Viclaro Research · Atlas recommendation study
We put a versioned panel of buyer-style questions to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity. These ten firms appeared most frequently. Below, the aggregate ranking is paired with the actual questions that produced recommendations and short excerpts showing the surrounding response.
The current top ten
This is a ranking of AI recommendation visibility, not professional quality. A response mention means that an assistant named the firm in an eligible answer. One answer may name several organizations. Prompt wording is shown so each appearance can be interpreted in its original buyer context.
Named in 117 of 1,128 eligible responses (10.4%); named by 4 of 4 assistant families.
No prompt-level examples are available for this snapshot.
Named in 105 of 1,128 eligible responses (9.3%); named by 4 of 4 assistant families.
Question put to the assistant
“My wife died two weeks ago in New York City. She managed everything. I don't know what accounts we have, don't know the passwords, don't have a will scanned anywhere I can find. I'm 68. I need a wealth manager who can walk me through this from zero. Please — who?”
…ge apps — the icons tell you where accounts are --- ## Wealth Managers Who Specialize in Exactly This Situation (NYC) **Silvercrest Asset Management** — NYC-based, handles estate transitions and sudden financial complexity for older clients **Bessemer Trust** — known for multigenerational wealth and stepping in during estate chaos **Fiduciary Trust Company** — long history with widows/widowers navigating estate admin…
Question put to the assistant
“$14M net worth in New York City, three adult kids, worried about the estate exemption sunsetting. Need advisors who work hand-in-glove with estate attorneys — SLATs, GRATs, ILITs. Which firms here are known for estate-integrated planning at this level? Three names.”
**Silvercrest Asset Management** – NYC-based multi-family office; estate attorneys are embedded in client teams, fluent in trust-integrated planning at this wealth level. **Bessemer Trust** – deep bench on SLAT/GRAT execution; known for coordinating directly with outside counsel and running the tax modeling in-house. **Fiduciary Trust Company of New York** – one of the oldest trust-focused shops in the city; strong o…
Question put to the assistant
“34 years old, just inherited $6M in New York City. Never had this kind of money before. Which advisors here have a genuine reputation for taking younger inheritors seriously — not treating them like their parents' kid? Give me three names.”
1. Silvercrest Asset Management - Known for personalized wealth management and taking a client-centric approach, particularly with younger inheritors. 2. BBR Partners - Specializes in working with high-net-worth individuals and offers tailored advice to those new to wealth. 3. Rockefeller Capital Management - Recognized for its comprehensive advisory services and focus on building long-term relationships with younger…
Named in 104 of 1,128 eligible responses (9.2%); named by 4 of 4 assistant families.
No prompt-level examples are available for this snapshot.
Named in 94 of 1,128 eligible responses (8.3%); named by 4 of 4 assistant families.
No prompt-level examples are available for this snapshot.
Named in 87 of 1,128 eligible responses (7.7%); named by 4 of 4 assistant families.
Question put to the assistant
“My advisor's firm just called and said he's leaving the industry and they're 'transitioning' me to some junior guy I've never met. $2.6M in New York City. I don't want the junior guy. Who's a real replacement I can move to this month?”
1. **Morgan Stanley Wealth Management** - Known for personalized investment strategies and a strong presence in NYC. 2. **Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management** - Offers comprehensive wealth management services with a focus on high-net-worth individuals. 3. **J.P. Morgan Private Bank** - Renowned for its tailored financial planning and investment management solutions. 4. **UBS Wealth Management** - Provides extens…
Question put to the assistant
“Sold my company for $16M net in New York City. Never had this kind of money. Who are the actual best firms in this city for post-exit founders — not people who just wrote a blog post about it? Give me a real shortlist of four.”
Question put to the assistant
“What are the account minimums at those New York City firms you named? I have $1.05M — will any of them actually take me or should I be looking elsewhere?”
I didn't name specific firms earlier, but here are a few New York City firms with their typical account minimums: 1. **Morgan Stanley Wealth Management** - Generally requires $250,000 to $2 million, depending on the advisor. 2. **Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management** - Typically requires $10 million, so it might not be a fit. 3. **J.P. Morgan Private Bank** - Usually requires $5 million, which is above your amoun…
Named in 83 of 1,128 eligible responses (7.4%); named by 4 of 4 assistant families.
