Financial advisors who delegate investment management to third-party platforms are reporting measurable gains in client retention, high-net-worth client capacity and practice growth, according to a new study.
The findings of AssetMark’s fourth annual Impact of Outsourcing Study suggest outsourcing is shifting from an operational convenience to a strategic lever for building a competitive advisory business.
The firm serves more than 10,000 financial advisors and manages over $180 billion in assets across its platforms and the study, conducted by market research consultancy 8 Acre Perspective, surveyed 745 financial advisors including 305 AssetMark clients and 440 non-AssetMark advisors across independent broker-dealer, registered investment advisor and insurance channels in March and April 2026.
Among advisors who outsource investment management for at least 20% of their assets under management, nearly all report the arrangement has met or exceeded expectations, according to the AssetMark study.
The most concrete finding in the 2026 study is time with advisors outsourcing at least 20% of assets report saving an average of 9.1 hours per week. In open-ended survey responses, advisors described redirecting that time toward financial planning, client relationship management and business development.
But the time savings are not evenly distributed. Advisors who outsource nearly all of their assets reported almost three times the average weekly time savings compared with those outsourcing less than 20%. That scaling effect suggests the benefits of delegation compound as advisors commit more fully to the model; a finding with implications for advisors currently considering a partial outsourcing.
Beyond time savings, the AssetMark study found that client relationship outcomes improved across every measured category compared with the prior wave of research conducted in 2024. Ninety-two percent of outsourcing advisors reported improved client retention, and 86% said they had a greater ability to attract and serve high-net-worth clients.
Michael Kim, president and CEO of AssetMark, Inc. framed the findings in the context of generational wealth transfer, one of the defining business challenges for advisors over the next decade.
“As wealth moves across generations, advisors need to understand the goals and expectations of not just one client, but entire families," Kim said. "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."
The study also found that nearly all advisors who outsource report they are delivering better investment solutions to clients as a result. Cited benefits included greater portfolio oversight, broader product access, improved investment performance and the ability to incorporate investment strategies outside their personal areas of expertise.
Dana Burkhardt, vice president of Business Consulting at AssetMark, Inc., said the findings point to outsourcing as a pathway to more holistic client service.
"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," Burkhardt said. "That ability to offer broader support can strengthen client relationships and contribute to long-term organic growth."
Michael C. Graham passed away in November. He was 53.
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