The Case for Direct Indexing: Differentiation in a Competitive Marketplace
December 1, 2022
Demand for customization and differentiation from financial advisors and wealth management firms will lead to a surge in assets for direct indexing, with assets expected to grow at a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.3% and close 2026 with $825 billion in total assets.
Growth is expected to exceed that of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, and retail separate accounts.
Our latest white paper, sponsored by Parametric Portfolio Associates, examines how leading advisors use direct indexing to differentiate their practices in an increasingly competitive environment with seven real-life case studies. Explore why advisors recommend direct indexing to address clients’ needs and learn how it can fit into your business.
Key case studies evaluated include:
Tax-Loss Harvesting
Core-Satellite Portfolio Construction
Trimming Highly Appreciated Stock Positions
Exiting Concentrated GameStop Position Scores Points
Planned Charitable Giving
Helping First-Generation Wealth Creators Fulfill Their Charitable Plans
Environmental, Social, and Governance Investing
Coastal Practice Using ESG for Specialized Client Acquisition
Customized Fixed-Income Ladders
Making $50 Million in Cash Work for the Client
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Report Authors
Michael Manning
Research Analyst
Bio →
Michael Manning
Research Analyst
Michael is an analyst in the Wealth Management practice at Cerulli, specifically working in Managed Accounts. He is a contributor to the U.S. Managed Accounts annual report and The Cerulli Edge series, providing quantitative and qualitative analyses. He also supports various consulting projects within the Wealth Management practice.
Prior to joining Cerulli Associates, Michael started his career as a financial analyst at Granite Telecommunications where he created quote proposals and developed special pricing analyses in response to customer needs.
Full biography here.
John McKenna
Research Analyst
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John McKenna
Research Analyst
John specializes in investor trends and behaviors across different provider and advisory relationships. He contributes to The Cerulli Edge—U.S. Retail Investor Edition series and two annual reports, as well as providing quantitative and qualitative analyses for multiple practices and consulting engagements.
Prior to joining Cerulli Associates, John was an assistant at Harvard Kennedy School of Government, researching philanthropic habits among ultra-high-net-worth Chinese and American benefactors.
Full biography here.
Bing Waldert
Managing Director, U.S. Research
Bio →
Bing Waldert
Managing Director, U.S. Research
Bing Waldert leads Cerulli’s U.S. Research team comprising seven research practices that cover all elements of the U.S. asset management, wealth management, and retirement markets. He has authored Cerulli reports on the wealth management industry, high-net-worth market, the annuity industry, and retirement markets. He is a frequent board-level and C-suite speaker and well-regarded industry thought leader. He has spoken in front of the Investment Company Institute (ICI), the Asset Management Association of China (AMAC), the Investments and Wealth Institute (IWI), and the Money Management Institute (MMI).
He has worked on client projects on emerging manager expansion strategies, independent registered investment advisors (RIAs), multi-family offices (MFOs), investment platforms, and the outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) industry. In addition, he has advised multiple private equity firms on acquisitions in the wealth management space.
Full biography here.
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