The segment makes up only 0.6% of all U.S. households, but it accounts for 30% of all financial assets owned by U.S. households. And it is growing fast: UHNW households have nearly tripled their wealth since 2010. For most wealth managers, the opportunity to win the business of UHNW clients is rare; when the opportunities do present themselves, the competition for these clients is fierce, and actual wins are few and far between.

This report is the first in a series of three that examines household wealth in the U.S. It provides a detailed portrait of UHNW households, which Datos Insights defines as those with US$10 million or more in financial assets. The report includes information on the demographics of the UHNW, their financial behaviors, how they use their financial services providers, the sources of their wealth and income, their assets and liabilities, how their assets are allocated in their investment portfolios, and the size of the opportunities for advice and planning in the areas of philanthropy, tax management, and passing wealth to their heirs. All the figures and data in this report are based on an analysis of the raw data from the Survey of Consumer Finances, a triennial survey of more than 4,500 households that is sponsored by the Federal Reserve and conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago.

Clients of Datos Insights’ Wealth Management service can download this report.