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RIA comparison · SEC Form ADV

Seia vs Summit Trail Advisors, LLC

Two independent wealth managers side by side: assets, clients, staff, services and fees, from each firm’s own filing.

The short answer

Seia is the larger of the two, with $23B in regulatory assets to $20B at Summit Trail Advisors, LLC, 13% more than its rival, by their latest Form ADV filings. Seia reports more individual clients (9,520 vs 639), while Summit Trail Advisors, LLC’s clients hold more on average (about $26 million each against $2.3 million). Seia is based in LOS Angeles, California and Summit Trail Advisors, LLC in New York, New York.

FigureSeiaSummit Trail Advisors, LLC
Regulatory AUM$23B$20B
National rank#46#48
HeadquartersLOS Angeles, CaliforniaNew York, New York
Individual clients9,520639
High-net-worth clients4,920588
Average client assets$2.3 million$26 million
Accounts9,8339,778
Discretionary16% of AUM55% of AUM
Employees24194
Advisory staff12831
Clients per advisory employee7421
Offices2617
Form ADV filed2026-09-142026-09-04

Seia

Full profile →

Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management for individuals and small businesses
  • Portfolio management for businesses and institutions
  • Selecting other advisers
  • Educational seminars and workshops

How it’s paid

  • A percentage of assets under management
  • Hourly charges
  • Fixed fees

Summit Trail Advisors, LLC

Full profile →

Services

  • Financial planning
  • Portfolio management for individuals and small businesses
  • Portfolio management for businesses and institutions
  • Pension consulting
  • Selecting other advisers
  • Other services

How it’s paid

  • A percentage of assets under management
  • Hourly charges
  • Fixed fees
  • Performance-based fees

Questions

Which is bigger, Seia or Summit Trail Advisors, LLC?

Seia, with $23B in regulatory assets under management against $20B at Summit Trail Advisors, LLC. Nationally they rank #46 and #48 among 5,657 independent wealth management RIAs.

How many clients do Seia and Summit Trail Advisors, LLC have?

Seia reports 9,520 individual clients (4,920 high-net-worth) with 128 advisory employees; Summit Trail Advisors, LLC reports 639 (588 high-net-worth) with 31 advisory employees.

How do Seia and Summit Trail Advisors, LLC charge clients?

Only Summit Trail Advisors, LLC lists performance-based fees on Form ADV. Fee schedules and minimums are in each firm’s Form ADV Part 2A brochure.

What services do Seia and Summit Trail Advisors, LLC offer?

Seia lists educational seminars and workshops, which Summit Trail Advisors, LLC does not. Summit Trail Advisors, LLC lists pension consulting; other services, which Seia does not. Both offer financial planning; portfolio management for individuals and small businesses; portfolio management for businesses and institutions; selecting other advisers.

More comparisons

Where these numbers come from

Every figure is the firm’s own answer on its latest Form ADV, from the SEC’s registered-adviser list as of October 1, 2026: regulatory assets and accounts (Item 5.F), clients by type (5.D), employees (5.A and 5.B), compensation (5.E) and services (5.G). Average client assets divide the assets held for individual and high-net-worth clients by their number. Ranks compare each firm with all US-based independent wealth management RIAs, the same field as The Largest RIAs. Figures can lag recent deals and market moves.

Not an endorsement or a recommendation of either firm. Before hiring an adviser, read its Form ADV Part 2A brochure and check its record on the SEC’s adviser search: Seia ↗, Summit Trail Advisors, LLC ↗. How to check a financial advisor →