NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Jul 22, 2014) - In the latest edition of its Luxury Brand Status Index Wealth Management (LBSI) survey, the independent and objective New York-based Luxury Institute asked investors with an average net worth of $15 million and annual average income of $800,000 to share detailed opinions of 39 leading firms in the wealth management business. LBSI scores (1-10) comprise respondents' evaluations of each firm's product quality, exclusivity, social status and ability to deliver special client experiences.

Set up in 1882 as the Rockefeller family office, New York-based Rockefeller Wealth Management earns the highest overall LBSI score of 7.94. Ranking closely behind Rockefeller are Atlanta-based Atlantic Trust Private Wealth Management (7.93), and Convergent Wealth Advisors (7.92). First Republic Private Wealth Management (7.82), Bessemer Trust (7.68) round out the top five.

"Wealthy clients tell us that expertise, trustworthiness and generosity are the critical elements in building strong client relationships in wealth management," Luxury Institute CEO Milton Pedraza. "Successful wealth managers are relationship builders first, and, since few can beat the markets in the long run, money managers second."

Additional firms evaluated include Ameriprise Financial, Bank of America, Barclays Wealth Management, BB&T Wealth Management, Bernstein Global Wealth Management, BMO Harris Private Banking, BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Boston Private Bank and Trust, Brown Brothers Harriman, Charles Schwab, Citi Private Bank, Credit Suisse Private Banking, Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management, Deutsche Bank Alex. Brown, Fidelity Investments, Fifth Third Private Bank, Goldman Sachs, HSBC Private Bank, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, J.P. Morgan Private Wealth Management, Merrill Lynch, Merrill Lynch Private Banking & Investment Group, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Wealth Management, National City Private Client Group, Neuberger Berman, Northern Trust, PNC Wealth Management, SunTrust Private Wealth Management, U.S. Bank Private Client Group, U.S. Trust, UBS Private Wealth Management, Vanguard Personal Investors, Wells Fargo Private Bank and Wilmington Trust Wealth Advisory Services.

Please visit www.LuxuryInstitute.com and contact us with any questions, or for detailed information about specific brand rankings.