RIAs

Advisors choosing independence do well as a pack.

As robo advisor firms rush to offer customers rock bottom fees, some fintech players say this business model is unsustainable unless companies scale up, acquire massive AUM or offer premium features.

Payout structure is a key consideration when thinking about the move to independence.

There are some regulatory red flags that all advisors must pay attention to. But RIAs and brokers also face hurdles specific to their businesses when it comes to staying out of hot water.

A federal court ordered an investment advisor to pay more than $1 million in fines regarding two fraud cases.

A team formerly with Lincoln Financial Advisors will join an LPL-affiliated hybrid RIA.

Comparables, such as multiples of revenue or cash flow, may not be most important because they could mean an oversimplified valuation.

The human touch is still needed in the foreseeable future because advisors can approach complex situations with customized solutions, says one MIT professor.

New digital tools are paving the way for advisors to create hybrid services that will increase both reach and profitability. See a few of the newer options.

Guide Financial, which counted among its advisors Esther Stearns, former head of Nestwise -- a now-shuttered LPL venture aimed at middle-class clients -- is the latest technology provider to be acquired.