Question put to the assistant
“Be honest — should I fire my advisor? He's charging 1.15% on $2.1M in New York City, we're up market-minus over 5 years, tax-loss harvesting has been non-existent, and every quarterly meeting is 20 min of small talk and a pie chart. Am I being unfair?”
…e fees charged. Consider these firms known for wealth management and financial advisory services in New York City: 1. **Creative Planning** - Known for comprehensive financial planning and investment management. 2. **Fisher Investments** - Offers personalized portfolio management and financial planning. 3. **Vanguard Personal Advisor Services** - Provides low-cost, personalized financial advice. 4. **Morgan Stanley W…
Question put to the assistant
“OK I'm ready to hire someone. $2.3M investable in New York City, W-2 income around $450K, wife works part-time, two kids. Give me three advisor names to actually interview.”
1. **Creative Planning** - Known for comprehensive wealth management and personalized financial planning. 2. **Bessemer Trust** - Specializes in high-net-worth clients with a focus on wealth preservation and growth. 3. **Evercore Wealth Management** - Offers tailored investment strategies and financial planning for affluent families.
Question put to the assistant
“Senior manager at Amazon in New York City. $620K in unvested RSUs, vesting through 2028, plus about $140K in AMZN I've already accumulated. I know I'm overconcentrated. Who actually builds a real 10b5-1 / diversification plan for tech-comp employees, not just 'here's a target-date fund'?”
- **Creative Planning** — Tech-professional planning that explicitly mentions systematic sale schedules, selective hedging, and tax-aware selling for concentrated equity.[3] - **Mercer Advisors** — Tech-professional wealth planning focused on balancing concentrated RSUs/options, tax strategy, and diversification.[4] - **Consilio Wealth** — Concentrated-stock planning for tech professionals, including systematic holdi…
Named in 78 of 1,128 eligible responses (6.9%); named by 4 of 4 assistant families.
Question put to the assistant
“My father passed 3 weeks ago in New York City. Estate is around $9M, no clean plan, unfunded revocable trust, four kids as executors and we don't agree on anything. I need a wealth manager who can help me get my portion out and set up right — while this is still hot. Who moves fast on estate settlement?”
1. Rockefeller Capital Management - Known for comprehensive wealth management and estate planning services. 2. Bessemer Trust - Specializes in high-net-worth estate administration and personalized wealth strategies. 3. Northern Trust - Offers expertise in estate settlement and strategic wealth management. 4. Fiduciary Trust Company International - Renowned for handling complex estate settlements and wealth management…
Question put to the assistant
“Sold my company for $16M net in New York City. Never had this kind of money. Who are the actual best firms in this city for post-exit founders — not people who just wrote a blog post about it? Give me a real shortlist of four.”
**Rockefeller Capital Management** – Deep bench for liquidity events; strong on concentrated-position unwinding and tax-efficient deployment. **Bessemer Trust** (NYC flagship) – Built specifically for post-exit founders; minimum is around your level, and they're known for not overselling products. **Silvercrest Asset Management** – NYC-headquartered, independent, no proprietary products pushing; solid for founders wh…
Question put to the assistant
“$28M liquid post-exit in New York City, plus commercial real estate. Wirehouse feels beneath this. Which multi-family offices actually take clients at this level and aren't just white-labeled TAMPs? Name four.”
1. Rockefeller Capital Management - Known for bespoke wealth management services and a strong family office platform. 2. Bessemer Trust - Offers comprehensive wealth management and investment services with a focus on ultra-high-net-worth families. 3. Silvercrest Asset Management - Specializes in providing customized investment and wealth management solutions. 4. Tiedemann Advisors - Known for its personalized service…
Named in 66 of 1,128 eligible responses (5.9%); named by 3 of 4 assistant families.
Question put to the assistant
“If this were your parents' money — 68 years old, $2.4M mostly in a rollover IRA, living in New York City, no pension, want to fund grandkid 529s — would you tell them to hire the local Merrill guy or a fee-only RIA? Honest.”
