Economy

One of the most consequential M&A deals in years leads this roundup of the many ways big independent firms grew in 2025 and how they plan to continue growing in 2026.

Also, Raymond James lands a $420M father-son team from Edward Jones, Cetera recruits a $350M LPL duo, and Cambridge acquires a $1B AUM dual registrant.

The latest SEC Enforcement Activity report finds that the watchdog agency has only started four regulatory cases against public companies under the current presidential administration.

LPL executives have said they're well on the way to retaining 90% of the client assets they're seeking to bring over from their recent purchase of Commonwealth. But advisor departures have ticked upward.

Wells Fargo recruits a $543M JPMorgan team, Raymond James adds a $360M family practice and Beacon Pointe acquires a women-led RIA.

At a time when private equity ownership is causing clashes between independent broker-dealers and some of their largest advisory teams, Private Advisor Group found another option.

Dueling announcements Friday show that UBS is still struggling with advisor retention even as it brings in a new executive to oversee its recruiting efforts.

RBC pulls $1.2B and $705M teams from rivals, Merrill gets a $420M duo, and several large M&A deals close.

Also, an Ex-Truist/Balentine duo start an RIA, Raymond James grabs a team from Wells Fargo and Janney names a new head of advisor recruiting.

The exit of Hannes Hofmann comes amid continuing overhaul of Citi's wealth business and follows on the departure of its private bank's longtime global head Ida Liu.

Wells Fargo pulls $722M in AUM from Merrill while Osaic adds a $540M team from Primerica (but gets sued); Stifel sells independent unit, and First Clearing names new head.

When an analyst asked about Fifth Third's $11 billion deal to buy rival Comerica, CEO Jim Cracchiolo mentioned the seller's Ameriprise "contract and agreements."

The Federal Open Market Committee voted to reduce interest rates by 25 basis points Wednesday, but the emergence of dissents on the committee makes the chance of another quarter-point cut in December less certain.

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

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority is probing broker-dealer firms involved in taking small foreign companies public, the latest effort by a regulator to crack down on pump-and-dump schemes.

How charitably inclined taxpayers can use donor-advised funds and other tax strategies to get ahead of the OBBBA's revised rules on charitable deductions.

Video game developers are benefiting from research and development tax credits and recent changes in the rules for deducting R&D expenses.

Business owners often can't rely on standard retirement strategies. Advisors explain how goal-setting, diversification and exit planning can secure their financial future.

A Cerulli report puts numbers to the channel's transformation. We have resources for advisors who want to better understand the space.

It's time to revisit the $10,000 cap considering a new $40,000 limitation under the OBBBA.