Independent BDs

The firm's wealth management division also reported that pretax operating earnings rose 16% from a year ago.

About a quarter of fee-only advisory firms we surveyed in February said they had changed their fee structure in the past year (as did 20% of all independent firms). So what did they do? We combed through respondents' individual comments to identify several of the changes firms have made.

"We're betting on financial advisors and personalized financial advice delivered by people," says RJFS President Scott Curtis.

After selling Cetera for a rich $1.15 billion, Donald Marron's Lightyear Capital picks up a $4.7 billion hybrid RIA.

Three advisors left the wirehouse to join the independent brokerage network at Wells Fargo.

Behind the accounting errors that knocked $4 billion off American Realty Capital Properties' market value was a hidden scheme that generated more than $900 million in managers’ fees and bonuses, investors said in a lawsuit against the company.

An arbitration panel granted the wirehouse's request for damages for breach of contract, but the award fell short of the original $1.4 million the firm sought.

Quartet of advisors with $175M in AUM joins Raymond James' independent operation.

Some of the proposed exemptions could be so expansively interpreted that they permit the egregious conduct that bona fide fiduciary standards are designed to constrain.

The proposed consolidated database would bring together BrokerCheck and IAPD and include data on unregistered financial professionals across the industry.

The fast evolution of technology has many industry leaders trying to figure out whether robo advisors are a threat, a tool or something else entirely.

Once known just for CRM, the company has since built out a broader cloud-based suite of tools. Joel Bruckenstein checks out the new offering.

Stifel's CEO says his firm is enlarging its footprint in the independent space because clients are migrating there.

New Hampshire wants LPL to pay $3.6 million in a fine, other costs and restitution, following millions LPL already has paid to FINRA and Massachusetts.

The firm recruited three advisors to its employee and independent channels from rivals Edward Jones, Wells Fargo and MetLife Securities.

Advisors face a shifting landscape on both competitive and economic fronts. Many argue that it's time to scrap the AUM fee altogether.

The advisor, now barred from FINRA, allegedly violated his firm's policies and FINRA rules when he borrowed money to build a oceanfront vacation rental.

The partnership will help the bank expand the financial advisory services available to business owners in the New York metro area.

Traditional firms must boost their digital wealth management tools or risk being overrun by those that already do.

Northwestern Mutual, the nation's second-largest life insurance company, is buying LearnVest, an online financial planning start-up founded in 2009.