RIAs

RBC Wealth goes to UBS again to pull over advisors with large AUM tallies; Carson Group buys a firm in Colorado, and Goldman Sachs alumni set up an RIA through Dynasty Financial.

An advisory panel has recommended changes that would bring arbitration rules for RIAs into line with those now governing FINRA proceedings for broker-dealers. The proposal still has to get through the SEC.

While return-to-office mandates have proliferated, many say you'll never get them back in the cubicle full-time.

They must file the lengthy and highly specific Form ADV document with the SEC and state-level agencies. And that's just one aspect of the many strategic decisions.

Industry experts say there's theoretically no reason why firms can't keep getting bigger through recruiting deals. But a lack of good M&A prospects could make growth harder for LPL and other independent broker-dealers.

Finding the right time to launch a registered investment advisory firm and the importance of building lasting client connections all play into advisor success.

LPL Financial also pulls an advisory team from RBC, and Cetera hires a chief fiduciary officer for its trust subsidiary.

Retired investor Tracy Driver alleges he was encouraged to put millions into a now delisted media company and then lost more through unauthorized sales of "prized" shares in Nvidia, Microsoft and Alphabet.

Experts say that there are pitfalls, rules and procedures that departing financial advisors should know. Problem is, too many act first and consult lawyers later.

The transition challenges were great, writes Kimberly Foss; the ultimate rewards for her and her clients, even greater.