What Summit Trail Advisors does

Summit Trail Advisors LLC is an employee-owned, SEC-registered investment adviser founded in 2015 that operates as an outsourced family office serving ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families. Headquartered at 2 Grand Central Tower in New York, the firm operates from eleven offices across the United States (Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Harrisburg, Minneapolis, Newport Beach, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle) and reported approximately $2.6 billion in assets under management alongside more than $10 billion in assets under advisement as of January 1, 2026, with 100% employee ownership.

The firm delivers eight integrated core services — investment advisory, wealth planning, capital markets and lending, consolidated reporting and oversight, philanthropic advisory, next generation engagement, family office services, and family governance — supplemented by Private Trust Company advisory and business succession planning. Services are tailored and coordinated by Partner-level advisors with backgrounds drawn from Barclays, Lehman Brothers, JPMorgan, Bank of America Private Bank, Goldman Sachs, and Wilmington Trust, targeting clients whose wealth has outgrown traditional wealth management and requires multi-generational, multi-discipline coordination.

Summit Trail generates revenue through investment advisory fees charged as a percentage of assets under management and under advisement, structured as recurring subscription-style engagements. Its go-to-market is high-touch and relationship-led, supported by thought leadership content, dedicated office-based relationship managers, and earned media coverage including Barron's Top 100 RIA recognition in 2025.

Name

Summit Trail Advisors

Legal name

Summit Trail Advisors LLC

Website

https://summittrail.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Summit Trail Advisors is an employee-owned, SEC-registered outsourced family office that provides integrated investment advisory, wealth planning, and family governance services to ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families across eleven U.S. cities, managing roughly $2.6B in AUM.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management / Family Office Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Business & Succession Advisory (FSAAADAL)

Keywords

• Outsourced family office
• Wealth management services
• Investment advisory
• Estate planning services
• Private wealth management

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Investment Advisory Fees: Summit Trail Advisors generates revenue through investment advisory fees, typically charged as a percentage of assets under management (AUM). As a registered investment adviser providing outsourced family office services, the firm charges fees for comprehensive wealth management including investment advisory, wealth planning, capital markets and lending, consolidated reporting, philanthropic advisory, and family governance services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Summit Trail Advisors operates as an independent, employee-owned outsourced family office providing integrated advisory services to ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families. Core offerings encompass investment advisory, wealth planning, capital markets and lending, consolidated reporting, philanthropic advisory, next generation engagement, family office services, and family governance—all coordinated through a single client relationship. Specialized advisory capabilities include Private Trust Company (PTC) structuring and business succession planning for entrepreneurial wealth.

Product overview

Summit Trail Advisors operates as a unified wealth management and outsourced family office platform serving ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families. Rather than a modular software product, the firm offers an integrated suite of eight core advisory services: Investment Advisory, Wealth Planning, Capital Markets and Lending, Consolidated Reporting and Oversight, Philanthropic Advisory, Next Generation Engagement, Family Office Services, and Family Governance. These services are coordinated as a comprehensive offering through a networked family office model, with specialized advisory capabilities including Private Trust Company (PTC) advisory and Business Succession Planning built on top of the core platform. The services are delivered through ten office locations across the United States and are tailored to each client's specific circumstances.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Investment Advisory Comprehensive investment management and strategy services tailored to client objectives, including portfolio construction, manager research, due diligence, and ongoing portfolio monitoring. Designed for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families and institutions requiring institutional-quality discretionary or non-discretionary investment management.
• Wealth Planning Integrated financial planning covering estate planning, tax mitigation strategies, and multi-generational wealth transfer designed for ultra-high-net-worth families. Coordinates income, estate, gift and tax planning across generations.
• Capital Markets and Lending Access to capital markets services and lending solutions to support client liquidity needs and investment strategies. Coordinates with outside lenders and capital markets providers for tailored solutions.
• Consolidated Reporting and Oversight Unified reporting across all client assets and investments, providing comprehensive oversight and performance tracking across multiple custodians and outside managers.
• Philanthropic Advisory Strategic charitable giving guidance including donor-advised funds, private foundations, and structured philanthropy programs. Supports individuals, families, foundations, and charitable entities.
• Next Generation Engagement Education and engagement programs designed to prepare heirs and family members for wealth stewardship and financial responsibility. Designed to align rising-generation family members with family values and governance.
• Family Office Services Full outsourced family office capabilities coordinating all aspects of wealth management for ultra-high-net-worth families, including coordination of outside advisors (tax, legal, etc.) and integration of investments, planning, lending, philanthropy and governance.
• Family Governance Structuring family decision-making frameworks, governance policies, and formal family office arrangements for long-term continuity. Supports succession, governance documentation and decision rights.
• Private Trust Company (PTC) Advisory Advisory services for families considering Private Trust Company structures for enhanced control, continuity, and fiduciary oversight of family wealth. Supports formation, structuring, and ongoing governance of single-family PTCs.
• Business Succession Planning Integrated planning for business owners transitioning their enterprises, including liquidity events, family succession, and post-transaction wealth management. Bridges business exit with personal estate, tax and investment strategy.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Raymond James Investment ManagementminorOthers · 15 December 2025Raymond James Investment Management appointed Ringdahl, a longtime executive from Summit Trail, as their new president to oversee the firm's multi-boutique platform and drive an aggressive ETF build-out initiative. This represents a talent movement rather than a business partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cresset Capital: Multi-family office providing integrated wealth, investment, and family office services to UHNW families. Closely comparable to Summit Trail in client segment, outsourced family office positioning, and independence from bank/broker-dealer parent.
• Cerity Partners: Large, employee-owned multi-family office and RIA serving UHNW families, entrepreneurs, and institutions with comprehensive wealth advisory. Comparable service breadth and outsourced family office model, but at significantly greater AUM scale.
• Mariner Wealth Advisors: National RIA and family office platform offering investment advisory, financial planning, tax, and family office services. Competes for the same UHNW and business-owner segments Summit Trail serves, with a similar integrated service suite.
• Aspiriant: Independent, employee-owned RIA specializing in comprehensive wealth management for UHNW individuals and families. Direct peer in target market, fee-only fiduciary model, and outsourced CIO/family office positioning.
• Rockefeller Capital Management: Independent, employee-influenced wealth and asset manager offering private wealth management, family office services, and investment solutions to UHNW clients. Overlapping service suite and client profile, with a much larger AUM and broader geographic reach.
• Glenmede: Independent, employee-owned investment and wealth management firm providing private wealth, investment management, and trust services to UHNW families and institutions. Comparable in independence, fiduciary orientation, and family-office-style service model.
• Pathstone: Independent, employee-owned wealth and investment advisory firm serving UHNW families, foundations, and endowments. Directly comparable in target client, integrated family office services, and independent fiduciary positioning.
• Brown Brothers Harriman (Wealth Management): Long-standing private bank and wealth manager offering investment management, wealth planning, and trust/family office services to UHNW families. Comparable in fiduciary, multi-generational service orientation, though it is a much older, larger institution.

Broad incumbents

• BNY Mellon Wealth Management: Wealth management arm of BNY Mellon providing investment management, wealth planning, and private banking to UHNW clients globally. Overlaps with Summit Trail's client segment and service set but is a much larger incumbent offering banking and custody capabilities.
• Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management: Private wealth division of Goldman Sachs serving UHNW individuals and families with investment advisory, capital markets, and lending solutions. Competes for the same UHNW clients as Summit Trail but offers balance sheet, alternative investment access, and global scale that Summit Trail cannot match.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/summit-trail-advisors

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles26 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Summit Trail Advisors