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Wealth management is often referred to as a high-level form of private banking for the especially affluent. One must already have accumulated a significant amount of wealth for wealth management strategies to be effective.

What does the Wealth Management do?

Wealth comes in lots of forms; it isn’t simply a matter of having huge sums of cash in your bank account. People who have a lot of money often have complex financial arrangements in which their assets are widely spread and diverse in nature (‘assets’ is the term used for anything owned by an individual or business which has monetary value). Making those assets work most efficiently and productively takes an in-depth knowledge of both financial markets and the latest investment opportunities. This is where the Wealth Management division comes in.

It does exactly what it says – Wealth Management is about managing people’s wealth. The people in question are usually defined as high net worth individuals. ‘HNWs’ are generally defined as people who own financial assets over $1 million. What types of clients are there? Well, they could be anyone – or rather anyone who has enough money to warrant employing a wealth manager: successful business owners, entrepreneurs, people who are rich through inheritance, perhaps even celebrities. Given the often complex nature of a HNW individual’s assets, it is no good for a wealth manager just to advice on what to do with one lump of cash. Wealth managers provide comprehensive financial support for their clients. The advice they offer will be wide-ranging and varied. It can cover taxes and asset protection, investments to property advice. Of course they can’t be experts in everything - in many cases they’ll act as a ‘front’ for other departments in the bank, depending on the complexities of the services required. The things they do will often touch on many aspects of their clients’ lives from business to family. Nurturing the relationship they have with their client is vital to retaining and growing their business.

Wealth Management services are offered on a discretionary or non-discretionary basis:

Discretionary

Clients who opt for discretionary support effectively hand over their finances to the Wealth Manager to manage. Based on pre-determined criteria, the Wealth Manager will make investment decisions on behalf of the client and assumes responsibility for protecting and growing their wealth.

Non-discretionary

‘Non-discretionary’ means that, although the client receives advice, ultimate decision-making still lies with the client.

Financial Planning forms a part of Wealth Management.

Art as an Investment:

Art can be tempting investment, with its creative mystique and potential for soaring values. Attending glittering events such as the annual Art Basel Miami Beach, a four-day, celebrity-studded event representing more than 2,000 contemporary artists, makes it that much harder to resist. Whether your tasted are classic or avant-grade, art is a tangible commodity and, as with any commodity, many investors view it as a hedge against stock market volatility. But before you drop a bundle at a gallery or raise your bidding paddle at auction, understand that art come with its own risk and expenses. Aside from the added costs associated with maintaining art, there are the fickle tastes of buyers. “Art follows fashions and trends.” The popularity of various artists and periods fluctuate, so one year’s must have Andy Warhol is another year’s Monet. Having said that, art investing can be lucrative. “If you take a long term view of art, many investors have reaped the benefits, but you have to buy right and know what you’re buying.”

Investing in art is like investing in gold

Adding art to your portfolio could reap financial benefits in the long term, but you need to understand how it fits in with your other investments. Investors shouldn’t think of art as just another commodity, like gold, for instance. “It’s much more nuanced than that,” says Jeff Rabin, co-founder and principal of Artvest Partners LLC, an advisory firm for the art investors. “It is the most opaque, illiquid and unregulated asset.” Because art comes with so many investment risks, most likely you’ll need specific advice from an expert. “Investing in art is much more complicated than people realize.” Just because you’re talented in other areas of investing doesn’t, mean you’ll excel in art.