The firm acts as a dedicated financial partner for high-net-worth individuals, families, and select institutions like foundations and endowments.
With over $36 billion in assets under advisement, Silvercrest operates on a traditional, advisor-led model.
This means you work directly with a team of experts who create a customized investment strategy tailored to your specific needs. T
hey manage their own in-house stock and bond strategies and can also act as a "manager of managers," hiring and overseeing third-party experts to round out your portfolio.
What services does Silvercrest offer?
Silvercrest provides a comprehensive suite of services that go far beyond investment management.
For individuals and families
For their private clients, Silvercrest acts as a personal Chief Financial Officer. Their core service is building and managing a customized investment portfolio for you. But for those who need more, they also offer extensive family office services, which can include:
Comprehensive financial and estate planning
Tax planning and preparation
Bill payment and personal accounting
Consolidated reporting to give you a clear, complete view of your wealth
For institutions
Silvercrest also serves as an outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) for institutions like foundations and endowments.
In this role, they help the organization define its investment goals, build a long-term asset allocation strategy, and select and monitor investment managers, all while managing risk and costs.
How do they invest your money?
Silvercrest’s investment philosophy is built on deep, fundamental research and active management. They don't try to time the market or chase short-term trends. Instead, they focus on a disciplined, long-term approach.
For stocks, their strategy is "value-oriented." This means they do bottom-up research to find high-quality, financially strong companies that they believe are trading at an attractive price. The goal is long-term growth by buying good businesses for less than they are worth.
For bonds, the focus is on stability and preserving your capital. They actively manage their bond portfolios, adjusting for factors like credit quality and interest rate movements, but the core of their strategy is to hold high-quality government and municipal bonds.
Essentially, they offer a conservative and time-tested approach that combines their own in-house expertise with a broad, top-down view of the economy.
What are the pros and cons of Silvercrest Asset Management?
Silvercrest provides a deep, institutional-quality service, but its model is designed for a very specific type of client.
Pros of Silvercrest
An expert team manages your money: Their service is fully discretionary, meaning their team of professionals makes all the investment decisions for you based on your agreed-upon goals.
Highly customized portfolios: Your portfolio is built specifically for you, and you can place restrictions on certain investments if you wish.
Access to in-house expertise: The firm runs its own proprietary stock and bond strategies, giving you direct access to their investment teams.
True family office capabilities: For those with complex needs, the firm can manage nearly every aspect of their financial lives.
Cons of Silvercrest
Extremely high investment minimums for some funds: While there isn't a firm-wide minimum for all services, some of their investment funds require a minimum investment of anywhere from $500,000 to $20 million.
Not for DIY or cost-sensitive investors: This is a traditional, high-touch advisory firm. It does not offer a low-cost robo-advisor or a platform for self-directed investors.
Potential for layered fees: If your portfolio includes investments in third-party funds or "fund-of-funds," you will likely pay additional fees on top of Silvercrest’s main advisory fee.
Can be complex: The wide range of investment strategies and institutional-style approach can feel more complicated than a simple, index-based portfolio.
Silvercrest Asset Management fees: How much does Silvercrest Asset Management cost?
Silvercrest’s fees are based on the size and type of your portfolio, with rates that decrease as your assets grow.
The pricing is complex and varies significantly depending on the service you use.
Here is a simplified look at their annual fees for individual clients:
Separately Managed Accounts – Individual Clients
| Portfolio Type | Annual Fee |
|---|---|
| Managed balanced portfolios | 1.00% on first $10M 0.60% above $10M |
| Managed fixed income portfolios | 0.40% on first $10M 0.30% above $10M |
| Managed cash portfolios | 0.20% |
| Silvercrest Municipal Value strategy | 0.65% |
Institutional Equity Mandates
| Mandate Type | Tiered Annual Fee |
|---|---|
| Small Cap, SMID Cap & Emerging Markets | 1.00% first $20M / 0.90% next $30M / 0.80% next $50M / 0.70% above |
| Large & Multi Cap Equity | 0.75% first $20M 0.60% next $30M / 0.50% next $50M / 0.35% above |
Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO)
| Mandate | Tiered Annual Fee |
|---|---|
| OCIO portfolios | 0.40% first $50M 0.32% next $50M 0.24% above |
What is Silvercrest Asset Management’s minimum account size?
Silvercrest does not publish a single, firm-wide account minimum for its main advisory services. However, the firm makes it clear that it primarily serves clients with "substantial assets."
The clearest indicator of their target client comes from their affiliated private funds.
For example, some share classes of their VisionFund require a minimum initial investment of between $500,000 and $20,000,000.
This strongly suggests that the firm is structured to serve very high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients.
Who should choose Silvercrest Asset Management?
Silvercrest is designed for wealthy individuals, families, and institutions that want a sophisticated, hands-on team to manage their complex financial affairs.
It could be a good fit if you:
Are a high-net-worth individual or family: The firm’s customized, discretionary service is built to handle the needs that come with significant wealth.
Want a "financial quarterback" for your family: Their family office services are ideal for those who want a single team to coordinate their investments, taxes, and estate planning.
Are a foundation or endowment: The firm’s OCIO service provides institutional-grade investment management for non-profit organizations.
Believe in active management: If you prefer a research-driven, hands-on investment approach over a passive, index-based strategy, their philosophy will align with yours.
It might not be the best choice if you:
Are a smaller retail investor: The firm's high minimums and focus on substantial assets make it inaccessible for most investors.
Want a low-cost, digital solution: Silvercrest is a traditional firm and does not offer a robo-advisor or an automated platform.
Are an active trader: The firm’s philosophy is built on long-term investing, not short-term trading.
Silvercrest Asset Management: Is it secure?
Silvercrest is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and has a fiduciary duty to act in its clients' best interests.
Critically, your assets are not held by Silvercrest itself. They are held at an independent, third-party custodian, such as a major bank or brokerage firm.
This separation is a key safety measure in the investment industry. Silvercrest operates with transparent fee schedules and client agreements, further protecting your interests.
Silvercrest Asset Management: Customer service
Customer service at Silvercrest is direct, personal, and relationship-driven.
You don't interact with a call center; you work directly with a dedicated advisory team and have access to the portfolio managers themselves.
The entire model is built on providing high-touch, personalized service and regular communication, making it a good fit for clients who value a close working relationship with their advisors.
Silvercrest Asset Management: Mobile app
No, Silvercrest does not offer its own dedicated mobile app.
Client reporting and account access are typically provided through secure online portals and the platforms of the third-party custodians where your assets are held.
Is Silvercrest Asset Management worth it?
For the right client, Silvercrest can be an exceptional choice.
If you are a high-net-worth individual, family, or institution looking for a sophisticated, institutional-quality team to manage your wealth, the firm’s deep expertise and all-in-one service model are hard to match. Their combination of in-house investment talent and comprehensive family office services provides a powerful solution for complex financial lives.
However, this is a premium service designed for a very specific clientele. The high minimums, complex fee structures, and traditional, hands-on approach mean it is not for everyone. If you have substantial wealth and prioritize expert, customized management over low costs and digital simplicity, Silvercrest is definitely worth a look.
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