Wealth management enters 2026 with solid markets and a business model under pressure. Michael Gold, founder and CEO of Gold Family Wealth in Westport, Connecticut, has outlined how several industry trends affect the families he advises, many of whom hold between $20 million and $150 million in net worth.
Growth is the first trend. The ultra-high-net-worth population is projected to rise 6.7% this year, taking total wealth to $59.8 trillion. More wealth brings more complexity, from business sales to inheritance planning.
Private Assets Move to the Center
Portfolios are changing too. About 83% of advisers say a robust suite of private asset offerings is becoming essential, and private markets are shifting from a niche allocation to a core component for wealthy families. Customization has followed a similar path, with roughly 98% of advisers reporting that new high-net-worth portfolios include some tailoring.
Gold’s firm addresses investment access through a partnership with Carson Partners, which contributes institutional-grade infrastructure and advanced planning capabilities. He says this lets the Westport practice keep its independence while drawing on the resources of a national platform.
Technology and the Limits of Automation
AI advisors and digital platforms are making basic wealth management easier to reach across all segments. Michael Gold Westport accepts that trend but argues the ultra-wealthy need a different approach. Their concerns now reach into cybersecurity threats, personal safety protections, and structuring wealth to benefit multiple future generations.
“These are not transactional issues. They cannot be automated or managed through standardized models,” he says.
Firms are also rethinking staffing. Some are hiring younger advisors to connect with Millennial and Gen Z heirs and assembling multigenerational teams to keep relationships intact across transitions. More firms are opening dedicated practices for the ultra-wealthy, built around specifically tailored teams.
Gold’s own response has been to offer human-first family office services through a network of fractional specialists. He frames the job as “orchestration, not accumulation,” coordinating many experts toward one plan.
For families in Westport and elsewhere, these trends point in one direction. Tools and investment options are multiplying, and the value of someone who can bring them together is rising with them. Refer to this article for related information.
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