Independent advisors

Michael Nathanson, CEO of the RIA aggregator, envisions a day in the not-distant future when firms like his will sit on $1 trillion or more in client assets.

Michael and David Sztrom, who settled fraud allegations with the SEC in 2022, contend the regulators' "follow on" attempt to boot them from the industry violates their constitutional rights.

The fast-moving RIA aggregator has been undergoing an internal reorganization since 2023 in a bid to consolidate the many firms it has scooped up over the years.

The "model rule" for state regulators is meant to help clients distinguish between advisors who earn management fees and brokers who collect transaction-based commissions.

Fifth Third Wealth Advisors President Eric Housman thinks his bank's $2 billion advisory practice still occupies a distinct position in the industry. But it's not likely to stay that way.

Michael Bernier oversaw roughly $165 million in client assets at Canter Strategic Wealth Management, a firm with $300 million under management. Then he left to join LPL.

The standard-setting group is mulling increasing continuing education requirements and requiring that CFP aspirants have certain types of financial planning-related experiences, among other changes.

The rival firms will pay for a forensic consultant to preserve evidence of transferred confidential data while they await FINRA arbitration.

Critics of mandatory arbitration say it can go against investment advisors' fiduciary duty to always do what's best for clients.

Wealth Enhancement Group is the second large OSJ to go separate ways from LPL, following Merit Financial Advisors