Forbes names four Indian origin persons among America's top wealth advisors

New York: Four Indian-origin persons have been named among America's top wealth advisors by Forbes on a list of 200 members who collectively manage USD 675 billion.

Raj Sharma and Ash Chopra, both working in Merrill Lynch - Private Banking & Investment Group, have been ranked 17th and 129 respectively on the Forbes 2016 'America's Top Wealth Advisors' list.

While Sonny Kothari of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management has been ranked 176, Raju Pathak of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is placed at 184.

Forbes said the 200 members on the list collectively manage USD 675 billion, serving clients that range from Silicon Valley billionaires and Wall Street titans to small business owners and family fortunes.

"Most great fortunes have their roots in hard work, brilliant business decisions or savvy investing somewhere along the way (more often than not all three), But once the money is made, growing, preserving and passing it on to the next generation becomes paramount," Forbes said.

"That's where a wealth advisor can come in handy," it said.

Advisors affiliated with big wirehouses dominate the top of the list, including Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and UBS Regarding services, some wealth managers provide a do-it-all concierge service, handling everything from estate planning and taxes to paying bills, it said.

Others focus more on investments and getting clients into exclusive opportunities like top-performing hedge funds or pre-IPO startups.

"Each of the 200 advisors on the list have one thing in common: they are trusted to handle the money of wealthy individuals and families, and will do whatever it takes to keep that trust," Forbes said.