Succession planning

Preparation is everything: If clients are aware of the transition well in advance, experts say the risk is pretty low they'll leave the firm.

Savant Wealth Management, Moneta Group Investment Advisors and EP Wealth Advisors lead a group of fee-only firms with headcounts well above their peers.

Experts say RIA owners often resist making themselves replaceable. But they'll have to choose between an internal or external deal someday.

The implications to taxes, hiring and the very legacy of a financial advisor's career demand much more formal documentation than most RIAs have undertaken, experts say.

Less than a third of firms have a formal, documented plan in place, according to this month's Financial Advisor Confidence Outlook survey. Experts say this is a dangerous state of affairs.

Minority transactions are increasingly appealing to sellers who are wary of giving up the full control of their firms. But experts say the deals do come with strings.

Deal structure, transition plans and dog and pony shows represent only a few of the thorny difficulties involved with branching into an acquisition strategy, experts say.

Resources and personal connections offer significant advantages. But financial advisors and other experts say they only get new RIAs part of the way.

Wealth management firms can purposefully create an atmosphere centered on growth — but it takes effort and intention, said Daniel Crosby of Orion and Brad Johnson of Triad Partners.

Financial advisors can multiply their reach, the value of their business and their client services by tapping new employees. Finding the right fit is a careful dance.

One study uncovered interesting findings on market saturation, while another shed light on the regional trends shaping M&A deals.

What was once largely a source of referrals for outside professionals is moving in-house for financial advisors in many cases. Here are some examples.

The American College of Financial Services and RISR are collaborating as a BNY Wealth report showcased the planning complexities of owner succession deals.

For many family offices, the bulk of services they provide takes a backseat to one specific goal: preserving wealth for their clients' heirs.

Wealth managers are rushing to serve ultrahigh net worth clients. But industry veterans warn some may be promising more than they can deliver.

CEO Kunal Kapoor and other speakers explained how the shifting trends shaping the industry mean that advice is getting even more important.

As an aging cohort of financial advisors prepares for retirement, firms are scrambling for next-gen talent. Yet a new study found that few have developed a comprehensive succession plan.

A consulting firm's report on the future of the channel reveals the ambivalence and frustration many feel about the impact of M&A consolidation.

Despite the notable flows and valuations, some sellers get locked into an ill-fitting parent firm without many options for getting away.

For many firms, looming advisor retirements and the need to retain client households through the next generations will create difficult problems.