Hardware and software

Planners using the latest digital tools report higher AUM than their colleagues, Fidelity says.

From setting fees to compliance scares, veteran planners advise new RIAs on what to consider when launching a firm.

One of the fastest growing RIAs in the industry, Mercer Advisors expands its tech expertise by bringing aboard Dave Welling, of financial software firm SS&C Technologies.

They seek a refund and damages after they said the firm directed them to its Thinkorswim website, according to a FINRA arbitration filing.

The challenges of new regulations may actually allow independent firms to grow and thrive—particularly those which embrace these four advice-centric features.

"We're not going to proscribe any way for clients to access us," says Mark Jordahl, president of U.S. Bank's wealth management group.

Disruption of financial services is not a one-time event. Innovation is shaping everything from consumer behavior and advisers' needs to regulatory requirements.

Scottrade and Schwab fell out of the top three, while Capital One Investing led a retail bank surge in the J.D. Power report.

Wealth management platforms are in a steady buying spree, snapping up tech firms that can give them extra features to offer clients.

The partnership “shows just how much technology is being democratized and customized,” according to one researcher.