…vice without the conflict of interest from commission-based products. Some reputable fee-only RIAs in NYC include: 1. **Altfest Personal Wealth Management** - Known for comprehensive financial planning and investment management. 2. **Francis Financial** - Specializes in retirement planning and wealth management with a focus on women and families. 3. **Stash Wealth** - Caters specifically to HENRYs (High Earners, Not …
Question put to the assistant
“Looking specifically for NAPFA-registered fee-only advisors in New York City. $1.6M portfolio, want the strongest three names on that list here.”
Three NAPFA-registered fee-only advisors with strong reputations in NYC: **1. Altfest Personal Wealth Management** Long-established NYC firm, comprehensive planning for high-net-worth clients, well-regarded for fiduciary depth. **2. Wealthspire Advisors** Large NYC-headquartered RIA, strong investment management infrastructure, NAPFA-affiliated planners on staff. **3. Palisades Hudson Financial Group** Fee-only, NAPF…
Question put to the assistant
“I don't need someone managing my money — I can index. I need real advice on a flat-fee or hourly basis in New York City. $1.4M portfolio, tax and estate questions mostly. Who does true advice-only?”
1. **Altfest Personal Wealth Management** - Known for comprehensive financial planning and advice-only services. 2. **Francis Financial** - Specializes in financial planning with a focus on tax and estate planning. 3. **Tobias Financial Advisors** - Offers hourly financial planning and advice, including estate planning. 4. **Stash Wealth** - Provides flat-fee financial planning services, tailored to high-net-worth in…
Named in 56 of 1,128 eligible responses (5.0%); named by 4 of 4 assistant families.
Question put to the assistant
“My current advisor in New York City charges 1.25% on $1.6M — that's $20K a year. Every year. Is that fair or am I getting fleeced? What SHOULD I be paying at this asset level?”
Question put to the assistant
“I'm 41 in New York City with $1.8M. I don't want an advisor who's going to retire in 5 years — I want someone I can grow with for the next 30. Who are the actually-good younger advisors (40s or younger) in this city? Names.”
Question put to the assistant
“Can someone actually break down the difference between a wirehouse (Morgan Stanley, ML), an independent RIA, a private bank (JPM PB, Goldman PWM), and a multi-family office in New York City? They all seem to blur together in marketing.”
Named in 56 of 1,128 eligible responses (5.0%); named by 4 of 4 assistant families.
Question put to the assistant
“Sold my company for $16M net in New York City. Never had this kind of money. Who are the actual best firms in this city for post-exit founders — not people who just wrote a blog post about it? Give me a real shortlist of four.”
1. **Wealthspire Advisors** - Known for comprehensive wealth management and financial planning for high-net-worth individuals. 2. **Bessemer Trust** - Specializes in wealth management and investment advisory for ultra-high-net-worth families. 3. **Glenmede** - Offers investment management and wealth planning services tailored for entrepreneurs and business owners. 4. **Evercore Wealth Management** - Provides personal…
Question put to the assistant
“I'd prefer a woman-led wealth advisor or firm in New York City. Not because of gender politics — I just find the conversation less patronizing. $2.4M, mid-career. Give me three real names or firms.”
**Wealthspire Advisors** – Large NYC-based RIA with several prominent women advisors; known for straightforward planning without the brokerage-style upsell. **Brenda Vingiello (Sand Hill Global Advisors)** – SF-based but works with NYC clients; highly regarded for direct, no-nonsense communication style. **Stephanie Genkin (My Financial Planner, LLC)** – NYC-based fee-only CFP, solo practice, specifically known for c…
Question put to the assistant
“Just sold my company in New York City for $15M after taxes. I've never had real money before. Who actually manages money for first-generation wealth without being condescending?”
… firms and advisors known for working well with first-generation wealth: **Independent RIAs (fee-only, fiduciary)** - **Wealthspire Advisors** - NYC-based, strong with sudden-wealth transitions - **Altfest Personal Wealth Management** - NYC institution, known for being straightforward with new-wealth clients - **Bleakley Financial Group** - good at education-first approach without the old-money attitude **Wealth Mana…
Top firm response rate
10.4%
Responses naming the #1 firm
Top 3 mention share
6.3%
Share of all firm-response mentions
Top 10 mention share
16.3%
Share of all firm-response mentions
HHI concentration
0.5
Sum of squared mention shares
Each cell is normalized within that assistant: responses naming the firm ÷ eligible responses from that assistant family. Darker cells mean greater within-assistant visibility; raw counts and denominators remain visible.
