Forbes 2026 America’s Top Wealth Advisors List

EDITED BY SERGEI KLEBNIKOV AND SHOOK RESEARCH

APRIL 07, 2026, 10:00 AM

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- For wealth advisors, 2026 has been a test of nerves. After an outstanding 2025, with stocks rising nearly 40% from the depths of President Trump’s “Liberation Day” announcement, the benchmark S&P 500 index is now down more than 3%. Markets have been jolted by tariff battles, war in the Middle East, doomsday AI predictions and shifting expectations for interest rates, producing the kind of headline-driven swings that make even seasoned investors uneasy. In moments like this, the best advisors are more than portfolio managers: They’re translators, counselors and steady hands for their clients. The 250 advisors on the eleventh annual Forbes | SHOOK ranking of America’s Top Wealth Advisors oversee roughly $2.4 trillion in combined assets. Forbes’ ranking is compiled by SHOOK Research, which uses both quantitative and qualitative criteria, including interviews, to rank candidates nominated by their firms.

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Robert Skinner II

- Firm: IEQ Capital

- Location: Foster City, CA

- Team Custodied Assets: $41.7 billion

“When things feel too easy, that’s usually not the time to take risks—it’s when prices come down and things get uncomfortable that opportunity shows up.”

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Kathleen Grasmeder

- Firm: Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

- Location: Glens Falls, NY

- Team Custodied Assets: $1.8 billion

“I realized very early that if you’re going to be exceptional, it requires more than just expertise. It requires other people.”

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Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC — Data as of 6/30/25. The Forbes | SHOOK® America’s Top Wealth Advisors and Best-in-State Wealth Advisors rankings were developed by SHOOK Research, LLC. Data as of June 30, 2025. Published by Forbes (April 2026). The rankings are based on SHOOK Research’s independent methodology and ranking algorithm, which includes in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings to qualitatively evaluate each advisor across criteria such as client impact, industry experience, client retention, review of best practices, credentials, compliance records and firm nominations, as well as quantitative factors including assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion, as client objectives and risk tolerances vary and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. SHOOK Research’s rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not indicative of future results. SHOOK Research's rankings is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a recommendation or endorsement to hire any specific investment advisor and SHOOK Research does not assume any liability for actions taken based on the rankings. Neither SHOOK Research nor Forbes receives compensation in exchange for placement on the rankings. For a full description of the methodology, please visit www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK® is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC.

The Full List

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Keith Apton

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Sharon Oberlander

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Jason Katz

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RANK

NAME

FIRM

LOCATION

MINIMUM ACCOUNT SIZE FOR NEW BUSINESS

TEAM ASSETS (CUSTODIED)

TYPICAL NET WORTH OF RELATIONSHIPS

TYPICAL SIZE OF HOUSEHOLD ACCOUNTS

Jeff Erdmann

Merrill Private Wealth Management

Greenwich, Connecticut

$2.5M

$17.1B

$20-500M

Mark Curtis

Graystone Consulting from Morgan Stanley

Palo Alto, California

$2.5M

$484B

$20-250M

$10-50M

Brian C. Pfeifler

Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management

Palm Beach, Florida

$25M

$9.3B

$30-500M

$25-500M

Lyon Polk

Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management

New York, New York

$100M

$30.3B

$100M-5B

$100M-2B

Profile Spotlight

Charles Zhang

Zhang Financial

Portage, Michigan

$1M

$7B

$3-200M

$2-100M

Greg Vaughan

Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management

Menlo Park, California

$10M

$65.6B

$125-175M

$65-85M

Profile Spotlight

Jason Ka