Industry

A new report from Cerulli notes big differentiating factors for firms that specialize in working with clients with $20 million or more to invest.

Consolidation has been ongoing for more than a decade in wealth management, but it accelerated to unprecedented levels this year.

Separate from any transactions involved with succession, financial advisors who want to retire face challenges that make exiting the business difficult.

Henry Robert Gleckler IV's dispute with JPMorgan over his alleged solicitation of his former clients now heads for a resolution before a FINRA arbitration panel.

Also, Cresset extends its reach in Texas, Janney recruits from Wells Fargo and Ameriprise, Merrill draws from Wells Fargo and Mercer acquires a $1B firm.

Discipline, esprit de corps and a detailed playbook for advisors provided the growth engine for the enterprise.

JPMorgan again shows it makes a sharp distinction between advisors who build their own books of business and those who amass clientele from bank referrals.

Preparation is everything: If clients are aware of the transition well in advance, experts say the risk is pretty low they'll leave the firm.

UBS chief data and analytics officer Joe Cordeira says AI won't replace advisors. But it can help them by providing little nudges to do everything from rebalancing a portfolio to wishing a client happy birthday.

One of the most consequential M&A deals in years leads this roundup of the many ways big independent firms grew in 2025 and how they plan to continue growing in 2026.