LPL Financial

With $4.4 billion in client assets, the regional institution's wealth program follows mega-recruits including M&T Bank, BMO Harris and others.

The new employee model, appealing to high net worth advisors, is a step in the independent broker-dealer king's plans to scale up to ultra-high net worth clients.

The deal valued at $140 million plus earnout payments will enable the No. 1 IBD to tap into an OSJ's growth while remaining its brokerage, custodian and RIA.

The firm is also trying to upgrade its services for advisors through new digital chatting tools to get in touch with the corporate office without any phone calls.

Private Advisor Group is going through a CEO succession, while $2.5B firm CCR secured financing from the parent of its longtime brokerage.

A basic scam victimizing a client who has since been diagnosed with dementia evaded any red flags for eight years, according to the SEC.

A $775,000 settlement for Waddell & Reed relating to its pre-LPL days displays how the regulator is ramping up enforcement of such cases, experts said.

Separate announcements by Concurrent Advisors and Private Advisor Group display why flexibility for financial advisors is valuable to growing RIAs.

Podcasting, a killer website, great marketing and freedom to focus were among the reasons why the team left.

These are the largest firms with financial advisors who work with broker-dealers but aren't their employees.