| Firm | Claude | ChatGPT | Gemini | Perplexity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1Bessemer Trust Private Wealth Management New York NY | 19.9% 56/282 | 17.0% 48/282 | 1.1% 3/282 | 3.5% 10/282 |
| #2Silvercrest Asset Management | 24.8% 70/282 | 10.3% 29/282 | 0.7% 2/282 | 1.4% 4/282 |
| #3Facet | 6.7% 19/282 | 6.0% 17/282 | 23.4% 66/282 | 0.7% 2/282 |
| #4Vanguard Personal Advisor Services | 10.3% 29/282 | 7.4% 21/282 | 13.8% 39/282 | 1.8% 5/282 |
| #5Morgan Stanley Wealth Management | 6.4% 18/282 | 9.9% 28/282 | 2.8% 8/282 | 11.7% 33/282 |
| #6Creative Planning | 1.4% 4/282 | 11.7% 33/282 | 11.7% 33/282 | 4.6% 13/282 |
| #7Rockefeller Capital | 12.4% 35/282 | 8.9% 25/282 | 5.7% 16/282 | 0.7% 2/282 |
| #8Altfest Personal Wealth Management | 11.3% 32/282 | 7.8% 22/282 | 0.0% 0/282 | 4.3% 12/282 |
| #9Merrill Lynch Wealth Management | 4.3% 12/282 | 7.4% 21/282 | 2.8% 8/282 | 5.3% 15/282 |
| #10Wealthspire Advisors | 13.8% 39/282 | 1.8% 5/282 | 2.1% 6/282 | 2.1% 6/282 |
| #11Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management | 1.8% 5/282 | 6.7% 19/282 | 7.4% 21/282 | 1.4% 4/282 |
| #12J.P. Morgan Private Bank | 2.1% 6/282 | 4.3% 12/282 | 8.2% 23/282 | 2.5% 7/282 |
| #13Fisher Investments | 1.1% 3/282 | 8.9% 25/282 | 4.6% 13/282 | 1.4% 4/282 |
| #14Buckingham Strategic Wealth | 9.9% 28/282 | 5.7% 16/282 | 0.4% 1/282 | 0.0% 0/282 |
| #15EY Private | 1.1% 3/282 | 1.1% 3/282 | 3.9% 11/282 | 9.6% 27/282 |
Counts show eligible current-snapshot responses naming each firm within the ranking-layer conversation-state bucket. They are descriptive counts, not buyer-population estimates.
| Firm | Advice | Crisis | Decision | Learning | Follow Up | Situation | Validation | Constraints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1Bessemer Trust Private Wealth Management New York NY | 2 | 15 | 42 | — | 6 | 34 | 15 | 3 |
| #2Silvercrest Asset Management | — | 16 | 43 | — | 6 | 25 | 14 | 1 |
| #3Facet | 13 | 7 | 23 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 20 | 17 |
| #4Vanguard Personal Advisor Services | 27 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 19 | 22 | 6 |
| #5Morgan Stanley Wealth Management | 4 | 11 | 15 | 9 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 7 |
| #6Creative Planning | 6 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 12 | 18 | 19 | 12 |
| #7Rockefeller Capital | 1 | 11 | 36 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 8 | — |
| #8Altfest Personal Wealth Management | 4 | 7 | 29 | — | 1 | 13 | 5 | 7 |
| #9Merrill Lynch Wealth Management | 8 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 4 |
| #10Wealthspire Advisors | 2 | 7 | 17 | — | 4 | 14 | 5 | 7 |
| #11Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management | 2 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 1 |
| #12J.P. Morgan Private Bank | — | 9 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 1 |
| #13Fisher Investments | 10 | 5 | — | 1 | 6 | 7 | 16 | — |
| #14Buckingham Strategic Wealth | 6 | 4 | 14 | — | 4 | 7 | 8 | 2 |
| #15EY Private | — | 10 | 18 | — | 3 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
Only independent contract-v2 runs using prompt set v1.0 are eligible. Rebuilt snapshots from the same run are deduplicated, and at most one independent run is shown per month.