Ameriprise Financial

The advisor says he joined the regional broker-dealer to focus on his core business of financial planning.

The rule has cost the firm tens of millions of dollars in compliance and lost revenue.

Firms still rely heavily on commission income despite drops last year.

Stan Leavitt said he was drawn to the regional firm for its culture and financial planning capabilities.

The engine of future growth for the top independent broker-dealers is likely to be fees.

The broker now operates from Ameriprise's independent side, according to the company.

The group joined the regional broker-dealer from Morgan Stanley.

Though the wirehouse notched impressive wins, Merrill wasn't the only firm to land elite recruits recently.

A clear path has emerged after historic revenue drops among the top independent broker-dealers.

The regional firm’s new recruits joined in two locations.