Schwab Sweeps $1M-Plus Clients Into New Private Client Services

July 11, 2023 at 10:32 AM
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Charles Schwab has announced that, effective immediately, investor clients with more than $1 million in assets at the firm will be automatically enrolled into Schwab Private Client Services, while clients with $10 million and up will be enrolled in Schwab Private Wealth Services.

These clients will have access to a dedicated Schwab consultant who is responsible for their overall relationship with Schwab, at no additional cost to them, according to a news release.

This consultant can help clients manage their financial life, help them choose the right level of advice or services they need, create a personalized financial plan, and connect them to a range of Schwab's wealth management specialists, Schwab says.

Other features of the new program are priority assistance and specialized service from Schwab's support teams; pricing benefits across Schwab's bank and broker-dealer solutions; expanded borrowing choices; and access to a range of wealth management specialists on topics including tax, trust and estate planning, equity compensation, retirement planning and family support, according to the firm.

"These branded experiences underscore Schwab's ability to meet the specific needs of our wealthier clients, but we are equally committed to ensuring that every client at Schwab receives a great experience, from those just getting started to those building wealth," Jonathan Craig, head of investor services at Charles Schwab, explained in the announcement.

Craig says the firm has been providing some of these benefits to clients previously, but the new service approach brings everything together into a "premier experience."

"These new experiences reflect our commitment to deliver meaningful differentiation for the growing number of wealthy clients we serve, who are increasingly attracted to our breadth of services and outstanding value," Craig adds.

As of May 31, Schwab's total client assets were $7.65 trillion, up 5% from May 2022 and flat compared to April 2023. Assets in Schwab's retail business — Investor Services — stood at roughly $4 trillion as of March 31, while assets in the firm's investment advisor business —  Advisor Services — were $3.6 trillion.

Fastest-Growing Asset Segments

According to data included in the press release, Schwab continues to meet the needs of clients at all asset levels and is seeing growth from a wide range of investors, but the high- and ultra-high-net-worth client segments are among its fastest-growing groups — and among the most important to its bottom line.

Through June 2023, the HNW and UHNW client segments have grown to represent more than two-thirds of the total retail client assets. The press release states that clients with more than $1 million at Schwab are have grown at a rate of more than 10% annually over the last five years, while clients with more than $10 million at the firm are growing at a rate of nearly 20%.

With the move to create two new HNW and UHNW service units, Schwab joins other its rivals in carving out special service models for the wealthiest retail clients.

Vanguard offers wealth management services, including a dedicated financial advisor and a wealth management team, for clients with at least $5 million, and flagship services for those with $1 million to $5 million. Fidelity offers private wealth management for those with at least $10 million in total investable assets.

– Dinah Wisenberg Brin and Janet Levaux contributed to this story.

Photo: Bloomberg

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