CONCORD, Calif., July 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AssetMark, a leading wealth management platform for independent financial advisors, today released findings from its fourth Impact of Outsourcing Study, which found that investment management outsourcing is increasingly linked to stronger advisor growth outcomes, including improved client retention, greater ability to serve high-net-worth clients and more time to focus on planning, relationship management and practice growth.
The study, conducted by market research consultancy 8 Acre Perspective, surveyed 745 financial advisors in March and April 2026. Among advisors who outsource investment management for at least 20% of assets, nearly all say outsourcing has met or exceeded expectations. Advisors also report saving an average of 9.1 hours per week, while 92% report improved client retention and 86% report greater ability to attract and serve high-net-worth clients.
“As wealth moves across generations, advisors need to understand the goals and expectations of not just one client, but entire families,” said Michael Kim, president and CEO of AssetMark. “This year’s study suggests outsourcing can create the capacity advisors need to build deeper relationships across generations, deliver more personalized planning and serve increasingly complex client needs, all while continuing to grow their practices.”
One of the clearest findings from the study is that client relationship outcomes improved across every category measured versus 2024. The results also build on a longer-term trend: across measures tracked in prior studies, advisors who outsource at least 20% of their assets have generally reported strengthening client relationships, retention and ability to attract new or higher-quality clients over time. In 2026, advisors also reported gains in referrals and their ability to serve high-net-worth clients compared with 2024.
While outsourcing has long been associated with efficiency, the findings suggest the capacity it creates is increasingly showing up in areas most closely tied to long-term practice growth: relationship depth, client retention, referrals and high-net-worth service.
“These findings reinforce that outsourcing is connected to more than operational efficiency,” said Dana Burkhardt, AssetMark’s vice president of Business Consulting. “The capacity advisors gain can help them serve high-net-worth clients more holistically, extending the relationship beyond investment management to estate planning, tax planning and other advanced planning needs. That ability to offer broader support can strengthen client relationships and contribute to long-term organic growth.”
Time saved through outsourcing creates capacity for higher-value work
Advisors who outsource 20% or more of their assets report saving 9.1 hours per week on average. That reclaimed time can create meaningful capacity in an advisor’s practice, particularly as clients increasingly expect more personalized advice, deeper planning and broader investment access.
In open-ended responses, advisors described using outsourcing to shift more attention toward clients, planning and growth. One advisor said, “Having gone from 100% Advisor Managed, use of outsourcing and creation of UMAs have significantly improved ability to focus on client relationships and planning.”
Greater outsourcing adoption is associated with greater reported impact
The study also found that advisors who outsource a larger percentage of assets report greater impact. Advisors outsourcing nearly all of their assets reported almost three times the average weekly time savings compared with advisors outsourcing less than 20% of assets. Among advisors who experienced growth due to outsourcing, those outsourcing a larger share of assets also reported higher average asset growth and personal income growth.
This suggests the impact of outsourcing may build as advisors delegate a greater share of investment management activities, creating more room for client-facing work, planning and business growth.
Outsourcing is helping advisors deliver broader investment solutions
The study found that nearly all outsourcing advisors say they are delivering better investment solutions as a result of outsourcing. Advisors cited benefits including greater portfolio oversight, broader product access, the ability to incorporate products outside their own areas of expertise, improved investment performance and access to new product categories.
For advisors facing more complex client needs, those capabilities may be increasingly important. The findings suggest outsourcing is helping advisors expand the investment resources they can bring to clients while preserving time for planning and relationship management.
About the study
The Impact of Outsourcing Study was conducted by 8 Acre Perspective and represents AssetMark’s fourth wave of research on investment management outsourcing among financial advisors, following prior waves conducted in 2019, 2021 and 2024.
The 2026 study was fielded online in March and April 2026 among 745 financial advisors, including 305 AssetMark clients and 440 non-AssetMark advisors across independent broker-dealer, RIA and insurance channels.
About AssetMark
AssetMark, Inc. operates a wealth management platform with a mission to help financial advisors and their clients. AssetMark, together with its affiliates AssetMark Trust Company, Voyant, and Adhesion Wealth Advisor Solutions, serves advisors at every stage of their journey with flexible, purpose-built solutions, powered by its innovative technology platform. The company equips advisors with planning tools, investment solutions, and operational capabilities to help deliver better investor outcomes by enhancing their productivity, profitability, and client satisfaction.
Founded in 1996, AssetMark has over 1,100 employees and serves more than 10,000 financial advisors and over 340,000 investor households. As of June 30, 2026, the firm had over $180 billion in assets across its platforms. AssetMark, Inc. is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
For more information, please visit www.assetmark.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.
Media:
Jen Deitsch
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