship, and total cost stated in the client agreement.
Get expert financial advice
If you're seeking professional financial advice, Unbiased can match you with a financial advisor who will help you manage your money and maximize your investments.