Capital markets

Median sale prices for RIAs have long been ticking upward. But some valuation experts argue that impending retirements could lead to an oversupply of firms on the market — and lower price tags.

Clients have many reasons for not divulging details on the assets they have at, including embarrassment. Advisors say it's still important to understand their total financial picture and, above all, not be judgmental.

A note by Morningstar DBRS analysts warned of the risks working against big RIA aggregators' success in consolidating a fragmented channel of the industry so rapidly.

The latest Financial Advisor Confidence Outlook (FACO) finds advisor sentiment turned slightly pessimistic again this month as financial planners looked for ways to insulate clients' portfolios from global economic shocks.

Large wealth managers are chasing a multitrillion dollar opportunity to manage more of their clients' assets. But many high net worth investors give their business to multiple firms, whether out of a desire for protection, habit or a need to shop around for the best returns.

Valuation experts say RIA purchasers are most attuned to organic sources of growth — assets from new and existing clients. But market gains also play a role.

With anticipation mounting on pending IPOs from giants like Anthropic, SpaceX and OpenAI, here's what advisors are saying to eager clients who want in.

A report from the Financial Stability Board said limited transparency in the private credit market makes it difficult for regulators to monitor and understand risks, potentially masking challenges to the financial system.

Bill Hamm's Independent Financial Partners took a rare step in 2019 when the firm left LPL to launch its own brokerage. Now it's offering an interesting recruiting pitch to financial advisors.

Merrill, BMO and Schwab are among many firms helping clients take out security-backed loans against market gains to avoid capital gains tax hits.

Join us next month for a discussion on whether more clients should be in private markets, how advisors can explain the pros and cons of alternative investments, and just where crypto and digital assets belong.

Evaluating private equity performance is notoriously difficult due to lack of transparency. Asking these 3 questions makes it easier for financial advisors.

Despite the war in Iran and uncertainty over interest rates, the latest Financial Advisor Confidence Outlook shows that advisor sentiment has turned positive for the first time since January.

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 intersection between HNW clients and private markets is no longer about distribution, but integration.

PE money eviscerates an RIA's client-first culture, leading to advisor burnout and turnover.

There's "no free lunch investing in private assets," the research firm said in its latest study of semiliquid assets — released a week before Blue Owl permanently shut the gate of a closely watched private credit fund.

The sales pitch that private equity funds outperform publicly available investments is drawing much more skepticism. Here are the murky signals in the sector.

Private equity in 401(k)s may face significant liquidity strains, reducing returns and complicating plan management, according to new Morningstar research.

RBC Wealth Management-U.S. sees a 12% surge in assets under administration — thanks largely to skyrocketing market gains.