Broker dealers

Brokerages applaud a new rule that will relieve them of the obligation to monitor advisors' side gigs such as driving for Uber or bartending. But regulators say they still have plenty of obligations to monitor outside business activities.

Osaic expected advisor departures during its massive consolidation of nine separate broker-dealers within its corporate structure. But CEO Jamie Price says the effort positioned the firm well for a future liquidity event. Here's how the independent broker-dealer is rebuilding.

Industry consultants recommend steps RIAs in Schwab's referral network can take if they're worried about competition for clients.

Brooke Pilant, who was at Ameriprise from 2017 to 2024, accused the firm of turning against her after she raised concerns about "unethical practices."

Gary Carrai draws on his previous experiences as a financial advisor to recognize what sorts of technical advances are most likely to be useful to LPL advisors and clients — and how much change they can tolerate at once.

Nearly two years into a pilot program designed to test remote inspections of brokers' residential and other remote offices, FINRA feels comfortable enough with the results to push for a permanent policy.

In an unusual development, LPL saw its advisor total decline slightly in the first quarter. And client assets brought in through advisor recruiting were down 55% year over year.

The new money will be used primarily to pay off investors who provided capital when Reverence first bought a majority stake in the former Advisor Group in 2019.

The newly formed Cetera Planning Partners is part of the firm's plan to broaden its channel for advisors working as direct employees.

A federal judge finds that the embattled brokerage Alpine Securities' argument that FINRA should answer to the federal executive branch amounts to " wishful thinking" that "collapses under the weight of spiraling aspiration."

In a Q1 earnings call, CEO Jim Cracchiolo emphasized the firm's recruiting approach that seeks a "built, not bought" advisor workforce.

Raymond James spent more than $100 million to recruit and retain advisors in its latest quarter. CEO Paul Shoukry says he'd rather do that than buy another firm.

Proceeds from the sale of Stifel Independent Advisors, aligned with declining litigation costs, helped drive firm-wide revenue to its second-highest level on record.

A report from the industry tracking-firm DeVoe & Co. finds that 2026 is off to the strongest start for RIA acquisitions ever and broker-dealers like LPL are among the main purchasers.

In contracting for various digital and operations services overseas, Edward Jones is tredding a path blazed by industry rivals like LPL Financial and Ameriprise.

LPL's board proposed a huge boost to CEO Rich Steinmeier's compensation package following a year defined by the firm's acquisition of Commonwealth Financial Network.

Investor advocates think the money should instead go to clients who haven't been paid outstanding arbitration awards.

The Biden Administration rule for a fiduciary standard on one-time retirement-related advice died in two separate court decisions.

Punitive damages, disclosures over employment terminations, the statute of limitations for bringing claims — FINRA is asking about it all in a series of more than 60 questions about revamps to its arbitration procedures.

Analysts warn AI agents could automatically move clients' uninvested cash into money markets and other high-yielding investments, depriving brokerages of one of their most lucrative revenue sources.