RIAs

The wirehouse's latest hires will support client development and strengthen product delivery, according to Morgan Stanley.

"It was terribly important to us that we were participating and supporting a partnership with a firm that is innovating and has strong backing," said Richard Steinmeier, head of the Wealth Advice Center at UBS.

The year-old automated advice service is revealing some new ways advisers use robos — and it's quelling some big fears.

With competition to RIAs increasing, the financial services giant will promote the value of independent advice.

Is it time to try for another target market? Or just become a generalist? Forsaking current branding and marketing should not be taken lightly.

"If you're a financial services company and you're not thinking of yourself as a financial tech company, then you're probably in a declining business model," says Rob Foregger, co-founder of NextCapital.

Some wirehouse branch managers have made the transition to the independent channel, but doing so takes careful planning, experts say.

In contentious Senate testimony, White fended off accusations that the regulatory body has dragged its feet. Again, she did not offer a timeline for implementing a fiduciary rule from the SEC.

Worthy ideas debated on the fiduciary rule, retirement prep and annuities.

The Gryphon Group generated $1.3 million in production before leaving the wirehouse.